The right kind. Offensively brilliant. But a team needs to work together, piece by piece. Currently, I don’t think we keep possession well enough for Grimaldo m, although he would help that tbh. But he suits a team on the front-foot, I don’t think he’s the most robust defensively, and the way we cannot keep the ball, he’ll often be going back the other way. In an attacking team, he’d be great. He’s been injured a bit of late though.
The search for a left back...
- Thread starter Rozay
- Start date
The right kind. Offensively brilliant. But a team needs to work together, piece by piece. Currently, I don’t think we keep possession well enough for Grimaldo m, although he would help that tbh. But he suits a team on the front-foot, I don’t think he’s the most robust defensively, and the way we cannot keep the ball, he’ll often be going back the other way. In an attacking team, he’d be great. He’s been injured a bit of late though.
yes, we need one badly
I’d play Dalot when he’s back and have him play high high up. AWB is so defensive on the other side so shouldn’t be an issue and Dalot has a lot to give going forward.
Not on his weaker foot.
Thanks for the quick reply!
To be a team playing on the front-foot you need to have technically sound players and according to stats, some videos and your answer he sounds like a player that would help us out alot. He is 24 and soon to enter his prime years and by having him and Williams the leftback situation would be sorted for some years if he would come here and be a succes.
If, if and buts but its time to start looking into additions of this position. Shaw is not good enough and Williams is too young, not to mention Young (who imo has been decent this season if you compare to how bad he was last season) we need a new leftback.
I agree, but we need to change the whole attitude of the team I mean. We need midfielders who can maintain pressure on the opposition. If we keep this ping pong, end to end type of football - he will be caught out defensively due to his offensive nature.
He’d be great at City.
I’ll say give Dalot when he recovers from injury and Williams chances until end of the season whether they are ready to step up to replace Shaw. No progress then we should get a left back and sell Shaw.
I see no improvement from Shaw ever since he joined us and Young is getting older, fair to say that this position should also be in consideration for a replacement.
I see no improvement from Shaw ever since he joined us and Young is getting older, fair to say that this position should also be in consideration for a replacement.
I wonder if we should consider signing McNeil from Burnley. Great crosser.
-----------Rashford-----Greenwood-----------
-----------Pogba-------------CM---------------------
McNeil-------------DM-------------------James
---------Maguire-Lindelof-AWB------------
McNeil's crossing and James' pace would at least give us actual threats out wide like City get from their wingers and Liverpool from their fullbacks. AWB's offensive issues would no longer really be a problem and he'd probably be adept at cutting off counter attacks with his pace and tackling.
-----------Rashford-----Greenwood-----------
-----------Pogba-------------CM---------------------
McNeil-------------DM-------------------James
---------Maguire-Lindelof-AWB------------
McNeil's crossing and James' pace would at least give us actual threats out wide like City get from their wingers and Liverpool from their fullbacks. AWB's offensive issues would no longer really be a problem and he'd probably be adept at cutting off counter attacks with his pace and tackling.
My Pick is Gayá of Valencia. Good pace, great dribbling. Very attacking. Only problem is that when Venturing forward he could Leave a slow player like Maguire one on one with an attacker which is a disaster waiting to happen.
This is one reason why I was against Maguire signing since top teams nowadays have good one on one defenders with considerable pace to match attackers.
Since we're lumbered with Maguire we can solve this in one of two ways. Have Fred stay deeper to allow Gayá to attack and be his protection or buy a centre back with good pace who is also good one on one I.e Koulibaly.
The problem with the first is that Fred's defensive instincts are pretty poor so we would probably need to buy an actual DM ideally a mobile one not a regista. Problem with the 2nd is that it would be incredibly costly and unlikely so we could go for a cheaper alternative like Konate or a free one altogether and blood in Tuanzebe for the 2nd CB given he possesses great pace.
I've also seen Gayá making some terrific inside runs which would help create space for Rashford at LW. He can overlap when Rashford cuts in. Or make a run through the middle when Rashford goes wider. I think they would work well together and lead to a much more dangerous left flank.
This is one reason why I was against Maguire signing since top teams nowadays have good one on one defenders with considerable pace to match attackers.
Since we're lumbered with Maguire we can solve this in one of two ways. Have Fred stay deeper to allow Gayá to attack and be his protection or buy a centre back with good pace who is also good one on one I.e Koulibaly.
The problem with the first is that Fred's defensive instincts are pretty poor so we would probably need to buy an actual DM ideally a mobile one not a regista. Problem with the 2nd is that it would be incredibly costly and unlikely so we could go for a cheaper alternative like Konate or a free one altogether and blood in Tuanzebe for the 2nd CB given he possesses great pace.
I've also seen Gayá making some terrific inside runs which would help create space for Rashford at LW. He can overlap when Rashford cuts in. Or make a run through the middle when Rashford goes wider. I think they would work well together and lead to a much more dangerous left flank.
Our squad problems are whack a mole, though.
When/if we upgrade Shaw with a better attacking LB, we'll probably then see Maguire's lack of pace (and now, a lack of cover because our new LB is upfield a lot) as a major issue and another new CB becomes a big issue.
When/if we upgrade Shaw with a better attacking LB, we'll probably then see Maguire's lack of pace (and now, a lack of cover because our new LB is upfield a lot) as a major issue and another new CB becomes a big issue.
Telles for me.
Right age
Great going forward
Buyout clause
Contract running down
I guess he's out of our scouting range though, being from outside the UK...
Right age
Great going forward
Buyout clause
Contract running down
I guess he's out of our scouting range though, being from outside the UK...
Didn't realise Haaland was British.
This is what I want to happen as well but instead go ultra offensive with a 352
----------Rashford-----Haaland/Gwood--------
----------------------Martial---------------------------
-----------Pogba-------------CM---------------------
McNeil--------------------------------James
---------Maguire- Rice -AWB/Lindelof----------
I'd rather have a CB like Rice do the duo work of a CDM before going back to sitting back in a back three.
I think Mcneil would be a great choice & would be manick on the opposite side to James providing delivery to the Strikers.
The hilarious thing with your statement is he actually is...
Oh yeah he is technically isn't he 
it all makes sense now.
it all makes sense now.Oh yeah he is technically isn't he
To be honest, My statement was more of a joke, but what I more meant was, our scouts seem to be that useless, we only sign big named players, or ones currently hitting the headlines.
Telles just isn't that well known, yet we'd jump at the chance for Sandro or Marcelo
The glass hammer kind. Spends most of his time injured but no doubt when he is fit he’s a decent attacker.
Sign Kieran Tierney. He'd bench the injury prone Shaw.
He signed for Arsenal last summer and isn't he quite injury prone himself.
The injury prone Tierney to bench the injury prone Shaw. The guy has a worse injury record than Shaw over the last year.
Its funny people throw out names like Tierney and Grimaldo even though they are bigger sick notes than Phil Jones. Tierney just came back and played for like a month was it before now dislocating his shoulder And out for another 3 months.
He used to be the forum's favourite, Tierney. Good thing he's finally left the Scottish league and is tearing it up for The Gunners in the Premier League. Grimaldo seems to be the rage now.
Aaron Martin
Nicola Murru
Both posting impressive stats
Nicola Murru
Both posting impressive stats
We don't have a immediate requirement to sign an new LB in January. Williams looks by far the best option at the moment. Give him a run in the team for the rest of the season and see how he performs. Shaw or Young are not the solution. It was interesting to see Laird playing as left back against AC Milan, he looked class defensively and setup a goal, great prospect.
I know you're a fan of Shaw but surely you realise that he can quite easily be upgraded.
Tierney might be injury prone but he at the very least looks after his diet and has a low body fat in comparison to our overweight LB.
Probably makes Tierney more injury prone if he’s in great shape but still always injured.
As a professional it's absolutely paramount imo to look after your diet which I don't believe Shaw does. And on top of that, he's injury prone too. LVG did mention that he was unfit and his words are making more and more sense now.
Tierney being injury prone has very little to do with his professionalism as far as diet goes imo.
Is Bale still capable of putting in a shift as a left back? He’d offer a lot in terms of attacking threat down the left and couldn’t be much worse defensively than our current options.
Surely he’s a good enough athlete and a professional to be able to adapt his role as a wide forward into that of a modern wing back. He wouldn’t be the first to do so.
Surely he’s a good enough athlete and a professional to be able to adapt his role as a wide forward into that of a modern wing back. He wouldn’t be the first to do so.
Are you okay man? That’s not how you solve the left back issue.
Are you serious?
Yeah I agree with your original point completely, I was merely pointing out Tierney looks after himself and is still as injury prone as Shaw.
I've got to say that Brandon Williams maybe a little error prone at time but is twice the player Luke Shaw is. Brandon Williams could become our version of Robertson. Luke Shaw offers no threat or width going forward. I would play Brandon at LB and have Shaw as his cover. No need to bring anyone else in.
+1. Looks like he have what it takes, will only get better.
Williams and Shaw battling it out for the LB spot is good enough imo. Hopefully it pushes Shaw to improve whilst also getting Williams experience in the PL.
Williams looks really good though, he should be playing against the ‘smaller’ teams we constantly struggle to beat because his attacking threat is much better than Shaw’s.
Williams looks really good though, he should be playing against the ‘smaller’ teams we constantly struggle to beat because his attacking threat is much better than Shaw’s.
If Williams is the left back we've been looking for, even if it is as a competitor to Luke shaw, and I think he could be, does that mean we could be better off looking for a right back or is that player Ashley young for 1 more season.?
We have a RB in Ethan Laird who is rated higher than Williams as a prospect.
I don’t like It when folks compare our player to a Liverpool player. That being said, I do think he’s looking like a far better attacking fullback than Shaw at the moment. And he’s got good mentality. They’d be competing ideally. Hopefully this improves Shaw as well. We should not spend money on this if it means not getting another central midfielder or someone on the right.
I think Laird is a good attacking prospect on the right too - off topic. But kept out because of just how damn solid Awb is and young is our club captain. When young goes, as he should despite being a very good. Dalot too, though the lad has been injured so much we forget him.
I agree, i was wondering peoples opinions on needing a left back now, and whether right back is more important.. This season Ashley young is the backup to both right and left back positions. If Laird is ready then great but I'm not sure he is just yet. He might need next season as his breakthrough/weaning in year like this year has been been for William's.
People will change opinion on needing a LB game by game. If Williams has a below par game on his next outing, then the consensus will be, 'we do need a new LB'. If he does well, then we have 'LB sorted for the next 10 years'.
I think Laird should be introduced gradually. Hopefully he'll get more minutes as the season progresses, which should prepare him for the following season.
Laird does look a talent. Quick and attack minded. Strong too.
Brandon Williams looks like he has it in his locker to be very good. He is very tenacious and has real fight in him. Something that is very welcome in what has been criticised in recent years in this UTD squad. He likes to get forward but can defend too.
Watching him in the reserves, he does have a natural fitness about him. He runs and runs as he did tonight. Hopefully he will progress and surpass Shaw who hasn't progressed like most thought he would. The injury to his leg might really have fecked his early progress with us up.
Would be great to have 2 attacking full backs coming through with real potential to make it long term here!