Sir Alex Ferguson Should Use 4-2-3-1 Formation to Get Most from Robin Van Persie

Since the rumours of Robin van Persie’s arrival began at Old Trafford, the tacticians amongst you got to work, formulating the best possible starting lineups to get the most out of the big Dutchman.

In truth, van Persie’s versatility means that he is gifted enough to slot into almost any attacking role successfully. He is one of those players that provide a lot of cover for teammates if required.

However, van Persie was signed to score goals and lead United back to the top of the Premier League table.

To do this, Sir Alex Ferguson will want to play him in a position that really gets the most possible out of the 29-year-old striker.

That optimum position is the lone centre-forward of a 4-2-3-1 formation.

On Saturday, Manchester United started their game against Fulham with this exact tactic employed. Within 41 minutes of play, they had bagged three goals against an extremely talented defensive side.

Van Persie seemed naturally at home playing in this position, working as a feeder to chances and expertly holding the ball up for his wingers and centrally attacking midfielders to have enough time to get into the action.

The one possible dilemma that occurs in regard to this formation and van Persie’s inclusion as the lone striker is the resulting affect it might have on Manchester’s prodigal son, Wayne Rooney.

For the next four weeks, Rooney will be out of action with a severely gashed thigh. During this time, one would expect van Persie to really cement his place on the United first team in the lone centre-forward role.

So will Wayne find his way back into the side?

The answer is yes. Despite perhaps taking a backseat to RVP in terms of goal scoring at least, Rooney would still be able to work in tandem with the Dutchman.

Playing just off van Persie (in Shinji Kagawa’s regular position—pushing the man from Japan back into a more central role with Tom Cleverly), Rooney would still be able to provide an attacking threat whilst working mainly as RVP’s proverbial “assister.”

With this sort of formation employed, it would take something special to stop van Persie from netting at least 25 goals this year in the league alone.

For those of you who perhaps don’t want to see Kagawa taking a less attacking role, then that is another issue that can be easily resolved.

Leaving Kagawa in his regular place on the field, Rooney and Danny Welbeck could sub in for the United wingers and form in essence what is more of a 4-3-3 than a 4-2-3-1. Although, in truth, the same basic principle applies for van Persie’s role in the side—acting as the finisher of chances at centre-forward.

Again, though, this would result in Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Nani all dropping out of their favoured positions to accommodate the strikers' inclusion in the team.

I think United fans will have to get used to talented players being left on the bench.

It happened as recently as this weekend, as we saw Wayne Rooney shockingly left out of the starting XI in favour of van Persie.

With the amount of brilliant attacking talent United has this season, it will be almost impossible to see RVP, Rooney, Valencia, Kagawa, Welbeck, Young, Cleverly and Paul Scholes all playing in the same game at the same time.

However if United want to reach the dizzying heights they once knew, they will have to exploit the best players they have to their full potential, even if that does mean leaving star men out on occasion.

If United want to win the league this year, then Robin van Persie has to be played in the aforementioned formation to score the goals he was signed from Arsenal to score.

We all know what sort of player Rooney is. He will be happy to step back for the good of the team.

Rooney's attacking flair and RVP’s killer attacking instincts will send shockwaves through Premier League defences all season long.

Already in the match against the Cottagers, RVP showed great linkup play; both through the centre of the park with balls from Kagawa and Cleverly, and also out on the flanks by making fantastic space for himself to get on the end of Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia crosses.

This was, in fact, how he scored his first goal in a United shirt (a brilliant half-volley following a cross from Young out wide).

Van Persie knows how to boss an opponents' penalty area, and playing in a 4-2-3-1 (or 4-3-3) acts as the deadly spearhead for attacks.

It’s a role that he was born to play in football, having been gifted some of the best finishing the Premier League has ever witnessed.

With the creative talent behind him to back him up, the sky is the limit for RVP this year.