When you play two midfielders against Man City, you might find yourself being on the end of a hiding more often than not. Any manager with a clue will hopefully realise that for the remainder of the season.
Fergie beat them last season by packing the midfield (4-5-1), it almost worked for Hull this season too and worked for Cardiff. Shocking mismanagement.
Any midfield with Yaya Toure in it will take some beating. Any forward line with Aguero in it will be lethal .Any defence with an in form Kompany will take something special to overcome. Directionless, "hard working" midgets, spluttering strikers and "defensive " midfielders won't cut the mustard. Nor will 4-2-3-1.
Agreed. United try to play Carrick and Fellaini vs Fernandinho and Toure. Only one outcome on that - so in general, if you set up man-for-man vs City, you're in for a drubbing. Way to beat City is to set up for the counter.
So what is our best bet against them, because barring Ramires for his energy, our central midfield options worry me, unless we go with a 3 man midfield including Mikel (defend), Ramires (energy) and a decent attacking player who is not afraid to get back (Oscar perhaps)
Play a midfield three of Ramires, Mikel and Oscar. Hazard wide right, Mata wide left and Torres down the middle. Problem solved. 4-3-3 works brilliantly against City, as does any type of 4-5-1.
Mata does not have the pace or tenacity to make a good wide player. Hazard, Schurlle and maybe Willian are our wide players.
Yeah. I think Mata offensively can play anywhere in a front 3 but he won't give you as much defensively as some of the others, especially Oscar. However there are enough other players round the pitch to allow a luxury attacking player when he's as good as Mata. You don't see Messi defending.
