Our front 3

Andycoleno9

matchday malcontent
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Mar 4, 2017
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While we, more or less, know how our defence and midfield will look like, at this moment all 3 positions in attack are empty. With lots of question marks.

Sancho is maybe only nailed in first 11 but on the right or on the left?
Is Rashford ahead of Martial and on which position ETH sees those two?
If Ronaldo leaves, will we buy new striker or ETH will gamble with Rashford/Martial.
Will Eriksen be used on the left?
If Antony transfer fails, will we go for B options for rw?

What a difference from last year where we had clear situation;
Sancho-Ronaldo- Rashford
Greenwood-Cavani -Martial.
 
I would assume that Sancho, Ronaldo and a new RW will be first choice, with Rashford, Martial and Elanga as backups. If Ronaldo goes, we need a new striker, though.
 
2019-20, I thought our front 3 was set for years. Rashford, Martial and Greenwood had very good seasons and then added Bruno who was just awesome.

Couple of years later, 1 won't play for ManUtd again, 1 had one step out of the club and 1 player has been average-shit from last 18 months and he might not have future at this club.

Still question marks on Bruno on how he adapts to measured and controlled football. Things change so quickly in football.

I think Bruno will be attacker, with Sancho and Rashford or new attacker playing on other wing. Won't be surprised if we see Martial getting lot of games as we don't have CF and he has lot of attributes to play well.
 
It all depends on what happens with Ronaldo.

No new signings or sales
Sancho Ronaldo Rashford
Martial Rashford Elanga

If Ronaldo is sold we will sign Antony and play Rashford or Martial as CF.
If we manage to sell Martial and Ronaldo for a decent fee we could see Antony and a cheaper CF come in after the WC in January.

Safe to say Greenwood is done as a United player. Even if the club are stupid enough to let him back into the squad, I can't see him having any chemistry with the other players.
 
I think there's a good chance that Martial is our main striker. Though I also don't think there's any buyer for Ronaldo so he might stay. Rashford and Martial will have big roles and hopefully can roll back to 19/20 form. Need to stay fit. Sancho the one clear choice. I think Bruno joins part of the front 3 with Eriksen playing in the midfield 3.

Elanga depth, Amad loan, Hannibal loan, Garnacho depth. We're definitely short of numbers though. If Ronaldo goes, we have martial, Rashford, Sancho, Bruno and Elanga as "front 3 players" (and Bruno isnt a natural in that group).
 
bosnian_red said:
I think there's a good chance that Martial is our main striker. Though I also don't think there's any buyer for Ronaldo so he might stay. Rashford and Martial will have big roles and hopefully can roll back to 19/20 form. Need to stay fit. Sancho the one clear choice. I think Bruno joins part of the front 3 with Eriksen playing in the midfield 3.

Elanga depth, Amad loan, Hannibal loan, Garnacho depth. We're definitely short of numbers though. If Ronaldo goes, we have martial, Rashford, Sancho, Bruno and Elanga as "front 3 players" (and Bruno isnt a natural in that group).
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We only have two natural right wingers, Amad and Pellestri, and just the one left footed attacker, also Amad, it would be a bit silly to loan him out currently don't you think?
 
luke511 said:
We only have two natural right wingers, Amad and Pellestri, and just the one left footed attacker, also Amad, it would be a bit silly to loan him out currently don't you think?
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Sancho is right winger. And he should play there
 
luke511 said:
We only have two natural right wingers, Amad and Pellestri, and just the one left footed attacker, also Amad, it would be a bit silly to loan him out currently don't you think?
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Sure but I don't think he is ready for premier league football anyway so it doesn't matter if he's a natural. He needs games in professional football, which he has previous little of in his career up until now. He has like 700 total minutes played of professional football, and he's about to turn 20 in a few days. He's way behind.
 
roonster09 said:
2019-20, I thought our front 3 was set for years. Rashford, Martial and Greenwood had very good seasons and then added Bruno who was just awesome.

Couple of years later, 1 won't play for ManUtd again, 1 had one step out of the club and 1 player has been average-shit from last 18 months and he might not have future at this club.

Still question marks on Bruno on how he adapts to measured and controlled football. Things change so quickly in football.

I think Bruno will be attacker, with Sancho and Rashford or new attacker playing on other wing. Won't be surprised if we see Martial getting lot of games as we don't have CF and he has lot of attributes to play well.
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Don't judge a fish by its ability to fly etc.

We have talent in the squad, the club's recruitment of both managers and players has been the thing that let everyone down in the past 10 years.
 
Teja said:
Don't judge a fish by its ability to fly etc.

We have talent in the squad, the club's recruitment of both managers and players has been the thing that let everyone down in the past 10 years.
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Quoted wrong post?
 
bosnian_red said:
Sure but I don't think he is ready for premier league football anyway so it doesn't matter if he's a natural. He needs games in professional football, which he has previous little of in his career up until now. He has like 700 total minutes played of professional football, and he's about to turn 20 in a few days. He's way behind.
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He’ll have to wait and see, he’s definitely an asset currently though given the state of the squad.
 
You are assuming we will play with 3 forwards. I doubt it.
 
Teja said:
Don't judge a fish by its ability to fly etc.

We have talent in the squad, the club's recruitment of both managers and players has been the thing that let everyone down in the past 10 years.
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and the players being lazy shits. Without Cavani fighting and digging us out the season before last we would have struggled for top 4 too. There’s just far too little fight in the players we over pay and over hype. I wish it wasn’t the case but I’m so sick of looking at it. Strolling around like they’ve already won and letting inferior teams pin them back and clean them
 
I hope we try a false 9 with Bruno, with sancho and Antony wide if we sign him. Others as back ups.

I am also hoping Ronaldo is sold now. Let the new era begin, he wants out, pointless to keep him.
 
pacifictheme said:
I hope we try a false 9 with Bruno, with sancho and Antony wide if we sign him. Others as back ups.

I am also hoping Ronaldo is sold now. Let the new era begin, he wants out, pointless to keep him.
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We’d be much better off spending that Antony money on a centre forward if/when Ronaldo leaves.
 
Rashford will not be benched unless he is as bad as last season. But he is still seen as the main man. The United boy. So if he has to play and he does then he has to be given the platform to succeed. Otherwise its pointless. That means he starts on the LW. Sancho is our next important player. He played better on the left granted but he can and will start RW. I dont care who we buy. Its Rashford left and Sancho right. Sure if they are sht and we buy Antony for example they will be dropped. But until then thats what will happen. If we get Antony he will get games but as a rotation player. If Ronaldo goes and I think he will then Martial is first choice striker with Rashford back up.

Our front 3 is Rashford----Martial-----Sancho.
Back ups - Elanga--Rashford--Antony (or new signing) or Eriksen

Bruno will be 10 and Eriksen played in a number of positions to for specific games. He can play in a 3 in midfield, number 10 or RW. Maybe double pivot if the opposition is sht. Or we play 5 at the cack. But that will be rare.

Thats the only way I see it happening/working until we sell/buy then it might change
 
Infra-red said:
4-4-2 / 3-5-2 ?
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Probably. I don't know what formation but going by the signings, I don't think it's a 433. That midfield just isn't suitable .

FDJ,Eriksen, Bruno - mostly a 352. With a hybrid CB/DM in Martinez. That's my guess.
 
luke511 said:
We’d be much better off spending that Antony money on a centre forward if/when Ronaldo leaves.
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Potentially I guess but no idea who. I think a fluid front 3 could work really well. We have seen all 3 have goals in them, as does rashford and erikson who could fit into that formation too. City managed it last season and I think we could too personally. Not to the same level because our players are not as good, but I think it's a system that could work for us.
 
roonster09 said:
Quoted wrong post?
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Nope, just responding to your comments around our forward line being set for multiple years. IMO that is a great forward line and we have had a lot of talent in the squad but they haven't been functioning as a whole because of shoddy recruitment of both players and managers.
 
Front 3 is the part of most teams that gets the greatest variation between and within games, so it's debatable we will see a set front 3, especially with the number of subs allowed. Most of the candidates have question marks over them: Rashford, Martial, Sancho, Eriksen, Bruno, Ronaldo if he stays, maybe even Greenwood. Perhaps a new signing. And some games for Elanga.

To summarise, basically we have no idea.
 
Assuming Ronaldo leaves

Sancho—Martial—Amad
Donny———Erikson
Dejong
Shaw-Martinez-Varane-Lindelof​
 
From an attacking stand point, this is probably the worst position we’ve been in for over 25 years.

It’s all very well signing defenders and midfielders, but if you don’t score goals you don’t win games.

As things stand I just don’t see where the goals are going to come from.
 
Garethw said:
From an attacking stand point, this is probably the worst position we’ve been in for over 25 years.

It’s all very well signing defenders and midfielders, but if you don’t score goals you don’t win games.

As things stand I just don’t see where the goals are going to come from.
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Yeah not one DM or ST in whole squad is a joke
 
croadyman said:
Yeah not one DM or ST in whole squad is a joke
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Its utterly ridiculous to even consider this, but I’m starting to feel that letting a washed up Matic go was a mistake. That’s how badly they’ve fecked this transfer window up so far.

The fact I’m even considering a finished Matic as a better option than what we currently have just shows how bad the situation is. Lunacy!
 
Garethw said:
Its utterly ridiculous to even consider this, but I’m starting to feel that letting a washed up Matic go was a mistake. That’s how badly they’ve fecked this transfer window up so far.

The fact I’m even considering a finished Matic as a better option than what we currently have just shows how bad the situation is. Lunacy!
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Yeah lunacy is the right word
 
It’s a very unpopular opinion, but I think that the club are betting on Greenwood coming back.

Now I’m not saying I agree with that before you all jump on me, buts that’s the feeling I get.

Emergency funds should have been provided and a replacement should have been signed by now. I’d bet money that the Glazers are banking on him returning rather than spending what’s needed.
 
Rashford and Sancho will probably start no matter what, I'm fairly positive that Rashford's position is still his to lose no matter what anyone here thinks. Martial will not start no matter what, and if he somehow does it won't be for long. Ronaldo will start obviously if he stays. If he doesn't I guess Elanga will go in or Bruno as a false 9.
 
If we don't replace Ronaldo and enter the season depending on Elanga, Sancho and Rashford to score us the goals, then even top 6 will be a pipe dream.

If we replace Ronaldo with Dybala then we're fecked too.
 
Teja said:
Nope, just responding to your comments around our forward line being set for multiple years. IMO that is a great forward line and we have had a lot of talent in the squad but they haven't been functioning as a whole because of shoddy recruitment of both players and managers.
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Yeah i agree. We have/had talent but lacked good coach to create a system to bring best out of the team.
 
DDG
Dalot Varane Martinez Malacia
Fred FDJ(Garner)
Bruno Eriksen Sancho
Brobbey
​
I fully expect Martinez will sign for us, I have high regards on him, together our other signing Malacia.

Really depends whether we can sign FDJ or not (right now its still 50/50). At worst we could spend whole summer pursuing for him but end up signing no one as we are leaving it too late, but we always have Garner, whom I think is an interesting option.

Eriksen has to start as he brings quality, which leaves Bruno playing on the wings, which I think is not a bad idea for now.

With Ronaldo gone, its seems we only linked with Brobbey as replacement. He scored 7 goals last season so I assume he is better option than Martial, who only has 2 goals.
​
 
Why do people assume it will always be a front 3? There are a variety of formations that ETH can use including 4-3-1-2, 4-4-2 diamond, 3-5-2 diamond, 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 depending on the type of teams he is facing. The purchase of Malacia and potential purchases of De Jong and Martinez shows that ETH is going to use their versatility to switch between different formations.

My guess is that Sancho will play as a inverted winger or attacking midfielder, Rashford/Martial/Elanga as inverted winger or striker, Ronaldo as a striker, Bruno Fernandes as a false nine or attacking midfielder. So there are a variety of ways the current forwards can be used.
 
With Ronaldo leaving, we’re in a really uncomfortable place..

With Ronaldo, another attacker would’ve been a nice addition (not exactly the most pressing position though) but if we got someone like Antony, who’s good, but not good enough to transforms us yet, then we would’ve been in good position.

But with Ronaldo leaving, our attack is very weak, Antony alone wouldn’t complete it, and no real good center forwards available currently. To add to that, we lost Greenwood.

I hope ETH has some big plans, and also is a miracle worker..

I hate to be negative but I’m struggling to see how we’re going to score goals.. My only hope is that Martial and Rashford regain their 2020 form.
 
I’m pretty sure that after a full pre-season and tons of team training, we’ll start the season with Rashford - Martial - Sancho.

ETH’s value is on the training field. I still think that front three can be an exceptional, fluid trio of ETH can get them all back to their best.

Time will tell. But he will have had all three since the first week of pre-season, and of those players meeting that criteria, that’s easily the best three. All depends on how they do on the training field though.
 
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