He's 30, and not really their main man. I won't be disappointed if he's our No. 9.
#9 The Priority For Jose
- Thread starter Devil may care
- Start date
I totally agree with this. Griezmann to me will be a wonderful player here at United - but I don't see it bringing some monumental changes out of us either.
Personally - if Kane is available to any degree - I'd go for him; Jose can clearly make something work with that type of striker. If not I'll reckon there's even potential for Jose to get someone like Bale and make him lead the line from the centre by utilising his physicality.
Of course he is their man. He's their most important player.
As no 9 I'd go for Belotti or Lukaku. The former is a bit of a risk. The latter might not have the talent of the former but he's more of a safe bet. We might convince Everton to lower the price by putting Rooney in the deal. They need a striker after all.
Regarding the forward line, Id keep as many players upfront as possible (apart from Rooney and Fellaini whose not good enough of course). The reason being is that to win we need a successful system and god knows which players are going to click together. So if we can add Perisic and another winger + keep Mata, Martial, Mkhitaryan and Rashford happy for at least a year then why not go for it? Next year we'll have a better picture on what worked and what didn't work and then decide.
If we're spending big, really big then lets go for Harry Kane. He's the player we need not another no 10
Really? He's their only and most important striker. Aubameyang could change that but I think he'll be brought in to supplement, not replace.
Can Bale play as a 9 under Mourinho?
Cavani has been fantastic this season, but I don't see him doing any better than Zlatan did this season. He won't get the same amount of chances he gets in France and he always has a howler in him.
Terrible article, but good question in relation to this thread
A pressure from whom? The fans? Like Madrid ever cared about them. Perez loves Benzema even more than Zidane does. Benzema repeatedly said that he prefers Madrid to us (no surprise here) and that it would be a step down to leave Madrid. So while he turned us down only once, probably, he repeatedly said that he's not interested.
I found this though, it's a year old, but feck, it's ON now!
I've been suggesting Lukaku for some time, mainly because it makes the most sense, PL experience, probably lives close, still young and going to get better, the only issue is the fee, if we start getting above the £70m mark then we may as well go for Lewandoski.
Surely telling the whole world we're actually looking for a number 9 makes no sense if the goal isn't to feck with Atletico. If we were actually sincere with that then it'd add 5m onto the asking price of any striker we actually went for.
Griezmann isn't a #9 though. We need both.
We should buy a no.9 no matter Zlatan gonna leaves/injury/stay. A club like United shouldn't rely on a 36 yrs old striker to lead the line on PL and CL.
That's why recent Griez story doesn't make sense at all.
If Zlatan wasn't injured, Jose is not planing to buy a no.9 for next season?? I actually don't believe this. He knows the team can create chances but no reliable finisher to kill it.
Morata should be the ideal one, but given information that his wife is Italian and he had decent time at Serie A before. I think he will end up at Milan.
Mbappe- unrealistic target after Monaco rejected €130m offer from City.
Belotti- haven't seen him that much, Torino asking €100m and they are not gonna negotiate the price,is he that good? He actually reminds me of Immobile who didn't perform after left Serie A.
Lukaku- Highly doubt he wanna work with Jose again. His scoring record against big teams were poor. Asking price too high either.
That's why recent Griez story doesn't make sense at all.
If Zlatan wasn't injured, Jose is not planing to buy a no.9 for next season?? I actually don't believe this. He knows the team can create chances but no reliable finisher to kill it.
Morata should be the ideal one, but given information that his wife is Italian and he had decent time at Serie A before. I think he will end up at Milan.
Mbappe- unrealistic target after Monaco rejected €130m offer from City.
Belotti- haven't seen him that much, Torino asking €100m and they are not gonna negotiate the price,is he that good? He actually reminds me of Immobile who didn't perform after left Serie A.
Lukaku- Highly doubt he wanna work with Jose again. His scoring record against big teams were poor. Asking price too high either.
Since we are most likely to play with a lone striker he should be:
Lukaku: Strong, and good in the air. Lacks technique, passing and movement. Nowhere nearly good enough to justify +50£(rumored 80£).
Bellotti: Hard working, brave and clinical. Technique and passing seems rough. Same category as Lukaku in overall "rating" and price.
Morata: Same as Bellotti, but got better tech and pass, but still not the best. Will go to Milan.
Cavani: Dependent on Auba, but might be a cheap, short solution.
Lacazette: small(175cm), still strong and decent at holdup. Will leave his club this summer.
Kane: Very balanced and a good finisher. Most likely not going to happen. Not the best at hold up play.
Lewa: Very balanced, good holding up, finishing. Not really a weak point in him. In the same price range as Griez.
Of the people on the list Cavani is the only one going for below 50£. Lacazette around 50£. The others will cost well over 50£. And of them the onlyones who is world class or near it are Lewa and Kane. And of the two of them Lewa is the obvious choice. If we go for value for money Lacazette is the best choice.
- Able to hold up the ball
- Have decent technique and passing. (Link up.)
- Good movement.
- Overall a balanced striker.
Lukaku: Strong, and good in the air. Lacks technique, passing and movement. Nowhere nearly good enough to justify +50£(rumored 80£).
Bellotti: Hard working, brave and clinical. Technique and passing seems rough. Same category as Lukaku in overall "rating" and price.
Morata: Same as Bellotti, but got better tech and pass, but still not the best. Will go to Milan.
Cavani: Dependent on Auba, but might be a cheap, short solution.
Lacazette: small(175cm), still strong and decent at holdup. Will leave his club this summer.
Kane: Very balanced and a good finisher. Most likely not going to happen. Not the best at hold up play.
Lewa: Very balanced, good holding up, finishing. Not really a weak point in him. In the same price range as Griez.
Of the people on the list Cavani is the only one going for below 50£. Lacazette around 50£. The others will cost well over 50£. And of them the onlyones who is world class or near it are Lewa and Kane. And of the two of them Lewa is the obvious choice. If we go for value for money Lacazette is the best choice.
I will jump on this!
Lukaku and Belotti are a type of striker that I don't really prefer and believe they'll be downgrade on Zlatan in anything except age. Auba is going to Paris and I don't think he suits Jose's style anyway.
I really hope we go for Kane but it's impossible. Cavani is a possible choice for me, too after Auba joined Paris.
Really hard choice.
I really hope we go for Kane but it's impossible. Cavani is a possible choice for me, too after Auba joined Paris.
Really hard choice.
A pressure from whom? The fans? Like Madrid ever cared about them. Perez loves Benzema even more than Zidane does. Benzema repeatedly said that he prefers Madrid to us (no surprise here) and that it would be a step down to leave Madrid. So while he turned us down only once, probably, he repeatedly said that he's not interested.
I found this though, it's a year old, but feck, it's ON now!
Pressure from the fans, the board, the president (Perez doesn't like Benzema that much, but Ronaldo and Zidane do), media, pressure all the time.
In the past he had no reason to think about leaving Madrid, but now he certainly does.
We already had a quality #9 in Zlatan, and we still sucked ass at scoring goals. A #9 is needed, sure, but the priority should be improving the entire attacking lineup, especially the wings. As someone from the MEN tweeted earlier, if all we do is simply replace Zlatan we'll find ourselves in the same mess we found ourselves in this season, where we draw half our games because we can't break down teams that defend in numbers. If we genuinely have lost interest in Griezmann then I honestly worry about the clubs ambition. I mean, what's the point in qualifying for the CL if you aren't going to build a team capable of winning it?
Yeah, I think we need to improve technically at 4 or 5 spots in order to create more counter attacks in tougher games and break down teams in easier ones. A 3rd quality CM, an LB of Shaw's quality who stays healthy, a CB who can pass the ball and we'll create more chances.
I can agree with the need for a winger as well as a proper DM that will make Pogba more effective in the final third.
We have had one very overrated English 9 which we now need to get out the door , Keane has the potential to be a 21st century Gary Birtles .
I know, so why tell everyone we're actually prioritising a number nine? It's just going to raise the price when we go to get one. The only thing that makes sense is that we're bluffing.
Not sure where you got your information. It's been known for years that Perez is Benzema's fanboy and he supported him through some tough times (like when Jose compared him to a kitten).
Capello: "Having to make a choice between Benzema and Morata is a dilemma every coach would love to have," Capello told Fox Sports Italia. "I think Zidane has found the right solution. He starts with the French attacker, mainly because he is the president's darling, and then brings on the Spaniard to decide games."
Perez himself, just this March, during a pretty underwhelming season for the Frenchman:
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez insists Karim Benzema is the 'best number nine in the world' and may look to pair him with Monaco wonderkid Kylian Mbappe.
Perez, who has been singing Benzema's praises, has flirted with the idea of a partnering him with Mbappe at Madrid in the future.
Et cetera et cetera - I'm on the phone but you can google it yourself. The board is pretty much under Perez's control; same can be said about the press (at least Madrid-based). The only real factor is the fans, but no one listens to them there. So what's the pressure?
Hard to say if this is a ploy to get the move done quickly or cheaper or if its united realizing we can't get AG, realizing how much supporters expect him and trying to manage down expectations in that way
Ofc Perez is praising Benzema. You expect him to go on in public saying that he's crap and that they should sell him?
Capello never got to work with any those of two you mentioned so Idk why would you quote him at all.
It's a well known fact that Ronaldo and Zidane are Benzema's protectors in Madrid. Ronaldo because Benzema is the player who has the most assists for Ronaldo, ever, whilst Zidane values him over Morata.
Like it or not there's a lot of pressure on Zidane to play Morata ahead of Benzema, maybe even get rid of Benzema.
Also regard Perez holding all the power in Madrid isn't entirely true, for example he was adamant against the idea of hiring Benitez, but he had to bow down to the board's wishes.
I'd break the bank for Lewandowski and Sanchez, they'd give us everything we need going forward and are improvements on Rooney and Ibrahimovic whilst on similar wages. Add a pure DM (Fabinho being my choice) and another attacker (preferably James or Perisic), and I think we'd have enough to challenge on all fronts. You're talking a net spend of £200m after sales of Rooney and Mata, which maybe pushes our budget somewhat.
I'm more than happy with our defence, especially given the lack of options out there, and I have faith in Shaw/Blind/Darmian to cover the left side for another year. The major problem is that I doubt Bayern or Arsenal would be willing to sell to us.
It would give us the option to play both favourable formations:
I'm more than happy with our defence, especially given the lack of options out there, and I have faith in Shaw/Blind/Darmian to cover the left side for another year. The major problem is that I doubt Bayern or Arsenal would be willing to sell to us.
It would give us the option to play both favourable formations:
Lukaku. Beast.
I don't understand the reservations. The kid is hungry and confident. He WILL bang in goals. Give him the number nine shirt and put a skillful goalscoring caste around him. We will definitely challenge for the title next season.
One thing Romelu has always guaranteed is goals. Right from when he was in Belgium. I remember he was the highest goalscorer back then inn Belgium as a young kid.
I noticed people have been talking about his first touch and hold up play. Valid points but he has really improved on them. Go and check out his games this last season again.
I like his speed and power for such a size. In a counter attacking system, he will be a very dangerous point man.
The other names being mentioned here are also good: Morata, Benzema, Lacazette, Belloti. Good point men no doubt but there are things we don't know here. We don't really know who wants to come to Manchester or who wants to play for Jose or who United considers as well priced or a thousand and one other things. What if Benzema never wants to see Jose again in his life (exergeratting, I know)? What if Lacazette has sealed a deal with Atletico? Etc.
I think the most important thing next season is to make sure there are more goalscoring contributors in the team. Whoever we settle for for the front three, each should be able to score at least 16 goals. The best of them should be doing a lot better than the average. Neymar scored 20 goals last season while Suarez did 37. Benzema scored 19. Dele Alli contributed 23 goals.
Those are the kinds of numbers our front line should be contributing not just the centre forward.
I don't understand the reservations. The kid is hungry and confident. He WILL bang in goals. Give him the number nine shirt and put a skillful goalscoring caste around him. We will definitely challenge for the title next season.
One thing Romelu has always guaranteed is goals. Right from when he was in Belgium. I remember he was the highest goalscorer back then inn Belgium as a young kid.
I noticed people have been talking about his first touch and hold up play. Valid points but he has really improved on them. Go and check out his games this last season again.
I like his speed and power for such a size. In a counter attacking system, he will be a very dangerous point man.
The other names being mentioned here are also good: Morata, Benzema, Lacazette, Belloti. Good point men no doubt but there are things we don't know here. We don't really know who wants to come to Manchester or who wants to play for Jose or who United considers as well priced or a thousand and one other things. What if Benzema never wants to see Jose again in his life (exergeratting, I know)? What if Lacazette has sealed a deal with Atletico? Etc.
I think the most important thing next season is to make sure there are more goalscoring contributors in the team. Whoever we settle for for the front three, each should be able to score at least 16 goals. The best of them should be doing a lot better than the average. Neymar scored 20 goals last season while Suarez did 37. Benzema scored 19. Dele Alli contributed 23 goals.
Those are the kinds of numbers our front line should be contributing not just the centre forward.
In the second formation, I'd say Mkhitaryan would probably start as #10, with James as right-winger.
It's a well known fact that Benzema is Perez's darling. I don't know why you insist on the opposite, especially without any evidence.
Perez: “At this moment, for me he is going to stay here forever. But now we do not speak of this. If it’s up to me, I am sure that he is going to stay here all his life.”
Bleacherreport: "It seems Ronaldo suffers for being an ugly stepchild in the eyes of Perez, especially compared to the other Galactico signings. When it comes to the likes of James Rodriguez and Karim Benzema, Perez indulges those players. They're his adopted sons. Perez took time out of his business schedule to fly to Benzema's house in Lyon, France, to coax him into joining Real Madrid. He also sold striker Gonzalo Higuain, who was signed by Calderon, and replaced him with Javier Hernandez, a squad player who wasn't a rival to Benzema."
Benzema, chouchou de Perez - by sports.fr
http://www.sports.fr/football/espagne/articles/benzema-chouchou-de-perez-1439758/
Again, et cetera - there are tons of evidence that Perez is his number 1 fan - and has been over the years.
I agree, he's underrated on here.
Personally I wasn't keen on him either until this season, he took a big step forward. Became more consistent and clinical when he had space in the box.
If we can get him for 65 million, would be good business especially when you factor in his young age (24?). Seems like he's been around the PL longer.
We need 2-3 players in the squad that can guarantee 20-30 goals a season. At present only Ibra fits that category and he is most likely not going to be with us next season.
We need top class goalscorers. We were as impotent as an old man of 90's cock in attack this season.
We need top class goalscorers. We were as impotent as an old man of 90's cock in attack this season.
Would love to throw 50 mill at Sanchez and play him as a cf like Wenger did for a while. Failing that Morata or Lukaku will be fine. If Martial comes back with fire( it is world cup year) then the pressure on our new striker will be alleviated. I still can't believe we weren't in for auba.
Lukaku = 20 goals
Griezman = 20 goals
The other forward (Martial/Rashford/Mhiky) = 20 goals
If we want to win consistent titles we need to players like Ali/ Kane / Lukaku / Greizman / Mbappe. We can't have Mata feeding Zlatan / rashford. We need pace, quality, raw finishing. We need strength and numbers in midfield. We need 4 to 5 players and we aren't close to anyone so far
I worry where the improvement of the squad is coming from. We're spending our budget replacing someone who walked to 30 goals last season, we have holes all over the pitch we need 4-5 players.
Zlatan out replaced by X striker who cost £70m and will be lucky to net 28 goals next season....sigh.
Zlatan out replaced by X striker who cost £70m and will be lucky to net 28 goals next season....sigh.
Who is injured and we don't know when he will return.
Lukaku would be a great signing, I think a lot of people forget he has still only just turned 24. Incredible amount of talent for that age and will improve even more at United no doubt.
The problem is, if we do sign him it still doesn't fix our problem that there is barely any creativity behind him. We still do need that Griezmann type player to play behind him.
To summarise I think it would be a waste of a huge amount of money if we weren't to sign Griezmann aswell. Might aswell find a short term more budget striker to replace Zlatan and spend our money where it is most needed, A number 10.
The problem is, if we do sign him it still doesn't fix our problem that there is barely any creativity behind him. We still do need that Griezmann type player to play behind him.
To summarise I think it would be a waste of a huge amount of money if we weren't to sign Griezmann aswell. Might aswell find a short term more budget striker to replace Zlatan and spend our money where it is most needed, A number 10.
We don't have holes in defense, for instance. Could be improved, sure, but no holes. A hole for the defensive midfielder, yeah. And then two holes for a poacher and a secondary-striker, I agree.
I know, it just feels like replacing Zlatan just puts us in the same place as last summer minus the 70m fee it will cost to bring a new striker in, it's a shit situation tbh we're taking backwards steps.
We didn't know he'll get a cruciate ligament injury. Nothing we can do about it. It's vital to get a number 9 next season if we want any title challenge. Entering the season with a 19 years old kid and injured Zlatan is a suicide.
For me, Morata is the most dynamic of the strikers we've been constantly linked to for this summer window. Very good off the ball, good workrate, and can do everything well technically. Doesn't rely on any one outstanding attribute, but has a complete skill set.