I don’t think we have anyone, other than a fully fit Shaw who is in the top three in their position. Bruno and Dalot are maybe the only other players you could make a case for.
PL 1st and 2nd XI
- Thread starter Pogue Mahone
- Start date
I just don't get how people don't see something so obvious. All they see is him scoring and assisting in a perfectly well-oiled machine, that many players from rival teams would be capable of too. But Foden wouldn't be able to carry a team on his own, because it would be him that would have to initiate and make things happen, instead of him being the one who gets everything on a silver platter. And he's not even fast, or a great ball carrier anyway. Just a small spaces player with good ball striking, who benefits from his teammates' movement and link-up skills.There is no standout LW right now. Saka only plays on the right and Palmer is an AM. That's why I was comfortable with putting Foden on the left.
I think he's top class, and clearly so do his fellow pros (who don't always get it right admittedly).
That's true, but Foden doesn't exclusively play on the left either, and it's his worst position, because he's left-footed. I'd say Son is a naturally left sided player and miles better than Foden.
At his peak, no. But Martínez gets in over him now - by now I mean 22/23 Martinez as we don’t know what sort of player he is post injury.
Shaw yes but I don't think Dalot is going to be first choice at United once Shaw is fit, as long as Mazroui is still fit by then of course!
I don't think there's a single aspect of defending where van Dijk isn't light years ahead of Martínez. When your team has the ball and are building out from the back, then I'd say Martínez is more valuable.
Slot, Guardiola, Ange or Arteta would not swap their LCB for Martinez.
I doubt the fans of Villa, Everton, Palace would either.
Christ this thread really hits home
How he plays for City is why he's here, not how he is in a different system. And he was he player of the season last season, so fair enough he gets in.
Depends what you want out of your defender. They’d make a hell of a pairing tbf.
Sad that Rashford would now struggle to make the 5th XI
Didn’t Pep call Martínez a top 5 centre half in world football like 3 months ago? He’d probably shift Akanji for him.
Dalot is making a case but that's it.
Pep also said Maguire was fast. He clearly prioritises physicality at the back now. Akanji isn't first choice LCB for City.
Who is? I just looked up who started there last
Akanji is a much better ball carrier than Martínez and physically superior too. Maybe he would trade in one of Aké or Akanji for Lisandro, if we just isolate the three players and compare their overall skillsets, because Pep would love Martínez's line-breaking passes and press-resistance, but in some aspects, Akanji is definitely better. Maybe having Martínez would allow Gvardiol to shift more between LCB and LB as well.
Jaysus that’s a big call. Dalot’s been our best player for the last 12 months (faint praise but still)
The thing with Pep is that he describes virtually every player and team he plays against as being fantastic, a huge challenge, etc. I wouldn’t read too much into it.
Dalot has just steadily improved, season on season for a few years now. I’d be amazed if he loses his place in the first XI
Shaw is the only one in with a shout and after this season he could possibly be fighting for the 4th team.
I assumed Dias if Stones was fit but I'm not 100% sure to be honest.
None of them.
Maybe in the future the young ones might have a shout.
But the current level isn’t close to challenging for the league…so none could make the cut for a league eleven.
Maybe in the future the young ones might have a shout.
But the current level isn’t close to challenging for the league…so none could make the cut for a league eleven.
Isn't Dias their CCB?
Not sure we make it to a Third XI
You can think what you want. Foden is last season's player of the season. Not considering him in the top 10 of attackers is wrong.
I don't rate TAA as a defender and I also don't rate Walker highly. I do rate Jota highly which is why I picked it like that but if you disagree that's fine.
I know what you mean but Dalot shouldn't be the best player on our team really.
The reason I think that is because he's playing Mazraoui, who can also play on either side, on the right and Dalot on the left so it would be less disruptive to drop Dalot for Shaw but that obviously depends on fitness and form at that point. Unless he's not thinking that far ahead at all and it's just what's best for now.
Is Van Dijk called the butcher? Case closed.
I think Bruno and Licha can do well in a functional team with a good manager.