having followed Manchester United for 15 years, I've seen many different line up, but almost always the same style of play. This thread is for those who want to play as United currently, i think its fairly accurate, but feel free to comment on where you think is different. I'll also suggest players for those who want to play similar to United, but bring in their own players to improve the squad.
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
Club: Manchester United
Country: England
Modern Notation: 4-4-2/4-2-3-1
Era: Contemporary
Contributor: Themadsheep2001, with work from Blizzard
Sir Alex Ferguson has long favoured the 4-4-2 formation at Manchester United, yet he has tended not to deploy it in its traditional form. He has always favoured playing with “split-forwards”, and with his with wingers pushing forwards beyond the central midfielders, the 4-4-2 has often tended to look like a 4-2-3-1. Known as an attacking side, he has built it on defensive stability at the back. Through 2007-2009, with Cristiano Ronaldo at his peak, the formation was a lot more of an asymmetric 4-4-2, with Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez forming the magic triangle in attack, where their attacking flair and interchanging movements leaving most teams incapable of handling them. But with the departures of Ronaldo and Tevez, he has restricted some of the movement and moved back towards the 4-4-2. It is the Rigid philosophy (formerly Bands of two), allied with extra creative freedom and movement for his attack that has allowed the team to be potent up front without sacrificing defensive stability.
The Team:
Philosophy Rigid
Passing Default
Creative Freedom More Expressive
Closing down Default
Tackling Default
Marking Default
Crossing Drill Crosses
Roaming More Roaming
Goalkeeper:
Van Der Sar plays s a tradition keeper, He is asked to do little more than control his box, be a shot-stopper and to distribute the ball to his team mates to start attacks.
Centre Backs:
Ferdinand and Vidic form the defensive heart on United’s back line. Vidic is a strong, in your face defender, immense in the air and hard in the tackle, often the first of the pair to make the challenge, whereas Ferdinand is the most composed of the pair, sweeping through balls and often initiating the attack. Despite being often out with injuries this season, when on form they are arguably one of the best defensive partnerships in the world.
Full backs:
Ferguson uses the full backs as advanced support for his attack, though the left side is often the more attacking side. Evra is given the duty of patrolling the whole flank and he is as comfortable at the opposition’s by-line as he is at his own. Under O’shea and Brown, the right hand side is more disciplined not quite pushing as far forwards as Evra; however the emergence of Rafael means that the right hand side may become as attacking the left in future.
Centre Mids:
Michael Carrick is often deployed as a deep lying playmaker, operating in and around the centre circle, spraying passes through the middle and out to the flank, in a paced style that is contrary to Fletchers all action approach, using his endless energy to both win the ball deep and then continue forward to support the attack.
Wingers:
Since his debut in 1991, Ryan Giggs has menaced the left wing for the best part of two decades. With his pace fading but retaining his superb mental and technical capabilities, he no longer makes so many lung busting runs, instead acting as a wide creative playmaker, and occasionally drifting in to link with the central players, and allowing Evra to provide the width on the overlap. Valencia performs the traditional winger role on the opposite flank, by searing past opposition fullbacks, but also tucking in when the ball is on the left to provide a threat in the box.
Forwards:
Wayne Rooney is the heart of United attacks, and this season Ferguson has pushed him further up the pitch after the departures on Ronaldo and Tevez. But Rooney also flourishes best when allowed freedom of movement, and so excels as a complete forward, choosing to come deep, hold his position up front, or drift into the channels. The mercurial Berbatov is the deployed as the linkman to the midfield, using his fantastic first touch, vision and passing to play others in around him and attack the ball from deep, though its often argued that this is not his best position, and is occasionally found lacking in games. Owen when played, is also played in this role, his good movement off the ball allows him to him lots of space when attacking from deep.
Edwin van Der Sar Goalkeeper Defend
Patrice Evra Wing Back Auto
Nemanja Vidić Centre Back Defend
Rio Ferdinand Centre Back Cover
John O'Shea/Rafael Full Back/Wing Back Auto
Darren Fletcher/Anderson Box to Box Midfielder/Support or Central Midfielder/Attack
Michael Carrick Deep Lying Playmaker/Defend
Ryan Giggs/Nani/Gabriel Obertan Wide Midfielder-Winger-Winger/Attack
Antonio Valencia Winger/Attack
Wayne Rooney Complete Forward/Attack
Dimitar Berbatov/Michael Owen Deep Lying Forward/Support
They also seem to play either an offensive 4-5-1 formation at times away from home (last seen vs. Birmingham last week) with Rooney as a centre forward and Valencia and Park on the wings with both attacking and defending duties. Scholes or Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher in midfield and the back four with Evra´s typical wing back support; or a 4-3-3 formation with Giggs and Valencia on the wings and Anderson, Fletcher and one of Carrick, Scholes or Gibson in midfield.
The differences between an offensive 4-5-1 and 4-3-3 aren´t big, but they can clearly be seen in my opinion, if you compare the tactics vs. Birmingham away this season with the tactics vs. Pompey away this season.
The way the wingers acted in the 4-3-3 was different, and central midfield was also more direct in its passing to launch attacks from both wings.
Whereas in a 4-5-1 formation united tend to knock the ball around in central midfield, slowing play down and retaining possession while the wingers drop deep to make themselves available in attack and to support the fullbacks in defence.
Formation and instruction-wise I would put it down like this:
Offensive 4-5-1 (away from home)
--------------------------------------Rooney------------------------------------------
Park--------------------------------------------------------------------------Valencia
------------- Anderson ------------ Carrick ----------------Fletcher---------------------
Evra-------------------- Vidic/Evans--------------------Brown-------------Rafael
Philosophy Rigid
Passing Shorter
Creative Freedom More Expressive
Closing down Default
Tackling Default
Marking Default
Crossing Drill Crosses
Roaming More Roaming
Edwin van Der Sar Goalkeeper Defend
Patrice Evra Wing Back Auto
Nemanja Vidić Centre Back Defend
Rio Ferdinand Centre Back Cover
John O'Shea/Rafael Full Back/Wing Back Auto
Darren Fletcher Box to Box Midfielder/Support
Anderson Ball-winning Midfielder/Support
Michael Carrick Deep Lying Playmaker/Defend
Park Defensive Winger/Attack
Antonio Valencia Winger/Attack
Wayne Rooney Complete Forward/Attack
4-3-3
------------------------------------Rooney/Owen----------------------------------------------------
Giggs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Valencia
-------------Anderson-------------------------------------------Fletcher----------------------------
---------------------------------------Carrick/Scholes------------------------------------------------
Evra-------------------Vidic----------------------Ferdinand/Brown---------------O´Shea/Neville
Philosophy Rigid
Passing Default
Creative Freedom More Expressive
Closing down Default
Tackling Default
Marking Default
Crossing Drill Crosses
Roaming More Roaming
Edwin van Der Sar Goalkeeper Defend
Patrice Evra Wing Back Auto
Nemanja Vidić Centre Back Defend
Rio Ferdinand Centre Back Cover
John O'Shea/Rafael Full Back/Wing Back Auto
Darren Fletcher Box to Box Midfielder/Support
Anderson Central Midfielder/Attack
Michael Carrick Deep Lying Playmaker/Defend
Ryan Giggs/Nani/Gabriel Obertan Advanced playmaker-Winger-Winger/Attack
Antonio Valencia Winger/Attack
Wayne Rooney Complete Forward/Attack
Lots of credit to Blizzard (FM-Britain) for his all work on the 4-5-1/4-3-3, working out the role that i couldnt(H)
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
Club: Manchester United
Country: England
Modern Notation: 4-4-2/4-2-3-1
Era: Contemporary
Contributor: Themadsheep2001, with work from Blizzard
Sir Alex Ferguson has long favoured the 4-4-2 formation at Manchester United, yet he has tended not to deploy it in its traditional form. He has always favoured playing with “split-forwards”, and with his with wingers pushing forwards beyond the central midfielders, the 4-4-2 has often tended to look like a 4-2-3-1. Known as an attacking side, he has built it on defensive stability at the back. Through 2007-2009, with Cristiano Ronaldo at his peak, the formation was a lot more of an asymmetric 4-4-2, with Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez forming the magic triangle in attack, where their attacking flair and interchanging movements leaving most teams incapable of handling them. But with the departures of Ronaldo and Tevez, he has restricted some of the movement and moved back towards the 4-4-2. It is the Rigid philosophy (formerly Bands of two), allied with extra creative freedom and movement for his attack that has allowed the team to be potent up front without sacrificing defensive stability.
The Team:
Philosophy Rigid
Passing Default
Creative Freedom More Expressive
Closing down Default
Tackling Default
Marking Default
Crossing Drill Crosses
Roaming More Roaming
Goalkeeper:
Van Der Sar plays s a tradition keeper, He is asked to do little more than control his box, be a shot-stopper and to distribute the ball to his team mates to start attacks.
Centre Backs:
Ferdinand and Vidic form the defensive heart on United’s back line. Vidic is a strong, in your face defender, immense in the air and hard in the tackle, often the first of the pair to make the challenge, whereas Ferdinand is the most composed of the pair, sweeping through balls and often initiating the attack. Despite being often out with injuries this season, when on form they are arguably one of the best defensive partnerships in the world.
Full backs:
Ferguson uses the full backs as advanced support for his attack, though the left side is often the more attacking side. Evra is given the duty of patrolling the whole flank and he is as comfortable at the opposition’s by-line as he is at his own. Under O’shea and Brown, the right hand side is more disciplined not quite pushing as far forwards as Evra; however the emergence of Rafael means that the right hand side may become as attacking the left in future.
Centre Mids:
Michael Carrick is often deployed as a deep lying playmaker, operating in and around the centre circle, spraying passes through the middle and out to the flank, in a paced style that is contrary to Fletchers all action approach, using his endless energy to both win the ball deep and then continue forward to support the attack.
Wingers:
Since his debut in 1991, Ryan Giggs has menaced the left wing for the best part of two decades. With his pace fading but retaining his superb mental and technical capabilities, he no longer makes so many lung busting runs, instead acting as a wide creative playmaker, and occasionally drifting in to link with the central players, and allowing Evra to provide the width on the overlap. Valencia performs the traditional winger role on the opposite flank, by searing past opposition fullbacks, but also tucking in when the ball is on the left to provide a threat in the box.
Forwards:
Wayne Rooney is the heart of United attacks, and this season Ferguson has pushed him further up the pitch after the departures on Ronaldo and Tevez. But Rooney also flourishes best when allowed freedom of movement, and so excels as a complete forward, choosing to come deep, hold his position up front, or drift into the channels. The mercurial Berbatov is the deployed as the linkman to the midfield, using his fantastic first touch, vision and passing to play others in around him and attack the ball from deep, though its often argued that this is not his best position, and is occasionally found lacking in games. Owen when played, is also played in this role, his good movement off the ball allows him to him lots of space when attacking from deep.
Edwin van Der Sar Goalkeeper Defend
Patrice Evra Wing Back Auto
Nemanja Vidić Centre Back Defend
Rio Ferdinand Centre Back Cover
John O'Shea/Rafael Full Back/Wing Back Auto
Darren Fletcher/Anderson Box to Box Midfielder/Support or Central Midfielder/Attack
Michael Carrick Deep Lying Playmaker/Defend
Ryan Giggs/Nani/Gabriel Obertan Wide Midfielder-Winger-Winger/Attack
Antonio Valencia Winger/Attack
Wayne Rooney Complete Forward/Attack
Dimitar Berbatov/Michael Owen Deep Lying Forward/Support
They also seem to play either an offensive 4-5-1 formation at times away from home (last seen vs. Birmingham last week) with Rooney as a centre forward and Valencia and Park on the wings with both attacking and defending duties. Scholes or Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher in midfield and the back four with Evra´s typical wing back support; or a 4-3-3 formation with Giggs and Valencia on the wings and Anderson, Fletcher and one of Carrick, Scholes or Gibson in midfield.
The differences between an offensive 4-5-1 and 4-3-3 aren´t big, but they can clearly be seen in my opinion, if you compare the tactics vs. Birmingham away this season with the tactics vs. Pompey away this season.
The way the wingers acted in the 4-3-3 was different, and central midfield was also more direct in its passing to launch attacks from both wings.
Whereas in a 4-5-1 formation united tend to knock the ball around in central midfield, slowing play down and retaining possession while the wingers drop deep to make themselves available in attack and to support the fullbacks in defence.
Formation and instruction-wise I would put it down like this:
Offensive 4-5-1 (away from home)
--------------------------------------Rooney------------------------------------------
Park--------------------------------------------------------------------------Valencia
------------- Anderson ------------ Carrick ----------------Fletcher---------------------
Evra-------------------- Vidic/Evans--------------------Brown-------------Rafael
Philosophy Rigid
Passing Shorter
Creative Freedom More Expressive
Closing down Default
Tackling Default
Marking Default
Crossing Drill Crosses
Roaming More Roaming
Edwin van Der Sar Goalkeeper Defend
Patrice Evra Wing Back Auto
Nemanja Vidić Centre Back Defend
Rio Ferdinand Centre Back Cover
John O'Shea/Rafael Full Back/Wing Back Auto
Darren Fletcher Box to Box Midfielder/Support
Anderson Ball-winning Midfielder/Support
Michael Carrick Deep Lying Playmaker/Defend
Park Defensive Winger/Attack
Antonio Valencia Winger/Attack
Wayne Rooney Complete Forward/Attack
4-3-3
------------------------------------Rooney/Owen----------------------------------------------------
Giggs-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Valencia
-------------Anderson-------------------------------------------Fletcher----------------------------
---------------------------------------Carrick/Scholes------------------------------------------------
Evra-------------------Vidic----------------------Ferdinand/Brown---------------O´Shea/Neville
Philosophy Rigid
Passing Default
Creative Freedom More Expressive
Closing down Default
Tackling Default
Marking Default
Crossing Drill Crosses
Roaming More Roaming
Edwin van Der Sar Goalkeeper Defend
Patrice Evra Wing Back Auto
Nemanja Vidić Centre Back Defend
Rio Ferdinand Centre Back Cover
John O'Shea/Rafael Full Back/Wing Back Auto
Darren Fletcher Box to Box Midfielder/Support
Anderson Central Midfielder/Attack
Michael Carrick Deep Lying Playmaker/Defend
Ryan Giggs/Nani/Gabriel Obertan Advanced playmaker-Winger-Winger/Attack
Antonio Valencia Winger/Attack
Wayne Rooney Complete Forward/Attack
Lots of credit to Blizzard (FM-Britain) for his all work on the 4-5-1/4-3-3, working out the role that i couldnt(H)
