--- title: "Tactical Preview – Manchester United vs West Brom" canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2015/11/06/manchester-united-v-west-bromwich-albion-tactical-preview/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" section: "Man Utd Match Previews" published: "2015-11-06T16:50:00Z" modified: "2015-11-06T17:27:20Z" --- # Tactical Preview – Manchester United vs West Brom In what promises to be a fixture that would be considered a tad easy to gather all three points from, false hopes of any such expectation linger around. After a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow, the Red Devils will shift attention back to the Premier League, wherein they lie 4th in the league table. United haven’t scored in two of their previous Premier League games and the last time they did score was through Wayne Rooney against Everton at Goodison Park. Alan Pardew’s pacy Crystal Palace side managed to dominate United last week at Selhurst Park in a game where United clearly struggled to create opportunities, much like the two games prior to that one. Crystal Palace offered a stiff challenge to the United defence, but against Tony Pulis’, a wholly different challenge will await Louis van Gaal’s army. A challenge the side are a bit accustomed to facing, considering the fact that their attack has been deemed to be ‘uncreative’ and ‘unattractive’ despite being full of riches. While Crystal Palace posed a considerable amount of threat to the resilient United defense, against the Baggies, it will the West Brom defence against the United attack, much like the last time both sides met at Old Trafford. The men from the Hawthorns have kept a total of seven clean sheets this season, tied with United’s tally. ![Alex Broadway/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2015/11/494069116-904x556.jpg)West Bromwich Albion have earned a knack for playing defensive football, ever since Tony Pulis took over the reins from Alan Irvine. Throughout his stint, which has pleased the fans and directed the Baggies well away from the dreaded relegation zone. If they know the opposition is better than them, at home or away, especially away, West Brom tend to defend deep in their own half. Their logic is simple: If you won’t allow us to score, we won’t let you score too! At Old Trafford too, West Brom will adhere to a similar approach. But, unlike the previous season, West Brom have a slightly different dimension to their play – a target man. Salomon Rondon has acted as their go-to man, when in need of goals and even otherwise, they look a tall side and being wary of set pieces would be a key too, as far as the home side is concerned. Rondon’s hold up is decent enough and he is someone who can bring other attacking players into a counter attack. More so, his off the ball movement has been impressive too. ![](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2015/11/wbaform.jpg) Ashley Young looked sound at right back against CSKA, who had a similar tactic in mind as West Brom, and with Matteo Darmian suspended, Young could be the one who supplies quality crosses and makes runs into the final third too. The possibility that Phil Jones could be included ahead of Daley Blind is substantial considering Blind’s ineffectiveness against aerially adept players and sides. United looked bright with Rooney behind Martial, finding pockets of space to ping passes together with Lingard, who was willingly making runs in behind the CSKA defense. And the possibility that the forward four remain unchanged is big. Michael Carrick enjoyed a match winning performance and has to be a sure shot for the game while Morgan Schneiderlin could be picked ahead of Bastian Schweinsteiger. The formation is supposed to be attack minded because in games such as these, where a quality attack can lead to a win, Louis van Gaal is likely to field a side which impressed in the Champions League encounter in midweek. ![](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2015/11/wba-form2.jpg) As far as West Bromwich Albion go, they always defend centrally and encourage the opposition to come forward from the flanks and bombard crosses in, such that they have enough men in central areas to defend them. Claudio Yacob drops in between the centre-halves, while the full-backs Craig Dawson and Chris Brunt who are by trade, centre-backs and central midfield players otherwise, will make sure that they defend narrowly and take up positions some yards inside. James McClean and Stephan Sessegnon drop in front of the full-backs, almost acting as wing-backs. They defend in blocks of 3, narrowly and cut out crosses from wide areas very well. They force the opposition into playing long balls into the box, such that they defend it more easily than they could’ve if they were expansive in their approach. They will look to break forward from central areas, with the help of Saido Berahino, who has pace to run with the ball to catch United off guard. ![Clint Hughes/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmanutd.com/readmanutd/2015/11/495353156-904x642.jpg)West Brom will look for a textbook smash and grab win which they succeeded in getting last season. And United would’ve to score somehow if they want to avoid another drab draw. Playing Anthony Martial centrally would be a key for United too. He is never seen offering as much support to the full backs as someone like Jesse Lingard or Ashley Young and nor is he granted enough space in front of him to unleash his pace and go past people. United often resorted to playing a 4-4-2 against CSKA in small intervals, allowing them more space and time on the ball to find both Rooney and Martial. Although, Martial was caught offside quite a few times by the CSKA back four, who held their line excellently, but it’d be tough for the Baggies to do the same considering their narrowness and how deep they tend to defend, with holding midfield player often acting as a centre-half. All in all, this game will be a test of resolve. Not just for West Brom but for United too. They will have to attack and exert pressure continuously to score against a very stubborn, Tony Pulis designed defense.