He had an eye-catching opening game but was lacklustre in the following two. I don’t think playing three games in quick succession off the back of a full season agreed with him.
Sergej Milinkovic Savic
- Thread starter R'hllor
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He had an eye-catching opening game but was lacklustre in the following two. I don’t think playing three games in quick succession off the back of a full season agreed with him.
Many keep mentioning Pogba but in reality our midfield had already lost 2 CMs (Fellaini and Herrera). Meanwhile Matic has ended up the season absolutely knackered which means we probably need to think about a cover/replacement for that as well.
Now Lets have a look at the players we've been linked with so far. Longstaff is said to be a younger version of Carrick. Meanwhile Bruno and SMS are no 10s. I might be wrong on this but none of them strike me as Pogba's replacement. Also we seem to be careful not to overspend on either of them. Which kind of suggest that we're not relying on big bags of cash coming on our way from selling players. So I think that we're aiming for Longstaff and SMS/Bruno irrespective on whether Pogba stays or leaves.
Poor Pogba.
Why do people want him pushed deeper to play in the 2 with Matic/Fred/McTom?
He's a real attacking midfielder & he's proved it in the EPL already. Didn't you see the stats he achieved last season?
Meanwhile, potential pretenders like Fernandes, SMS from leagues completely different to the EPL are entrusted further forward. Why? Because Pogba is stronger?
Pogba is at his best closer to goal. Remember Juve? Pirlo, Vidal & Marchisio do the dirty work behind him.
Wouldn't you rather have Pogba over Martial, James, Mata, Lingard etc in attacking midfield?
Anyway, back on topic, I think SMS is slow & isn't lighting up the Serie A with goal contributions. He's tough, hardworking, great in the air & can progress the ball. Hope we get him but don't be surprised if he's the one being pushed deeper instead of Pogba.
I am not pushing my opinion here, just what I think things would work if we sign SMS.
Agree that it would seem us looking at Longstaff and a no.10 are not related to either each other or Pogba leaving. Agree that Milinkovic-Savic is a no.10 and by all accounts Fernandes is too. I don’t think it’s very clear, though, that it’s one or the other regardless of wether Pogba’s staying - I think it’s entirely possible that the intention could be to bring in Bruno as a no.10 and Sergej as a replacement for Pogba. I wouldn’t agree with it as I think it would be a waste of Milinkovic-Savic’s abilities, but he was played deeper last season and we are being linked with both Fernandes and him, and I don’t see who the other viable options for replacing Pogba would be.
Ah ok fair enough
I do, but clearly you don't
Milinkovic is far more of a final third player than Pogba. He also has a better individual goalscoring season in Italy under his belt than Pogba(and if you exclude penalties, in general) and his last two seasons are more or less in line with Pogba's in terms of attacking output. Meanwhile, Pogba is the better player in deeper areas
My impression is that in our current formation, SMS can either play as one of the two "pivots" (Pogba) or else as an attacking midfielder (Mata).
Apparently last season he played more games in the pivot role.
Apparently last season he played more games in the pivot role.
Poor Milinkovic-Savic. He’s the one who’s the real attacking midfielder. Pogba can play as either the deep or advanced no.8, and in the sense that he can truly excel in both, not just ‘fill in’ or ‘do a job’ - that is how you would describe Sergej in a deeper role as he excels as a no.10/ advanced no.8. Pogba is a better player but being a better player does not mean he should be played higher. If that were the case Pirlo would never have been played at the base of midfield, Khedira would never have been given more freedom to go forward than Xabi Alonso, and Pogba would not have had a more disciplined role than Matuidi for France last summer.
Pogba is not better the closer he gets to goal. He is uncomfortable as a no.10, operating high and ahead of the play, and looks much better driving forward into space from deep either with or without the ball. At Juve, if anything he done Pirlo’s dirty work and Vidal certainly didn’t hold his position in order to allow Pogba to attack - he bombed forward if playing alongside Paul in a three, and when together in a diamond Vidal was pushed forward into the most advanced role.
Playing deeper in the two doesn’t mean Pogba couldn’t get forward. Scholes, Wilshere and Baraja all thrived in that position alongside a holding player, and they could be described as attacking central midfielders - they started deep but had the freedom to join and support the attack. Pogba can thrive in such a role, whereas Savic looks to station himself higher and is happy to operate with his back to goal and take the ball either in space or under pressure, similar to how Fellaini would look to move and position himself off the ball when his team is in possession. Having two midfielders behind him means that his typical position is higher in all phases of play and gives him the means to influence the play in those areas as much as possible.
This rumour wont go away.
If he comes, Pogba is gone
If he comes, Pogba is gone
A guy called Stefano Cieri wrote the article, can’t say I’ve heard of him before.
Or else we sign Sms, he ll.have a year to settle in and then we ship.pogba next year
All regular Serie A watchers thinks this guy is a very good player. Most caf posters who watched a few games of his from World Cup insist that he is shit. Who should I believe in?
Why? Currently, what we can play in midfield is either a) trio of Pogba - McTominay/Fred/Matic/Pereira - Lingard/Mata/Gomes, or b) two of McTominay/Fred/Matic/Pereira with Pogba further up the pitch.
A lot of room to use SMS with Pogba here (and absolutely the same with Eriksen or Bruno rumours - any one of SMS, Eriksen and Bruno may play alongside Pogba)
People really dislike SMS for some reason, sure, he aint good enough or thats to much money for player like him, i understand but seems this place is one step away from making a switch calling him shit to cnut.
Agree
Do we never expect players to be injured, suspended, out of form or rested?
Buy as many top players as possible to increase the options and maximise the squad strength.
There are rumours he wasn't included in today's squad for a friendly.
It s either us or Psg then?
Edit. He s on the bench
It s either us or Psg then?
Edit. He s on the bench
Is he quick enough to be a great presser as a 10? Seems key to the system Ole wants to use if our preseason friendlies are any evidence.
I don't think anybody 6'3 is going to be an effective presser tbh.
Usually it's smaller people with good balance,accleration and stamina.
His style and physique seems perfect for the Prem. I also read he is a poor man's Pogba? Wouldn't hurt to have two Pogbas in the team though
I have this feeling that if Pogba leaves then Ole would go for Declan Rice. I know it sounds crazy but here's my line of thought. Ole seem to be obsessed with a no 10 and its only fair to deduce he's worried about starting and ending the season with just Matic as a DM. Hence why we're on the look out for a no 10 and a DM. However, considering that we just blew 50m on AWB and will probably have to fork 70m on a CB then we are also operating on a limited budget. We might be able to sign another top player (a no 10) and possibly squeeze a Lidl type of signing for DM (Longstaff) but that is all.
However things change if Pogba leaves. With that amount of money we can go for a top top young DM as well. Rice will cover/compete with Matic in the DM role. Longstaff, Mctominay and Fred will play in the B2B/deep lying playmaker role with the former moving as DM cover for Rice once Matic kicks the bucket on his career and we'll have SMS or Bruno as no 10 with Lingard, Angel and Periera as cover
Yeah that's what I'm confused about. Seems like signing him only makes sense if Pogba goes or we play 4-3-3 instead of the 4231 that's been the system so far in friendlies
Scott McTominay is the best presser in the squad.
I honestly think this is pure bs.
He’s an engine and a box-to-box player, much like Pogba, but he’s not the creative force we need for a playmaker, behind our striker.
Therefor he would only be bought as a replecement for Pogba.
But Pogba is way to important on the field, but especially as a commercial asset, for us to be selling.
No way Woody will sell his no. 1 commercial wonderkid, with no superstar to replace him, and no time to find one.
I’m 100% sure Pogba is staying and SMS is nonsense.
He’s an engine and a box-to-box player, much like Pogba, but he’s not the creative force we need for a playmaker, behind our striker.
Therefor he would only be bought as a replecement for Pogba.
But Pogba is way to important on the field, but especially as a commercial asset, for us to be selling.
No way Woody will sell his no. 1 commercial wonderkid, with no superstar to replace him, and no time to find one.
I’m 100% sure Pogba is staying and SMS is nonsense.
I think we can play him and Pogba in the same team. He’s not a no.10, he does track back and can form defensive positions just fine.
I also believe this. Both Pogba and SMS can work together with a proper DCM. Let's hope that Woody can get him.
He is good but that still doesn’t mean it’s normal. He’s usually very aggressive which can lead to fouls.
Look at peps first Barca team, no giants but all got right in your face and gave you no space to breathe.
Pep doesn’t do giants, just very mobile, very athletic players. Think City were the smallest team in the EPL last season - but won it.
Lets hope Woody can get us a few players in. Although I don't have faith in him especially at this point int the window but Woody could surprise me.
So United have denied the Pepe and Bruno links but not Savic. Hopefully this has legs
Gazzetta dello Sport just reporting, deal done for 80 ml euros.
bargain.
bargain.
Is Savic dynamic enough to play with Pogba in midfield? I hope he isn't just his replacement.
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I think this transfer makes more sense than Longstaff.
I think we’ll only be able to keep Pogba one more season so signing his replacement before he goes makes sense. Then we can try to build a midfield around SMS.
Hopefully it goes throuhh
I think we’ll only be able to keep Pogba one more season so signing his replacement before he goes makes sense. Then we can try to build a midfield around SMS.
Hopefully it goes throuhh
Savic is a Box to Box midfielder and would be an Improvement on Herrera.
Is any media in England reporting this supposed deal, or is it the Italian side doing all the talking.
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I don’t think they play the same style of box to box. Herrera I think is the more defensive of the two but I’d be very happy with SMS.
Mainly Italian sources most English tabloids have picked up on it.
This kind of deal seems more likely IMO a bit of a surprise addition after a supposed “main target” like Fernandes falls through.
SMS can defend also. He is a ball winner and can carry it too.
I do not think Solskjaer will be willing to give him the freedom Pogba struggled with for so long. He needs a clear position and responsibilities to thrive.