Miralem Pjanic

bosnian_red said:
I love him but I don't think he's suited to the prem really. More Spanish league or Italian league. Can be a top player and a brilliant midfielder on his day, but he's definitely too soft at times and the premier league would be too fast paced and intensive for him I think. He would improve us of course, because he's a class player, but I think he would struggle at the same time.
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I don't know, really. Technique is technique. And his is as sound as anybody in the league not named Silva.
He has incredible technique to build upon, is quick across the ground, agile, and quite dogged. Can ride a challenge, dribble his way out of danger.

A bit like Wilshere.
 
Speak said:
I don't know, really. Technique is technique. And his is as sound as anybody in the league not named Silva.
He has incredible technique to build upon, is quick across the ground, agile, and quite dogged. Can ride a challenge, dribble his way out of danger.

A bit like Wilshere.
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Jacky boy can't ride a tackle. That's why he's soldered to the treatment table.

I like Pjanic though.
 
Archie Leach said:
Jacky boy can't ride a tackle. That's why he's soldered to the treatment table.

I like Pjanic though.
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Really?

I always thought he could (i.e. when faced with someone in front of him, he can drop a shoulder and go past them.)

But he just overruns the ball quite often (leading to him stretching and injuring himself)?
And he has really dodgy balance.

Actually, I guess that kind of means he can't.
 
He's bang average. A player that looks neat and tidy on the ball but does feck all with it. Nowhere near good enough even for the current United team which says a lot.
 
Rich man's Kranjcar. Very good technically, does not do enough to lift a team.
 
He has everything to be a top player in his locker but he isn't. Very creative player and up ere with Modric in technical ability.
 
Conte will probably move to a three man midfield. So that makes sense.
 
They can have Pjanic if they don't buy Nainggolan. I know we'll never get him - barely a sniff even in the United-want-everyone media - but he's been on my transfer wishlist for a few years now so I'd be gutted if someone else in the PL got him. If nothing else, I think he's the player which would let Van Gaal ditch Fellaini.
 
Brightonian said:
They can have Pjanic if they don't buy Nainggolan. I know we'll never get him - barely a sniff even in the United-want-everyone media - but he's been on my transfer wishlist for a few years now so I'd be gutted if someone else in the PL got him. If nothing else, I think he's the player which would let Van Gaal ditch Fellaini.
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Apparently Conte wants him too. I imagine his ideal midfield is two box to box and one deep lying.

Something like:

Nainggolan---Pjanic---RLC/Willian
 
Gol123 said:
Apparently Conte wants him too. I imagine his ideal midfield is two box to box and one deep lying.

Something like:

Nainggolan---Pjanic---RLC/Willian
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Yeah, that's what I was referring to. Nainggolan is badly underrated outside Italian football, you never really see his name but for me he's another Vidal, and when he turns up at a PL, Liga or Bundesliga side (whether Chelsea or someone else) we'll be wondering why United weren't in for him earlier just like we did with Vidal. Fantastically all-round player.
 
Brightonian said:
Yeah, that's what I was referring to. Nainggolan is badly underrated outside Italian football, you never really see his name but for me he's another Vidal, and when he turns up at a PL, Liga or Bundesliga side (whether Chelsea or someone else) we'll be wondering why United weren't in for him earlier just like we did with Vidal. Fantastically all-round player.
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He isn't an alcoholic either. Another plus.
 
Gol123 said:
Apparently Conte wants him too. I imagine his ideal midfield is two box to box and one deep lying.

Something like:

Nainggolan---Pjanic---RLC/Willian
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And what of Fabregas, arguably our best player since Mourinho left? Can't see us binning him or benching him. He can be our Pirlo under Conte.

If we got a beast of a defensive midfielder (or awaken Matic from his slumber) could a Pjanic, Fabregas, Matic midfield 3 not work?
 
Orc said:
And what of Fabregas, arguably our best player since Mourinho left? Can't see us binning him or benching him. He can be our Pirlo under Conte.

If we got a beast of a defensive midfielder (or awaken Matic from his slumber) could a Pjanic, Fabregas, Matic midfield 3 not work?
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No. Pjanic and Fabregas are way too similar and do the same job. I thought Fabregas would fill the Pirlo role but it seems Conte prefers Pjanic. Might also not like how Fabregas downed tools with Mourinho and wants him out. Time to back the manager here.
 
Gol123 said:
No. Pjanic and Fabregas are way too similar and do the same job. I thought Fabregas would fill the Pirlo role but it seems Conte prefers Pjanic. Might also not like how Fabregas downed tools with Mourinho and wants him out. Time to back the manager here.
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I was thinking Cesc as the deep lying playmaker (his best position) and Pjanic as the most advanced of the 3 in midfield basically playing as a #10 just behind Costa.

May not be the most solid defensively but an attack consisting of Hazard, Costa, Willian, Pjanic, and Fabregas looks frightening and would dominate possession. The less the opponent has the ball the less your defensive frailties matter.

Cesc will 100% be a Chelsea player next season. After JT and Ivanovic he's our biggest leader.
 
Orc said:
I was thinking Cesc as the deep lying playmaker (his best position) and Pjanic as the most advanced of the 3 in midfield basically playing as a #10 just behind Costa.

May not be the most solid defensively but an attack consisting of Hazard, Costa, Willian, Pjanic, and Fabregas looks frightening and would dominate possession. The less the opponent has the ball the less your defensive frailties matter.

Cesc will 100% be a Chelsea player next season. After JT and Ivanovic he's our biggest leader.
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Pjanic is best deeper where he can control the tempo and orchestrate attacks though.

Also, Hazard will be sold in the summer I reckon and there aren't enough goals in that attack IMO.

I dunno. Conte is a mad authoritarian and he may want to make an example out of Fabregas to put the fear of god into these pussies.
 
His technique is up there with Modric but for some reason he hasn't been able to raise his performance levels as high.
 
Oo0AahCantona said:
Never understood the preference for Oscar over mata
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Well he was decent with huge potential at one point. Now he's just a fraud. Incredible to think we turned down a 60mil bid from a chinese club from him. We'll be lucky to get anything above 20mil now.
 
Wouldn't be interested in this guy. Need to add pace and excitement. This guy is nice to watch but so is mata. spend the big money on someone that fits the mould this time
 
If we play with a midfielder of 3 (and Gundogan signs for City). He could be a good option next to Schneiderlin and Herrera.
 
RRCE said:
I recall Anderson making a very similar past once. What unfulfilled potential! We should be targeting far better players than Pjanic.
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Pjanic would probably be better then any other midfielder in the league if he came. Certainly in terms of creative midfielders. Up there with Fabregas (on form fabregas, not the 2015 one). You say we should be targeting better players, but he would easily be our best midfielder, give us that passing range, creativity and guile on the ball that we lack in the middle, while also there really isn't many players out there who we could get that are better. There's a reason that Bayern, Barca, PSG and Real Madrid have all shown interest in him in the past.
 
bosnian_red said:
Pjanic would probably be better then any other midfielder in the league if he came. Certainly in terms of creative midfielders. Up there with Fabregas (on form fabregas, not the 2015 one). You say we should be targeting better players, but he would easily be our best midfielder, give us that passing range, creativity and guile on the ball that we lack in the middle, while also there really isn't many players out there who we could get that are better. There's a reason that Bayern, Barca, PSG and Real Madrid have all shown interest in him in the past.
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Am I right in thinking he'd only work in a proper 3 man midfield though? He's great on the ball and technically superb, but I worry we'd end up in another Mata situation with him.
 
Devil may care said:
Am I right in thinking he'd only work in a proper 3 man midfield though? He's great on the ball and technically superb, but I worry we'd end up in another Mata situation with him.
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He can work in a 2 man midfield with a proper defensive midfield partner, but when you think about it, all the best teams have 3 man midfields. Would Iniesta work in a 2 man midfield? Would Thiago? In a 4-2-3-1, he played at his best for the national team as one of the deeper players alongside Besic, and not only against the usual mediocre opposition, but against good teams too, so it's not like . I wouldn't worry about the Mata situation, as Pjanic is an actual central midfielder and not a #10, and he does work relatively hard defensively it's just he's play maker (either advanced or a deeper lying one) so he's obviously not great defensively and that's not what you have him in there for.

On the other hand, I don't think he would particularly suit Mourinho, would've been perfect for Van Gaal though. Though then again, play style he's very similar to Fabregas who did play really well initially for Mou, only I'd say Pjanic is a bit better technically (like his dribbling and being more agile on his feet). Also I'm not sure how he would do in the premier league, as before he was relatively injury prone (not that much anymore), and he is used to a lot more time on the ball and a slower pace in the Serie A. Big part of the reason of why he plays so well there consistently. Think he's just more suited to Serie A or the Spain, instead of England/Germany. Might be one of those players who would struggle to adjust to the pace and power of the prem, but if he did, then there's no reason as to why he wouldn't be brilliant here.
 
bosnian_red said:
He can work in a 2 man midfield with a proper defensive midfield partner, but when you think about it, all the best teams have 3 man midfields. Would Iniesta work in a 2 man midfield? Would Thiago? In a 4-2-3-1, he played at his best for the national team as one of the deeper players alongside Besic, and not only against the usual mediocre opposition, but against good teams too, so it's not like . I wouldn't worry about the Mata situation, as Pjanic is an actual central midfielder and not a #10, and he does work relatively hard defensively it's just he's play maker (either advanced or a deeper lying one) so he's obviously not great defensively and that's not what you have him in there for.

On the other hand, I don't think he would particularly suit Mourinho, would've been perfect for Van Gaal though. Though then again, play style he's very similar to Fabregas who did play really well initially for Mou, only I'd say Pjanic is a bit better technically (like his dribbling and being more agile on his feet). Also I'm not sure how he would do in the premier league, as before he was relatively injury prone (not that much anymore), and he is used to a lot more time on the ball and a slower pace in the Serie A. Big part of the reason of why he plays so well there consistently. Think he's just more suited to Serie A or the Spain, instead of England/Germany. Might be one of those players who would struggle to adjust to the pace and power of the prem, but if he did, then there's no reason as to why he wouldn't be brilliant here.
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Thanks for the insight man, you're right that the creators you mention always play as the advanced AM in a 3 man midfield, but it's interesting that Pjanic has performed well in a deeper role. He always seems to be the AM for Roma but I thought I wasn't mistaken that he played deeper at the WC for Bosnia.

It's a fair point that the league might not suit him at this point though, unlike Fabregas who was developed here from a young age, do you think he'd struggle more than say, Kroos?
 
bosnian_red said:
Pjanic would probably be better then any other midfielder in the league if he came. Certainly in terms of creative midfielders. Up there with Fabregas (on form fabregas, not the 2015 one). You say we should be targeting better players, but he would easily be our best midfielder, give us that passing range, creativity and guile on the ball that we lack in the middle, while also there really isn't many players out there who we could get that are better. There's a reason that Bayern, Barca, PSG and Real Madrid have all shown interest in him in the past.
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We'll have to agree to disagree. He's a decent player, but to suggest that he'd be better than any other midfielder in the league is quite a stretch.
 
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