What happens if Valencia is unavailable? Who gives us width on the right? Darmian? Young?
Isn't RW a bit more urgent than LW
- Thread starter Pavl3n
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What happens if Valencia is unavailable? Who gives us width on the right? Darmian? Young?
In a 4-3-3 it's the responsibility of the likes of Herrera and Pogba to support the wingers, as you say. The extra midfield player should also give the fullbacks more license to go forward and provide the wide option.
This is just my opinion, but I think Jose didn't want the team to play as defensively as we often did last year (especially in EL). He criticized how deep we defended after the match against Celta Vigo, and after West Ham on Sunday he talked about how he was happy the team had the confidence to continue playing on the front foot in the second half. I don't think it's Mourinho directly instilling defensive tactics, it's a combination of low confidence and Jose starting by building from the back by emphasizing team defense and solidity in training.
Probably why he wanted Perisic so he could play Darmian at RB and still have width in the team.
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We have played without width on the left for the last two seasons, i don't see a reason why we can't do that on the right. If Valencia is unavailable, then we will use the left back.
We are ok in both positions and have cover when players are fit. It's not like for like but the cover doesn't have to be. Our problem is creativity in the forward wide positions, and Jose isn't going to push his LB/RB up to provide that. We have forward players that can run into the space but none who can deliver the ball from wide. I'm guessing Perisic or a player like that with good delivery ideally Jose would like. I also think that's why he plays Blind at LB as he has good delivery from deep (although currently his form is poor).
All we need is a LB (unless Shaw can deliver) and cover for RB if Valencia gets injured. We should have signed Danilo. Would have covered both full back positions. Maybe that's why we want Aurier.
Ideally, I believe Jose would like to find a better RB or backup option or for future replacement
Realistically...
1. Other positions like LB or wingers should be the priority
2. We have already spent 150M+
3. Hyper-inflated market, competition, available options in the market
4. Backup options of Darmian, Young, and Tuanzebe will do okay. Plus, Jose even indicated Lindelof can play as RB if needed. And Tuanzebe has the potential, and I believe Jose will give him adequate minutes in FA/EFL as Valencia will likely be rested in these games.
That said, if there is a reasonable option with potential like Aurier for 25-30M+ euros, I believe Jose would consider it, with Valencia's future replacement in mind. But it is definitely not the priority.
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I suppose that's what he was thinking, but now that option is no longer on the table.
Last season was mostly Rashford and Martial playing on the wide left and Mikhi and Mata playing on the right drifting centrally. With the left attackers staying wide and the right ones drifting in, Valencia was giving width from the right. But if Valencia is gone there's no one to give us width on the right and no LB to give us width through the left. I don't believe Blind or Darmian are quality enough going forward.
I really hope there is someone available.
I think the Willian stories had some truth in them... not first choice last season, would have done very well on our right hand side.
Question for a different thread but if you could mod one attribute of any single player on our team then upping Blinds pace would have to be right up the top of the list.
I would mod Mkhitaryan's ability to not be a fanny in tight positions.
Otherwise, fannies in tight positions are fine.
Unfannyability is a highly sought attribute in player acquisition alright.
Rashford's decisonmaking
That is why i think an LB that does what Valencia do should be the priority. Valencia is one of the best in the EPL, Darmian is an able deputy(although he is not half good in attack) and most of our CB's, bar Rojo can all play at RB. There's no point signing an 'attacking' RB to provide cover for Valencia incase he gets injured(which is not certain) when we are clearly lacking an attacking outlet on the left, and like i said, we have played without geniune width(rashford and martial don't really provide width, do they?) on the left for the last 2-3 seasons, we can afford to do that on the right for a few games if Valencia is unavailable. We just need to flip the team tactically from left to right and have the left back provide genuine width, Mkhi could do the wide job on the right.
I don't like Mkhi on the right, he's way better in the middle and that is such an important position we should be giving him a run in the team there. So he can learn to be less of a fanny in tight positions.
I'm starting to get the impression that you think Mkhi is a bit of a fanny (in tight positions)?
I think we should nab Lucas Moura from PSG. He will find himself surplus to requirements over there, when everyone is fit and well.
I'm starting to get the impression that you think Mkhi is a bit of a fanny (in tight positions)?
Yes you are correct. Bit of a fanny. It is annoying, he loses the ball too often when put under pressure.
I do think that Mourinho is trying to get the width from Lb and Rb, thus eliminating the need for your traditional winger.
I think that showed when he chose Blind against West Ham, and it worked really well. Unfortunately this won't be possible against stronger teams with more attacking threat.
My answer to the thread title in short would be no. Valencia is one of the best in the business at giving us that width in attacking positions from the right.
It's a difficult one really, I don't think there's any immediate need for another signing tbh. Let's attack the season with what we've got, and sign Greizmann in Jan.
I think that showed when he chose Blind against West Ham, and it worked really well. Unfortunately this won't be possible against stronger teams with more attacking threat.
My answer to the thread title in short would be no. Valencia is one of the best in the business at giving us that width in attacking positions from the right.
It's a difficult one really, I don't think there's any immediate need for another signing tbh. Let's attack the season with what we've got, and sign Greizmann in Jan.
IMO we need more a RW than a LB. If we are going to play 4231 most of our games (433 versus top teams) a skillful winger on the right could take us to the next level.
This season, we can use Shaw, Darmian, Blind, Young and Mitchell in the LB position.
It would be great if we manage to have an attack like this:
This season, we can use Shaw, Darmian, Blind, Young and Mitchell in the LB position.
It would be great if we manage to have an attack like this:
Lukaku/Rashford
Martial/Rashford Mikitharyan/Mata New RW/Lingard
Martial/Rashford Mikitharyan/Mata New RW/Lingard
They certainly provide more width on the left than Mikhi and Mata on the right.
From the very few apps Shaw had last season he seemed capable of doing/reaching similar job to Valencia. I think Jose bringing him with the rest of the squad to the pre season is sort of proof that he is in his plans.
I'd say so, yes.
We've got Mata, who can play as a false winger, but we lack a direct winger to play on the right, who is comfortable cutting inside and going to the byline. Someone similar to Willian.
I like Lucas Moura. He works relatively hard, lightning quick and can go both on the outside and inside.
If we're looking to counter teams, we can go with:
Lukaku
Rashford Mkhitaryan Moura
If we're trying to unlock teams:
Lukaku
Martial Mkhitaryan Mata
With Neymar, and the potential signing of Mbappe, it's obvious that Lucas will not start for PSG. He hasn't been included in the squad since the season.
I personally feel we should go in for him. Don't think PSG would demand too much. 25M should do, in my opinion.
We've got Mata, who can play as a false winger, but we lack a direct winger to play on the right, who is comfortable cutting inside and going to the byline. Someone similar to Willian.
I like Lucas Moura. He works relatively hard, lightning quick and can go both on the outside and inside.
If we're looking to counter teams, we can go with:
Lukaku
Rashford Mkhitaryan Moura
If we're trying to unlock teams:
Lukaku
Martial Mkhitaryan Mata
With Neymar, and the potential signing of Mbappe, it's obvious that Lucas will not start for PSG. He hasn't been included in the squad since the season.
I personally feel we should go in for him. Don't think PSG would demand too much. 25M should do, in my opinion.
What is it with people this week favouring the right over the left?
Blame it on Trump.
Agree ! We will do good with Shaw, hopefully
Sell Lindelof... Pay 200 million release clause for Marcelo... Play Martial on the left with him.
We can win the treble. Especially if Ibrahimovic has another good year left in him.
We can win the treble. Especially if Ibrahimovic has another good year left in him.
I haven't watched him much, so can't tell if he'll be a successful signings. But there hasn't been a ssingle link to him this summer. I doubt he's on Mourinho's shopping list.
Our answer to every offensive problem we have got and the void we needed to fill was Sadio Mane, left wing , right wing , creativity, work rate, defensive awareness , ball control in tight areas , game presence, off the ball attacking runs finishing, first and second balls counter attacks Smells a goal in the box and near it.
That player had it all. I was shocked and incredibly pissed off when we let him tapped up by klopp for liverpool who are no where near winning a single trophy.
That player had it all. I was shocked and incredibly pissed off when we let him tapped up by klopp for liverpool who are no where near winning a single trophy.
I'm ambivalent.
I agree with the notion that while we do need a solid LB we can afford to give Shaw one last chance this season. Defence was not the problem last year and a good RW would help create more goals which was arguably the problem.
But then I look at Marcelo getting 15 assists for Real from LB last season and Mendy getting 11 assists for Monaco and I have my doubts. Mata was our best forward bar Zlatan in the league in terms of goals+assists. If we do get a RW would he be such a massive improvement over Mata attacking wise? And if he is, will he improve the squad more than adding a LB who can be double figures in assists and help out Martial/Rashford on the left?
I've thought about it a lot and I can't find a straight forward answer. Only thing I'm guessing is that Mourinho is gambling one last time on Shaw becoming that LB.
LW for me, we have no left footers in those attacking positions bar Mata. Our options for LW are both right footed, and when Darmian plays even the LB is right footed!
Mki is a right sided playmaker. That is where he has played his best football, and he should be given a proper run there now we have a settled and more confident side. Lingard is another option for the right, as are Rashford and Mata.
We have Young, Valencia, Darmian and Jones for RB, and Shaw, Blind, Darmian and Rojo for LB.
So what options do we have for LW? We only have one choice really, because it simply boils down to which right footed striker is our preference. But both provide essentially the same threat.
Having no left sided players for LW leaves us extremely short of other options there and severely lacking in balance. In addition to that, it makes our attacks and our deliveries from that side almost as predictable as our choices there.
Yet, another LW like Lemar or Perisic would allow us to increase our options and vary our tactics, which to my mind would surely only make us harder to set up against and harder to beat.
Yeah I agree