---
title: "Manchester United 3-1 Burnley: Four things we learned"
canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2015/02/11/manchester-united-3-1-burnley-four-things-we-learned/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
section: "Man Utd Match Reports"
published: "2015-02-11T22:53:37Z"
modified: "2015-04-13T23:35:23Z"
---

# Manchester United 3-1 Burnley: Four things we learned

**Opposition teams know they can capitalise on Man United’s frailties when Louis van Gaal plays a 4-4-2 ‘Diamond’ formation.**

Hopefully, this will be the last time we see Louis van Gaal deploy a midfield diamond this season. It has become clear that we do not possess the players to emphatically enforce this formation and by playing in this shape, van Gaal is playing players out of position.

The diamond formation can horribly expose the defensive mechanisms of a team, and this was the case for the majority of the game for Man United because Burnley played with two strikers. Our centre backs, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans had to mark a player each, meaning that the player who was covering them was Daley Blind. Theoretically, this is what Blind should be doing as a defensive midfielder, but because we were playing in a diamond, the defence had no protection from the rest of the midfield due to the team shape. Also, by playing in a diamond, there is a huge emphasis on the fullbacks attacking the open space, which is in front of them and when they do attack, it can leave the centre backs on their own against two strikers, meaning that we were always exposed on the break.

**Time for Louis van Gaal to start making some big calls on personnel…**

We’ve all heard the story of Louis van Gaal dropping his pants to his then Bayern Munich players to prove that he is capable of making big calls, on dropping the so called big-named players; well van Gaal, NOW is the time for you as Manchester United manager, to start making some big calls again on who should start. By starting the likes of Robin van Persie, Radamel Falcao, Wayne Rooney, Adnan Januzaj and Angel Di Maria, he has disrupted the balance of the team and it is most evident in playing his captain and arguably most reliable attacking player in Rooney, in midfield. With Rooney partnering either one of Falcao or van Persie, it would allow van Gaal to play Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria in their most effective positions, which brings me on to my next assessment of the game.

**The performances of Angel Di Maria and Ander Herrera**

In the first half, Angel Di Maria was having a largely ineffective game and was at fault for cheaply losing possession in the build up to the Burnley goal. However, in the second half when Louis van Gaal changed to a 4-2-2-2 formation and moved Di Maria and Januzaj out wide, it was the improvement of Di Maria which particularly caught everybody’s attention. Of course, Di Maria has largely played as a winger his whole career but it has been so long since we have seen Di Maria provided with the platform to run at players at will and cause fear to opponents, it felt as though we were about to see Di Maria return to his devastating best. He grabbed himself an assist with a delightful cross to Chris Smalling, who emphatically headed home and in the second half he won the penalty which was expertly converted by Robin van Persie.  Di Maria MUST play out wide every game.

On Ander Herrera, he came on in the second half, as Louis van Gaal looked to add a much needed specialist centre midfielder to the side, after Daley Blind had gone off injured and Rooney was playing at the base of the diamond. With Herrera’s introduction, van Gaal paired Rooney and Herrera together and the team quickly looked more balanced, albeit still lacking the conviction and overall quality we strive for in midfield (hopefully that will change in the summer with new personnel). Herrera was impressive with his speed of passing and tenacity and again proved why he should be starting every game for United!

**The need of purchasing a dominant centre back in the summer transfer window was made all the more clear this evening.**

Jonny Evans was absolutely terrible in defence against Burnley as was often out muscled, out manoeuvred and outwitted by Danny Ings. It has often been the case this season and also previous seasons. I do not often harshly criticise Manchester United players but Evans as a senior player in the team must step up to the mark and make himself counted for in the side, especially as we are reaching a stage in the season, where the smallest mistakes can lead to the most devastating of results.