Kevin Strootman

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Strootman is most definitely a player I wouldn't mind here at United; in fact I wanted him last season amid all the "he's not good enough for us" nonsense but I can't help but feel since then and since his injury, there's been an awful lot of exaggeration on how good he is and how much better we'll be with him in our team.

I mean, fair enough, he's a very good player as shown in Serie A last season and sure, he'd improve our team but there's much more pressing concerns in our team than midifeld at the moment.

I actually read on here a while ago that he's one of the best central midfielder in the world. That's just not true at all. You also have to remember he's playing in Serie A ffs!
 
Señor said:
Strootman is most definitely a player I wouldn't mind here at United; in fact I wanted him last season amid all the "he's not good enough for us" nonsense but I can't help but feel since then and since his injury, there's been an awful lot of exaggeration on how good he is and how much better we'll be with him in our team.

I mean, fair enough, he's a very good player as shown in Serie A last season and sure, he'd improve our team but there's much more pressing concerns in our team than midifeld at the moment.

I actually read on here a while ago that he's one of the best, if not, the best central midfielder in the world. That's just not true at all.
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Who ever said that is crazy.

However I don't think our defesively issues and midfield issues are mutually exclusive.
IMO some of our defensive problems stem from issues in midfield. Against Southampton it wasn't neccesarily the defence that was the problem, it was the fact we had absolulely ZERO control in midfield. Also when the defence had the ball, they had near to Zero passing options into midfield. In that last note we really missed Blind in midfield, as he would also usually provide the defence with an option.

Still we do need a CB and a RB, but I think sorting out midfield properly is still a pressing issue.

EDIT: Although I think Fellaini has been good/decent we really cannot be having him as a starting CM that in itself is a problem IMO. He can come in and do a job etc, but to be a starting regular CM option, please no.
 
Strootman will be fantastic here. Its not like he's the only player we're planning on buying either. We may wind up with 3 or 4 including an attacking player and two defenders. :)
 
I don't think he's a particularly specialist DM. He'd come into the role Fellaini is currently playing for us if we bought him, I reckon. Like this:

DDG
Rafa Smalling Rojo Shaw
Carrick*
Strootman Di Maria
Mata
Rooney RVP
​
* or Blind
- with Herrera likely to get plenty of game time as first-choice back-up to Strootman, Di Maria and Mata in that formation.
 
Its a matter of when not if.

He will replace Fellaini in the team and then hopefully we will have a midfield of:
Blind
Herrera - Strootman
Di - Maria
 
LVG may well want us to move to a classic Dutch 433 next year, in which case we should really have 6 decent players capable of performing in those central roles. Having suffered the massive barren central midfield period it would be a refreshing change to feel flooded in that area!
 
Raoul said:
Strootman will be fantastic here. Its not like he's the only player we're planning on buying either. We may wind up with 3 or 4 including an attacking player and two defenders. :)
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Yes, come Sept 1st 2015, we could have an embarrassment of riches at Utd
 
evra said:
LVG may well want us to move to a classic Dutch 433 next year, in which case we should really have 6 decent players capable of performing in those central roles. Having suffered the massive barren central midfield period it would be a refreshing change to feel flooded in that area!
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I hope he doesn't. It wouldn't suit our existing players: plenty of good strikers and (this feels weird to say) midfielders, very few players who can perform as genuine wide men. He should stick to the diamond, which prizes midfielders and forwards and lets the fullbacks do the attacking.
 
Pjanic is the one who definitely has the kind of star quality you need to have one of the best midfields in the world. He is a £50m player. Strootman, I am less sure about. I'm not saying he isn't of such a level, or that he is - but Pjanic, I am certain of.
 
Rozay said:
Pjanic is the one who definitely has the kind of star quality you need to have one of the best midfields in the world. He is a £50m player. Strootman, I am less sure about. I'm not saying he isn't of such a level, or that he is - but Pjanic, I am certain of.
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Pjanic is better than Strootman, no question about it. Which one of them we need more, is something else though.
 
Rozay said:
Pjanic is the one who definitely has the kind of star quality you need to have one of the best midfields in the world. He is a £50m player. Strootman, I am less sure about. I'm not saying he isn't of such a level, or that he is - but Pjanic, I am certain of.
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Yeah, Pjanic is brilliant to be fair and has been Roma's best player for the last couple of seasons. I'm not exactly sold on his ideal long term position though, which isn't exactly a bad thing in terms of versatility. He could be a very good receded #10 who offers increased work-rate ala Oscar, could also be a central midfielder who dribbles out into space with creativity like his current role at Roma or Modric last season for Madrid. But I'm more intrigued to see him operating in a Xabi Alonso/ Andrea Pirlo role with a high energy defensive vacuum next to him in a midfield 3, like Gattuso at Milan. There are some doubts about his nous in defensive positions, but I think he'd do really well as a rhythm setter from the deep with his excellent passing skills like he did a lot of times for Bosnia playing in a midfield 2 alongside Besic.
 
Revan said:
Pjanic is better than Strootman, no question about it. Which one of them we need more, is something else though.
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It depends on what exactly we're trying to build here I guess. Yes, we now have all-round midfielders in Herrera and Fellaini, and it may be said we now need a more defensive midfielder. But then my local school-team probably 'already has a central midfielder' too. Pjanic is from the very top drawer. Cesc Fabregas level of quality in my opinion. Getting him would make the team better than getting Strootman. It isn't always about balance I don't think. Signing Messi would improve us more than signing Nevin Subotic I think, despite our need for a defender.

Pjanic is special.
 
Revan said:
Pjanic is better than Strootman, no question about it. Which one of them we need more, is something else though.
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Is it? We have Blind and Carrick for the deep positions and Ander is box to box. We probably need Pjanic's creativity and offensive ability just as much as Strootman because he'd leave us less exposed than Di Maria in CM
 
Ekeke said:
Is it? We have Blind and Carrick for the deep positions and Ander is box to box. We probably need Pjanic's creativity and offensive ability just as much as Strootman because he'd leave us less exposed than Di Maria in CM
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Oh, don't get me wrong, I didn't conclude that we need Stroot more than Pjanic. That entirely depends on what system LVG wants to play and I can imagine systems where one is more needed than the other. Strootman is a very good B2B midfielder, Pjanic is a very good central creative midfielder. Would be happy with either of them and I think that both of them (assuming that Strootman will get to his best) would improve us.
 
From what I've seen of Strootman, he's not immobile at all. In fact he's a lot more dynamic and forward thinking then I originally thought he was.
 
Sam said:
From what I've seen of Strootman, he's not immobile at all. In fact he's a lot more dynamic and forward thinking then I originally thought he was.
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It's his lack of agility who leads people to think that he is immobile.
 
Revan said:
Oh, don't get me wrong, I didn't conclude that we need Stroot more than Pjanic. That entirely depends on what system LVG wants to play and I can imagine systems where one is more needed than the other. Strootman is a very good B2B midfielder, Pjanic is a very good central creative midfielder. Would be happy with either of them and I think that both of them (assuming that Strootman will get to his best) would improve us.
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Yeah it just sounded like the same logic that was used before we bought a whole new midfield. Before the summer Strootman was obviously more important than someone like Pjanic. Now? Who knows
 
Cassidy said:
Ok so who in CM is injured that would be playing ahead of Fellaini in the last 6/7 games.
Herrera has clearly been fit and not getting picked.
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See, it sort of depends on the system we play doesn't it? I mean we've been chopping and changing a lot since LvG came, something he himself said needed to stop. I'm not sure how we'd set up if everyone was fit and we had a strong (and injury free) defence.

In general terms I'd say both Carrick and Blind are definitely ahead of Fellaini in the pecking order and Di Maria obviously is too if we settle on a system that sees him play in midfield. Fellaini seems to be ahead of Herrera at the moment but I think that could easily change if Fellaini's form dips or Herrera suits whatever shape we settle on more, we'll have to wait and see on that.

So, in general terms, I'd say Fellaini is at best third choice and at worst joint fourth?

Like I said, that isn't ideal but it's good enough to get a CL place I think. After all, who do Arsenal or Liverpool have as their third/fourth choice players in those roles?
 
Can we just have the whole roma midfield?

Heck Id take strootman, Pjanic and nainggolan. All of them are very good players.
 
Keeps It tidy said:
Those two were not coming off major injuries.
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I never said it would be a wise decision to sign him, just that if van Gaal habits heart set on him, he should go for it.

Personally, if he's as good as he's supposed to be I'd wait until Jan 2016 to make sure.
 
Invictus said:
Yeah, Pjanic is brilliant to be fair and has been Roma's best player for the last couple of seasons. I'm not exactly sold on his ideal long term position though, which isn't exactly a bad thing in terms of versatility. He could be a very good receded #10 who offers increased work-rate ala Oscar, could also be a central midfielder who dribbles out into space with creativity like his current role at Roma or Modric last season for Madrid. But I'm more intrigued to see him operating in a Xabi Alonso/ Andrea Pirlo role with a high energy defensive vacuum next to him in a midfield 3, like Gattuso at Milan. There are some doubts about his nous in defensive positions, but I think he'd do really well as a rhythm setter from the deep with his excellent passing skills like he did a lot of times for Bosnia playing in a midfield 2 alongside Besic.
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Yeah it would be interesting to see him in that role, he's a brilliant passer of the ball and excellent at dictating tempo which is what you need, but his creativity and dribbling would be wasted a bit IMO. He has good passing range but his long passing isn't on the level of Xabi Alonso or Pirlo though. On par with anyone short passing though. For Bosnia he is our main creator along with the one who dictates the tempo, so it's not like he's playing a regista type role. It's very much Besic holding and breaking up play and then passing it off to Pjanic. Him next to Strootman though works really well and they compliment each other.

Both would be great additions, though I'm not sure of which one we need. Herrera is an energetic and creative midfielder, so I think it's best to have a deeper playmaker next to him, ideally a Carrick. If you put Pjanic next to him, then you're probably too attack minded though with a proper holding midfielder it could work. Strootman next to Herrera in front of Blind/Carrick could work but Herrera would have most of the responsibility for creating things. It would be a very solid midfield though IMO, all hard workers with quality and would be better equipped for bigger games. Just we'd need our front 3 to be more attacking wingers giving Di Maria and lets say Januzaj more freedom, whereas if it was Pjanic-Herrera, you'd need them to be more defensive wingers or make them put in more defensive work.
 
Maybe been said, but flipping heck just leave him until the summer, why take any risk when he has come back from such a long lay off, let Roma play him and prove he is back up the standard he was at pre injury even if it costs us a bit more.

Plus we aren't exactly over loaded with games, and we already have Herrera struggling to get a game, and Blind to to come back!
 
Rednotdead said:
How do you know he wanted to sign Vermaelen? And the jury is still out on Falcao.

No offence, but I'd still go with Van Gaal's judgment over yours. Unless, that is, your record in the transfer market is better than his?
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How do I know? The same birdie who told you that we are interested in Strootman told me. Also, Wenger confirmed our interest, iirc.

Why will I be offended? Did I tell you to take my judgement over Van Gaal's?
 
Insanity said:
How do I know? The same birdie who told you that we are interested in Strootman told me. Also, Wenger confirmed our interest, iirc.

Why will I be offended? Did I tell you to take my judgement over Van Gaal's?
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Not at all. Just pointing out that Van Gaal's judgment is based on intimate knowledge of the player and yours is based on............well, what?
 
Rednotdead said:
Not at all. Just pointing out that Van Gaal's judgment is based on intimate knowledge of the player and yours is based on............well, what?
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An ACL injury? And troubles players encounter coming back from them?

Remember Hargreaves? Or Vermaelen with Barcelona this season? Managers and medical staffs are well capable of making errors in judgement.

I wonder why would someone even want to be here if they trust the judgement of people involved in the game and use that as a logic to to stifle discussions? Of course, most everyone on the forum, unless they have inside information, make posts that aren't related to football on the pitch based on knowledge and information from different sources. Right?

So, please stop making asinine replies based on my comments. Or take that childish attitude and posts somewhere else.
 
Ballache said:
Only seen him a couple of times so can't really form an educated opinion on him, but he impressed me. Needs a haircut though...
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I've seen him a fair few times he is an engine type player, he could just run around for days he isn't a big goalscorer it's more his defensive contribution it is really underrated. He's a good box to box midfielder, He just battles to win the ball, he's a good distributor of the ball too.

P.s His hair is badass. :smirk:
 
Raoul said:
Fellaini or Carrick.

Carrick will be 34 next year and with our random injury problems, it would be best if he plays less so he's more effective.
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Raoul has it right. Carrick can't last too much longer and Fellaini contributes little apart from occasional conversion at the end of a cross.

The only serious question about Strootman is his knee, which none of us posters can answer. Strootman could be the next Hargreaves or he could make a full recovery and be better than ever, the Dutch Destroyer.

The most prudent course of action would be to pass up on Strootman in January and monitor him closely for a possible summer move. We're going to take third or fourth in the league without him anyway, so there's really no need for a January buy. If Strootman still hasn't regained his fitness by June then we look elsewhere.
 
After the frustration with Falcao, I dont want another crock player arriving at Man Utd.
I'd rather we wait till the Summer.
As Gannicus stated, we can make 3rd or 4th without Strootman, so there is no rush.
 
There really is no need to gamble on his fitness in January. Our midfield is fine. We've suffered injuries this season and still coped due to the signings of Herrera, Di Maria and Blind. Fellaini has shown he can do a job, Valencia also did well in his central midfield cameo. If we fail to get top 4 it won't be because of our midfield.

Defence is where we should be prioritising in January.
 
Gannicus said:
Raoul has it right. Carrick can't last too much longer and Fellaini contributes little apart from occasional conversion at the end of a cross.

The only serious question about Strootman is his knee, which none of us posters can answer. Strootman could be the next Hargreaves or he could make a full recovery and be better than ever, the Dutch Destroyer.

The most prudent course of action would be to pass up on Strootman in January and monitor him closely for a possible summer move. We're going to take third or fourth in the league without him anyway, so there's really no need for a January buy. If Strootman still hasn't regained his fitness by June then we look elsewhere.
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Amazing how after one shite game in around six good/brilliant games, Fellaini goes to to contributing little on here. It really is.
 
Globule said:
There really is no need to gamble on his fitness in January. Our midfield is fine. We've suffered injuries this season and still coped due to the signings of Herrera, Di Maria and Blind. Fellaini has shown he can do a job, Valencia also did well in his central midfield cameo. If we fail to get top 4 it won't be because of our midfield.

Defence is where we should be prioritising in January.
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Amen to that.

Godin would do wonders for our CL place push, Strootman at this point would just complicate things
 
Shark said:
Amazing how after one shite game in around six good/brilliant games, Fellaini goes to to contributing little on here. It really is.
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Folk only remember the last game
 
Raoul said:
Fellaini or Carrick.

Carrick will be 34 next year and with our random injury problems, it would be best if he plays less so he's more effective.
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Carrick as an option on the bench to come in for the last half hour to calm things down and kill a game off would be a comforting thought. Much more so than Fletch currently.
 
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