Abhranil Roy
There has been a lot of talk in the press regarding the approach Jose Mourinho might take with Manchester United in the next season. Rumours have been afloat about what formation the Portugese might use, about the style of play he might utilize and even about the kind of players he should/would buy. Different media outlets have suggested various tactics, but with the signings of Zlatan Ibhrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, it seems that Jose is likely to work with either of these formations:
1. 4-3-3
This will see the trio of Zlatan, Martial and Mkhitaryan upfront, with Morgan Schneiderlin, Wayne Rooney and possibly Blaise Matuidi or Paul Pogba in midfield. Mourinho was crystal clear in his first press conference, however, that he doesn’t see Rooney as a central midfielder, so it is unlikely that he will use this formation a lot. However, this tactic does have its benefit, having someone like Zlatan playing down the middle with Mkhitaryan and Martial on both sides will give rise to a lot of movement upfront, which can really make life difficult for opposition defenders.
2. 4-2-3-1
The former Inter Milan manager has used this formation the most throughout his career, and it’s likely that he will use once again. Upfront, Zlatan or Marcus Rashford will feature alone, while the trio of Rooney, Martial and Mkhitaryan can feature right behind him. It gives the team a good shape and great flexibility, and also allows United’s captain to feature him in his preferred false no. 10 position, which will allow him to not only pick passes in the hole, but also make those late runs into the box. The wings will be kept mobile by the Frenchman on the left and the Armenian on the right, and they can even cut in and shoot if need be.
The 4-2-3-1 certainly makes a lot more sense for me, but let’s see what Jose ultimately plans to do.
