Yep good point. Although the LVG side of it doesn't necessarily mean it was good logic. That was a guy who spent our then transfer record, and tried to mess with the guy's position! That and madness like trying to play Rooney, Falcao and Van Persie together!
New Left Back
- Thread starter OohAahMartial
- Start date
Yep good point. Although the LVG side of it doesn't necessarily mean it was good logic. That was a guy who spent our then transfer record, and tried to mess with the guy's position! That and madness like trying to play Rooney, Falcao and Van Persie together!
Is cover at right back not more pressing?
We have 3 left backs, albeit not the most impressive but still capable left backs and we have 3 of them none the less.
Who is cover for Tony V? Jones is too busy in the middle kicking everything that moves, home-shirt, away-shirt? It matters not, kick first, kick hard and kick true then clear it. Smalling? Please no. Can Lindeloff play there he is very untested at this level.
A Right back is more of a concern for me.
We have 3 left backs, albeit not the most impressive but still capable left backs and we have 3 of them none the less.
Who is cover for Tony V? Jones is too busy in the middle kicking everything that moves, home-shirt, away-shirt? It matters not, kick first, kick hard and kick true then clear it. Smalling? Please no. Can Lindeloff play there he is very untested at this level.
A Right back is more of a concern for me.
We have Darmian there as well.
Indeed we do you are right, I couldn't rememebr who was playing there last season.
Aaron cresswell? Hell of a cross on him
Think this is also relevant here.
Every time Mane was double marked, Moreno pulled a defender away and when the defenders refused to move, Moreno was left with a crossing opportunity with no one marking him.
I would not mind getting Kieran Tierney in. Young, great potential, British en brings skills we can use offensively. Nice speed, great acceleration and not afraid to take on defenders in a 1 v 1. Worth the risk for me. A player with that playing style behind them would be great for Rashford and Martial.
I think this thread needs to be brought back to life.
It seems like we missed a trick what with Mendy looking great for City.
How good is Alex Sandro? I haven't seen all that much of him. I'm thinking he might be a more defensive kind of left back, as in really solid defensively, is that correct? Josè would like that.
Now Chelsea did try to sign him this summer and by all accounts he's going to cost a bomb. But which top class player isn't?
It seems like we missed a trick what with Mendy looking great for City.
How good is Alex Sandro? I haven't seen all that much of him. I'm thinking he might be a more defensive kind of left back, as in really solid defensively, is that correct? Josè would like that.
Now Chelsea did try to sign him this summer and by all accounts he's going to cost a bomb. But which top class player isn't?
Uhm, Mendy just tore his ACL 2 weeks ago buddy, he won't be back this season so he isn't really looking great tbh.
There's no chance of getting Alex Sandro. Chelsea failed with a bid of 60 million.
Hows Gaya developing?
Also Alaba and Bernat at Bayern so perhaps one of them (probably Bernat? might be available)
Personally I'm still hopeful Shaw can get it together
Da fuq? How did I not know this? Ah well, I can certainly feel for him as I suspect I have the same injury, going for an MRI scan on Monday.
Good for us though I suppose.
Sandro isn't bad defensively as he's strong, relatively quick and his positioning is getting better all the time, however that's definitely not his game. He is seen as more of an attacking FB/WB definitely, I believe he's statistically been the most accurate crosser in Serie A (not sure about all the top leagues, but most be high up overall across all of them) for a couple of seasons now.
As has been mentioned though, he's going to be very difficult to get and will probably cost £70m+.
The way Alex Sandro has been playing for Juventus he would comfortably cost well north of £60m (they paid almost half of that for him in the first place while buying him from Porto) and full backs are so important for Juventus system that they probably would not sell him at all.
I think Bertrand would be a decent choice, he has a long contract so would not come cheap but he is experienced and has been playing well for Southampton. He'd be wise choice if we also moved for a younger defender like Sessegnon or Tierney at the same time and used Bertrand as a 2 or 3-year stop gap before they develop. I think that's the best way for us currently, having an experience full back we can rely on but at the same time have a younger player who can potentially be world class as well.
I think Bertrand would be a decent choice, he has a long contract so would not come cheap but he is experienced and has been playing well for Southampton. He'd be wise choice if we also moved for a younger defender like Sessegnon or Tierney at the same time and used Bertrand as a 2 or 3-year stop gap before they develop. I think that's the best way for us currently, having an experience full back we can rely on but at the same time have a younger player who can potentially be world class as well.
Some good replies here, thanks guys.
I'm a big fan of Shaw and want him to succeed here but I think we should start looking at bringing a LB in for next season or possibly January. Ryan Bertrand would be my choice. Consistent player and wouldn't cost the earth.
I think if we're going to get a new LB it should be someone who's the real deal, like the best we can get. We need someone who's going to be our Marcelo.
Bertrand is a good call actually, and fits Mourinho's preferred profile of an experienced PL performer.
He is a good player, and has really hit top form past season or so.
To mention some players: Kieran Tierney looks a really good prospect, but presumably we'd want a ready made player right away, Danny Rose has mentioned that he wants to move up north so if he's available I can' think of many better attainable LB's, Raphaël Guerreiro is offensively very good and is versatile enough to play in midfield, Aarón Caricol is another young prospect that looks the real deal, Gaya and Grimaldo are both offensively solid but physically perhaps not typical premier league players, Jordan Lukaku (Romelu's brother) could perhaps be a cheap alternative as he's very good at making overlapping runs and crossing, along with being defensively solid.
Ghoulam. Tall, quick, strong in the air and a really good crosser. Mourinho would love him.
Bertrand is a decent mid-table level player, he'd be a stopgap at best.
I had no issues playing RVP and Rooney together. At the time, most would've thought that this pairing would've been lethal. Add Falcao and Di Maria to the mix and we'd be thinking 100 goals per season?
But to mess around with Di Maria's position, when it was not warranted, was insanity.
If you buy the most expensive player in the English League, play him in his preferred position, where he is proven to do the most damage.
And lets not forget Falcao - the player who could barely stand...who fell over every-time he ran, turned or kicked a ball. The player who could not score goals, even though that is what he is was paid to do. LVG really did persist with playing that guy.
We don't want any more stop-gaps.
Right now we have defenders being played as LB. A left winger being used as LWB.
We have a LB, who has been either too fat, unfit or injured to play regularly.
We need a consistent performer, who is proven as a LB.
No more make-shift LBs.
And I do find it remarkable that ever since Evra left 3.5 years ago, we have yet to find a LB, who can actually do a decent job for us.
Anyone seen much of this Dan-Axel Zagadou guy at Dortmund? Looks an absolute monster and is only 18
I agree with you, I was just making the comment regarding Bertrand as I see him suggested in a few posts.
On his way to City apparently...
Bit of a weird position because we have a guy who looked like an absolute world beater in the making who just hasn't been able to stay fit. So I'm guessing there has been a lack of urgency for that position as the people that matter think he has what it takes and until he is ready they can make do with the options we have.
I'm more concerned about RB but to be fair to him Valencia hasn't bugged me this season so far as much as he has done his last 4 seasons.
I'm more concerned about RB but to be fair to him Valencia hasn't bugged me this season so far as much as he has done his last 4 seasons.
If Shaw is not given a chance or does not look up to the task, then I would try and go after Faouzi Ghoulam from Napoli.
Free transfer as well.
I feel privileged to actually have physically witnessed one of his goals.
Not quite the John Jensen collector's item, but not far off. Did he score 4 or 5 in total?
Next summer makes sense to buy big there. We had other priorities these last 2 seasons, but if Shaw doesn't step up, not even the most optimistic person can argue we haven't given him enough of a chance.
We need to buy a big player there, a Danny Rose or someone. Someone who is at their peak now, but can give another 3-4 years minimum at that level.
Ghoulam's a great call actually, question marks defensively still I think but is comfortable on the ball, a good crosser and he's been in great form so far. Wouldn't be a big investment as he's free in the summer (and therefore, I would imagine fairly cheap if a team wanted to obtain him in January) and I don't think would command massive wages.
Then United are free to pursue somebody like Tierney or Sessegnon as well maybe if they wanted.
Rumours he might go to City, but surely he's got to know that as soon as Mendy's back he'll bit sitting on the bench? He'd have a much bigger shot at first-team regular football at United so that seems the logical choice if it came between the two.
Then United are free to pursue somebody like Tierney or Sessegnon as well maybe if they wanted.
Rumours he might go to City, but surely he's got to know that as soon as Mendy's back he'll bit sitting on the bench? He'd have a much bigger shot at first-team regular football at United so that seems the logical choice if it came between the two.
I'd be gutted if we don't get trippier from celtic.
Erm... im assuming Tierney?
Rather than spurs reserve right back? (Albeit he is a good player I don't think he's a good left back solution for us)
Yep sorry! For some reason I lkeep getting mixed up with their names! What you think of Tierney?
Looks a decent prospect from what I've seen but I'm not an avid follower is Scotland or the spl so I don't know how good he really is / could be.
I'm still hopeful Shaw comes good but if not there seems to be a fair few potentially obtainable left backs...
Alaba and bernat at bayern so maybe bernat could be obtained
Gaya and Jorge look decent prospects who have performed at arguably higher levels than Tierney
Rodriguez (ac) and guerrero (dortmund) might be available at the right price.
Even Sandro (juve) though I suspect he would cost crazy money.
In short if Shaw does not work out I'm sure we have plenty of options.. . I imagine Tierney is one of them but it would be a bloody big step up for him so perhaps he would spend a lot of time on the bench which may hinder his development?
Fair do's - I've not watched much of celtic in the spl but saying that I have seen some of Tierney'performances in Europe which gives me a tad bit of confidence of him making the step up here. Plus the guy is captain at like 12 years old lol
Knowing Jose, to finally resolve the LB issues, he'll go for a player who is in his prime. It won't necessarily be a big name, but someone who is tried, tested and performs reasonably well, consistently.
He'll want to avoid getting another 20 year old in, who may or may not make the step up. Remember, we already have 4 players who can play in LB/LWB position, so the new guy will need to be better than all our existing options; a youngster is unlikely to be better than our current 4.
He'll want to avoid getting another 20 year old in, who may or may not make the step up. Remember, we already have 4 players who can play in LB/LWB position, so the new guy will need to be better than all our existing options; a youngster is unlikely to be better than our current 4.
There are quite a few choices:
Ghoulam
Grimaldo
Gaya
Wendell
Tierney
Sessegnon
Maouassa
Bertrand
Rose
Guerreiro
Emerson
Alex Telles
Sergio Escudero has also been great but he's 28.
I would get Ghoulam on a free this coming summer and pinch Sessegnon. The former will be 27 and spend his peak years here and will probably start declining by the time Sessegnon hits 21 years of age.
Ghoulam
Grimaldo
Gaya
Wendell
Tierney
Sessegnon
Maouassa
Bertrand
Rose
Guerreiro
Emerson
Alex Telles
Sergio Escudero has also been great but he's 28.
I would get Ghoulam on a free this coming summer and pinch Sessegnon. The former will be 27 and spend his peak years here and will probably start declining by the time Sessegnon hits 21 years of age.