Imagine we actually bought nobody - How would you line up?

OleGunnar20 said:
Nah don't be daft. Stick those three on a field with 8 other competent bodies and you've got top half, regardless of the manager.

Just slice the oranges at half time and make sure to wash the kit with Pele's favourite fabric softener and jobs a good'n.
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You’d think so but there’s a staggering amount more than picking the line up as a manager.
 
----------------------------Heaton-----------------------
Dalot---------Verane-----------Maguire-----Shaw
----------------------------Garner?-----------------------
--------------VdB------------------------Fred--------------
Bruno--------------------CR7-------------------Sancho

Sorry folks, but there's a reason why DDG can't even make the bench for Spain (and it's not just his ball playing ability). Who is a better keeper? The guy who stands on his line and allows 3 goals but makes 5 great saves, or the guys who comes off his line to clear the danger before it happens, makes 1 ok save and allows 1 goal?

I also have no idea who can play in the #6. I just know I don't want to see McFred. Neither are a DM yet they are both asked to play there to accommodate Bruno. Oh Bruno. I really do like him, but much like how McFred aren't DM's. Bruno is NOT a midfielder. He is a liability. I know, the muppets like to blame everything on Maguire, but as you can clearly see, our problems get even worse when he's not playing. The major issue in our team is Bruno is not a midfielder, we don't have a proper DM and we have quite possibly the worst keeper in the league. Yeah, yeah, he's a great shot stopper. But he is average to poor at every other aspect of his position and if you don't think that's a problem, then I really don't know what to say. First Vidic and Rio weren't good enough. Then Smalling and Jones, Then Blind and Bailly. Then Maguire and Lindelof. Then Maguire and Verane. And during all this time, there's been one constant. Should have gone to Madrid years ago. Damn fax machine...
 
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Rashford - Greenwood
<Sancho>
Shaw - Bruno - Fred - Dalot
^
Maguire-Garner-Varane

De Gea​
 
4-3-3

De Gea
Dalot-Lindelof-Varane-Shaw
Mctominay-Fred-Garner(hoping he proves himself good enough)
Amad-Ronaldo-Rashford

Then we hope everyone else around us has a shocking season.
 
roonster09 said:
De Gea

Dalot
Varane
Maguire
Shaw

McTominay
Fred
Bruno

Sancho
Ronaldo
Rashford

with players like Mejbri getting mins from bench.
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I think this would be the first 11. Not great but steady. No proven back up at all either really.
 
If we signed no one, it won't matter how we line up because we will get pummeled. I'd boycott the matches, have the team refuse to suit up.
 
De Gea
Dalot Lindelof Varane Shaw
Fred Garner
Bruno Donny Sancho
Ronaldo​
 
Hendo
Laird Lindelof Varane Shaw
Garner
DvB Fred
Bruno Ronaldo Sancho
 
I would go the opposite and pick the worst side i could and consistantly slag off the glazers for not backing me and the shitty way the club is run in my interviews. I might get to 3 games before they sacked me, but i would hope the bad press would shame them into selling up. Longshot, but just maybe.
 
wolvored said:
I would go the opposite and pick the worst side i could and consistantly slag off the glazers for not backing me and the shitty way the club is run in my interviews. I might get to 3 games before they sacked me, but i would hope the bad press would shame them into selling up. Longshot, but just maybe.
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Ralf R "almost" did that. But he actually did pick our best players and they still played crap.
Result?
The players stayed and the Ralf got sacked.
The players are protected and while this remains the case, we will never win the league.
Almost the entire squad needs to be sold - the mentality of most of our existing squad is terrible.
 
DDG
AWB - Lindelof - Varane - Shaw - Telles
Bruno
Donny - Fred
Ronaldo - Sancho​

Sancho the freedom to move to either wing, Donny to do this hole player thing. Bruno to play build up and stop playing shadow striker. Fred to help out wherever. AWB and Telles try to cross after through balls by Bruno, but otherwise they should just run back and don't get too creative. Ronaldo do his striker thingie and perhaps be creative if Donny, Fred and Sancho are seen in the center. But not too creative. But Bruno has to stay disciplined and make the play from back there if no one comes.


Bonus: I think 6th, but if I have to reflect on my football management experience and such, I'd say a solid top 20 position.
 
Without transfers I’d send sympathies to Ten Hag then run a book next season… Who will give Utd the biggest battering?
 
I think I'll be lining up outside my therapists office if that happens.
 
Wilt said:
Without transfers I’d send sympathies to Ten Hag then run a book next season… Who will give Utd the biggest battering?
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Stop assessing the players just solely on their performances last season. The same group got 2nd the previous season. Its obvious that there were external issues causing the performances to be that bad, which is why ETH wants to re-assess and work with the existing squad instead of throwing all of them out. Players are human beings after all and not everybody is blessed with a strong mentality like C.Ronaldo. Besides, we still have the academy talents who are yet to feature.

Take a look at Liverpool the season before last season. They were closer to 7th until a late push (Klopp made a mistake pushing Fabinho into defence when he could have changed the formation to make it more balanced) . The same team (with Konate added) pushed City all the way this season. Performances for the same team can change depending on the circumstances, so do not be surprised if we suddenly see a upturn in performances from the same group this coming season.
 
Thistlesoup said:
The point's that if ETH would get as low as 6th with that team (and is regarded as a world class manager with years of experience at the top level of the sport), you'd be a lot more than potentially 4 or 5 places behind him.
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I'm not sure i agree. I think you are over stating the impact of managers. We could have no manager and should still be getting top 10 just by the players working it out themselves
 
DDG, Elanga, Varane, Maguire, Shaw, Sancho, Fred, VDB, Fernandes, Rashford, Sancho, Ronaldo

With the coaching and positional help of ETH we could comfortably get top 4 IMO.

Add in Garner, Amad, Hannibal, Garnacho in rotation and getting minutes where required.
 
OpenIntrovert said:
Stop assessing the players just solely on their performances last season. The same group got 2nd the previous season. Its obvious that there were external issues causing the performances to be that bad, which is why ETH wants to re-assess and work with the existing squad instead of throwing all of them out. Players are human beings after all and not everybody is blessed with a strong mentality like C.Ronaldo. Besides, we still have the academy talents who are yet to feature.

Take a look at Liverpool the season before last season. They were closer to 7th until a late push (Klopp made a mistake pushing Fabinho into defence when he could have changed the formation to make it more balanced) . The same team (with Konate added) pushed City all the way this season. Performances for the same team can change depending on the circumstances, so do not be surprised if we suddenly see a upturn in performances from the same group this coming season.
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Don’t read too much into my post ….i was being sarcastic
 
A- ETH will have to change his ideology completely. If he goes with high line and an attacking minded/hardworking football then he'll end up like Rangnick. This team is built around counter attacking football

B- We would need all hands in deck so we shouldn't even contemplate sending anyone on loan.

I'd go with the following team

----------DDG-----------
AWB-Maguire--Varane--Shaw
----------Garner----Fred-------------
Bruno-------VDB---------Sancho

-----------------Ronaldo----------------

McFred can't be played together as we only have 2 DMs. Defence should be as solid as possible (ie AWB/Shaw instead of Telles/Dalot). We should flood CM with as many players as possible (thus Bruno as a right sided midfielder and VDB as no 10/ CM) and lets hope that Ronaldo score as many goals as possible.
 
devilish said:
A- ETH will have to change his ideology completely. If he goes with high line and an attacking minded/hardworking football then he'll end up like Rangnick. This team is built around counter attacking football

B- We would need all hands in deck so we shouldn't even contemplate sending anyone on loan.

I'd go with the following team

----------DDG-----------
AWB-Maguire--Varane--Shaw
----------Garner----Fred-------------
Bruno-------VDB---------Sancho

-----------------Ronaldo----------------

McFred can't be played together as we only have 2 DMs. Defence should be as solid as possible (ie AWB/Shaw instead of Telles/Dalot). We should flood CM with as many players as possible (thus Bruno as a right sided midfielder and VDB as no 10/ CM) and lets hope that Ronaldo score as many goals as possible.
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This is all very sensible. You might have to become fan manager in one of the scenarios I just posted
 
DDG
Dalot Varane Maguire Shaw
VDB Garner Fred
Ronaldo Rashford Sancho

This team will not win trophies but it gives a framework to work with. With a bench of;
Fernandes (far better player than VDB but am thinking he needs a bit of time off the starting line up)
Martial (direct competition for Sancho)
Elanga, Diallo & Pellistri ( shadowing Ronaldo in his favourite position)
Mejbri & Chong ( Let’s see which one of them can transition into the team better)
Lindelof ( capable of shadowing both CBS)
Telles (cover for Shaw)
Laird ( we don’t know much about him yet)
Shoretire, Garnacho, Fernandez or any other could have a breakout.
Greenwood (can’t rule him out or the possibility of him coming back) to compete Rashford.
McTominay(another player I believe was developed by us in the wrong position, more of a below average CB being played as a makeshift CM)

If coached right? Some or very few will develop and others will allow for the right replacements. I’m not in a rush to see us dominant again because of what City and Pool are doing, both have plateaued, we’ll soon start seeing their decline or performing at a lesser level . I just believe we should be building a proper framework for growth on the pitch. We tend to forget both teams have not changed managers for a while now. Hence, the continuity we seeing there.
We need patience this coming season and allow the team to gel as a unit, hopefully into a better football playing side.

Concluding
The bold positions I’d like to see the manager working on short term strengthening or phasing out individuals, to better the quality of the team.
Ronaldo I believe prefers the right and wouldn’t accept playing any other position at Juve and his age, we truly need to start thinking of phasing him out. His goals can’t be replaced at any club but we should start learning to adapt.
Same reason I believe Fernandes shouldn’t be a starter in the first 5 games, the team has to learn to play effectively without him. So when he gets back in, he’ll definitely be coming back into a team less reliant on his individual efforts. Martial can be great but that’s his responsibility, not ours.
I’ve never rated DDG as highly but he’ll do for now, he is replaceable by a good number of younger goal keepers I’ve watched recently.
Varane still plays like a kid and Maguire is lost. We get them mentally set, we will be good in that area.
I like Dalot and I think he will get better, get a better defender or competition but should not be sold. Just not a new contract. There is still a lot of room for growth there.
Shaw will be competitive if he manages to keep fit. Either way, the Dalot treatment should be applied.
Rashford can always score goals but we don’t need a player that makes a manager feels he is answerable to. Sancho good baller but is he the one? VDB make or break. Fred should be there and about the team for a few more seasons. Garner his calmness over McTominay.
 
I genuinely wouldn’t watch most games, less emotional investment would be the strategy for me.

Early kick offs on a Saturday are an absolute no no. Games v city and pool, don’t bother. Any game where Mctominay and Maguire both start is a pass from me as well.
 
De Gea

AWB... Varane... Maguire... Shaw

Van De Beek... Fred

Sancho... Fernandes... Rashford

Ronaldo
 
---------------------Cristiano--------------
Sancho-----------VDB----Bruno--------
--------------Hannibal-----------------------
-----------------------Fred-----------Dalot
---Shaw-Maguire/Varane-Lindelof---------
----------------------De Gea-----------------

4 midfielders who can play the ball, Sancho is the width out left and Dalot is the width out right.
 
OpenIntrovert said:
Stop assessing the players just solely on their performances last season. The same group got 2nd the previous season. Its obvious that there were external issues causing the performances to be that bad, which is why ETH wants to re-assess and work with the existing squad instead of throwing all of them out. Players are human beings after all and not everybody is blessed with a strong mentality like C.Ronaldo. Besides, we still have the academy talents who are yet to feature.

Take a look at Liverpool the season before last season. They were closer to 7th until a late push (Klopp made a mistake pushing Fabinho into defence when he could have changed the formation to make it more balanced) . The same team (with Konate added) pushed City all the way this season. Performances for the same team can change depending on the circumstances, so do not be surprised if we suddenly see a upturn in performances from the same group this coming season.
Click to expand...
Sense detected
 
appleman said:
DDG
AWB - Lindelof - Varane - Shaw - Telles
Bruno
Donny - Fred
Ronaldo - Sancho​

Sancho the freedom to move to either wing, Donny to do this hole player thing. Bruno to play build up and stop playing shadow striker. Fred to help out wherever. AWB and Telles try to cross after through balls by Bruno, but otherwise they should just run back and don't get too creative. Ronaldo do his striker thingie and perhaps be creative if Donny, Fred and Sancho are seen in the center. But not too creative. But Bruno has to stay disciplined and make the play from back there if no one comes.


Bonus: I think 6th, but if I have to reflect on my football management experience and such, I'd say a solid top 20 position.
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Here I am thinking Bruno can't play in the #10 because he's a liability on the ball and here you are wanting to play him in the #6 where he will have even more of the ball and dictate play :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
It’s quite clear we arn’t going to sign 4 or 5 players, it’s gonna be 2 or 3.

So the likelyhood is there will be a significant number of games next season were we have only players on the pitch that are currently at the club.
 
Id line up the boardmembers first, see how much ammo is.... oh you mean our team line up?

I dont even want to mention some of the names that shouldnt even be on the bench into next season.

I'll pass this one, thanks.
 
I would rather that than panic buy randomers.

No signings = lowest possible expectation = give loads of kids a run, see some rise, others fail, also see current first teamers graft or arse it (again).

Then make some tweaks in January and have a great window next Summer.

I'd take that. Would also be fun watching the meltdowns here.
 
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