In addition to FDJ, We still need another forward. Right now, if Sancho or Rashford go down or are out of form, Elanga is up next. Hence why Antony is also needed. Also be good to have cover/comp for Dalot as it's pretty obvious AWB isn't part of ETH's plans.
What do we still need? Aka The never ending story
- Thread starter Devil may care
- Start date
Antony is Sancho level so imagine how much he improves us. Maybe not same technical level but what he lacks he makes up for in hard work.
In terms of potential maybe but I think Sancho is at a higher level right now. Sancho and Rashford have the league experience advantage whereas Antony has the ETH system experience advantage, so will be interesting to see who starts off ahead.
I would expect Antony to start off the bench the most, at least until the back end of the season. With any luck, they'll all be humming right away and we'll have three legitimate options fights for two positions, with Elanga as the fourth option.
Of course, Antony has to be actually signed first
Still need central striker and right sided player
CDM, Striker, RW. Probably won't be done checking all those boxes until Summer 2023.
Definitely not until then, chuck in RB too
My vote would be Pedro Neto this summer since Antony looks unrealistic. Could be a cheaper price due to the injury and he's still working his way back. Left footed, pace, loads of potential, can play either flank, hard working... Would be worth a punt for something like 35m. No idea what they value him at mind you. Frenkie if possible of course, but if not then my plan B would be Bennacer. I have no idea what's the plan if Ronaldo goes, doubt he will but there are no short term striker options out there currently.
Then sell Telles, Bailly, Jones, Williams, tuanzebe, Donny, Ronaldo, Chong, loan out Garner and it'll be a good squad.
Then sell Telles, Bailly, Jones, Williams, tuanzebe, Donny, Ronaldo, Chong, loan out Garner and it'll be a good squad.
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we must have some fecking huge expectations of the youngsters to really be going into this year with an even worse CM group on paper than last year. If people though mcfred was bad when we had pogba and matic also able to fill in but now we literally just have them as CM options, unless we play people like eriksen there.
Should've gone for Antony and Nunez/Nkunku earlier in the window.
Now it's needing silly money.
Still probably need a right back, CDM, RW and ST.
Upto 4 needed to launch a strong top 4 challenge.
Now it's needing silly money.
Still probably need a right back, CDM, RW and ST.
Upto 4 needed to launch a strong top 4 challenge.
Terrible execution from United this summer. So far we have failed to strengthen a weak midfield and attack, except for Eriksen. Our senior attacking options now are only Sancho, Bruno, Eriksen, Martial, Rashford and Ronaldo.
Martial and Rashford have a lot to prove and Ronaldo might not be around in September.
McFred will once again start in midfield unless ETH prefers Martinez.
Even top 6 might be beyond us this season.
Yeah it'll be a struggle to finish top half I reckon.
Will say it again we weren't paying €100m for Nunez, also don't think Nkunku had any intention to move hence the release clause thing
Think we are clearly pushing to reinforce midfield before looking into the forward options. Lots depend on of Ronaldo is staying or leaving; if he stays, focusing on a wing option makes sense but if he leaves, I'll be inclined to look into getting a striker before a winger. Can't go into the season with just Martial as our only recognised senior striker..
"And so Erik thought he could just walk into Manchester United and fix the midfield!"
11 days until the season starts. Still haven't resolved the Ronaldo issue. Still have McFred as our first choice CM (unless Eriksen is being played there), still have no proper other options for our wings then Sancho and Rashford. Which begs the question. What the feck are we doing.
And I haven't even mentioned the RB and GK situation which will need adressing sooner rather than later too.
And I haven't even mentioned the RB and GK situation which will need adressing sooner rather than later too.
In terms of depth, this is the weakest United squad I can remember starting the season with. And we still have glaring holes in the first eleven as well.
Depth is definitely lower, but that's mostly because we've been carrying too many players beyond how long we should have in the past. I imagine this is mostly a result of having a high manager turnover in recent years. Having Ole for 3 years allowed us to run down a bunch of contracts to their end with relative ease, which has paid off for us in wasted wages. It allows us for more room to move in the market. If we had CL football we'd be in a very strong position generally speaking.
I don’t really get what the plan is. We look significantly weaker on paper than the start of last season. Is there really no viable alternatives to De Jong and Antony or is ETH supremely confident in his abilities to improve the existing squad?
Yeah surely that's how the club is thinking too
Striker: Cristiano, Martial
Wingers: Sancho, Winger, Rashford, one of the youngsters
10: Bruno, VDB
8: Fred, Eriksen
6: DM, Garner
LB: Shaw, Malacia
RB: Dalot, RB
CB: Martinez, Maguire, Varane, Lindelof, Bailly/Jones/Tuanzebe
GK: De Gea, Heaton
Ideally, the summer would end with those 3 signings in and Telles, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, 2 of Bailly, Jones, Tuanzebe being sold and then the other youngsters on loan with at least 2 of the wingers (Elanga, Amad, Pellistri, Garnacho) sticking around for attacking depth and the other 2 on loan. One of Savage or Iqbal sticks around as midfield depth if McTominay goes, which he won't, but would if I was in charge, especially since I think a Prem team would offer 20M for him.
It doesn't seem all that implausible really. De Jong, Antony and then another Malacia style buy at RB (Kristiansen, Molina, Hickey and Mukiele all went for 15-20M so the market seems okay for a player to back up and push Dalot).
Wingers: Sancho, Winger, Rashford, one of the youngsters
10: Bruno, VDB
8: Fred, Eriksen
6: DM, Garner
LB: Shaw, Malacia
RB: Dalot, RB
CB: Martinez, Maguire, Varane, Lindelof, Bailly/Jones/Tuanzebe
GK: De Gea, Heaton
Ideally, the summer would end with those 3 signings in and Telles, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, 2 of Bailly, Jones, Tuanzebe being sold and then the other youngsters on loan with at least 2 of the wingers (Elanga, Amad, Pellistri, Garnacho) sticking around for attacking depth and the other 2 on loan. One of Savage or Iqbal sticks around as midfield depth if McTominay goes, which he won't, but would if I was in charge, especially since I think a Prem team would offer 20M for him.
It doesn't seem all that implausible really. De Jong, Antony and then another Malacia style buy at RB (Kristiansen, Molina, Hickey and Mukiele all went for 15-20M so the market seems okay for a player to back up and push Dalot).
That's a great shout, I rate him highly and I'm sure he'd get on well with the Portuguese contingent.
I also don't think he'd cry if he was benched for parts of the season. His value must be £40 to £50 mil though..
He recently had an ACL injury and came back end of last season, so I feel like there's a chance to get him cheaper. Worth a punt at this point
I’m just glad there are 5 weeks left in the window because currently I have never been more sure of us finishing outside the top 4.
At present I’m going for 6th again but this time because I honestly believe we have the 6th best squad, especially if Ronaldo leaves.
EtH looks like a top coach but I feel a lot of people are in for a shock when the season gets going…himself included.
At present I’m going for 6th again but this time because I honestly believe we have the 6th best squad, especially if Ronaldo leaves.
EtH looks like a top coach but I feel a lot of people are in for a shock when the season gets going…himself included.
In other words, what we still need is what we needed 3 years ago because the club refuses to address these issues. It's what happens when you have bankers instead of football people running the club, I guess.
Would agree that we could be in for another rough season,the window so far has been underwhelming considering all the weakness's we needed to address.
I think ETH can make the players already there better and implement a structured game plan but it largely the same players who have have been found wanting under successive managers , players who crumble easily under pressure.
Pre seasons tell you nothing about how players will react when the real stuff starts.
Disastrous window so far despite the players we signed looking good. Key areas not addressed and depth is very poor going into such a busy season. Hopefully this strange belief in martial and rashford proves right but even if it does were an injury or 2 from a further drop in quality.
It's incredible considering how bad we were last year
It's incredible considering how bad we were last year
De Gea Heaton Bishop
Dalot Bissaka Laird
Shaw Malacia Telles
Varane Maguire
Martinez Lindelof Bailly Jones Tuanzebe
Mctominay Garner
Fred Donny Zidane
Bruno Eriksen Hannibal
Sancho Pellistri Diallo
Martial Ronaldo
Rashford Elanga
That's the current squad.
De Gea needs a big season to prove he can play sweeper keeper. If he can't we need a GK next year.
I'm happy with the defensive options we have, we just have too many of them. We need to let go about 4.
We need an upgrade on Mctominay.
Other then that we're short depth and perhaps quality on the wings. Rashford needs to prove his worth again. Hopefully Diallo can become a good rotational option this year and Martial can go back 2 years in time.
Sell the bolded and loan italicised.
Dalot Bissaka Laird
Shaw Malacia Telles
Varane Maguire
Martinez Lindelof Bailly Jones Tuanzebe
Mctominay Garner
Fred Donny Zidane
Bruno Eriksen Hannibal
Sancho Pellistri Diallo
Martial Ronaldo
Rashford Elanga
That's the current squad.
De Gea needs a big season to prove he can play sweeper keeper. If he can't we need a GK next year.
I'm happy with the defensive options we have, we just have too many of them. We need to let go about 4.
We need an upgrade on Mctominay.
Other then that we're short depth and perhaps quality on the wings. Rashford needs to prove his worth again. Hopefully Diallo can become a good rotational option this year and Martial can go back 2 years in time.
Sell the bolded and loan italicised.
That would make sense if we weren't planning on waiting until the end of the window to see what fdj does leaving us with no time to get anyone else
A winger is a must. Maybe even two. A striker and at least one CM. We have lots and lots to do still. I hope Murtough and Arnold deliver.
We definitely need a striker. Ronaldo's pace has gone completely this season if this game is anything to go by. There is no way we're finishing in the top 4 with Martial and Ronaldo as our only striker options. We need someone who can dominate the box both technically and physically.
We did before
I don't recall us ever having only Martial as our striker?
Ole's first full season after he sold lukaku.
De Gea Heaton Bishop
Dalot Bissaka Laird
Shaw Malacia Telles
Varane Maguire
Martinez Lindelof Bailly Jones Tuanzebe
Fred Garner New DM Scott
Eriksen Donny Zidane (Fred)
Bruno Hannibal (Eriksen Donny)
Sancho Amad Pellistri
Martial Ronaldo
Rashford Elanga Garnacho
Wings backup seems weak but with a lot of potential.
Need a DM to allow Eriksen and Bruno to play the attacking roles. Or De Jong to control Tempo with Fred and Bruno.
Rest of the team I am ok with as a first window team for ETH
Dalot Bissaka Laird
Shaw Malacia Telles
Varane Maguire
Martinez Lindelof Bailly Jones Tuanzebe
Fred Garner New DM Scott
Eriksen Donny Zidane (Fred)
Bruno Hannibal (Eriksen Donny)
Sancho Amad Pellistri
Martial Ronaldo
Rashford Elanga Garnacho
Wings backup seems weak but with a lot of potential.
Need a DM to allow Eriksen and Bruno to play the attacking roles. Or De Jong to control Tempo with Fred and Bruno.
Rest of the team I am ok with as a first window team for ETH
United and Ten Hag need squad depth. At this moment. Without Frenkie De Jong and Chong and Diallo as other RW options.
Those 2 positions can be short. A CM and RW squad depth.
Then i will recommend United and Ten Hag a really good upcoming cm player. A player that Ten Hag has works with. His name is :
Kenneth Taylor. May 16, 2002.
Description. He is versatile. mobile, run a lot and can cover big area on the pitch.
He is best with his left foot. But is good with his right foot too.
To catch his current level. I will compare him Donny Van de Beek. As a central midfield player. I rate Kenneth Taylor over DVB.
Its more speed and drive in Taylor than DVB. Taylor is at the age of 20. The age where you are quickest and can run most. Not only top speed over long distance, but the acceleration. Taylor is really quick in the first metres with the ball.
And Kenneth Taylor current market value 4.5 mill euros. Its a lot of value for the money.
DVBeek MV is at 25 mill euros. It is where i think the right market value for Kenneth Taylor is.
4.5 market value for Kenneth Taylor. Its only because he is still unknown. Unknown for Transfermarkt.com.
When Kenneth Taylor will play for Ajax in champion league and domestic league. His market value will rise over 15 mill euros by the end of the next season. I am 100 % convince of it.
Like i said. Ten Hag has work with him. Kenneth Taylor is 20 and if he can become better than he is now. Then he will reach a really high level in football. In the next and years to come.
Where Kenneth Taylor can play?:
In a 433 formation:
RW - Taylor RCM - Taylor CDM - Taylor LCM - LW
Like i said he is versatile. He can play all of the 3 cm roles and postions. Taylor has really high ball skill and is quick in the first metres. He easily will get away from aggresive presser.
And i think he can play RW too. As quick and skill ful he is. Kenneth Taylor can do a decent job as RW. Bring squad depth to United RW options.
Again, for 4.5 and to bring squad depth to United cm midfield option. With a lot lesser risk for a really low transfer fee. Kenneth Taylor i believe will turn out to be a really good buy for United and Ten Hag.
Those 2 positions can be short. A CM and RW squad depth.
Then i will recommend United and Ten Hag a really good upcoming cm player. A player that Ten Hag has works with. His name is :
Kenneth Taylor. May 16, 2002.
Description. He is versatile. mobile, run a lot and can cover big area on the pitch.
He is best with his left foot. But is good with his right foot too.
To catch his current level. I will compare him Donny Van de Beek. As a central midfield player. I rate Kenneth Taylor over DVB.
Its more speed and drive in Taylor than DVB. Taylor is at the age of 20. The age where you are quickest and can run most. Not only top speed over long distance, but the acceleration. Taylor is really quick in the first metres with the ball.
And Kenneth Taylor current market value 4.5 mill euros. Its a lot of value for the money.
DVBeek MV is at 25 mill euros. It is where i think the right market value for Kenneth Taylor is.
4.5 market value for Kenneth Taylor. Its only because he is still unknown. Unknown for Transfermarkt.com.
When Kenneth Taylor will play for Ajax in champion league and domestic league. His market value will rise over 15 mill euros by the end of the next season. I am 100 % convince of it.
Like i said. Ten Hag has work with him. Kenneth Taylor is 20 and if he can become better than he is now. Then he will reach a really high level in football. In the next and years to come.
Where Kenneth Taylor can play?:
In a 433 formation:
RW - Taylor RCM - Taylor CDM - Taylor LCM - LW
Like i said he is versatile. He can play all of the 3 cm roles and postions. Taylor has really high ball skill and is quick in the first metres. He easily will get away from aggresive presser.
And i think he can play RW too. As quick and skill ful he is. Kenneth Taylor can do a decent job as RW. Bring squad depth to United RW options.
Again, for 4.5 and to bring squad depth to United cm midfield option. With a lot lesser risk for a really low transfer fee. Kenneth Taylor i believe will turn out to be a really good buy for United and Ten Hag.
Bare minimum: We need to get rid of dead wood (Telles, Bailly, Jones, Williams, Chong). We need to get rid of Ronaldo.
We need to bring in Sesko to replace Ronaldo. Ideally, get rid of Elanga and replace him with an appropriate level RW. That to me is the bare minimum.
If possible, bring in de Jong and get rid of Van de Beek, loan out Garner and use Zidane Iqbal as FdJ understudy.
We need to bring in Sesko to replace Ronaldo. Ideally, get rid of Elanga and replace him with an appropriate level RW. That to me is the bare minimum.
If possible, bring in de Jong and get rid of Van de Beek, loan out Garner and use Zidane Iqbal as FdJ understudy.
Won't be Antony so who should we go for on RW
No idea unfortunately. I would take Asensio on loan even - it's a bit of a desperate situation as I don't see Elanga as a premier league level player. Take Asensio on loan, revisit Antony next summer when Ajax are willing to let him go for a reasonable price if we are set on him. But for me it's as important as any position, we need someone to rotate and compete with Sancho and Rashford and be an option on the bench for us to change games. Elanga just isn't up for that role.
Weird window in that I'm happy with our signings but still think its been a downright bad window.
Really excited by Martinez and Malacia in particular but we've recruited them and Eriksen for the positions where I felt we least urgently needed strengthening. We still haven't addressed our awful midfield unit, right back, right/left wing (whichever Sancho doesn't play on) and our forward line. One injury to Martial and we could already be writing off any hopes for a good start to the season.
Midfield: FdJ, Bennacer, Cacqueret, Kouadio Kone, Mo Kudus (pick two)
Right back: Such a dearth of quality right now but Gusto, Matheuzinho
Wing forward: Cherki, Kamaldeen Suleimana, Mudryk, Madueke
Forward: Most difficult position to fill - Sesko, Jonathan Davids, Burkart, Tammy
Really excited by Martinez and Malacia in particular but we've recruited them and Eriksen for the positions where I felt we least urgently needed strengthening. We still haven't addressed our awful midfield unit, right back, right/left wing (whichever Sancho doesn't play on) and our forward line. One injury to Martial and we could already be writing off any hopes for a good start to the season.
Midfield: FdJ, Bennacer, Cacqueret, Kouadio Kone, Mo Kudus (pick two)
Right back: Such a dearth of quality right now but Gusto, Matheuzinho
Wing forward: Cherki, Kamaldeen Suleimana, Mudryk, Madueke
Forward: Most difficult position to fill - Sesko, Jonathan Davids, Burkart, Tammy
Out with an injury until the end of the year.