There is a player called Paul Pog… never mind.Just don't see it with him. I am sure I am probably wrong but just looks like a solid DM. Could that help us bridge the gap? Perhaps but I think we need something or someone with more X-Factor.
There is a player called Paul Pog… never mind.Just don't see it with him. I am sure I am probably wrong but just looks like a solid DM. Could that help us bridge the gap? Perhaps but I think we need something or someone with more X-Factor.
What makes him a bad player is his awful first touch, poor spacial awareness on the ball and the magnet like suction to pass backwards or sideways to his centre backs instead of into his forwards.I like Declan Rice, he certainly puts his all in, he is young, plays with passion,works hard for the team and subsequently is appreciated by his team mates,even though he is not a luxury player...i think we are all being put off by the high value price which is understandable--- but that doesnt make him a bad player. English players are vastly overpriced anyway. I remember us paying 18.6million for michael carrick many years ago and fans going mad saying we vastly overpaid at that time, what a buy he turned out to be.
I think for 50mill plus lingard we could work this out, i'd rather see a player at utd like this as opposed to arrogant self important players on higher wages swanning about thinking they have made it .
Fred is a bang average CM who excels at absolutely fecking nothing other than running and pressing opponents. It's laughable that we paid 50m pounds for such a limited footballer.Like I said, not fit to lace Fred's boots.
I agree completely, especially CDM like Rice who excel in those kind of set ups, same as Fred who excels in counter attacking teams who have very little control over games and often are overrun in midfield. However one of them is just 22 and already the better player, with more potential.Some players look good in teams that sit back and contain space like West Ham, but when you try and play a more expansive style his weaknesses show.
Football is a game of luck and I agree everyone needs their lucky brake, Bellingham is a top talent who if developed properly can play in any midfield in the world. Henderson is also a pretty good midfielder who would start for Manchester United for example considering how we consistently play someone as average as Fred.He's lucky Henderson isn't fit or Bellingham isn't another year older, he'd be nowhere in this side.
He's very limited on the ball and struggles against the press, big challenge for him against that Italian midfield on Sunday.
Not sure. The Italians have barely given anyone time on the ball. I can see Barella around him nicking balls off him throughout.I think the Italians will sit on Shaw and Phillips and cut off any rhythm and supply line and they will isolate Kane further up the pitch. I would genuinely have Italy as favourites. I bet Rice gets a lot of time on the ball on Sunday. We will see what he’s made of.
I think the Italians will sit on Shaw and Phillips and cut off any rhythm and supply line and they will isolate Kane further up the pitch. I would genuinely have Italy as favourites. I bet Rice gets a lot of time on the ball on Sunday. We will see what he’s made of.
Not sure. The Italians have barely given anyone time on the ball. I can see Barella around him nicking balls off him throughout.
Not sure. The Italians have barely given anyone time on the ball. I can see Barella around him nicking balls off him throughout.
One pair area regulars for Dortmund and Tottenham. The other pair regulars for Leeds and West Ham.There is serious underrating of the danish team imo, but i'd still take Rice and Phillips personally.
I think the notion of him being an impenetrable wall with questionable forward output has been put to bed, and that's a bigger problem than his passing and technical abilities at the highest level. I think the former can be sold to a fanbase, and even if not to your liking, the logic and usefulness of such a player in 'unlocking' others is the big selling point. You've already made the point in your last paragraph, though so I'm just retreading ground here.Exactly this and to some extent I don't blame Rice for that. Many people seriously underrate Denmark, who have excellent transitions from back to front, they're not that easy to defend against. However, when people are talking about dropping upwards of £50m on the English Schneiderlin that gives me pause for thought.
My suspicion is people see in Rice what they want to see because they want to believe he will 'unlock' Pogba, or something to that affect. So when Rice blocks a passing lane, or chases back after someone and wins a 50/50, they see a player who will cover for Pogba and let us play 4-3-3 with Pogba and Bruno in the middle. That causes them to block out all the times he gets sucked towards the ball or is left standing by a bit of quick thinking/passing.
Its difficult to dislike Declan Rice, likewise Fletcher and likewise McTominay. For me Carrick was so much more than hardworking and likeable. His ability and composure on the ball orchestrated United for years. When we dictated the tempo and entertained. Finding a “new Carrick” to fill a much needed starting spot in midfield is vital. To link defence with attack, to take and give under pressure , to feed our attacking talent. I don’t know who this player is but I know it’s not Declan Rice.I really like Declan Rice, I'm not surprised to see that's controversial as players in his mould pretty much always are. Carrick and Fletcher were similarly berated, as is Henderson for Liverpool.
If you want to win a title though it seems to me that teams always have a player like that playing for them. Fernandinho at City, Henderson at Liverpool, etc, players some fans will quite simply never rate as highly as maybe they should.
I think the notion of him being an impenetrable wall with questionable forward output has been put to bed, and that's a bigger problem than his passing and technical abilities at the highest level. I think the former can be sold to a fanbase, and even if not to your liking, the logic and usefulness of such a player in 'unlocking' others is the big selling point. You've already made the point in your last paragraph, though so I'm just retreading ground here.
On another note, one big problem with how DM's are generally being assessed by most is blurring the lines between deep-lying playmakers with hybrid DM skills, or certainly those who are interchangeable with those qualities. Carrick, Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Pirlo none of them are barometer for what's needed or possible in the market. They're outliers, not the norm.
It was the case until they were in the lead in both games. Which is when Italy always feel comfortable in defending such lead.That wasn't the case in the last game or the 2nd half against Belgium.
Precisely, Carrick , who for me is United’s most underatted player of the modern era , is still to be replaced. We are Manchester United and if we want to dictate and orchestrate matches we need to pay someone to do it. Let’s entertain, let’s feed our attackers, let’s not play like England and please let’s not sign Declan Rice.One minor disagreement I'll make, although I think we're more or less agreed, is that Carrick, Xabi Alonso and Busquets were definitely defensive midfielders. Pirlo definitely wasn't though.
I remember, once upon a time, Del Bosque getting a lot of flak for the double pivot of Xabi Alonso and Busquets being too negative. Carrick, likewise, was labelled a crab for going sideways too much.
Pirlo a completely different type of player. Carrick, Xabi Alonso and Busquets are natural ball winners. They might not win the ball like a Mascherano or a Cambiasso or a Kante. However, they are, fundamentally, defensive players. They excel at the back of midfield, screening the defence, usually with great positioning, and they don't mind getting into physical battles. It was no issue for Carrick to partner Scholes, Xabi to partner Modric or Busquets to partner Xavi and to act as their back ups (I know for Busquets it was slightly different cos Iniesta played in an orthodox #8 but you get my drift).
Pirlo, however, as you say is definitely not defensive midfielder. He was a deep laying playmaker. He was not ever in any kind of ball winning role.
In truth Manchester United aren't strong for either style of midfielder. However, the most pressing absence is a proper replacement for Carrick.
Additionally, I would not consider such midfielders exceptions per se. There are plenty around the world of football. If Man Utd aspire to being back at football's top table we need to have one. You can argue that teams like City and Liverpool have at least two of these types of midfielder, Fernandinho and Rodri, Fabinho and Henderson respectively. Although, IMO, Henderson's distribution and all round play is a level or two below Fabinho's. Which makes it even more obvious that Rice isn't the right type for what we're missing, as Henderson came on last night and instantly looked a more polished, more accomplished player than Rice.
Fred is a bang average CM who excels at absolutely fecking nothing other than running and pressing opponents. It's laughable that we paid 50m pounds for such a limited footballer.
I agree completely, especially CDM like Rice who excel in those kind of set ups, same as Fred who excels in counter attacking teams who have very little control over games and often are overrun in midfield. However one of them is just 22 and already the better player, with more potential.
Football is a game of luck and I agree everyone needs their lucky brake, Bellingham is a top talent who if developed properly can play in any midfield in the world. Henderson is also a pretty good midfielder who would start for Manchester United for example considering how we consistently play someone as average as Fred.
Imagine thinking this when he is one of the best in the league at interceptions, pressures, tackles, and recoveries.
What makes him a bad player is his awful first touch, poor spacial awareness on the ball and the magnet like suction to pass backwards or sideways to his centre backs instead of into his forwards.
I feel like people are trying to convince themselves that he's good because of a few links in the press. If he wasn't linked to us we'd be laughing right now.
There's a reason why even Chelsea rejected him AGAIN with Rice, Mount and Lampard practically begging for the transfer to happen.
Even trying to compare him to Carrick is frankly bonkers, they are nothing alike.
Your descriptors aren't incorrect, but I added the caveat of them blurring the lines of what people assume a 'DM' to be when the reality is they are almost hybrids for their freakish deep-passing qualities married to their ball-winning (Pirlo accepted).One minor disagreement I'll make, although I think we're more or less agreed, is that Carrick, Xabi Alonso and Busquets were definitely defensive midfielders. Pirlo definitely wasn't though.
I remember, once upon a time, Del Bosque getting a lot of flak for the double pivot of Xabi Alonso and Busquets being too negative. Carrick, likewise, was labelled a crab for going sideways too much.
Pirlo a completely different type of player. Carrick, Xabi Alonso and Busquets are natural ball winners. They might not win the ball like a Mascherano or a Cambiasso or a Kante. However, they are, fundamentally, defensive players. They excel at the back of midfield, screening the defence, usually with great positioning, and they don't mind getting into physical battles. It was no issue for Carrick to partner Scholes, Xabi to partner Modric or Busquets to partner Xavi and to act as their back ups (I know for Busquets it was slightly different cos Iniesta played in an orthodox #8 but you get my drift).
Pirlo, however, as you say is definitely not defensive midfielder. He was a deep laying playmaker. He was not ever in any kind of ball winning role.
In truth Manchester United aren't strong for either style of midfielder. However, the most pressing absence is a proper replacement for Carrick.
Additionally, I would not consider such midfielders exceptions per se. There are plenty around the world of football. If Man Utd aspire to being back at football's top table we need to have one. You can argue that teams like City and Liverpool have at least two of these types of midfielder, Fernandinho and Rodri, Fabinho and Henderson respectively. Although, IMO, Henderson's distribution and all round play is a level or two below Fabinho's. Which makes it even more obvious that Rice isn't the right type for what we're missing, as Henderson came on last night and instantly looked a more polished, more accomplished player than Rice.
The guy seems very confused to be honest. Thinks Fred is the worst midfielder in the world but would happily play £80m for Rice who is even more limitedImagine thinking this when he is one of the best in the league at interceptions, pressures, tackles, and recoveries.
Struggled?I think he has a little bit of everything that he can improve upon and is a quality player, jstu look at how West Ham stuggled when he was out injured.
Did you read that in my post somewhere or somewhere in your b*tthole?Imagine thinking it’s “laughable” we paid 50m for Fred and also advocating we pay 60+ for Rice
At least when you post about me tag me, in order to rebuff false claims and rubbish talks than you seem to make. Neither I think Fred is the worst midfielder in the world, neither I think Rice is worth 80m, so don't talk bullshit.The guy seems very confused to be honest. Thinks Fred is the worst midfielder in the world but would happily play £80m for Rice who is even more limited
Did you read that in my post somewhere or somewhere in your b*tthole?
Very good post with valid points. Also if the choice is going and wasting another 50m on someone like Fred for example, I'd rather we just stamp the 80m and go and buy someone like Ndidi or Rice, who more or less is a sure proven CDM.
Tbf he's pretty good defensively imo. But of course that's not enough, especially for the big clubs.An absolutely ridiculous purchase for the most overrated player in the England team. We have better options in our squad. What does he do? Loses possession...passes sideways and backwards...has no killer pass. A typical automaton with Zero flair or imagination. Maguire is more creative and effective and he is a defender. Please dont let him anywhere near Old Trafford.
We ain’t signing Rice.
Don't see us buying Camavinga either. I think we will stick with the current midfield, and put Lingard on a new deal to preserve his value. Maybe if we lose Pogba next year we will buy Camavinga.If his price wasn't high before, it'll sky rocket after England getting to the final, irrespective of his individual performances.
When there's someone like Camavinga available for a third of the price, Rice doesn't make sense.
His deal expires next summer, so we're probably looking to steal a march on other clubs by bringing him in early. I don't like Romano but seems to be quite a bit of smoke with this.Don't see us buying Camavinga either. I think we will stick with the current midfield, and put Lingard on a new deal to preserve his value. Maybe if we lose Pogba next year we will buy Camavinga.