Isco is available?
Good Available Wingers
- Thread starter Pexbo
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) are here to discuss Amad saving our blushes in a win against Southampton as well as our now annual loss at home to Brighton. They discuss Amorim's post-match comments, revisit how mid-table we may or may not be, and discuss some transfer news.
Isco is available?
But he has rediscovred his running boots, so it's on!
Personally, I would love something like this:
RVP
Bale Kagawa Nani
Imo, Kagawa has better technique and arguably vision than Rooney in that position. Therefore, I think Rooney could go some way to finance Bale. With Bale and Nani we would have the best set of wingers in Europe. All three players could switch positions regularly and provide a fairly fluent attack. With fullbacks to provide proper width, I think this would work magic! In full form, I still maintain that Nani is at least the player Bale is, but unfortunately, it has been a while since Nani was in full form. I'd take Ronaldo over Bale though...
I'd love something like:
-Rafael----Rio---Vidic----Evra-
------------Carrick-----------
------------Rooney-----------
------Kagawa-------Bale-----
---------RVP--Lewan---------
It does rely on Rafael and Evra to supply the width, although Bale can drift wider and run into the space while Kagawa can play further in and help supply RVP/Lewandowski. Rooneys played that position a few times near the end of the season and done it pretty well. The above would dominate most PL teams imo.
-Rafael----Rio---Vidic----Evra-
------------Carrick-----------
------------Rooney-----------
------Kagawa-------Bale-----
---------RVP--Lewan---------
It does rely on Rafael and Evra to supply the width, although Bale can drift wider and run into the space while Kagawa can play further in and help supply RVP/Lewandowski. Rooneys played that position a few times near the end of the season and done it pretty well. The above would dominate most PL teams imo.
That's presupposing a lot of things. I thought this thread was about wingers? Kagawa is no right winger - he's shown that when played there. It's a good team on paper, but you're not using pure wingers there.
Imo, if United want to persist with pure wingers, we need them properly fast. Young halts our attacks not because he is slow, he's actually very pacey, but because he stops and looks back, much like Valencia this season. Last season we were terrorising teams on the counter due to fast wingers. Nani and Valencia are two of the fastest players in the league - there are hardly a handful of fullbacks that can keep up with them, and that gave us a real advantage on the counter. This year, we seem much more sluggish and I think I read we hadn't scored once by counter attack this season?
You've not heard about whats going on at Malaga?
Robben is not a 'classic winger' for those that keep mentioning Bayern. How can he be when he is left-footed and plays solely on the right? When was the last time anyone saw Rooben run down the wing and cross the ball in?
He is as much a striker as he is a winger.
He is as much a striker as he is a winger.
I still reckon Sanchez would be great here, Barca just didn't really suit him.
We've played with Nani/Welbeck/Young/Kagawa on the left too for all of this season. Giggs is the only left footer we have.
Nani and Welbeck cut in from the right too actually. Only Valencia and Maybe Young play as a out and out classic winger.
There's no guarantee we'd suit Sanchez either.
We should break the bank for Marco Reus, considering his age, I think he's the best winger around atm.
You think Dortmund would sell a player they bought last season for £17m, after already losing their other best attacking midfielder/winger to Bayern? No chance.
If United can get Di Maria for £15m, I think that would be a bit of a steal tbh. I'm not the biggest fan, but at his best he really is very good. I still want Nani to stay and rather get rid of Young, but I doubt that is going to happen.
It's not realistic but he may have a release clause in his contract. Either way we should be interested if there is any chance he can be signed.
Btw they got him for €17m.
£15 million for Di Maria would be very good, despite his highly questionable character. I think he'd cost a lot more than that though even if he is available. And for whatever reason we've consistantly ignored good players being sold by Madrid. Robben, Sneijder, VDV... Not even a sniff. So I'd be a bit surprised if we did this time.
Di Maria for £15m? No chance that would happen. Given his age as well he would easily command close to £25m
It's on the official Norwegian United supporter web site that he may go as cheap as that due to some circumstantial something.
If he would go for that - RM are known for selling cheap before - then I think that would be a bargain too good to pass up
I think he would actually. Im sure you remember the player he was in Italy. Far more expressive and less predictable. I think he has also improved a lot at Barca although that tends to go under the radar somewhat.
This is a great FM team yet in real life, lacks defensive abilities.
It's the same formation we played against Stoke away, which we won 2-0. Yes the players were different. Hernadez was upfront alongside RVP with Valencia and Kagawa out wide (Kagawa narrow) while Rooney/Carrick were in the middle and Jones at RB.
Apparently Barca want to get rid and sign Isco instead.
BTW, Bale is the Real fans most wanted signing with 87% wanting him this Summer so don't get your hopes up.
Interesting, but surely at that price it will spark a massive bidding war?
He is genuinely world class, proven and still so young. It's a no brainer IMO, even at something like 25mil.
Well he definitely hasnt improved because he doesnt even show what he was in Italy. I'm sure he'd suit us more than he does Barcelona, but its not like he stays wide like Valencia. Nor does he show the same ability to beat a player like he did in Italy and while his delivery cant possibly be as bad as Valencia's is right now, its not like its ever been brilliant either.
The other thing is where he wants to play. He was a second striker by the time he left Serie A and that was his best season by a mighty distance. While this striker position does make it more likely we'll look at him... If he wanted to actually play it, he's never been as good as Rooney or RVP so it wouldnt be here.
Well he had a great season last year, but he's been poor by his own standards this season. So £25 million would still be a lot. Madrid wouldnt be thinking of moving him on if that wasnt the case. But he'd still improve on our wingers this season
Hes improved the weaker parts of game. You must be blind if you cant see that? Ball retention, defensive awareness.....Hes certainly a far more round player, which Id expect at this stage tbf.
His rise to prominence was as a winger for both club and country. I dont see any particular reason why he couldnt play there again. I think he might step out of the shadows so be speak at another club....
Sanchez and Di Maria would both be good. Sanchez would suit us down to the ground and at least be better than ol' one foot has this season.
Thats great and everything, but the lad is Welsh not spanish.
Why would he want to move to Madrid if we offer him a decent wage? he will be a star man in our team, not necessarily so in Madrid.
We make stars, they break stars.
Levy
Ball retention? He has the lowest pass accuracy in the Barcelona squad aside from Sergi Roberto who came on as a sub just one time and Victor Valdes (80.9%). Incidently only Van Persie, Nani and De Gea have less than that for us.
His defending is like it always was as a winger, very minimal. Obviously more than when he was playing as a striker in his final season in Serie A. All he has improved at Barcelona is how to look like a distinctly average player
There is a great difference with playing Stoke away and tougher opposition in the league and in Europe. We would get slaughtered against top teams who would pick out the midfield weakness. Its madness. If you notice top teams, they have a resilient midfield. Cramming the team with attackers and hoping it works is crazy.
Sanchez and Di Maria would be very good cut price wingers, a summer consisting of them two and a Midfielder would be very productive.
I'm hoping we could finding a more rounded player than someone like Sanchez. He's more like a bulldozer than a technically gifted winger. I knew he'd flop at Barca for this very reason.
Bale Bale Bale
Agreed
He never played as a striker in Udinese... In his last season for Udinese he played behind the striker (di natale) on a free rol, moving through all the field, left, right and center, and coming deep to get the ball when necesary. That season he was choosen the best player of serie A... by far.
No idea why barcelona bought him to play him in a totally different system...
He would be perfect for us... would fit in right away im sure. Back to basics... he would improve us for sure.
But, im not sure he will be available... he says he wants to stay and complete his contract (dont know why...)
Anyway, there are more importants areas to improve on our team...
With Valencia (back to his top form after pre season for sure), Welbeck (he will be great as winger, wide forward), Nani (still with us...), Young (good cover) and Zaha (who can be a pretty good surprise to everybody)
we are pretty covered in this area. And lets not forget about Kagawa who for sure will play some games on the left.
ps. splash it for Wilshere!!!
Pretty sure Bale will be available if Spurs fail to grab 4th spot and can't get a run in the CL.
Other than that I always liked Navas and think he could do a great job on our right wing but I remember hearing around these boards that he wasn't really willing to leave Spain or something like that.
I don't want Di Maria though, he is even more inconsistent and frustrating than Nani, which means I would rather Nani stays and get's another shot at sorting himself out than seeing Di Maria at this club.
Farfan from Schalke also isn't half bad even though I sometimes have to question his attitude.
Lamela also seems to be a great talent worth a shot but all those options are somehow players for our right side and I think we actually need some real quality on the left more than on the right.
Edit: just remembered I always liked the look of Yarmolenko when I saw him in Europe but no idea of how good he actually is, might be an option for the left though, even though I have no idea if he really would improve us quality wise.
Other than that I always liked Navas and think he could do a great job on our right wing but I remember hearing around these boards that he wasn't really willing to leave Spain or something like that.
I don't want Di Maria though, he is even more inconsistent and frustrating than Nani, which means I would rather Nani stays and get's another shot at sorting himself out than seeing Di Maria at this club.
Farfan from Schalke also isn't half bad even though I sometimes have to question his attitude.
Lamela also seems to be a great talent worth a shot but all those options are somehow players for our right side and I think we actually need some real quality on the left more than on the right.
Edit: just remembered I always liked the look of Yarmolenko when I saw him in Europe but no idea of how good he actually is, might be an option for the left though, even though I have no idea if he really would improve us quality wise.
It's really funny how football is all about opinions/perspective. Your summary of our wide situation is extremely positive and optimistic for instance, very 'glass-half full approach'. 'Valencia back to his top form after pre-season for sure', for instance. So far from guaranteed, but one way of looking at it.
He played as a second striker. I watched him a lot.
Given that every story regarding Nani relates to him being sold as opposed to signing a new contract I thought I'd give this a bump.
Now the OP suggested we'd be after a classic winger but we've gotten a new manager since then who likes to use his fullbacks for width and use modern inside forwards who can dabble out wide when required. Plus even before the change we were in for Sanchez, Hazard and Lucas who are not traditional wingers.
Rodriguez, Isco and Navas are already off the table and I'd say Bale and Reus are out of reach, so who's left?
Erik Lamela - Gifted and physically suited to the PL with an eye for goal as well as creativity, but would be expensive.
Nico Gaitan - At 25 he has good European experience and can play from the left or as a #10. I've never personally been that impressed with him but I've not seen him on a regular basis.
Angel Di Maria - A bit of a cheating prat but very gifted and can play on either side, seems surplus to requirements at Real Madrid.
Kevin Mirallas - He's a bit injury prone but clearly talented and a player our new manager bought last summer so he rates him.
Ok that's all I can think of right now..
Now the OP suggested we'd be after a classic winger but we've gotten a new manager since then who likes to use his fullbacks for width and use modern inside forwards who can dabble out wide when required. Plus even before the change we were in for Sanchez, Hazard and Lucas who are not traditional wingers.
Rodriguez, Isco and Navas are already off the table and I'd say Bale and Reus are out of reach, so who's left?
Erik Lamela - Gifted and physically suited to the PL with an eye for goal as well as creativity, but would be expensive.
Nico Gaitan - At 25 he has good European experience and can play from the left or as a #10. I've never personally been that impressed with him but I've not seen him on a regular basis.
Angel Di Maria - A bit of a cheating prat but very gifted and can play on either side, seems surplus to requirements at Real Madrid.
Kevin Mirallas - He's a bit injury prone but clearly talented and a player our new manager bought last summer so he rates him.
Ok that's all I can think of right now..
McManaman at Wigan could be interesting as a squad player. If we get two young wingers in McManaman and Zaha we could do well with Valencia and Nani/Young.
If Nani goes I think we could do with a bit more proven quality than two young wingers with very little top flight experience between them.