How Manchester United Targets Juan Cuadrado, Angel Di Maria Fit Van Gaal's 3-5-2
Manchester United's new boss Louis van Gaal
is still looking to significantly strengthen his first team ahead of
the new Premier League season. The Dutchman seems to be keen on
recruiting two big-name players if recent media reports are anything to
go by.
Fiorentina's Juan Cuadrado is a big target, with Anthony Chapman of the Express linking him with a £36million move to Old Trafford, whilst Real Madrid's Angel Di Maria is reported to be a £55 million target by the same source.
They are two big talents, no doubt, as well as costly ones, but they are also two players who would fit into van Gaal's side nicely in his pre-season 3-5-2 formation, as well as allowing United tactical flexibility elsewhere.
Cuadrado
Colombian wide man Cuadrado generally
plays in the attacking line of three for his club, as he did for his
nation during the World Cup in a wide right role, but he is no stranger
to playing as a wing-back—the natural position he would take up in a
3-5-2.
Cuadrado has pace to burn, but also
is a great athlete, showing terrific stamina levels, an ability to play
on the run and aid transition phases by reacting quickly to move himself
from middle to final thirds of the pitch.
Antonio Valencia has generally started as the wing-back in pre-season
but lacks the form and consistency of two or three years ago, having at
best an up-and-down time last year. Rafael is the other option, but has
been injured and played little part in pre-season. Cuadrado would be a significant upgrade on both.
Di Maria
As for Real Madrid midfielder Di Maria, he might now be largely seen
as a wide forward as he has played there for Real, but last season he
reverted to his initial position: a central midfielder with an
unstoppable engine, fantastic energy levels to press, challenge and then
attack constantly, and of course that wonderful level of technique
which makes him such a wanted man.
United's three-man defence negates the need to have an out-and-out
defensive midfielder as one of the double pivots. Instead, what they
have largely utilised in pre-season has
been one box-to-box player—Darren Fletcher has impressed most often
here—and a central midfielder to continually receive and release
possession. This, of course, will be new signing Ander Herrera.
Bringing in Di Maria to play alongside Herrera would give United an
enormous threat on the counter-attack, making the most of Di Maria's
great work-rate and his acceleration forward into space, linking play as
he moves forward.
Not a box-to-box midfielder in the usual sense, Di Maria is a
midfielder who tracks back, hassles opponents off the ball in the
middle—and bursts forward as soon as the ball is won, happy to take
possession as he breaks into the final third.
3-5-2 and 4-3-3
The two players would not only give Manchester United terrific
quality on the field, they are both also extremely versatile to give van
Gaal plenty of options to make tactical switches at will.
The Dutch manager, of course, has favoured 4-3-3 at club and country level for years and Cuadrado's
pace, goalscoring threat and ability to run with the ball at defenders
make him a natural fit for the right side of the front three whenever
van Gaal opts to switch to that system. He would also be a threat cutting in from the opposite flank.
Di Maria, meanwhile, has played out several seasons at Real Madrid as
a right-sided attacker, cutting in to dribble at the defence and shoot,
though could of course also play left wing without any problem
whatsoever—or stick in his central midfield role as one of the three.
All told, these would be two extremely expensive deals for United to
wrap up—but which would also offer a huge return in terms of on-pitch
quality and contribution in the final third.
source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2158198-how-manchester-united-targets-juan-cuadrado-angel-di-maria-fit-van-gaals-3-5-2
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