This one completely died down.
I wonder if it was our bid to smoke Longstaff out!
I wonder if it was our bid to smoke Longstaff out!
Mario Lemina
- Thread starter RussellWilson
- Start date
Can't believe people think this is true.
I think all of the links for this guy came from his agent, I don't believe any of the linked clubs are in for him it was just a poor attempt to stir up some interest. He moved to Saints to kick start his career and has clearly not done that, if he moves it is more likely to be to the Championship.
I think the only way he comes is as deadline day signing after we've failed to land anyone else. I could see that.
I could see that too. And I'm almost surprising myself thinking this, but it would be better than nothing.
I still think this could happen. And yes better than nothing (and probably better than Matic!)
I really don't know about that. Southampton are just trying to get rid and left him off their pre season tour and according to their fans he plays an occasional decent game but largely jogs around and can't be arsed. We could sign him to make Fred look good I suppose but if we are bargain basement shopping like this I would rather give the minutes to Garner.
I've always defended Matic on here, but I know we need an upgrade in his position. Don't think Lemina would be a like for like replacement. He'd likely be a replacement for Ander. If Matic is not playing, the most suitable player to pick the ball up deeper and orchestrate from there is Pogba. I don't see Fred, Pereira or McTominay really capable of doing that. And I doubt Lemina fits that bill either.
Don't think United are interested.
A one year loan with an option to buy for a slightly elevated loan fee makes a lot of sense for us in case Fred is just bad (I think Matic is completely washed), and Southampton would still have 2 years left on his contract to sell him next year.
We should not be resorting to loaning Southampton cast offs.
I’d rather play Garner than loan Lemina out of principal.
Principal won't get us 4th place. Obviously we need to sign a midfielder and should have the confidence to spend 20 or 30M on a young player we like who will go for double that next year, especially if Pogba goes, but the club seems reluctant to do that apart from the occasional James or Dalot punt. A 22-24 year old CM ready to back up Pogba and McTominay would make a lot of sense.
I'd be fine with Ole seeing Fred as the option, but it seems like Matic is ahead of him in the pecking order and while Fred is enough of an enigma that I can talk myself into taking a step back and seeing a 26 year old with 11 Brazil caps who played well for a CL knockout team and moved for 52M as certainly qualified enough to backup Pogba and McTominay, his play on the pitch, even in preseason, makes that tough to do.
Also worth noting that McTominay might just not play that well but has somehow essentially become undroppable in his first season as a clear starter and that Pogba has averaged 55 competitive games a year (Club and country) over the last 7 and might at some point actually miss 2 months like an normal, less durable player does.
The bottom line is that post-Maguire we have 3 massive holes in the squad at the moment (#10, RW, a 3rd CM or a DM) and it seems unlikely we address any over the next 4 days, but goddamn would it be nice, and I think Lemina could be a 7/10 answer for that 3rd spot. Very good fit for Ole's pressing 4-2-3-1 too, I think.
For what it's worth, whenever he's played against us, he's put in a decent shift and was amongst the best players on the pitch.
I remember him having great games against our midfielders and looking quality, but not sure if it's only a typical game rising against the big dogs. I don't think he can be worse than Matic on the other hand.
Come on Woody, you know you want to. Surplus to requirements at Southampton and a midfielder
Even video couldnt help this guy.
If this deal happens it means Woody entered panic mode.
That says it all.
Feck me the desperation of some 
So is he still at Southampton?
Would have been better than nothing.
I don't get that mentality. He is demonstrably worse than the players we have and would just be another roadblock to giving our academy kids more minutes. Worse than that we would be looking at a 4 year deal minimum and he would probably spend the last 3 years of that as the latest member of club deadwood, sucking down big wages and happy to sit in the stands on a Saturday.
Completely agree.
A few things: I've seen him play better than I've seen Fred play. We lack bodies in midfield. The youngsters aren't ready, I'm lead to believe, for centre midfield. I concede that granting him a 4 year deal would feel somewhat wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was available cheap and on a low wage too, so easier to shift. Don't get me wrong, he's not "the one who got away". I am placing that emphasis that he's better than nothing only in that he's better than nothing. I can't believe we are heading into a 60 game season with 4 midfielders, of whom the most consistent is McTominay.
We have 5 midfielders. Pogba, McTominay, Fred, Matic, and Andreas.
3 of them are crap until proven otherwise and McTominay is an average Premier League midfielder. Lemina is too unfortunately.
It wasn't a defence of our options. Just pointing out it wasn't factually correct.
Well including the under 18's we probably have around 40 midfielders at the club. Problem being only two of them are capable of performing to the required standard currently.
I imagine he was discounting Andreas as he is clearly not a central midfielder and proves it every time he plays there.
Woody doesn't enter panic mode, pal. He simply doesn't buy. "We would have spent 100m for the right kind of player, like Varane". But we won't.
We do seem to be playing only 2 midfielders most games though with Ole preferring the 4-2-3-1 so 3 of the above are not starting on any given match day and I want Ole to give Garner his chances too. Pogba and McTominay/Matic seems to be the preferred starting pair right now and we seem to be willing to give Fred another shot and he probably should get it but with a fairly short leash if he continues to run around like a headless chicken. Maybe Lemina could have added something but it is hard to see where he would fit in and when you are deemed surplus to requirements by a Southampton side with a pretty limited squad it is hard to have much faith.
He certainly wasn't average Vs Barca and PSG.
He's going to have an excellent season.
I rate him and right now he would be one of my first names on the team sheet, unfortunately I don't think that would be true if he played for anyone else in the top 8.
He's either good for us or he's not. I couldn't care less if he would fit into any other teams system.
I do care because having worse players in our midfield than all of our rivals will have a huge effect on how the rest of the team performs. Our defence is definitely improved but if we go to the Etihad and can not keep the ball for more than 3 consecutive passes then Maguire and De Gea will need to be superhuman.
Did he get a move?
That's not my point. Different players are better in different systems. If he suits us and we are successful - I don't care about other teams.
Look at Liverpool's midfield as individuals they aren't great but in that system they are fantastic.
I don't qualify Pereira as a midfielder. He's a #10 and has shown consistently that he can't play centre midfield.
There has been no proof that our midfield can consistently perform to a level greater than it's parts.
Good panic buy option
McTominay and Pogba will be a very good duo this season in my opinion.
I'm more concerned about who's playing '10'