Based on what I've seen and feedback from a couple of the Sporting posters, Ugarte's an upgrade over Palhinha. Sporting were apparently playing Ugarte ahead of Palhinha and were happy to move the latter on.
Things that will most likely happen at United too
Seen quite a few of his game compilations, and they are mostly similar. It could be a bad game, or it could be his median level.
Saw a handful of passes where he had a player infront of him but the pass was poor or cut out.
Or maybe this is his median level, where he looks like a technically sound workhorse with a solid passing game:
seems like a good option for the 1 in the 3-1-6 attack structure we worked with for most of last season, and at least a decent upgrade for a 2 with an inverted fullback
It’s a tough one. If we play as we did last season then no midfielder in world football will thrive because they simply had too much space to cover. If we get our first choice defence out then it’s a different proposition because I’d expect us to be playing higher up the pitch, much better in possession and then the midfield can focus on squeezing the pitch and winning the ball higher up. In that scenario a ball winner like Urgate could be brilliant. I have my reservations about his ability on the ball but if (and it does feel like a big if) we get our first choice defence out there’s so much quality on the ball there that we do ease the pressure on midfield.
I agree, as much as he may be in decline Casemiro got hung out to dry somewhat last season, when he was left alone in midfield whilst Bruno and McT both played as advanced as a 10, isolating even the best midfielders like this would leave them an impossible task, when we actually changed toward the last few matches to play with 2 holding mids, it all looked a lot more solid, I do not think it is just about who we have in midfield, it is how the midfield is set up, the instructions given for positions in attack and defence, Ugarte certainly seems to have the legs to get up and down, as does Mainoo, I think it is more how we play not who we play, that said, think we need to shift Case and Eriksen and bring in/promote 2 mids with the speed and stamina to play the system ETH seems to favour
Yep agree with this - this guy is not who you want at the base of your midfield as his every sinew wants to be chasing and tracking like a terrier, so if we do intend to play high up and win the ball in the oppo half, great, but if he’s the guy expected to sit and cover, then he’s going to get stick because holding position isn’t instinctual to him and he’ll often be dragged out of position and nowhere to be seen in terms of shielding the backline.
Yeh you’re absolutely right here. Personally I think Mainoo is a little underrated in his defensive aspect, he’s positionally pretty savvy and I think it makes sense that in the fullness of time he’s given greater defensive responsibilities. Until Bruno moves on I think it makes sense to keep playing a version of the 4-5-1 with two defensive midfielders and a natural CAM. Eventually I’d say we should move to a 4-3-3 with Mainoo as a more advanced 8 and a natural holding player.
Yes but then the price must fit that.
Can’t see Palace selling him this summer at all.
Yep. I keep seeing people talk that we need a fighter in the middle who will protect the back, which is true, but they're forgetting that we were also not winning midfield battles because our midfield wasn't good enough to receive the ball from the back and progress play forward enough. If teams pressed us, we would fold because they could isolate sections of our defense+midfield (ex. AWB and McTominay) and we would have to desperately hoof it up. By having Martinez and Yoro, that should improve, but we still need a midfielder who can handle presses and also supply our forwards with volume passes. With that, the only person they can isolate is AWB, but he'll have all his teammates as options to help him out or bail him out.Things that will most likely happen at United too
Isn’t that what Mainoo excels in though? He can receive the ball under pressure and his very good at it. He can also carry the ball. So if we had a destroyer who can win the ball then lay it of to someone like Mainoo who’ll then progress with it, that should work. Last season we had Casemiro who looked like a 70 year old. His legs had gone so that’s why we was losing a lot of midfield battles. Ugarte will offer us more legs and can cover more ground.
He's definitely a significant downgrade on season one Casemiro, but I do think he'd add a lot of value to the squad if we can get him in on loan. We don't know what Cas we'll get at the moment, after all.
Really don't see that. The pivot in that scenario needs to be able to play on the turn. Ugarte would be better higher up to counter press, or at least alongside somebody in a two who can sit in while he goes a-ballwinning.
Well that’s the point. I’m not convinced by our supposed vision given we hired a possession based manager who came in and played shit on a stick counter attacking footy. The Casemiro signing was the first alarm bell and any signing in the same direction will create similar concerns.
I was thinking more of squad numbers. If we fail to sell any of the midfielders that we’re suppose to be then we’re left with more players than what’s needed. It can also have something to do with it financially as we’d prefer to get players of the books. My preferred option would be to sell 2 midfielders. Sign Ugarte and then promote a youth midfielder, whoever impresses on tour. They won’t be bothered with a bench role and minutes in league cup games. Everyone’s happy then
