Rafael still not fit?

.................De Gea
Valencia Evans Rojo Shaw
...................Blind
........Herrera......Di Maria
................Rooney
.............RVP Falcao



Mata seems most liekly to be dropped. Interestingly, have a look at these stats since he joined..

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxfNBohIIAA-Izw.jpg

But who cares if he is our most natural #10 and creates chances, scores goals and assists, does he earn 300k a week or is one of our biggest marketing assets? If not then he shouldn't start.

comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 56 seconds ago
But who cares if he is our most natural #10 and creates chances, scores goals and assists, does he earn 300k a week or is one of our biggest marketing assets? If not then he shouldn't start.
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I think the main issue now is that with so many strikers, our other forward players are going to have to do more defensive work as our line ups may tend to be very attacking.

Di Maria and Rooney (if played deeper) at better defensively than Mata.

Also there is no way Rooney, RVP and Falcao are all going to stay fit the whole season.

I would actually play him still though and leave RVP on the bench till he gains a bit more sharpness. Just don't see LVG dropping RVP before Mata.

....................De Gea
.......Valencia Evans Rojo Shaw
.....................Blind
.............Herrera...Di Maria
.....................Mata
.............Rooney....Falcao


How does that look? Diamond in midfield.

For me the decision of who starts should be a straight forward combination of:

a) Productivity (goals and assists)
b) Pace. You need pace and movement to open teams up and pin back the opposition.
c) Players playing in their natural position

The 3 P's! Productivity, Pace and Position.

Christ them stats don't put Ozil in a good light

If all fit and on form id actually love to see midfield 3 with mata behind Falcao as well. That would allow mata to have less responsibility defensively and concentrate with what he does brilliantly.

Fletcher will 100% start.
It'll be risky having very little PL experience in midfield.

Pace isn't essential for a #10, the speed is more in the brain that the feet there.

Pace can come from wide areas and the striker while the mobility comes from the midfield behind the #10. There a plenty of quality midfielders (not just #10s) who lack pace.

Really intrigued to see your line up today, can't predict it at all to be honest

I'd expect one of Blind, Blackett or Rojo to be at LB/LWB given that Shaw will might not be fit enough to start. My bet would be Blind.

So as Wing_Genuis says, expect to see Fletcher there.

Pace isn't essential for a #10, the speed is more in the brain that the feet there.
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Indeed, but Mata's lack of pace needs to be compensated elsewhere in the side, as you say. For me that dictates that Di Maria should be played wide and advanced, not tucked away inside at CM.

GK: De Gea

CB: Evans
CB: Blackett
CB: Rojo

RWB: Rafeal

LWB: Shaw

CM: Herrera
CM: FLetcher

AMC: Di Maria

FWD: Rooney
FWD: Falcao

Berba

He could still work as the left of a midfield 3 with mata as a #10 ahead and a striker ahead of him. That would allow di Maria plenty of space wide to work into if he needs to.

comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 27 seconds ago
Berba

He could still work as the left of a midfield 3 with mata as a #10 ahead and a striker ahead of him. That would allow di Maria plenty of space wide to work into if he needs to.
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There's no way 2 of our 3 strikers are getting dropped. I do agree with Mata as the number 10 but cut the 5 at the back and play two strikers. Mata the top of a diamond midfield.

I expect us to continue with a 352. Don't think LVG, having used it in pre-season and all the games so far, as well as getting the younger teams playing it, will change so soon.

It might throw up a bit of a problem today though. I think the only fit central defenders we have are Evans Blackett and Rojo. Ideally, you'd have your most experienced CB in the middle. Out of the 3, that is Evans. However the other 2 are both left footers, so Evans will have to play as the RCB. So who plays as the middle CB? Rojo, playing his first match, or Blackett, the youngest and most inexperienced?

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

I don't care what the rest of the line up is as long as Rafael starts.

mu1982,

Possibly but for me he needs to be in situations and positions where he can run in behind and stretch the opposition, not just looking to get wide. 4-3-3 could work, Di Maria on the right and Rooney playing an inside left role. Falcao and RvP fighting for the #9 position.

The issue then of course, is does Mata offer enough in terms of workrate and defensive work to operate in a midfield three?

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Barf,

Good points about the left-footedness being an issue with 3 centre backs. I think that will force LvG's hand in maybe moving away from the 3-5-2. At least for this afternoon, anyway.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

I'm not talking about fixed positions.

Yes we've played with a central two but flanked by wide midfielders as a midfield four.

I'm talking about a 4-3-3, where the two wider forwards (Rooney and Di Maria) will be higher up the pitch. That leaves the three midfielders more work to do. If one of those players is a passenger without the ball (Mata), that will create issues defensively.

We're talking basic maths, when off the ball.

Our attacking options are very good and its hard to think who will be eventually left out,if anyone that is.

Could Mata,RVP,Falcao,Di Maria,Rooney all start from the off?