How Man Utd will line up with Conte
Carlo Garganese
- Updated: 26 Oct 2021 10:11 BST
- 5 min read
Antonio Conte has told Manchester United he will accept the managerial job at the club if he is officially offered it.
So if the Italian does succeed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the Old Trafford dugout, how could his Man Utd team line up? And what formation will Conte play with Man United?
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What is certain is that Conte will deploy a three-man defence. This has been the system he has used in defence ever since he quickly scrapped a 4-2-4 formation just a couple of games into his first season at Juventus in 2011-12.
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In the last decade, Conte has almost always utilised a back three so it is safe to say this will be the case at Man United.
Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane will start, likely with the Englishman in the left centre back role he has starred in for his country and with the Frenchman at the heart of the defence.
The right centre back role is more up for grabs, but don’t be surprised if Conte uses Aaron Wan-Bissaka in this position. Conte has regularly used full-backs as a lateral centre-back in the past because it allows the back three to turn into a four during different phases if required.
In goal, Conte will go for experience with David de Gea.
Further forward on the pitch, much will depend on whether Conte uses the 3-5-2 system he deployed with Juventus, Italy and Inter or the 3-4-3 he selected with Chelsea. It will surely be one of these formations at Man United.
Either way, Conte likes wing-backs in his wide midfield roles. Luke Shaw is the obvious option on the left, although Conte will demand that the Englishman works hard or he will not hesitate to drop him.
The right-wing back role is an interesting one. If Wan-Bissaka is used at centre-back, this could open up the door for Diogo Dalot, a player who tactically could fit in with Conte.
The most important part of the wing-back’s job under Conte is non-stop running up and down the flank and to be tactically smart.
One should also not rule out a winger like Marcus Rashford or Jadon Sancho being moved into a wing-back role under Conte.
HOW CONTE'S MAN UTD COULD LINE UP IN A 3-5-2
It may seem unlikely and perhaps it wouldn’t work, but Conte has done this successfully with wingers in the past such as Victor Moses, Ivan Perisic and Emanuele Giaccherini.
At centre midfield, everything will depend on whether Conte plays a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3.
If it is a 3-5-2, then Pogba will certainly feature as the left central midfielder. Just like he did under Conte at Juventus.
Bruno Fernandes could play in the role Christian Eriksen was in at Inter in what would admittedly be an attacking centre midfield. But it is a configuration that could work with a more defensive midfielder alongside them like Fred or Scott McTominay. Either way, Conte would likely ask for a new deep-lying central midfielder in the next transfer window.
If Pogba and Bruno together is too attacking, Conte could bring back Donny van de Beek from the cold to act as a goalscoring box-to-box midfielder.
If Conte goes with a 3-4-3, then it seems that only one of Pogba and Bruno can play in the same team. This is unless Pogba is pushed out to left midfield at the expense of Shaw, which is probably unlikely given the Frenchman’s lack of workrate.
As for the attack, once again it all depends on whether Conte selects a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3.
If it is a 3-5-2, then that spells bad news for Sancho who is surely unable to play as an attacker in a front two.
HOW CONTE'S MAN UTD COULD LINE UP IN A 3-4-3
Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood all do their best work as wide attackers so, like Sancho, would much prefer a 3-4-3 but this trio would be given a chance to prove themselves in a front two.
Martial is a player Conte has wanted in the past so could have an advantage over the rest.
The biggest question mark is over Cristiano Ronaldo’s future, regardless of whether it is a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3.
Conte demands his attackers work hard, run and press from the front. Ronaldo is statistically the worst presser in the Premier League among forwards and this could be a problem with Conte’s system
Do not be surprised if Ronaldo is not part of Conte’s plans or is used as more of a substitute.
Edinson Cavani fits perfectly into Conte’s tactics, the big question mark with him is whether at the age of 34 and having played little this season, he can still perform at the very highest level. If he can, then he could be an important part of Conte’s team.
Either way, it is very possible Conte goes into the market for a centre forward who can be a focal point of the attack in the same way that Romelu Lukaku was for Inter, Diego Costa was for Chelsea and Graziano Pelle was for Italy.
