To three, or not to three .... ?

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Just finished watching the highlights of the European Champions League where I saw some scintillating attacking football.

All four of them played with a back four, as have the best three English teams I've ever seen, I.e Fergies Man Utd, Wengers Arsenal Invincibles and the current Man. City team.

Playing on the front foot ? Only one way ?

Just saying, like.

 

[SwissBlade]

Just finished watching the highlights of the European Champions League where I saw some scintillating attacking football.

All four of them played with a back four, as have the best three English teams I've ever seen, I.e Fergies Man Utd, Wengers Arsenal Invincibles and the current Man. City team.

Playing on the front foot ? Only one way ?

Just saying, like.

I guess if they have the players for it, thats what they play.

We don't have any fullbacks, only wing backs so it makes sense to play 3 at the back.

 

[Kenilworth]

England play 3 at the back, now.


.... Oh. I see what you mean

 

[SwissBlade]

England play 3 at the back, now.


.... Oh. I see what you mean

So do Man City don't they?

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

So do Man City don't they?

City have alternated between 2 CB's and 3 CB's this season. Real get away with having 2 attacking FB's by their defensive midfield box.

 

[snootyfenooty]

Just finished watching the highlights of the European Champions League where I saw some scintillating attacking football.

All four of them played with a back four, as have the best three English teams I've ever seen, I.e Fergies Man Utd, Wengers Arsenal Invincibles and the current Man. City team.

Playing on the front foot ? Only one way ?

Just saying, like.

I think you and I are on the same page here judging from previous posts. It's not that United are playing the wrong system with a 3 per se, it's that they have stuck to it stubbornly come what may when circumstances suggested we should have been doing otherwise.

When Fulham, and in particular Sessignon tore us a new one, we had our wing backs farting around trying to be all things to all men trying fancy overlaps and often being left stranded. If one of them had played as a proper fullback and actually marked him for 90 minutes I'd fancy the outcome would have been different. Our flanks have been our weak point time and time again this season when faced with quality opposition.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

I think you and I are on the same page here judging from previous posts. It's not that United are playing the wrong system with a 3 per se, it's that they have stuck to it stubbornly come what may when circumstances suggested we should have been doing otherwise.

When Fulham, and in particular Sessignon tore us a new one, we had our wing backs farting around trying to be all things to all men trying fancy overlaps and often being left stranded. If one of them had played as a proper fullback and actually marked him for 90 minutes I'd fancy the outcome would have been different. Our flanks have been our weak point time and time again this season when faced with quality opposition.

Exactly so.

 

[Gimli]

I think 3 worked brilliantly for a time. I think we've lost confidence and therefore become a bit predictable. So now the centre back might overlap but then doesn't have the confidence to put a cross or a forward through ball in so stops, turns and makes the safe pass backwards, this has happened a lot in the latter half of the season, meaning we've had a lot of possession in fairly good spaces on the pitch but not made the most of it. Imho.

 

[Karaoke Blade]

It might help if our wing backs actually got a few more crosses into the box , rather than turning inside or passing backwards all the time.
Edit: Sorry Gimli, you beat me to it.

 

[super_pig]

I think you and I are on the same page here judging from previous posts. It's not that United are playing the wrong system with a 3 per se, it's that they have stuck to it stubbornly come what may when circumstances suggested we should have been doing otherwise.

When Fulham, and in particular Sessignon tore us a new one, we had our wing backs farting around trying to be all things to all men trying fancy overlaps and often being left stranded. If one of them had played as a proper fullback and actually marked him for 90 minutes I'd fancy the outcome would have been different. Our flanks have been our weak point time and time again this season when faced with quality opposition.

correction..you mean stevens not ‘our wing backs’ i believe that’s why jack has stopped going forward imho

 

[WORKSOPBLADE]

Just finished watching the highlights of the European Champions League where I saw some scintillating attacking football.

All four of them played with a back four, as have the best three English teams I've ever seen, I.e Fergies Man Utd, Wengers Arsenal Invincibles and the current Man. City team.

Playing on the front foot ? Only one way ?

Just saying, like.

Roma played a back 3.