RVP - The final string that ties up Ferguson fast paced game-plan

The question some supporters have been throwing in sarcastically after the Robin Van Persie signing. Is Sir Alex Ferguson going to play a 4-0-6 formation with so many strikers in the squad with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck, Dimitar Berbatov, Bebe and Shinji Kagawa, who has been employed by Ferguson in the pre seasons as an attacking midfielder behind the strikers and who Ferguson called a striker during the press conference.

Ferguson, in recent memory is known to invest and sign only young players with lot of playing years remaining who would also fetch him a resale value, with the only exception of Berbatov, then why Van Persie at 24mil? However, there is one other, not so young player Ferguson had signed.

Now, let me rewind your memories to the 2007-08 season of swift paced counter attacks, 4-3-3 (4-3-2-1) formation, blistering Ronaldo-Rooney partnerships and a title Double. And Déjà vu.

With the departure of CR7, in the next couple of season, Ferguson tried to add pace by bringing in Jones, Valencia and Young but none of these players showed the flexibility to interchange positions which a Rooney, Ronaldo and Park partnership had! This is where Van Persie features in Ferguson’s plans for me. Rooney is that team man who will be more than willing to contribute to the success of the team and feed Van Persie playing behind him; moreover since 2008, Van Persie is one of the players with highest assists in the premier league. Van Persie gives United pace, the flexibility to interchange and has an ability to provide apart from creating chances.

After a trophy less season, with eyes on #20, Ferguson has the Champions League in sight and with Fergusons rotation, the FA cup too probably is in hindsight.

Let me give you a sense of the tactic Ferguson employed in that title double season of 2007-08 and how The Boss is going to pretty much employ the same. Champions League. In the 4-3-3 (4-3-2-1) formation, United had a structured approach that took care of the overly-populated midfield approach of teams in the CL by offering the solid back 4 a gritty, holding and a creative midfield, and this season expect Scholes/Fletcher, Carrick/Anderson/Fletcher and Cleverly/Giggs to hold, create and link with Shinji and Rooney playing just behind Van Persie upfront in the CL and the big PL games.

Kagawa, Rooney and Van Persie with their pace, skill and ability to create chances can lead a counter at breath taking pace and accuracy; a nightmare for any defense in the world.Valencia could feature more than Nani coming off the bench with Hernandez and Welbeck being rotated to protect Van Persie and Rooney.