How we could line up and what we could do in the transfer window

            New GK or De Gea/Lindegaard

Darmian/Valencia----Smalling/Jones----New CB/Rojo----Blind/Shaw

                 Carrick/Schweinsteiger

Herrera/Schneiderlin  Schweinsteiger/Fellaini/Di Maria

Mata/Di Maria/Januzaj/Pereira----------------Depay/Young/Di Maria

                 Rooney/Depay/Wilson

In: Depay, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Darmain, Otamendi

Out: Cleverley, RVP, Angelo Henriquez, Nani, Valdés, Chicharito, Rafael, Evans

1) Why don't you think we should buy a striker and why play Depay at up top?

After LVG hinted at this in the press conference I thought about it and decided it could work. I'll start off by saying I don't want Depay to play every game at striker, but just to act as backup to Rooney. I'll also add that if another striker were to come in i wouldn't object, just saying it is not a 100% necessity.

If you look at Depay he is a goalscoring inside forward cutting in from the left on his right foot. There are plenty of right footed left wingers who's job is to assist and who have a similar number of assists to goals:

Ribery: 21 appearences - 8 goals, 7 assists in 2014/15

Hazard: 45 appearences - 20 goals, 11 assists in 2014/15 (including penalties)

Young: 26 appearences - 2 goals, 5 assists in 2014/15

Di Maria: 30 appearences - 7 goals, 16 assists in 2011/12 (left footed cutting in from right but same thing applies, also not sure when he converted from RW to LCM at Madrid)

But Depay is more of a Ronaldo or Griezmann who have considerably more goals than assists:

Griezmann: 35 appearences - 16 goals, 3 assists in 2013/14 (when he played as a left winger)

Depay: 36 appearences - 26 goals, 5 assists in 2014/15

Ronaldo: 47 appearences - 61 goals, 19 assists in 2014/15

Players in the past like Henry have been sucessfully converted from inside forwards to strikers, more recently Griezmann is another example (he played the majority of his football at striker this season) and Rafa Benitez is rumoured to be doing the same with Ronaldo this season. Depay has all the attributes needed to be a top striker.

Playing Depay up front will allow more gametime for Young and Di Maria when he plays there (Di Maria will play elsewhere too but Young is almost exclusively LW) albeit a small amount of gametime. This is considering that ever since his senior debut at 16 Rooney has never made fewer than 37 appearences in a season.

With no established striker moaning about gametime our captain can play most games, only leaving the odd appearence to Depay and third choice Wilson. Hopefully there'll be a repeat of the 06/07 season where Rooney made 55 appearences.

2) Why LVG might finally use Di Maria at LCM?

Di Maria played some of his best football at LCM in Madrid. I think the main reason for this was Ronaldo. Di Maria was a LCM on the teamsheet but judging by his touch map, he spent most of his time on the left wing utilising his greatest strengths, pace and crossing. The reason for this was likely because Ronaldo, despite being a LW, spent alot of his time in the centre of the pitch/box looking to score goals meaning he would leave the left flank unmanned if not for Di Maria.

Young isn't an inside forward like Ronaldo (covered above in '1)') so doesn't venture into the box often. When Young played Di Maria wasn't needed on the left, he couldn't use his strengths in the middle and wasn't really physical enough to play there so was played on the wings instead. However with the purchase of Depay, an inside forward, this could change as Depay when playing LW would likely venture into the box.

I imagine Di Maria would be alot more likely to play LCM when Depay is playing in the LW role. Likely to be used on either wing otherwise when Depay isn't playing or is playing elsewhere.

3) Why Schweinsteiger at CDM and not Schneiderlin?

In a word, experience.

If you look at the top team's ball playing CDMs in recent years most of them are in their 30s when at their peak. Juventus bought Pirlo when he was 32 and got 4 years out of him, Bayern Munich bought Xabi Alonso at 32 and he has still got it, a 32 year old Thiago Motta is a regular at PSG and Carrick is probably our most important player right now and has improved with age. Xavi and Scholes both controlled games in their late 30s too.

Schweinsteiger can hopefully follow in these great players footsteps and avoid 'doing a Gerrard' in the deep lying role. I think he has the footballing intelligence to do so and I hope we get 4 or 5 years out of him.

That being said he doesn't have to play exclusively at CDM, he's still got at least 1 year where he can be useful in front of Carrick. I'd like him to play regularly and alot more than the people who are suggesting he was bought to play a 'bit-part' role are suggesting.

Remember we don't have 1 fixed starting XI so the appearences will be spread out between the 4 stand out midfielders we have. We have depth now so of one player is banned, injured or tired we can still start a strong midfield. If you asked me to choose my preferences using only these 4 players I'd choose:

1) Carrick Herrera Schweinsteiger

2) Carrick Herrera Schneiderlin

3) Schweinsteiger Herrera Schneiderlin

4) Carrick Schneiderlin Schweinsteiger

With Fellaini being used mainly as a second half impact sub, Di Maria as a possibility at LCM when Depay plays (mentioned above in the '2)') and Blind as cover/competition for the injury prone/hot and cold Shaw.

For those who aren't familar and want to avoid researching, I'll say Schneiderlin usually played towards the left in a 4231 system, Schweinsteiger normally played towards the left of Alonso in the midfield 3 of the 433 formation, also playing the deeper central role on the odd occasion, Herrera played right of Carrick in our 433 system, Carrick only plays centre in our 433 system.

Even though they aren't entirlely relevant here I'll say Ramos/Otamendi play LCB at their clubs, Smalling RCB, Rojo LCB, Jones has played both.