Man United's disappointing draw at Aston Villa: Searching for a stable formation.

The 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, who were down to 10 men for much of the second half, was a stark reminder for Louis Van Gaal's team ahead of a tough week of fixtures during the Christmas and New Year period...

Coach Manuel Pellegrini once said something that seems simple but is very accurate: "Each team should only have one main playing style, and everything else is a backup." To put it more simply, Pellegrini (and many other coaches) consider the formation as the appearance, and the playing style as the personality.

There is no standard formula.

Louis Van Gaal, however, had a different perspective. When asked about his decision to change the formation at the start of the season from a 3-4-1-2 to a 4-4-2 diamond, he said: “Forms can change, but my philosophy doesn’t; that’s what’s most important.” His view was very different from Pellegrini’s, as he believed that playing style is both appearance and personality, and the formation is merely a cosmetic element to express this.

It's difficult to say who is right and who is wrong. All we know is that, at the moment, changing the formation too frequently isn't helping the Old Trafford team.

This concern resurfaced in the recent match against Aston Villa. Manchester United started with a 3-4-1-2 formation that had helped them convincingly defeat Liverpool in the previous round, but faced tough resistance from manager Paul Lambert. Villa played with a 5-3-2 formation and clearly maintained control in central defense.

Facing difficulties, Van Gaal decided to make a small change. At the start of the second half, Darren Fletcher was substituted, and a 3-5-2 formation was used with Michael Carrick playing as a defensive midfielder, and Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata as two central midfielders on the flanks. The equalizer came with this formation.

However, after Villa's Gabby Agbonlahor received a red card, manager Van Gaal decided to revert to a 3-4-1-2 formation, bringing on James Wilson. It's difficult to say whether that was the right decision – sometimes adding another striker doesn't necessarily increase attacking power.

Seeking stability

After having tried countless formations like 3-5-2, 3-4-1-2, 3-1-4-2, 4-1-4-1, 4-3-3..., perhaps Van Gaal needs to accept that sometimes the problem doesn't lie in overly complex tactical formations.

What has contributed to Manchester United's recent run of six consecutive wins? Perhaps it's Robin Van Persie's persistent pursuit of form, Rooney's display of class, Michael Carrick's balance across the lines, and most importantly, David De Gea's incredible performances.

But De Gea won't be able to shine forever and secure points for United. Christian Benteke's perfect finish was a warning that the Spanish goalkeeper can't always make the crucial saves. No one can guarantee that the Manchester team will get a point if Villa still have a full squad.

In their next three matches (within just six days), Man United will face a potentially dangerous Newcastle, a resurgent Tottenham, and a chilly night at Stoke City. These are all crucial challenges. It's well known that there's a certain "jinx" that seems to hold true whenever you look at the Premier League table after the Christmas and New Year period.

Manchester United didn't deserve the win against Aston Villa, but they need to take a look at themselves and choose a stable formation to fight with. Changes made during the match might surprise the opponent, but they also have the potential to harm themselves.

It's time for Louis Van Gaal to choose a "face" for United.

According to Bongda+