Sorry missed that (initially read it as him calling Mourinho a dumbass) and he also shouldnt have. Even if he did, its better not to stoop to the same.
Potential Matic Replacements
- Thread starter FootyGirl88
- Start date
Yeah I agree.
As much as I’d love De Jong I think he’ll end up at Barca along with De Ligt as those seem the two priority areas for Barca to upgrade/strengthen in and there’s always been that Barca/Ajax link as well as those two players being perfect for Barca.
As I just said in a different thread I think Ruben Neves is exactly who we should be looking to sign as he’s the same type of deep lying playmaker that dictates tempo in front of the back four as Carrick was and what we’ve been screaming out for since Carrick wasn’t playing regularly anymore a couple of years ago.
Right now Pogba has to attempt to do both roles which he can’t and he isn’t a Carrick type either whilst Matic is a midfield destroyer who sometimes decides he’s Carrick but not quick enough with his touch or the ball at his feet, Neves should be who we go after and I’d rotate between him and Pereira who’s also that type of player but clearly doesn’t have Jose’s trust in the role.
As I just said in a different thread I think Ruben Neves is exactly who we should be looking to sign as he’s the same type of deep lying playmaker that dictates tempo in front of the back four as Carrick was and what we’ve been screaming out for since Carrick wasn’t playing regularly anymore a couple of years ago.
Right now Pogba has to attempt to do both roles which he can’t and he isn’t a Carrick type either whilst Matic is a midfield destroyer who sometimes decides he’s Carrick but not quick enough with his touch or the ball at his feet, Neves should be who we go after and I’d rotate between him and Pereira who’s also that type of player but clearly doesn’t have Jose’s trust in the role.
Fred is too loose technically and too ill disciplined tactically for the role IMO, he's better suited as cover for Pogba, if Pogba is out we move to a 4-23-1 with Lingard in the #10 role ahead of Fred and the other CM in a double pivot.
still too early to be categorical of Fred. One cannot really judge yet if his current short comings are inherent to him or consequence of manager and/or league he has been playing prior.
I've seen Fred play before he came here as well though, his short coming's of loose control and lack of positional discipline is not down to Mourinho, it's just the way he is, and I think him and Pogba in the same midfield will leave any team too wide open.
1.5 seasons in when we expect him to still be settling in, we are talking of replacements. This is my problem with 29 & 30 yr olds quick fix that Mourinho seems to love and most fans support. Imagine having 3-4 players like him in the squad.
But we don't? There's absolutely nothing wrong with a couple of experienced signings especially when the team needs a quick boost, it's just wise management.
If we were constantly filling the team with 30+ signings I'd be complaining too but we're no where near doing that so such claims are hysterical.
Just imagine the Blanc signing in this day and age, our fans would lose thier minds
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I was talking about his previous manager i.e. if fonseca never demanded it of him, he might not have needed to improve on it.
It is almost certain that Mourinho would require it and one should wait to see if there is progress. He surely wont be seeing much game time if he is tactically indisciplined (which is what I suspect limits opportunities for Pereira as well) cos mourinho is notorious for expecting his players to follow his instructions to the letter.
Fred played in a midfield 2 at Shakhtar. With a proper holding midfielder, they will be alright.
I don't think Mourinho is the only one that would require a lot more from him in this regard, even teams managed by Pep and Zidane required that CM that was disciplined, and I just haven't seen it in his game here or at Shaktar.
I was never impressed with what I saw from him at Shaktar in truth, and if we buy Neves in the DLP role he won't be a pure holder, he'll require Fred to operate with the kind of midfield discipline of players like Casemiro, Allan, Kante and Fernandinho, something not in his game from what he's shown so far.
I was not exactly excited by our prospect of signing him when we were first linked to him tbh. I think him, Pogba and a holding midfielder could work in a proper system. Although Pogba and Fred are not the most disciplined and Fred is liable to being caught behind the play at times, Pogba is no slouch and Fred has great energy and can cover a lot of ground. What they require is a proper disciplined holding midfielder to hold and mop up behind them. Someone more defensive than Neves would be welcome.
I would like to see the proof of that before jumping to conclusion on him, although i feel his passing range is a tier below which is needed to create chances after chances.
I never wanted us to buy him, I felt from the start he was a Jack of all trades type of CM, nothing special. To me our midfield lacks both a playmaker and either a disciplined box to box or a pure holding DM, Fred is neither of these and if we played Pogba and Fred ahead of a Casemiro type of holder I feel we'd be sorely lacking creatively in midfield.
That's the thing, I don't think Mourinho is to blame for his erratic passing and loose control, these are just part of his game, he can have great moments of technical skill and can hit a decent through ball at times, but he lacks the consistency and top end quality in either of these aspect to be any kind of playmaker, and doesn't have the discipine for the more defensive role IMO.
Matic being bad has nothing to do with age since the exact same thing happened at Chelsea when he came back in 2014. He was a man possessed for 6 months then got gradually worse. His playstyle covers way too much ground for a big player, which eventually sees him overcome with physical issues.
He shouldnt have even played since he had surgery, but he's the type of person to come back early and make himself available. Give Matic a good rest and he'll be much better. We could sell to Juventus and he'd do the exact same thing, be amazing for 6 months and then become shite over time.
He shouldnt have even played since he had surgery, but he's the type of person to come back early and make himself available. Give Matic a good rest and he'll be much better. We could sell to Juventus and he'd do the exact same thing, be amazing for 6 months and then become shite over time.
It was Billing Vs. Ruben Neves this weekend with Huddersfield travelling to Wolves.
Billing had a very good game while Neves (and Moutinho) had a poor game with Wolves losing 2-0 at home.
Billing had 2 key passes, 2 dribbles, 2 times fouled, 2 shots, 2 tackles, 4 interceptions, 0 clearances, 3 times he blocked a shot, won 5 aerial duels and gave away 2 fouls
Ruben Neves had 1 key pass, 0 dribbles, 0 times fouled, 2 shots, 5 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 clearances, *1 time he blocked a shot, 0 aerial duels won and gave away 1 foul. *Near the end of the game he gave away the ball on the edge of his own box with a terrible pass to Mooy but he did block the shot and his teammate skied the rebound.
Billing had a very good game while Neves (and Moutinho) had a poor game with Wolves losing 2-0 at home.
Billing had 2 key passes, 2 dribbles, 2 times fouled, 2 shots, 2 tackles, 4 interceptions, 0 clearances, 3 times he blocked a shot, won 5 aerial duels and gave away 2 fouls
Ruben Neves had 1 key pass, 0 dribbles, 0 times fouled, 2 shots, 5 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 clearances, *1 time he blocked a shot, 0 aerial duels won and gave away 1 foul. *Near the end of the game he gave away the ball on the edge of his own box with a terrible pass to Mooy but he did block the shot and his teammate skied the rebound.
I know some people laughed at you, earlier in the thread when suggesting Billing, but I didn't want to drag it back up with an old quote, so I'm glad you've brought him up again.
He's just not a fashionable name, but I think he is a much better option as a Matic replacement than quite a few being thrown around. If you look at the first goal as well, Neves got dragged out of position to let Mooy have a shot without any pressure. There were a couple of wayward touches by Billing, but overall he's pretty mobile and we could massively do with someone like him instead of Matic against those techno-midget midfields. He's only 22 and would obviously be obtainable. His range of passing is the only thing he would probably need to improve, but I would rather have someone solid, positionally, right now.
Andreas right this moment can do a better job but because Jose won't give him a minute we are going to lose a good squad player since he won't sign a contract for a team who never plays him. Boy can hold onto the ball and pass. Matic can't do anything.
Thing is I'm not suggesting him because I think he's what we should go for. Instead I think he's what Mourinho would like. With Fellaini and Matic in their 30s, I'd love for Mourinho to suddenly value technical ability for a midfield role. But I don't think he does. So more fashionable names with better technique probably arent going to be the players replacing a Fellaini or Matic in the squad. Mourinho is likely to replace his favourites with someone similar.
So within that mindset, I think Phillip Billing is one of the most likely candidates from the Premier League. So thats why I talk about him. Its not because I would suggest buying him myself but because I think our manager will like him based on what he's liked from our players during his time here. I'd love to be surprised and suddenly he does something else, but I think thats just fantasy and not accepting the direction he's moving in.
From what I've seen he can indeed develop into a Fellaini or Matic type and he's having a good season. He works fairly hard and wins the ball.
Fair enough. I don't think it's a bad opinion to have from Mourinho's point of view. Let's say hypothetically Poch comes in, he currently plays Dier in that position. They're not a million miles away in terms of profile and whilst Wanyama isn't tall, he is that strong defensive midfielder.
A very fair point.
Would you want Billing over Ndidi?
Ndidi has been my preferred CM signing for a while. But I am willing to be convinced by other options.
IF Mourinho is staying then we need to get the profile of players he wants because at the moment we’re stuck in limbo land with trying to appease fans and Mourinho
So if he’s staying go get Kante. He’s playing RCM which isn’t his thing. Perhaps in a swap for Andreas
So if he’s staying go get Kante. He’s playing RCM which isn’t his thing. Perhaps in a swap for Andreas
@Ekeke , I've been a fan of Billing's for a couple of years now. He wouldn't be my first choice but I wouldn't be against signing him either. I think he can become a good player.
Declan Rice would probably be the best fit. An improvement in the air and more mobile version of Matic. Plus he's young and comfortable at CB.
if he is so good why is he not in high demand? The levels to which we over rate some of our players is just ridiculous.
BTW the 'holding midfielder ' is not called so cos he can hold on to the ball
We spent 40m on a one season wonder. Squad inheritance indeed
I'd prefer Ndidi personally. But I'm not sure Mourinho would
I don't think he has to be in "high demand" to offer us more than Matic is doing currently, or to be a good squadplayer in the future.
Where did I say he was "so good" I said he was better than Matic which right now isn't saying much as Matic this season is one of the worst midfielders to ever consistently start for this club in recent history. Hell, he might be the worst. He is a defensive midfielder who constantly fails to track his man and is caught in possession. He has been beyond disgracefully bad.
Oh and while they are only rumors which must be taken with a pinch of salt apparently both Arsenal and Chelsea are interested in snapping up Andreas for free. And remember Matic wouldn't get in either of their teams anymore.
I have nothing against him but we called it when we signed him. His legs were already going/gone. Some players just don't age well.
Matic replacement? A bag of cement would be more useful.
Yes and Pereira was so briliiant against Brighton.
If he was better than Matic there would be enough teams (not necessarily top ones) willing to buy him and not wait till he is available for free cos as bad as matic is currently, if available he would still have suitors.
Yeah, if Pogba is so good, other teams would have made bids for him instead of signing him on free transfer.
Wow, player played 1 bad game and shouldn't play ever. If ever that logic was used, none of the Manutd players play even a min after Brighton game. What a pathetic logic which isn't surprising though.
There is a difference to being bad in one game to every game. Although preseason means little Andreas was out best player in it. He is clearly talented. Surely with Matic doing so poorly, Andreas and others deserve to get a game ahead of him for a chance to displace him. Matic playing has been a detriment to the team. Surely you can admit it is only far other get an equal chance? Go back and watch the Juventus games and notice Matic constantly letting Dybala run off the back of him.
Yes, Matic on a free would have suitors, just probably not from the top 6 although you could simply put that down to age. Again, I don' want to dislike Matic he has just been terrible this season and does not deserve an unchallenged place in the starting lineup. Jose having favorites is not a good thing. Especially when his favorites are some of our worst performers.
A lamp post with a light on top.
You mean half a season wonder.
We were talking about a Carrick replacement in 2014. Now close to 2019, we still haven't found his successor. How hard is it to find someone young and with potential like Jorginho, says it all about the club's transfer policies really.
Jorginho isn't all that. He is very good system player, with Jose he will look like a lost idiot.
To think people questioned his desire to develop elsewhere last year.
Matic problem is that his body is past it. He would still be very good if he was playing as a backup DM and not every game. Even at Chelsea, he couldnt sustain it for a season, but now he is older and coming off a WC, its just hopeless.
IMO Pereira just doesnt have the tactical discipline, ball winning abilities and general understanding of the game to play the same position effectively. Generally think he would do better upfield as a CM. Also I doubt his comments to the media helped his cause.