How Man United should Line up with Kagawa as CAM

Shinji Kagawa Man UnitedDavid Moyes is looking to sign top quality players in the winter transfer window but there is one classy player that has not got regular chances that he deserves.
The player in discussion is Japanese international Shinji Kagawa. Former Dortmund star was one of the best attacking midfielders in the world with the German side and helped them win two back to back Bundesliga titles.
In 2011-12, Shinji featured in 31 league appearances and directly contributed in no less than 25 goals.
However, after moving to Manchester United last summer, Kagawa rarely got to play, and very rarely at his preferred CAM position. His ex-manager Jurgen Klopp claimed that Shinji is one of the best central attacking players and his heart pains that he only gets 20 minutes for United that too on the left wing.
In the few chances he has got this season, Kagawa has impressed but again, majority of the times he played out wide on the left.
Against Bayer Leverkusen, Moyes handed him his first start in his favored CAM role and Kagawa showed his quality and looked completely different class. One wonders, why United are looking for an attacking mid player and why on earth they want Kagawa out.
With van Persie returning, their best player this season, Rooney will likely take back the starting position behind the striker.
However, to get the best out of Kagawa, the manager has to use him at his preferred position and may as well have to change the setup to some extent.
Here is how Man United should line up with Kagawa as CAM.

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  1. Martin Malta says:

    I totally agree with the front line up, however the left had side looks vulnerable, I like Evra and wish he would stay, but for this line up to work you need Jones as left back and Carrick or Fellaini as DM, it’s also time for Smalling to move in as DC and Raffael in DR

  2. Redevi317 says:

    That line up will kick butt ! Kagawa and the wings feeding Rooney and RVP, what a deadly combo!

  3. jimmy says:

    i think its a good set up when united have the ball but i dnt think it can fully work if the team doesnt have the ball. fore such a formation to work very well utd have got to signe quality central midfielders who are capable of keeping the ball even in tight situations eg players like koke, etc

    • M says:

      I’m with you in this one…we would get over run the central midfield. It’s a tough decision but one if the strikers should be dropped to allow kagawa the cam role because it’s obvious to see he’s the best in that role so who is the better striker?? I’d have to say RVP but Rooney is on form I cannot deny!!

  4. kayas says:

    I don’t understand why united don’t do a 3 man defense and Valencia and Evra as wing backs:
    De Gea
    Smalling, Rio, Evans
    Valencia, Jones, Giggs, Evra
    Kagawa
    RvP, Rooney

  5. Eddie Stenstad says:

    Utd lineup should be:
    De Gea
    Rafael————————Ferdinand–Vidic——————————Evra
    Jones———-Carrick———–Fellaini(Cleverly)
    Kagawa
    Van Persie—————–Rooney
    Utd can`t play with 2 wingers and one central midfielder as suggested here. They woul loose the central area of the park in almost any game in CL. This formation with 2 attacking fullbacks provide both attacking and defensivly play.

    • Eddie Stenstad says:

      Jones, Carrick, Fellaini and Kagawa should be in center of field not like its showing now to the right.

    • Ronald Shumba says:

      I totally agree with this line up . However we’d need a younger left back coz of fitness concerns as the full backs would need to cover the wing plays when attacking however Moyes’ fitness regime would come in handy. We’d also need to get another midfielder like Koke who plays on the left of the 3 man midfield who can attack as well as tackle.

  6. a.hari says:

    This should be the line up – 4-3-2-1
    De gea
    Smalling Evans Vidic Evra
    Valenica Jones Nani
    Kagawa Rooney
    RVP

  7. De gea – vidic and evans + evra and smalling then jones kagawa, rooney let van.p play 11.

  8. kagawa can prov to every body dat he is d best

  9. james joseph says:

    Degea
    Smalling Vida Evans Evra
    Jones Kagawa
    Valencia Rooney Nani
    RVP
    With this line up we can beat anyone!

  10. kagwa is a great player who can creat verious chansie in the team. therefore no need of kepping him in the bench he need litle first team sheet to proved his wromg .

  11. jimmymac62 says:

    ________________________De gea
    Rafael_______Smalling__________Vidic________Evra
    ________________________Jones
    ________________Carrick________Powell
    _______________________Kagawa
    ____________________RvP______Rooney
    Subs: Lindegaard_Fabio_Evans_Januzaj_Valencia_Hernandez
    Sell: Fellaini, Nani, Young, Anderson, Cleverley, Welbeck, Buttner, Zaha, Macheda, Bebe
    Retire: Ferdinand and Giggs
    Carrick is preferable to Powell and Januzaj at CM because of his experience, discipline, strength in the tackle, ability to retain possession, his vision and passing range.
    Powell’s technical ability, speed, strength and eye for goal make him an ideal partner for Carrick and depending on the opposition and tactical requirements I would start him ahead of Januzaj who would be a great impact sub. 
    I would pick Januzaj ahead of Nani as Januzaj has brilliant vision and a wide range of killer passes and retains possession better than Nani

  12. chux says:

    we shud play 4-3-3, with rooney as a Left striker jst lyk in the 2008-2009 days wen we had ronaldo nd tevez so XI: De gea-Rafael,Vidic,Evans,Evra-Carrick,Jones,Kagawa-Nani,RVP,Rooney, Rooney daznt hav to stay wide bt drift insyd like CR7 does 4 portugal

  13. brendan says:

    This article is 100% correct this is where kawaga should be playing. And the talk about getting run over in midfield is rubbish. Keane and scholes used to play together and scholes cant tackle to save his live. Tofays modren games involves hassle and harry your opposition to win the ball back there is no longer hard tackles and sliding tackles as it used to be years ago. Barcelona play with all attacking minded midfielders and how they win the ball back is chase down the opposition fast and in packs.all the talk of man utd looking to sign an attacking midfielder and they already have him and I think kawaga is as good as you can get. And when we signed him we signed him as an attacking midfielder. They call them a playmaker more these days same thing just a different name.

  14. eloo29 says:

    Jones @ LB as suggetd on here Is a no NO! Jones can only play in 3 different positions RB centre half and dm wt CD been his most preferred position. Rafael remains best RB I stl don’t get why smalling starts ahead of them dnt get me wrong CS is a good player did so well against arsenal but imo he hasn’t done enough to bench rafael. Rafael offers you a lot going forward(crosses, goal getter,.. ) and solid defensively the same can’t be said abt CB . My most potent set up would be januzaj (left wing) shinji (cam) rooney (right wing) rvp . Wazza will get get plenty of goals and assist @ RW and tht settles it cos he’s a striker wants to score goals
    Jones and carrick is all we got in the mid offload the rest! Long live united I love united

  15. D says:

    Everybody who agrees with this lineup knows nothing about football or man united for that matter.. This is too attacking and one midfielder leaves us vulnerable at the back. U don’t think moyes thought of that? We can barely play with two or three mids considering the average players we have in that position now u want to play with one mid? Looks lovely but not realistic and ur all fools for agreeing with that. Fact is, kagawa and Rooney occupy the same position and sadly sadly sadly sadly we can’t accommodate both of them in CAM.. Try playing with that formation against say Barcelona or any team with a decent midfield.. Good god u people know nothing about tactics

    • jimmymac62 says:

      D yes you make a good point about the midfield but climb down off your high horse lad, nobody posting here has got a Eufa coaching badge, we’re all just fans…..no points will be lost because of the formations and team selections we make.

    • Understandable that with the current midfield, United do no have enough quality and against top oppositions, they should have two in the central midfield.
      But for weak teams, this is just about right

    • Ham sandwich says:

      Rooney, Van Persie, Kagawa & Januzaj are the on the same level as the best. Carrick needs a partner, short term Jones, in January maybe a midfielder will come in, then they will replace Jones. Then Utd have an actual best 11!

  16. Ham sandwich says:

    If Moyes decides to break tradition and purchase in the transfer window he will bring in a Young, aggressive, physical midfielder who has pace and can provide a genuine link from defence to attack. That then gives Utd the option of putting either Jones or Carrick alongside creating either protection or link up play. In the summer, a few will go but a left winger/midfielder will come in. Kagawa is the Scholes in this new era. Rooney needs to make a decision and either become a midfielder, a great one or leave. Ultimately if Utd can get a midfielder with quality, things will get better. Kagawa, RVP & Rooney…I can’t believe they actually play for Utd. Insane talent at disposal. De Gea
    Rafael Vidic Evans Evra
    Jones/Carrick (new signing)
    Januzaj Kagawa Rooney
    Van Persie

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