Hargreaves 
Lassana Diarra
- Thread starter Cold_Boy
- Start date
Can't see him getting much football at Real, he would be a great replacement for Hargreaves if he's available for a reasonable price. Plus he can play at right-back too!
If it was just a season loan deal then it would be perfect. I wouldnt want him after the season though as Pogba is coming through, Hargreaves might just get better and I would then prefer to see a better permenant signing then Diarra ala Rodwell!
Pogba has just sustained a horrific injury, I'm fearful it could set him back a long way. I agree that Rodwell would be a terrific long-term prospect and I'm especially keen for us to continue to have an English spine to our team but I'm afraid he would cost a fortune. Diarra could be bought for around 10mil, especially given that Mourinho seems to be completely unimpressed by him.
Hope not. If we're going to buy someone they'd have to be appreciably better than what we have. He isn't.
The minimum requirement to be appreciably better than Owen Hargreaves is, sadly, the ability to play football. On that basis pretty much anyone is an upgrade.
Whether he's good enough to beef out our squad is up for debate but he would definitely add some much-needed hussle and bite to games where Fletcher is out of form/unavailable.
I'd prefer we added some real quality than focussing so much on getting quantity, as I think we've done a bit over the last few seasons. We need a bit more guile and a bit less toil. I'm not saying I have a better suggestion, but I'd be amazed if we can't do better than Lassana feckin' Diarra.
We definitely need a tackler in MF... who knows if he could be the answer....
If this happens, I will cry.
If we sign him we should start Brown, Obertan and Diarra at the same time, talk about freaking out the opposition!
if we sign him, it must be a sign that hargreaves is done for.
I would take him on the cheap, if/since Hargreaves probably isn't going to play again. We looked really solid with Hargreaves in the middle at times (usually in a trio) and Lassana could be that player.
I'd rather we played Gibson more than sign this guy.
I wouldnt want to give Madrid the satisfaction of having to go after thier reserves.
To be fair to him, he seems to play a fair bit for Madrid (30 games in all comps last season, 16 so far this year).... I haven't seen him since he left Pompey but he surely wouldn't be getting games at Real if he was gash.... would he?
Really don't fancy this to be fair...
he isn't gash. he's actually pretty good. however, there are major issues surrounding his character (i.e. he's never been able to stay at a big club because he spits the dummy out over playing time) and also there are some questions about potential disease/ailments that might not have fully receded.
Diseases?
Surprised there is so much negativity surrounding the prospect of this deal going ahead. He's proven Premiership quality, he's a good athlete, he's both-footed and most importantly he's a player that will keep possession- that's what we are lacking. My only concern is this ongoing medical issue and I'll admit I don't understand the full implications of this condition.
I thought Fergie said we weren't buying anyone in Jan, so this story is like the others a non event.
Diseases?
Is there something you aren't telling us, 'Popper?
Translated the original Marca article and it gave me "Lassana is free to negotiate with any clubs" -- out of contract in the summer?
Lass is a trouble maker, he would never accept being on the bench like he never has so far in his career.The bench is where he'll spend most of this time if he ever comes to United.
Why?
Our midfield is incredibly weak, other than on the wings. Fletcher and Carrick have been totally underperforming, Anderson is a huge disappointment, Gibson is useless, Scholes and Giggs can't go on forever. If Diarra comes, he will be first choice for sure.
Fletcher is generally good but has been disappointing this season, Carrick is inconsistent as usual, Gibson just doesn't have potential, Scholes and Giggs probably will be retired at seasons end. Diarra would be a good signing, he can allow Fletcher to play more of an attacking role in the centre of midfield. Anderson is coming good though, he will be persisted with. Obviously if it is true that we are looking to sign Diarra, Hargraeves is probably leaving on a free in the summer.
I think you're overstating the case a little and I wouldn't say "first choice for sure" but I agree that this forum overrates our midfield and Lass would have a good chance of making a place his own.
If Carrick and Fletcher have underperformed what has Diarra done ? Do not tell me he wasn't given proper chances at Real cause he had them and completely threw everything away after a good months at first.
I'm not overrating our midfielders, just saying that Lass is a shit player.At United you have to accept that being on the bench is a reality and Lass has always had troubles with that
According to ESPN Diarra is the same height as Anna Kournikova and Humphrey Bogart....
Absolutely ridiculous post. Carrick hasn't been under performing while Ando has been very good in past month or so. Diarra won't be first choice at all.
A month or two back and I would have thought this a decent shout - I do think Diarra can be a very good player - but Carrick has started to remember how to play football, Anderson has had a very very good run of games. Fletcher has not been as good as he can be, but I thought he looked a bit more like himself last night. Scholes should still be good through to the end of the season, if his appearances can be managed (and with Ando showing good form that is a bit easier).
As things have progressed over the last month or so - a battling CM is less of a requirement. However, I still wouldn't say no to one (of good quality) - as it would ease the pressure on Fletcher/Carrick to perform as needed in the big games.
hargreaves coming back would boost our midfield a lot, but i don't think that is going to happen so Diarra would be a decent replacement for Hargreaves - very similar players imo. However, I don't see Diarra being first choice at United - I don't think i would pick him ahead of an on form Fletcher in a 442 and I don't think we would play the two of them together - so the infrequently used 451 is where he would most likely get time in, but at the expense of whom? Fletcher an almost certain pick (again, when on form) then I think the balance Anderson and either Scholes or Carrick give in the 3 man midfield would be better than what Diarra could offer.
If he wants first team football (as has been his reasons for leaving chelsea, arsenal and now apparently Real Madrid) I don't think a move to United makes sense.
As things have progressed over the last month or so - a battling CM is less of a requirement. However, I still wouldn't say no to one (of good quality) - as it would ease the pressure on Fletcher/Carrick to perform as needed in the big games.
hargreaves coming back would boost our midfield a lot, but i don't think that is going to happen so Diarra would be a decent replacement for Hargreaves - very similar players imo. However, I don't see Diarra being first choice at United - I don't think i would pick him ahead of an on form Fletcher in a 442 and I don't think we would play the two of them together - so the infrequently used 451 is where he would most likely get time in, but at the expense of whom? Fletcher an almost certain pick (again, when on form) then I think the balance Anderson and either Scholes or Carrick give in the 3 man midfield would be better than what Diarra could offer.
If he wants first team football (as has been his reasons for leaving chelsea, arsenal and now apparently Real Madrid) I don't think a move to United makes sense.
The major question I would have regarding signing Diarra is in which formation would he play.
He would be a good addition as a holding midfielder in a 3 man midfield in Europe, but he's ineligible to play for us in Europe.
In a 4 man midfield in the league then, do we need him?
Well possibly. If you look at our personal in that area then we are still, even when Valencia is fit and Nani plays from the left, without a true left winger. When you look at our options in that position then it's Nani, Park, Giggs, Obertan and Cleverly should he return. All right footed, apart from the aging Giggs. So the tendency is to play inside and we become narrower on the left. In this case playing a narrower attacking 3 behind the 2 forwards with someone such as Diarra holding would fit in with our current style and personal, for example...
VDS
RAPHAEL-------RIO------------VIDIC-------EVRA
--------------------DIARRA
--NANI------FLETCHER/CARRICK-----ANDERSON
------------ROONEY------BERBATOV
It's a 4-1-3-2 or you could look at it as a 4-4-2 diamond.
In any case I think defensively Diarra would do a better job than our current players however I would question if that is enough to drop either Fletcher or Carrick in a 4-4-2.
He would be a good addition as a holding midfielder in a 3 man midfield in Europe, but he's ineligible to play for us in Europe.
In a 4 man midfield in the league then, do we need him?
Well possibly. If you look at our personal in that area then we are still, even when Valencia is fit and Nani plays from the left, without a true left winger. When you look at our options in that position then it's Nani, Park, Giggs, Obertan and Cleverly should he return. All right footed, apart from the aging Giggs. So the tendency is to play inside and we become narrower on the left. In this case playing a narrower attacking 3 behind the 2 forwards with someone such as Diarra holding would fit in with our current style and personal, for example...
VDS
RAPHAEL-------RIO------------VIDIC-------EVRA
--------------------DIARRA
--NANI------FLETCHER/CARRICK-----ANDERSON
------------ROONEY------BERBATOV
It's a 4-1-3-2 or you could look at it as a 4-4-2 diamond.
In any case I think defensively Diarra would do a better job than our current players however I would question if that is enough to drop either Fletcher or Carrick in a 4-4-2.
I would like to know how Diarra is better defensively than for instance Carrick.
He breaks down play better than Carrick. Carrick provides defensive cover for the back four but is also a deep lying playmaker and in some ways this can complicate his game. He has lost possession a number of times this season when he's won the ball deep and looked for a creative or penetrating pass. Diarra is a much simpler player and will look to win the ball and move it on again quickly, but not neccessarily forwards.
Whether we need that at United is another question but from a purely defensive stance I believe he is better than Carick yes.
French International, seemingly a first choice when fit and a mega bucks signing for Real Madrid where he's played a lot of games.
People on here make me laugh. He was excellent in the PL for Portsmouth in an average side and is, given Hargreaves peristant injuries, pretty much a like for like replacement to give our midfield a bit of energy and steel. In my opinion he's better than what we've got.
People go on like they know the lad personally, talking rubbish about him being a "roublemaker" or not being happy.
All footballers want to play and he only left Chelsea and Arsenal becuase he felt he wouldn't get games. Nothing wrong with that, especially when he took a considerable step down to do so - I commend him for that.
If Fergie wanst him then he obviously thinks he'll get regular games. Only an imbecile signs a player for £10 million + with a view to him sitting on the bench. Not to mention the fact that Fergie is one of the best man managers in the game.
I think he loses possesion far too much. Often wants to long on the ball and I agree - he overcomplicates. The long passes are nice when they come off but put the Defence under pressure when they don't
The top players in the holding role tend to keep it simple, have a good engine, cover a lot of ground and cover the back four.
No reason why Diarra couldn't do a job.
Translated the original Marca article and it gave me "Lassana is free to negotiate with any clubs" -- out of contract in the summer?
Is that true, if he is out of contract this summer then surely he can't be valued more than £7m-8m in January?
Being a french international means these days feck all tbh and Lass is not a starter since Blanc took over.Go figure why
And our whole squad is crap right? It must be a miracle that we've won the league only 3 times in the past few years and went close last season. What a shit team we have.