Fixing our set pieces will be worth more points to us than any one signing.
Transfer Tweets - Manchester United - 2024/25
- Thread starter mazhar13
- Start date
Fixing our set pieces will be worth more points to us than any one signing.
If we could find a “defending cut-backs” coach we’d probably win the treble.
Very dull week for us, we have so many players who are shit at their jobs on huge contracts and don't want to leave unless their wages are being matched making it impossible to move them on.
Did we even have one last year?
We've never had a dedicated one. They fell under Ramsay's remit while he was here.
From what little I know, I think this is a good hand. He is a very data-analytics driven man, came to Brentford in 2019-ish and helped produce such rapid progression in set pieces there that he was poached by Arteta, whose Arsenal was among the worst in the league in set pieces defensively and also going forward. He improved them immensively in defensice set oieces the first year, and also in defending crosses and similar in open play, but chose to take a head coach role promotion in his own city Malmö before he could do much about the attacking set pieces. Wilcox worked with him at Southampton in 2023, so should know him very well.
I don’t know if he is responsible for their throw in routines, but they have some really inventive and dangerous moves that start from throw ins.
They do it so often that I am surprised a bigger deal is not made of it. Whilst throw ins are limited in ball trajectory and reach, they do have an exploit that other set pieces lack - everyone is onside. I’ve seen Arsenal use this in really clever ways and, as I mostly only watch us, it is annoying to see us never attempt to exploit them in anything close to a similar way.
I would say that set pieces are one of our areas where the scope for improvement is largest.
Yea, they were a huge weakness, until we picked up particularily in defensive setpieces when hiring Eric Ramsay. However he was requiered to do more general coaching when Solskjær left and setpieces fell behind again. Then Ramsay left for a bigger position.
Part of the issue with set pieces is they take time to practice. If a team is changing managers with very different playstyles often, they will hve to use their training time for general open play. Particularily if they aim to dominate open play, which demands more complex general play. So set pieces often fall behind.
Okay that sounds reassuring
Tell me, would you leave your job in an environment you like, to move somewhere else for a lot less money?
It has been a snoozefest
the excitement of zirkzee, dark mode, signing of yoro followed by ugarte agreeing personal terms, it was like dopamine rush after dopamine rush, then the crash happened
boo
the excitement of zirkzee, dark mode, signing of yoro followed by ugarte agreeing personal terms, it was like dopamine rush after dopamine rush, then the crash happened
boo
It looked, felt too good to be true...
I feel like a spoilt bastard for saying it but its a shame that its gone quiet.
I hope we're just working through deals (mainly sales, presumably) behind the scenes and its not the case of us being brought to a screeching halt because we're utterly unable to shift the players we need to shift.
I hope we're just working through deals (mainly sales, presumably) behind the scenes and its not the case of us being brought to a screeching halt because we're utterly unable to shift the players we need to shift.
Yes - let's sign a player who on average plays as much as Rafael did at United. Just what we need
Unlock Antony 
I know transfer activity has been slow, but still folks can we keep discussions in player threads and more tweets in this one?
Agreed I get disappointed when i see new posts then no update.
For some perspective too, Yoro was signed 1 week ago, its not like we've gone silent.A good player but with that injury history? Baffling signing.
By my reading of this we have either waited for the price to be set before moving in to match it or if theres no agreement on the agent side then the agent is looking for a bigger pay cut and West Ham wont agree.
I feel like we did this with Malacia and Lyon.
I thought for a few days that we've dodged the bullet with Mazraoui. Feck.
If it turns out to be true, then it truly is a braindead signing. Maybe it has something to do with ten Hag's obsession of playing fullbacks on the opposite side. We're desperate for a left back, but lets sign an injury prone right back.
Obsession??
He's only played fullbacks on the opposite side when there's been no other option (or maybe Dalot picked ahead of Reguilon).
For instance, I don't recall Shaw ever playing at right back. Really, obsession???
Definitely the latter and who can blame them with the stupid wages and contracts they got put on
It's a good tactic, then you can come to the club and say you set such price for West Ham now sell us for the same price.
I guess we should thank them for setting a realistic fee for us. Now let's try to persuade him to reign in his wages a bit - bonuses to embellish them further.
Mazraoui was a really great full back at Ajax, I felt bad when he signed for Bayern München for about 25m at the time.
Don't remember much setbacks because of injuries at Ajax. But when he reaches his form, and stays fit, he'll be a fine improvement on the right.
So for the right price, I would take him. Let AWB leave for about the same amount we can sign Mazraoui and we've lost nothing.
Don't remember much setbacks because of injuries at Ajax. But when he reaches his form, and stays fit, he'll be a fine improvement on the right.
So for the right price, I would take him. Let AWB leave for about the same amount we can sign Mazraoui and we've lost nothing.
So now we can sell AWB to West Ham?
The reports are that he has rejected West Ham and favours a move to Inter.
Is he much of an upgrade though?
Lets fecking goooo
Don't you mean let's crocking go?
Fixed.
I understand the injury concerns, but Mazroui is on a different level to AWB on the ball. Also way I see it, its either Mazroui or another year of AWB/a shitty leftback on loan.
Do you mean cover? Dalot and Shaw would be starters?
It’s worth checking the injury record. His longest absence was heart inflammation after Covid in 2023 and then he tore his calf muscle last season.
I’m not sure that’s as concerning as some injuries. We had lots of people turning their nose up at Gundogan and Akanji for injury concerns and they turned out to be good signings for City.
We don't have Pep's magic Barcelona doctor. We cripple players who had no injury history before joining.
Regardless, there is this weird attitude on here that any injuries makes a player a crock.
Meanwhile, there is virtually no injury that ends a career anymore. The cruciate ligament used to ruin players and now can be a fairly routine comeback. The worst injury seems to be things like tendinitis now.
I wouldn't mind taking the risk if it was a cheap punt in a position where we already had enough cover - but we were already decimated with injuries in defence last year. If we sell Wan Bissaka to get this guy, we basically have one fullback in total who can be relied upon to be fit most of the time.