Predicting Manchester United's First XI Following Close of 2014 Transfer Window
Manchester United's best starting XI has been a hotly debated topic among fans and pundits since the close of the transfer window.
With United adding yet more firepower to a team whose best assets already seemed to be its forwards, there is plenty of room for debate.
There are a number of issues to contend with—the first being the formation. For this XI, I have assumed that Louis van Gaal's new acquisitions will allow him to revert to his more traditionally favoured 4-3-3.
It has been well documented that Van Gaal's switch to 3-5-2 as Netherlands manager came about as a result of an injury to Kevin Strootman, per Sky Sports. It was a reactive choice, one that Van Gaal saw as having value once he arrived at United and found a squad that was "not in balance" (h/t ESPN).
The acquisition of three players who can play in a midfield three, additional defensive cover and new forward players presumably means he will feel his squad is now better balanced. This leaves him room to switch back to 4-3-3.
The most contentious decision in this XI is the choice of centre forward in a 4-3-3 that uses a solitary No. 9. With United possessing three outstanding players in that position, tough decisions will need to be made.
All statistics per WhoScored.com.
Goalkeeper: David de Gea
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There is no contentious issue when it comes to the goalkeeper. The days when Sir Alex Ferguson rotated David de Gea and Anders Lindegaard seem a very distant memory now.
United's first choice is an excellent goalkeeper. He made his first start for his national side on Thursday and has a very bright future ahead of him. It is not hard to imagine him eventually ascending to the pantheon of all-time United greats.
Right-Back: Rafael da Silva
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Rafael da Silva has been injured so far this season, leaving Antonio Valencia unchallenged as first choice right wing-back.
In this formation, Rafael would be operating as a full-back rather than wing-back, and he is the best option to play the role.
The 2013/14 season was an uncomfortable one for the young Brazilian, who faced injuries and appeared to have regressed from his excellent 2012/13 campaign. A glance at the league statistics shows a drop from an average 3.1 tackles per game to an average of 2.3, along with a smaller percentage of interceptions, clearances and blocked shots.
He still has a problem with discipline, five yellow cards in 19 league appearances last season and six yellow cards and one red in the 28 league appearances the season before (albeit the red came in a game after United had already won the league).
Valencia may offer slightly more going forward, although his output has not been that impressive in the past couple of seasons, as I wrote here.
Assuming he is able to recover from his current injury and not pick up too many more, Rafael should be United's right-back.
Left-Back: Luke Shaw
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Luke Shaw has had a difficult start to his United career. During pre-season, he picked up an injury that has meant he has yet to play a competitive match for the club.
Once he is fit, Shaw is the natural choice for left-back.
His competition comes from Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind, neither of whom are specialists in the role. Shaw was one of the best in his position in the Premier League last season and deserves a chance to show what he can do at United.
Central Defence: Phil Jones and Jonny Evans
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United's central-defensive partnership—assuming it is a partnership—will be chosen from Phil Jones, Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo and Tyler Blackett.
With Rojo still something of an unknown quantity, Blackett still developing and Smalling often lacking in his distribution, the best duo available at the moment appears to be Jones and Evans.
Evans' form has been poor thus far this season, but he is returning from injury and has shown plenty of promise throughout his United career. Now the most senior of United's defenders, Evans has to step up from the role of deputising for Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.
He should have the ability to do so, assuming the errors in concentration that have punctuated his performances so far this term can be eliminated.
Jones has been my personal choice for man of the match in two of United's three league games this season. He has adapted better than his colleagues to Van Gaal's switch to a back three. His last-ditch tackles remain as dramatic and effective as ever, but he has also made plenty of calmer interventions.
There is plenty of debate to be had at this position, but Jones and Evans would be my choice—for now.
Holding Midfielders: Daley Blind and Ander Herrera
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Competition for the first-choice options here comes from Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher. Fletcher has looked in serious need of a rest in United's past couple of games; Carrick is returning from an injury and is now 33 years old.
His poor form last season may yet prove to be a blip, and there may be another fine season or two in Carrick. For now, however, it seems reasonable to assume he is best used as a rotation option in this position.
Holding midfielder may be a slight misnomer for Ander Herrera, given his excellent contributions to attacking play for Athletic Bilbao. However, his predilection for a tackle makes him a natural choice to provide a platform from which United's attacking players can build.
He is also more than capable of breaking from midfield to contribute further forward.
Daley Blind, last season's Eredivisie Player of the Year—playing as a defensive midfielder—contributed an average of 2.7 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per league game for Ajax. He should slot very nicely alongside Herrera in a new-look United midfield.
There may be a slightly lightweight quality to that midfield, but there is also plenty of energy and combativeness. United will be less of a pushover in this department than they have been for several years.
Attacking Midfield: Juan Mata
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Juan Mata has come in for some criticism from United fans so far this season, both on social media and on the terraces.
United's attacking play has been disjointed and lacking in pace, and Mata has taken some of the blame for that.
However, with faster, more dynamic players around him, Mata could once again ascend to the role of the Premier League's finest playmaker. He was Chelsea's Player of the Season in both 2011/12 and 2012/13, playing in a system which allowed him to be the world-beater he truly is.
His primary competition here comes from Wayne Rooney, and in truth, Van Gaal may well plump for his new captain ahead of Mata.
He should not, though. A glance at WhoScored.com's statistically modelled analysis of their strengths and weaknesses (Mata's here and Rooney's here) neatly demonstrates something that many fans would intuit—that Rooney's best assets are, unsurprisingly, those of a centre forward, whereas Mata's are those of a true playmaker.
One of the most exciting things about this XI in this formation would be seeing the platform it offered Juan Mata to shine. There would be movement and invention all around him, and Mata's calm and ingenious use of the ball would once again become a devastating attacking weapon.
Right Wing: Adnan Januzaj
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Adnan Januzaj's dynamism and invention should be given a place in United's best XI. In spite of the plethora of expensive stars around him, the young Belgian's breakthrough season last time out showed that he belongs in their company.
Januzaj is the type of player that defenders hate to play against: unpredictable, fast and capable of producing an end product.
The other options here would be Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young or someone playing out of position in order to accommodate them into the side.
Given Valencia and Young's poor form over the past couple of seasons and the inherently problematic nature of playing players out of position, Januzaj should be the comfortable first choice here.
Centre-Forward: Radamel Falcao
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Centre-forward is, by a long chalk, the hardest position in which to pick a clear first choice.
The truth is, Van Gaal may well be tempted to opt for a formation that allows him to pick two of his three superstar forwards. However, if he does not, preferring the abundance of creativity that would be offered by a 4-3-3, then a very difficult decision needs to be made.
Assuming all three at fit and in form, Radamel Falcao would be my first choice. The youngest of the three, Falcao may just be the best centre-forward in the world.
His Atletico Madrid career saw him produce some of the finest centre-forward displays seen since Brazilian Ronaldo was in his pomp.
Any one of the three would be a good choice. Robin van Persie's first season at United was electrifying. Rooney's best position, in my opinion, has always been as out-and-out striker.
All three would score goals—plenty of them. All three are capable of truly spectacular moments on a football pitch. There is not a bad option among them. It is just that the latest arrival might well be the best option of them all.
Left Wing: Angel Di Maria
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Angel Di Maria was Man of the Match in last season's Champions League final. He only failed to register double figures of league assists once in his four seasons at Real Madrid and has proven himself at the highest level.
He is United's outstanding choice in this position by an enormous distance. Given his main opposition for the role would come from Young or an out-of-position Rooney, it is a pretty straightforward choice for Van Gaal.
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