What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

In January, we obviously need a CB, otherwise, let's see come May whether we need a new RW and a DM as well, depending on what we can get out of Diallo and Mainoo. If Casemiro keeps up with this crap performances, we'll need another DM whatsoever.

In the summer, we'll probably need (at least) another CB as replacement for a limping Varane leaving for Saudi Arabia (maybe) and Lindelöf seeking game time, as I don't expect him to play much second half of the season.

If we end up mid table, we should not be surprised to see some of the stars seeking new challenges as well, such as Fernandes and/or Rashford.
 
Dve said:
If we end up mid table, we should not be surprised to see some of the stars seeking new challenges as well, such as Fernandes and/or Rashford.
Click to expand...

I sort of think Bruno won't move because I'm not sure what top team would actually pony up 80M for him and he doesn't seem like the move to Saudi in his late 20s type or the type to down tools and force a move. I'm not sure why we'd sell him for like 60M even if he wants to leave, we've shown nothing in the market to suggest we can do better than a 30 year old Bruno playing his last few years out here, though I guess Mount is sort of a like for like replacement.

He'd probably be brilliant in Serie A and I guess Inter do spend a bit of money (can Juventus still do that?) on veterans, and PSG I guess could buy Bruno and Rashford to replace Mbappe and give them a productive #10 to complete their attack with whichever of Kolo Muani or Ramos comes good and Dembele out wide. But it's a small group of teams.

So yeah, maybe one of them to PSG and the other wants to move but can't, would be my wild guess.

Bruno to Atletico also makes a lot of sense if Simeone wants him as the most attacking of a midfield 3 with a back 5 like he's playing now.

Football is weird. If this were American sports, Bruno would ask for a move and we'd move Bruno for a ton of draft picks to a club that's consistently good and does things like make the Champions League Semis or win a domestic cup but never the league or CL, so let's say to Leipzig for Xavi Simons and some picks and their most bloated contract, but that's not how football works. Instead we'd have to get a huge offer and feel like we could reinvest the money well, and I'm skeptical of the former and simply don't believe in the latter.
 
Over the couple of transfer windows:

In:

Geertruida or Todibo RCB/RB
Frimpong RB
Scalvini CB
Vermeeren DM
S. Gimenez ST

Out:

Maguire
Lindelof or Varane
AWB
Martial
Van de Beek
 
We definitely need to continue the revamp. I know there's limited budget, but what we need is:

- 2-3 new CBs (and sell Maguire, Lindelof and Varane if needed) -> Todibo
- 1 new RB (sell Dalot) -> Frimpong
- 1 new RW (sell Sancho) -> could be Greenwood, could be a new RW like Neto
- 1 new DM (sell Casemiro if needed) -> destroyer type, different profile to Mainoo
- 1 new CF (sell Martial) -> could be Greenwood, could be a new CF (Ferguson? Sesko? Boniface? Orban? Guirassy?)
- new director of sports
 
Edit mine recommendations. On what United need. At the current form of the players i recommend. Even in the future everything can happen. But at this moment. Not only the players level. But the level that demand to win the premier league.

There are 3 clear positions United have to strength :

What United need:
+ 2 new top CB
+ 1 top RW
+ 1 closest to the highest level of a creative and offensive nr.8/CM



Players out :
+ 2 CB : Maguire.
- Varane = Too much injury. Can depend and rely on a CB that is too much injury every seasons. No more new contract to Varane.

+ United might sell Sancho in January or in the new future. I don't see he has a future, because of what has been happen. = new RW to challenge Antony for the RW spot
- Pellistri is not good enough RW or wide player. He doesn't has the level that demand to play in a regular premier league winning team.

+ DVB. Since Mason Mount arriving i do believe that DVB has falling behind Mount as the box to box and creative cm player. Nr.8 or as nr.10.
- Christian Eriksen has peak it and at his end of his career. He doesn't has the same speed, workrate and intensity as before and what it require as regular creative and offensive nr.8/cm
- And Mason Mount has never been a natural creative cm player. Special build the attack from the deep cm area.
- And Amrabat is a DM, not a top creative and offensive nr.8
Sum of all those factors. United still need a top creative or closest to the top level as possible.


Players In :
+ 2 new top CB:

- Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP. The upcoming, aggresive and really promising CB. Right foot player.
MV = 25 mill euros
When to buy him? In January to rise to chance to get top 4 or highest table position as possible.
Potential price tag : 30 -40 mill Euros include add ons in it = 30/35 mill euros + 5 mill adds on

- Alessandro Bastoni. A really good and solid CB with a precise good left pass and crosser. And with the uncertain of Martinez + Varane injuries. A really good left foot CB make really sense.
MV = 60 mill euros. I totally agree with Alessandro Bastoni - Player profile 23/24 | Transfermarkt
The market value at 60 mill euros is a right value...of a really solid and good left foot CB.
Bastoni is one of the best left foot CB out there in the football world right now. And quality cost money. So the 60 mill mv is spot on.
He can play as LB in crisis or need too.
When to buy him? Summer 2024

+ RW? Who. I landed on Pedro Neto from Wolves. A really quick and consistent RW. That has high end product level. Lead to assist or scoring goals. I think United CF and others attacking players will love to play with him
MV = 32 mill euros
When to buy him? Depend on the performance of Antony and United others RW options. And depend where United are at the table coming January transfer window. Like if United still on the battle for top 4 or higher.

+ New offensive and creative CM = Arthur Vermeeren. From Royal Antwerp. A 18 years of age. New upcoming, consistent and really promising creative cm player.
MV = 17 mill euros
When to buy him? In January but to loan him back to Royal Antwerp to continue his development. I don't see Ten Hag play him straight regular. As a new coming 18 years old cm player. Then the best both for development is to play for RA rest of the season. At that age. He needs regular first time football. Playing regular for a winning and top team in the league. To get use to dominate and winning team and path.


Sum up the new players in short words and theirs age which i haven't mentioned yet. I try to find and recommend players that are current at theirs peak or upcoming really promising players. All under 25 years of age.

+ Ousmane Diomande. Right foot CB. 20 years of age in January.
+ Alessandro Bastoni. Left foot CB. 24 years of age in January.
+ Pedro Neto. Left foot RW. 23 years of age in January
+ Arthur Vermeeren. Right foot creative and offensive CM/nr.8


+ Now where to play them in team? Potential line up/XI :

- First in a 4231 formation:

RB - Diomande - Bastoni - LB + Neto - Vermeeren - Nr.6/DM - LW + Free CAM/nr.10 + CF

- Then in a 433 formation :

RB - Diomande - Bastoni - LB + Neto - Vermeeren/RCM - DCM - LCM - LW + CF


That are the positon where i think and believe they suit best. Theirs best position in the team.

Imagine the front 4 in :

Neto - Bruno - Rashford + Højlund = will look really good and dangerous.

Neto is a team player. Neto keep it simple. No fance to trick. Reason i prefer and rate him. It's all about end product = scoring goals. Not to beat 2-3 players before scoring goals.



Yes. That were all from A ------- Z. From what United need, which players has the demand level and where to play them and when to buy them.
In other words. A full and whole details and process.


Hope you like it.

From Manchester United unofficial D.O.F/Head of recruitment/Scout and adviser.

Those are mine best recommendations. At this moment. United i find and discover better options. Then i will edit and rejust it.

The new puzzles and factors to lead to the bigger picture...which is = premier league or champion league winner.
 
Boy, has the answer to the question "what do we still need" gone downhill since the start of the season.....

Back then, I thought we had at least 6 slots in a title-challenging squad nailed on (Shaw, Martinez, Varane, Casemiro, Rashford, Bruno), with the very real possibility of a further 2, 3 or 4 reaching that status this season (among Onana, Mount, Højlund, Antony, Sancho), plus really promising youngsters (Garnacho, Mainoo, Amad).

Right now, I'm not sure we have more than 3 - Martinez, Rashford and Bruno - and I'm even starting to wonder if we need some overall structural readjustments to our front four that might be about other things than what Rashford and Bruno bring. Shaw and Varane have the quality, but I think we may be at the point where we have to face that they have chronic availability issues on a scale that requires backups of equal quality. Casemiro plainly no longer looks like a 1st XI lock on a contending team, and none of the new arrivals have yet to convince to that degree (or in the case of Mount and Onana, at all). Antony certainly is no closer to proving he's a viable first choice RW on a top team than he was as the season began, and Sancho is, I think, finished.

All things considered, the whole team is one giant question mark right now.
 
LuckyScout78 said:
Edit mine recommendations. On what United need. At the current form of the players i recommend. Even in the future everything can happen. But at this moment. Not only the players level. But the level that demand to win the premier league.

There are 3 clear positions United have to strength :

What United need:
+ 2 new top CB
+ 1 top RW
+ 1 closest to the highest level of a creative and offensive nr.8/CM



Players out :
+ 2 CB : Maguire.
- Varane = Too much injury. Can depend and rely on a CB that is too much injury every seasons. No more new contract to Varane.

+ United might sell Sancho in January or in the new future. I don't see he has a future, because of what has been happen. = new RW to challenge Antony for the RW spot
- Pellistri is not good enough RW or wide player. He doesn't has the level that demand to play in a regular premier league winning team.

+ DVB. Since Mason Mount arriving i do believe that DVB has falling behind Mount as the box to box and creative cm player. Nr.8 or as nr.10.
- Christian Eriksen has peak it and at his end of his career. He doesn't has the same speed, workrate and intensity as before and what it require as regular creative and offensive nr.8/cm
- And Mason Mount has never been a natural creative cm player. Special build the attack from the deep cm area.
- And Amrabat is a DM, not a top creative and offensive nr.8
Sum of all those factors. United still need a top creative or closest to the top level as possible.


Players In :
+ 2 new top CB:

- Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP. The upcoming, aggresive and really promising CB. Right foot player.
MV = 25 mill euros
When to buy him? In January to rise to chance to get top 4 or highest table position as possible.
Potential price tag : 30 -40 mill Euros include add ons in it = 30/35 mill euros + 5 mill adds on

- Alessandro Bastoni. A really good and solid CB with a precise good left pass and crosser. And with the uncertain of Martinez + Varane injuries. A really good left foot CB make really sense.
MV = 60 mill euros. I totally agree with Alessandro Bastoni - Player profile 23/24 | Transfermarkt
The market value at 60 mill euros is a right value...of a really solid and good left foot CB.
Bastoni is one of the best left foot CB out there in the football world right now. And quality cost money. So the 60 mill mv is spot on.
He can play as LB in crisis or need too.
When to buy him? Summer 2024

+ RW? Who. I landed on Pedro Neto from Wolves. A really quick and consistent RW. That has high end product level. Lead to assist or scoring goals. I think United CF and others attacking players will love to play with him
MV = 32 mill euros
When to buy him? Depend on the performance of Antony and United others RW options. And depend where United are at the table coming January transfer window. Like if United still on the battle for top 4 or higher.

+ New offensive and creative CM = Arthur Vermeeren. From Royal Antwerp. A 18 years of age. New upcoming, consistent and really promising creative cm player.
MV = 17 mill euros
When to buy him? In January but to loan him back to Royal Antwerp to continue his development. I don't see Ten Hag play him straight regular. As a new coming 18 years old cm player. Then the best both for development is to play for RA rest of the season. At that age. He needs regular first time football. Playing regular for a winning and top team in the league. To get use to dominate and winning team and path.


Sum up the new players in short words and theirs age which i haven't mentioned yet. I try to find and recommend players that are current at theirs peak or upcoming really promising players. All under 25 years of age.

+ Ousmane Diomande. Right foot CB. 20 years of age in January.
+ Alessandro Bastoni. Left foot CB. 24 years of age in January.
+ Pedro Neto. Left foot RW. 23 years of age in January
+ Arthur Vermeeren. Right foot creative and offensive CM/nr.8


+ Now where to play them in team? Potential line up/XI :

- First in a 4231 formation:

RB - Diomande - Bastoni - LB + Neto - Vermeeren - Nr.6/DM - LW + Free CAM/nr.10 + CF

- Then in a 433 formation :

RB - Diomande - Bastoni - LB + Neto - Vermeeren/RCM - DCM - LCM - LW + CF


That are the positon where i think and believe they suit best. Theirs best position in the team.

Imagine the front 4 in :

Neto - Bruno - Rashford + Højlund = will look really good and dangerous.

Neto is a team player. Neto keep it simple. No fance to trick. Reason i prefer and rate him. It's all about end product = scoring goals. Not to beat 2-3 players before scoring goals.



Yes. That were all from A ------- Z. From what United need, which players has the demand level and where to play them and when to buy them.
In other words. A full and whole details and process.


Hope you like it.

From Manchester United unofficial D.O.F/Head of recruitment/Scout and adviser.

Those are mine best recommendations. At this moment. United i find and discover better options. Then i will edit and rejust it.

The new puzzles and factors to lead to the bigger picture...which is = premier league or champion league winner.
Click to expand...

Agree with all of the suggestions but your expected are way off.

Diomande now has a release clause of €70 or 80m, Neto will cost £60m minimum, Vermeeren will probs be more like €30m, Bastoni probably a bit more than €60m.
 
LuckyScout78 said:
Edit mine recommendations. On what United need. At the current form of the players i recommend. Even in the future everything can happen. But at this moment. Not only the players level. But the level that demand to win the premier league.

There are 3 clear positions United have to strength :

What United need:
+ 2 new top CB
+ 1 top RW
+ 1 closest to the highest level of a creative and offensive nr.8/CM



Players out :
+ 2 CB : Maguire.
- Varane = Too much injury. Can depend and rely on a CB that is too much injury every seasons. No more new contract to Varane.

+ United might sell Sancho in January or in the new future. I don't see he has a future, because of what has been happen. = new RW to challenge Antony for the RW spot
- Pellistri is not good enough RW or wide player. He doesn't has the level that demand to play in a regular premier league winning team.

+ DVB. Since Mason Mount arriving i do believe that DVB has falling behind Mount as the box to box and creative cm player. Nr.8 or as nr.10.
- Christian Eriksen has peak it and at his end of his career. He doesn't has the same speed, workrate and intensity as before and what it require as regular creative and offensive nr.8/cm
- And Mason Mount has never been a natural creative cm player. Special build the attack from the deep cm area.
- And Amrabat is a DM, not a top creative and offensive nr.8
Sum of all those factors. United still need a top creative or closest to the top level as possible.


Players In :
+ 2 new top CB:

- Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP. The upcoming, aggresive and really promising CB. Right foot player.
MV = 25 mill euros
When to buy him? In January to rise to chance to get top 4 or highest table position as possible.
Potential price tag : 30 -40 mill Euros include add ons in it = 30/35 mill euros + 5 mill adds on

- Alessandro Bastoni. A really good and solid CB with a precise good left pass and crosser. And with the uncertain of Martinez + Varane injuries. A really good left foot CB make really sense.
MV = 60 mill euros. I totally agree with Alessandro Bastoni - Player profile 23/24 | Transfermarkt
The market value at 60 mill euros is a right value...of a really solid and good left foot CB.
Bastoni is one of the best left foot CB out there in the football world right now. And quality cost money. So the 60 mill mv is spot on.
He can play as LB in crisis or need too.
When to buy him? Summer 2024

+ RW? Who. I landed on Pedro Neto from Wolves. A really quick and consistent RW. That has high end product level. Lead to assist or scoring goals. I think United CF and others attacking players will love to play with him
MV = 32 mill euros
When to buy him? Depend on the performance of Antony and United others RW options. And depend where United are at the table coming January transfer window. Like if United still on the battle for top 4 or higher.

+ New offensive and creative CM = Arthur Vermeeren. From Royal Antwerp. A 18 years of age. New upcoming, consistent and really promising creative cm player.
MV = 17 mill euros
When to buy him? In January but to loan him back to Royal Antwerp to continue his development. I don't see Ten Hag play him straight regular. As a new coming 18 years old cm player. Then the best both for development is to play for RA rest of the season. At that age. He needs regular first time football. Playing regular for a winning and top team in the league. To get use to dominate and winning team and path.


Sum up the new players in short words and theirs age which i haven't mentioned yet. I try to find and recommend players that are current at theirs peak or upcoming really promising players. All under 25 years of age.

+ Ousmane Diomande. Right foot CB. 20 years of age in January.
+ Alessandro Bastoni. Left foot CB. 24 years of age in January.
+ Pedro Neto. Left foot RW. 23 years of age in January
+ Arthur Vermeeren. Right foot creative and offensive CM/nr.8


+ Now where to play them in team? Potential line up/XI :

- First in a 4231 formation:

RB - Diomande - Bastoni - LB + Neto - Vermeeren - Nr.6/DM - LW + Free CAM/nr.10 + CF

- Then in a 433 formation :

RB - Diomande - Bastoni - LB + Neto - Vermeeren/RCM - DCM - LCM - LW + CF


That are the positon where i think and believe they suit best. Theirs best position in the team.

Imagine the front 4 in :

Neto - Bruno - Rashford + Højlund = will look really good and dangerous.

Neto is a team player. Neto keep it simple. No fance to trick. Reason i prefer and rate him. It's all about end product = scoring goals. Not to beat 2-3 players before scoring goals.



Yes. That were all from A ------- Z. From what United need, which players has the demand level and where to play them and when to buy them.
In other words. A full and whole details and process.


Hope you like it.

From Manchester United unofficial D.O.F/Head of recruitment/Scout and adviser.

Those are mine best recommendations. At this moment. United i find and discover better options. Then i will edit and rejust it.

The new puzzles and factors to lead to the bigger picture...which is = premier league or champion league winner.
Click to expand...
I like it. Is this up for discussion?
 
We are so inconsistent all across the pitch this question is hard to answer. First of all it would be helpful to know the vision how we want to play and what should be the key principles.

Independently from that at least 1 midfielder, 1 CB and a winger who is good in playing quick 1-2s, not selfish and tracking back while being creative as well.
 
In a perfect world, we'd start next season having used two windows to reshape things like this. The parenthesis are backups obviously.

------------------------NEW------------------------
---------------------(Højlund)--------------------
Rashford----------------------------------NEW
('Nacho)--------------------------------(Amad)
------------------------Bruno-----------------------
-----------------------(Mount)---------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
---------------NEW------------NEW---------------
--------------(Case)---------(Mejbri)-----------
---------------------------------------------------------
Shaw------------------------------------------NEW
(Malacia)----------------------------------(AWB)
-------------------Licha-----NEW------------------
------------------(Lind)----(Varane)-------------
----------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------Onana-----------------------
-------------------------(NEW)-----------------------

As for the others:

Keep Antony, Eriksen, Pellistri, Mainoo, and Amrabat.

Sell/contract run out Maguire, Martial, Sancho, Donny, and perhaps Dalot and McTominay.

-----------------------

Do I legitimately think we'll start next season with six new players in the first eleven, no. But one can dream.
 
Ten Hag knows who needs to go.

But does he know who needs to come in?

I don't want to see any more overspending on average players like Antony and Mount. I won't criticise him for the rest of the signings as they all add to the squad.

However we need first teamers and Antony and Mount were failures as first team starters.

We have to get this January and Summer window right with signings so I'm hoping the Paul Mitchell rumours aren't fake news story's being floated by the Glazers or Ratcliffe.
 
What we need is to be able to score more goals. We are not able to attack with any conviction, When did we score more than 4 goals in a game? we are missing about 40 goals in order to be able to challenge for the major titles. Our wingers and midfield don't create, our defenders never score, can't score from free kicks and are clueless from corners. With all the coaches we have we still can't come up with a system to get more goals is unbelievable.
 
So many of our players need to be replaced. It’s going to take a while. We need to sell and replace a few of our first team players too. We need to move away from declining players on big contracts and strike while the irons hot.
 
Overall, I think about 9/10 players are still needed.

3 fullbacks, 2 right and 1 left.
2 centre backs.
At least 2 midfielders to replace Eriksen and Casemiro
1 right winger
1 striker

There's really not a lot you could say you would keep if a better player was on offer. But for now I'd definitely keep Rashford, Licha, Varane, Antony, Shaw, Rashford, Garnacho, Hojlund, Mainoo, Amad, Onana, Casemiro, Eriksen, Bruno and Mount.

This lot need to be sent packing Maguire, Lindelof, Evans, Dalot, AWB, McT, Malacia, Pellestri and Martial and replaced as soon as possible.

Over the next couple of windows Bruno, Shaw, Varane, Casemiro and Eriksen need replacing with long term signings.
 
Oranges038 said:
Overall, I think about 9/10 players are still needed.

3 fullbacks, 2 right and 1 left.
2 centre backs.
At least 2 midfielders to replace Eriksen and Casemiro
1 right winger
1 striker

There's really not a lot you could say you would keep if a better player was on offer. But for now I'd definitely keep Rashford, Licha, Varane, Antony, Shaw, Rashford, Garnacho, Hojlund, Mainoo, Amad, Onana, Casemiro, Eriksen, Bruno and Mount.

This lot need to be sent packing Maguire, Lindelof, Evans, Dalot, AWB, McT, Malacia, Pellestri and Martial and replaced as soon as possible.

Over the next couple of windows Bruno, Shaw, Varane, Casemiro and Eriksen need replacing with long term signings.
Click to expand...
Don’t agree on the fullbacks, at least not urgent. Agree with the rest though
 
golden_blunder said:
Don’t agree on the fullbacks, at least not urgent. Agree with the rest though
Click to expand...

At least 1 right back should be in order.

A couple of years ago, I didn't like the look of Trippier, when there was talk of him coming in. Looking back, he should have been brought in. We need a right back like that, Dalot and AWB have had so much time and aside from the odd assist or goal, both just have too many holes in their all round game in both attack and defence.
 
Oranges038 said:
At least 1 right back should be in order.

A couple of years ago, I didn't like the look of Trippier, when there was talk of him coming in. Looking back, he should have been brought in. We need a right back like that, Dalot and AWB have had so much time and aside from the odd assist or goal, both just have too many holes in their all round game in both attack and defence.
Click to expand...
Still don’t think it’s urgent and realistically who would it be? A few years ago the Caf darling was max Aarons, recently Gusto now at Chelsea. The truth is crossers like Trippier, Trent are rare and sometimes have other bits missing from their games. Personally I’d stick with what we have and get the midfield and CB positions right first
 
We definitely need a center half that can stay healthy, maybe a right back, definitely another midfielder to take over from Casemiro once he's phased out, and probably a winger plus a back up striker.

So De Ligt, Mazraoui, Neres, Haller, and I have no idea what we can even do in midfield now that De Jong is out of the picture and Gravenberch has been snatched by Liverpool.
 
golden_blunder said:
Still don’t think it’s urgent and realistically who would it be? A few years ago the Caf darling was max Aarons, recently Gusto now at Chelsea. The truth is crossers like Trippier, Trent are rare and sometimes have other bits missing from their games. Personally I’d stick with what we have and get the midfield and CB positions right first
Click to expand...

I don't think so. It's not just about crossing, it's their all round game,not good enough on the ball, attacking movement, quality of passing, defensive positioning etc. AWB and Dalot even if you morphed them into 1 player you still wouldn't have a combination of the qualities required.

I genuinely think a right back of that kind of profile is required. Who that could be, I don't really know. I haven't got to watch enough football this season to see what's out there now around Europe or elsewhere.
 
Oranges038 said:
I don't think so. It's not just about crossing, it's their all round game,not good enough on the ball, attacking movement, quality of passing, defensive positioning etc. AWB and Dalot even if you morphed them into 1 player you still wouldn't have a combination of the qualities required.

I genuinely think a right back of that kind of profile is required. Who that could be, I don't really know. I haven't got to watch enough football this season to see what's out there now around Europe or elsewhere.
Click to expand...
I actually rate Dalot above AWB, I honestly don't know what we saw in him, I must fall asleep during games because all I see is him going down blind alleys, then passing the ball back 30yds, losing us momentum.
I'm also not a fan of the inverted winger, if you are going to do that, they need to swap sides randomly, we looked far better on the attack against Sheffield when Garnacho was on the left, and Rashford moved to the right.
We need to sort out the CB situation in the January window, Varane and Martinez seem somewhat injury prone, the cover we have for them is not good enough for playing against the likes of City and Liverpool or even Spurs for that matter, Maguires resurgence looks promising, I'm not confident it will continue against the likes of City though.
 
Matt Varnish said:
I actually rate Dalot above AWB, I honestly don't know what we saw in him, I must fall asleep during games because all I see is him going down blind alleys, then passing the ball back 30yds, losing us momentum.
I'm also not a fan of the inverted winger, if you are going to do that, they need to swap sides randomly, we looked far better on the attack against Sheffield when Garnacho was on the left, and Rashford moved to the right.
We need to sort out the CB situation in the January window, Varane and Martinez seem somewhat injury prone, the cover we have for them is not good enough for playing against the likes of City and Liverpool or even Spurs for that matter, Maguires resurgence looks promising, I'm not confident it will continue against the likes of City though.
Click to expand...

Neither am I, I can't stand this fascination with cutting inside and narrowing the attacking focus. It's too one dimensional and easy to defend against, it's why we don't see this team score a lot of goals.

But, to balance that. If you're going down the inverted winger route, then I think you need full backs who can bomb down the outside to create the width and stretch the defence to create those gaps in the centre. Apart from Shaw none of the fullbacks currently at the club are capable of that with regular consistency.
 
Multiple CMs - the ever running story
 
We really need to replace Casemiro and Eriksen, both were outstanding players last season and are just on the decline but both are still quality as Eriksen proved tonight, we need to nurse them both through the season and replace them in the summer. We seriously need a competition for Bruno and when you look at Maddison for £40m over Mount for £55m you see why the most important new recruit is an elite DOF and move John Murtough on ?
 
What we need:
1. Less knee-jerky, entitled "fans".
2. A fit 1st choice defence.
3. A clear plan for progression- Casemiro, Eriksen and Varane need replacing in the mid-term. Is that Amrabat, Mount and.....?

We need a lot more, obviously, but that's reliant on a change in structure above and around the manager, but we've been around that buoy enough.

I still think we'll get "there" with ETH.
 
It is with a heavy heart that I revert back to the conclusion that what we need is a clue. A clue of how to play methodical top level football.

Only once we do that can I even begin to entertain a conversation of which individual footballers we might need. As it stands, it is with a more than 90% confidence that I can say that whichever footballer we may sign, in whatever position, will look undoubtedly worse than they do now at their current clubs if they joined us. This has been the case for many a year, and we then criticise our recruitment and wonder how every other team signs effective players and we can’t, as if we were almost going out of our way to exclusively sign players who are not good enough. The reality is, many of these players would probably be plenty good enough elsewhere.

Give me a coach that can make average players ‘play well’ then I can then start listing players who can come in and make them play great. Until then, this conversation is pointless. Every good player will be less good the moment they join United. Last season, I thought we had finally gotten ourselves into a position where slightly better footballers would see us take the next step, but we’re back in the position where slightly better players might get us in a top 4 fight at the very best.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.