There was a time here in the Transfer Tavern when a lot of us, not just fans of Chelsea, thought that Jose Mourinho would be unbeatable.
Here was a man who had breezed into the Stamford Bridge club and won their first two Premier League titles with a real swagger and panache about him.
He could buy any player he wanted, and his mind games with opposing managers were some of the most effective around.
His tactics were new, too. He helped develop the ‘Makele role’ in which the French midfielder became the benchmark for all holding players whilst he also introduced the 4-3-3 to a league that was still largely set in its way of using 4-4-2.
Times have changed since, of course, but our resident Manchester United fans thought they’d be getting similar when he signed for them in the summer.
So far, though, it has not been all plain sailing. United have struggled at times with Mourinho not knowing his best side and so our landlord reckons he should start switching things up.
The club have a game against West Ham this weekend and we reckon this 3-5-2 should be used by United to get the result…
GK: David De Gea
Regardless of the formation in front of him David De Gea is always going to be the main man in goal. He’ll be hoping for another clean sheet against a Hammers side that cannot score goals as often as they’d like right now.
CB: Marcos Rojo
Rojo is typically a full back but with Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling having issues he will likely be asked to play in the centre again. He can be found out, though, and so that’s why he couldn’t be the centre-most defender here.
CB: Phil Jones
Phil Jones has profited from others losing fitness just at the time he has regained his. He’ll now be looking to cement his place and would need to show he is a leader in this back three if United go for it against West Ham.
CB: Daley Blind
Blind is one of the most versatile players at the club and could do a decent job in a back three. He has experience of playing in such a system already in his career and could benefit most from the change of tactics.
RM: Ashley Young
Young could also benefit from the switch as the widemen would need to work back more as well as forward – something he is good at doing. The former Aston Villa man hasn’t had the best time of it in recent years but could remind us of his talent in this system.
CDM: Michael Carrick
Carrick has to play as much as possible in United’s midfield as he is still their best passer of the ball. The fact there would be the possibility of another defender coming into the central area when United attack, too, in this system would help him with his lack of pace.
CDM: Ander Herrera
The Spaniard needs to be playing as often as possible alongside Carrick in order to learn the trade in terms of controlling the tempo of a game. He’s a good passer but now he needs to step it up a notch for United.
CAM: Paul Pogba
Pogba needs to start getting forward more and this system may allow him too a bit better. He’ll be able to operate in more space thanks to two frontmen and that could give him the edge to perform to his best.
LM: Jesse Lingard
Lingard has impressed a fair amount so far this season and could do so once again on the left for United. He’s always going to work hard for the club and would certainly have to down that flank against the Hammers.
ST: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The former PSG man is back from suspension for this game and will want to remind fans that he is still the main man as far as scoring goals is concerned. Expect a strong performance from him as he links up with…
ST: Marcus Rashford
This could be the moment United fans have waited for. The classic pairing of little and large with Rashford’s raw pace and Ibrahimovic’s power could be highly potent and would surely leave the West Ham defence in tatters.
Agree United fans? Let us know below…
