Jack Grealish / signs new 5 year contract

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Yagami said:
Depending on how Bruno adjusts, and if Ole plans to use him as an 8 or 10 in the long run, I think Grealish would be a great addition to our central midfield. He offers something completely different to our other CMs, and it's always nice to have different options. His press resistance and ability to carry the ball forwards, beating his man at will, would be so nice to have. Whenever he plays defence splitting passes, the way he passes and the perfect weight he gets on each pass reminds me of prime D.Silva, too.

As much as I'd love him here, I'd probably agree that, with us having signed Bruno now, a DM and RW are the more urgent signings. I'd still take Grealish over a CF, though, as I'm okay with Martial. Honestly, I wouldn't be too bothered with us prioritising Grealish anyway - he's that good!
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I am happy with Martial too but I feel it's more important that we bring in a capable striker that can rotate / keeps him motivated. Most importantly - our season would be over if he gets injured.

We require a budget of around £200m on 3 positions (RW, DM & ST), with Pogba expected to leave so we should have a net spend of around £100m which is more realistic IMO

But if we don't end up with Sancho then perhaps adding Grealish as our 4th signing is possible.
 
Sancho, Grealish and a quality out and out defensive midfielder and I think we’ve then quality throughout a potential starting 11 and strength in depth.
 
davidmichael said:
Sancho, Grealish and a quality out and out defensive midfielder and I think we’ve then quality throughout a potential starting 11 and strength in depth.
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I think if we get Grealish and Sancho it would cost 200m at least so I doubt we'll get anyone else. I would be very happy with those signings though. Would really help us and with Bruno would also make us a very entertaining side to watch.
 
RedNed77 said:
That would work for me too, I'm just of the opinion that we should be going for Grealish, Sancho and Maddison. Even if they dont play every game, we could do with some strength in depth as we have very little at the moment.
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I think it would work better. I wouldn’t buy any of them purely for depth when you could use that money on another first team position though. Create depth by bringing in players who relegate current starters to the bench, improving the quality of the starting eleven at the same time.


orjeve said:
Because it's been proven again and again that rashford is at his best cutting in from the left or in a 2 man front and not as a lone man.
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That’s just not true at all.
 
He is a wonderful player, seems to be getting better and better, would love him here
 
Grealish’s approach reminds me of Keane and Cantona. Obviously he doesnt generally occupy the same area of the pitch but he does look like a general - excuse the pun! He has his own original style and is neither a striker which Eric despite his ability to drop deep annd look like the conductor of an orchestra was a proper goalscorer nor the complete all round midfielder which Roy was. For me he is almost something in between.

I’ll digress for a moment and say hello fellow United fans. I’ve been reading many of your opinions over the years and abstaining from comment because many a time I have felt it represented anyway by most probably most of you and of course every United fan’s opinion is to be respected. However there is a time when I realise how cathartic it is to express yourself when it comes to greatest football club the world has ever seen. Let us never forget that the colours of Manchester United -players, staff and fans alike have probably been seen, enjoyed and felt things in a way that those of no other football club can truly appreciate.

We don’t need to be too humble for their sakes.
Comparing a Liverpool 11 before they have even held the trophy to the United 99. Ours was 9 times better!

It’s good to have a voice - let’s remember it’s tough at the top and the sabotage and criticism will not relent - no I don’t have a paranoia complex but of course it’s a different dynamic for opposition fans than it is when they play other teams.

Going back to Grealish - I see him as a player that can handle that- in fact rises to it where other players have crumbled. Of course Fernandes and he can fit into the team and re Pogba as much my heart wishes it different we don’t deserve any player other than one that is 110 per cent committed - like Eric like Roy Grealish would grab the game by the scruff of the neck turning half decent passes into good ones and seeing/creating opportunities of artistic/inspired moments reminiscent of the legacy of those who have previously worn the shirt and given us that benchmark.

We are united and we should not accept anything less than the best :)

I sense a surge of momentum. With or without Ole we will march on. I remember doubting Fergie in the dark pre trophy days when I used to stare at the poster of the boys and asking them
When we were going to win the league...It’s simply a matter of time...we need players with urgency!
 
davidmichael said:
Sancho, Grealish and a quality out and out defensive midfielder and I think we’ve then quality throughout a potential starting 11 and strength in depth.
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Perfect.
Sancho should be the priority.
Along with him, a DM like Partey, a ST should be enough for the summer window.
Grealish if Pogba leaves (seems to happen).
 
davidmichael said:
Sancho, Grealish and a quality out and out defensive midfielder and I think we’ve then quality throughout a potential starting 11 and strength in depth.
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Even without the midfielder though, I think just those 2 and we are pretty set.

Rashford - Martial - Sancho
Fred - McTominay - Bruno
Shaw - Maguire - Bailly - AWB
De Gea

James - Greenwood - ***
Garner - Matic - Grealish
Williams - Lindelof - Tuanzebe - Dalot
Henderson/Romero​

Grealish not necessarily in the 2nd 11, but more 2 out of him, Bruno and Fred always starting and the other being subbed on. Rotation, competition for places, depth all covered. Have McTominay and Matic rotate as the defensive and physical presence, while in attack we have a set of 5 to rotate between (and a clear front 3 within that), while the 6th attacking spot can be a random youngster like Mejbri.

Getting another defensive mid would be to replace Matic if he leaves, or make McTominay a sub which I dont see happening. And a striker in addition to Sancho might be overkill (think we'd be fine without).
 
This is the problem with speculation, if we get him, people need to realize that we may not have the space to fit him into the xi.
There are two formations that we have used in the past year: a 4231 and a 3412. Both accommodating only one attacking midfielder; Bruno.
I can see us buying Grealish as he is the most attainable attacking option we can buy in the summer ( plus he is absolute quality); but we would have to skew things to fit him. This may mean him playing on the right and roaming like Bernardo Silva, Rashford playing up top, or even Rashford playing up top in a 352 with Grealish supporting and Bruno in the 10 position.
What is clear is that there is no space for both Sancho and Grealish or both Grealish and Maddison.
Instead we can buy one of these guys and spend money on other more urgent positions like DM or striker. In addition to this, we can raid teams like Norwich for good young players like Budia or Cantwell.
We don't need another Mata/Kagawa situation.
 
tjb said:
This is the problem with speculation, if we get him, people need to realize that we may not have the space to fit him into the xi.
There are two formations that we have used in the past year: a 4231 and a 3412. Both accommodating only one attacking midfielder; Bruno.
I can see us buying Grealish as he is the most attainable attacking option we can buy in the summer ( plus he is absolute quality); but we would have to skew things to fit him. This may mean him playing on the right and roaming like Bernardo Silva, Rashford playing up top, or even Rashford playing up top in a 352 with Grealish supporting and Bruno in the 10 position.
What is clear is that there is no space for both Sancho and Grealish or both Grealish and Maddison.
Instead we can buy one of these guys and spend money on other more urgent positions like DM or striker. In addition to this, we can raid teams like Norwich for good young players like Budia or Cantwell.
We don't need another Mata/Kagawa situation.
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I see that Grealish has mostly played as left wide forward for Villa this season. Put him there, and shift Rashford to #9.
 
---------------De Gea---------------
AWB--Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
-----------------Fred-----------------
---Fernandes---Grealish--
Sancho---Martial---Rashford

Get it done Woody :drool::drool::drool:
 
SirAF said:
I see that Grealish has mostly played as left wide forward for Villa this season. Put him there, and shift Rashford to #9.
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I can see and would like that, but I'm not sure how good Rashford would be up top anymore. I had faith in him as a striker last season, but his lack of hold up play really showed when Martial went out. Maybe this can be developed, maybe Bruno playing behind him can lead to a sustainable partnership, but its a really hard one to read.
 
charlenefan said:
---------------De Gea---------------
AWB--Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
-----------------Fred-----------------
---Fernandes---Grealish--
Sancho---Martial---Rashford

Get it done Woody :drool::drool::drool:
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That would leave us weak in midfield ( plus Lindelof neeeds to be usurped, Tuanzebe please save us). We would need to either have patience with Mctominay to take that role or buy a new DM to make that work.
 
I've been thinking. Ole might view Grealish as a tactical type of a transfer. With his ability to operate out wide, he could be played in our team as a "false winger" when we're attacking which lets Rashford play a lot more central. He fits very well in 3-5-2 formation as well. It does make sense to me more I think about it.
 
I think a midfield of Fred Grealish and Bruno can work no problem. Fred's not put a foot wrong in months to suggest we need a replacement for him. It would infact mimic City's formation of Fernandinho's destroyer role (Fred), De Bruyne's number 8 role of playing incisive passes, crosses and shooting from distance (Bruno), and David Silva's free playmaker role as the other number 8 (Grealish). We'd essentially have three midfielder who are super comfortable on the ball to dominate possession.
 
"Would be difficult decision to leave boyhood club"

No it would not be at the age of 24, if some giant club wants you and are ready to raise your salary 500%.
 
tjb said:
That would leave us weak in midfield ( plus Lindelof neeeds to be usurped, Tuanzebe please save us). We would need to either have patience with Mctominay to take that role or buy a new DM to make that work.
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We could be but we would also create and score loads more, if Fred can't do the job as a lone DM then try McTominay and then sign a DM. However you should remember that Bruno and Grealish work their socks off without the ball so whilst not entirely secure it won't be like carry Pogba.
 
AneRu said:
We could be but we would also create and score loads more, if Fred can't do the job as a lone DM then try McTominay and then sign a DM. However you should remember that Bruno and Grealish work their socks off without the ball so whilst not entirely secure it won't be like carry Pogba.
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I know they do, I'm just not sure that our tactics with Ole would be suited to it. It's like asking Sir Alex to switch to a possession based 433 with smaller midfielders, certain managers are best at coaching what they know. It would be unfair to Ole to sign those players and expect him to fit them together. Kind of like Madrid's Galactico team.
 
tjb said:
That would leave us weak in midfield ( plus Lindelof neeeds to be usurped, Tuanzebe please save us). We would need to either have patience with Mctominay to take that role or buy a new DM to make that work.
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Nonsense we've got the Brazilian Kante in there ;)
 
jderbyshire said:
Laurie Whitwell (The Athletic) has said Grealish is "Ole's number one target".

We've been put off Maddison because we believe he's soon gonna sign a big contract extension.

Grealish is keen to come this Summer, thinking now is the right team to leave Villa and take the step up in his career.

Whether Villa are relegated or not won't affect the decision to move, but may affect the price (they could demand up to 80m if they stay up)

Oh, and Villa need to sell for FFP.
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The maddison thing doesn't make sense. He knows we want him so why sign a new contract. If he wants to sign a new contract then thats a clear sign he doesn't want to come. So its more that heisn't interested.
 
Fred is not a holding midfielder. Same way Fletcher wasn’t. He presses deep into the opp half, we’d be limiting him playing him deep in a midfield 3.
 
charlenefan said:
---------------De Gea---------------
AWB--Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
-----------------Fred-----------------
---Fernandes---Grealish--
Sancho---Martial---Rashford

Get it done Woody :drool::drool::drool:
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Can't believe people still say this, 'Woody', like he's some sort of legend, horrible.
 
C'est Moi Cantona said:
Can't believe people still say this, 'Woody', like he's some sort of legend, horrible.
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Well if he gets that done in the summer then every single one of those players bar DDG and Rashford will have been bought under his watch tbf
 
charlenefan said:
Well if he gets that done in the summer then every single one of those players bar DDG and Rashford will have been bought under his watch tbf
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Yeah, and we've been great under his watch haven't we, such cohesion with our transfer policy, and such a great long term planning for the club.
 
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RedNed77 said:
---------Rashford------------Sancho-------------
--------------------Maddison-------------------------
------Grealish-----------------Fernandes--------
-------------------------Fred-----------------------------
---Williams----Maguire----Bailly----AWB---
-------------------------DdG-----------------------------

S: Henderson, Shaw, Dalot, Lindelof, McTominay, Greenwood, Ighalo/Dembele

Squad Players: Romero, Jones, Matic, James, Mejbri, Pereira, Ighalo/Dembele, Mata,

It could work. Whilst theres no stand out enforcer apart from maybe Fred, all 4 in the midfield are fairly industrious and will put a shift in. Theres a bit of a lack of wingers and our fullbacks aren't the best at providing width and crosses, but i feel that is something that could be worked on on the coaching side. Maddison maybe as a false 9 with the front two pulling wide and runs in from Fernandes and Grealish?

The bench options suddenly look better and allow you to switch that formation into anything from a 3412 to a straight 442 as well.
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Yes, it could I suppose. Still do we really see Woodward and his famously ineffective transfer people being able to actually pull off three major transfers in one window? Look how much time the Maguire and Fernandes transfers took. It seems a stretch on the evidence of previous windows.
 
amolbhatia50k said:
I do like Maddison but he's more of a specialist AM for me. A final third difference maker. He doesn't really on paper add that much new in addition to Fernandes (who I need to learn about myself). Grealish to me looks like that midfielder teams cant get close to. Don't think Fernandes has that sort of technical ability with the ball at feet. He'd improve our possession play which I'd exactly what we need and something Maddison and Fernandes don't and can't offer. Sort of like our own Iniesta/Silva type player.
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Fernandes plays his best football at 8 though. He's a midfielder who gets forward and scores and assists a lot rather than one of the attacking midfielders who plays behind the striker. So together with Maddison you'd double the creative output since they operate from different areas. Having said that Grealish could provide the kind of defence-breaking dribbling that city have had from Silva down the years. A player who can carry the ball through the lines like that really isn't very common.
 
Scholsey2004 said:
Fernandes plays his best football at 8 though. He's a midfielder who gets forward and scores and assists a lot rather than one of the attacking midfielders who plays behind the striker. So together with Maddison you'd double the creative output since they operate from different areas. Having said that Grealish could provide the kind of defence-breaking dribbling that city have had from Silva down the years. A player who can carry the ball through the lines like that really isn't very common.
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Which is why on paper Grealish appears to be the right fit for me. You need these sort of technical players who opponents struggle to get close to, to amplify the productivity and space of the ones who will make a difference in the scoreline.
 
I genuinely think Grealish could have Cantona-esque impact on your squad, the way he plays in a poor Villa team is exceptional, he drives team mates on has a great skill set and leadership qualities, he could really bring your squad to life.
 
watching sancho, i don't see why grealish couldn't do this for us.
 
tjb said:
I know they do, I'm just not sure that our tactics with Ole would be suited to it. It's like asking Sir Alex to switch to a possession based 433 with smaller midfielders, certain managers are best at coaching what they know. It would be unfair to Ole to sign those players and expect him to fit them together. Kind of like Madrid's Galactico team.
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Ole will be gone sooner or later.
 
SirAF said:
I see that Grealish has mostly played as left wide forward for Villa this season. Put him there, and shift Rashford to #9.
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Rashford has put some of the worst performances is his career in a 9, that's an extremely bad suggestion.
 
charlenefan said:
---------------De Gea---------------
AWB--Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
-----------------Fred-----------------
---Fernandes---Grealish--
Sancho---Martial---Rashford

Get it done Woody :drool::drool::drool:
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Yep. That would work against most teams in the league. Fred and Bruno are not DMs but they have very good engines to cover a lot of ground.
 
If we sign him this summer then it would bring back memories of the Berbatov saga. Wonderful player to watch, perhaps my favourite player in the premiership right now, but comes with question marks on how we will fit him in this team. But if we ever get the chance to sign him then that's a too good of a opportunity to turn down.
 
BarstoolProphet said:
If we sign him this summer then it would bring back memories of the Berbatov saga. Wonderful player to watch, perhaps my favourite player in the premiership right now, but comes with question marks on how we will fit him in this team. But if we ever get the chance to sign him then that's a too good of a opportunity to turn down.
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My guess is that he'll play on the left of a 3 man midfield in a pivot with Bruno.

When we're attacking this season, Rashford and James have played more as inside forwards than wingers, so Grealish will likely head towards the left wing and Rashford gives us another body in the box.

It'd actually be very similar to the role Pogba plays when he's fit.
 
More talk == higher price, Villa must be rubbing their hands just waiting to rinse us in the summer. I hope we have some plan B options that are a little more under the radar.
 
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