Herrera or Matic in 4-2-3-1?

[Sideshow Bob]

4-2-3-1 will be used during the season. Who should be first choice to partner Pogba?

 

[jsp]

Depends on opposition against weaker sides at home Herrera, weaker sides away Matic, good sides home or away my guess is both in a 3.

 

[gav81]

In the circumstances dictated, it should be Matic. He's a more natural defensive midfielder than Herrera. Though I'd never play Pogba in a 4-2-3-1 to begin with, so I think there's room for all three on the pitch.

 

[IDFD]

The Matic signing confirms we are going 4-3-3 it isn't Matic or Herrera it's Matic and Herrera

 

[Red Warrior]

I'd expect us to go 4-3-3 with Pogba-Matic-Hererra in midfield for most games

 

[Mr C]

I think Pogba is going to have a huge season now Matic is in there.

Madrid and Barca will be knocking next year

 

[Red Warrior]

Completely agree. I think we have been crying out for a cdm so much so we will now see Pogba and even Hererra do their thing. I think we forget how good Herrera is going forward, and he can score goals too. Our midfield should be a real powerhouse now.

 

[RichH2016]

Yeah completely agree... This signing confirms that we are going to go 4-3-3 or maybe at times 3-5-2. It's not a case of Matic or Herrera they will both play together a lot to free Pogba up. But Herrera also brings that ability to create more so in games where we dominate that will be great to have both Herrera and Pogba pushing on in midfield.

 

[Sideshow Bob]

Premier League: Manchester United 4-0 West Ham United - 13th August 2017

It will be difficult for Herrera to displace Matic based on the latter's performance.

 

[SuperRash]

You would say the line up today is pretty close to our best with the only iffy positions is the second centre back and left back. I like Mkhitaryan in a free role and I love seeing Rashford start. The signs are good for sure. And like Bob said it'll be difficult for Herrera to come in after today but I still think there is a role for him, probably in the bigger games.

 

[jsp]

I certainly think this is the team at home vs weaker sides but there will be rotation, suspensions, injuries to deal with. Herrera I imagine will play the big games and a lot of away games

 

[maxt7]

Agree with JSP. Against lesser teams Matic is capable of providing all the cover we need so play a 10. Against the big boys bring Ander back for his engery and stability. Either way those midfielders are hopefully playing 50/60 games this season.

 

[Edgy1968]

Agree with the guys above, lesser sides at OT Matic is enough cover to release Pogba and play a No. 10 as well, when we play away against probably the top 10 I would expect to see Herrera Pogba Matic in a 3 with maybe Mata dropping out and Miki playing out wide, he could play a No. 10 away at the teams in the bottom half sides as we should control enough of the game you would think.

Still think we are one direct pacey winger away from having a complete squad (Rashford/Martial sensational yesterday btw) but when he plays Miki inside I don't see enough cover out on the right with only Mata (and Lingard but urgh not for me)

2 weeks to go Woody, work your magic!

 

[jsp]

My guess is Herrera/Fellaini will come in for Mata in a lot of away games and maybe even the home games against the bigger sides where Mourinho may not want to dominate possession in the way he knew we would yesterday.

 

[Red Warrior]

I have always thought the 4-2-3-1 is a bit of a negative formation but we seemed to do well with it yesterday, Matic was superb, as was Pogba. It's a shame Herrera had to miss out but I'm sure he will get his chance. Be interesting to see when and who he implements the 4-3-3 against with Pogba - Matic -Herrera as the midfield 3.

 

[maxt7]

Does anyone think Jose hill change the side for Saturday? It's hard to drop people after winning 4 nil but we are away this time. I know it's Swansea who offered nothing at the weekend and many predict are going to struggle. But away games in the prem are tough nowadays.

I just wonder if Jose just wants to control the match more. Take the early kick off, 'lads we are playing man united let's try even harder' syndromes out of the match completely. Maybe the best way of doing that is dropping Mata for Ander? what do others think? Rashford out for Martial as well maybe? It's good to have options and after the marker we laid down last weekend everyone's really got to fight to get in the side.

 

[jsp]

I would expect Herrera in for Mata I don't see him playing a number 10 away from home from the start he'll want to make sure Utd get control of the game and maybe be a little bit more consevative from the start but I don't see a reason to change anything else. Personally I'd go with the same team Swansea are a side that want to play football they're not a big physical side so I see no reason for not taking them on in a game of football. I don't think Mata was particularly stand out in the game at the weekend but not sure I see much reason in dropping him, Martial did well when he came on but I'd maybe look for him to do the same again this weekend.

Away games are always tough for Utd as everyone is up for it they know if they can get a result against a team like Utd it sends the fans home happy for a few weeks.

 

[SuperRash]

Yeah I'd go along with that, I think Herrera will come in for Mata but I wouldn't bet against it being an unchanged side. I hope Jose sticks with Blind at left back, he just gives us that bit more in attack.

I would like to see Martial and Rashford unleashed together but Mkhitaryan played well and doesn't deserve to lose his spot. Although knowing Jose, Lingard will find his way back in!

 

[Red Warrior]

I would keep it as it was except have Martial on the left of the mid 3 and Rashford on the right (miki in middle) dropping Mata. No place for Herrera unfortunately.
I could see another 3 or 4 goals going in

 

[jsp]

I would keep it as it was except have Martial on the left of the mid 3 and Rashford on the right (miki in middle) dropping Mata. No place for Herrera unfortunately.
I could see another 3 or 4 goals going in

Why move 2 guys who had a great game from the position they played well in? Rashford when he plays on the right isn't as good because he's forced to go outside if he wants to go on his stronger foot it's the same issue Martial has when he plays on that side. For me unless one of them is playing in the middle they can't both play. We chopped and changed way to much last season and it meant we never got going up front I'd look to make as few changes as possible to that front line.

 

[jsp]

Yeah I'd go along with that, I think Herrera will come in for Mata but I wouldn't bet against it being an unchanged side. I hope Jose sticks with Blind at left back, he just gives us that bit more in attack.

I would like to see Martial and Rashford unleashed together but Mkhitaryan played well and doesn't deserve to lose his spot. Although knowing Jose, Lingard will find his way back in!

Do you think it might be Blind at home and Darmian away this season until Shaw gets fit? I know what you mean Blind gives us so much more going forward than Darmian plus quality on set pieces with his corners/free kicks.

I really hope he doesn't tinker this season it did my head in last year the top sides play a consistent XI in most games they don't constantly chop and change obviously you pick up injurys/suspensions and need to give the occasional rest to a player who's running on empty but the bulk of the great sides play nearly every match.

 

[Red Warrior]

Do you think it might be Blind at home and Darmian away this season until Shaw gets fit? I know what you mean Blind gives us so much more going forward than Darmian plus quality on set pieces with his corners/free kicks.

I think Blind is particularly poor at corners, free kicks and crossing. He rarely beats the first man when taking a corner.

 

[IDFD]

I'd have Herrera in for Mata. But only because that's how I would have played anyway. If we want to have someone further forward we can still push Pogba another 5 yards up. Mata can come on but Herrera has it all for me. Makes us more solid but has the ability to pick a pass and with Matic behind him I think we could see more from him. I think the reason he didn't play is he's still slightly off the pace as we saw against Madrid. In pre-season he did pick up a knock and I just don't think he's ready yet.

 

[jsp]

Why remove a creative player for a less creative one because we're away from home?

Swansea I don't think are a particularly big side and without Siggurdson they've lost that set piece threat so I don't see why we'd make any major changes to our team surely the point of investing in Matic is we don't need to protect ourselves as much defensively by putting more bodies in midfield.

Herrera looked well off the pace vs Madrid but I have concerns if he's off the pace because that's the way he is he's always been rash and it got him 2 red cards last season. I'm not convinced Mourinho sees him as a nailed on starter every week I know he's popular with fans but I can see him being on the bench quite a bit this season but playing more of the big games at home where we might need him to do a job on players like Eriksen, Hazard, Coutinho etc.

 

[IDFD]

I take the point and your probably correct in that we shouldn't. Perhaps I've bought too far in to this being solid in midfield mentality! I just think Herrera as a player who can do things both sides of the half way line and someone who given a license to get further forward will impress even more than he did last season.

 

[jsp]

I take the point and your probably correct in that we shouldn't. Perhaps I've bought too far in to this being solid in midfield mentality! I just think Herrera as a player who can do things both sides of the half way line and someone who given a license to get further forward will impress even more than he did last season.

Hopefully the Madrid game was just a case of him being a little bit short of fitness and also judging him against the best midfield in the world is harsh no one can handle that midfield right now even without Modric at times they bossed Barca in midfield on their own patch in the super cup.

I'd like to see more from him going forward next season he did a more withdrawn role last season but I don't see why given more freedom to get forward he can't chip in with 5-10 goals in all comps.

 

[Red Warrior]

Herrera can be pretty effective as a cm or even attacking cm. I remember when he took us apart in the UCL when he played for Bilbao. He would be potent with Pogba going forward and Matic sitting and Swansea is just the sort of game to try and get him up to match pace

 

[SuperRash]

Do you think it might be Blind at home and Darmian away this season until Shaw gets fit? I know what you mean Blind gives us so much more going forward than Darmian plus quality on set pieces with his corners/free kicks.

I really hope he doesn't tinker this season it did my head in last year the top sides play a consistent XI in most games they don't constantly chop and change obviously you pick up injurys/suspensions and need to give the occasional rest to a player who's running on empty but the bulk of the great sides play nearly every match.

Yeah that's one of the main reasons why I want Blind to stay in, just for a little bit of continuity. Obviously we had injuries last season which meant we needed to chop and change but it was unnecessary every week.

I think Blind and Darmian will share duties but I'm hoping it's Blind for the most part even in away games. He has so many more attributes, Darmian is very efficient defensively but offers nothing going forward.