Leicester would fleece us for Ndidi.
Potential Matic Replacements
- Thread starter FootyGirl88
- Start date
Any regular Bundesliga watchers know how Santiago Ascacibar has been playing this season?
I wouldn't be surprised if he were to come to England and have a similar effect to Torreira or to a lesser extent Kante.
I wouldn't be surprised if he were to come to England and have a similar effect to Torreira or to a lesser extent Kante.
Good player who'd be good competition for Herrera in that dogged #8 role, but not as a Matic replacement IMO
Do you have the passing stats of all 3 ? I dont want another Morgan type signing who is quite bad on ball.
I would pick Saul from atletico madrid. He seems very underrated in caf.
Replacing Matic is the wrong question in my opinion. I don't think we work or are best with a big, tall, DM with low mobility and average to poor passing. Structure our team better and without this template.
I'd rather grab Casemiro or Ndidi, someone mobile.
I'd rather grab Casemiro or Ndidi, someone mobile.
And calm. Composure is Matic's best asset. We have plenty of forwards who chase around like puppies all day, I like the player at the base of midfield to be a calming presence who is comfortable taking a few extra touches under pressure to assess his options and choose the correct ball out.
I think the question is who should be the next starting #6, rather than who’s the next big lug United should sign.
Exactly. How do we want to play, not how can we play with the personell we have.
Well there's different types of DMs they're not all the same, I would like a DM that can help us control the tempo of game rather than a Kante type of DM.
Wanting the #6 to be mobile is fine, I think we all agree on that, but he also needs to be a great passer who can control the game from deeper, that's not the likes of Casemiro or Ndidi.
Yes. I think Ndidi will fit in really well in this team. He is quick, good dribbler and very good on the air too. If we are going to keep playing an aggressive quick stlye, someone like Ndidi or Casemiro will fit in much better than a Matic or Jorginho.
I'd say the way teams press these days, the DM has to be proactive and capable of consistently moving the ball with a single touch. Someone that is the complete opposite of Matic.
Classic grass is greener. Log onto a Leicester forum and half of that lot will tell you how shit Ndidi’s passing can be.
United supporters watch him a couple of times and immediately decide he’s better than Matic. Brilliant.
United supporters watch him a couple of times and immediately decide he’s better than Matic. Brilliant.
Pogba, Herrera, Carrick was the best our midfield has looked in years - we need to try and replicate that
I saw Neves play against Spurs, and he was great in that second half. Although Poch's team appeared tired.
In fairness a lot that want Ndidi seem to care less about what the player can do on the ball and more about his abilities as a quick and athletic DM. I'm of the view we need a Carrick/Alonso type of player to compliment Herrera and Pogba, but others just want two physical hustlers behind Paul. I think Ndidi would be a good addition to compete with Herrera for that worker Bee #8 role but not as the holder.
I'd love Ndidi here for personal bias reasons and also his mobility, his passing might not be great but it doesn't have to be when all he has to do is win it back and pass to Pogba
I understand the need for calming influences but after Matic's weaknesses have been exposed when we are pressured, I'll snap a mobile DM destroyer in a heartbeat..
I understand the need for calming influences but after Matic's weaknesses have been exposed when we are pressured, I'll snap a mobile DM destroyer in a heartbeat..
The player you're describing is Rodri at Atletico Madrid. He's fast and mobile and has very good passing range.
They just re-signed him in the summer from Villareal and may not be willing to sell or the player may not want to leave. But if there's a chance, then he's the one we need to go all out for.
I try and watch when Stuttgart play as followed him since the Olympics and he just gets better each season. I think he is the perfect midfield signing for us, sure there will be big teams sniffing around him soon. As well as Torreira has done in his debut season I think Ascacibar is twice the player and can be better than Kante too, he is just made for the premiership I think
I was very impressed with what I saw of him. He reminded me a bit of a smaller version of a young Vidal. Although, he did look a bit raw technically and lacked aerially.
Rodri's really good but I think that ship has sailed, he's got a big buyout and if I'm not mistaken he actually originally came from Atleti's academy, so I could see him being a lifer there like Koke and Saul. There are plenty of good options though, players like de Jong, Neves, Maier and Aouar.
I was a fan of Oriel Romeu but he seems to have gone off the boil a bit. If there was anyone similar to him. A destructive ball winner who can pass quickly on the deck and very press resistant. It needs to be someone that can go away to Anfield or the Etihad and not shit themselves under pressure
Very true. Too bad his form has turned to shit as he is one of the best around at exactly what you describe when he is on form. Would love to have a player like that.
Yep I was all for us signing him about 18 months or so go but his form seems to have dipped. I recall a couple of unreal performances against top 6 sides away. Repeatedly won ball and under extreme pressing he kept his head. I’m sick of watching us against good sides panicking on the ball. Composure is one thing Matic does have in his locker to be fair. His replacement would have to be similarly composed but quicker getting the ball out of their feet. I’m not sure if some of those mentioned like Ndidi fit into this category, havnt watched them enough to be honest
We should be trying to turn Fosu Mensah into a destroyer and if he fails, he fails. Better than to try and shoehorn him into a RB.
Yep, always liked him. He is the one I wanted us to sign when we were being linked to Dier, Fabinho before we eventually signed Matic. I think he lost form and was dropped as Southampton regressed, but he's now being restored to the XI by Hasentuttl. Some similar to him will be perfect.
That would be nice, a home grown talent making it is always welcomed
I hope he has the ability to earn a place in the team rather than we forcing him in 'cause he's HG, time will tell though
Any Fernandinho type defensive midfielders out there?
Not only great off the ball, but great on it too?
Not only great off the ball, but great on it too?
My first choice for a new midfield signing is Thiago Alcantara.
Since 2009, in major competitions for Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Spain:-
537 tackles won, 175 times dribbled past. 75% success rate for tackling.
439 successful dribbles, 189 unsuccessful dribbles. 70% success rate for dribbling.
1229 accurate long passes, 252 inaccurate long passes. 83% success rate for long passing.
These are his 3 main strengths. He has also made 443 interceptions and created 321 chances. It is very rare that you find a player be excellent both defensively and in possession. Pogba and Thiago Alcantara would be 2 of 3 for us building towards a world class midfield.
Since 2009, in major competitions for Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Spain:-
537 tackles won, 175 times dribbled past. 75% success rate for tackling.
439 successful dribbles, 189 unsuccessful dribbles. 70% success rate for dribbling.
1229 accurate long passes, 252 inaccurate long passes. 83% success rate for long passing.
These are his 3 main strengths. He has also made 443 interceptions and created 321 chances. It is very rare that you find a player be excellent both defensively and in possession. Pogba and Thiago Alcantara would be 2 of 3 for us building towards a world class midfield.
The no of tackles someone has completed in a 5 year period is very difficult to contextualise. Is Thiago injury prone? Looks like he’s played 110 games for Bayern in 5 years, that’s poor. Looks like the max no of games he’s played in one season is 27 in his entire career. We don’t need another sick note.
I agree. We need someone like Darren Fletcher.
I feel that's Herrera, both are good Jack of all trades CM's but neither are playmakers.
Came in here to mention Ndidi but I see it's been covered already
He's had a tremendous 2018 where he's been his sides best player for club and country. He's also got some serious upside/ceiling only being 22.
It wouldn't be cheap given how they struck out badly on capitalizing on Kante's value a few years back but I feel like he'd likely be the best Matic replacement option long term.
Being Prem proven is what puts him over the top compared to some of the other options mentioned from around Europe imo
He's had a tremendous 2018 where he's been his sides best player for club and country. He's also got some serious upside/ceiling only being 22.
It wouldn't be cheap given how they struck out badly on capitalizing on Kante's value a few years back but I feel like he'd likely be the best Matic replacement option long term.
Being Prem proven is what puts him over the top compared to some of the other options mentioned from around Europe imo
Depends what you are looking for and most are well known or have already been mentioned quite a bit on here. There are a few young players that could fit that profile, who could potentially be good signings, but I don't think there's anyone out there about to enter their best years that we could easily sign and improve us straigth away. Brozovic, Parejo and Danilo are good players, but I don't think they are that much of an upgrade compared to Herrera and Matic. Banega is having a good season so far.
I’d take Milivojević from Palace. Leader, good age, used to the league.
How is Lemina from Southampton doing ?
Anyone know what Sander Berge is like?
This is a very hard position to replace to be honest. If we could get someone with Kante energy and ball winning combined with say Carrick ability to spot danger and pick a pass that would be perfect 
Is a hard position to fill, from the very little I’ve seem I quite like Marc Roca but I feel with Pogba we need someone with a lot of energy but is great at reading the game and breaking it up when needed ie an ability to get about. I’d quite like Ndombele in to be in a 3 with Pogba but not to have him as the DM we need someone there but just feel he gives that added bit of protection whilst still adding an attacking threat.
Is a hard position to fill, from the very little I’ve seem I quite like Marc Roca but I feel with Pogba we need someone with a lot of energy but is great at reading the game and breaking it up when needed ie an ability to get about. I’d quite like Ndombele in to be in a 3 with Pogba but not to have him as the DM we need someone there but just feel he gives that added bit of protection whilst still adding an attacking threat.
Hard to say, they've been in terrible form as a club.