How can anyone possibly say that about regular starters? It is more likely they will play around 50 games than them not doing so. This season wasn’t their first seasons as professionals. It is an anomaly that they have missed months of the season. They have played around 50 games many times before.
Jack Grealish / signs new 5 year contract
- Thread starter MyOnlySolskjaer
- Start date
- Status
How can anyone possibly say that about regular starters? It is more likely they will play around 50 games than them not doing so. This season wasn’t their first seasons as professionals. It is an anomaly that they have missed months of the season. They have played around 50 games many times before.
Agreed.
Would like to have him. But where does he fit assuming Pogba stays (which is likely for financial reasons). Even if you put Grealish on the left, and move Rashford up front, where does that leave Martial? On the bench, along with Ighalo and Greenwood ? You can’t have 3 quality strikers on the bench. One of the three would be wasted.
Last edited:
Come on, we need to think bigger.
Remember the quality we had in 07/08 on the bench.
We need strength and depth, he will get loads of games instead of Lingard and Perreira, we always get tons of injuries.
It’s a class head ache for the manager, bring him in.
If we have funds enough to sign him and Sancho then I hope we do it. The key to Prem/CL success isn't even depth, its competition for places. Having a Grealish in the squad puts even Rashford on notice.
The Champions elect barely have any competition for places tbh. I think there are arguments both ways for chopping and changing and a settled XI.
They basically gave up on the FA cup and league cup though and I don't think we ever will.
This season specifically with our razor thin squad, we should've probably just skipped the cups but Ole's probably more old school in thinking winning any trophy develops player mentality or something along those lines (probably true).
That’s true, although the timing of the Club World Cup didn’t help either.
We can play a diamond which I believe can suit Pogba, Fernandes, Grelish, Rashford and Martial.
Fred?
I think it depends on;
A: Sancho signing. He can play LW or RW, so even if Rashford isn't available he can play LW to a high level
B: Pogba staying. If he doesn't commit then perhaps cut our losses and try to sign Grealish+1 CM to cover.
We need better depth for Fernandes if Pogba goes.
A: Sancho signing. He can play LW or RW, so even if Rashford isn't available he can play LW to a high level
B: Pogba staying. If he doesn't commit then perhaps cut our losses and try to sign Grealish+1 CM to cover.
We need better depth for Fernandes if Pogba goes.
Totally agree.
Rashford-Martial (Greenwood, Ighalo)
-------Grealish----- (James but he moves to RW)
Pogba------Bruno (McTominay)
----------Fred-------- (Matic)
would be a fine plan B no Sancho lineup for next year. As much as people on here are scared to have Fred in a holding role, we conceded 1 less goal than City this year and only 9 more than Liverpool but were 22 and 24 behind them in scoring, and Bruno in for Lingard/Pereira will cut some of that but not all.
And while no RW again is scary, Greenwood as a wide striker out there would probably bang a fair few goals in with Wan-Bissaka behind him as defensive cover and Pogba, Grealish, Bruno and Fred hitting him with passes, he wouldn't be as good as Martial or James overall but he really could score a huge number of goals in this setup.
I think in general, and i'm guilty of this too when I suggest signings like Dwight McNeil or Buendia to fill important holes in the squad (LWB/RW and backup to Bruno respectively), people here are way too worried about fit and not enough about having quality players in their prime.
If we can't get Sancho and there's no obvious class RW, I'd be excited with getting Grealish (or Maddison or Havertz or another 10) and spending the money on keeping Pogba and maybe adding a CB, we can can always try a cheaper option or loan at LWB and let James and Greenwood fight it out at RW.
We don't have a manager like Klopp or Pep to play a system better than anyone else knows and so need to find players who fit. We're more like an Allegri style team where the goal is getting quality players in good shape and figuring it out from there. It's probably not optimal but we have more money than sense and that ain't changing soon.
That would be an increible unbalanced squad, it could work only if we manage Barca’s or City’s posesion levels, otherwise we would be constantly exposed at the back.
I've watched this guy only a couple of times, but he seems to operate in the absolute same positions as Pogba, so it is totally reasonable to expect that his arrival is contingent on Pogba leaving.
To the people who are referencing 07/08 squad, I would suggest to study the squad from the year before.
First You have to arrive as winner or realistic challenger for major trophies and then it is easier to sell squad roles to new recruits.
That is why City can do it relatively easily, they are winning the PL every couple years plus a lot of domestic cups as a minor plus.
Basically first we have to walk and then we can run if it all goes to plan.
To the people who are referencing 07/08 squad, I would suggest to study the squad from the year before.
First You have to arrive as winner or realistic challenger for major trophies and then it is easier to sell squad roles to new recruits.
That is why City can do it relatively easily, they are winning the PL every couple years plus a lot of domestic cups as a minor plus.
Basically first we have to walk and then we can run if it all goes to plan.
So is Rashford on the bench or up front?
we can rotate and switch for what we need. yeah, we can
You’ve moved Rashford up front So he wouldn’t be on the bench
And Ighalo is a back up
So we’d have 1 quality striker Martial or Rashford, which ever one isn’t starting
Which makes perfect sense
There isn't a regular starting spot for him if he plays in the positions that he's best in, especially if Pogba stays, and while it's easy for fans to talk about squad depth I doubt Grealish fancies being the rotation option nor do I see the club spending £70M on a rotation option.
Bruno and Pogba will start every major game they are fit for, likewise Rashford, and if we get Sancho he will as well, now I know some want to bench Martial, move Rashford to #9 and play Grealish on the left, but Rashford has went up a level this season playing as a LWF, and while the caf collective (myself included) aren't 100% convinced about Martial long term, when you look at our Igalho move, the attempt to buy Josh King and the recent Cavani on a free link, it seems clear Ole and the staff want purely a back up/rotation striker to add to the squad, so they see Martial as the main #9.
Bruno and Pogba will start every major game they are fit for, likewise Rashford, and if we get Sancho he will as well, now I know some want to bench Martial, move Rashford to #9 and play Grealish on the left, but Rashford has went up a level this season playing as a LWF, and while the caf collective (myself included) aren't 100% convinced about Martial long term, when you look at our Igalho move, the attempt to buy Josh King and the recent Cavani on a free link, it seems clear Ole and the staff want purely a back up/rotation striker to add to the squad, so they see Martial as the main #9.
I could not agree more mate.
Excellent Post.
Pogba will be gone in the next 1-2 years regardless, might as well get his replacement ASAP.
We play more than enough games for Grealish to get good game time.
We need strong depth to compete on all fronts, look at the bench of our 07/08 team! We need this again if we want to reach the top level again.
We should sign him if he is available.
If hes available at a reasonable price we have to buy him. The Pogba circus could go all the way to deadline day and we could be left with no time to replace him.
We will only sign him if Pogba leaves in the summer.
Jesus, who the hell wants that?
Also personally I am pretty convinced by Martial long term. The numbers are respectable even in a team that's had to go without so many key players for much of the season, and the evidence of our eyes is obviously that he's a top quality player who makes our other key players click too.
Agree with your actual point though. Grealish's signing should be contingent on Pogba leaving.
I’m struggling to understand how people see Pogba is playing in the same role or position as Grealish. This season, all Pogba’s game were in that deep role 4231 formation. Grealish never play in that position this season. Never mind this season, he never play there in his career. While Pogba always play there with France.
Grealish is midfielder in midfield 3, attacking mid no 10 & wide attacker. This signing doesn’t depend on Pogba.
Last edited:
I think the logic is that in his whole time with us so far, Pogba has mostly played a more advanced position, and lots of people consider the AM position his best, even though he often plays deeper with France. Personally I think part of the problem with Pogba is that to get the best out of him you kind of have to give him a free role, without any strict positional limits at all, so the whole discussion is moot. But it's definitely fair to liken Grealish's contribution on the pitch to Pogba's, in that he's a difference maker and the key orchestrator of attacking moves. He does tend to follow those moves right into the box more often than Pogba because he's more of a dribbler and less of a passer. But it's still fair to assume that Pogba leaving makes a fairly Grealish-shaped hole in the squad. It's not as if Pogba was any kind of defensive contributor, really.
There's nothing wrong with having a strong squad.
Grealish and Bruno as first choice for the PL and big European matches, with Pogba playing in the cup games or as an option off the bench.
Grealish and Bruno as first choice for the PL and big European matches, with Pogba playing in the cup games or as an option off the bench.
Even if the idea comes from Pogba played in more advanced position, it doesn’t make sense that Grealish will replace him or we will spend the money on him as we already have Bruno Fernandes in that advanced position. If a player will replace him it’ll likely to be a player who plays in that deeper role like Veratti, Fabian Ruiz, Rabiot, Neves and etc (Those list is just for “example“ players who plays in the same role so don’t twist it by saying Veratti is unrealistic).
He’s more suitable to join City to replace Silva or Liverpool who needs to upgrade their attacking mid. Liverpool still hasn’t replace Coutinho and Wijnaldum is already 29 years old, perfect signing for them. At Liverpool He’ll play in that midfield 3, can be used as a no 10 in 4231 and good option for Mane’s cover.
Should focus on upgrading the XI first before thinking about “strong squad”.
Grealish is better than Pogba, so it would be strengthening the first XI.
Once again, this is back to my original argument. I’m struggling to see how people see Pogba is playing in the same role as Grealish. Pogba played all his games this season in deeper role, he‘s basically playing there under Mourinho and also with France. Grealish on the other hand never play there in his career. People are being unrealistic, it’s not about signing every available good or top player. It’s about signing the right player and the player that we need, someone who is suit with what we need and the system.
Pogba doesn't play as deep as you think and Grealish hasn't always played as high up as you think. They could easily be swapped 1-for-1.
Just because I said Grealish played as a midfielder in midfield 3 doesn't mean I think that as high as what you imagined. Not every midfielder plays in midfield 3 is considered as playing higher up.
Pogba has been playing in that pivot of the midfield 2 this season, under Ole & with France. Grealish never play there. It's not the same being a midfielder in midfield 2 & being a midfielder in midfield 3.
It's a lot harder to play in midfield 2, and we know for sure it's not a position that suits Grealish, and yet you want us to make him to learn how to play in midfield 2 when lot of Aston Villa fans been complaining about the manager couldn't play him in his best position which is no 10 behind striker.
I think it's okay to be a bit unbalanced, maybe even without possession. Pogba and Bruno play in roles with that kind of responsibility internationally and they both have the passing and shooting range to contribute from deeper even if it's with less work in the opponent's penalty area.
We need to be thinking like a big team again, and a big percentage of big teams worry more about getting the best players on the field than balance. One holding midfielder like Fred or McTominay with the mobility to clean up mistakes in front of a back 4, and then 5 skilled guys. Not just extreme possession sides either. Bayern play Muller and Thiago in front of a holder a lot. Is that better defensively without the ball than Bruno and Pogba can be for us? Bruno in particular seems hungry to do anything and Pogba certainly can physically and probably just needs a manager he likes and respects (or sadly a transfer) or even just the elixir of a winning run.
If Pogba leaves and we buy Grealish and a box to box midfielder or passer who puts in a shift defensively and make Fred or McTominay the starting 6 that won't upset me. It seems like Mctominay's likely future position considering his size, not being special as a dribbler or playmaker in short space but being a pretty good intermediate to long passer and the height of a CB (honestly he might even be a CB long term considering his size and skillset, I think he would be moved there if he played for City). And Fred is the kind of mobile and defensively tenacious but not outrageously skillful or creative and poor in the final third midfielder who big teams often play deeper anyways.
When we have a season where we score 85 goals but concede 50 I'll think we need more balance, but we went from 80 a year in the league under Fergie's final 6 years to scoring 60 a year on average without him in the 6 full years since, while goals given up has only gone from 31 a year up to 37. 3 times as big a gap.
Talent > Balance, we'll still have a player at DM and a back 4 focused on defending, and right now our fullbacks are Wan-Bissaka and Shaw who are far far better defensively than going forwards. With those fullbacks starting we really should be able to give our attackers some freedom, or we might as well get fullbacks who can flirt with double digit assists, and that is even more disruption.
The point is they shouldnt have to, good rotation and competition brings out the best in players. Look back at our title winning teams. Several quality players for each position. That's what we need to aim for.
This is all great points. But Grealish is a great option off the bench. Plus he will be a great replacement when Pogba, Fernandes or even Rashford is required to be rested.
Furthermore it will instill competition among the squad as they know they will have to keep playing at its best. In addition to above, against tough sides or latter stages in champions league where possession amd keeping it tight matters having a midfielder with great close control is paramount, thus we will sacrifice one striker either Rashford/Sancho or Martial depending on the form.
Lastly imagine first day of the season and we get an injury to Pogba or Fernandes and godforbid enters Lingard as a substitute or enters Grealish.
I'm sorry?
They should. Top teams want their best players playing most games. The idea is to have them on the pitch as often as possible, and rotation is basically to enable them being on the pitch as often as possible.
No club just changes a working formula for the sake of it. I’d love us to have Grealish along with Pogba, but I don’t even think it would be the best use of our resources.
Absolutely delusional this guy.
People are so desperate for Grealish to sign that they will say anything to shoehorn him into the team.
We are not going to spend $70m on a rotation option and he is definitely not better than Pogba. Jesus Christ.
Low cost cover for Bruno and Matic is what we should be looking at and spend big on a RW.
We are not going to spend $70m on a rotation option and he is definitely not better than Pogba. Jesus Christ.
Low cost cover for Bruno and Matic is what we should be looking at and spend big on a RW.
Surely no-one genuinely thinks he's better than Pogba 
Lockdown is causing some real losses of sanity.
Lockdown is causing some real losses of sanity.- Status