Imagine the shear amount of selfishness and ball hogging in a midfield of Pogba and Isco. United games might need 2 balls. 
Isco
- Thread starter Robbie Boy
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While there might have been a difference in their abilities, I don't think it was massive when Mata first signed for Chelsea. Both were excellent.
For me having Pogba and Isco would be equivalent to having Silva and De Bruyne. If the latter pair can work, why can't Pogba and Isco? Both have immense control over the ball, I just think Isco is underrated. The guy is really good and creative. He can pick out a pass and score goals as well. He's proven at the highest level and is still young. Real will try to reshuffle their squad like they did when they sold Robben, Van der Vaart and Sneijder and bought Ronaldo, Benzema and Kaka. If Isco comes available, we need to go all out to get him. I just fear that with Silva almost towards the end of his City career may convince Pep to get him instead.
The difference is that Silva and De Bruyne have an ultra mobile DM in Fernandinho behind them. While Matic is a very good holding midfielder mobility isn't one of his strengths and he would still have to do pretty much all of the defensive work. I'm not saying it wouldn't work as I think we would hold onto the ball very well and I really rate Isco, just that it's not a like for like with KDB and Silva
It's pretty much a like for like, the biggest difference is the coaches and their styles. Pep would make it work while doubt Jose would like it. We're already experiencing problems in midfield due to Pogba refusing to partake, can imagine him thinking Isco would be the same.
Imagine the shear amount of selfishness and ball hogging in a midfield of Pogba and Isco. United games might need 2 balls.
Pogba isn't selfish, very few times he holds the ball and takes to make decision but most times he just plays quick passes.
I don't think Pogba ball hogs that much. It's just that most of our players are happy pass the buck and lay the responsibility of actually creating something all on him. Now that we have another creator in Alexis, Pogba's seemed more than happy to give him the ball and make surging runs forward to support Lukaku in the box.Imagine the shear amount of selfishness and ball hogging in a midfield of Pogba and Isco. United games might need 2 balls.
I think we could emulate a Pep style midfield with a 3 of Isco, Pogba and Matic - not that I think José would opt for such a template. Matic is the Busquets/Fernandinho - protects the defence but is comfortable on the ball, Pogba is the Xavi/De Bryune in that he dictates the play, and Isco is the Iniesta/D.Silva in that he can contribute in defense and link the midfield to the attack with his ability to dribble forwards and link-up with others due to his quick thinking.
I thought he became selfish because if does not take glory himself he won't be picked for the next game?
Which has been the situation for the past couple of years when he has out performed his competition but with no avail he has to stay on the bench when Madrid's Glaticos are injury free.
If Isco starts getting the first football consistently and knows his role in the team. I can guarantee he would be the midfielder in the league.
I wonder where he would end up as I believe he would be on the level of KDB when a team gives him the consistent football he should be getting all these years.
Which has been the situation for the past couple of years when he has out performed his competition but with no avail he has to stay on the bench when Madrid's Glaticos are injury free.
If Isco starts getting the first football consistently and knows his role in the team. I can guarantee he would be the midfielder in the league.
I wonder where he would end up as I believe he would be on the level of KDB when a team gives him the consistent football he should be getting all these years.
Any other team in the world, he would start, even at Barca. If he comes to the PL, he will a top five midfielder easily and can become the best with constant playing time.
Can see City going for him because he suits Peps playing style. Whenever I watch him play, I get this feeling of watching a special player, he's so good on the ball, great dribbler and great close control. In many ways he is similar to David Silva.
Can see City going for him because he suits Peps playing style. Whenever I watch him play, I get this feeling of watching a special player, he's so good on the ball, great dribbler and great close control. In many ways he is similar to David Silva.
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Their ball retention and pressing style allows those two CMs to work well together. It's all about Pep's system.
Be like Xavi and Iniesta under Mourinho tactics, they'd get bullied in the PL. Play them in their typical Barcelona system though and they'd tear teams apart.
Good. We'd be absolute braindead cretins if we'd sell him.
Not if you sell him only to us. There is also De Gea, we have some experience with trades
I wouldn't straight swap him for DDG or even Hazard. I really think he's that good.
Only player I'd swap him for is Neymar and that other steroid smurf.
And Mbappé
Spot on. Been saying this for ages. Still doesn't know when to release the ball.
I have to agree,I think his composure and control on the ball is as good as anyone in world football.
I would love him at United but there is no way real Madrid would let him go, not even if De Gea is involved.
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http://www.skysports.com/football/n...-at-zinedine-zidane-after-his-spain-hat-trick
Would Real fans want Isco or Zidane to stay if they had to choose between the two?
Would Real fans want Isco or Zidane to stay if they had to choose between the two?
Pretty scathing comments from Isco but disagree with Zidane not having his confidence. Last season Zidane had faith in him and Isco became an important part of the team. This season he has played even more but his performances have suffered at times.
Hope he doesn't leave Real Madrid though. If he leaves I can only see him going to City and I wouldn't want to see him there.
Hope he doesn't leave Real Madrid though. If he leaves I can only see him going to City and I wouldn't want to see him there.
Yup, seems a given if he leaves Real.
Wow. I didn't see that coming, especially at this crucial time of the season.
I would consider him for Salah if they gave us £100-120m on top. Otherwise Salah can stay in our first team and Isco can stay on Real's bench.
Would hate to see this but could see it happening he would be the perfect Silva replacement and Guardiola would work absolute wonders with him. He dominated us in pre-season..
Good question. Gonna answer after the World Cup
He is not suited to Real. Should go to Barca or City to fullfill his potential. He would be a top 10 player under Pep
Indeed.
You could make him captain and he still wouldn't come
really wanted him when we were after him 4 years ago, would love him at City now but I'm not convinced he'll leave Madrid, can see Zidane getting the push first.
LOL, two very good seasons ( almost ) and suddenly Salah is worth what 200 million?
Don't get me wrong, Salah is a very good player but anyone who thinks Salah is worth almost 200 million pounds is crazy
We've been through this discussion already. The conclusion you missed was: we don't want to sell him but Real may go hard for him. In which case Salah is worth what we say, at least this summer. Could be £250m+, could be £1bn. Is he worth it? No. No footballer ever is worth the silly money we talk about. But that's the price. /End
Not really related to Isco's performance but watching Isco and Neymar today makes me more sad for Gotze. Both of them have become the stars for their country like predicted back in 2011, when these 3 were regarded as the best teenagers in the world, but Gotze has failed to reach their level because of that horrible condition
I watched the full game, and despite the hat trick I didn’t really think Isco had that special of a game. It was more argentina capitulating completely in the second half. Pique and Ramos were both more impressive.
I think he’s one of my favourite players to watch though. He makes football look effortless the same way Iniesta does. If bought as a replacement for David Silva, he’ll slot so perfectly into that city side. However I can’t really see how Guardiola would get the best out of him right now, gundogan fits better defensively, he won’t play DM and then he’s got to displace De Bruyne or D. Silva, the latter of whom is for me, the best player in man city’s history and still comfortably the best footballer at the club.
I could see Tottenham doing a straight swap with Eriksen for him, not sure who’d be getting the better deal.
I think he’s one of my favourite players to watch though. He makes football look effortless the same way Iniesta does. If bought as a replacement for David Silva, he’ll slot so perfectly into that city side. However I can’t really see how Guardiola would get the best out of him right now, gundogan fits better defensively, he won’t play DM and then he’s got to displace De Bruyne or D. Silva, the latter of whom is for me, the best player in man city’s history and still comfortably the best footballer at the club.
I could see Tottenham doing a straight swap with Eriksen for him, not sure who’d be getting the better deal.
Ermm, yeah I missed that discussion and no, Salah is not worth what you say.
If that was the case, then majority of transfer in the world would be in the 100s of millions.
Let me explain : For a relegating threatened team, their striker who has scored majority of their goals in worth about 75 million, but for a top 6 team, he's just a backup, worth maybe 25.
Hell, according to me DDG is worth 200 million atleast ,but I don't think we would even get 100 for him
Just because you say he's worth 250,he won't be worth 250,that's not how negotiations work.
The other problem here is that the player is not an object the club owns.
If the player wants to leave ( usually clubs bid only if the player is interested in move), I don't think a club would say, feck that, you ain't moving anywhere or you know what, 1 billion pounds and maybe we will consider. No player will be happy with that and that will reflect on his performance. If he doesn't want to move, obviously there won't be a bid.
Secondly, he was bought for what 35 mill? If a bid of 140 million comes in, do you really think the board won't even consider it?
Thread derailed. Apologies. I will say post this on the Salah thread. This summer we don't sell or we get the price we want. Same thing happened with Coutinho. Him costing us 35m or 25 pence means not a feck. He's not one to moan and down tools. Coutinho is and even he played well.
Isco I like. I reckon if we keep Salah and throw £120m straight cash Real's way he might consider it. Klopp is having that pull nowadays, even Utd fans are begrudgingly accepting this.
Isco I like. I reckon if we keep Salah and throw £120m straight cash Real's way he might consider it. Klopp is having that pull nowadays, even Utd fans are begrudgingly accepting this.
Thread derailed. Apologies. I will say post this on the Salah thread. This summer we don't sell or we get the price we want. Same thing happened with Coutinho. Him costing us 35m or 25 pence means not a feck. He's not one to moan and down tools. Coutinho is and even he played well.
Isco I like. I reckon if we keep Salah and throw £120m straight cash Real's way he might consider it. Klopp is having that pull nowadays, even Utd fans are begrudgingly accepting this.
I don’t deny that Klopp has a bit of pull, but I don’t think Klopp would even go after him to be honest, he doesn’t fit the Liverpool system at all.
You're kidding? Isco fits pretty much every system, even Jose's. Basically he's our Coutinho replacement. Will play in the role Ox currently takes up. Plus we need quality when players tire/get injured. Fanciful talk though.
You're kidding? Isco fits pretty much every system, even Jose's. Basically he's our Coutinho replacement. Will play in the role Ox currently takes up. Plus we need quality when players tire/get injured. Fanciful talk though.
I don’t know how much you’ve watched of him, but he’s not a direct replacement for Coutinho at all. Very different players.
Not sure about that. If he went to play for Guardiola when he was 21, sure, absolutely
Isn't that what Bernardo was bought for?
That was the assumption but it seems he was brought in to be competition to Sterling more than anything. Worked well as Sterling went up a level this season.