He's went backwards at Milan and a move to the much faster PL makes zero sense, we'd certainly have to use a back 3 to cover for him, he'd be exposed constantly in a CB pairing.
Bonucci - Juventus player
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This. If we played with a back four he'd be exposed horribly.
Can't get on board with this, I'm afraid.
I think it’s a lot more likely to go badly than well.
Can't believe we went 6 pages without YouTube vids. 6 fecking pages. Caf is slacking. I'm slacking.
Bonucci is a good player but has his glaring weaknesses. I am not sure he'd fit all that well into the PL.
I think with his experience and ability he wouldnt be a bad signing personally. I know what you mean though, for me the perfect signing a few years back in that great Juve defence would have been Chellini, really doesnt get the credit he deserves. Bonucci seemed to get all the plaudits along with Buffon in that defence yet Chellini has been probably the best centre back in the world along with Godin the last 5 or 6 years for me.
Bonucci in his last couple of seasons at Juve edging Chiellini. The central of back 3 is one of the demanding role. Defending well is onl half of the requirement. Many 3 at the back was dull and defensive oriented due to other CBs failed at the role. Bonucci brought the role back to standard it's supposed to be. He can be the play maker from deep which relieve burden to find direct replacement for Pirlo. He was unmatched for the role so him to be recognized is not questionable. Chiellini might have been consistently at high level, but he didn't edge out Godin, Pepe peak few years back. Chiellini couldn't fulfil Bonucci role neither.
If there is chance we can get him for close to the rumored price, then it's worth taking the punt. That fee won't get us anywhere if we look to buy in PL
For the fans, Barzagli ( until 2016 ) was better than Chiellini and Bonucci.
He doesn't need to be a pace merchant if his positional sense is as good as those who follow Seria A closely say it is. A composed defender and a leader type figure. Every time I've seen him play I've been impressed. He's the number one target as far as I'm concerned. Ahead of Alderweireld and certainly ahead of Maguire at twice the rumoured price.
Reg. pace. Bailly would presumably partner him and he can certainly cover Bonucci with his pace.
Smalling is a very good foil to someone like Bonucci. Bonucci is a pressure defender, who always tries to nick the ball ahead of the play. This means he leaves his position very often which leaves the other centre back alone. Smalling is legitimately one of the best 1v1 defenders in the world, he is near impossible to beat due to his pace and turning speed. Bear in mind I'm not a massive Smalling fan.
Yeah, I did think about him too. We'd have Bailly/Smalling to partner Bonucci. We could sell Jones. Not sure what we'd do with Lindelof but I think he can definitely improve loads on last season. Tuanzebe could also learn from Bonucci.
Bear in mind I am not a massive Smalling fan whilst I too recognise his strengths, but I think he needs a leader next to him rather than being the more experienced of the two himself.
Lindelof is the understudy to Bonnuci. Similar profile of defenders.
It would definitely help learning from him. I just wonder who would still be at the club if we signed Bonucci. Bailly for sure, but the other four would all have question marks over them. This without even thinking of Tuanzebe.
I think we'd look to offload two from Smalling/Jones/Rojo/Lindelof. Unless of course Jose is going with 3 at the back as some seem so convinced of.
Bonucci's regressed a lot since he went from Juve to Milan and it's clear he struggles in a two in comparison to the 3 he played in at Juve, he needs the extra CB with him or he gets exposed, in a 2 in the PL he'd be a liability. Alderweireld makes much more sense if the goal is purely to add an experienced CB, he's superior to Bonucci physically in every way, and is already settled and successfully aclimatized to the PL.
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Been browsing an AC Milan forum and there's talk of a poor form which he turns around by the end of the season. Are you basing your opinion on him on one season with AC Milan (where he was immediately made captain btw)? I'm not sure their fans are super excited to see him leave.
Also, anecdotally, read there that he played the majority of one of the games against Sweden with a broken nose.
It's all a bit downhill for Bonucci since leaving Juventus. Wouldn't go for him at this point, unless we are planning to use a back three.
Come on people, one season at AC Milan and he's a lost cause?! Makes no sense to me.
What do Italian based caftards make of this. Do you really think Bonucci went from World Class to liability in the space of 12 months?
What do Italian based caftards make of this. Do you really think Bonucci went from World Class to liability in the space of 12 months?
He's 31, he wouldn't be the first player to have a big regression when they cross 30, we saw Rio struggle. Bonucci at Milan struggled and not only did he look phsyically like he was having a Rooney situation, but on top of that he struggled without the protection of 2 other CB's with him.
If it means Jones doesn't play I'm all for it.
I don't think any player in the history of football has had a decline like Rooney. And even then, it took many people 3-4 years to become aware of that.
I see you've written Bonucci off. I still think his attributes would be extremely desirable for our team. And at the rumoured price that's like buying a mid-table English player with a year left on his contract.
That's because Rooney had loads of buddies in the media protecting him, he was England's talisman so they were reluctant to accept what was clear to most United fans.
It's not about writing him off it's about what is visibly clear, he's physically regressed, he's 31 and is used to playing in a back 3 in a very slow league, expecting him to adapt at 31 to a much faster league in a back 2 is not realistic.
Do people need to read things in the newspapers to see that a player is finished? There were plenty of fans who didn't see how regressed he was for tiiiiime.
Quite young for a United target these days
People beyond the United fans that watched him every week were getting their view of him from the various pundits that constantly clipped up his better moments and glossed over all of his regression in their match analysis for a long time.
There were plenty of United fans who bought into the myth that he could still play football. And many games there were no clips to make him look good. Come to think of it, it was like some collective delusion the football world over. Maybe it was the beginning of fake news and what enabled Trump and Brexit. Wayne, what have you done...
Unfortunately, quite a few do.
I had friends who didn't support United calling me an idiot and saying I was spoilt for 3 years because I kept telling them Rooney was finished. Fergie knew before us all, his last efforts as manager were to throw Rooney under the bus and people thought he was just stitching up Moyes.
Then every goal he'd score for Everton resulted in a text from a friend saying I told you so.
I didn't bother saying anything when Everton ended up giving him away.
Love me a good conspiracy theory! There were definitely some United fans even on the Caf that were deluded for a long time when it came to Rooney, it was bizarre stuff.That is just too funny
What do they enjoy about football? Half-time? As soon as the MLS links became credible I started worrying for him. Not looking good there would be a terrible way to bow out. And I think it's the likely scenario.
Remember his hat trick when he lobbed Hart? I'll never forget that dayThat is just too funny
As soon as the MLS links became credible I started worrying for him. Not looking good there would be a terrible way to bow out. And I think it's the likely scenario.
If we're hell bent on signing an aging CB then just pay the extra for Toby, at least he's up to speed in the premiership, this just has disaster written all over it.
You clearly don't understand football. He was playing in the wrong position. Every single one of those positions was wrong, he needs to be in whatever position he isn't playing. He just needs 35 games to get his match rhythm. He needs pace around him. He's still great, he can play fantastic long floated passes out to Tony V. Sometimes the ball doesn't bounce off him. He's great and haters gonna hate. LVG was holding him back. He's a legend and deserves respect, I want you all to stop saying he's a bit crap now.
I think I covered all the delusion there. That was truly a bizarre time.
I can't see us being in for Bonucci. Too much risk coming from Serie A at his age after an underwhelming season. He was an excellent defender and he might be one again after a season settling in Milan, but I don't see Mourinho taking a risk on him.
Wouldn't he have left Italy if he wanted to leave by now? He moved to Milan because of personal reasons with his son right? I don't see him moving to England at this stage of his career.
Turning speed and his first one or two steps is where Smalling is (relatively) slow at. Understandable because of his sheer size, but he takes a second or so to get up to speed. He's obviously very fast after that though so normally he'll make up that ground.
I do agree that Smalling should be a good partner for Bonucci, not that I expect us to sign him.
I'd agree with that. Chiellini could be clumsy sometimes and Bonucci a bit rash and over-confident. Barzagli just exuded smartness, he reminded me of Nesta in the general approach how to play defense. Relied heavily on their ability to read the game and timing. Nesta the better one of course, over their careers.
If PSG sign Bonucci and Alex Sandro (both of whom are targets for us) that's just terrible from whomever is responsible for getting these deals over the line. The same club snatching both of our targets, seriously?
Can you explain the relevance of it being the same club that snatches the target? Are we supposed to figure out what their methods are and learn a counter manoeuvre?
It's just humiliating. As if PSG got rich and now they can amazing person I admire us even though we are the bigger club in virtualy every way.
Alderweireld has never been half as good as Bonucci though. And while Bonucci had a disappointing last season, so had Alder.
Mourinho tried to buy him, was mourinho blinded by these media buddies too
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