Rooney, Mata, Van Persie or Falcao - Who should be benched at Manchester United?

Louis van Gaal's arrival at Manchester United has seen an influx of extraordinarily gifted players. Normally, this would be quite an advantage, but Van Gaal has been bestowed with some of the best talents in the world who play in the same positions.Ideally, this is the kind of problem a manager wants to have. But nonetheless, it can be heart breaking for players – and world class players at that – to be relegated to the bench in favor of their more accomplished team mates.Here’s a look at who should start for the Red Devils and who should be benched.

#1 Juan Mata

Mata is undoubtedly an exceptional player. And as befitting a player of his quality, was the subject of a massive transfer in the previously concluded winter transfer window. He was the lone bright spot in a season which will mostly be remembered for David Moyes' failures.

He has, among his other achievements, a World Cup and Euros winners medals with Spain. While at Chelsea, he was a fans' favorite. His team mates loved him and for two years running, he was the club’s Player of the Season. It is, by now, explicitly clear that Juan Mata is an incredible footballer and a gift to any team he plays for. He would be an automatic starter for most teams in the world.

Mata's best position is, undoubtedly, the central position tucked in behind the striker(s). He likes to dictate the tempo of the game, roaming into pockets of space and exploiting gaps in opposition defences. He has, often, also been deployed on the wings; particularly the left, being allowed the freedom to drift infield. With his talent and versatility, one could be forgiven for thinking him an automatic starter at Manchester United.

Louis van Gaal's revolution at United has undergone several tactical transitions, and after much experimentation he seems to have settled on the four man midfield diamond. The central attacking midfield position has been shared by their best player, Angel Di Maria; and captain Wayne Rooney. Di Maria cannot be dropped because of his fine form while captaincy has so far staved off Rooney's omission. It is unlikely that Mata will be considered as first choice over those two.

Mata has had to adapt to a new role in this formation. He has played as a left sided midfielder as part of a midfield two with Di Maria. The sample size of five Premier League games he's played so far is too small to draw defining conclusions, but his return of two goals and an assist is pretty impressive. If he is consistent, he will have cemented his place in the team.

The only tough competition to him is provided by Ander Herrera, who is currently out injured. Herrera has more defensive nous and offers more stability to the team when paired with an attacking player like Di Maria. Mata’s only obstacle will be to outperform him and convince the manager that he won’t be a liability against tougher oppositions.

Chances of starting: 8/10

#2 Wayne Rooney

No player in the modern game divides opinions like Rooney. To some he is a hero, while others despise him for his purported decline. Whatever your opinion of the player, one thing is clear: he is one of the most effective players in the squad.

Rooney stands on the verge of being United's highest ever goalscorer and he is also the most experienced player in the current squad. Owing to these facts, he has been made captain, and it looks like the armband has come at exactly the right time for him.

“I don’t think any player is fixed, only the captain has more privileges but no other player has privileges I think. Every player knows that because you see how I manage my teams – my captain shall always play and normally the goalkeeper.” - Louis van Gaal

Van Gaal also believes that Rooney is wasted as a striker. He wants to see Rooney play behind the strikers. While the Dutch boss might have adequate reasoning behind this logic, it seems utterly fallible. Surely Di Maria or Mata will usurp the position from him. They are, after all, more experienced and accomplished in the position than he is.

The England captain's best seasons at United have come as a striker. He is a relentless goal scorer, but unfortunately for him, the position seems to be occupied. Van Gaal prefers to play with two strikers. His preferred front two has been Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao, which makes sense given that Van Persie is better than Rooney in linking up play and pulling defenders out of position while Falcao is a better finisher.

Rooney is an extremely good player, but the players that are competing with him happen to have certain characteristics which make them more suited to the role. He is just riding his luck as captain and would probably be used more sparingly, if he was not captain.

Chances of starting: 7/10 (in the future)

#3 Robin van Persie

Robin van Persie is considered to be among the few truly world class strikers in Europe. On his day, he can decide the fate of the match on his own. He is an all-in-one package – good with link-up play while also being a cold-blooded killer in front of goal. He is a near perfect striker.

His partnership with Falcao is still only in its nascent stages, so we are yet to see what these two could do together. But on paper, the partnership makes sense. The two could rejuvenate United like other prolific striker partnerships in the past. Van Persie, regardless of his striking partner, is an important player. Falcao still has to prove himself in the league, while Rooney is considered by van Gaal to be a midfielder.

The only hindrance to Van Persie would be to keep himself fit. Being on the wrong side of 30 and his frequent injuries are a major source of concern and are often disruptive to the team. Since his move to the Premier League, he has only had two seasons where he played more than 30 games. He won the Golden Boot in both those seasons showing why managers choose to persist with him.

He is consistent and, moreover, he's an influential figure in the team. Also, his relationship with Van Gaal will only serve to boost his position as a starter in the team.

Chances of starting: 10/10

#4 Radamel Falcao

Falcao needs no introduction. He is one of the most savage goalscorers in the world of football. Any type of goal there is to score, he has scored. His only true weakness is that he has never had the chance to play at a higher level than the Europa League. He has the chance now and he will be eager to make his mark.

His signing and cost involved with it has made him a de-facto starter. He hasn't had the kind of start Di Maria has had, but one gets the feeling he's getting there. A major concern with Falcao is that he's just returning from a major injury. He has only just convalesced from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, which kept him out of the 2014 World Cup. He has yet to recover his form and fitness of times past.

His closest competitors in the team, Rooney and Van Persie, are both accomplished strikers in the Premier League. Rooney is an automatic starter because of his captaincy and so is Van Persie owing to his relationship with the manager. The only reason Falcao has been granted a starting position in the team is because Van Gaal sees Rooney as a better fit in midfield. Should that experiment fail, Rooney will be moved back to the forward position, and Falcao will be the only player that will make way for him in that case.

The Colombian striker will need to be at the top of his game and need to start scoring like he did in La Liga with Atletico Madrid. Only then will his place in the squad be assured for the long term. In the short term, he has time to prove himself.

Chances of starting: 9/10