da 888： Having already gone through transfer deadline day, no additional reinforcements can be added until the window reopens in January; therefore Manchester United will have to do with the players at their disposal.
da winzada777： Despite being linked with a high profile centre-back throughout the summer, Louis van Gaal ended the clubs shopping spree with one of the biggest shocks after completing a season-long loan deal for Monaco striker Radamel Falcao.
Still, without a newly signed proper central defender, here is a predicted starting XI for the Red Devils this coming season, with reference to the usual 3-5-2 formation.
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Goalkeeper
Name: David De Gea
Age: 23
Nationality: Spain
Reason for selection:
David De Gea is the current club number one and is the easiest pick for Louis van Gaal given he was one of the only players to perform last season prior to his arrival.
He currently has no competition as Manchester United’s man between the sticks.
Centre-Back Right
Name: Phil Jones
Age: 22
Nationality: England
Reason for selection:
Phil Jones looks to be the most solid of the current Manchester United defensive players and given his form in the first three matches, it looks as though he will most likely retain his place in the back three. His no nonsense hard-man tackling style is seen as a great asset in a rather weak United backline.
Centre-Back
Name: Jonny Evans
Age: 26
Nationality: Northern Ireland
Reason for selection:
With both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic departing Manchester United in the summer, Jonny Evans became the senior centre-back at the club.
Despite his highly unconvincing display upon his return against MK Dons, Louis van Gaal will most likely keep to playing Evans at the centre of his back three.
Centre-Back Left
Name: Marcos Rojo
Age: 24
Nationality: Argentina
Reason for selection:
Given Manchester United can finalize his work permit troubles, Marcos Rojo will be the perfect fit for the last slot in the back three.
Although he normally plays as a left back, his change to a more central role will highlight the fact that he may need to focus a lot more on the defensive side of play.
Right Wing Back
Name: Angel Di Maria
Age: 26
Nationality: Argentina
Reason for selection:
Angel Di Maria is most effective on the flanks as Louis van Gaal will need to exploit his abilities in order to get the best out of his record breaking £59.7million signing.
Keeping in mind that he was out pacing everyone as a right winger for Real Madrid prior to the arrival of Gareth Bale, he could very well return to that role, with some added defensive responsibilities he may need to adapt to.
Left Wing Back
Name: Luke Shaw
Age: 19
Nationality: England
Reason for selection:
Once Luke Shaw returns to full fitness, he will easily be first choice left wing back due to his ability to attack as well as defend. Given his age, he has huge room for improvement as first-team experience will only make him a better player.
Plus, Manchester United would not have spent such a huge fee on him if he was just going to sit on the bench. With Angel Di Maria on the right and Shaw on the left, Louis van Gaal would have opened up two additional attacking outlets, taking the pressure off the more centrally positioned playmakers.
Central Midfielder
Name: Ander Herrera
Age: 25
Nationality: Spain
Reason for selection:
Manchester United bought in Ander Herrera because of his ability to control as well as dictate the pace of the game from a central midfield role.
He is seen as the player who will be keeping hold of the ball, maintain possession, as most importantly, linking the backline to the more attacking outlets, either down the two flanks, or straight down the middle.
Central Midfielder
Name: Daley Blind
Age: 24
Nationality: Netherlands
Reason for selection:
After failing to secure the services of a proper defensive midfielder, Daley Blind is the next best thing as he will most likely be given an anchorman’s role in the heart of the Manchester United midfield.
He should be seen playing deeper than Ander Herrera as he will be the one that tried to stop counter-attacks as well as been seen as a ball winner. However, if he is given a chance to roam forward, he could be just as effective in the attacking third as he is in his own defensive half.
Attacking Midfielder
Name: Wayne Rooney
Age: 28
Nationality: England
Reason for selection:
Wayne Rooney is often seen dropping rather deep for a striker and trying to control the game from a more central position, hence with the arrival of Falcao, he could shine just behind the striking pair.
If he is moved into an attacking midfield role, it will give him a lot of freedom in the attacking third to try and be the playmaker while also opting to create trouble with his long ranged shooting ability.
Striker
Name: Robin van Persie
Age: 31
Nationality: Netherlands
Reason for selection:
Robin van Persie is a proven goal-scorer if he can return to full fitness and begin taking his chances once more. Having already worked with Louis van Gaal, the Dutch manager will know exactly how he should deploy Van Persie in order to get the best of him.
A link up with Radamel Falcao can mean Manchester United might be well on their way to having the most lethal attacking force in the English Premier League.
Striker
Name: Radamel Falcao
Age: 28
Nationality: Colombia
Reason for selection:
Excluding his injury stricken career with Monaco last season, Radamel Falcao netted 52 goals in 68 games for Atletico Madrid prior to his move to Ligue 1, showing exactly why scoring shouldn’t be a problem.
Falcao will definitely play and will simply be put in the striking position with the sole purpose of being the main scoring outlet all the Manchester United players should look to get the ball to.
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