Well written artical, If we are to be considered the best in the world and overtake barcelona and Real madrid we need to be confident with our strengths, These teams play there attacking style always and its up to others to try and beat them. We have really underachieved in europe considering the teams we’ve had.

Absolutely agree. If he’s worried about counter attacks he should play Anderson and Hargreaves in the middle, then if the game gets stifled he can bring on Carrick and/or Scholes. Scholes is getting back into the rhythm but he still isn’t quite there, so best to keep him as sub for the moment. And for all Fletcher’s gutsy work rate, he just doesn’t really compare with the others. He’s a squad player who would be useful against the Derby’s of the world, if we’re not trying out new systems as you so rightly suggest. So, totally agree but figure it’s that foreign chap who sits near Ferguson that is responsible. Pity Mr. Ferguson isn’t reading this column!

Fergie has tried 4-4-2 since the early 90s. How many times have we lost to the likes of Bayer Leverkusen/Monaco/Porto on away goals? Fergie is just taking the Real Madrid/AC Milan style which is (i) concentrate on not conceding a goal (ii) have midfielders who can score. In this style you simply trade a centre forward for a holding midfielder. If you go a goal down you can swap the DM for a 2nd CF - like the first game against Lyon. Easy really! The thing I can’t understand is why does he put Rooney as the lone centre forward? It is obvious to me that he is best when he picks the ball up near the middle of the pitch and runs at people. For god’s sake put him in the Scholes role. I would have Hrargreaves as the DM with Anderson and Rooney in front of him, with 2 wide men and Tevez or Saha on his own.

You’re an idiot. The internet has a lot to be thnaked for but the birth of the blogosphere has brought with it the power to arm the greatest numbers with the least wit the ability to voice their ill formed opinions and, what is worse, convinces them of their supreme worth.

Get a job.

If u r are suggesting that we should revert back to 4-4-2 in order to accomodate Paul Scholes and Gigsy playing together, u r wrong freind.

Thought experienced players, they r slow to turn, to attack , to harress others or to defend. Cant u see when Scholes was playing at Lyon, our midfield was over-run?

This was exactly the situation when we were overun by AC MIlan in the semi-fnals last year. Maybe Scholes and Gugsy are better when playing slow-paced teams or teams that play on the flanks. Scholes + hargraves is asking for too much trouble. Scholes gives away free-kicks and you know today’s ball - it is a killer and no goal-keeper can keep the ball out.

I watched Fletcher over 2 matches; against Arsenal and Lyons. He is faster than Scholes. Defenses well and able to run to harress the opposition players. Does Schole have the stamina besides passing the ball? Gigsy can sprint althou he can run the flank to provide corner balls.

one of the main reasons we rooney and ronaldo didnt light up the night was because fletcher won two much of the ball and didnt allow the team to build from midfield on. Milan identified his weakness last year and allowed him as much freedom as required but double marked the better players. Heinze was a similiar liability (note how real didnt build up the left any more after he gave the ball away in the 57th minute). Hargreves had the capability and maturity to win us what we want this year. yes trying rooney in a fluid three man midfield with saha or tevez further forward could possibly give us our best use of resources.

Good article. The problem, though, is that 4-4-2 against the top teams in Europe is a case of either winning 2-1 or losing 1-2 or 0-1 or 0-2. No matter what we say, Champions League is still a cup competition. Teams can go on the counter-attack and you can lose by the odd goal just because of a lapse in defence. Fergie has tried 4-4-2 many times but the gung-ho all-out-attacking style of United just won’t work against the Real Madrids, Barcelonas, and AC Milans of Europe. Sometimes you have to lose a bit of your attacking instincts and flair to keep the game tight and achieve the most important goal of the game - to win the tie. Having said all that, I do agree that at Old Trafford, we should play 4-4-2 against most teams. I think the reason why we played 4-3-3 against Lyon at home was that Lyon were desperate to score an away goal in the first half. They knew that was the only way out - an early goal at Old Trafford. The only way we could stop that comfortably was using a 4-3-3 formation. Which was why I think Fergie is smarter than us all …..

This article is absolutely spot on..United cannot play well with the handbrake on. I was at Old Trafford to watch the game and I witnessed what Chelsea fans go through week in week out. I suppose Fergie tries to err on the side of caution which is understandable. We didnt need to chase the game against Lyon, so it made sense in a way but we should play our trusted formation regularly and be open to a bit of flexibility.

I have to say I was not as unimpressed as others but their peformance, although I know I am in the minority. Certainly watching Liverpool and Arsenal play their recent Eurpean matches they seem to have something extra going on. Fergie is an old war horse though and he knows you can’t stay still but have to be prepared to take risks and experiment sometimes - otherwise the world moves on without you. It will be interesting to see who is successful out of the top 4 in this campaign, given how differently thay all play

I think Ferguson alters the formation due to his lack of sustained success in Europe especially when you consider some of the players and teams United have had under his reign. He must feel that a more cautious approach is required for European encounters and I think he absolutely right but at the same time I agree with this article in that, the formation shouldn’t change but the way the team attacks and defends needs to be adapted in Europe. A 4-4-2 all guns blazing approach would be suicide against a Barcelona or an AC Milan side (not this years though).
It would be wrong to think Ferguson hasn’t played attacking 4-4-2 formations in Europe before. He has and has been found wanting.

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