@bucky Ndombélé is comfortable on the left, the issue is more about the roles that they have and their respective flaws which overlaps, they are inconsistent defensively. But your point about Tielemans surprises me because I never thought about it, I can't remember a game on the left outside of one of his first games for Monaco.
Tanguy Ndombele | Signed For Spurs
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Oh, I see what you mean. Wouldn't see it as too much of a problem. Ndombele plays in a double pivot for Lyon and most often finds himself on the left and right. Played next to Pogba for France the other day on the left.
Having said that, I wouldn't even want us to play a three man midfield and hope we move away from it. I like a double pivot and would like to see something like:
Striker
Winger Attacking Midfielder Winger
Midfielder Ndombele
The reason Ole plays a three and why Mourinho started, was due to Pogba, who plays on the right for France. Winger Attacking Midfielder Winger
Midfielder Ndombele
I didn't watch him at Monaco, but it made sense for Leicester, as Rodgers played with width on the right, and Maddison tucking in from the left. Had he put Tielemans on the left, the same problem we have with Sanchez and Pogba would have occurred.
For Monaco it's fairly simple, Fabinho moved from right to left.
Double pivot?
As you know, I watch a lot of Lyon and French football, but I've never seen him play on the left, hence my comments. Even when Aouar was dropped to the bench for rotation, NDombele stayed on the right-hand side. I'm not saying he can't do it, I've just not seen it and like I said, Lyon is probably the team I watch most outside of United. So I have to take you word for it, if you say he can do it.
The other point you are making, I definitely agree with, their flaws do overlap. Lastly, I am a bit confused, do you agree about Tielemans not playing on the left, or what are you trying say? Maybe a misunderstanding on my end.
I wouldn't mind that at all (the 4-2-3-1 formation), but it would most likely mean, we are moving on from Pogba, which I still hope won't happen this summer. I didn't properly watch that game for France. Typical, that I don't pay attention, when he apparently played on the left. Was that against Bolivia?
Finally, someone realise that a 3 mens midfield his not forced to be a copy of the Barça / City one.
You can play a 3 mens midfield with a double pivot and be very successfull with it, see the french nt and Atletico Madrid.
I'm 100 % with the post above.
Get Ndombele, play him in a double pivot with Pogba and get Maddison in front of them
Or
Get Ndombele and Partey in a double pivot with Pogba in front of them.
We will be instantly way better.
I agree with everything you said with the small nuance that Ndombélé is comfortable on the left and did it for Lyon, France and Amiens but he mainly plays on the right.
What do you mean by double pivot? He has done it in 4231 with Moutinho above them, he has played as a box to box in a flat 442 and iirc he has been used wide once or twice in the flat 442.
It wouldn't necessarily mean moving Pogba on, it just means dropping him back to play in a double pivot, which he does perfectly fine for France and was fine for us in our first season. Only difference is, instead of Mourinho buying a dynamic ball winner to complement Pogba like Kante does, he bought Matic, who, although good in his first season for us, just isn't dynamic enough. We should have gone in for Gueye or Ndidi, in my opinion.
As for Ndombele, he played there against Andorra. As I said though, you find yourself chopping and changing in a double pivot and that's what Pogba and Ndombele did. Also, Kante played on the right for Leicester and Chelsea but plays on the left for France, which is a strange one, given Pogba is apparently more comfortable on the left.
Gotcha. Misunderstanding on my part then.
I think he's been good in that role as well, but we might be in the minority there. Rodrigo is still the one for me. As long as he hasn't signed for City, I'm holding out hope we go for him.
Okay, yes. I don't bother watching games against the likes of Andorra, if I'm honest.
Two man midfield dovetailing with each other.
Again, 100 % agree.
Pogba play well in a double pivot with a pacy partner full of energy.
Kante, Tolisso and Ndombele do it for the french nt.
Matic can't, Mc Tom is very technicaly limited, maybe Fred can do it but not at the level required.
This is nowhere close to the same thing as that IMO. There is a slight difference in terms of having left/right footed centerbacks for some managers, no difference for others. There is basically no difference in midfield though, that's absurd to suggest you can't buy both midfielders because they're used to playing on the right of a midfield 3 instead of the left. That's really not an issue whatsoever, they're professional footballers, they can handle it just fine. Its nowhere close to the issue of having too many #10's and shoving them out wide. This is we need a new midfield, and we buy 2 who stylistically, compliment each other. Playing on the left or right when both are central midfielders isnt a thing and never has been a thing IMO, managers might have preferences but plenty have also not cared about that.
We had a perfect player in Herrera, who is very similar to the players you mentioned and somehow allowed him to leave the club on a free.
That's definitely not the opinion of the likes of Guardiola, van Gaal and Wenger. Why is it that Pogba almost exclusively has played on the left for Juventus and United then? And why is that almost every time I've seen him line up on the right he hasn't been as good as he been on the left? It is absolutely the same thing. It's not just about what foot they use.
Again, 100 % agree.
The job would have been way easier with Herrera still there.
The moment they let go or him i felt huge anger and sadness, but i still trusted them to have an agrement already in place for his replacement, but i was wrong.
In a year without CL, we should have keep Pogba, Herrera, Fred and McTominay, push out Matic, Mata and Pereira and focus on bringing in one good AM that will be the game changer, but this useless board always try to prove that they know better than anyone else, yet fail year after year.
Pogba has played on the right in a midfield 2 or 3 plenty of times. He likes playing on the left side because of certain shooting actions so he can cut in more, but in general, it doesnt matter too much. As for the shape of midfield, theres countless examples where all those managers used multiple players both as right central or left central midfielders. Some players are definitely more suited to one side, but that's the minority, and theres usually a very valid reason for it. The vast majority, if they are quality midfielders as left center mids, they can do the same on the right of the center mid partnership.
There might be minor differences, but the players meshing together stylistically is far more important. After that they usually just stay in the same system, but that doesn't mean that the player can only play on the one side. That's just incredibly rigid thinking. They're both central midfielders, one will have a more creative role, the other will be more defensive. Being on the left or right of a midfield 3 wont change that, and the vast majority of managers share that opinion (as we saw with Sir Alex countless times, as well as other managerial greats).
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Schweinsteiger was another midfielder, who heavily favoured the left-hand side, and he was a very good player as well. Perhaps I should have worded it differently, the main thing for me is, that there is IMO definitely a drop-off in performances with certain players, if you don't play them on their favoured side. Pogba has definitely not played plenty of times on the right. It happens infrequently and mostly to accommodate other players.
Ignoring that and since you are talking about players fitting together. What makes you think that NDombele and Tielemans compliment each other? As JPRouve pointed out, both have a lot of room for improvement defensively. I don't think Rabiot would be able to carry them in that regard. Also, where would the goals come from, given our lacklustre forwards currently?
Think we need a defensive mid anyway, not sure who is even realistic though. A deep lying playmaker type though. In terms of goals... well I think that midfield paid could get ~10 goals between them, but that's not really a massive issue anyway. Obviously we also need to sort out the attack, primarily the right.
If you ask me, assuming Pogba leaves, we need to buy 6 starting 11 players. Like absolute musts because there are such massive holes in over half of our starting 11 (all 3 mids if Pogba goes, no RW, no RB, and shit CB's).
Foxsport just report he agreed to sign
For who?
Ignore it, its fox sports asia reporting on Sport Witness' report that we've agreed personal terms.
For us.
90m seems at lot for him.
Yes, it's quoting Sports Witness who were quoting the Paris United Twitter account, so nothing new.
I'm getting more hopeful about this one. Could be really good if it happens … our replacement for Dembele.
We will do everything to hijack you and get your place in the top 4.
Heard they are ok with 75M Euros means its around 65M GBP and the player is willing too, doesnt matter with that few extra millions when we know he can improve us a lot for next 10 years so it get it done. Dont understand why we take so much time. It would be nice If we get someone like Maddison/Tielamns also before pre season starts.
After that kind of last season I thought UTD act fast and sort out this team but I am very disappointed it takes ages to do any business.
And RM has proven that the closing speed of the deals is there if the will is there.
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Well, I won't comment about top 4 (or not) until the season is about to kick off and the transfer window has closed.
However, the London Evening Standard claim today that Spurs and Lyon are "understood to be confident an agreement will be reached". They also say that reports in France suggest that a move to Spurs "is his preference".
So fingers crossed they are correct.
Please, close this deal now, Real said that he is the plan B if they can't get Pogba.
If it's true, that Adidas is forcing us to keep Pogba and we don't move for Ndombele now, that will leave us with a unhappy player, while his best available replacement / partner will be sold to Real.
Please, just let us enjoy the french combo in a United shirt and bring back some excitement.
If it's true, that Adidas is forcing us to keep Pogba and we don't move for Ndombele now, that will leave us with a unhappy player, while his best available replacement / partner will be sold to Real.
Please, just let us enjoy the french combo in a United shirt and bring back some excitement.
This is the sort of player we need for our midfield.
That was well handled, you didn't take the bait this time. Personally i don't think we're even interested. Think Real are the only ones that have been linked that I think could potentially persue it.Don't watch him loads but I like him a lot from what I've seen.
Shame if he goes to Spurs and we aren't even in for him. He shouldn't be looked at as a someone that can't play alongside Pogba or is too similar to play in a 3 with him.
Pogba, N'Dombele and a better number 6 would be amazing. Our midfield is weak compared to our rivals and in my opinion, it is in a worse state that our defence or attack.
With Ole saying he wanted our team to be the hardest working team in the league I thought he would overhaul the midfield this summer. So far nothing!
I have watched Tanguy N'dombele alot in the last few years in the hope that he would come here. His qualities are exactly what we lack currently in midfield.!
Pogba, N'Dombele and a better number 6 would be amazing. Our midfield is weak compared to our rivals and in my opinion, it is in a worse state that our defence or attack.
With Ole saying he wanted our team to be the hardest working team in the league I thought he would overhaul the midfield this summer. So far nothing!
I have watched Tanguy N'dombele alot in the last few years in the hope that he would come here. His qualities are exactly what we lack currently in midfield.!
Signing him offers us a lot of flexibility. Can play in a two man midfield or in a three man midfield system. I don't know why we are not interested in him?
Even if we are interested and don't act fast, someother club will sign him before we make our first offer.
Shambles the way our club is being run about!
Even if we are interested and don't act fast, someother club will sign him before we make our first offer.
Shambles the way our club is being run about!
We also said we'd remove the deadwood.
And we haven't even been able to move Darmian out, and took the strange decision to sign Mata on for a few more years.
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