People still question why Van Gaal picks certain players and in certain positions and that they dont fit into formations etc.

This is because LVG plays an unconventional, but dutch formation. Sky/BBC say we play a 4231 which on paper makes it look simple but its much different.

Van Gaal is known for being a very structured manager, being strict with players freedom, but his formation has a lot of changes and fluidity.

Yesterday at home vs Aston Villa we didnt play a 4231 but a 1333.

We lined up with Blind being the 1. He played sweeper and our primary playmaker with the most touches in the game and most passes (74). Blind gets a lot of criticism for being a CB but thats more his secondary role.

The 3 in front of him are: (right to left) Smalling, Schneiderlin, and Rojo. Smalling plays very right sided to let our "RB" venture forward. Schneiderlin drops a lot deeper into CB and Rojo plays a mix of LB and CB.

The next 3 again from right to left were Valencia, Fellaini, and Rooney. Valencia doesnt play the fundamental RB and is normally seen a lot more forward then the opposite full back. Rooney drops into midfield and will play the forward passing role trying Pirlo esque passes.

Fellaini is different because he interchanges with a player in the front 3 at times to confuse the defence.

The front 3 were obviously Mata, Rashford, and Memphis. Fellaini will rotate with Mata in games when bombing forward and letting Mata pick out passes with Rooney. Rashford will normally then move to the right when Fellaini moves forward.

Memphis just sticks to that left side like glue.

So in a picture its more like:

--------------De Gea------------------ ----------------Blind-------------------- Smalling-Schneiderlin--Rojo Valencia-Fellaini----Rooney-- -Mata--Rashford-Memphis

With Rashford moving to Mata's right forward when Mata drops to the middle 3 and Fellaini pushes up to CF.

This is why Blind is so pivotal because the world lacks a player like him who plays sweeper and is pivotal again total football with Daley's dad playing the same role at Ajax, Rjikaard after Danny, Mascherano at Barca.

This shows that Blind is probably our most important player to Van Gaal's system and is hence undroppable.