Ruben Neves | Signed for Al Hilal (SA)

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Good post, i'm going to highlight this point with the following:

He was dispossessed on average every 163.2mins last season in the league.
Declan Rice was dispossessed on average every 151.6mins
Kante every 145.1mins
Scott McTominay every 120.4mins
Fred every 75.9mins

My point being that despite his weak physique he rarely loses the ball. He certainly isn't good in the air though, he's not terrible like Fred in the air, but with two defensive behemoths in Maguire and Varane directly behind him im not sure its that much of a problem anyway.
Isn't a big part of that because he plays the deepest of the four, and also carries the ball the least of the four? His progressive carries are the lowest by a fair bit. His dribbles completed is in the bottom 9 percentile for midfielders too, according to FBRef. The more you dribble in the opponents midfield = the more likely you are to be dispossessed?
 
Has anyone posted his stats compared to Rice?

Not that I want Rice but if the rumour is true that we were interested then it’d be interesting to see how they are compared, with Neves being a cheaper alternative.
Stat​
Leon Goretzka​
Declan Rice​
Rúben Neves​
Tackle Success %​
60.8%​
66.3%​
63.7%​
Aerial Success %​
65.1%​
59.5%​
53.1%​
Dribble Success %​
68.8%​
85.3%​
66.7%​
Long Ball Success %​
72.4%​
62.0%​
63.8%​
Short Ball Success %​
88.5%​
90.2%​
88.2%​

What the above doesn't take into account if the quantities mind. For example, depite Neves having a lower Tackle % than Rice he tackles more often. Neves also intercepts the ball more often. He has a better touch than both. Either way, that'll give you some idea at least. I didnt overly rate Rice, but looking at his stats he's actually a decent player.
 
Isn't a big part of that because he plays the deepest of the four, and also carries the ball the least of the four? His progressive carries are the lowest by a fair bit. His dribbles completed is in the bottom 9 percentile for midfielders too, according to FBRef. The more you dribble in the opponents midfield = the more likely you are to be dispossessed?

Wolves midfielders didnt dribble that much last season to be fair. It's just a club trait, they pass the ball on rather than trying something more risky. Clearly a tactical decision. Between Moutinho, Neves and Dendoncker they attempted 43 dribbles. McTominay and Fred combined managed 55. Neves clearly can do it, his success % at dribbling is pretty decent, defensive midfielders shouldn't really need to dribble, it's their job to find space, receive the ball and pass it on.

If we're wanting to bring in a midfielder to upgrade on Fred/McTominay then Neves wouldn't be that man. If we're looking for a different type of midfielder, then Neves is right up there as a jack of all trades imo.
 
Stat​
Leon Goretzka​
Declan Rice​
Rúben Neves​
Tackle Success %​
60.8%​
66.3%​
63.7%​
Aerial Success %​
65.1%​
59.5%​
53.1%​
Dribble Success %​
68.8%​
85.3%​
66.7%​
Long Ball Success %​
72.4%​
62.0%​
63.8%​
Short Ball Success %​
88.5%​
90.2%​
88.2%​

What the above doesn't take into account if the quantities mind. For example, depite Neves having a lower Tackle % than Rice he tackles more often. Neves also intercepts the ball more often. He has a better touch than both. Either way, that'll give you some idea at least. I didnt overly rate Rice, but looking at his stats he's actually a decent player.
West Ham use their FBs for crosses a lot, both Rice and the other guy are tasked to carry the ball a lot into these areas and provide cover to release them.
Again, context.
 
Wolves midfielders didnt dribble that much last season to be fair. It's just a club trait, they pass the ball on rather than trying something more risky. Clearly a tactical decision. Between Moutinho, Neves and Dendoncker they attempted 43 dribbles. McTominay and Fred combined managed 55. Neves clearly can do it, his success % at dribbling is pretty decent, defensive midfielders shouldn't really need to dribble, it's their job to find space, receive the ball and pass it on.

If we're wanting to bring in a midfielder to upgrade on Fred/McTominay then Neves wouldn't be that man. If we're looking for a different type of midfielder, then Neves is right up there as a jack of all trades imo.

I think the very opposite. Neves would be brought in exactly to provide a better, more reliable option than McTominay/Fred in a two man midfield. In all likelihood he would partner one of them in behind Bruno, giving them license to play more box to box.

Our midfield is a huge conundrum that essentially hinges on what we do with Pogba. If Neves were to be brought in as part of the move to replace Pogba (not like for like) then I can see the logic. I think we’d need another player too, though.
 
Stat​
Leon Goretzka​
Declan Rice​
Rúben Neves​
Tackle Success %​
60.8%​
66.3%​
63.7%​
Aerial Success %​
65.1%​
59.5%​
53.1%​
Dribble Success %​
68.8%​
85.3%​
66.7%​
Long Ball Success %​
72.4%​
62.0%​
63.8%​
Short Ball Success %​
88.5%​
90.2%​
88.2%​

What the above doesn't take into account if the quantities mind. For example, depite Neves having a lower Tackle % than Rice he tackles more often. Neves also intercepts the ball more often. He has a better touch than both. Either way, that'll give you some idea at least. I didnt overly rate Rice, but looking at his stats he's actually a decent player.

Thanks for sharing this!

At almost half the price I wonder if our interest is real however my concern is his mobility and pace.

I’d say he’s more suited if paired with Fred and I certainly don’t want to see him alongside Pogba particularly when Bruno is in the same team.
 
I'm well disposed to him in some ways but a bit wary in others. He'd suit what we have and what we use - Fred and McTominay. But I think we should probably be aiming beyond Fred and McTominay being starters and I think i'll think the same of Neves.
I think we need a world class midfielder - someone on the Veratti, De Jong, Kimmich tier. Fred and others like Neves would be good enough to play next to that level of player but they're a hell of a lot easier to get your hands on. I'd be more inclined to get that world class player (probably have to wait till next season) without having to worry too much about where they fit. Buy a cheaper neves type player to fit them at that point.
But then between Neves, Fred, Van De Beek and McTominay you've probably got the perfect partner for more or less every midfielder in the world and he'd be really, really useful next season so maybe it does make sense.
 
I'm well disposed to him in some ways but a bit wary in others. He'd suit what we have and what we use - Fred and McTominay. But I think we should probably be aiming beyond Fred and McTominay being starters and I think i'll think the same of Neves.
I think we need a world class midfielder - someone on the Veratti, De Jong, Kimmich tier. Fred and others like Neves would be good enough to play next to that level of player but they're a hell of a lot easier to get your hands on. I'd be more inclined to get that world class player (probably have to wait till next season) without having to worry too much about where they fit. Buy a cheaper neves type player to fit them at that point.
But then between Neves, Fred, Van De Beek and McTominay you've probably got the perfect partner for more or less every midfielder in the world and he'd be really, really useful next season so maybe it does make sense.
I’d take them, yes. Don’t think they are gettable for us any time soon.
 
I don’t think so at all. Even if he’s being used further forward sometimes, he’s essentially a DM with good passing range.
He's not a DM, he's a deep lying playmaker who needs someone next to him doing a lot of work.
 
He's not a DM, he's a deep lying playmaker who needs someone next to him doing a lot of work.
I follow your point but I think it’s slightly askew.

It may be a matter of semantics but he plays mainly in the defensive part of midfield, has a good passing range, but also does his share of defensive work.

Probably he is suited to 4231 in which he plays as one of the two central midfielders with one other, probably a more combative high energy type, covering ground mostly in front of him. Quite likely he wouldn’t work so well in a 433 as a Six with two Eights ahead of him.

But he is nothing like Pogba and we wouldn’t buy Neves to replace him.
 
I follow your point but I think it’s slightly askew.

It may be a matter of semantics but he plays mainly in the defensive part of midfield, has a good passing range, but also does his share of defensive work.

Probably he is suited to 4231 in which he plays as one of the two central midfielders with one other, probably a more combative high energy type, covering ground mostly in front of him. Quite likely he wouldn’t work so well in a 433 as a Six with two Eights ahead of him.

But he is nothing like Pogba and we wouldn’t buy Neves to replace him.
Yea I agree, like Carrick with Anderson for example.
 
Ruben Neves is a deep lying playmaker. That's fine as McT will slot in the DM/B2B role and hell will freeze before McT would lose his first team place under Ole. In my opinion he's the sort of player we should look when replacing Pogba.
 
Ruben Neves is a deep lying playmaker. That's fine as McT will slot in the DM/B2B role and hell will freeze before McT would lose his first team place under Ole. In my opinion he's the sort of player we should look when replacing Pogba.
Agreed.
 
Genuine question, how would a midfield of

———- Bruno
——————— Saul
——Neves

perform?
I reckon we might get both.
too short?
 
Ruben Neves is a deep lying playmaker. That's fine as McT will slot in the DM/B2B role and hell will freeze before McT would lose his first team place under Ole. In my opinion he's the sort of player we should look when replacing Pogba.
There is no way that McT gonna play and twice the player that Fred is gonna be on the bench.
 
Take Pogba out of the equation and whether it's Neves, or any other player we're considering (on here), the possible permutations are far easier to work through.
See the problem?

As for Neves, he'll be moving to a bigger club than Wolves, if not this summer it'll be next year.
All successful teams need at least one very reliable, consistent and talented journeyman player in CM.
Neves has the workrate, excellent ball skills, reads the game well, has positional sense and vision, accurate passing ability, defensive skills and is prepared to tackle or get physical.
He's also still quite young, which also fits the current Utd squad profile.
Are we actually in for him though?
 
Ruben Neves is a deep lying playmaker. That's fine as McT will slot in the DM/B2B role and hell will freeze before McT would lose his first team place under Ole. In my opinion he's the sort of player we should look when replacing Pogba.
Apart from us needing to raise money, I wouldn’t deem Pogba and someone like Neves as mutually exclusive. Even if Pogba stays (which he might, maybe even extendedly) we have a problem in the McFred area which needs solving regardless.

Neves may possibly be a solution of sorts to play with Fred or McT. Would leave Pogba to play across the AM positions, allowing Bruno the odd rest at 10.

If we have no money, fine. But if there’s enough in the pot, we need to strengthen CM without waiting for Pogba to exit.
 
Decent player and young but I’m not sure he’s the perfect choice for what we need in that crucial position for stepping up to the next level.
 
I don't see Fred as a consistent starter, but rather a rotational alternate. He can be very valuable in rotation, similar to Fletcher and Anderson, where you could alternate depending on the type of opposition rather than having a surefire starter. The main problem United have in this regard is that we don't have a starting partner for him/mctominay/vdb/pogba either. In addition, it would be wise for us to eventually invest in another midfielder who Fred can compete with if this is the route we chose to take.
 
This thread constantly near the top of the message boards when we aren’t even being linked with him? Never mind credible links or close to a possible deal.
 
This thread constantly near the top of the message boards when we aren’t even being linked with him? Never mind credible links or close to a possible deal.
Ridiculous isn’t it
Ever heard of the saying “flogging a dead horse”
 
I rarely watch Wolves because I like having a decent time, but when I watch him he looks very slow and I got the feeling was he was just barely holding down a starting spot at a mid table team. Subbed and sometimes on the bench in a team that rarely made changes.

Don't think he is athletic enough to cover the midfield area in an attack minded side, which seems to be the aim here.
 
He was dispossessed on average every 163.2mins last season in the league.
Declan Rice was dispossessed on average every 151.6mins
Kante every 145.1mins
Scott McTominay every 120.4mins
Fred every 75.9mins

Impressive stats, but what about my boy Bissouma?
 
Stat​
Leon Goretzka​
Declan Rice​
Rúben Neves​
Tackle Success %​
60.8%​
66.3%​
63.7%​
Aerial Success %​
65.1%​
59.5%​
53.1%​
Dribble Success %​
68.8%​
85.3%​
66.7%​
Long Ball Success %​
72.4%​
62.0%​
63.8%​
Short Ball Success %​
88.5%​
90.2%​
88.2%​

What the above doesn't take into account if the quantities mind. For example, depite Neves having a lower Tackle % than Rice he tackles more often. Neves also intercepts the ball more often. He has a better touch than both. Either way, that'll give you some idea at least. I didnt overly rate Rice, but looking at his stats he's actually a decent player.
Stats without real numbers are meaningless. For example, if you managed 1 shot on goal the whole season, you get 100% shot on target or even 100% shot on goal success rate. But you only managed 1 shot or 1 goal, which could be the lowest or worse in the league too.
 
Stats without real numbers are meaningless. For example, if you managed 1 shot on goal the whole season, you get 100% shot on target or even 100% shot on goal success rate. But you only managed 1 shot or 1 goal, which could be the lowest or worse in the league too.

Look a few pages back for more indepth stats.
 
Apart from us needing to raise money, I wouldn’t deem Pogba and someone like Neves as mutually exclusive. Even if Pogba stays (which he might, maybe even extendedly) we have a problem in the McFred area which needs solving regardless.

Neves may possibly be a solution of sorts to play with Fred or McT. Would leave Pogba to play across the AM positions, allowing Bruno the odd rest at 10.

If we have no money, fine. But if there’s enough in the pot, we need to strengthen CM without waiting for Pogba to exit.

In my opinion Pogba's career with us ended the moment Bruno was signed and we refused to sign a WC DM, Kante style. Neves allows us to have a very functional CM without too many modifications. What Neves can't do is play as a DM especially side by side to Pogba. That's a bridge too far for him.
 
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