The problem is British players aren't exactly great most of the time, and the better ones are already at clubs that wont sell them.
Ducker: Jose Mourinho targeting £180m quartet across the next two transfer windows
- Thread starter RedMachine03
- Start date
The problem is British players aren't exactly great most of the time, and the better ones are already at clubs that wont sell them.
There's talk today that they might both be shipped off to West Ham to develop
I am ok with someone with masses of power and pace, We don't need someone who can unlock a defence with a single pass from deep. As long as his short range passing is clean and fast enough he just needs to break up the play and recycle to our wingers or midfield.
They are not ready yet, imo. I think the plan is to play them on the wing this year, rotate with Zlatan next year and hope that one of them can take over and be a 20+ striker after that.
I would love Griezmann at the club but I can't see where he fits in a 433 to be honest. We've finally settled on a formation that gets the best out of Pogba (and Herrera) so it doesn't make much sense to spend big money on a player who will disrupt our last big money buy's momentum. As things stand I can't see how Mata gets back into the team (as a no. 10 anyway) despite the fact that he played well for us when we were using 451 at the start of the season. Makes very little sense to spend upwards of £80mill on a player we may struggle to accommodate.
I know it's a problem but it's fair to say a lot of people do not want to see Utd fielding teams without any British players.
That's nice to know. We should just go ahead then! (Only really fancy Griezmann though. The rest... don't know enough about them.)
No wingers there? Would rather get a pacy, goal-scoring wide man than Griezmann, who will be a pain to try and fit into our 4-3-3.
The question I'd ask those people is would they rather see us with Barkley and Drinkwater in the team than Pogba and Herrera? If you look at the British alternatives that we could get they just don't stack up to anything but weakening the side.
I dont think we will be a rigid 4-3-3
Imagine Griezmann up top under Fergie 
They both proved that they are ready last year. They have struggled in the wide area this season, but both played their best when they were leading the line.
Our number 1 target should be Verrati
We really need to be bringing through some British/Irish talent though.
Cant see PSG ever letting him go.
You're probably living in the dream still mate. I support your way of thinking and would love this to be the way we do business, but I think it all comes down to the core of modern football: business. United needs to be "up there with the best" and it needs to get there quickly to satisfy both the board, the fans and the manager (who thrives with immideate success). Best case scenario is that Mou gets his wins to gain the long term trust and gets a starting 11 he himself has handpicked - then in time he will use youth prospects to replace/rotate. But in order to succeed with the clubs own expectations, a lot of money is needed to be spend.
Griezmann as the false 9 in a 4-3-3 would be perfect. Gives us the ultimate tactical flexibility IMO
Looking at our current roster, it's only really going forward we're having problems (and at the left back).
Yet 3 out of four of the mentioned players are defensive. If this "new carrick" bloke is a big fellow whose great at closing down (he sounds very much like Kryschowisnakski) then he's not the right man. It's needs to be an agile and intelligent player who is able to spot the right pass going forward as well.
Yet 3 out of four of the mentioned players are defensive. If this "new carrick" bloke is a big fellow whose great at closing down (he sounds very much like Kryschowisnakski) then he's not the right man. It's needs to be an agile and intelligent player who is able to spot the right pass going forward as well.
And the ultimate lag of muscle - if we indeed are talking about a false 9
Is he reliable?
Banned from the twitter thread. Wouldn't take his word for anything.
In recent years it's usually players I've never heard of who go on to be our better signings.
Set up for 3/4 to be hits and Griezmann to be a flop
Set up for 3/4 to be hits and Griezmann to be a flop
Totti and Messi aren't exactly behemoths and they could do the role. The latter of whom, was the originator of it. The whole point of it is to take the CBs away from their areas of control, specifically the penalty area, so strength plays next to no role in the functions of a false 9. It's all about tactical and in-game intelligence, which is what Griezmann is all about.
I don't even know if this will be accurate or close to it even. I am not a British either.
But, people saying they don't care as long as we win with not fielding any British/English player is funny.
Because probably the same people will get on a player's back very quick with saying like oh the guy is a mercenary and never knows or cares about the club and don't have the same passion as the fans or home grown academy/British players bla bla when they don't perform as quick as they hope.
But, people saying they don't care as long as we win with not fielding any British/English player is funny.
Because probably the same people will get on a player's back very quick with saying like oh the guy is a mercenary and never knows or cares about the club and don't have the same passion as the fans or home grown academy/British players bla bla when they don't perform as quick as they hope.
I definitely care about a lack of British players in the future but I also want us to win, so it's difficult. British players just aren't good enough as a whole. I won't be surprised in the near future if the FA put some sort of rule where you have to have a certain amount of British players in your match day squads.
Didn't Griezmann recently come out and say he doesn't see himself moving?
Why should our No. 1 target be a player we simply cannot buy.
Also the British issue is a difficult one. As has been pointed out they're just not very good, but I'm sure we will have squad players and first team players competing for places who are English. Rashford, Gomes, Jones, Shaw, Lingard etc. will all be in and around the squad so it shouldn't be an issue.
I'd take the lot.
Wouldn't complain at all.
Wouldn't complain at all.
I'm a big fan of Bakayoko and he could be a great squad option but he's not the Carrick replacement we need. He's a holding tackler and not a holding passer. I said this before a few times but because of our current midfield composition we need someone to build up play from the base of midfield and provide composure in that area with good vision when facing the play.
You always need a core of players from your country. Because those players are the ones who truly understand your club, what it means to play for that club and can transmit that to the foreign players. For a british player, playing for united means more than for an argentinian/spanish/italian.
Still, to play for united you have to be a world class player. If there's no wc british players around, that's that. Go for foreign players.
Mourinho seems to want to build a team made up entirely of great players. As it should be for manchester united
Still, to play for united you have to be a world class player. If there's no wc british players around, that's that. Go for foreign players.
Mourinho seems to want to build a team made up entirely of great players. As it should be for manchester united
And we'll still be shite somehow
Manchester United has a rich history of great British and Irish players. For whatever reason(s) these isles don't produce to that level now but instead of ignoring it we have to bridge the gap.
Firstly we're an English club and all English clubs should have it as an objective to field homegrown talent.
In addition, homegrown lads have the affiliation with the supporters and the culture of the club. Foreign players can pick it up but they're not obliged to. They may see the club just as their current employer and live their lives in a bubble until they next move.
This is why the excitement when a youngster comes in is so high. People identify with them and will them on more than a £60m coveted superstar. It's a unique attachment you can't buy.
Firstly we're an English club and all English clubs should have it as an objective to field homegrown talent.
In addition, homegrown lads have the affiliation with the supporters and the culture of the club. Foreign players can pick it up but they're not obliged to. They may see the club just as their current employer and live their lives in a bubble until they next move.
This is why the excitement when a youngster comes in is so high. People identify with them and will them on more than a £60m coveted superstar. It's a unique attachment you can't buy.
Last edited:
Gotta agree. Mourinho knows our best games come with 4-3-3 and therefore no need to spend £80 million on a player just to squeeze him in team somehow.
Carrick replacement should really be our top priority. Eventually one more B2B to provide backup and competition for Herrera.
Yes, yes and yes.
The possible signing of Griezmann goes hand in hand with Bakayoko imo. We are talking about a powerful, athletic midfielder who is very mobile. He can certainly play in a two with Pogba next to him and Griezmann just in front. If we replace Carrick with a similar sort of DLP, then I think you need to keep two midfielders in front of him, with Pogba in the more advanced role as we've seen recently.
Let's not forget that Carrick used to be very mobile. Much more than people remember. I think the potential Bakayoko signing hints at a more attacking line up in the long term.
This is how I see us lining up potentially next season:
Goalkeeper: De Gea
Defense: mourinho will only play with one attacking fullback imo. So Shaw and Valencia will probably trade off, assuming the former makes it here long term.
E.g. Valencia, Jones, Bailly, Blind
Or Lindelof, Jones, Bailly, Shaw
Not sure about the Semedo link. Think Darmian is toast, and possibly Rojo too (despite his recent resurgence). If he stays fit, I think Jones picks himself. With a nearly a full season back to back, he could reach great heights.
Midfield: I think Jose's switch to 4-3-3 is a reflection of his personnel, rather than his preferred system. I think he's also aware that the team doesn't score enough goals yet; and as we've heard multiple times, playing style and risk are high priorities. So if we can get Griezmann and Bakayoko, I think we'll revert to a 4-2-3-1 for a lot of games. He'll offset that by making sure his wingers track back a lot.
This is the biggest threat to Martial. Adapting to instructions. And unlike most, I'm not convinced Rooney will leave. I think Mourinho likes him on the left because his work rate is still phenomenal.
I'd expect Bakayoko and Pogba for the 2 pivots, and Griezmann as the 10. With Carrick, Herrera and Mata as backup. Reverting to the recent 4-3-3 for big matches.
Out wide, Martial, Mkhitaryan, Lingard and Rooney competing for 4 spots.
Up front, Ibra and Rashford.
All of Darmian, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Young, Depay, and Fellaini will leave I expect. And I would say the futures of Rojo, Shaw and Smalling are currently in the balance to differing degrees; although far from certain to leave.
Let's not forget that Carrick used to be very mobile. Much more than people remember. I think the potential Bakayoko signing hints at a more attacking line up in the long term.
This is how I see us lining up potentially next season:
Goalkeeper: De Gea
Defense: mourinho will only play with one attacking fullback imo. So Shaw and Valencia will probably trade off, assuming the former makes it here long term.
E.g. Valencia, Jones, Bailly, Blind
Or Lindelof, Jones, Bailly, Shaw
Not sure about the Semedo link. Think Darmian is toast, and possibly Rojo too (despite his recent resurgence). If he stays fit, I think Jones picks himself. With a nearly a full season back to back, he could reach great heights.
Midfield: I think Jose's switch to 4-3-3 is a reflection of his personnel, rather than his preferred system. I think he's also aware that the team doesn't score enough goals yet; and as we've heard multiple times, playing style and risk are high priorities. So if we can get Griezmann and Bakayoko, I think we'll revert to a 4-2-3-1 for a lot of games. He'll offset that by making sure his wingers track back a lot.
This is the biggest threat to Martial. Adapting to instructions. And unlike most, I'm not convinced Rooney will leave. I think Mourinho likes him on the left because his work rate is still phenomenal.
I'd expect Bakayoko and Pogba for the 2 pivots, and Griezmann as the 10. With Carrick, Herrera and Mata as backup. Reverting to the recent 4-3-3 for big matches.
Out wide, Martial, Mkhitaryan, Lingard and Rooney competing for 4 spots.
Up front, Ibra and Rashford.
All of Darmian, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger, Young, Depay, and Fellaini will leave I expect. And I would say the futures of Rojo, Shaw and Smalling are currently in the balance to differing degrees; although far from certain to leave.
Griezmann is not a #10 though. He's a second striker. He's more kenny dalglish than totti, so to speak.
Just don't see that happening at all, tho I'd like to see Rashford on some loan where he would be getting minutes as a CF, some club like Southampton for example.
They lost Austin for longer period of time and only have Jay Rodriguez to carry the weight.
Rashford's good enough to be a backup for united already. Let him train daily with zlatan
That's true, however none of those have played in the PL. It's much more focused upon physical play, which is why Pep is struggling atm. If we just throw in all the flairy quick players, we're fecked.
Otherwise we might as well just buy Jermaine Defoe