Manchester United’s 352: should it be a cause for concern?
When Louis Van Gaal’s appointment as the new Manchester United boss was announced, most fans, myself included, were relieved that we might find a way to return to the winning ways of times recently gone by. While his trophyladen CV suggests that the Red Devils are probably headed for brighter climes, the indifferent start experienced by Louis Van Gaal’s
United side has resulted in the club becoming an easy target for ridicule, especially considering the club’s record expenditure in the summer transfer window. ‘Hated, adored, yet never ignored’ rings loud and clear.
Much of the early criticism of the side centred around Louis Van Gaal’s change of formation from United’s 442/451 under Ferguson and Moyes to a 352 / 532, similar to what was deployed by the Netherlands’ national team this summer. The wellpublicised reason for a change of system from the Oranje’s preferred 433 was the loss of one of Van Gaal’s
guaranteed starters midfield engine and playmaker Kevin Strootman. Following the success of the system in Brazil, and it’s ability to fit in United’s plethora of attacking talent, nobody could have blamed Van Gaal for opting to make it his preferred formation. Indeed results in preseason showed that the 352 could work, with the club emerging undefeated in games played against
some of Europe’s heavyweights. However, the first few games of the season showed showed some of the limitations of the system.
Before I go on, it must be made stated that, while formations can give us a bit of a framework to work with, it is the roles occupied by players within said formations that makes all the difference. When asked about formations by journalists, Van Gaal repeatedly points to the philosophy that he is trying to implement, rather than the apparent oversimplification presented by the use of numbers to describe player deployment. Formations often describe player’s average positions positions during the match, but the roles can give us deeper insights into the players’ use of possession, space and the movement of their teammates. Several individuals, especially in midfield, are able to adapt to a variety of roles, and one can expect frequent tinkering throughout the season in an effort to maximise the team dynamic. As implied earlier, the system can change fluidly between a back 3 and 5 depending on the necessity to defend or attack.
The team has come under criticism from fans due to the perceived “soft underbelly” that is the defence, conceding goals and points to opposition that the team should have dispatched without much of a fuss. Weaknesses are evident in unfamiliarity of the system, and the fact that the new players are still bedding in, one cannot deny the considerable improvement in the fluidity and chancecreation in this United setup, especially if one compares the Leicester game with the openingday defeat to Swansea. Sunday’s match showed both progression and several points for improvement, which will be looked at below.
After some early Leicester pressure, it seemed business as usual for United after racing 20 ahead within the opening quarter of the match. The passing was swift, direct and to feet. Di Maria was running the show, picking up the ball and aggressively running at defenders. Herrera showed his technical ability on several occasions with his neat close control and use of his body to protect the ball while in possession, with the young Basque popping up in pockets of space left by the energetic Foxes midfield. Leicester pulling a goal back moments after Di Maria’s golazo did little to dampen the feeling that the Moyes Mess was finally behind the team. The second half also started swimmingly, with the run of play leading up to Ander Herrera’s goal to make the game 31 epitomising the passing potential in this team. Keeping possession and
moving fluidly, the surging runs in possession from wide men Rafael and Di Maria looked the best way to make the Leicester defence uncomfortable. The mobility out wide coupled with technique in the middle presented the home side with a considerable task. This aggressive prodding at the defence in the hope of finding frailties looked a promising template for United to
deploy on a regular basis. The willingness of several players to drop deep in order to receive possession is what allowed the team to exercise their control on the game up to this point. Rooney, Herrera, Di Maria, Blind and even Falcao often moved towards the man in possession in order to keep the ball moving. While all this was happening, Robin Van Persie was constantly alert to the possibility of receiving a killer pass, sticking to the shoulder of the last defender. One only needs to look back to his titlewinning goals at Aston Villa in 2013 to see what he is capable of unleashing. Blind’s willingness to act as the simple option will serve as a key function in United’s tactics this season, playing a low risk passing game that serves as a foundation for attacks as well as controlling the tempo of the game.
Once the away side had regained their 2goal cushion, things started to go awry. It is impossible at this level for a team to attack for a straight 90 minutes, and it is off the ball that United are sorely lacking. A strength of the Dutch team that reached the semifinals of the World Cup was their comfort in sitting back and absorbing pressure, shifting from a back 3 to a back 5,
before releasing the forwards for rapid counter attacks. United do not seem capable of carrying out a similar game plan, as shown by Leicester’s change in approach to a more aggressive and physical approach. I personally do not believe that Van Gaal’s Netherlands defensive 3 of Vlaar, MartinsIndi and De Vrij are much better than what United had on Sunday, but it is Dutch back 3’s familiarity of the system that laid the foundations for their World Cup results. This is a problem that I believe could be solved by putting in the hours on the training ground. It is also obvious that the strengths of this United side are most apparent when in possession, so the more of the ball they have, the better placed the team are to keep away from danger.
After a Leicester corner, the team failed to push up quickly enough to play a cohesive offside trap. The space between the player in possession and the defensive line was expansive, leaving a huge gap that could be exploited, inviting a long ball for a cushioned layoff, a method of attacking commonplace in English football.
A lack of a commanding defensive presence in this Manchester United squad is evident. An organised raising of the defensive line, if done correctly, can provide several advantages to the defending side and potentially stop the attack from materialising.
1 space in front of the defensive line gets restricted, reducing the ability of the forwards and advanced midfielders to receive the ball to feet. If a successful pass is executed, the chances are that the player receiving the ball has his back to goal, limiting his effect.
2 opposing forwards could get stranded in an offside position, ending the attacking momentum
3 attacking players who receive the ball in a deep position can try their luck with a long ball forward, attempting to catch defenders flatfooted. This more often than not results in a loss of possession
4 the attacking side has to accept that the chance is gone, and restart the move from a position of comfort. This enables the defence to regroup and brace itself for the next wave of attacks.
To see this point illustrated perfectly, one should look no further than the great Arrigo Sacchi’s AC Milan side. This team epitomises tactical preparation and intelligence.
It is a risky system, but one perfected through hours on the training field. The constriction of space in this dynamic offside trap can be mentally exhausting and undeniably frustrating for opposition forwards, especially in a league where a direct playing style is preferred.
The firsthalf back line of Rojo, Blackett and Evans were losing a lot of aerial duels, and things only got worse when Chris Smalling was brought into the fold to replace the Irishman. Esteban Cambiasso snatched an equaliser after a flurry of failed attempts at getting the ball out of the United penalty area, and it was clear that a more decisive and composed presence in defense is needed. Knowing the tendency of Premier League sides to be threatening with long balls, this could be a weakness that lowerhalf sides especially would look to exploit. With a home fixture against West Ham coming up on Saturday, one would expect Enner Valencia to give the defence an uncomfortable afternoon.
On 66 mins United changed to a back 4, and the team compromised on width. Leicester stretched the game to pull CBs out of position, making midfielders drop deep and giving the opposition CMs space and time to run at the heart of defence. Naivety and a desire to rapidly gain vertical yards makes United try multiple balls into space on the break, but what they should have been doing instead is playing it out and making Leicester chase. Mobility is highly important, and the away side’s attempt to fight fire with fire sacrificed this aspect that enabled them to dictate the tempo of the game. As a result, Herrera started losing influence in the match, and the giveandgo of the first half was no more. Blind, the player who should have been controlling the game with metronomic passing, was being ignored. With no coherent defensive shape, insufficient closing down and the lack of an alert and leading presence to push the defense line higher up, it was no surprise the team was struggling to maintain control over the tempo of play after the equaliser.
In replacing Di Maria and Falcao with Januzaj and Mata respectively, the changes brought fresher legs, but there was less of an energetic presence in midfield. Di Maria was having his space restricted, and the two replacements, while talented when receiving the ball to feet, are not known for their ability to put in a defensive shift. This would have been a constructive tactical move if United were looking to choke Leicester out of the game, using safer and more sharp passing to make the Foxes chase the ball. However, the desire to play quick and direct, coupled with a concerted pressing game from Leicester, led to Blind being caught in possession by a hasty Rojo pass, resulting in the Vardy goal to pull the home side in front. The image below shows the seconds just before the killer pass from the right found Vardy with ample space to apply a finish. Blackett’s positioning in noman’s land, being able to neither block a pass, mark the man running into space, nor be aware of his presence altogether, was down to the youngster being outnumbered as well as his inexperience at this level. If he stayed central and on his man, or dropped back to play Vardy offside, it could have made assister De Laet’s decision of when to play the final ball much more difficult.
The break, bad tackle and subsequent red card for Blackett showed more of the same naievety typical of United this season. Vardy’s physical presence terrorised the United defence, and the players need to toughen up. The amount of clearcut chances created by opponents this season is worrying, and it was the desperation of the tackle that resulted in Leicester’s fifth. One would hope that these problems will get righted with time, as suggested from the manager himself
when he stated earlier in the season that his teams need at least three months to find their rhythm. Van Gaal’s desire to “train the brains” of the players will also be of utmost importance if this formation is to be successful. The defence looks unsure of what they are doing, and we can see that players are still having to carry out tasks that seem unnatural to them.
In relinquishing control over the game, United brought this defeat upon themselves. There is plenty of work ahead, but fans can take encouragement in the right steps being taken. The team is developing an identity in the short time Van Gaal has been present, which is much more than what David Moyes managed during his illfated spell in charge.
So what else can be done?
This would resemble my lineup of choice against the teams other than the top 7 in the Premier League. The players listed are capable retaining possession for long spells, providing an opportunity for quality to shine through once opponents tire. The strikers have a tendency to roam from their natural positions, often dropping into midfield to add to the 5man presence already within this zone. While the shape of this team off the ball will have Shaw and Rafael dropping back to make a defensive line of 5, the two wide men are required to be the engines for the side when in possession. Both are blessed with pace and a willingness to get forward, and while their true ability in this system remains to be seen, their natural attacking tendencies provide us with reason to be optimistic for their adaptation. I believe playing Di Maria in a wide role is a waste of his creativity, but it will afford him with more space to run at players. However his preference of playing early crosses with a promising rate of accuracy will be a tantalising prospect once Falcao and Van Persie start to gel.
In my opinion, the success of this system centres around the ability of two players the centreback (Evans) and deeplying midfielder (Herrera, Blind or Carrick). A back three limits the
ability to circulate the ball along the defensive line horizontally, as opposition forwards playing a highpressing game will either force the players into a mistake or a punt upfield. The tendency for the defenders to drop deeper to provide a passing option could invite further pressure from the
opposition forwards. This was a common pattern when Darren Fletcher was starting, as he failed to provide the simple forward pass in order to retain control over the match while bring the ball out of the defensive third. Herrera delivered the goods in this role during preseason his combative performances in Spain for Athletic Bilbao, combined with his mobility, touch and vision can make him the ideal candidate to be the link to move the ball to the creative players further up the field. Not scared of attempting a raking forward pass, Herrera is showing flashes of a certain ginger genius who graced the Old Trafford pitch not long ago, but the young Basque still has plenty to prove and comparisons won’t be helpful. However, what can be unanimously agreed on is the use of solitary player as the team’s fulcrum in transitions has the tendency to
make the team onedimensional, highlighting the need for a ballplaying defender in order for this system to work. This, however, could provide a thing or two for Van Gaal to think about.
Looking nowhere near the player who effortlessly covered the absences of Vidic and/or Ferdinand under Ferguson, Jonny Evans’ form this season has been worrying. His first start of the season ended in a 40 humiliation against MK Dons, and the subpar performances have continued. This was supposed to be the year that Jonny Evans finally claimed a guaranteed starting berth, both as a leader and inspiration to the younger members of the team, but his showings so far would have done little to suggest an improvement is around the corner. In the shortterm, while I would rather this wasn’t the case, Michael Carrick provides the best option for the ballplaying defender role. His composure, passing ability and ability to read the game from
midfield will stand him in good stead if he were to become Van Gaal’s BPD. While meeting many of the requirements of this position, his key shortcoming is one common to the rest of the team a lack of aerial dominance. If teams play direct, high balls against a defence featuring Michael Carrick, the former England international is more than likely to come off secondbest. Chris Smalling showed some potential to be a solid option in the air, especially in impressive performances against top sides early in his United career, but the confidence exuded in those games seems to be a thing of the past, and his subpar performances at rightback under both Ferguson and Moyes seem to have become the norm. Injuries have obviously played a significant role in hindering the progress (and in the case of Ferdinand and Vidic, initiating their decline) of the entire defence. While people blame Wenger and the coaches at Arsenal for their several injury crises every year, United’s defenders also spend more than their fair share of time on the treatment table. Are there any longterm issues here? I’m not sure, but all that can be said from my position is that there is no smoke without fire.
Dribbling as a form of bringing the ball out of defence is a risky yet invaluable trait for a defender, and no player in this current Manchester United side is capable of carrying out this task. If playing against teams that use high pressing like Spurs, Liverpoool or Southampton, the passing routes into midfield will be covered by opposition forwards. It is this situation where a defender has to take control, stride into the opposition half and pick a pass. The only way for the other team to address this threat is by breaking their shape in order to close him down, thus
creating pockets of space. While Jonny Evans has shows that he is capable of the occasional venture forward, he is by no means comfortable in doing this with regularity. The Leicester defeat highlighted the need for the club to sign a topclass central defender who is comfortable in possession, and capable of finding a teammate in advanced positions. This is easier said than done, with teams fortunate to have such a player in their ranks unlikely to consider sanctioning a sale.
So to summarise, here are a few points.
United fans, don’t worry about the bad results. There is definite progress and don’t let the haters tell you otherwise. Once the team starts hopelessly lumping the ball forward, then you may pull out your pitchforks.
Players are better on the ball than without it, so use it wisely when you’ve got it, chase it down feverishly if you don’t. Giving teams time and space to regain their composure is asking for a disaster to happen. I am a firm believer in ‘attack is the best form of defence,’ and if your opponent does not have the ball then you should
keep them running in circles while you create an opening.
A ballplaying defender is of paramount importance if the team are to entertain any possibility of finishing in the top 4. Losing Vidic, Ferdinand and Evra in a single summer could be a lot more costly than fans initially feared, especially if nobody is taking responsibility to lead at the back.
Versatility in attack is always a good thing, but settling on a defensive pairing/trio is the key to a successful season. With our defenders constantly on the treatment table, something has to be done in order to better prepare the back line for a high number of consecutive games. All the defenders at the club were signed when they were promising youngsters, and we all want to see them fulfil their potential. Keeping them fit and available for selection has to be a priority if the team are going to embark on a consistent run of wins.
