Bravo. Do NOT expect your accurate analysis of the difference between how Young and Delph was used to be given the due attention it deserves.
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- Thread starter Damien
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Bravo. Do NOT expect your accurate analysis of the difference between how Young and Delph was used to be given the due attention it deserves.
Fullbacks had barely anything to do with that. Walker has been alright this season and the left back has been chopping and changing.
Far more important factors:
- Bravo no longer making a howler every game
- improved finishing
- players understanding the system better
City were statistically the best team in 16/17. They created the most and best chances, and conceded the least and lowest percentage chances. But their finishing was atrocious and Bravo almsot guaranteed the opposite team a goal every game.
2 of the 3 players they signed for that £120m barely played last season due to being injured or on the bench. It's a massive stretch to in any way pretend that those two had an effect on City winning the title compared to say, the insane amount of midfield and forward quality they had.
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More amazing still, that they played most of the season with Delph at left back and didn't lose a trick. We need new full backs, yes. But they're not going to turn us into world beaters over night.
I've heard this counterpoint before and it misses the point entirely. It's like you're just trying to play devil's advocate. I see this as meaning Delph is actually a decent fullback in Pep's system. It doesn't mean that the position is moot.
It's like saying fullbacks don't matter because Young got us to 2nd despite spending 30 mil on Shaw. Here it's just that Young makes a half decent fullback, and Shaw has been an awful one. Not that the position is of less importance
But that wasn't your contention. You are changing your argument and ignoring key evidence (the success of the respective clubs while and after he was manager). You contended he is clueless in building squads and that is objectively false.
Like many others have said as well - Delph had Sane at LW to provide the width. We have Sanchez, Martial and Rashford who are all inside forwards looking to cut in.
Article says we're still willing to sign a LB if the right one becomes available. Seems like our scouts don't rate Sandro that highly considering how much he'd cost.
FFS another year with practically no left wing
Who has said fullbacks don't matter? You'll find that almost everyone would welcome Sandro in to upgrade on Young. But we also have a giant hole on our right side. We can't spend £200m on fullbacks because we aren't funded by a country.
We've already spent £70m net, based on every season post SAF we aren't going to spend £200m+. How are we going to get everything we want from around £100m leftover when that'll buy you 2 good players or one world class player?
Look in the Griezmann thread - it's from a new press conference today.
Demetri Mitchell is the only left footed LB at Man United with the physical ability and technical skill to be an upgrade over Young/Shaw. He's been better than anyone expected with his first team opportunities vs Crystal Palace in the PL and with Hearts on loan. Maybe Mourinho saw what Klopp did with young, inexperienced FBs Robertson and A-A and thinks he can do the same with Dalot and Mitchell. Big risk but going with superior physical ability and technical skill over experience may be what's needed to close the gap on City.
Deschamps confirmed that Griezmann is staying in Spain... We can now close Griezmann's thread.
That's exactly what it means. The position is important, sure. But upgrading it won't simply turn us into a much better team overnight.
No single position can do that. Doesn't mean it's not a priority or at least very important position to upgrade.
Yeah, I know. But the way people go on about us not signing a left back is completely overboard. A functional "OK" full back won't send us into tailspin like some people say. Hell I've seen people on here say we won't get top 4 if we don't sign a new left back, that's ridiculous and what I'm arguing against.
Let's have a look at what was at the centre of our argument:
My main issue was he doesn't know how to bring a squad to the next level. At Madrid and Chelsea, he won the league and the main objective the next season would have been to have a proper challenge at the CL. He did not came close to the CL or to even repeat his league title in the next season.
I see a upward trajectory at Utd from the 1st to the 2nd season, but Jose failed with the main objective. The logical conclusion is challenging for the League next season is the goal. I don't think that's realistic, for reasons look at the giant car crashes at Madrid and Chelsea in his 3rd season and my conclusions about transfer dealings like wanting Arnautovic and not addressing the RW black hole in my previous post.
The things I wrote about the transfer dealings are not even speculative, Jose's interest in Arnautovic has more evidence than the moon landing and him not fixing the squad's shortcomings at RW are well documented in the last 4 transfer periods while he was here.
I think there is also a big difference here in terms of the team itself. So with Peps game plan, yes, I think there's a bit more plug and play ability as they have shown thru the season. But for this United side, the way Jose sets up we need real quality width from the full backs. We also need it from further up, ie wingers. I really feel improving the fullbacks will give us a huge boost even if that were the only changes we made
We're doomed if this is true.
Doomed, the club will fold.
I think we need new fullbacks, and they will improve us, yeah. But I don't think it's the disaster some are saying if we don't buy them.
My opinion: Not strong enough in the air to help out the like of Bailly, Lindelof if we're prioritizing them as our future CBs. Ball playing is not that good. Tidy and can play great ball occasionally, but not exactly top class when compare to so called ball playing Cb at their best, so wouldn't improve our ability from the back greatly along side Smalling. Mostly played as right sided CB which most of our CBs do. Not exactly experienced in the mold of leader in high demanding team. During his his success with Ajax, Vertongen was rated higher; and it hasn't exactly transited to higher level at Atletico when even their best year (winning La Liga & make CL final), Toby ain't a main stay in the starting XI, and not so much as CB.
So all in all, 'profile' term can be used here
According to the Gazzetta dello Sport
According to calciomercato
Aye, agree with you there. I'm very relieved that we have signed Dalot. On the left, we saw once or twice the difference in drive that Shaw could provide were he to trim down and frankly be a better professional. And im hoping he does that given he has decided to stay. If not Young isn't the worst there. I've had more issue w Valencia
AS sources have been told that an immediate move away from Los Blancos is the most likely scenario, particularly if he is to remain a bit-part player.
....before making a final decision the he is keen to see who is brought into the club .... While this situation awaits its conclusion, Juventus remain on alert and have already contacted the player, but not the club.
Could be great for our midfield depth. I bet he will be available for 30 mil-ish if he wishes to leave.
Of course Juve will be all over him considering their attraction for midfielders every summer.
30 million? More like 60 million plus, if we are lucky
Real see him as the successor to Modric. No chance they let him go for 30 mil. But he does have a 50 million release clause. Would be an amazing signing
Clickbaity nonsense.
I'll quit the Caf for ever again if we don't sign an experienced left back this window.
But it is speculative, insofar as you are believing "reports" and also labelling unsigned players as failures like it's some sort of foregone conclusion. Let alone the fact that we're barely 2 weeks into transfer season and you somehow think we've concluded our business. Completely disingenuous.
Mourinho has his flaws, but he's already taken our squad to the next level and delivered by far our best league campaign since SAF retired. He is currently strengthening our squad and has already addressed 2 very important key areas (RB and CM). So I would suggest he does absolutely have a clue... all evidence points to this.
I will save this.
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