Jack Grealish / signs new 5 year contract

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ostentatious said:
Your initial post was:
"Stick Fred in a number 10 role and sign two proper center midfielders."

Why not buy a proper CM and a proper #10 for the #10 role instead? That way, Fred, gets to play where he is comfortable, and nobody needs to play out of position.
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Because Fred isn't a proper CM, I think he would better further forward.
 
Drz said:
Well if you forgo "popular names" and actually do the homework we can make signings like you suggest. But I don't think it will sit well with our "glory" oriented fanbase.
Generally though I'm not too bothered with teams signing other good players, I wish we could identify and recruit the "exceptional" ones.
Staying on track, I wonder how many on here actually assess Grealish to be an "exceptional" talent and how many think he is simply an improvement on what we have for the position (arguably that is not saying much)?
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Agreed. Someone like Gross instead of Pereira or Lingard would have us tied with Chelsea but that doesn't mean he'd be a good signing. Selling Rojo, Lingard and Matic this summer would have paid for one definite starter though, so that feels like a genuine miss.

I'm torn on Grealish. He has obvious talent and literally drew double the fouls per game of any player in the Champo, but does he have the quality as a shooter and passer in the final 3rd? Depends on price I suppose. Lingard and 25M would absolutely be worth the risk and maybe Villa wouldn't turn up their nose at a guy with Lingard's England caps.
 
James Ward said:
Because Fred isn't a proper CM, I think he would better further forward.
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He always play in that CM/DM role even before he joined us, not sure what makes you think that way. Just sign a proper no 10 ffs.
 
James Ward said:
Why not? He's better than both Andreas and Jesse and can actually play a decent pass.
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Because you're proposing a plan wherein we sign players on the basis of Fred as a number 10. Which is absurd given he's completely unsuited for the role and terrible in an attacking sense.
 
NoPace said:
I'm torn on Grealish. He has obvious talent and literally drew double the fouls per game of any player in the Champo, but does he have the quality as a shooter and passer in the final 3rd?
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His shooting has been nothing short of divine this season.
 
amolbhatia50k said:
Because you're proposing a plan wherein we sign players on the basis of Fred as a number 10. Which is absurd given he's completely unsuited for the role and terrible in an attacking sense.
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Not saying for 1 minute that Fred is suited to the CAM role but he is not terrible in the attacking third, we are as a whole unit, team what ever you want to call it. If and when we have better players, better structure, better everything I think you might be surprised as to what Fred can provide in the forward areas. Currently the poor bloke has no chance, he is a one man band, doing his best but surrounded by mediocrity.
 
Andrew Richmond said:
Not saying for 1 minute that Fred is suited to the CAM role but he is not terrible in the attacking third, we are as a whole unit, team what ever you want to call it. If and when we have better players, better structure, better everything I think you might be surprised as to what Fred can provide in the forward areas. Currently the poor bloke has no chance, he is a one man band, doing his best but surrounded by mediocrity.
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I mean, he hasn't got much of a burst of pace to speak of. He isn't all that difficult to knock off the ball. He doesn't have excellent balance. And his shooting is Andersonesque.

His stetngths lie in his tenacity, stamina, passing in between the lines, work rate, first touch (usually good can be inconsistent), quick thinking/decision making. All of which are suited to a CM as opposed to an AM.

I understand going with him there as a stop gap when we lack alternatives. However it makes no sense to have the opportunity to sign players and then do so on the basis of Fred as your AM.
 
NoPace said:
Agreed. Someone like Gross instead of Pereira or Lingard would have us tied with Chelsea but that doesn't mean he'd be a good signing. Selling Rojo, Lingard and Matic this summer would have paid for one definite starter though, so that feels like a genuine miss.

I'm torn on Grealish. He has obvious talent and literally drew double the fouls per game of any player in the Champo, but does he have the quality as a shooter and passer in the final 3rd? Depends on price I suppose. Lingard and 25M would absolutely be worth the risk and maybe Villa wouldn't turn up their nose at a guy with Lingard's England caps.
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From open play Grealish has created most chances or in top 3 in top 5 leagues this season.
 
roonster09 said:
From open play Grealish has created most chances or in top 3 in top 5 leagues this season.
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Yeah but I'd guess most of that has been as a LW, whereas we'd be signing him to be our #10, and 14 goals in 99 Championship starts isn't bad for a CM in a 4-3-3 but it's nothing incredible either for a guy who's there to create offense.

I have been impressed by his weight of pass when I watch him, my guess is he'll never be a great goalscorer from midfield but does have the creativity and dribbling to be similar to what Giggs gave us at the end of his career from midfield as a CM, a #10, winger at times still and the most impactful sub we've had along with Chicharito since Ole was doing his thing. And we're desperate for a player like that.
 
Haddock said:
Grealish is quality. Quick, very strong, lovely technique. He's a guaranteed success and we should really buy him. Imagine him finding Rashford and Martial instead of Wesley. He's a much much better player than Maddison. There's no comparison really.
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Agreed. Think he would be a great addition. He had a few years he went off the rails. But he seems to have truly matured this year. I think that he’d make a better addition to squad than Maddison.
 
James Ward said:
Why not? He's better than both Andreas and Jesse and can actually play a decent pass.
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Mental. Nothing about him is suited to being a number 10 over a CM.

Can't shoot, dribble or play incisive passes. He's a hard working tidy CM. That's what he's good at.
 
I didn't see the game last night so who would people say won the battle between him & Maddison
 
Grealish would be the top of my shopping list for United right now, he is exactly what we need. Unfortunately he will more than likely sign for an ambitious club in the Summer instead.
 
Negative Red said:
Grealish would be the top of my shopping list for United right now, he is exactly what we need. Unfortunately he will more than likely sign for an ambitious club in the Summer instead.
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Whomever this ambitious club is he wouldn't be a starter for them. At United he would definitely be a starter.
 
flappyjay said:
Whomever this ambitious club is he wouldn't be a starter for them. At United he would definitely be a starter.
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Any club can be ambitious no matter what level they're playing. That being said I think Grealish walks into most teams starting 11, City being an exception. Just my opinion of course.
 
NoPace said:
Depends on price I suppose. Lingard and 25M would absolutely be worth the risk and maybe Villa wouldn't turn up their nose at a guy with Lingard's England caps.
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Two problems here. Villa would laugh so much they probably wouldn't even respond to the offer and Lingard would want a move to a better club than Villa.
 
Ekeke said:
A tough role I guess, but he was very wasteful against Leicester
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wasteful?, I thought he was the opposite if anything, kept the ball moving, didn't lose possession in tight spaces. His stats won't be as good as Maddison's as in shots etc, but I felt his influence was bigger. I like both players, but Grealish shaded that one for me.
 
I'm sold on this. Make it happen Ed. Do like the cut of his jib.
 
James Ward said:
Because Fred isn't a proper CM, I think he would better further forward.
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I would say that Fred's best attributes are his high intensity, break up play and ball distribution. I want to say that he's a box to box midfielder but then again I would consider Pogba a box to box midfielder but they both play nothing alike. Fred is definitely not a No. 10 though. He does make good passes every now and then but I don't think he can unlock defenses like the Silvas of the world. Fred is at best an off the bench guy or squad player. I would use him like how Fergie used Fletcher.
 
I would get him in if he is available and as quickly as possible. He has all the qualities we lack in attack. None of our attacking players have the balance, two footedness or technique that he has. In addition, he has a good awareness of space and has the bravery and the dribbling ability to consistently drive us forward in a way that only Pogba can rival in our squad. Unlike Pogba, he has good close control which allows him to operate higher up the pitch. In our 4231, our key problem building up through the middle is that our no. 10's do not have the quality to receive the ball and create/or bring the team forward. It's difficult to build up play through the middle without a no.10 who can do those things or a no.9 with either the strength or balance of Giroud/Firmino or Benzema. We have neither of those things.
 
poleglass red said:
wasteful?, I thought he was the opposite if anything, kept the ball moving, didn't lose possession in tight spaces. His stats won't be as good as Maddison's as in shots etc, but I felt his influence was bigger. I like both players, but Grealish shaded that one for me.
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He lost the ball almost every time he dribbled it. 25% success rate from his 4 dribble attempts, exactly the same as Trezeguet. 1 out of 4. Usually he does better than that
 
There is no way that he is available in January, given that villa are just above the drop zone. For though, between him and Maddison, he's the better more rounded footballer.

A very good replacement for pogba and won't cost as much as Madison.
 
Ekeke said:
He lost the ball almost every time he dribbled it. 25% success rate from his 4 dribble attempts, exactly the same as Trezeguet. 1 out of 4. Usually he does better than that
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this is why i hate stats, they can be so misleading. He made a surging run from the half and tried to play a defence splitting pass that would have put his teammate clean through but Soyuncu at full stretch was able to get a touch on and block it.Ball went straight to a Villa player and 4 touches later ball is in the back of the net. That passage started with his run and attempted pass.I watched the game moreso to see what capacity he could strengthen us. I loved the way he dictated the tempo for them, long and short passes, kept it well. He put a beauty of a free kick in that Villa player headed off crossbar, again an area we are poor in ie delivery of set pieces.He lost possession down towards Leicester corner flag isn 2nd half as his villa teamate went back instead of forward, again stats will show failed dribble attempt but had his teammate made the run he would have got the ball. What Grealish draws is lots of fouls with his runs, I believe he's the most fouled player in league. What I liked about him was he is always looking to play a forward pass, I've no issue with losing possession at the other teams corner flag or losing possession trying to make a positive run with the ball, happens to Pogba all the time. Haven't seen a ton of him, but liked his performance v leicester
 
From what I've seen he lacks the vision and loves the ball a bit too much by taking many unnecessary touches when quick pass is available.
 
Art said:
How much would he cost realistically ?
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there has been talk that his contract has a 45 mill buyout clause, the club has denied that. The argument about Villa not selling their prized asset when so close to relegation could be offset by claims they need to raise money to comply with FPP. Not sure how true either claim is but it's out there in the press.
 
Ekeke said:
He lost the ball almost every time he dribbled it. 25% success rate from his 4 dribble attempts, exactly the same as Trezeguet. 1 out of 4. Usually he does better than that
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He most certainly did not. Absolute nonsense. Embarrassingly inaccurate.
 
JB7 said:
Two problems here. Villa would laugh so much they probably wouldn't even respond to the offer and Lingard would want a move to a better club than Villa.
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Think you're right about the second but I'm not sure everyone hates Lingard. My guess is some Prem teams think he's a 5M player and some a 30M player, even though that may sound crazy to us, as we know he's about a 10M player for a lower level Prem team where he'd get to play on the break more which would suit him (and he'd probably bag more goals) but his abhorrent playmaking would see him end up on the wing where he's not at his best.
 
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