What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

Its a big setback that we havent replaced Maguire yet. Having Pavard/Todibo would have made a huge difference in our buildup play.

Now it looks like even the Amrabat deal is off. Its not looking good folks.
 
Need to focus on the midfield heavily. Need at least two more midfielders. A good DM that is good in possession, and a B2B midfielder.

Fofana and Camara from Monaco would fit the bill.
 
El Zoido said:
People keep saying this, but we just made Bruno captain, meaning he will play every game. And we didn’t give Mount the #7 shirt to have him sit on the bench. They will both play every game until it’s too late.
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that’s the point I’m making though. We have to stop shoe horning players out of position. It doesn’t work.
 
Why the feck weren't we in for Michael Olise? It's beyond ridiculous that we do absolutely no research on potential players. We spent loads of time behind Mount that Olise wasn't even in our radar. The fact that he apparently has a release clause makes it more worse. We have one right sided player who is average most of the time, Olise could easily fit in the right side.
 
redIndianDevil said:
Why the feck weren't we in for Michael Olise? It's beyond ridiculous that we do absolutely no research on potential players. We spent loads of time behind Mount that Olise wasn't even in our radar. The fact that he apparently has a release clause makes it more worse. We have one right sided player who is average most of the time, Olise could easily fit in the right side.
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if he is more an attacking right option we technically have 3/4 there already. Antony, sancho, amad, and pellistri. 2 are youngsters that people want to see given a chance, antony is the big money signing that hopefully is unlocked more with an actual starting CF, and honestly sancho didnt look that bad there towards the end of last season so is another option.
 
FerociousCorgis said:
if he is more an attacking right option we technically have 3/4 there already. Antony, sancho, amad, and pellistri. 2 are youngsters that people want to see given a chance, antony is the big money signing that hopefully is unlocked more with an actual starting CF, and honestly sancho didnt look that bad there towards the end of last season so is another option.
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Amad is unproven at this level. Pellistri is not going to cut it at this level. I expect to see him sold for peanuts like Elanga. We already know Sancho is a light weight and isn’t going to pull up any trees. Chelsea and Man City have so many talented youngsters and they are still hoovering proven talents.
 
redIndianDevil said:
Amad is unproven at this level. Pellistri is not going to cut it at this level. I expect to see him sold for peanuts like Elanga. We already know Sancho is a light weight and isn’t going to pull up any trees. Chelsea and Man City have so many talented youngsters and they are still hoovering proven talents.
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and olise is some proven gem? People want us to target younger players so giving amad and pellistri this year to show something at this level is hardly foolish. Amad looked to be performing very well last season and would be the type of up and comer people would want us to go after to address the future, and pellistri has shown flashes and is a current international player. Unfortunately we have a budget and at this point adding yet another RW is hardly the top priority compared to figuring out the Case backup/replacement situation or a backup striker since with hojlund injured we already have no number 9, not even including figuring out the long term plan for varane spot since he can be injured a lot and then we only have lindelof. I'd put finding a proper RB even on the list before going with adding yet another number 9.
 
FerociousCorgis said:
and olise is some proven gem? People want us to target younger players so giving amad and pellistri this year to show something at this level is hardly foolish. Amad looked to be performing very well last season and would be the type of up and comer people would want us to go after to address the future, and pellistri has shown flashes and is a current international player. Unfortunately we have a budget and at this point adding yet another RW is hardly the top priority compared to figuring out the Case backup/replacement situation or a backup striker since with hojlund injured we already have no number 9, not even including figuring out the long term plan for Varane spot since he can be injured a lot and then we only have lindelof. I'd put finding a proper RB even on the list before going with adding yet another number 9.
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Olise is fairly proven at this stage. Makes goals for fun in a team with no outstanding strikers. Is really strong at setpieces, can defend really well and meets the physical requirements which none of our current RWs appears to do at the moment in terms of speed or strength.

Antony has not been as bad as some make out but we're going to need a bit more than tracking back and keeping width if we're to persist with him long-term. Personally, doubt he ever becomes elite given his lack of acceleration, one-footedness and predictability in attack.
 
Bojan Djordjic said:
Olise is fairly proven at this stage. Makes goals for fun in a team with no outstanding strikers. Is really strong at setpieces, can defend really well and meets the physical requirements which none of our current RWs appears to do at the moment in terms of speed or strength.

Antony has not been as bad as some make out but we're going to need a bit more than tracking back and keeping width if we're to persist with him long-term. Personally, doubt he ever becomes elite given his lack of acceleration, one-footedness and predictability in attack.
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i mean im not very well knowledged on olise to be able to say if he would be worth it, just unfortunately think we have too many holes to still fill that didnt really mean going in for him.
 
FerociousCorgis said:
i mean im not very well knowledged on olise to be able to say if he would be worth it, just unfortunately think we have too many holes to still fill that didnt really mean going in for him.
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Yeah, I don't personally think it was ever a runner but it just highlights more and more how foolish that €100mn was to spend on him when Olise could have been snapped up for 35mn.
 
Bojan Djordjic said:
Yeah, I don't personally think it was ever a runner but it just highlights more and more how foolish that €100mn was to spend on him when Olise could have been snapped up for 35mn.
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yeah think our RW actions have been weird for a while now. I wouldve gone hard in for mahrez when he was available for a decent price. Unfortunately as well with the MG situation that couldve been our RW sorted as well for very cheap. Shit happens i guess.
 
redIndianDevil said:
Why the feck weren't we in for Michael Olise? It's beyond ridiculous that we do absolutely no research on potential players. We spent loads of time behind Mount that Olise wasn't even in our radar. The fact that he apparently has a release clause makes it more worse. We have one right sided player who is average most of the time, Olise could easily fit in the right side.
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Maybe he wants to stay in London?
 
Maguire staying gazumps us a little in terms of strengthening the depth in defence.
If there will be no u-turn here before end of the window, then I suppose its all about getting cover for Casemiro - probably the only position where we don't have a ready-made replacement in terms of role.

Apparently Amrabaat isn't a CDM, but seems like the name that is being reported as most-likely signing. I can't think of a single flush CDM that we've been linked with properly for a while.
 
Sky Sports are reporting that we're pretty much done in the window, at least with "major" additions.

 
Can't see any incomings now other than us probably sign some 20yr old GK from Crawly Town on the deadline day.
 
so sounds like cant expect maguire or mctominay to be sold at this point. Really puts a damper on the window. Just gotta hope mainoo comes back and plays really well for us this year or our midfield will not last all season.
 
FrankDrebin said:
Can't see any incomings now other than us probably sign some 20yr old GK from Crawly Town on the deadline day.
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Yeah, I think we're done.

Feels a bit like getting partway through a great book, really enjoying it, and then the rest of the pages are missing.
 
We need competent people in the right positions in the overall hierarchy of the club.

What has come out today has made us not even a laughing stock, but people shaking their heads in shame at the decision we're making and nothing gets worse than that.
 
I hate to say it but Madrid seen a decline in Casemeiro and we were the only club willing To pay 70 million on him. We needed a long term defensive midfielder like when Keane signed from forest. Panic buy for the price that was paid.

our scouts are next to nothing ..
 
ScarleyUtd said:
Maybe he wants to stay in London?
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I’m pretty sure he could have convinced if we had seriously been after him. It would have been okay if he had actually rejected us like Caicedo did but the fact is he was not even under consideration.
 
Ten hag must be beyond frustrated with how things are currently going at the club, hopefully something happens before the window slams shut but can't see it happening unfortunately
 
After Monday night, we still need pretty much everything! I can't se ETH being even close to happy with the "work" of the board. There really needs to be a clean out of players - including some big names who, for me, aren't pulling their weight right now - and directors. Not to mention, of course, owners... looks to me as if there is no choice but to re-integrate "he who shall not be named"
 
Can’t wait for the window to shut now as it looks like we’re done in terms of incomings. Very disappointing as we clearly need another midfielder at least, our incompetence is costing us once again.
 
ShinjiNinja26 said:
Can’t wait for the window to shut now as it looks like we’re done in terms of incomings. Very disappointing as we clearly need another midfielder at least, our incompetence is costing us once again.
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Yes me too, just a ball ache at this point. Glaringly obvious deficiencies but don’t seem to have the money to do anything about it. We have spent a shit tonne since last summer so kind of understandable when we always pay over the odds for players and sell equally as bad.

We might be fortunate again this season that some major teams have rubbish seasons but I doubt it with how they have strengthened so far. There are 5 really good teams battling for 3 places and I doubt we have enough unless Hojlund ends up a phenomenon and we just outscore teams.

It is clear our midfield is too attack heavy and soft. We are also an injury away from it being a complete disaster defensively.

Having Maguire still here with the potential of him playing with injuries is once again a recipe for disaster especially with Onana play style.

Time will tell I guess.
 
Bolded is what we need alongside what we have:

GK Onana/understudy (10-20m)
RB Frimpong/AWB (30-40m)
CB Martinez/Lindelof
CB Varane/Pavard/Tobido (30m)
LB Shaw/Malacia?
CDM Casemiro/Amrabaat/Understudy (30m)
CM Upgrade/Mainoo (40-70m)
CAM Bruno/Mount
LW Antony/Amad
ST Højlund/Cover (30-50m)
RW Rashford/Garnacho

Subs:
Sancho
Eriksen
Facundo
Martial (He's going nowhere)

170-240m worth of buys still needed, the biggest being the midfield as we seen once Case is out and Eriksen is burnt we have no midfield.

It looks like it ain't happening this summer and maybe not even the summer after unless the takeover actually happens.
 
ClassOf'99 said:
Bolded is what we need alongside what we have:

GK Onana/understudy (10-20m)
RB Frimpong/AWB (30-40m)
CB Martinez/Lindelof
CB Varane/Pavard/Tobido (30m)
LB Shaw/Malacia?
CDM Casemiro/Amrabaat/Understudy (30m)
CM Upgrade/Mainoo (40-70m)
CAM Bruno/Mount
LW Antony/Amad
ST Højlund/Cover (30-50m)
RW Rashford/Garnacho

Subs:
Sancho
Eriksen
Facundo
Martial (He's going nowhere)

170-240m worth of buys still needed, the biggest being the midfield as we seen once Case is out and Eriksen is burnt we have no midfield.

It looks like it ain't happening this summer and maybe not even the summer after unless the takeover actually happens.
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For this season at least, the bolded positions will be filled as follows:

Henderson
Dalot
Maguire
Mctominay / DVB
Eriksen
Martial

I would assume that we would have needed Henderson, Maguire, Mctominay and Martial to leave before we can replace them, but their current wages are proving a stumbling block. Suzuki, Pavard and Amrabat were lined up as the replacements for the first three, but Suzuki turned us down and Henderson got injured so is going nowhere. Maguire and Mctominay's wages demands proved a problem, and I think everyone knew there was no chance of shifting Martial without a massive pay off. I hope we don't miss out on Evan Ferguson and Gift Orban because of this issue.

As their contacts run down, the last few hangers on should become easier to shift.
 
Almost hope we lose the next game as it might kick things into motion

Some good things have happened this window but getting rid of McTominay, Deano and DVB was more important than Fred in my mind

Still need rid of those plus Bailly and preferably Martial

Still need to get 1-2 midfielders and 1 center back while getting rid of Maguire

Another striker would also be good as Rashford just can't and shouldn't play up front

Most importantly we need glazers gone and new owners, sick of this shitshow and their greed, we finally have a manager worth backing so just do it ffs! Feels like always, we made CL so let's do the bare minimum instead of making statements and going for it
 
There are some massive overreactions to what we saw on Monday night, but we’re not going to abandon the plan based on one poor team performance while we’re still looking for fitness.

It’s a concern that we’ve lost Fred and Sabitzer and only brought Mount in, but we have other options in Lindelof and Martinez should we become desperate, and we have a promising youngster who will get more game time in Mainoo. A loan of Gravenbirch would be ideal but seemingly unlikely.

Long term, we need a Casemiro replacement but he noticeably needs games to get match fit so I still expect him to show his value again. For a large chunk of the season, he and Eriksen (another seemingly written off) were our best players. Both will be important again this season when we eventually see one of Mount or Bruno playing from the right and overloading the central areas of the pitch.

Next summer I’d imagine McTominay will leave and we will go for a more disciplined midfield player to replace Casemiro, and a young centre back to replace Varane long term.
 
What we really need is for our current players to improve their play.

Against Wolves the following players acquitted themselves very well, or at least well enough:

Onana
Varane
Wan-Bissaka
Casemiro

The following players underperformed, but weren't poor:

Shaw
Martinez
Mount
Bruno

The following players were poor:

Garnacho
Rashford
Antony
 
Given right back is still an issue, could we sell Dalot while he's still young and offers some value proposition to potential bidders and buy Ivan Fresneda who has a €20mn release clause and is expected to be one of the next elite RBs. We could cover his purchase, get another 10/15mn in fees for Dalot and still have AWB for that experience.
 
Backup CB. Someone that’ll push Maguire as fifth choice

DM / CM. Someone to cover for Casemiro or play next to him depending on the situation

CF. To start games / compete until Rasmus is ready
 
Onerealunited said:
Backup CB. Someone that’ll push Maguire as fifth choice

DM / CM. Someone to cover for Casemiro or play next to him depending on the situation

CF. To start games / compete until Rasmus is ready
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Todibo
M Kone
Orban
 
It is incredibly frustrating that a club of our stature can’t find good midfielders in the market. We had incredible midfielders like Scholes, Keane and Carrick during our successful eras. Why can’t we find players like that anymore? If Newcastle can get Tonali we can do better. Should have gone all in on Barella/Caicedo. I hope Mason Mount has the best career here but he is not the midfielder we needed in this team. We are setting him up for failure in this setup.
 
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