The search for a left back...

[QUOTE="Alabaster Codify7, post: 25325842, member: 95038"

Far from a priority though.
[/QUOTE]
It's not that simple. Attacking FB play is a hallmark of Pep's teams and Real Madrid ruled Europe thanks to the play they got from there. You can upgrade your attack with FB play.
 
Rozay said:
Hakimi is brilliant, but I’d be very surprised if Madrid don’t know it. In reality, I’d rather ask them for Marcelo if they take Hakimi back.
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Yeah if you see Williams as a future United left back. Then Marcelo with his age can be a good back up. But when you first buy Bruno. And try to sign Sancho. Then the rest has to follow too. The level of speed and way of playing football. Only only quick. Precise and effience too. Hakimi match Bruno and Sancho level of football.
 
LuckyScout78 said:
Yeah if you see Williams as a future United left back. Then Marcelo with his age can be a good back up. But when you first buy Bruno. And try to sign Sancho. Then the rest has to follow too. The level of speed and way of playing football. Only only quick. Precise and effience too. Hakimi match Bruno and Sancho level of football.
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I’m not sure if Williams is a future United left-back, I have my doubts. But what I am more confident of, is that he is not a current one. Marcelo is potentially an option who can come and be an immediate option, if Shaw were to leave. Williams will have to either show he’s ready to take over from Marcelo, or we get another in a few years.
 
I'd love United to make a bid for Theo Hernandez at AC Milan. He looks sensational in attack and has scored some crackers this season. I like Williams but think he's still too raw. I'm prepared to write Shaw off as he has demonstrated that he can't be trusted to stay fit for long enough to play himself into form/match fitness.
 
Bojan Djordjic said:
I'd love United to make a bid for Theo Hernandez at AC Milan. He looks sensational in attack and has scored some crackers this season. I like Williams but think he's still too raw. I'm prepared to write Shaw off as he has demonstrated that he can't be trusted to stay fit for long enough to play himself into form/match fitness.
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He and Hakimi both caught my eye a few years ago for Real in pre-season against us. Hernandez looked great (Hakimi looked even better). I remember him winning a penalty due to a ridiculously late Lindelöf tackle.
 
Alex Telles only 1 years left on contract, Porto must ship him bellow price market. Just pointing the obvious.
 
He's 27
Alabaster Codify7 said:
Yeah it's an obvious one, to be fair. I'd love Telles here.
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He's 27 so already in his peak years and would probably cost a lot of money, despite being below market price. I don't really understand why so many people on this sub are so keen to buy players on a downward trajectory. I keep seeing people crying out for signings like Harry Kane when in my eyes, he'd be an utterly disastrous signing. Turning 27, awful injury profile, undoubtedly massive asking price and his form and underlying statistics show a decline. Have we learned nothing from Alexis Sanchez or even Hazard at Madrid? Even RVP gave us one great season before falling off a steep cliff. I think we need to identify players in the 21-23 yr age brackets for these types of high energy positions.
 
Shaw is ok (just ok) and Williams is developing. I dont believe will sign LB anytime soon. Without Williams maybe yes, but with him no.
 
Bojan Djordjic said:
He's 27

He's 27 so already in his peak years and would probably cost a lot of money, despite being below market price. I don't really understand why so many people on this sub are so keen to buy players on a downward trajectory. I keep seeing people crying out for signings like Harry Kane when in my eyes, he'd be an utterly disastrous signing. Turning 27, awful injury profile, undoubtedly massive asking price and his form and underlying statistics show a decline. Have we learned nothing from Alexis Sanchez or even Hazard at Madrid? Even RVP gave us one great season before falling off a steep cliff. I think we need to identify players in the 21-23 yr age brackets for these types of high energy positions.
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27 years old is absolutely not a player on a downward trajectory. Not in 2020. Especially considering Telles has missed 7 games with injury for Porto in the 4 seasons he’s been there... This isn’t football manager, you can’t just stockpile an entire side of 21-23 year olds. Players in their peak are just as - if not more - important for a side who wants to contend for silverware.

A random tangent you made — but I definitely haven’t seen any clamouring for Harry Kane on this forum.
 
DWelbz19 said:
27 years old is absolutely not a player on a downward trajectory. Not in 2020. Especially considering Telles has missed 7 games with injury for Porto in the 4 seasons he’s been there... This isn’t football manager, you can’t just stockpile an entire side of 21-23 year olds. Players in their peak are just as - if not more - important for a side who wants to contend for silverware.

A random tangent you made — but I definitely haven’t seen any clamouring for Harry Kane on this forum.
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27 is fine in itself but he'll be closer to 28 by the time he plays a game for United so if you sign him on a five year contract, the majority of the wages you pay him will be for a 30+ year old. It's just squad management and something United have been very poor at, holding onto players like Mata, Ashley Young etc well past their primes and on big salaries. I've seen numerous people talk about Kane and Raul Jimenez being their ideal striker signings and I just think they are too old to be successful transfers over the full life time of any prospective contracts you might offer them.

As for the left back problem, I think I would just prefer someone a few years younger like Grimaldo at Benfica or Theo Hernandez at Milan.
 
Why Telles is not included in team Brazil? Why he have had only one season in bigger leagues? Loan in Inter. Not sure about this guy at all. Cant be THAT good.

e. Looks like Inter had 8.5M euros buyout option but they didnt activated it... Tells something?
 
Renan Lodi from Atletico. He is only 21yo and already one of the best at his position. Theo Hernandez is my second option.
 
Hanky panky said:
Why Telles is not included in team Brazil? Why he have had only one season in bigger leagues? Loan in Inter. Not sure about this guy at all. Cant be THAT good.

e. Looks like Inter had 8.5M euros buyout option but they didnt activated it... Tells something?
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Bad defense but overrated because he has a good left foot. Not selected because Alex Sandro and Lodi are proven in the highest level, not against farmers.
 
King Andow said:
Bad defense but overrated because he has a good left foot. Not selected because Alex Sandro and Lodi are proven in the highest level, not against farmers.
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We just bought a player form the farmers league for 60m. Amazed people can't make a separation between the quality of the league and the player.
 
izec said:
We just bought a player form the farmers league for 60m. Amazed people can't make a separation between the quality of the league and the player.
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Our first team is struggling to beat a team from Belgium across 2 legs and they're worried about Portugal being farmers?! :lol:

Bruno has come in and looked our best player instantly, wonder if they've got any more laying about.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Bruno has come in and looked our best player instantly, wonder if they've got any more laying about.
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There is reason to be a bit worry about players from weakers leagues. Some portugese football expert (dont remembe who) told before transfer that Bruno is by far the best player in Portugal league. Maybe the best like in last 5-10 years and United will get a quality player. But it doesnt mean all of them are capable to do it in EPL, or even most.
 
Hanky panky said:
There is reason to be a bit worry about players from weakers leagues. Some portugese football expert (dont remembe who) told before transfer that Bruno is by far the best player in Portugal league. Maybe the best like in last 5-10 years and United will get a quality player. But it doesnt mean all of them are capable to do it in EPL, or even most.
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Nani did okay, so did Ronaldo, Moutinho, Neves, Bernado Silva, Ricardo Periera... loads more. The portugese league might not be the best, but they get a lot of talented players go through it.

I wouldn't mind Telles as some competition for Shaw. Not sure about his defensive capability though. Attacking his stats are excellent.
 
Not sure we need a new left back. There are other priorities.
Shaw is playing well. Williams needs time but is not bad and Devine in the under 23's looks better than both. He is a real gem
 
You look all around the pitch and you say we need a new left back when we have Shaw and Williams. Quite funny... Shaw is mostly fit and if you don’t play Williams them how will he develop? He has been our man of the match in about half the games he has played! And shaw is one of the best full backs in the league (recently fans player of the year!)
I think sometimes our fans get fixated on the wrong areas of the pitch. We have finally been relieved of Ashley young and we no longer have to worry about left back. We need a proper stand out def midfielder like Neves and possibly a righ winger as well as another top class att mid or central mid esp if Pogba leaves as well as a
Right winger and additional striker and you are talking about left back (for which we have 2 players) sorry but no
 
André Dominguez said:
Alex Telles only 1 years left on contract, Porto must ship him bellow price market. Just pointing the obvious.
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It would only be plausible if we'd sell Shaw. I know Williams can play right back (started out as one) but we've got Laird coming through there and of course the best defensive right back around.

I'd be happy to see Shaw sold, but not really expecting it. He's got a contract worth anywhere between 150-190K a week! (was checking out 4 different stories on his new deal back in '18). He's being paid like a world class full back. I doubt we'd be able to find takers, even if we did want to sell.
 
Among all English left-backs this year, Shaw's assists/goals ratio is far less compared to Saka/Chilwell.We definitely need an upgrade on this.

Saka on top with 4 goals and 10 assists.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Our first team is struggling to beat a team from Belgium across 2 legs and they're worried about Portugal being farmers?! :lol:

Bruno has come in and looked our best player instantly, wonder if they've got any more laying about.
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They do, but they all play for Wolves!!!
 
I cannot believe that anyone actually thinks Ole will sign a left back, he seems more than happy with Shaw and Williams.... unless something happens to either of those players I would lay my house on them being our LB options next season and probs a couple of seasons or more into the future.... Unless a player like Koulibaly gets thrown at us for dirt cheap we ain't signing a defender this summer, no way, no how and y'all are fooling yourselves if you think any differently.
 
Bojan Djordjic said:
27 is fine in itself but he'll be closer to 28 by the time he plays a game for United so if you sign him on a five year contract, the majority of the wages you pay him will be for a 30+ year old. It's just squad management and something United have been very poor at, holding onto players like Mata, Ashley Young etc well past their primes and on big salaries. I've seen numerous people talk about Kane and Raul Jimenez being their ideal striker signings and I just think they are too old to be successful transfers over the full life time of any prospective contracts you might offer them.

As for the left back problem, I think I would just prefer someone a few years younger like Grimaldo at Benfica or Theo Hernandez at Milan.
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A lot of 30+ year olds made history in football though. Writing off players on age alone is daft.
Like I said, in the caf you either are a 23 year old who needs more experience or you are a 27 year old geezer who belongs in a retirement home.
 
We dont need a LB.

Shaw is doing good, Williams emerging and Dalot if we get two big injuries.

Telles is pretty average and doesnt improve us and we have far bigger more important signings to make in the next 2 windows. LB was an issue when Shaw & Dalot was injured and Williams wasnt around and we ONLY had A,Young. But times have changed.

Shaws the man there
 
Isn't Grimaldo the obvious guy? 12 league assists last year and on pace for 9 if we'd had a full season. 24 years old, at a club who sells for money and presumably good enough to contribute offensively when we play Shaw at LCB in a 5 man defense and we desperately need attacking play at LWB since Wan-Bissaka is a uh, work in progress on the other side (low key bet is that Dalot comes good and becomes our first choice option in that role).


The other thing I could see is if we can't get Sancho this summer (or at all) is doing what Mourinho wanted when he was after Perisic, which is to say signing a left-footed winger with some defensive game like McNeil from Burnley or even better Saka from Arsenal if he wants the move and we offer Arteta money he needs to rebuild his side, and we get that player to play LWB and hopefully be our starting RW for a year then backup Sancho, though maybe we like Chong for that second role long-term...But if we give Greenwood the backup 9 job proper (along with say Ighalo for another year as a safety blanket) it might make sense. Let's say Pogba leaves and we spend big on 2 replacement mids and with no Sancho somewhat surprisingly buy a CB, plugging in some realistic but optimistic names:

-------------Martial--------- (Greenwood, Ighalo)
Rashford--------McNeil (James, Greenwood, Chong)
-------------Bruno---------- (Grealish)
-------Fred---Partey--------- (McTominay, Matic)
Shaw------------------AWB-- (Williams, Dalot)
--Upamecano-Maguire-- (Lindelof, Bailly, Tuanzebe)
------------De Gea-------------- (Romero)

or 3/5 at the back:

--Rashford----------------Martial--------- (Greenwood, James, Ighalo)
-------------------Bruno---------------------- (Grealish)
---------------Fred---Partey---------------- (McTominay, Matic)
McNeil---------------------------------AWB-- (Williams, Dalot)
----Shaw-Upamecano-Maguire-- (Lindelof, Bailly, Tuanzebe)
-------------------De Gea-------------- (Romero)

And then if McNeil isn't a star we still have a proper 2nd RW and a wingback who can cross, always useful.
 
It wouldn't be an exciting or high-transfer upside and he's linked in the press with Arsenal and Barca and not us but wouldn't Kurzawa on a free make some sense? He's better going forward than defensively and that's probably what we want from Shaw's backup/competitor since we might play 3 at the back a bit anyways and Wan-Bissaka is better defensively anyways on the other side to make a back 3 often enough:

LB: Shaw-Kurzawa-Williams
RB: WanBissaka-Dalot-Williams

and maybe squeeze in a proper loan year for Dalot, getting 30+ starts somewhere we know he'll be first choice.
 
Are there no good domestic prospects coming through im the championship etc

anybody know much about Kobe Hernandez-Foster, signed for Wolfsburg
 
Rocknrolla69er said:
Are there no good domestic prospects coming through im the championship etc

anybody know much about Kobe Hernandez-Foster, signed for Wolfsburg
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All of the promising fullbacks in the championship are quite young.
 
Telles for me, but right now, money could be spent in better positions. Williams has done well and Shaw has improved.

RW > DM > CB > CM*

for me

CM is Pogba does leave. Also as a brucey bonus, I'd take Bellingham as a 5th
 
Craig Ward said:
We dont need a LB.

Shaw is doing good, Williams emerging and Dalot if we get two big injuries.

Telles is pretty average and doesnt improve us and we have far bigger more important signings to make in the next 2 windows. LB was an issue when Shaw & Dalot was injured and Williams wasnt around and we ONLY had A,Young. But times have changed.

Shaws the man there
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Honestly don't think Shaw is good enough. He's good enough as he's doing okay in term of buying us time (few years) until Williams is ready to take his spot playing week in week out.

However, we can't afford for a left back at the moment as there are other priority.
 
Barca are rumoured to be happy to get rid of Junior Firpo, might make sense for us. Maybe even a loan with a buy option.
 
NoPace said:
Barca are rumoured to be happy to get rid of Junior Firpo, might make sense for us. Maybe even a loan with a buy option.
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Barcelona are happy to get rid of almost everyone at the moment. Apparently Arthur Melo is also on the market. If it were a different time I’d be all for that, however I don’t think we currently need him.
 
Rozay said:
Barcelona are happy to get rid of almost everyone at the moment. Apparently Arthur Melo is also on the market. If it were a different time I’d be all for that, however I don’t think we currently need him.
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I'd avoid Firpo but I'd be all over Arthur for the right price. He is excellent.

On the subject of fullbacks I'm actually happy to let Shaw continue to improve (he's been excellent lately and hopefully this is him getting over the leg break) happy in the knowledge that Williams is there (he'll be class in my opinion). On the right AWB is already deadly and Laird will come through (I'm certain of this, in fact almost as certain as Greenwood) and he is very good going forward.

I may be completely wrong but I honestly think people may underrate just how big a talent Laird is, for me he should be ahead of Dalot for the RB back up spot (higher upside). I accept that maybe idealistic thinking from me though.
 
kidbob said:
I'd avoid Firpo but I'd be all over Arthur for the right price. He is excellent.

On the subject of fullbacks I'm actually happy to let Shaw continue to improve (he's been excellent lately and hopefully this is him getting over the leg break) happy in the knowledge that Williams is there (he'll be class in my opinion). On the right AWB is already deadly and Laird will come through (I'm certain of this, in fact almost as certain as Greenwood) and he is very good going forward.

I may be completely wrong but I honestly think people may underrate just how big a talent Laird is, for me he should be ahead of Dalot for the RB back up spot (higher upside). I accept that maybe idealistic thinking from me though.
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The first time I read the Brazilians saying they had an Iniesta I was mad we weren't signing in. They never say they have an Iniesta.

I've written this before but Williams is almost certainly a right back and not a 1 or 2% exception, playing his best football on the wrong side as a fullback, and we could also really use someone who can play at LWB and actually create when Shaw is at LCB in a back 3/5.

The odds of Williams and Laird both becoming quality players for us is low, and also at least 2-3 years away and that's probably if one or both get full-time loans elsewhere.
 
kidbob said:
I'd avoid Firpo but I'd be all over Arthur for the right price. He is excellent.

On the subject of fullbacks I'm actually happy to let Shaw continue to improve (he's been excellent lately and hopefully this is him getting over the leg break) happy in the knowledge that Williams is there (he'll be class in my opinion). On the right AWB is already deadly and Laird will come through (I'm certain of this, in fact almost as certain as Greenwood) and he is very good going forward.

I may be completely wrong but I honestly think people may underrate just how big a talent Laird is, for me he should be ahead of Dalot for the RB back up spot (higher upside). I accept that maybe idealistic thinking from me though.
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I’m with you on all fronts. I don’t see how we use Arthur, unless PP leaves perhaps, but he’s brilliant I agree.

I also agree on Laird. If he overcomes his injuries then I fully expect him to make it, he’s a bigger talent than Williams I think, only Greenwood is comparable from that group.
 
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