My stance would be...
When Pogba plays well United win.
When Pogba is out of the team or off form United struggle.
Adding Ozil to the squad would guarantee that chances are still created with or without Pogba.
Mesut Ozil on a free? | Orn: Ozil signs new contract worth 350k
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My stance would be...
When Pogba plays well United win.
When Pogba is out of the team or off form United struggle.
Adding Ozil to the squad would guarantee that chances are still created with or without Pogba.
There is no way the 4-2-3-1 is superior to the 4-3-3 for us at the moment. Unless Pogba's defensive game steps up and even then, why play our best player so far from the opponent's goal. The 4-2-3-1 is only going to be remotely doable against supposedly lesser teams and even then, on the counter, there's going to be players running at our defense if Matic gets drag out of position. Take a look at the Newcastle game, the goal they scored was due to the vacated central area. Why take such risk? Get a solid CM, pair him with Matic. We get better solidity, Matic doesn't have to run his socks off and Pogba gets to stay higher up.
The only scenario where i think we should contemplate playing a 4-2-3-1 from the start is: 1. if we get Lionel Messi, 2. Playing at home against a supposedly weaker team.
We should build on the 4-3-3 formation as our default formation.
Oh btw, your argument that 4-2-3-1 provides a greater attacking potential doesn't really hold if we get a top notch CM and pair him with Matic. We need greater presence and control in the center of the park. Most of the time, i notice that our shape turns into a 4-2-4. That, imo, is not ideal.
Yeah, doesn't quite work like that - coming on a free or cut price deal, Ozil would want a relatively long term deal and high wages - it would be very difficult to move him on if he doesn't work out
When I've seen him play RW for Arsenal he's usually not been that good - no.10 is his position. If we want a RW then we should buy a RW specialist! If we want to play 4231 then Ozil is a decent option. Unfortunately for Ozil, he's a specialist no.10 at a time when the role is drifting out of fashion
Jamie Jackson... means Ozil will definitely sign for us.
Jackson is probably one of the worst journalists out there who isn’t even held in high esteem by his peers. Just tells you everything you need to know about it him.
Anyway, hopefully Ozil can be signed for us as he’ll add a lot to the table.
Jackson is probably one of the worst journalists out there who isn’t even held in high esteem by his peers. Just tells you everything you need to know about it him.
Anyway, hopefully Ozil can be signed for us as he’ll add a lot to the table.
I agree - adding Ozil would enhance the overall quality of the team and that's what it's all about.
He has been playing better the last couple of months. Not a Jose style operator: but is on his day a very classy footballer. Not quite what we need, I think.
I understand your argument but I don't agree.
In the current era of specialist 6s, 8s and 10s, where if a player is creative he tends to be weak defensively or lack athleticism or good defensive midfielders who are limited in possession, one of the hardest skillsets to find is a midfield player who can do it all.
Pogba can do absolutely anything you would want from a central midfield player. He has the potential to be like Vieira with creativity, Kroos with athleticism or Gerrard with finesse and a football brain.
His biggest issue is that he has played most of his career to date in a more offensive position and is still learning elements of the deeper role. The fear is that he doesn't want to learn it and would rather be a good attacking player than an elite midfield player. But if he embraces it and learns the deeper position (he has made huge improvements to his defensive game under Jose so far), he could be an absolutely phenomenal player.
I'll leave it at that because this is the Ozil thread. I know where you're coming from and your opinion is in the majority on here just now. I disagree but that's ok!
Jackson is absolutely terrible. I never expected us to go for Ozil now anyways. The summer may be a different story.
Some of the narratives generally levelled against Ozil. This is a player who has excelled at International and club level. Jose should have answers to the above debates having managed him at Madrid.
Inconsistent
Occasionally seems moody and disinterested
Lacks character
Hunger
I would personally buy someone who is at his peak and ambitious. Ozil move seems all about money.
Inconsistent
Occasionally seems moody and disinterested
Lacks character
Hunger
I would personally buy someone who is at his peak and ambitious. Ozil move seems all about money.
He's far from slow
I think that's true in principle, but it's not that Özil on RW (or LW) doesn't work at all.
For example, for Germany he switches between both roles according to the team's set up, too. In games against weaker opposition, Löw often plays him in the #10 spot. But when a genuine third CM is deemed necessary in tight games, he (nominally) gets played on the wings. He spent the whole 2014 WC that way. It's likely that Mourinho would do something similar, as he switches between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 all the time.
Imo, Özil didn't overly shine in these games, but was able to play a valuable part in a quality team. He usually doesnt' stick to one side anyway, and rather drifts across the final third. But it's undeniable that he's not the type of player many people here would want to see on the wings.
This is the problem, people keep looking at his size and deciding that makes him an ideal CM, Fergie did it with Anderson because he had the bulk to play deeper, but it didn't alter the fact that neither had the game to thrive in the role no matter how many people wish it so they can add a shiny #10 into the team.
Pogba is obviously much better than Anderson but he hasn't got the discipline or positonal awareness to be in a 2 man midfield, he's a free roamer and trying to force him into a role ruins his natural instincts.
Buying him to try and make him something he isn't would be fairly stupid on the clubs part, it's been 18 months now and it is very obvious that he's not suited to it, he'll have some good games there against poor teams because he's so talented, but ultimately he's not a metronome and he's not a playmaker, he needs to be further up to offest the risks he takes and the fact he's impatient and always looking to pass forward.
Eriksen is a certain type of AM, I don't mean him and Pogba are the same in how they play the role, Pogba has attributes in the final 3rd Eriksen doesn't and vice versa, Pogba is more like a Gerrard or Kaka in the role but with added craft in his passing and not as many goals. The longer we keep trying to shoehorn him into a different role the more we'll waste him and the longer we'll continue to be an unbalanced side that wastes it's best player and leaves the other CM with far too much work, which in turn leads to pressure on the defense as the team is strucutrally off.
Didn't he call Lukaku ahead of anyone else?
Just watch bayern swoop in and announce he’s joining them for free in the summer.
That was Matt Lawton.
Well Lawton was the one who first wrote the article that United have won the race to sign him, but it was Jackson that said months before that Mourinho was obsessed with getting Lukaku, while everyone else was writing about Morata to United.
I think it's this one around 38:05 mark.
Are there any credible links or is this all speculation at the moment? Would be a good player to add to our attack though. Him and Pogba would play some beautiful football together.
Yeah that's the one, cheers.
Yeah, the FTD vid was where I saw Jackson make the Lukaku claim.
As much as the transfer makes sense I wouldn't be surprised if Ozil didn't end up here, very few concrete reports even linking us with him and those that are you feel are because it does seem an obvious fit
Blind squirrel. Nut.
He's genuinely been atrocious on pretty much every other thing I can think of. The summer before he had the most random list of about 6/7 players which he had down as Mourinho's priority and not a single one was ever close - Stones, Icardi, Garay, Andre Gomes were all mentioned. He'd linked a few more beauties as well over the past few years - Not that he made them up, but his success ratio is appalling.
Basically he's always been tabloid levels of journalism working for a reputable paper.
Ozil would improve any squad, but we are looking to improve the Team, just where would he start assuming we don't sign anyone else ?
It's obvious to me that on current form it would only be on the RW/ RM/ AM where Mata plays, probably with the same frustration of not getting past players, albeit with superior skills, would I take him....yes, is he improving us.....yes, could we do better in that sort of position....yes, Griezman, do we need a different type of player (proper RW) yes please.
No one in there right mind would say no to Ozil as a replacement for either Mata or Mhiki, but it's not a priority is it ?
It's obvious to me that on current form it would only be on the RW/ RM/ AM where Mata plays, probably with the same frustration of not getting past players, albeit with superior skills, would I take him....yes, is he improving us.....yes, could we do better in that sort of position....yes, Griezman, do we need a different type of player (proper RW) yes please.
No one in there right mind would say no to Ozil as a replacement for either Mata or Mhiki, but it's not a priority is it ?
There aren't a massive pool of quality players much less ones that potentially available. Whilst there might not be the perfect fit position wise, you make it work. He's an upgrade on a number of players and true quality that would fit in most if the top teams so I'm surprised why not ours? If you are waiting for the right fit, it's may never come around and there are many other teams to compete with for signings.
The worst. Just a bullshit merchant.
I stop reading as soon as I see his name.
He did tbf, he was saying back in late May that Mourinho was "obsessed" with the idea of signing Lukaku way back when he was linked with Chelsea. Not sure if it was a guess or something but he was right.
I don't know, they signed Rodriguez last summer and they both play in the same position. Also Ozil will want a very big wage which I don't see Bayern paying even if he is free (they won't want to upset the balance in their wage structure).
Given the fact we need a 10 much more than Bayern and will be able to offer Ozil more playing time and we will have no problem paying him a very big wage I think we are the more likely destination. Also don't forget the Mourinho factor, Ozil has played his best football at Real Madrid when coached by Mourinho. I think Ozil comming to United is likley but it will be in the summer as a free signing.
There should be absolutely no question about signing him if its on a free. Of course we want one of the league's best assist-makers for free.
How much and when we'd play him are more up for debate. I personally wouldn't feel hugely comfortable putting both him and Pogba in a starting XI against anyone decent. Both are luxury creative attackers who need to be allowed to roam freely and do their thing. Regardless of whether you could find an appropriate position for both in one XI, that leaves a lot of work and pitch for other players to cover.
And if I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it, you can be damn sure Mourinho wouldn't either.
How much and when we'd play him are more up for debate. I personally wouldn't feel hugely comfortable putting both him and Pogba in a starting XI against anyone decent. Both are luxury creative attackers who need to be allowed to roam freely and do their thing. Regardless of whether you could find an appropriate position for both in one XI, that leaves a lot of work and pitch for other players to cover.
And if I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it, you can be damn sure Mourinho wouldn't either.
We sell Mkhitaryan for 30m and we replace him with Ozil for free. Ozil is PL proven, he is a player that responded very well under Mourinho's coaching and he will likley be a huge upgrade on Mkhitaryan. Makes sense in my book.
It's so hard to sort the fact from fiction and I'm sure a lot of the journo's that get labeled hacks and worse have the same problem as so much BS is put out there these days, especially as regards transfer stories about United.
I still have a hope for him that he can become one of the best-attacking midfielders/SS in world of his generation *finger crossed* You've got no idea how much we needed to strengthen this position so badly for many years and it would cost much more than 100m now. If he can keep up with his inform consistently through season, maybe we can consider this and promote him to be the first choice for next season and buy a quality promising young player in ACM/SS for less than 40m to be backup for Lingard which we can replace Lingard if Lingard didn't keep consistently next season.
If we don't sign him this window I think he'll go to Juve or Bayern for free in the Summer.
The pressure on Woodward and the board will be massive with City so far ahead and signing Sanchez in January - which I think is a good thing - and they should really push to make this happen if José wants the player.
The pressure on Woodward and the board will be massive with City so far ahead and signing Sanchez in January - which I think is a good thing - and they should really push to make this happen if José wants the player.
In an ideal world, we should have a better RW , yes. But I would not mind Ozil at all, especially for free. Yes, Pogba is not ideal in 4-2-3-1 but i hv seen us lacking in creativity even when POgba is playing in advanced position. Ozil can help us in such situations.
Another context is when POgba is injured/needs rest, we literllay do not have anyone who can ensure that the forward will get adequate service. So, again Ozil can help. Another is Ozil can play at RW in 4-3-3 setup, yes it is not ideal but still it can work especially if we get a proper midfield like Vidal to partner Matic and POgba in midfield 3.
I have never been a big fan of Ozil, especially because of his contribution in big games, but i stil believe there is a lot Ozil can contribute to us, especially if we can convince him to be a squad player rather than somebody who starts every game.
If Sanchez does move to City and Ozil to United, who will be more of a Judas to Arsenal fans?
Dont really think that Arsenal fans could complain much in fairness unless one of them went to Spurs. Though if Ozil joins Utd probably Ozil because of Joses history with Arsenal.
Although Sanchez joining a City team thats pretty much won the league already will be a slap in the face considering he is leaving for near certain success while Arsenal have a struggle on their hands to stay in contention for top 4.
Great question, answer is I dont know
Arsene Wenger.
Dont really think that Arsenal fans could complain much in fairness unless one of them went to Spurs. Though if Ozil joins Utd probably Ozil because of Joses history with Arsenal.
Although Sanchez joining a City team thats pretty much won the league already will be a slap in the face considering he is leaving for near certain success while Arsenal have a struggle on their hands to stay in contention for top 4.
Great question, answer is I dont know
I still feel Sanchez will get more of the RVP treatment than Ozil. It seems like Sanchez is forcing his move to City, Ozil at the moment has been silent.
They will be fine, they have had multiple experiences of ex-players celebrating against them at the Emirates. The more the merrier for them to boo and vent.
Anyone think Ozil, Pogba, Matic could work as a midfield 3? Obviously on paper it doesn't look particularly balanced, but you would have said the same about City before the start of the season. If Mourinho can install in them a need for greater control over games, you'd back United to have more of the ball and see less coming at them the other way. Matic can do a similar job to Fernandinho, whilst Pogba should be able to do a bit more defensively than KdB (so long as he focuses and tracks runners), whilst United arguably have a better back 5 from a purely defensive standpoint.
I think he can.
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