Still Need that Game Changer

The red panther said:
Not enough

Pogba from the midfield yes, he can boss a game but not as an attacker that will rip open defences and score important goals left and right.

Martial and Rashford both very raw and they don't have the maturity in their game yet to play such a vital role.
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Bossing a game is a game changer. Having someone who can pick the ball up under pressure from two players, squirm free and play a striker in in goal is certainly a game changer.

Both Martial and Rashford have shown several times in their short careers that they can create magic out of absolutely nothing, Martial has even done it in preseason.

What we need is to finish the chances we are creating.
 
We need that Talisman (someone who is elite level in contributing to goals consistently). Every top team has one.

Bayern - Lewa
Real - Ronaldo
Barca - Messi
Chelsea - Hazard
City - Aguero
Spurs - Kane
Arsenal - Sanchez

I think we are missing that. Someone like Bale or Greizmann would've been that.
 
Baby Faced Assassin said:
We need that Talisman (someone who is elite level in contributing to goals consistently). Every top team has one.

Bayern - Lewa
Real - Ronaldo
Barca - Messi
Chelsea - Hazard
City - Aguero
Spurs - Kane
Arsenal - Sanchez

I think we are missing that. Someone like Bale or Greizmann would've been that.
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I hear you but Im never sure why we never rate our own players. Surely Pogba would be that player?
 
Baby Faced Assassin said:
We need that Talisman (someone who is elite level in contributing to goals consistently). Every top team has one.

Bayern - Lewa
Real - Ronaldo
Barca - Messi
Chelsea - Hazard
City - Aguero
Spurs - Kane
Arsenal - Sanchez

I think we are missing that. Someone like Bale or Greizmann would've been that.
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City's game changer is no longer aguero. The game changer is their style and to a certain extent KDB.
 
Wilson Litchmore said:
I hear you but Im never sure why we never rate our own players. Surely Pogba would be that player?
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We are all set up for that now, But frankly Pogba Is still performing below his expectations and level he can reach. Hopefully this season with Matic freeing him up.
 
Wilson Litchmore said:
I hear you but Im never sure why we never rate our own players. Surely Pogba would be that player?
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I'd say Martial is that player, just has to pull his finger out. Pogba is a game changer but hes more likely to be the one setting someone up rather than being on the end of it... unfortunately our forwards need about 10 chances to put one away
 
If Kane counts as a game-changer why doesn't Lukaku? Also Sanchez is a very good player, I am not totally convinced he belongs on a list with Messi and Neymar

I wouldn't worry about it. I would be happy with top 4 and further progression from Martial, Shaw, Rashford, TFM and Tuanzabe this year.

Next year we will sign Griezmann and one or two more to challenge the first XI and suddenly we look like an excellent side
 
Baby Faced Assassin said:
We need that Talisman (someone who is elite level in contributing to goals consistently). Every top team has one.

Bayern - Lewa
Real - Ronaldo
Barca - Messi
Chelsea - Hazard
City - Aguero
Spurs - Kane
Arsenal - Sanchez

I think we are missing that. Someone like Bale or Greizmann would've been that.
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Forgot PSG - Neymar. :lol:
 
I agree we do to an extent, probably in the form of a wide man who is prolific with goals and assists. Still think it could be martial but thats a big gamble. What Jose has done is greatly improve the level of our squad, without the cherry on the cake. We are making strides towards where we need to be with the signings we've made. We are just short of a number 7 to be the complete article imo.
 
from this statement , I would say we are done.

Jose Mourinho: "The squad is good and as I told a few months ago I was hoping for four players to improve the squad and the club did a fantastic job by getting three of them which is difficult in the crazy market where we are now, to get three out of four I thank the club for that. I would be happier if they give me four of four but they did a great job."
 
Wilson Litchmore said:
I hear you but Im never sure why we never rate our own players. Surely Pogba would be that player?
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Pogba is not that player & never will be because he plays too deep, he's vital to the team but a talisman would be your main attacking thread, someone who scares opposition defenders.
 
Baby Faced Assassin said:
For them, in their title winning teams, it was always Aguero & if they are to win the title again this season, Aguero will be vital.
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That was then, I dont think i'll be now. Also i feel Aguero wont be that lone shining star in pep's tactical plans.
 
Been said, but Martial is the one within the current group. He showed a glimpse against Real to set up Lingard. He showed the world on his debut - no other player in our squad will score unassisted after picking up the ball where he did. It's not just about the goals and assists - it's about having an individual who will frighten opposition.

I think we missed a trick not going for Bernadeschi this summer too, especially for €40m. He's a fabulous talent, perhaps just a bit slower than the likes of Hazard though.

It seems that the next pair of potential top class game-changers are also preparing to take their places at Real and Barca as is their destiny, with Dembele and Mbappé both being strongly linked there now.
 
Wilson Litchmore said:
I hear you but Im never sure why we never rate our own players. Surely Pogba would be that player?
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A midfielder can't be your game changer in the final third no matter how good he is unless he's a number 10. We're missing a mature goalscoring version of Martial who can assist shitloads. The perfect player for our side would be Alexis Sanchez but that ain't going to happen. Injury free Bale would be awesome too.
 
Raees said:
A midfielder can't be your game changer in the final third no matter how good he is unless he's a number 10. We're missing a mature goalscoring version of Martial who can assist shitloads. The perfect player for our side would be Alexis Sanchez but that ain't going to happen. Injury free Bale would be awesome too.
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Kinda admire how Juventus used pogba and missing that same pogba here, Hopefully matic arrival frees him up.

 
prtk0811 said:
Kinda admire how Juventus used pogba and missing that same pogba here, Hopefully matic arrival frees him up.

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Impressive of course, but Pogba still wasn't the game-changer of that side. To be fair that side was more of a collective side but with Tevez as the key game-changing attacker who brought electricity into that unit in the final third.. and was then replaced with Dybala.

Pogba is as game-changing as it gets for a CM on paper, he's very explosive.. and will hopefully follow in the footsteps of guys like Yaya Toure/Gerrard and then some in terms of being a driving force from midfield.. but even so guys like Aguero/Torres were needed to push those sides to greater heights.

We have a dynamic CF, but we're still short of that star forward who scares the shit out of elite defenders consistently.
 
Agree with the OP. Right now, the players that turn close draws into 'that's the form of champions' victories are currently Mkhitaryan, Martial and Pogba? Maybe include Marcus in that.

It's glaring to see why Griezmann was desired. Pace, creativity and goalscoring. Jose clearly wants this, but he also wants it from a players who's proven he can do it in the most competitive of environments.

We need one. Obviously that Griezmann ship has sailed, and maybe Jose has changed his plan of attack and the room is there for a Perisic style wide man. Which is good, because him and Griezmann are very different, so it suggests he's happy that the players we've got can work in different systems going forward.

But we're one game changing attacking player and a fullback from being right up there with the top clubs IMO.
 
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iamjacks said:
Agree with the OP. Right now, the players that turn close draws into 'that's the form of champions' victories are currently Mkhitaryan, Martial and Pogba? Maybe include Marcus in that.

It's glaring to see why Griezmann was desired. Pace, creativity and goalscoring. Jose clearly wants this, but he also wants it from a players who's proven he can do it in the most competitive of environments.

We need one. Obviously that Griezmann ship has sailed, and maybe Jose has changed his plan of attack and the room is there for a Perisic style wide man. Which is good, because him and Griezmann are very different, so it suggests he's happy that the players we've got can work in different systems going forward.

But we're one game changing attacking player and a fullback from being right up there with the top clubs IMO.
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This is it. So close but so far. A top forward and a left-back is what we lack.

We may still get lucky and have both Martial and Shaw step up and have phenomenal seasons, which they definitely have within themselves. If that happens, we can achieve anything. As it is, we are one injury to Pogba away from looking extremely ordinary.
 
A game changer for us can simply be a LB that can provide chances for Lukaku, carry the ball up field quicker and draw defenders away from the left winger.

But we aren't doing anything about it by the looks of it...
 
We do need something a bit different or Exciting on the wings that's for sure.

At full back and on both wings there are serious deficiencies in our squad. I don't think we can realistically win the league without strengthening in those areas.
 
pauldyson1uk said:
from this statement , I would say we are done.

Jose Mourinho: "The squad is good and as I told a few months ago I was hoping for four players to improve the squad and the club did a fantastic job by getting three of them which is difficult in the crazy market where we are now, to get three out of four I thank the club for that. I would be happier if they give me four of four but they did a great job."
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Seriously think the fourth is and was Griezeman...

Bringing in Zlatan and Griezeman this January would be frightening for our opposition if it happened.
 
SAFicus said:
Bringing in Zlatan and Griezeman this January would be frightening for our opposition if it happened.
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These types of things are said every season and most of the time wrong.
2014: Remember when Di Maria, Falcao, Herrera - these guys will tear up the league. We will score a lot of goals. We finished 4th and for the half season that Falcao played, he scored 4 goals. Di Maria ran away after less than a year.
2015: Bastian + Morgan + Darmian - we are going to dominate midfield and win the league. We finished 5th in the league and neither player last long...both players now plying their trade at lower level clubs.
2016: Ibra + Pogba + Miki + Jose - we are going to win the league. We finished 6th.
2017: And now we come to latest - Zlatan and Griezeman this January would be frightening for our opposition....I wonder what the actual result will be? The trend being set, is not good, that's for sure ;)
 
sunama said:
These types of things are said every season and most of the time wrong.
2014: Remember when Di Maria, Falcao, Herrera - these guys will tear up the league. We will score a lot of goals. We finished 4th and for the half season that Falcao played, he scored 4 goals. Di Maria ran away after less than a year.
2015: Bastian + Morgan + Darmian - we are going to dominate midfield and win the league. We finished 5th in the league and neither player last long...both players now plying their trade at lower level clubs.
2016: Ibra + Pogba + Miki + Jose - we are going to win the league. We finished 6th.
2017: And now we come to latest - Zlatan and Griezeman this January would be frightening for our opposition....I wonder what the actual result will be? The trend being set, is not good, that's for sure ;)
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Cant argue with most of what you've said. I would however point out that "we will win the league!" is an objective criteria. It either happens or it doesn't and as you've pointed out often it doesn't.

"frightening for our opposition" is a rather more subjective statement wouldn't you agree? I'm confident there would be opposition fans claiming the end is nigh if we sign Zlatan and Griezeman in January, much the same as some fans on here think City's new squad is terrifying.

Whether these transfers deliver on that fear factor and win us: the champions League; the leaue; top four; etc... is another matter entirely and something that I purposefully avoid.
 
Ousmane Dembele can be our "That Player", if we can get him.

A front 3 of


............... Martial ................. Lukaku ............ Dembele ..............
..............................Pogba ................ Herrera ...........................
........................................... Matic ...........................................

Interchanging, Pogba with Mata at times, Herrera with maybe Mikhitaryan or Jesse and Dembele with Rashford and likes. That would be an attack that will show liverpool, " who's there daddy ? "
 
catmandeu said:
Ousmane Dembele can be our "That Player", if we can get him.

A front 3 of


............... Martial ................. Lukaku ............ Dembele ..............
..............................Pogba ................ Herrera ...........................
........................................... Matic ...........................................

Interchanging, Pogba with Mata at times, Herrera with maybe Mikhitaryan or Jesse and Dembele with Rashford and likes. That would be an attack that will show liverpool, " who's there daddy ? "
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Generally, there is a level of 'good player', at least in the forward areas, that top clubs like ourselves can compete for, then there seems to be a very thin layer right at the top that are reserved exclusively for Real and Barcelona.

Two have come along recently in the shape of Mbappé and Dembele, and surprise surprise- they seem destined for Real and Barcelona.

I'd love us to get Dembele, and in this Neymar/Mbappé market - his price would almost be reasonable. That said, he's that much of a talent that he will likely end up in Spain, and if he proves there that he is just below that level - then we come into it during the annual boot sale.
 
catmandeu said:
Ousmane Dembele can be our "That Player", if we can get him.

A front 3 of


............... Martial ................. Lukaku ............ Dembele ..............
..............................Pogba ................ Herrera ...........................
........................................... Matic ...........................................

Interchanging, Pogba with Mata at times, Herrera with maybe Mikhitaryan or Jesse and Dembele with Rashford and likes. That would be an attack that will show liverpool, " who's there daddy ? "
Click to expand...

I wonder if Mata could be THAT player. What he did at Chelsea on his first few seasons was Hazard like. He was the main creator who could also score.

I just think that if Mata was released from defensive duty, and surrounded by pacey players, he'd shine again. Maybe the 3-5-2 with him just 'floating' behind Lukaku as part of the "-2", could work wonder.
 
Rozay said:
Generally, there is a level of 'good player', at least in the forward areas, that top clubs like ourselves can compete for, then there seems to be a very thin layer right at the top that are reserved exclusively for Real and Barcelona.

Two have come along recently in the shape of Mbappé and Dembele, and surprise surprise- they seem destined for Real and Barcelona.

I'd love us to get Dembele, and in this Neymar/Mbappé market - his price would almost be reasonable. That said, he's that much of a talent that he will likely end up in Spain, and if he proves there that he is just below that level - then we come into it during the annual boot sale.
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With all the financial turmoil and declining trend of Barcelona, Man united, under a stable and experienced manager, a team that can give him the wages like barcelona, a tougher competition and most watched platform, its not so easy to just go to barcelona. I mean look at the team spirit we have, with likes of pogba, jesse, lukaku, rashfor, martial, all young players, the time to be at the top would be longer than any other team at the moment. Its just that we have to pursue him and show him his importance in the plans of jose !!

Its tough but not impossible.
 
Isotope said:
I wonder if Mata could be THAT player. What he did at Chelsea on his first few seasons was Hazard like. He was the main creator who could also score.

I just think that if Mata was released from defensive duty, and surrounded by pacey players, he'd shine again. Maybe the 3-5-2 with him just 'floating' behind Lukaku as part of the "-2", could work wonder.
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I hope. I just love him. But during this pre season it just seems maybe Mikhitaryan is more in line to be "that player " for us. Also Rashford looks as hungry as cristiano ronaldo. Maybe he can have that year which will make him a force to reckon with.
 
Isotope said:
I wonder if Mata could be THAT player. What he did at Chelsea on his first few seasons was Hazard like. He was the main creator who could also score.

I just think that if Mata was released from defensive duty, and surrounded by pacey players, he'd shine again. Maybe the 3-5-2 with him just 'floating' behind Lukaku as part of the "-2", could work wonder.
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I'm not sure. The money has seen the standard increase every year, with better players coming to England all the time. I don't think Mata can be one of the very best individual players in the PL today, 5 years ago, yes - but not now.

For me, any player who cannot beat men will never really be the most exciting either, and ultimately - a top team would still need that player who can to inspire and decide I think.
 
Baby Faced Assassin said:
We need that Talisman (someone who is elite level in contributing to goals consistently). Every top team has one.

Bayern - Lewa
Real - Ronaldo
Barca - Messi
Chelsea - Hazard
City - Aguero
Spurs - Kane
Arsenal - Sanchez

I think we are missing that. Someone like Bale or Greizmann would've been that.
Click to expand...
Give us Sanchez and we'd be set!
 
Baby Faced Assassin said:
We need that Talisman (someone who is elite level in contributing to goals consistently). Every top team has one.

Bayern - Lewa
Real - Ronaldo
Barca - Messi
Chelsea - Hazard
City - Aguero
Spurs - Kane
Arsenal - Sanchez

I think we are missing that. Someone like Bale or Greizmann would've been that.
Click to expand...
Di Maria was that type of player,but Van Gaal ruined him.
 
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