Sorry, I'm cutting and pasting from the previous article but I think it applies here.

I've said it many times before but look at each of the biggest games for the previous 4 seasons and who started in all of them.

08/09 - CL Final Barca
09/10 - PL Chelsea H
10/11 - CL FInal Barca
11/12 - PL City A

Who played in all of those, Park, a perfect example of the 'attacking' player Ferguson loves, hard working, will help in defence but who's attacking game has suffered massively since being at United. The Park who played for PSV was nothing like the one we had, Ferguson sucked the life out of his attacking instincts and has done it with Anderson and isn't helping with Kagawa while Nani he seems to have just given up on.

If we ever bought Mata or Silva I can imagine Ferguson wanting to transform their game in much the same way he did Park's.

Doubt it, Mata and Silva started out as wingers and are very comfortable in wide positions.

We would destroy them. They would be stuck on the touchline watching Rooney struggle to trap the ball an Giggs still playing in central midfield. We don't deserve talented players such as that. "They have to adapt to us..."

Let's assume we signed Mata or Silva 1-2yrs back.
Does anyone think SAF would have changed our style of play to get the best out of these type of players.
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If we had Mata or Silva, we would actually be fine and Sir Alex wouldn't need to change anything. By shifting Kagawa to the left, we're trying to recreate their performances through Kagawa. However, the problem is Kagawa doesn't play there and is number 10.

442 is fine as long as the right players are used, particularly in the CM positions.

For us, Silva actually played wide in a 442 quite a lot last year with Dzeko and Aguero up top. It turned into a 4231 when we had the ball, but it was absolutely a 442. The problem we had though was with Silva and Nasri on the wings, they both cut in so the width came from the fullbacks which can leave you vulnerable.

It has still been the same this year, Silva only plays higher up when we play with one striker. I keep seeing these comments about 442 and it is simply not true, I think people need to realise how many teams actually still play it when they don't have the ball, and that even in the old days when they did have the ball, it turned into a 4231 anyway.

Good post, Melton.

I do think we should adapt our team so it's not a traditional 442 but people talking about players with skill being destroyed by it aren't correct.

For me 442 is highly dependant on who plays in the central 2. For me, Carrick and Cleverly are not good enough to dominate top opponents - especially ones that play with 3 cm's.

Stick Vidal and Marchisio - two world class box to box players - or Toure and Wilshere and United would be improved vastly and compete better in the middle - as they suit that formation.

You hear of many players who started as strikers etc. and are moved back as they get older.
I think the same can be applied in these cases also. Park and Anderson for example perhaps were not gifted enough attackers to be successful in the premier league, just because that was more their game before it doesn't mean that they were better players

However, playing 4-4-2 we can still win the PL
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Yea, i can't think why SAF keeps persisting with it

I'm quite proud that we have generally kept to our own style of play, while most other clubs try to fill the midfield

Scholes, I'd say it was more to do with the fact they were attacking midfielders that were rarely played as attacking midfielders.

Their ability to run with the ball, pick out passes and link up with the attackers were their best attributes.

These were reigned in somewhat and more of an emphasis was put on their physical attributes, of that I have no doubt.

Doesn't mean the same would have happened with Silva and Mata though, as 1) Both players were and are far superior attacking players to the aforementioned, and; 2) Neither of those possess the same physical attributes that Park and Anderson did.

Forget Mata/Silva, I can see Kagawa being the next Veron.

"For me 442 is highly dependant on who plays in the central 2. For me, Carrick and Cleverly are not good enough to dominate top opponents - especially ones that play with 3 cm's. "

Spot on. It relies on mobility, otherwise the midfield can go deep, forcing the defence deep. That is what happened to you guys a few times last night. Carrick and Cleverley were deep, but because you play Wellbeck on the wing, he tends to stay higher up. It meant there was a big gap at times between your back six and your front four and there were a few times when a long ball was pumped up to RVP, which Kompany could deal with all day. When you guys started to play well and get into the game, it was by keeping the ball on the deck and the midfield two being slightly higher up the pitch.

Have to say though, Mancini was spot on in playing three in midfield and just Tevez up front, I wasn't sure when I saw the line up but it really worked.

Giggs, not Cleverley

Agreed, Melton.

This is the problem. Carrick and Cleverly are not fast or mobile enough to compete with the best.

They're players that suit playing in the middle 3.

We play a striker that does the running for them and tracks back, however, this really limits the attacking prowess of whoever that might be.

And as you say, we end up either being pushed back or we sit back.

I thought Tevez was brilliant last night.