What is Manchester United’s best possible team…
Manchester United spent a record amount during the summer, splashing the cash in an attempt to fire themselves back into Premier League contention after a difficult start to the season.
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New manager Louis van Gaal spent £150m to overhaul the squad that finished seventh under David Moyes last time out, bringong the likes of Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria to Old Trafford.
With six new arrivals potentially set to star against Queens Park Rangers this weekend, the Daily Mail experts attempted to choose Van Gaal’s strongest team – assuming that everyone is fit.
Click through the pages and see who you most agree with, then comment below with your own team.
Matt Barlow
Team (4-3-3): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Di Maria, Carrick, Blind; Van Persie, Falcao, Rooney.
Justification: “Four at the back offers a more solid base for all the attacking forces. Carrick in to sit and control. Legs from Blind and Di Maria. And what a front three. Sadly no room for Mata, a wonderful player, but he can be involved behind two strikers with a slight tweak to 4-3-1-2.”
Lee Clayton
Team (4-3-3): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Evans, Shaw; Di Maria, Carrick, Blind; Van Persie, Falcao, Rooney.
Justification: “Still not sure about the key full-back areas and Rafael is a mistake waiting to happen every game. Carrick, playing very deep and dropping to make an auxiliary centre back/front sweeper is key to this. Mata slows down the game too much.The front three could be explosive, if they can fit together.”
Matt Lawton
Team (4-2-1-3): De Gea; Smalling, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Herrera, Blind; Rooney; Van Persie, Falcao, Di Maria.
Justification: “I think there are weaknesses in this side, not least at the back. I’ve gone for Smalling at right back because I simply don’t trust Rafael. But the forward line, with Rooney playing a number 10 role, is packed with pace and ability. This is a team that should score more goals than it concedes.”
Chris Wheeler
Team (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Herrera, Blind; Rooney, Mata, Di Maria; Falcao.
Justification: “Even though it’s an attacking line-up, there’s no room for Van Persie. On current form, he would be used off the bench. The system depends on two things: the front three of Rooney, Mata and Di Maria being inter-changeable, and Valencia and Shaw being more defensively responsible.Otherwise, I wouldn’t fancy facing this lot.”
Dominic King
Team (3-5-2): De Gea; Smalling, Evans, Rojo; Rafael, Blind, Herrera, Di Maria, Januzaj; Rooney, Falcao.
Justification: “Try and play around with the names United have available and you will see that for all razzmatazz up front, the defence wouldn’t fill you with great confidence. They might score goals but they are going to concede a few along the way until Van Gaal’s methods begin to work. They couldn’t slip up against QPR with those options, could they?”
Joe Bernstein
Team (4-4-2 diamond): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Evans Rojo; Carrick, Di Maria, Blind, Mata; Van Persie, Falcao.
Justification: “Take a leaf out of England’s book and play with a diamond to get the best out of attacking players. The problem is Rooney, arguably United’s best all-round player but master of none. Is he specifically a better creative number 10 than Mata? But he would be first reserve if anyone is tired, injured or suspended.”
Rob Draper
Team (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Evans, Rojo; Fletcher, Blind; Januzaj, Rooney, Di Maria; Falcao.
Justification: “Ditch the back three – Van Gaal has played with four for much of his career so there’s no need to continue with a vanity project. Luke Shaw will have to take a back seat for now and van Persie and Mata will have to learn how to be super subs. Just get the right shape and the best 11 on the pitch and worry about reputations later. Ideally Carrick would play in holding midfield when back from injury.”
Martha Kelner
Team (4-3-1-2): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Herrera, Blind, Di Maria; Rooney; Van Persie, Falcao.
Justification: “This system best accommodates the almost embarrassment of riches Manchester United have in attack. Rooney reverting to the No 10 role allows for Falcao’s inclusion and could suit him better as he ages and loses the electrifying burst of pace he once had. Four at back is stronger. Mata is the one to miss out.
Sam Cunningham
Team (4-1-3-2): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Blind; Rooney, Mata, Januzaj; Van Persie, Falcao.
Justification: “With that many forward options, Manchester United need to revert to Liverpool’s hyper-attacking formation of last season to get the most out of them. Even then, there is still no place in my side for new-boy Di Maria. Mata gets the nod for me, to give him a chance to return to the devastating form he produced in the No 10 role for Chelsea. Herrera is also sacrificed in that formation, with Blind’s defensive ability required over Herrera’s diverse passing range. It also opens up a space for Januzaj on the left wing. He is one of the brightest young talents in world football, so it is astounding he’s not first choice already. Rooney is forced into the right of the three attacking midfielders behind the strikers, but I feel his future lies further back.”
Laurie Whitwell
Team (4-1-3-2): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Blind; Di Maria, Rooney, Herrera; Falcao, Van Persie.
Justification: “This system is a defensive risk but Blind performs the screening role ahead of the back four excellently, and would allow the likes of Di Maria and Herrera scope to get forward to do damage. Those two up front would scare the daylights out of any centre-backs and Rooney can pull the strings. Shaw needs to get fit and Rafael produce consistency but they are full-backs of quality. Rojo sneaks in ahead of Evans after his MK Dons horror show.”
Craig Hope
Team (4-4-2): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Januzaj, Carrick, Blind, Di Maria; Van Persie, Falcao.
Justification: “Forget three at the back, it’s had its summer of love, it would be a winter of depression if Van Gaal persisted with it. And forget Rooney, he’s become a problem for club and country, an angry man who knows his powers are – pardon the pun – on the wane. The back four picks itself but the two who miss out in midfield are Herrera and Mata. Herrera looks a class act, admittedly, but Carrick will be more like the player of two seasons ago with the likes of Di Maria and Falcao to feed off his cunning creativity. Blind provides a little bit more know-how in the middle of the park and that allows Januzaj and Di Maria to terrorise down the flanks. Van Persie and Falcao could be devastating as a pair, don’t complicate it by trying to accommodate Rooney. Carrick gets the armband.”
Nick Harris
Team (4-1-3-2): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Carrick; Di Maria, Rooney, Blind; Van Persie, Falcao.
Justification: “This emphasises Van Gaal’s riches from midfield up and dearth of options in defence. You’d ideally want a better right-back and another better, more consistent centre-half, at least one. As it is, a shield is crucial, Carrick in this case with the huge proviso he’s at his peak. Rooney would have license to roam in the central role of the three. Other choices there abound – Fletcher, Mata and Herrera foremost among them.”
Charlie Skillen
Team (4-3-1-2): De Gea; Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Shaw; Herrera, Blind, Di Maria; Rooney; Van Persie, Falcao.
Justification: “Van Gaal will have to make the best out of a poor selection of defenders. He can keep the marauding full-backs of Valencia and Shaw, but Jones and Rojo will have to form a decent partnership – quickly. The signing of Blind should add a bite to midfield previously lacking, while he can also drop into a back three if the full-backs are bombing on. Attacking-wise is clearly a different story – Di Maria can add creativity from a midfield position while Rooney will also drop deep, leaving Van Persie and Falcao as the deadliest duo in the league. Juan Mata will be the odd man out and see his second consecutive January transfer.”
Joe Ridge
Team (3-5-2): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Carrick, Rojo, Shaw; Herrera, Blind, Di Maria; Rooney, Falcao.
And to finish, our CaughtOffside team…
Justification: With so many exceptional attacking options at his disposal, Louis van Gaal must drop the 3-5-2. In doing so, it will allow him to play a fluent front four of Rooney, Di Maria, Van Persie and Falcao, who can interchange positions as the situation demands. With such prowess going forward, allowances need to be made by including two defensive minded midfielders such as Carrick and Blind, who can track back and help the defence. This in turn allows Valencia and Shaw to bomb on from full-back and become the extra men in midfield. Mata and Herrera offer United excellent options from the bench should the system need to be changed, while the versatile Smalling will be the ideal defensive cover.
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