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The nostalgic supporters of Manchester United watched the three-time winners in 1999 sink Bayern Munich in Sunday's friendly at Old Trafford, especially when David Beckham launched a perfect center.
Some desperate fans have even suggested that it would be good enough to play for United now. This is the type of comment that gets traction online, even if it's not true. United, however, requires a similar type of player.
Beckham played on the right wing in a 4-4-2, but United only used this training once last season – and after the PSG had caused so much trouble at beginning of the match in Paris, he returned to the formation that had served. so well historically. Beckham was a perfectionist.
"He was Clbad 92 and Clbad 93," said Ashley Westwood, a former United Academy player and now director. FFT. "He lived 100 meters from Cliff's training ground and came back at night, hung two tires at the goalposts on the covered field and practiced hitting the balls at them.
"Our distorted dressing room mentality meant we were making fun of him, even though he was the club's most capable player. We thought it was weird because no one else was doing it. We were wrong and he got his reward.
Westwood did not play 115 times for England, but in the top four divisions of England, became badistant manager of Michael Appleton in Portsmouth and Blackburn, before directing Bengaluru in Indian title twice in three years . He finished his UEFA pro license alongside former United United players and was the boss of Teddy Sheringham in Calcutta last season.
United has a beautiful No.7 story, many of them on the right, but the role has changed and often there is no role. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used seven different formations last season and Jose Mourinho used two more to qualify for nine for the season.
Solskjaer's favorite formation in the team's win was a 4-3-3 attack, or a 4-2-3-1 in United's lost spell at the end of the season.
"No. 7 is dying in football," said Westwood. "The time when United was playing 4-4-2 with two forwards eating centers is over. Burnley tries sometimes, Brighton tries a 4-4-1-1 when they want to stay compact.
"Liverpool play three strikers and go narrow, but they use backs as wingmen. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are almost like wingers, they start high and wide. "
Liverpool's 97 points were almost enough to win the league. United was only in the top four after one of 38 games last season, a win in February at Fulham.
"Manchester United fans may need a player who plays right, but it is best that the club establishes a style of play first," Westwood said.
One aspect of Solskjaer's management that initially pleased United's players was that he told them to focus on their own strengths rather than, like Mourinho, more on the opposition. It has changed since then.
"United was a 4-3-3 when Solskjaer came in, with a seated midfielder allowing Paul Pogba to qualify. United had three close fronts with Marcus Rashford as central striker. Anthony Martial was left, but there were still changes to the right – Juan Mata or Jesse Lingard trying to use the laterals. But as United had problems with their backs, they could not stick to this system.
"Ashley Young has been criticized, Antonio Valencia hurt. If Luke Shaw gets injured, he will not have a natural left-footed player to lower the wings to get in the centers. Playing Diogo Dalot on the left is no longer the same since his right foot, so United don does not get the width that Shaw gives.
"United's priority should be a right backlog, because if you get that right, you do not need a right midfielder. That's why City spent so much on the back – people laughed at spending £ 50 million on Kyle Walker, but their reasoning was good.
"When you play the best of the best, a lot of the ball will end up with the side. The ball is distributed through them so their distribution must be good. Liverpool did very well because they created these two defenders.
"Towards the end of the season, Solskjaer tried to counter what the other team was doing. Liverpool does not do that, they play as they play. Tottenham are similar. They can make a slight change by playing three in the back, but you know what they will do: they go 4-2-3-1 with Eriksen, Son, Kane, Dele and Lucas Moura spinning through these positions key attack. Liverpool and the Spurs have their identities nailed. "
United has used eight different players right this season: Mata, Lingard, Young, Rashford, Dalot, Alexis Sanchez, Pogba and Ander Herrera.
"Lingard prefers to play like a 10 where he runs in the middle with the match in front of him," said Westwood. "Mata is decent, but he is not the most mobile in defense. If you meet Man United and Mata is at the right of a four, you would tell your left to go back. "
Sanchez failed, Herrera left, Young is 33, Dalot is inexperienced, Pogba prefers to play a central role, just like Rashford.
So you can see why United is very interested in a right midfielder, but where to find them? Westwood says it will not be easy.
"There are very few right-wing actors. Players are more like a front-inside with a full back overlapping. A midfielder on the right side must provide a lot of energy to maintain his defensive form, because you have a heavy responsibility in a 4-4-2 to compact the spaces between the units so that the opponents can not hurt. You give width and help you when you are on the ball.
"Man City has a different variation with Bernardo Silva on the right. The backs remain narrow and compact to provide defensive security for Silva and Sterling. This means that City has almost five in the third defense. "
United will be tied to a hundred players this summer and Westwood has just pleaded for United to buy a right-hander to improve their attack options, not to mention their defense. In his mind, it's one of the best investments that a team can make.
"A high-level right-back will play almost every game, regardless of the formation in the lead," he notes. At the United Recruiting Team …
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