i am guessing the thinking is that you need the overall structure in place before you bring in the ball playing gk, if that is the direction you want to go. Drop ederson into our team and we prob allow an extra goal a game just from trying to play out of the back with our current players.
Rangnick - "Apart from goalkeeping we need to improve all areas of our squad" | Muppets amass
- Thread starter Zlatattack
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If our scouting department and data analysts didn't have a report on Nkunku, then that represents a massive issue. Given how we have recruited in recent years, I understand why you would believe that. Still, I'd like to believe, that the report by Ogden is untrue, because the alternative would be gross incompetence. Even if I was making a similar point earlier. I just think there is a difference between not signing someone and not having any information at all on one of the most promising young players in Europe.
I think you've nailed it there mate.
Let's hope Ten Hag brings more accountability and change in a lot of these departments, along with Ralf's help.
Fabrizio Romano mentions Ralf a lot and has been talking about his “revolution”, but all the signs I’m seeing and hearing are that the club is not listening to him. I’d expect him to not be around much longer. There’s been signs of that for a while and him going all out in the press tells me that he thinks they’re not on it. I think Ralf not having a major role in sorting out the staff, recruitment and scouting would be a massive mistake, but I think it’s heading that way.
That quote was made up. We played Leipzig with Nkunku and we definitely scout the Bundesliga.
What signs?
In what universe Odgen has close ties with the Club he has been redundant Since Moyes sacking for United news till his scoop of Ten Hag to United .
Agreed.
How negative are our fans when basically told the whole squad bar keepers needs sorting, and they still say keeper does too 
Elanga will be in the first team next season first of all. Also ST is a bigger priority than RW as per all our reliable journalists and even Ralf himself months ago said Utd need a new young ST we`ll sign one and one of Martial/Ronaldo will leave one way or another. Only way we buy a RW is if Rashford leaves
How negative are our fans when basically told the whole squad bar keepers needs sorting, and they still say keeper does too
Well Ralf also basically followed up with as much.
Think he probably means short term it’s passable, rather than other areas.
Got you. I would think this early it would be highly problematic if its not the view of the board and him putting pressure on them. Then again, he may just be honestly expressing his views to the media, and when he gets to the board room, would have to further make his case if the board don't see what he is seeing (knowing our board, I'd think that would be the case).
I think the first indication will be if any of the deadwood get a renewal, then we'd know the board are on a different train altogether.
People keep going on about GK distribution. If the GK is good with passing but the defenders and midfielders are complete garbage that it takes a Jesus miracle for them to not feck up a pass in a 15 minutes period then thats not any better than a GK that cant pass and smacks the ball to the opponents goal during goal kicks.
I wasn't thinking of him at all to be honest. It was the barren wasteland in central midfield I was referring to.
He didn't say "Dave is my boy!!!1" and obviously no ones place is set in stone. But he is far from our biggest problems. My issue is with the tactical geniuses who seem to think we are playing shite because of them.
Over 7000 languages and Ralf Rangnick chose to speak FACTS 
He’s had no strikers, and to me that is the root of it. Only so far you can go without goals. He basically lost Cavani, Martial and Greenwood in January. Ronaldo also missing for spells. He’s brought in Elanga but only so much he can do, he isn’t all that IMO.
I was essentially agreeing here and in the Nkunku thread that Ogden was talking out of his arse.
I wonder who he is referring to with this line > " There might be a couple of players - and I have already named those players to the board - that independent from formation, from style of football, and independent from a new manager, that could be of interest for a club like mufc"
I think too much is put into the fact that he is not mentioning goalkeeper as a place for improvement. Even if he was of the opinion that we needed to strengthen there as well, it would be pretty stupid to go out and say it, as it would mean specific DDG, and not really a way to motivate a player who has been among the best in the league for years and definitely not the reason why we are struggling for top 4 this year.
It's not just about distribution.
There are basically four important aspects of being a goalkeeper. Shot-stopping, communication with your defenders, and control of your box are three that have always been important. Think back to any of the top goalkeepers over the last few decades and they'll almost always be very good at all three. Distribution and willingness to play almost as a sweeper is the other aspect that used to be a fairly distant fourth, but over the last decade or so has significantly increased in importance (for some managers perhaps even the most important).
De Gea is fantastic at one of those attributes. Hell, at his best he might even have had a claim to be the best ever. However he is absolutely terrible at all three of the other aspects. Not just below average, but literally amongst the worst in the league at all three.
Your recruitment strategy shouldn't be tied to a manager. Your managerial choices on the other hand should be dependent on the squad you've got, and the players you're hoping to recruit.
In modern football, managers are worthless while a squad of players costs the best part of a 1/2 billion pounds.
In modern football, managers are worthless while a squad of players costs the best part of a 1/2 billion pounds.
Tchouaméni most likely.
I’m going Nkunku and Haidara
It’s quite fantastic isn’t it. We all want tons of signings each summer, but for some reason we live by the mantra of not signing more than three because they won’t gel or what not. That of course goes out the window when we’re as shit as we are. This will be a fun summer for sure, embrace it!
A bit like Fabinho or Kimmich, Tchouaméni looks definitely like one of those players that should be comfortable regardless of your tactical approach. He is fundamentally sound and complete.
whatever Jose
I made the same point earlier about Bruno Guimarães in this thread, which is why I didn't understand why we weren't in for him.
Just fecking give him the top job
That Mourihno comparison attempt 10/10, /respect.
I’d wager he’s referring to players most of us have never heard of. Players that won’t make a dent in the budget. See my hidden gem thread and think maybe even more obscure. To make anywhere near the changes Ralf’s talking about, we’ll need lots of -20m players.
That's obviously not the reason. We don't have an unlimited amount of money for transfers or wages. Again if we are going to sign more than the usual 4 players this summer, we need to find a few Matips, Milner's & Robertson's in that group
10/10 on advertising
Stats deceive. When Maguire gets skinned and the attacking player is through on goal and De Gea concedes a goal, De Gea gets tagged with the goal but in truth it was Maguire whose poor play resulted in the conceded goal. Everyone can see with their own eyes that Maguire has been ridiculously poor this season. Everyone can see with their own two eyes that our midfielders have defended poorly and our fullbacks have defended poorly. De Gea is under far more pressure than Henderson was and it's not because De Gea doesn't come out for crosses. It's because our defending has been poor.
Case in point, our recent match against Norwich. It cannot be argued that De Gea was responsible for either goal or that Henderson would have made those saves. Our defenders simply got skinned by a side that will be relegated, resulting in two goals counted against Dave's tally.
This is not to say that Henderson is in any way woeful or even that we shouldn't even consider cashing in on Dave if an offer is presented. But it is to say that as we look to rebuild the squad, the last position that needs replacement is GK.
Yes…he’s got a brain fart and wayward pass in him but have you not watched them or something? I feel there’s a massive lack of understanding whenever I look at comments about being a sweeper keeper, you don’t have to be Pirlo and be spraying pinpoint passes around but you do have to take up positions far from your goal to create passing options in possession/sweep up attacks out of possession.
I said top sides but this season I’d say Mendy, Ramsdale have been. I actually think Ramsdale is very average but I’m giving his dues this season, he’s looked a lot better. Lloros I think has really fallen away from where he was and I don’t watch WHUM regularly enough to know on Areola but I’d suspect he’s not as good as De Gea.
Ralf would be doing better but the players are shit
I can see a lot more poor performances coming out of this squad.
Since he's come here, he's essentially outright said that the club has made the wrong signings, and needs to start making the right ones and right decisions. It could be interpreted as him saying many of them shouldn't be here and are synonomous with our failure.
True, but I imagine quite a few in our squad will pout rather than try to prove it wrong.
Since he's come here, he's essentially outright said that the club has made the wrong signings, and needs to start making the right ones and right decisions. It could be interpreted as him saying many of them shouldn't be here and are synonomous with our failure.
True, but I imagine quite a few in our squad will pout rather than try to prove it wrong.
Ralph is speaking generally about strengthening a group, which will have a lot of outgoings in the Summer, and also building a squad that will suit the new manager's style. It clearly can't take 2 or 3 players if up to 10 are leaving.
Jose was the full time manager and singled out and criticised particular players. He's a bully. There's a huge difference.
It's not just this season though, is it? Over each of the last four seasons De Gea has been conceding more goals on average than what Henderson did, including in the exact same season.
I agree De Gea is generally under more pressure than Henderson was, and that's the point. De Gea's lack of communication with his defenders, his inability to claim aerial balls, his refusal to come off the line, him not making himself an option to pass to...it all plays a part in making it more difficult for the rest of the defensive line. Henderson isn't even particularly good at those things himself (except maybe the communication), but the defence as a whole looked more comfortable. It often seemed to be the same when we play Romero as well, although he generally only played in the cup games so the level of competition was lower.