25 Sep 2020 10:01:25
If we want to press from the front as a team we cannot do so with Harry and Victor at the back. A back 3 with Harry, Axel and Eric would be much better with brandon and Luke as wingbacks. It gives us good recovery pace and physicality to cope with counter attacks and and crosses. Our midfield can have VdB and Bruno with Mata sitting behind Martial and Rashford. I know this leaves Pogba out, but with VDB and Bruno we should have enough creativity in midfield with the legs to back it up defensively. And Pobga's defensive capability as a midfield player are limited at best.
Maybe i am getting carried away with Mata and Bailly in the win over Luton and rate Axel higher than he is because its been so long since we saw him play, but i think that starting 11 with matic, pogba, greenwood, James, AWB, Victor and henderson on the bench is a very entertaining team. Plus Mata has shown throughout his career that he is an exceptional player when he is played behind two strikers as he can then find more space between the lines.

1.) 25 Sep 2020
25 Sep 2020 10:11:23
RLF,

When was the last time Mata showed he was exceptional behind the striker? I must have missed that game. Mata is nothing more than a carabao cup player this season and should really have left, we have no chance if he’s starting regularly.

I think if we do move to the 3 at the back which we used successfully last season Shaw is better dropping into the back 3, he did very well there last season and Telles (if we get him) would work well in a partnership with him. The problem then is AWB isn’t really good enough as a RWB so it leaves us weak on that side, you could potentially play Williams there though as he is better getting forward as you mention.

Over the last 6 months we have looked stronger defensively when Matic plays in front of a back 4, the difference in number of goals we concede when he plays is huge compared to when he doesn’t, so I would struggle to pick a first choice team that doesn’t include him at the moment.

2.) 25 Sep 2020
25 Sep 2020 10:31:58
Moving to three would reduce the burden or need for Matic every week I guess? Also, if we can’t sign a RW Like Sancho or whoever, makes sense to play two up top
And rotate Rash, Martial and Greenwood.

Means we can accommodate the midfielders more, Harry can go on his strolls up the pitch, and potentially be more solid at the back and be less exposed to pace.

3.) 25 Sep 2020
25 Sep 2020 10:34:16
I think it's strange you refer to them by their first names, and then later refer to them by their last name 🤷‍♂️.

4.) 25 Sep 2020
25 Sep 2020 11:05:56
Yea I get what you mean dan! Weird when people do that James!

5.) 25 Sep 2020
25 Sep 2020 11:31:09
Dan,

I thought that too but didn’t want to be pedantic, very strange, like they are best mates.

6.) 25 Sep 2020
25 Sep 2020 12:39:17
yeah. don't know what happened there.

7.) 25 Sep 2020
25 Sep 2020 13:55:28
Where does AWB fit in, tho?

8.) 25 Sep 2020
25 Sep 2020 15:02:28
The bar for harry maguire is getting even lower now, he has to play in a back three for us to be defensively solid.

He is the most expensive central defender in the history of association football, i would go out on a limb and say over 75% of teams in europes top 5 leagues play 4 at the back systems with 2 central defenders.

I would expect the most expensive defender to play exceptionally well in a back 4.