Never in a million years is that true. Mkhitaryan was involved in absolutely everything Dortmund did going forward. Firmino was never that influential in a much worse Hoffenheim side.
Mkhitaryan Exit Speculation
- Thread starter Zoo
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Exactly. Seems United are at their best when they score an early goal and the opposition are forced to come out and play.
Please be true, please be true.
It’s the ‘big number 9 approach’. United’s game plan has always been to pass the ball wide and cross it in until we score. It is simple, and unless you have an extreme crosser like Becks and extreme header like Yorke, it is outdated and easier to defend. A PL centre half will always be favourite for a cross into the box.
Can’t see any club wanting him for big money, nor José selling, but Lukaku will be a hindrance on the attack if made to be a fixture for the next few years in my opinion.
Lukaku doesn't need dinosaur tactics to play though, Everton didn't play with constantly whipping in crosses. He's not allergic to through balls. I don't rate him, but we're still using him poorly, and I don't get why.
Today Dortmund's mouthpiece RN reported that the club has intensified contact with Mkhitaryan, though apparently United and Mkhitaryan would have to take a significant cut on the fee and wages for anything to happen.
It's not like Lukaku wants to play that way either, check the goals scored for Everton. It's either early crosses or his positioning in the box that gave him so many chances.
Also last season Lukaku scored just 6 headers out of 25 league goals, some of the headers were easy headers. Also apart from 2-3 goals, he never used his strength to brush off defender to score, it's always his movement and positioning.
Lumping the ball to him won't make any favor for player or team. Playing on the ground is better suited for him.
He has been beyond frustrating. Was excited when he first got a run of games. Has an ability to suddenly burst past 1 or 2 players in the middle of the park and open things up. Recently though he has shown Mata levels of physical weakness. Its incredible as he is short, stocky and should be difficult to push off the ball, but he just gets brushed off it.
Offers very little at this point and his confidence is shot, so would get rid asap personally.
Offers very little at this point and his confidence is shot, so would get rid asap personally.
He is frustrating, yes. He has so much ability but he seems to want too much time on the ball. Nearly every time he is forced into tight spots or has to act quickly he loses the ball! This is why he did so much better in the Europa against the lower level opponents. In fact he generally is ok in European matches which tend to be a little slower.
I could see him going to Italy or back to Germany and being really good again, but his chances at kicking on here are running out.
I could see him going to Italy or back to Germany and being really good again, but his chances at kicking on here are running out.
It's not that outrageous to claim both played on a somewhat similar level during their best seasons in the Bundesliga. In both cases their teams were free flowing attacking teams with the focus on outscoring teams in a pretty extreme set-up. Dortmund was obviously more balanced due to the better players. In both cases neither Firminho nor Mkhitaryan were the main playmakers but beneficiaries of the system which increased their productivity to a level far above their actual performances. Their influence on the teams certainly was comparable. Being part of a much worse Hoffenheim attack that scored 72 goals doesn't sound less impressive than being part of an attack with Reus, Aubameyang and Gündogan as the main playmaker behind them that scored 82 goals. What's definitely true is that Firminho was much more consistent over several seasons and showed a much better mentality when things weren't going well for the team.
If Dortmund actually take Mkhitaryan back, Zorc and Watzke really should face serious criticism. While the returns of Sahin, Kagawa and Götze were somewhat reasonable beause of their age, the costs and the mentality they showed at the club in big moments, Mkhitaryan's form at Dortmund was only worthy of a return in one season under a specific system. Unless they plan a return of Tuchel, it makes absolutely no sense at all to take him back.
Actually got happy when I heard this rumour.
The guy is garbage, get rid.
The guy is garbage, get rid.
Would pretty much agree with all of that.
Mhikitaryan just doesn't seem to have got to grips with Premier League football, too pacey and too physical for him.
The best form that we have seen from him was in the Europa, which is not a coincidence.
I'd sell him now for whatever we can get, and offer that sum for Ozil as a replacement.
Is Inter's plan to just go around Europe's top clubs with a begging bowl in hand, hoping for handouts?
Just get him out and get him replaced this window. I was pretty excited about him but I knew from watching his very first game he’d flop, some players just don’t have it and you can see it instantly.
Pretty much, unless they manage to sell someone or UEFA has a sudden change of heart regarding FFP
Play him against derby tomorrow instruct the team to make him look good. Create a YouTube highlights of his performance. Then go to China or the middle east and show them the video, we only need to fool one billionaire to get a sale. Make it happen Jose.
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Should have taken United's offer for Perisic then.
I really think they thought United would end up paying whatever they wanted.
Nah, it's the chinese government that's screwing them atm. And Perisic is a starter for them. They need to add, not replace, from the starting XI
Those Italian clubs really are tight feckers. Hope Woodward replies with a laughing emoji
Well no one will want to buy their bench players.
Arsenal did the same in the past. Selling your best players is the quickest way to make money.
Inter can go feck themselves.
Pony up or feck off.
That lack of shame.
We offered a very generous fee for Perisic which was way more then he's actually worth. Inter refused it simply because they wanted to take us to the cleaners in the same way Juve did with Pogba. Now they expect us to allow Mkhitaryan to leave on a loan or accept that junk they bought for a huge fee/salary in a swap deal. They really have some nerve.
They don't expect anything, they have a problem, United has some sort of a problem, they think it could be beneficial for them to have Mkhi and that those 6 months could improve his market value for United to sell this summer so they make an offer, not an ultimatum.
Kinda the same with Perisic, you might think you were offering more than what he's worth, I think it was almost impossible for them to get an equal player to Perisic with the money from the United offer, he's been great this season for them, probably better than any 40 or 50M player they realistically could sign.
If there's no good offers for Mkhi then its either give him more chances, bench him the rest of the season or give him an opportunity to improve his value at Inter. Of those 3 options the Inter one is probably the best, when managers bash on a player for almost 2 years you can expect teams to not be too hot for them when you want to sell them.
Its really weird. It’s almost like if he can’t go past a player ‘cleanly’ he just doesn’t bother at all.
I assure you that Inter have way more problems then we do. We can afford keeping Mkhitaryan on the bench. We're rich, we've in a secure position for CL qualification and we don't need to sell/get rid before buying. Inter need to secure CL qualification, their squad is decent but needs improvement and they can't really add new talent without either getting rid of other players or getting loans.
50m might be peanuts in the UK but in the Serie A is big big money. They kept Perisic not because of what we offered but simply because they wanted to take us to the cleaners. Inter were pretty pissed off by us spending so much on Pogba simply because we gave a huge injection of cash to a club that knows how to use that cash to maximum benefit. They feared yet another Zidane story were Juventus ended up losing a player and buying an era dominating team. Now If 'evil' Juventus could do it then surely they can do the same.
If we're loaning Mkhitaryan then I'd say we loan it to Roma or Lazio. That will teach Inter not to be greedy next time we come knocking at their door.
At least they no longer ask to take Martial on loan.
That lack of shame.
Most of Pogba fee went to Higuain deal. Higuain is no spring chicken for so called years of dominance football wise let alone financially. Pogba helped generating more revenue than Higuain. Inter would not be pissed with thing that way beyond their control. It's more about us trying use the FFP deadline to force them to sell Perisic
Kinda agree with the rest though.
I can't remember ever seeing a more frustrating player in the premier league. You know he is talented. You know he is delightful on the ball those few moments when it clicks for him but you also know there is absolutely no consistency in the art he serves. Miki has three problems: poor spacial awareness (ever seen a player who loses the ball as much as Miki to an opponent who steals it from behind?), poor concentration, lack of mental strength. You can never become a top level elite player with those three problems. We should sell him.
I don't get how can you be angry with Inter for not selling their 2nd/3rd best player for a value of 35/40m Ivan Perisic, in todays market that's a ridiculous offer for a player as good as the croatian when you see mediocre players like Schneiderlin,Bailly,Stones,Batshuayi,Herrera,etc. moving for that sum (or even more).
I agree. Juventus messed it up on that one. However, looking back into their history you'll notice that this is but a rare exception. Juventus has a long tradition of selling their big star for ridiculous money and still end up with a stronger side. They did that with Baggio and repeated the same trick with Zidane. I happen to know alot of Inter fans and they were all pissed off for us first giving Juventus Pogba for free and then buying him up for a ridiculously high fee. In a cash strapped league that fee risked turning the Serie A into the new Scottish league.
Hence why, when we came knocking at Inter's door for Perisic they acted the way they did. If we were such 'suckers' to allow Juventus to take us to the cleaners then so can Inter with Perisic.
If you ask me, I would never loan Mkhitaryan to Inter. Instead I'll put a fee + player bid for one between Savic (Lazio), Florenzi (Roma) or Jorginho (Napoli). Italian clubs just love these sort of deals + by strengthening Inter's competitors it will give the message that you don't try to take United to the cleaners without risking having your fingers burnt.
He's world class at giving ball away.
Never seen anything like it before.
Never seen anything like it before.
A lot of myopic comments on here. Mikitaryan saved our bacon in Europe last season and it will be a big mistake for United to give up on him so soon. What's the harm in giving him another season to acclimatize himself. We know the quiet lads struggle with JM but Jesus we need more patience. Remember KDB, Salah, Arjen Robben.
Mikitaryan with his pace is absolutely vital to a successful European campaign. At 30m pounds this was a steal at today's prices and the problem is in his head which i believe just needs more trust to thrive.
Mikitaryan with his pace is absolutely vital to a successful European campaign. At 30m pounds this was a steal at today's prices and the problem is in his head which i believe just needs more trust to thrive.
His last performance was so bad I actually thought he must have been doing it as a push for a transfer, I could'nt believe a player of his quality could play that badly, he did'nt even seem to be that bothered.
Time to go.
His first two season with Everton he was managed by Martinez who would never play that kind of football. I think people just assume that because he is big
When do you come up with this stuff
Well I know Italian, I got friends in Italy who are Serie A fans, I watch the Serie A and read the news regularly.
I think its far more mature to highlight the areas you disagree with rather then put a two liner with a lot of smileys on it. I mean, we're not twelve year olds right?
Or maybe they just didn’t want to sell Perisic?
If he was 22-23 I’d agree mate, but he’s pushing 30. It’s unlikely that he’s ever going to be better for United than he’s currently showing.
There has to come a point where you say enough is enough, and for me that point came a long time ago. Get rid and reinvest the money on a player that will actually contribute in making the team better.