Welcome to Redcafe!
Manuel Ugarte | Romano - he’s signed | Awaiting Club announcement
- Thread starter WeePat
- Start date
- Status
Kudos good sir, wish I could upvote this.
The amount of confidence with which people have been going on about his deficiencies and declarations on how he'll turn out, by many who admit to never watching him too, has been amazing to see.
We've cried out for years for his exact profile as a midfielder yet once we zero in on one of the more productive ones at the position around Europe at a great age as well, it's not nearly good enough and we automatically require an entirely different skillset instead.
Can't beat a bit of The Big O
I think the big midfield signing will come next summer. He's not perfect. He has potential and he's very young. I think he's an upgrade on McTominay for very little outlay. His signing is pretty much 20m give or take with McTominay's sale. I really hope he's better than what we have for when we are out of possession. United aren't that bad with the ball in the last couple games, it's when we are defending.
Ugarte should hopefully do solid for this season and if he adapts quickly, it will be a good signing.
In reply to bolded comment. 100% agree! The level we need to get to. This signing might improve upping to a better level. We have to accept how far behind we are. I really do think the big midfield signing is going to be the priority next summer.
Hopefully he does come in and smashes it. There shouldn't be too much worry in the sense that he is an upgrade.
Do you reckon the big signing will be more of a number 8 or someone who is more of a DLP
That’s my worry about him as well. To alleviate it, I think it may make sense in the build up phase to hage Ugarte drop into defence and Martinez step out or have Mainoo as the focal point to start moves from deeper in midfield. Espefially away from home we definitely don’t want panicky performances where we keep losing it easily which is already an issue with our team.
Or maybe these fears are just being exaggerated
I think a number 8. I think Fofano is the type of player that is needed. He just signed for AC Milan, though. We need backup for Bruno. Not everyone agrees but I think United struggle a lot more when he's not playing. Back up and dept is needed in that position.
There are videos highlighting his good points and ones highlighting his bad points so taking no notice
We need a playmaking CM much more than a box to box one.
Yeah I think so too
Yup, a younger eriksen ideally
That would be perfect so can use this season for INEOS to scout someone ahead of a move in summer
So many people here seem to be hyper focused on Ugarte’s limitations on the ball. But Ten Hag’s successful Ajax teams of the past have had players of a similar ilk (Alvarez, Schone) - so the whole notion that you need a defensive midfielder with elite technical ability in Ten Hag’s system is false.
I am pretty excited to see Ugarte’s impact on the team as a whole - I really feel his presence will have a big positive impact on Kobbie, Bruno and subsequently the front 3.
I am pretty excited to see Ugarte’s impact on the team as a whole - I really feel his presence will have a big positive impact on Kobbie, Bruno and subsequently the front 3.
I don't particularly care for his time at PSG as he was a square peg in a round hole for what Enrique wants to do. I saw enough of him at Sporting to understand what his strengths and weaknesses were to believe him to be a good signing then.
If you see how we set up with Casemiro last season as the deepest and just swapped him out for Ugarte, it would already be an upgrade. I think If you played them together, it would be great too - although that shifts your problem further up the field as to who you play, but still.
The idea that he'd be a bad signing for Liverpool is just ridiculous, they're currently playing Gravenberch/Endo and wasting MacAllisters strengths having to play him deeper.
Exactly. Provided he can pass it to full backs who can progress the ball, or a CB, or even the odd progressive pass himself, he just needs to do his ultimate job of recycling possession quickly and winning the ball back. The rest of the team is set up to go forward at every opportunity, we need one player who's not.
Standard behaviour on here. Unless the CM is a "high volume progressive passer who can play penetrative passes then", they aren't happy.
We've been crying out for the type of player Ugarte is for a long while. Adding grit, determination and a toughness to our midfield that's it's sorely lacked.
But cause he can't pass the ball like toni Kross, or dictate play like Rodri he ain't good enough.
I think he's the perfect round peg in a round hole in this current midfield. He'll do alot of work rate, a lot of tackling and will allow Bruno and Mainoo to shine. His legwork might even provide mileage for Casemiro and Eriksen just as Cleverley did with an ancient Scholes and Giggs.
My only concern is that Ugarte is extremely specialized in what he does. We're not talking of a player with a huge skillset like Keane, Scholes Carrick or Mainoo here who can transform and adapt to play in a different role. Therefore if United sign a player or changes their style of play then we'll have a similar situation to what happened to him at PSG. That's not uncommon with United either. AWB, Maguire and Lindelof struggled to adapt in a high line while Pogba's career at United was doomed the moment Bruno stepped in.
Yeah I'm really interested in a setup where he partners up with Casemiro and Bruno, I think it'll give some of our lineups more options. Dalot could now push up even more often and deliver crosses while Amad acts as the inside forward who can still playmake. I think it would also help if we get decimated in the backline again, I'd feel more comfortable with Maguire/Evans/Lindelof playing with Ugarte to solidify out backline when needed.
Am I worried about the attack? Yes, but if we're gonna struggle to score, then at least let's have one of the best and most consistent defenses to make up for it. Last two seasons we scored similarly, but EtH's first year our defense was more solid and got us into CL. So maybe that's how we can get closer to those highs again. The big thing will be it'll let Casemiro play more without being as liable. Which might be better for him long-term and opens up him staying longer than expected
That last paragraph sums up some people's views
He will do for me. He can like Carrick was, an underated midfield who was bascially the water carrier of them but he allowed Scholes, Ronaldo, Rooney to flourish. Just my opinion
Anyone know if he needs work permit?
I am sure even when we sign a CM that is a "high volume progressive passer who can play penetrative passes", this place will instead moan and cry about how poor are his defense.
We can sign a superhuman clone that is a combination of prime Keane + Scholes this place will still moan and whine and cry. It's just the default mode here.
Well said. Not to mention, there’s isn’t a single player who has it all exist. So even if we get a high volume passer and dictator by some chance, I can assure you same people would be moaning about the lack of steel in midfield.
You are really selling Carrick short here .
i think he is an important signing. But ultimately, our biggest issue from last season has been our inability to score goals. Its not for the lack of chance creation. We still arent addressing that. A Toney would help.
whilst this is true, we have plenty of players capable of creating and scoring, making the midfield and defence solid and improving the ability of the team as a whole to regain, retain and use the ball will improve the ability of our attack to do its job
I’m actually amazed reading this thread at the number of people thinking Ugarte is the wrong profile of midfielder. It’s almost as if they haven’t watched the giant hole in the midfield these past two years and every fecking team stem roller through it.
Ugarte is exactly the profile we have desperately needed
Ugarte is exactly the profile we have desperately needed
Yep, with casemiro’s legs completely gone and no one else in the squad remotely capable of playing this role, oppos have been waltzing through our midfield all season, last year. This is not to say a DLP (or Mainoo continuing his development to fulfill that role better) isn’t a priority in the future (as we look to offload Case) but to shit on this transfer and player, before he’s even stepped foot on the field, is weird.
Also, there clearly aren’t many/any DLP’s available in the market. Luverpool ended up on the same player we were linked to (Zubimendi) and he didn’t want to move - and Liverpool haven’t been linked to anyone else either. Excited to see how this transfer pans out, and how Ugarte settles!
Absolutely spot on.
I get sick to death of reading nonsense like 'double pivots...false number 9s...false number 6....High press....inverted this and that'...we've literally been crying out for ten years that we need a midfielder with bite, to plug the holes and win the ball back. We've now got one and all people can do is start with the stats like armchair Fergies, to try and find a weakness.
I honestly think some people in their heads want every player we buy to secretly be a 'Messi' deep down.
This guy has been brought in for one reason and one reason only, to be a royal pain in the arse to opposition attacks. That's it.
He's there to disrupt...he's not there to find a Beckham-like, cross-field, 60yrd pass.
He's there to break up play...he's not there to dribble around 8 players like Pele.
He's there to stop an attack forming from the edge of their penalty box from our corners....hes not there to score a worldie 30yrd header like Ibrahimovic.
He's there to physically put off the oppositions creative playmaker in front of our defenders...he's not there to donut as many players as he can and lob the keeper from the halfway line.
He's there to run, disrupt, push, bundle, tackle, slide in, win the ball, quickly pass it off. I'll say it again, run, disrupt, push, bundle, tackle, slide in, win the ball, quickly pass it off...get it?
He's a pitbull, he's Declan Rice on crack.
I dont know how long it will be until people realize that ETH is not going to turn us into a possession based side. He literally said transition football and it won't be like his Ajax team. Either our whole new backroom team who kept ETH on gave lost thier minds or he is exactly tge profile of player they were after. Same as people having a go at Mount. He is exactly the profile ETH wants. High press, dynamic, win the ball back quickly, hit the forwards quickly. Aka transition football.
Seems like a lot of people here have been watching PSG and Sporting matches in the last two seasons. Unpaid scouts as far as the eye can see.
Once again and as explained several time in this thread, I’m talking about what I saw after seeing playing live quite a few times in Paris.
The player you described to me is Valverde from Madrid who has exceptional technical ability to play everywhere in midfield.
I just don’t see it with Ugarte, I see a good ball winner but a bit limited for everything else.
I hope to be wrong though
I'm fairly positive about this signing, while not having seen much of him to be honest. If he's a high intensity player who focusses on winning back the ball and putting Mainoo and Bruno in a better light i'm all for it. People seem to forget what shade of Casemiro we thought we were getting? We thought he'd just be that defensive rock who kept it simple. Nowadays he's anything but that.
You might be the most honest person in the thread.
I agree, that is a big problem, but I think he'll at least let us keep the ball higher up the pitch and that might help us in chance creation. I actually think we are missing searing pace without Hojlund, Rashford and Garnacho are quick but doesn't feel like they really have that elite speed.
I remember Schneiderlin had amazing defensive stats(tackles+interceptions) when he joined. I hope its not a similar case, but shouldnt be because he mainly failed because he didnt fit LVG's style of play.
Then again there are reports ETH didnt want Ugarte...which is shocking because he fits the high pressing style ETH wants, and he definitely doesnt fit a possession style of play.
Then again there are reports ETH didnt want Ugarte...which is shocking because he fits the high pressing style ETH wants, and he definitely doesnt fit a possession style of play.
Could you share them please? I haven’t seen them
The fact we have bought a midfielder in addition to Kobbie who reportedly doesn't give the ball away cheaply and is more mobile than any other options we have will be massive for this team. I think contrary to the general thinking, a ball winner and a safe recycler of the ball will see us gain more control of matches and help us pin opponents back better.
- Status