Coach wrote:
Now, Tx, to begin, good choice of thread, may the discourse serve it well.
To begin, even with the shape they kept, United played the ten man game brilliantly, created ample opportunities and on another day, go through. Frankly speaking, their display was all about their manager and an embodiment of what he stands for. Up against one of the finest teams on the planet and bossing proceedings, in the dying embers, still in with a shout, still creating chances. In as much as one would've differed the approach to Ferguson's, truth be told, what he managed to get out of his charges for the full ninety minutes was remarkable. Not a single head dropped. The pressure from Real was always going to come the moment numerical advantage arrived. United were always going to be vulnerable, atleast till their heads cleared and the dust settled. They hung on for ten or so minutes and then were beaten by a moment of sheer brilliance.
Regarding the bench, one would assume Ferguson thought they'd be chasing the game at some point and thus wanted to strengthen his hand, when the time came. Tactically, would a change in shape had helped? The 4-4-1 still offers double coverage out wide and three men down the centre, one of whom can engage the centrebacks. Perhaps a change could've been made earlier to repel the width coming from Contraeo. Valencia would've pressed him back, Wellbeck to the left and Robin up top.
The decision was whether to leave Alonso unchecked and favour symmetry or do the converse. Down to ten men, few systems offer the balance that the 4-4-1 can, but the problem is, its too easy to push back. Chasing the game would the freeing of the wide men defensively contribute more to their course, without worsening their burden. They needed two goals, had to chase two goals, but at the same time, didn't need to make a hard task even more arduous.
For the purpose of debate...
Would've taken off Giggs for Valencia and moved him to right wing-back, with Contraeo and Ronaldo flying forward, there was an opening for a potential counter. Wellbeck put in a sterling performance, not the best technically, but offers workrate in abundance and compliance with instruction. Rooney would've come in for DW, with one card left for the last ten minutes.
Tactically, a shape similar to that employed by Mancini vs United in the FA Cup, down to ten men, a season or so ago, would've been useful. The slight difference being the forward would've been dropped back into a more advanced midfielder role, effectively a 3-3-2-1.
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............................RVP...............................
........Rooney...........................Cleverly.........
Evra....................Carrick.....................Valencia
...........Vidic.......Ferdinand......Rafael.............
Solomon txj, go ahead and put to test all these theories. You are better than practicing coaches. Start by sending your notes to save Liverpool!
You take yourself too seriously when you start to think that coaching on the internet is the same as real life. Formation, circulation etc is just a fraction of coaching
When you learn to show respect to PROFESSIONAL coaches then you can be taken seriously. For now, you are just blowing hot air like Ayo. You both seems to have many things in common self!