Yeah I am convinced this isn't Varane's replacement but some will think it is
Benjamin Pavard
- Thread starter UnitedSofa
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Quoted 35m is not much for player with such solid experience. Low risk.
Todibo's relatively young age, at some point could be decisive factor. It's a good situation to be in, but if United won't take action, City, Chelsea Arsenal, or Pool will.
Todibo's relatively young age, at some point could be decisive factor. It's a good situation to be in, but if United won't take action, City, Chelsea Arsenal, or Pool will.
Like I keep saying I still expect us to suitably replace Varane but won't be right now
At 27. He’s played 44 games at centre half for Bayern in about 6 years. He’s no more a centre half than Azpilicueta is.
Get Pavard in!
I like AWB and Dalot, but between them RB is still our weakest position on the pitch. Pavard comes in and takes the RB spot and covers for Varane in his absence.
I like AWB and Dalot, but between them RB is still our weakest position on the pitch. Pavard comes in and takes the RB spot and covers for Varane in his absence.
Has anyone considered that he's also being signed so EtH can post him RB and have him invert into DM and play John Stone's role?
EtH tried it this preseason with Dalot and AWB, but they're not up to the task tactically.
EtH tried it this preseason with Dalot and AWB, but they're not up to the task tactically.
I think you lost me when you argued he was a legitimate goal threat. He has 13 goals in 270 appearances for club and country, and that includes 4 seasons at a club that averages 95 goals a season. He's a more defensively minded full back, as befits his experience at CB. Just because his highlights reel has a few bangers doesn't mean that's commonplace.
I agree he'd be better when playing as an inverted full back, but Shaw excels in that role already, hence why AWB ends up going forward so much. Being able to do it from the other side and release Shaw occasionally would be useful, but hardly a game changer.
Again, this isn't to say he's not better. Rather than I think we could improve the squad more by getting another attacker and living with AWB/Dalot for another season.
Sooner or later we'll have to. If Todibo's quoted fee is really about 35m then perhaps in January, as he'll definitely spark interest from rivals.
Forget the CB thing, he’s a massive improvement on RB. Sign him for that alone and sell Dalot.
Please get him, this makes too much sense. Offers us a lot of flexibility across the back line.
That looks bloody solid, although you could argue that Antony is a weak link.
A big part of the reason he wants to leave Bayern is he doesn't want to play RB so much I believe. Dalot also just signed a new contract so...
Dalot only got a new contract because we didn’t have the money to go big on a RB this summer, and Shaw will play CB at some point, so Dalot will give Malacia competition for LB.
Well he has an option, watch Licha and Varane play every week from the bench or put the number 2 shirt on and get up and down that wing!
What stats would that be? Feel free to share, love me some stats I do
Dalot got a new contract last season and there was recent talk of a new Wan-Bissaka contract, so they are definitely viewing Pavard as a centre-back but having the capability to play right-back. It would allow us manage Varane's workload anyway.
Not sure I follow. We signed Martinez, Hojlund, Antony, Mount, Malacia & Onana under EtH. Surely those are all long term signings? Granted we’ve needed to add some experience in there (Casemiro) & cheap signings due to budget constraints (Eriksen), but surely you’ve seen a big shift in the age profile of our signings?
If we sign him then maybe we will see him at RB but tuck in MF more and even hve the option to use Dalot as RW sometimes or sub in to defend the lead.
Also integrated Garnacho into the squad, with Mainoo looking like he will have his breakthrough season too.
I am a huge fan of Pavard as others will tell you,however if they view him as a starter CB then should look at the other two
Good shouts. Really not following what that poster means.
His shooting needs to be closed down, much more so than Dalot, and AWB doesn’t even enter that equation. Players on the pitch don’t quote goal returns and not close down threats with Pavard’s shooting, which means he will always create chain reactions, which were referred to in my post. There’s no claim he’s an attacking talent, but he’s better at it than what we have both in execution and understanding, in fact his game intelligence is what gives him so much over either of them.
Being able to invert on either side of the pitch is game-changing! How can it not be? It means play can be switched, an entire side probed securely and most importantly, it makes us more unpredictable beings as this can be done on a whim.
If you’re looking beyond this season with regard to the prospects of our full-backs, being cynical, you’d expect both to be sold and Pavard then used as cover in two positions. In a cutthroat world, he’d have his chance to secure a starting berth this term or be upgraded upon next, which is squad progression in its purest form.
Pavard addresses so many issues in the here and now that it’s quite ridiculous. He’s the definition of transformative given the flexibility and tactical optioning he, by himself, provides simply by being an eclectic FB as opposed to the two purists we have out there now who still are well below par despite that being their only role.
Replacing Maguire with Pavard or Todibo is incredible business whatever way we look at it.
Dalot as a winger? I bloody hope not.
There's only 3 and 3.5 years in it to be fair. 27 isn't exactly ancient for a CB. Varane will likely get phased out in the next 3-4 years which leaves plenty of time to get in a replacement, somone in the 22-25 years old bracket. Don't see this as being much different from getting a 23 year old now from a succession planning perspective. Only matters if you expect to sell these players later on, which is generally not our MO
Not sure if he was referring to these but these are his top level stats which from a glance look pretty outstanding
https://fbref.com/en/players/45a03961/Benjamin-Pavard
Antony could do with some better attacking output, but defensively (which I think you probably need in that shape) he is quite good
If you played like that it would more than likely become a back 4 with Shaw at left back and Pavard right back whilst not in possession.
Pavard would give ETH more tactical flexibility. If you wanted martinez to step up into a box midfield, pavard could come in from RB to make up the 3 man defence.
Or if luke shaw was to make up a box midfield, pavard could move across from right back to a 3 man defence.
I dont know how good he is going forwards to be of help to anthony if he was deployed at RB. Obviously not hakimi/cancelo level going forwards from RB, but we dont need that level. We need a RB who can overlap for anthony, provide right footed crosses into the box ala gary neville.
At some point besides Pavard, we could use a younger central defender, also for the sake of refreshing the formation.
So far the youngest CB is Lisandro (25), so in not so distant future we should definitely look at options, of course in hope, the other two you've mentioned will still be on the market.
It's definitely more interesing window than last summer. Lot of things can happen till the end of August.
I appreciate your excitedness about a new player, but it does really feel like the new-transferitis, where a player can do no wrong and solves many ills at once. All I can say is, if we sign him up, lets hope you're right and I'm wrong!
Yeah that's what I was referring to
What an upgrade on Maguire he would be
My only concern with him is that recovery pace we would get from Todibo/Tapsoba in spades
So Pavard is coming to replace Maguire's spot on the bench? More likely ETH does not feel Varane is going to cut it in his system, or Pavard is coming to be a starting RB with backup for Varane.
Remains to be seen about Antony. My feeling is we might see exactly why we signed him in this coming year. I really hope he kicks on and ETH coaching and vision unleashes something special. I have definitely seen glimpses of it with him
Aren't we looking for cover or competition and not a Varane replacement.
It’s not ‘excitedness’ (I’m not going to muppet out over a Pavard), it’s what he brings to the table. You’re free to refute it as you please. Compared to what we have at RB, he’s a sizeable upgrade across the board. You’d only roll AWB out for high-end 1vs1 battles or rotation with Pavard here.