Ferguson goes against the grain to employ diamond formation at Man Utd
Sir Alex Ferguson admits he is breaking with the habit of a lifetime - for both himself and Manchester United - by choosing to play without wingers and instead employ a diamond formation at Old Trafford that seeks to get the best from his multitudinous attackers, the BBC has reported.
Ferguson can call upon Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez in attack, as well as attack-minded midfielders Shinji Kagawa and Tom Cleverley, and has done away with the wide midfield four in recent weeks in favour of a narrow central system, often with Rooney playing behind two strikers at the tip of the diamond.
United still retain natural wingers such as Ashley Young, Luis Nani and Antonio Valencia but Ferguson has admitted he could turn more to the diamond in an effort to pose difficult questions to opposition managers at home and abroad.
In the past United have also had notable wide players such as David Beckham and Andrei Kanchelskis, while in his younger days Ryan Giggs was known for his flying performances down the left flank.
That is why Ferguson acknowledges a consistent use of the diamond formation would be anathema to United, but he still feels it is a useful option for his side’s current make-up. Ferguson said: “ If it turns out we play the diamond consistently it would be revolutionary because it is going against our history. Using the diamond does mean that a winger may be sacrificed but the game is changing.”
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