(January window) All I want for Christmas is..

Hanky panky said:
Some people are talking about Nuno Mendes. If honest, haven't followed him that much. But how i remember he was pretty bad in Euros? I felt like Portugal's attack stopped everytime he got ball and his last decision were bad. I may be wrong though. Same time Theo Hernandez have almost always been good when i saw him.
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I’d be concerned over his fitness, last thing we need is 3 sick notes at LB
 
I am not naming names as we are probably looking at loans mostly unless we get an unexpected windfall so dream candidates will have to wait until we have the resources available to get them but in order of importance I want these three things;

1. an attacking LWB
2. an athletic pressing number 10
3. an experienced striker

The first frees us from Dalot on the left, aka where attacks go to die. The extent to which this will allow a proper implementation of Rubens system cannot be understated. The second is almost as essential and is an area where our current options are a very poor fit with the exception of Mount who is just never fit. The last one provides us with the ability to rotate strikers with Rasmus playing the understudy role so he can impact games as a sub and learn from someone who has real experience in the role which should have been the case from the start.
 
golden_blunder said:
I’d be concerned over his fitness, last thing we need is 3 sick notes at LB
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Looks like he had a torrid time 22/23 with injuries but last year and this year so far has been completely clear.

Not without risk but we’ll have to hope he is past the worst of it if he joins.
 
Gandalf said:
I am not naming names as we are probably looking at loans mostly unless we get an unexpected windfall so dream candidates will have to wait until we have the resources available to get them but in order of importance I want these three things;

1. an attacking LWB
2. an athletic pressing number 10
3. an experienced striker

The first frees us from Dalot on the left, aka where attacks go to die. The extent to which this will allow a proper implementation of Rubens system cannot be understated. The second is almost as essential and is an area where our current options are a very poor fit with the exception of Mount who is just never fit. The last one provides us with the ability to rotate strikers with Rasmus playing the understudy role so he can impact games as a sub and learn from someone who has real experience in the role which should have been the case from the start.
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A wise wizard
 
Gandalf said:
I am not naming names as we are probably looking at loans mostly unless we get an unexpected windfall so dream candidates will have to wait until we have the resources available to get them but in order of importance I want these three things;

1. an attacking LWB
2. an athletic pressing number 10
3. an experienced striker

The first frees us from Dalot on the left, aka where attacks go to die. The extent to which this will allow a proper implementation of Rubens system cannot be understated. The second is almost as essential and is an area where our current options are a very poor fit with the exception of Mount who is just never fit. The last one provides us with the ability to rotate strikers with Rasmus playing the understudy role so he can impact games as a sub and learn from someone who has real experience in the role which should have been the case from the start.
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It does appear to me that teams are funneling us down our left, as in they pack in the middle and shaded to our right side, basically daring us to switch it out to Dalot because they know he offers absolutely no threat whatsoever!

And we constantly fall for it! The players look up and see all this space out on the left and their years of experience tells them that that is the right pass! Switch the play out wide left, its wide open! Then we do and the attack breaks down instantly.
 
1988 said:
I can't tell you what I want but I can tell you what I don't want. I don't want high profile players on big wages. I want those uncut diamonds that'll bleed for every win and every point.

**edit. Well I guess I could tell you what I want.
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Care to put forward a couple of suggestions
 
croadyman said:
Care to put forward a couple of suggestions
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I don't care much for namedropping. But we desperately need players for Amorim's system. I'd say lwb and a left-footed 10 should be the absolute priority in a tricky January market.

I don't expect much from the window this winter but just a few additions that can play the system. I think Højlund can do the job so don't care much for a striker. We've got bigger issues and the money is small from what we hear.
 
INEOS to realise we simply have to make a couple of signings instead of pleading poverty. Maybe some pressure from the sides below us in table might force them into the market
 
No point buying anyone or doing anything, they will just come in and within a few months fall into the toxic culture at the club and not make any difference.
 
croadyman said:
INEOS to realise we simply have to make a couple of signings instead of pleading poverty. Maybe some pressure from the sides below us in table might force them into the market
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We cannot spend what we don't have. United are preparing for missing out on UCL qualification for consecutive seasons - despite how bad we've generally been since Sir Alex retired, amazingly this will be the first time that we've failed to qualify twice in a row. The financial hit is significant and there will need to be some serious belt tightening, starting with a reduced transfer spend relative to what we've generally done in recent years.

The top earners at the club (Bruno, Rashford and Casemiro) are all on massive wages that cannot really be sustained if the club is facing multiple years outside Europe's top competition - they also need to be moved on (or, at the very least, 2 of the 3 of them).
 
First and foremost, a LWB. After that it's pretty much take your pick, could do with a player at almost every position.
 
Selling Rashford and Casemiro seems like the most obvious first steps to take. Then we'd have some cash to play with, and hopefully we'll use it wisely to strengthen a few positions
 
How many blunders does Onana have to make for a goalkeeper to be on the list? I'd say he's easily made about 25 since he came and we're so bad from corners and set-pieces because he is so uncommanding. Defenders have been poor too but I think they have no confidence with what's behind them. He doesn't bother diving for many shots too. We'll always be a shambles with this lad in goal, mark my words.
 
Ole'sgunnarwin said:
How many blunders does Onana have to make for a goalkeeper to be on the list? I'd say he's easily made about 25 since he came and we're so bad from corners and set-pieces because he is so uncommanding. Defenders have been poor too but I think they have no confidence with what's behind them. He doesn't bother diving for many shots too. We'll always be a shambles with this lad in goal, mark my words.
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Agreed. Onana definitely needs replacing. He’s a problem now.
 
An Andy Cole regen would be lovely. Not even sure one exists.

Have to agree on the Onana shouts. He's not the answer and it's been evident for quite some time.
 
Sunny Jim said:
What for? Hojlund hardly gets any service new striker wont change that.
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Hojlund is just as responsible as the rest of the attack for the lack of goals. This narrative that he does everything right but gets no service is getting tiring. His first touch is dreadful, He is poor in the air, his hold-up play is average, his decision making is baffling. We need a experienced no. 9 so he can develop without the pressure on him. Because at his current level he isn't ready to lead the line.

But it matters little,we can't afford new players anyway.
 
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Denis79 said:
Hojlund is just as responsible as the rest of the attack for the lack of goals. This narrative that he does everything right but gets no service is getting tiring. His first touch is dreadful, He is poor in the air, his hold-up play is average, his decision making is baffling. We need a experienced no. 9 so he can develop without the pressure on him. Because at his current level he isn't ready to lead the line.

But it matters little,we can't afford new players anyway.
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I don’t think anyone is saying that he’s perfect. Just that last season his conversion rate was second only to Haaland. But didn’t get enough chances

This season he hasn’t been good so far. Which is to be expected, a 21 year old on second season syndrome and the whole team is playing pants
 
Sunny Jim said:
What for? Hojlund hardly gets any service new striker wont change that.
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Nah, a striker is responsible for creating chances for himself and getting himself into positions to get on the end of chances. Hojlund is literally the worst in the league at getting shots off. He plays for Man United. It's not a case of him not getting service, he simply doesn't do enough to get on the end of chances or to create them for himself.
 
golden_blunder said:
I don’t think anyone is saying that he’s perfect. Just that last season his conversion rate was second only to Haaland. But didn’t get enough chances

This season he hasn’t been good so far. Which is to be expected, a 21 year old on second season syndrome and the whole team is playing pants
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That’s exactly my point. He may have a lot of potential, but his struggles aren't limited to United. He’s been underwhelming for the national team and had a poor showing in the Euros. His current form isn’t down to his teammates but rather the pressure and circumstances surrounding him. Right now, he’s not at the level required to lead the line, and it’s evident that he’s regressing. To help him and the team, we need to ease the pressure by bringing in an experienced striker for him to learn from. At the moment, having him as our No. 9 without any competition is doing a disservice to both him and the team.
 
According to some reports we need to sell to buy, according to some we have capacity to spend if we want to although it will have a knock on effect for the summer, regardless we could clearly do with shifting some players off our books, either permanently Casemiro, Lindelof, or on loan, Zirkzee, Garna, Rashford.... let them prove themselves in a system and league that suits them better and we can maybe achieve a better value for them in the summer.

Striker:
Samu, he would not be cheap and is still young, but he looks custom made for the prem, I certainly would not mind, he would definitely be an immediate upgrade on what we currently have as an alternative to Hojlund,
Gift Oban, would be a cheap option, not sure if he has the physique to play in the prem
Victor Boniface, maybe the middle ground price wise, great strength and technique

LWB;
We have been linked with several but unless we are going to spend big now and not in the summer then Alvaro Fernandez is a no brainer

Midfield;
Clearly Amorim doesn't fancy Collyer, despite being named on the bench it feels this is making up the numbers rather than any realistic possibility of playing him
We have been linked with Ederson, would be nice but not cheap
Olmo, I mean he is either brilliant or shite depending on what you read, free doesn't always mean it is a good deal, do we need another sick note player, would rather we offer Barca an alternative, maybe and finally get DeJong, maybe Fati and free up some finances for Barca to keep Olmo

other;
Would love to see us sign Gnonto from Leeds, can play left or right, can easily be an attacking WB
 
LWB and ST. Given there’s no money, either a loan or a buy if few players can be sold (Rashford, Casemiro). It all sounds unlikely so won’t be surprised if nothing happens in January.

Thought of loaning Reguilon as a possibility. It sounds underwhelming and he’s injury-prone so not the best suggestion I’m aware. But he played as LM at times so perhaps would be a decent LWB (or at least better than Dalot).

Solution for RWB will probably be to play Amad and Antony there which doesn’t sound that bad.
 
Withnail said:
And what does that mean to you?
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that’s not an easy answer, there is cultural problems at the Club, Rangnick flagged it when he joined highlighting how players aren’t doing the basic positioning and arn’t willing to run or listen in training, Ten Hag said the same thing, then one of the first thing Amorim says is the same thing.

In that time we have spent over half a billion, and they just come in a Plateau or regress. So it’s not even just the same players new players come in an develop this attitude.

It’s clearly a deep seated institutional problem within the club, that’s bigger than just the coaching staff a manger brings with them.

It needs to be a route a claw rip away of all players, coaches, staff, support staff, ambassadors mangment, media support staff, players media support.

It’s gonna take a long long time because this is clearly a deep routed issue.
 
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