In American football, the “offense” and the “defense” form a line of scrimmage. The offensive line protects the passer, usually the quarterback, and clears the way for runners. Runners, usually receivers positioned wide, carry the ball forward. Despite the prevalent perception, Sir Alex Ferguson is quite a tactician. He has – perhaps anticipating upcoming European games – revamped the 4-5-1 that Manchester United has used in tough games. Indeed, Ferguson’s 4-5-1 is very reminiscent of Gridiron.
In Ferguson’s system two central midfielders, usually Anderson and Darren Fletcher, charge forward and engage opposition midfielders. Paul Scholes or Michael Carrick plays the deep-lying playmaking role – aided by the extra space afforded by the two midfield runners. The ‘quarterback’ often passes to one of the wingers. Wingers carry the biggest creative load in the system – they have to either make the defense splitting balls to the lone forward, usually Wayne Rooney, or run with the ball and score.
However, wingers are aptly aided by Rooney, with the former Evertonian playing the ‘false nine’ role. A false nine is a striker who drops deep from the nominal number nine position. Such movements can be very deadly as an opposition centre-back or two can be dragged out of position. Should a centre-back follow Rooney deep, United’s wingers then have room for maneuver. Even if opposition centre-backs are disciplined in their positioning, Rooney then links with the Reds’ midfielders and helps maintain possession – allowing United’s defence to creep up and help out.
It’s not the first time Ferguson has experimented this season – a prototype to the new system was also used in away games against Birmingham City and Blackpool, although the attempt failed miserably, despite a win and a draw. The two failed attempts can perhaps be written off as an unfortunate, but natural, consequence of any experiment.
The new system does have few glaring weaknesses though. One obvious fault is predictability. The plan: Fletcher and Anderson make forward runs and keep opposition midfielders occupied; Scholes or Carrick pass to Nani, Ryan Giggs, Ji-Sung Park or AntonioValencia; Rooney drops deep to create space; the winger tries to score. However, unless Rooney comes into the goal-scoring form of last season, the new 4-5-1 will remain far too predictable. The opposition can simply sit deep and deny space.
Another weakness is the burden placed on the deep-lying playmaker. With Carrick in poor form and Scholes no longer able to cope with a fast-pressing game, the ‘quarterback’ in the new tactic can easily be nipped in the bud. In the recent Manchester derby, Sir Alex protected Scholes by playing John O’Shea instead of Rafael. Indeed, the formation stifles United’s full-backs.
With Fletcher and Anderson making frequent forward runs, Evra and Rafael must help protect the Reds’ deep-lying playmaker. In addition to the defensive role, they also have to motor forward and provide auxiliary width as wingers cut inside.
Theoretically, two full-backs can help out the quarterback and then motor forward as the quarterback drops deep to form a temporary back three as necessary. It remains to be seen whether the abstract thinking can work on the pitch of course. United’s full-backs will be more conservative away from home but this instruction ensures an already predictable system is even more readable.
Disastrous, and frankly painful to watch as the match might have been, the interesting thing was the Scot changing United’s formation during the interval. In using 4-2-3-1, Ferguson added another midfielder alongside the quarterback, providing extra protection and allowing the full-backs to bomb forward more easily.
It is quite clear that Sir Alex counts his full-backs as a major source of creativity. It is also palpable that the United manager is still unconvinced by the new 4-5-1.
Good read right there. I think so many of us love the idea of seeing the team play 442 and really going at teams and trying to hammer all round us. Unfortunately we just don’t have the individual brilliance that we had before to achieve this. What we do have, however, is a team ethic and a team spirit that makes us extremely hard working and hard to beat, while never being inspirational.
I also think that the main reason we are playing 451 is that we can’t count on our central midfield pair in a 442. Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher have all been erratic this season. It is no surprise that we keep being linked with central midfielders as the ones we have are adequate but not amazing.
The key to it all is that I trust Sir Alex to sort this team out. And yes, I do know we are top of the league etc but we aren’t the team we were. I am counting on him to fix that.
Another good read on the 4-5-1…
http://www.footballfarrago.com/2010/11/defensive-minded-manchester-uniteds-4-5.html#more
Nice one Jay you’ve written an article on my two sporting passions – United and NFL 🙂 Well written – definitely your best to date.
Steve – you are right with the 4-4-2, we just don’t have 2 CM who can command a game consistently.
The variation that might be developed over time is a 4-4-1-1 with Rooney in the hole to make up a 3 man CM if necessary and be the player maker also. He has the energy to do it. We might see more of that next season with Scholes playing less games and Anderson/Fletcher in CM.
You may hope Deschamps doesn’t read this article
It’s fine to be provocative but I think this is mostly mumbo jumbo. In grid iron there is not …one … receiver & the concept of marching the offensive team upfield in a series of plays has no parallel with football. Do you really think that Carrick’s role has been as ‘quarter back’, the most creative offensive midfielder, moving the ball forwards? Make up your mind; is Rooney the ‘lone striker’ or the ‘false nine’? Do you really think that SAF counts O’Shea as ‘as major source of creativity’; he was played against City because of is height? I think that you rather over-rate SAF as a revolutionary tactician. He has always played with two ‘wingers’ & because of the influence of a Portuguese coach adopted the idea of using only one striker in matches when not losing was the priority. The two or three midfielders are usually box-to-box types, chosen because they are in form or because of ‘rotation’, with tweaking if Scholes plays, who can’t run, or Park with extra defensive duties etc
What a load of shite!
seconded
Seems like a ghost-written tactics lecture from that dick Wilson at the guardian.
Our next four games are away from home, Marseille, Wigan, Liverpool and Chelsea. This is a tall order. Any comments on team selection?
Just a quick word re: diagrams (done wonderfully by Ed)
4-2-3-1 lineup is just one of the many possible – in the Crawley game, Utd lined up with Gibson and Carrick as the pivots, Rooney as the attacking midfielder and Hernandez up top. So it is very possible the idea of Rooney and Berbatove playing together in 4-2-3-1.
I like these tactical discussions, but the comparison to American football seems really daft this time.
agreed
The debate on how much formations actually influence results rages on. I would say that in the NFL the coaches have a great deal more influence than in football.
Anyway, with the games coming up being all away from home, I would say the most attacking we are going to get will be a 4-4-1-1. 4-5-1 against Chelsea and Liverpool is very likely, with Berbatov on the bench.
lol….isn’t it all getting like that
oh ffs, this is like watching a serbian film again…im mortally depressed at this type of post….and i have not even read it
If guys like Alf, Tel and Just says its bollocks it save me the hassle of reading, but tbf, as soon as i saw the title i died a little
Jay. one thing in your favour though…at least you are having a fucking go
Whoever introduced the word ‘pinchbeck’ into our lives deserves a medal tbf.
Well Steve, you don’t have to worry about Anderson because he’s out for two months with a hamstring injury which occured in the game against Crawley. So Park and Anderson are out. Thats two midfielders.
In all the newspapers and fans comments, Bebe is catching hell. I just feel SAF should never have played him on the wing. SAF will most likely make changes to the team against Wigan because three days later, its Liverpool away. Bebe needs to start a game as the lone striker. He will be effective in that position or partner Berbatov up front. Bebe has the pace and power and can hit with both feet. He is useless on the wing. And if that don’t workout then I’m afraid SAF will have to send him packing somewhere else. Hernandez seems to be only effective coming on as a sub. SAF needs all his players to step up to the plate and perform. These next four games are crucial.
Fair point. But would you not prefer to see Rooney, Chico, Owen partner Berba, before giving Bebe a shot?
This^^^^^
Herbie,I looked at Bebe very closely on Saturday. He was outmuscled in every single challege. So out goes power. I promise you he is not quick. What makes it worse is that he is a big guy. You might have the idea that he is no Ronaldo on the wing, but that my friend is his position. As a striker he would just be too painful to watch; well below Conference level. Fraid Ando is worse news; apparently medial ligament damage. They are talking about 2 months, operations, amputations ….. Ah, well we have a star in the reserves, Irish guy, can’t remember his name. So no worries.
…and i die a little bit more
Poor Michael Owen is out injured again! Anderson, Giggs, Ferdinand and Evans are all out injured. I see Bebe, Obertan, Joshua King and Ryan Tunnicliffe are in the squad that are now in Marseille training. Will be interesting to see what team SAF puts out in this match.
SAF should hire you guys to pick his teams and he can pay you on line because you guys do a hell of a good job putting teams together that really makes sense to me.
last rites for hormone everybody…last rites for hormone

what’s gridiron, a new type of BBQ?
every time i hear a pundit use the word quarterback during a prem game to describe someone making a pass from his own half i die a little
ffs