While Manchester United have genuine competition for places these days, the other side of the coin is that a fuller squad usually leads to some difficult tactical conversations.
And, as is so typically Manchester United, a new-look frontline and midfield set-up has raised as many questions as it has provided answers.
In Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion, the Red Devils produced two very different sort of performances in two very different halves.
In the first, with Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes alternating as false nines as they did against Fulham and Manchester City, United pressed high, won the ball high up the pitch, and played with a ferocious enthusiasm.
In the second, Mount’s injury enforced absence and the subsequent introduction of Joshua Zirkzee both gave Man United more of a goal threat, but also restricted their ability to strangle Brighton in possession.
Manchester United lose at Brighton as Joshua Zirkzee denied
It is no coincidence that, with the newly-injured Mount off and Zirkzee on, Man United looked more threatening and more vulnerable at the same time.
Former Red Devil Phil Jones, on punditry duty for BBC Sport, feels that, while the false nine system does have it’s uses, Erik ten Hag’s team may ‘struggle’ to create and put away chances if they continue to use Zirkzee as an impact sub off the bench.
“Having a false number nine you don’t have an out-ball,” says Jones, a member of Sir Alex Ferguson’s 2013 Premier League-winning team alongside Danny Welbeck, who opened the scoring against his old employers at The Amex.
“When the pressure is high you have got to have an out-ball. That’s not saying to kick it long, but you need the striker to drop deep sometimes.
“I think it worked to a certain extent against Fulham, but there will come times this season (where) if Man Utd don’t have a number nine they will struggle.”
Zirkzee could have made it two winning goals in two weeks off the bench after his heroic introduction against Fulham eight days earlier. That’s if he had not slid into an offside position when he turned Alejandro Garnacho’s goalbound effort into the net from right on the line.
Former centre-back Jones, meanwhile, was understandably frustrated to see United concede twice from ‘second phase’ situations, Joao Pedro doing what Welbeck did in the first half and converting unmarked after Ten Hag’s backline had dealt with the initial cross.
“It is from the second phase again. The corner comes in and Man Utd have switched off. They are not looking around to see where the Brighton players are,” Jones adds. “It is another poor goal to concede.
“Disappointing. Man Utd have lost the game on two second phase goals. They will be bitterly disappointed. But, full credit to Brighton, they pushed and probed.”
Erik ten Hag demands bounce back against Liverpool
Man United face Liverpool next time out at Old Trafford. Lose again, and suddenly the September international break will become a pretty tense one for Ten Hag and his team even so early into the new campaign.
“At least (we) should have taken a draw. We could have won as well if that goal from Zirkzee, Garnacho, that incident…,” Ten Hag tells BBC Sport.
“I think it was difficult, In the moment, (Zirkzee) was in the slide. If he read the situation better, it was maybe avoidable but you can do nothing about it. When you are in the slide, you can do nothing.
“I asked him and of course (he gave me) an explanation. It’s tough. But we created many more chances to score the second goal. And I’m very pleased. We showed resilience and we fought back and we got a goal with Amad.
“I have seen some good spells. We took control of the game, created good chances and it’s a pity that we are without any points. But that is top football and you have to take it.
“Now, we have to show resilience, get up and go for the next big game that is coming up.”
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