We have forked out a British record £59.7m fee for the former Real Madrid winger - but how will Louis van Gaal fit him into the team? United fans have finally got the big-name signing they’ve been desperate for. And after arriving from Real Madrid for a British record £59.7m on Tuesday, Angel Di Maria is set to make his debut against Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday. But there is still some doubt about where he’s going to play. Will Louis van Gaal stick with 3-5-2, as he has done throughout pre-season? Will Di Maria’s arrival mean a return to 4-3-3 or even 4-4-2? With Di Maria, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata all available this weekend, United fans will get their first glimpse at how the Dutchman plans to accommodate them all. Together, they make up one of the best forward lines in world football. And it’s van Gaal’s job to get them all on the same page and playing well. How well he does it will play a key role in determining how successful he is in his first season in English football. 3-5-2 Van Gaal was successful at the World Cup using 3-5-2 with Van Persie paired with Arjen Robben up front. He introduced it at United during the summer tour, insisting it was a way of playing with Van Persie, Rooney and Mata in the same team, and all in their preferred positions – something David Moyes never managed. Di Maria’s arrival creates a new problem. He could fill the role Robben had at the World Cup, or play behind the strikers. But both solutions mean dropping one of Rooney, his captain, Van Persie, a personal favourite, or Mata, who only arrived in January. He could play slightly deeper in midfield, as he did for Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final. Then, he played in a front four that also included Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, pushing wide whenever his team had the ball and hurting Atletico down the left flank. It almost looked like 4-4-2 at times. But Carlo Ancelotti had Sami Khedira and Luka Modric in midfield as insurance. Van Gaal doesn’t have the same quality of midfielder at his disposal. It’s possible, but less likely, that Van Gaal will use Di Maria as a wing-back. The attacking side of it will come naturally. But not necessarily the defensive responsibilities. United’s back three has looked vulnerable already this season. And unless Di Maria is very disciplined, one of the centre-backs is going to have to be ready to cover the space behind him - creating more gaps between an already stretched back three. 4-3-3 Playing in a 4-3-3 seems a more natural fit for a player like Di Maria. And it’s a system Van Gaal knows well, having grown up in Holland and managed both Ajax and Barcelona. Van Persie is the obvious choice to play a central striker with Rooney on one side and Di Maria on the other. Mata could also play behind Van Persie. It would be similar to the system Argentina used at the World Cup. Against Switzerland in the second round Alejandro Sabella used Gonzalo Higuain as his centre-forward, with Di Maria on one side, Ezequiel Lavezzi on the other and Lionel Messi in the hole behind. But Sabella also had two genuine holding midfielders in Javier Mascherano and Fernando Gago. Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera, even when they’re both fit, aren’t just as equipped to protect the back four. There is also the issue of Rooney. He’s not a winger like Di Maria and would prefer to play centrally. He’s played wide for United before. And while you can’t question his work-rate, it doesn’t make best use of his ability - either as a creator or finisher. 4-4-2 United have a history of playing with quick, direct, creative wingers and Di Maria fits that mould. Sir Matt Busby had George Best and John Aston Junior. Sir Alex Ferguson had Ryan Giggs, Lee Sharpe, Andrei Kanchelskis and Cristiano Ronaldo. Playing with two strikers would allow Van Gaal to pair Rooney and Van Persie up front. But it would also mean moving Mata out wide, a position he doesn’t look comfortable in whether playing for Chelsea or under Moyes at the end of last season. It also relies on having two dominant central midfield players. Manuel Pellegrini had success with it at Manchester City last season because Fernandinho and Yaya Toure are both strong, physical, mobile midfielders. When Van Gaal is picking from Carrick, Herrera, Tom Cleverley, Darren Fletcher and Anderson, he has no one to match it. #charming
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 08:34:18 +0000
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