Is Strootman a viable option for Manchester United?

It has been a good transfer window for Manchester United, yet there is still a sense of unfinished business. The club perhaps still lacks another central defender, but of more pertinence is the continued whispering that Kevin Strootman will soon become a Red Devil.

Strootman is a superb midfielder who at 24 could become a huge fixture in the Manchester United midfield. The astute summer additions of Ander Herrera and Daley Blind make the need for a new central midfielder lessen however.

If Michael Carrick returns to his form of two seasons ago, and Angel di Maria continues in his world-class vein, then where would Strootman fit in? The Dutchman would be a worthy buy in the long-term, but it would mean there would have to be a reshuffling somewhere. The most likely scenarios are any of the following:
- Carrick moving into a defensive position
- Juan Mata moving on, and one of Herrera and Di Maria taking up more advanced positions
- Daley Blind becoming nothing more than a back-up utility man

Furthermore there would likely be no Manchester United future for Marouane Fellaini, and more predictably Anderson and Tom Cleverley. Darren Fletcher would also have to settle for the role of experienced squad player.

Strength in numbers will be no issue for United in a department that has lacked for many years, especially if they qualify for the Champions League, but something will have to give way in a midfield involving Carrick, Blind, Fletcher, Herrera, Fellaini Di Maria, Mata, Adnan Januzaj and then potentially Strootman.

Has Louis van Gaal been a pre-season disappointment?

In terms of results, the answer to the question in the title seems obvious: no. United's results have been very impressive in pre-season, whilst some of the general play and performances of the team and its best players have been encouraging. Nevertheless in terms of getting ready for the new season Louis van Gaal has perhaps left the Red Devils a little under-prepared.

Van Gaal's new 3-4-1-2 formation seems folly. United have lost three defenders and only recruited one, yet Van Gaal is now requiring his side to play with one more defender than the team is used to. The club are severely low on players in that department and the new Dutch manager is yet to recruit. Injuries to Jonny Evans, Rafael and Luke Shaw have only exacerbated the problem. A diamond formation with four defenders at the back would appear to have been a much better way of utilising United's resources.

Why has it taken so long to buy new players? Van Gaal has said he wanted to take a proper look at the squad before investing, but that doesn't cut the mustard Louis. Anyone could see that new players were necessary, whether you've seen them on tour or not. He has been slow to act and has now stretched United's resources at the back. A top-quality spine to the team mean results may not be initially effected, but it has been a poor effort from Van Gaal in getting his squad ready.

Friendly results have been good, Van Gaal has made wise choices in regard to captain, and the pre-season standards have generally been high. Nevertheless the Dutchman's preparation for the new season has been far from flawless, and that is certainly disappointing.

Van Gaal's new formation may be a masterstroke

Louis van Gaal has revealed that 3-4-1-2 (3-4-3/5-2-3) is likely to be his formation of choice for this season, a decision that may pay off when considering United's attacking options.

The set-up means United can field Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney together in their favoured forward positions. It also means Juan Mata and Shinji Kagawa can play in the favoured positions in the hole, a position that Rooney and others could also occupy.

Furthermore this formation does not require two wingers, meaning United's weakness in that area will not be exposed, and it only requires two central midfielders, a position in which United now have five decent options, though could require one more.

Central defence will need strengthening if United are to play with three centre-backs, although Michael's Keane and Carrick may be called upon there by Van Gaal. Right-back is covered by Rafael and Antonio Valencia, but a more experienced left-back than young Reece James may be required to alternate with Luke Shaw.

This formation allows United to fit their best players into the starting eleven in their best positions too, and is a good way to make the most of what Van Gaal has described an 'unbalanced' squad. And should United need to revert to 4-3-3 as Van Gaal has eluded to, Valencia, Nani, Ashley Young and Adnan Januzaj are ready-made options to fill the wide positions. A centre-back, left-back and central midfielder still remains on the wishlist however.

2014 summer transfer dealings

This summer so far has been infinitely better than that of 2013, not least because of Manchester United's activity in the transfer market. Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera are both astute signings who have a real desire to play for the club and have their best years ahead of them.

United certainly need strengthening in other areas, but it is debatable how much of this needs to come from outside the club. Should Javier Hernandez or Danny Welbeck leave, another striker may become required, but James Wilson could fill this void for example.

The anticipated departure of Ashley Young and/or Nani means United are being linked with lots of wingers. It is important to remember however that Adnan Januzaj, Antonio Valencia, Juan Mata, Shinji Kagawa, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Tom Lawrence and Jesse Lingard can all play in those positions. Unless a real top-quality winger becomes available for a good price, there shouldn't be a need to dip into that area of the market.

Central midfield still requires another signing. Michael Carrick probably has more left in him than many appreciate, but Darren Fletcher is not the force he once was, Marouane Fellaini has been a disappointment and unfortunately Tom Cleverley seems set to remain a mere squad filler. With Anderson set to leave, aside from Ander Herrera, United are relying on attacking midfielders to provide top midfield quality and therefore another signing is a necessity.

Defence is the final area United need to strengthen. The Red Devils can afford to leave right-back alone, with Rafael, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Antonio Valencia all there to cover. If Louis van Gaal rates Phil Jones and Jonny Evans then promoting Michael Keane as United's fourth centre-back may be a worthwhile possibility. United would still need another left-back however baring in mind Patrice Evra's imminent departure. A versatile left and centre-back, such as Daley Blind or Thomas Vermaelen, appears to be the pragmatic option. If Van Gaal feels United need a new top centre-back however the club could require signing two defensive players.

Manchester United place emphasis on youth, and it is also important the club retains a good British core in its players. That means that promoting youngsters and not buying a plethora of foreign players may be the right strategy for Louis van Gaal to implement. And with no European football to contend with United may be able to trim down an oversized squad and take some risks with youth.

POTENTIAL SUMMER
Signings: Luke Shaw (LB), Ander Herrera (CM), Another (CM), Another (LB/CB)

Departures: Patrice Evra (LB), Alex Buttner (LB), Rio Ferdinand (CB), Nemanja Vidic (CB), Anderson (CM), Ryan Giggs (CM), Nani (RW), Bebe (RW), Ashley Young (LW), Javier Hernandez (ST)

Promotions: Michael Keane (CB), Jesse Lingard (AM), Tom Lawrence (LW), James Wilson (ST)

Other possible breakthroughs: Tom Thorpe (CB), Wilfried Zaha (RW), Nick Powell (AM), Will Keane (ST)

POTENTIAL LINE-UPS
4-3-3: De Gea, Rafael, Jones, Evans, Shaw, Carrick, Herrera, Mata, Januzaj, Van Persie, Rooney

5-3-2: De Gea, Rafael, Jones, Carrick, Evans, Shaw, Herrera, NEW CM, Mata, Van Persie, Rooney

5-2-3: De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Carrick, Evans, Shaw, Herrera, NEW CM, Januzaj, Van Persie, Rooney

Big game tactics

Last season Sir Alex Ferguson got it mostly right at home to Real Madrid: stick Danny Welbeck on Xabi Alonso to prevent him dictating the play. Then, when United get the ball, get it quickly to Robin van Persie who can hold the ball up and then play in Welbeck sprinting past him.

Against Bayern Munich this season David Moyes, as Ferguson did, made Danny Welbeck the cornerstone of his plans, but in a different way. Welbeck was the furthest forward striker, shifting his position across the forward line based on where he could find the most space to surge into and disrupt a shaky Bayern defence. Behind him the ploy was to get the ball into space for Welbeck as quickly as possible, preferably through Wayne Rooney, before half of United's team run forward to join him.

It worked fairly well, but with a few caveats. These caveats however are things that can be rectified for the second leg, giving United a decent chance of progressing. Firstly, Shinji Kagawa simply has to start in Munich. His ball retention is arguably better than any other United player who played on Tuesday, bar perhaps Michael Carrick. This means when United do get the ball, they at least have a chance of building something incisive once Kagawa's involved. He was used to great effect in this regard at the Bernabeu last season.

Secondly, a stronger defence may enable Phil Jones to move into midfield in place of Marouane Fellaini. Despite Jones' sometimes clumsy play, anything and anyone would be an improvement of Fellaini's ball retention in the first leg. Furthermore, Jones is less likely to so weakly lose some the aerial battles that Fellaini did, whilst also arguably offering more determination and better defensive cover. Jones' energy should also enable him to take up some of the advanced positions that Fellaini did too.

The introduction of Patrice Evra at left-back may have no impact on United's defensive display; Buttner was solid on Tuesday. Nevertheless, Evra should be slightly more assured on the ball, giving United a better chance of building attacks.

There were some good signs from the first leg against Bayern and a template was established for getting a result against them. Concentration will have to be yet again as good if not better in the Allianz Arena, but a few simple personnel changes can give United real hope of progressing.

FURTHER POINTS:
4-4-1-1 to 4-5-1
United mostly set-up in a 4-4-1-1 that switched in true Moyes style to a 4-5-1 whilst defending. This worked a treat. In attack Welbeck drifted across the front line, supported by Rooney and Giggs slightly to the left. Fellaini also supported the attack with Valencia wide-right. In defensive transitions however, Carrick and Fellaini remained central with Valencia right, but then United showed some fluidity. Either Giggs would move left and Rooney deep centrally, or Welbeck would move left with Giggs centrally. This enabled decent defensive protection in midfield, but also a flexibility that allowed players to change shape depending on their starting position.

Full-backs
Bayern's full-backs were not given much attention defensively until the final third, but this worked well. It meant United focussed mainly on crowding on the central areas. Bayern meanwhile could switch the ball at will, but to little effect. Without an orthodox striker in the middle, good wide area work was not as dangerous as it may have been. United did well not to charge down the Bayern full-backs and expose themselves in the middle.

Moyes is better than this

2012/2013 season: 29 games played, 48 points, 46 goals scored, 35 goals conceded
2013/2014 season: 29 games played, 48 points, 46 goals scored, 34 goals conceded

Yes, you guessed it. The first line above refers to Everton, the second to Manchester United. The common denominator: David Moyes. What does this remarkable similarity tell us about the Scottish manager though? It tells us he will be better in years to come, should he be given the time.

Why? Its simple. Manchester United have better players than Everton. For United to have the same record as Everton last season requires there to be various extenuating circumstances that have pulled them back. These could be any of:
 - transition (this will inevitably be longer than at most clubs because Alex Ferguson was at the helm for that extraordinary 26 years)
 - disinterested players: the older players are not all on-board. Look at "captain" Nemanja Vidic for one.
 - adaptation: Moyes is still learning and adapting to his role.
 - home form: United's abysmal home form has to be an anomaly.

Once these factors diminish Manchester United will improve. Juan Mata is a better player than Steven Pienaar. Wayne Rooney is a better player than Steven Naismith. David de Gea is a better player than Tim Howard. Michael Carrick is a better player than Darron Gibson. Robin van Persie is a better player than Nikica Jelavic. Marouane Fellaini however may be a worse player than Marouane Fellaini.

The point is clear. United have better players than Everton. They also have better training facilities, a better medical centre, and a bigger transfer budget. On this basis there is no reason for them to performing at the same level as Everton under Moyes. Add in the additional factors that have come with Moyes' first season however, and it makes a bit more sense.

Now none of this means this season has been acceptable under Moyes. It hasn't. It has been atrocious. What it does mean however is that once Moyes has adapted, once the transition is over, once all the players in the squad are fully committed and interested, and once the home form picks up, Manchester United will be better. Moyes may not be the best manager in the world, but he is better than this. And so, if he gets his time, Manchester United will be better than this.

The Chosen One

David Moyes was the 'Chosen One' of Sir Alex Ferguson and the Manchester United board. There is something about leader's choosing successors that requires special handling however, and perhaps it wasn't quite done right at Old Trafford.

Without extensive knowledge, but a small pool of observation and church-related experience, I would suggest Moyes was in the worst category of three to take over at United. This is of course an area that needs far more research; these are merely my musings.

Those three categories of managers that could've taken over at United are: one from within the club (Ryan Giggs, Mike Phelan etc.), one from outside the club that appears from the outside a good contender to continue the work of the previous (David Moyes, and other hard-working Scots who have been at their clubs a long time), and finally something completely different.

Part of the problem of choosing a new manager was the fact that categories one and three weren't filled with sufficient candidates. In category one the managerial experience of Mike Phelan and Rene Meulensteen was not good, whilst the likes of Ryan Giggs had barely completed their coaching badges. Other former Manchester United players are an option for this category, but none of them (Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane) have hardly set the world of management alight.

Category three is the area most United fans will now be wishing the new manager came from. But who was available? Pep Guardiola? No. Jose Mourinho? Probably yes, but it would've been a huge risk for such a potentially destabilising manager to come in for a period of short success (see his history). Carlo Ancelotti went to Madrid, meanwhile the likes of Fabio Capello and Guus Hiddink aren't exactly young. There is certainly reason to think a British manager or at least one with extensive Premier League experience would've been preferred.

Risky, young options such as Roberto Martinez and...well...Roberto Martinez were simply too risky. For a manager to come from category three they would've had to be full of charisma and personality. Not just a little bit, absolutely full.

This is the point; the lingering shadow of Ferguson and the huge influence on the club meant that either his successor had to be absolutely embedded in the club culture and structure, or had to be from completely outside with a huge personality to shrug off some of that shadow and keep the club successful in their own way. David Moyes, as successor, fits into neither of those categories.

David Moyes is the middle-road. He has the experience of the Premier League, is British, and has done relatively well at Everton. He also fits in line with the club culture in terms of everything except connection with the club himself. What United have done by bringing in Moyes is to bring in a lesser version of Ferguson. This is not a slight on Moyes. What it means is Moyes is supposedly an embodiment of Ferguson, with similar traits, except no embeddedment in the United culture itself. He is a stranger.

Of course all the talk of 'Ferguson being in the stands' shouldn't and probably doesn't affect Moyes. But the shadow of Ferguson will affect him in other ways. The players will have been looking for continuity (category one) or if not then strongly-led and charismatic change (category three). Moyes provides them with a limp version of continuity. Also, the fans will have expected instant success (whatever they say about patience), but the lack of history with the club combined with lack of major success elsewhere and personality means Moyes will find little patience with the fans.

David Moyes is a hard-working (as we keep getting told) manager. He will be working hard to put things right, and tactics etc. aside, United will improve under him. Whether they will be the force of recent years remains to be seen, but things will get better. For things to get better however, Moyes will need time. And this isn't just a sentimental thing. He genuinely needs time. Here's why: he will need to rid the spectre of Ferguson. Firstly this must happen among the players; players who are so ingrained in the Ferguson way must show great adaptation, or go. Nemanja Vidic is already going, and Adnan Januzaj and Juan Mata are good ways to rid the Ferguson spectre in the squad. Nevertheless this is a long process. Secondly, fans expectations must not diminish, but must also stop drawing comparison to the Ferguson era. This is a similarly long process.

The idea of a David Moyes-type manager coming in to take over Manchester United's managerial reins, in terms of leader-successor theory, was not a pretty one. Yet, because of a shortage in other areas, Moyes became a tempting option as he brought some kind of limp stability to the club. In order for a manager of his type to overthrow the Ferguson spectre and improve the team, he genuinely needs time. Whether this will ever return United to the best team in the country, never mind the best team on the continent, remains to be seen. But Moyes certainly has the capability to improve, and whether he does so depends on time. But if a different type manager were appointed in the first place, perhaps United would be somewhere else right now.