Louis van Gaal played with a wingback formation once again…
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Manchester United beat inter Milan on penalties on Tuesday evening, after a pre-season 0-0 draw…
Again, new boss Louis van Gaal deployed a 3-5-2 wing-back formation, and here’s five players who seemed to adapt to it best.
Manchester United first half: Lindegaard; Smalling, Jones, Evans; Valencia, Fletcher, Herrera, Young, Mata; Rooney, Welbeck
Second half: De Gea; M Keane, Evans, Blackett; Young, Cleverley, Fletcher, Kagawa, Shaw; Zaha, Nani (Hernandez 77)
5) Ander Herrera
The new Spanish midfielder fits excellently into this style. He has onrushing fullbacks to feed the ball, a no.10 to link up with, and a midfielder alongside to help him win back possession. Herrera ticked over play very well in the middle, and United fans will be mightily encouraged by the start he’s made to his Red Devils career this pre-season.
4) Ashley Young
Deployed in an unfamiliar left wing-back role, Young did surprisingly well. He worked consistently up and down the flank, and put in his fair share of defensive work. If the Englishman is going to reforge a stumbling United career, he’ll need to make himself comfortable in this position.
3) Luke Shaw
To everyone’s shock, Shaw came on at half-time, despite not being named on the subs bench! He’s been openly criticised by his manager in recent days for being unfit, but he clearly wanted to make an impression on him yesterday evening. Shaw rarely gave the ball away, and linked up well with his midfielders, while heading to the byline on more than one occasion with the ball at his feet.
2) Juan Mata
Mata clearly enjoys the responsibility of this new formation. It makes him the pivotal creative player, and during the first-half, he had both Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck to feed in front of him, while he floated around the final third to positive effect.
1) Phil Jones
Jones played centrally in the back three, with Chris Smalling on his right, and Jonny Evans on his left, and he marshalled his defence promisingly. The Inter attackers didn’t get much of a sniff in the first 45, predominately because of Jones’ leadership and aerial ability.
