No good having a midfield if there's noone for them to pass to. I agree we need another cm but goals win games. It looks like we've got 2 decent wingers now, we need someone to focus defender's attention to the middle of the pitch more so we can create some space for them to wreak havoc. We've seen the difference (albeit in preseason) that Martial makes to our shape, we can't expect him to play every game and we look lost without him.
Progressive CM or Striker
- Thread starter croadyman
- Start date
Spot on.
No we have signed a top no6 we should have enough depth and quality in the midfield area to cope this season.
But we are woefully short in the GK and CF areas. A good but necessarily top quality GK who is comfortable with his feet and a good but not necessarily top quality CF who can hold the ball up would be 2 massive upgrades in key posistions and allow ETH to implement his philosophy and start progressing us.
Forwards will be able to do feck all unless the midfield can beat the press and get the ball to forwards which we aren't able to do right now.
Haaland would stuggle in the team right now.
Also the strikers on the market seem to be meh. Better to wait for another season for a better striker to emerge. I could get behind Depay as a stopgap for a season though, only if he's dirt cheap.
Haaland would stuggle in the team right now.
Also the strikers on the market seem to be meh. Better to wait for another season for a better striker to emerge. I could get behind Depay as a stopgap for a season though, only if he's dirt cheap.
Both, plus GK plus RB. Not sure if even 1 of those 4 is going to happen over next few days but let's see.
If it’s De Jong, which seems extremely unlikely at this point, then it’s De Jong. If not, I’d get a striker and aim to involve Iqbal & Hannibal more.
We need a CM to control games, we will lack goals, but will at least not be under so much pressure and at risk of crumbling.
Progressive CM, with Antony coming United need to replace McT
Second half at the weekend wad a major issue, couldn't move the ball forward. We will give the ball back constantly which will hurt us can't play in ETHs style until we get rid of McT
Second half at the weekend wad a major issue, couldn't move the ball forward. We will give the ball back constantly which will hurt us can't play in ETHs style until we get rid of McT
Trouble is Erik only wants FDJ and he is staying
Yeah there is a major issue in that area, however Utd don't seem to see it as a pressing concern
Definitely we need a CM who is a metronome and can dictate play. It will result in more creativity and changes created.
Tell that to city for the last 2 season
.One thing we have been terribly guilty of in the past 3 years is isolating our forwards because we have struggled build up our play through midfield with any imagination and relied on the counter and rushing chances to the forwards which would put a lot of pressure on them to finish every clear chance they got at goal because they were so far and few between each other.
Progressive CM for me.
Just thinking pragmatically I'll take the goals. Our football might look worse and more disjointed but I think a striker helps us win more games this season.
are we even linked with any midfielders?
maybe Tielemans with Garner going the other way is possible?
maybe Tielemans with Garner going the other way is possible?
Midfielder is still the priority for me. I can't handle McTominay starting more games and us bypassing the midfield as a consequence.
Having said that, the ball not sticking up front is a major problem, too.
Having said that, the ball not sticking up front is a major problem, too.
We desperately need a striker. More than anything else. Casemiro and Eriksen / Fred can work until next summer. But Rashford doesn't work as CF and Martial seems injury prone. Striker above all else
I don't disagree with any of that too much, although I don't think our forwards have given them much to aim at, they just seem to run towards goal then stand still in a straight line across the pitch. That allows the MF to be put under so much more pressure.Tell that to city for the last 2 season
One thing we have been terribly guilty of in the past 3 years is isolating our forwards because we have struggled build up our play through midfield with any imagination and relied on the counter and rushing chances to the forwards which would put a lot of pressure on them to finish every clear chance they got at goal because they were so far and few between each other.
A striker. Osimhem looks impossible atm, if not look at Marcus Thuram, cheap as last year of contract. I think we have been linked. If we have more then Giouri but dont think we have been linked at all
I'm not sure what part you're referring to, but presuming you mean the part where I said striker, I meant any level of striker, be it squad or starter (depending on cost/quality, of course).
Depay on loan and Frenkie on deadline day.
Watching yesterday the most stark issue was that nothing sticks when we play it forward. It's so crucial for us to build and maintain pressure that we have someone who can be on the end of a long ball and actaully keep posession.
I think even with a solid midfielder, assuming Martial can't stay fit we're going to really struggle.
I think even with a solid midfielder, assuming Martial can't stay fit we're going to really struggle.
You also cant play quality possesion football, if your midfield is not press resistant. Casemiro is world class, but he is no ball carrier/player. He always had Kroos/Modric next to him to do that. Eriksen is also struggling with that role, as he is too lightweight and loses the ball in dangerous areas. He is a much more natural #10. Fred and McT treat the ball like kryptonite. We really really need a link player in there. FDJ would have been so fecking perfect. But even a Caqueret would do. All the attacking players mean nothing if we cant get the ball to them in dangerous areas, regularly. And we also need a ball playing GK.
Answer depends somewhat on Ronaldo. Realistically we need a ST, CM, RB and GK. Probably all of them have somewhat equal importance.
I liked what I saw of Martial in the second half v Pool, and Ten Hag clearly likes what he brings, but can you hang your hat on him?
We've been crying out for a technical midfielder for years and years now, and I firmly believe we won't be on track to challenge without that profile of player.
With Antony, I think there's enough goals in the team. What we need is more control and quality on the ball.
I liked what I saw of Martial in the second half v Pool, and Ten Hag clearly likes what he brings, but can you hang your hat on him?
We've been crying out for a technical midfielder for years and years now, and I firmly believe we won't be on track to challenge without that profile of player.
With Antony, I think there's enough goals in the team. What we need is more control and quality on the ball.
Morata would be grand? Yup checks out from your posts in the other thread, you know absolutely square root of ferk all about football.
CM every day of the week.
No point in getting a striker if we're still shit at moving the ball from back to front.
No point in getting a striker if we're still shit at moving the ball from back to front.
Agree completely, an average striker can win the CL with a top midfield, like Bayern under LVG (though they never would have beaten us without that BS second yellow for Rafael).
We go out and dominate games in midfield and create changes, a top striker will tell his agent to get him to Manchester to finish those off.
CF without doubt is the most important position now. We only have Martial who can competently play that role.
I would go all in for that second CM to partner Casemiro. Then we have fully reinforced the engine of any team and can then look for a ST next summer.
I imagine there could be a fair few frustrating games with this, but would prefer that to losing more because of a leaky midfield.
I imagine there could be a fair few frustrating games with this, but would prefer that to losing more because of a leaky midfield.
We had several balls in front of the SOTON goal yesterday that would have been goals had we had a proper striker. All the build up in the world wont help if we dont score goals.
Thuram would actually be a smart signing.
If FDJ is out of reach I think someone who has a lot of potential in that role is Xavi Simons who rejected a contract at PSG to move to PSV this summer.
Seems to have made a great start there with 6 goal contributions in 3 eredivisie games so far. He’d also probably cost half as much as FDJ if we were to go in for him next summer.
More important than a striker who can score goals?
Now we have Casemiro and a functioning pair of CBs I think the midfield is competitive. We look short of goals up front.
Progressive CM for me. We still have massive issues in possession.
Xavi Simons is being utilised as a advanced attacker and isn't the correct profile of player to conduct/initiate plays in the deep build up phase.
All things being equal, striker is more important than a midfielder. However, as no quality striker seems to be available, we should just base it on who we can get
I think we need a RB just as much if not more than a CM and Striker.
Between CM and Striker I would go FDJ!
Between CM and Striker I would go FDJ!
Midfielder please. And right back.
A striker for me if we have Antony, Sancho Eriksen Bruno providing.
Ok bud... There is a reason why Morata is always picked for Spain. He suits what ten hag likes and what our squad lacks being a target man with good luck up.
Nice way to start a constructive discussion.