What do we still need? Aka The never ending story

[In Rainbows]

What is the point of signing marquee signings like Dybala etc on big wages. Surely, we have to adopt a different method?
James Madison
AWB

We need prem experience, players who will press high and play for the badge not the bank balance.

Prem experience is worthless in and of itself. Just look at our history with those players.

Matic
Mata
Fellaini
Lukaku
Schneiderlin
Young
Shaw
Sanchez

 

[jderbyshire]

Why is it bollocks?

Seems strange that they included "Fouls per 90" and "yellow cards" like those are positive attributes.

But in any case, I've been very critical of Shaw this season - but he has improved.

He's upgraded from 'shite' to 'average.

We have other priorities in the squad, but should at least provide some sort of competition (and I don't mean just Young or Dalot - I mean a new left-footed proper LB, even if it's an academy player) for his place because no matter how shit he plays, he knows he'll probably still start the next game.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

An upgrade at full back I believe would make a quicker impact, a dramatic one at that too.

Not disagreeing. But Shaw is on a 4/5 year contract and earning somewhere between £160k to £195k per week.

Shaw needs space, and lots of it to be work in attack. If he had as much space as Robertson sometimes have, then he could be less ineffective (not as useful as Robertson though).

 

[ThierryHenry14]

Not disagreeing. But Shaw is on a 4/5 year contract and earning somewhere between £160k to £195k per week.

Shaw needs space, and lots of it to be work in attack. If he had as much space as Robertson sometimes have, then he could be less ineffective (not as useful as Robertson though).

Shaw on £160k to £195k per week, no wonder Ander wants to leave.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

Shaw on £160k to £195k per week, no wonder Ander wants to leave.

Martial said to be on £250k per week.

 

[devilish]

An upgrade at full back I believe would make a quicker impact, a dramatic one at that too.

He might be fat and useless but he's part of the British core

 

[AgentP]

Not disagreeing. But Shaw is on a 4/5 year contract and earning somewhere between £160k to £195k per week.

Shaw needs space, and lots of it to be work in attack. If he had as much space as Robertson sometimes have, then he could be less ineffective (not as useful as Robertson though).

I would have wanted a new LB if we didn't have 4-5 other more vital positions to fix. I would love someone like Chilwell here.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

It’s crazy to think that we may be seeing the back of at least two of Martial, Sanchez and Lukaku this summer.

Bloody hope our attack looks different next season.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

Martial said to be on £250k per week.

To be honest I think even Iwobi offer more on the field than Martial this season. At least Iwobi press high, work hard and track back, and on less than half of the wages(50k/week). A good squad option. Martial must has a really good agent.

 

[Yorkeontop]

I would have wanted a new LB if we didn't have 4-5 other more vital positions to fix. I would love someone like Chilwell here.

That's the thing though, full back (RB as well) might be more important than you realise and might be the quickest way to make a positive impact on the team. Shaw has the highest number of touches per 90 and how many frustrating passages of play involving Young have we seen.

 

[romufc]

Why would anyone want to come to Man Utd? I can't remember the last player we signed that improved? Our signing's have been ridiculous and as soon as they are in the team they seem to lose confidence?

To list a few:
Di Maria
Bailly
Matic
Mata
Sanchez
Lukaku
Pogba
Martial
Fred

I cannot put my finger on why some of these players who are considered TOP quality look nothing like that at United? We are a toxic club - players do not play for the team, no passion, poor finishing, poor defending, poor first tough, poor dribbling. Poor all round.

I can guarantee Pogba will be a world beater in any other team.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

To be honest I think even Iwobi offer more on the field than Martial this season. At least Iwobi press high, work hard and track back, and on less than half of the wages(50k/week). A good squad option. Martial must has a really good agent.

Contract renewal strategy of this club is laughable.
Do not think this is a case of a good agent, more a case of the club letting the contract run down and then being forced to pay high wages instead of him leaving on a free.

I think they operate with this type of thinking when considering renewals: If we let player x leave on a free, how much would it cost us to replace him? Lets say it would cost the club £40m to bring in a similar player: As long as we do not offer him more than £40m over 5 years we will save money. Brilliant.

 

[NinjaZombie]

Not disagreeing. But Shaw is on a 4/5 year contract and earning somewhere between £160k to £195k per week.

Shaw needs space, and lots of it to be work in attack. If he had as much space as Robertson sometimes have, then he could be less ineffective (not as useful as Robertson though).

Shaw needs a challenger. We have virtually no cover for him.

Less said about his wages the better.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

Shaw needs a challenger. We have virtually no cover for him.

Less said about his wages the better.

Unless he can improve on the ball and when attacking or he gets similar space that Robertson operates with, then he needs replacing long term.

 

[NinjaZombie]

Unless he can improve on the ball and when attacking or he gets similar space that Robertson operates with, then he needs replacing long term.

That's the thing isn't it? He's on big money for at least 4 years. He is the long term.

 

[Fosu-Mens]

That's the thing isn't it? He's on big money for at least 4 years. He is the long term.

He played decent for 5 games and then they gave him the contract.

 

[bond19821982]

Richarlison , Alderweireld , Pellegrini, Tielemans , Meunier , Rice .

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I would have wanted a new LB if we didn't have 4-5 other more vital positions to fix. I would love someone like Chilwell here.

Why? Chilwell as just an option or first choice? Because Luke has more assists and goals and if you look at the rest of their stats in passing crossing and such they are reasonably close.

I don’t think any LB will excel in this current side as is the side is just broken mainly on midfiled and defence, fix RB and the CB’s and replace Matic and we’ll improve massively.

 

[AgentP]

Why?

He's way better going forward than Shaw. He runs more. Makes more sprints.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

He's way better going forward than Shaw. He runs more. Makes more sprints.

Shaw has more assists and goals.

 

[jesperjaap]

Prem experience is worthless in and of itself. Just look at our history with those players.

Matic
Mata
Fellaini
Lukaku
Schneiderlin
Young
Shaw
Sanchez

It is worthless in istelf. Only Shaw and Sanchez looked like quality signings at the time to me, the rest were all average at best bar Mata who wasnt what we needed anyway.
Robson, Ince, Keane, Cole, Ferdinand, Rooney, Sheringham, RVP could go on and on, even Jones was a really promising signing that looked to have great potential. We always used to sign really good players within our league that obviously had quality. Of coruse its harder now as more money for teams to compete and more teams have become bigger clubs too but..
Its worthless in itself if we are signing the wrong ones, which we most certainly have and just look at how much that lot cost us too, an utter shambles

 

[NinjaZombie]

He played decent for 5 games and then they gave him the contract.

Another United masterstroke eh.

 

[SparkedIntoLife]

There's a lot of big decisions that the club needs to get right this Summer. After many players downing tools AGAIN (this time under an arm around the shoulder manager) I veer more towards a root and branch overhaul of the club than I would've before. I understand the argument that too many changes would destabilise but, for me, there's very little that's stable about Manchester United in 2019. Removing weeds from a garden helps the plants grow; I think it's better we have a healthy club for the future than try to go all out for a top 4 place with the same bad apples. I'm going for some fairly under the radar players below. We better hope our scouts are unearthing great players that can really take us forward rather than defaulting to the 'Disneyland' types like Bale and Kroos.

GK: De Gea, Romero, Grant
RB: Lainer, Dalot, Laird
LB: Shaw, Aaron Martin, Williams
CD: Lindelöf, Hermoso, Jones, Smalling, O'Connor
CM: Samassekou, Rice, McTominay, Garner, Levitt
AM: Sancho, Bruno Fernandes, Dani Olmo, Lingard, Angel Gomes, Elanga
ST: Jovic, Rashford, Greenwood

IN: Lainer (15m), Aaron Martin (25m), Hermoso (35m), Samassekou (30m), Rice (55m), Bruno Fernandes (55m), Dani Olmo (20m), Sancho (120m), Jovic (55m) = 410m

OUT: Henderson (Loan), O'Hara (Loan), Valencia (Free), Darmian (5m), Young (Free), Fosu Mensah (Loan), Tuanzebe (Loan), Bailly (15m), Rojo (10m), Matic (10m), Herrera (Free), Fred (20m), Pogba (150m), A. Pereira (10m), Mata (Free), Sanchez (Free), Chong (Loan), Martial (50m), Lukaku (50m), J. Pereira/Borthwick-Jackson/Mitchell/Willock/Dearnley/Poole/Wilson (10m combined) = 330m

An 80m net spend for a younger, hungrier, more athletic and lower wages squad. I don't think any of the above are unrealistic, though Sancho, Fernandes and Jovic will be harder to pull off; especially with the latter likely going to Madrid.

1) (433) De Gea; Lainer, Shaw, Lindelöf, Hermoso; Samassekou, Rice, Bruno Fernandes; Sancho, Rashford, Jovic
2) (4231) Romero; Dalot, Aaron Martin, Smalling, Jones; McTominay, Garner; Olmo, Lingard, Gomes; Greenwood

 

[Hammer_st]

Nice that someone include Lainer and Samassekou in his squad. I thought absolut it some times. But maybe just because I'm austrian.

I think Samassekou isnt ready for that step. But a nice prospect for the future. But he is already better than Fred.

Lainer looks like a beast in the austrian and euro league. He ran like a horse and for me it would be interesting how he looks in a physical league like the Premier League.

 

[SparkedIntoLife]

Nice that someone include Lainer and Samassekou in his squad. I thought absolut it some times. But maybe just because I'm austrian.

I think Samassekou isnt ready for that step. But a nice prospect for the future. But he is already better than Fred.

Lainer looks like a beast in the austrian and euro league. He ran like a horse and for me it would be interesting how he looks in a physical league like the Premier League.

Hi. I like the look of both players. Lanier is my alternative to Meunier. I think we need a slightly older RB while Dalot and Laird are developing. Meunier is good but I think Lanier will be cheaper and hungrier to prove himself.

Is there anyone from the Austrian League you would recommend? Or perhaps someone who used to play there like Amadou Haidara? I admire the work of Marco Rose (and Rene Maric) at Salzburg and am curious to see how he gets on coaching Mönchengladbach.

 

[Hammer_st]

Hi. I like the look of both players. Lanier is my alternative to Meunier. I think we need a slightly older RB while Dalot and Laird are developing. Meunier is good but I think Lanier will be cheaper and hungrier to prove himself.

Is there anyone from the Austrian League you would recommend? Or perhaps someone who used to play there like Amadou Haidara? I admire the work of Marco Rose (and Rene Maric) at Salzburg and am curious to see how he gets on coaching Mönchengladbach.

At the moment these two players are the only ones who have the potential to make it in the Premier league.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Prem experience is worthless in and of itself. Just look at our history with those players.

Matic
Mata
Fellaini
Lukaku
Schneiderlin
Young
Shaw
Sanchez

Most of the list aren’t press height and play for the badge. We should be targeting more a British talented players such as AWB, Maddison & etc. Less wages & more loyal than the foreigners.

 

[Sea-Cow]

Most of the list aren’t press height and play for the badge. We should be targeting more a British talented players such as AWB, Maddison & etc. Less wages & more loyal than the foreigners.

I agree that we need new players who will fight for the club and have some pride, but Pool, Spurs, and City are full of non-Brits who run themselves into the ground for their club....

Its not a probelm with "foreigners" mate, its just something about the dressing room right now and a succession of coaches haven't been able to get some fight from the collective group. Its endemic to United, and nothing to do with where they're born.

 

[Fer]

It's going to be difficult to get a quality RW like Sancho to play 433. I think Ole will play diamond formation most of our games considering the players we have.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

I agree that we need new players who will fight for the club and have some pride, but Pool, Spurs, and City are full of non-Brits who run themselves into the ground for their club....

Its not a probelm with "foreigners" mate, its just something about the dressing room right now and a succession of coaches haven't been able to get some fight from the collective group. Its endemic to United, and nothing to do with where they're born.

Liverpool: TAA, Robertson, Milner, Henderson.
Spurs: Kane, Alli, Dier, Rose, Trippier, Winks, Davies

It’s not a problem. Just saying, if we want players with less wages & more loyalty then go British talent players.

 

[croadyman]

I think the transfer rumours will pick up after Sunday, however still very hard to predict what positions will be addressed this summer. Personally think we need a minimum of RB, CB, DM, CM and RW, however these links to Daniel James and Dybala suggest we are looking at improving LW and Striker.

 

[RussellWilson]

We're barely being linked with a CF. It's our biggest hole imo. We have always had top strikers which have papered over the cracks of other deficiencies. Looks like we're going into the season with Rashford as our first choice CF, which if that's the case will mean a disastrous season. Massive worry for me.

 

[jesperjaap]

We're barely being linked with a CF. It's our biggest hole imo. We have always had top strikers which have papered over the cracks of other deficiencies. Looks like we're going into the season with Rashford as our first choice CF, which if that's the case will mean a disastrous season. Massive worry for me.

Dont even think we have a biggest hole, rather lots of them. The thing is it does seem the position to me at least with the fewest options in the transfer market at the moment, what really good strikers even are there at the moment we should be going for?

 

[Fosu-Mens]

Dont even think we have a biggest whole, rather lots of them. The thing is it does seem the position to me at least with the fewest options in the transfer market at the moment, what really good strikers even are there at the moment we should be going for?

Our biggest issue is the lack of technical ability in the squad.

 

[jesperjaap]

Our biggest issue is the lack of technical ability in the squad.

I think its that the vast majority of players are severely floored in certain areas myself. We have a few players with good technical ability, a few with great attitudes, good heart, pace, finishing, intelligence. But virtually every player that is good in one area is awful in others and we barely have a player that absolutely excels in any area.
I think if you add that to the fact we also have a lot of average seriously over rated players...yes technical ability being one of the major parts, then no wonder we find ourselves where we are.
One of the arguments I see is "Well we havent had a manager to get the best out of them since Ferguson, look at Klopp, Guardiola" etc etc....but how many players that have left us bought in the last seven years have actually excelled elsewhere? Can only think of one or two myself, shows our recruitment has been awful and yes a lot of the players havent been great technically, but they havent been good in a lot of areas too, often so poor that people expectations of what they want recruited seem so low to me, even Ole seems to ben quickly changing his tune from positive to pessimistic from when he took over to now. Love him to succeed but I have a feeling after this summers window I wouldnt be surprised to see him in the firing line by CHristmas

 

[AgentP]

Probable and confirmed Outs:

Mata - Barca
Herrera - PSG
Valencia -?
Darmian - Juventus
Bailly - Valencia/Sevilla
Rojo -?
Sanchez - Inter

Possible outs:

De Gea - PSG
Pogba - Madrid
Lukaku - Inter

So that is 7-10 players who might leave this summer. This would still leave us with players like Jones, Young, Smalling, Lingard, Matic, etc who are not first team material.

So we can expect anywhere from 5-7 signings this summer. I'm hoping we sign the following players as I feel they'll be doable and will address some of our issues.

Ins:

Bruno Fernandes
Nicolas Pepe
Daniel James
Muenier/Cancelo
Maguire
Declan Rice

Walter Benitez (if DDG leaves)
Ziyech/ Van De Beek (if Pogba leaves)
Jovic/Piatek/Richarlison (if Lukaku leaves)

A final line up with all 10 players leaving would look something like

Benitez
Cancelo Lindelof Maguire Shaw
Rice McT
Ziyech Bruno Richarlison
Rashford
​

Bench: Romero, Smalling, Martial, James, Fred, Pepe, Dalot

​

 

[bosnian_red]

Over the next 2-3 summer windows, can see something like this (one can hope, and ticks off what we need for the most part, though obviously not all of this is realistic, more so the type of transactions that need to happen or likely will. Can replace some signings with other names, but it's the likely situation of what will need to happen in order for us to be truly successful again):
Incomings

• Daniel James - £15m
• Youri Tielemans - £45m
• Thomas Meunier- £20m
• Alderweireld - £25m
• Ruben Neves/Rodri Hernandez/Saul Niguez/Declan Rice/Thomas Partey - £50m-100m
• Bruno Fernandes - £60m
• Icardi - swap
• Sancho - £120m

Total: £350m - £400m (plus Icardi swap, so £450-500m)
Outgoings:

• Lukaku - swap
• Pogba - £140m
• Mata - free
• Darmian - £5m
• Rojo - £5m
• Herrera - free
• Sanchez - free (wages)
• Valencia - free
• Matic - free
• Bailly - £25m
• Grant - free
• Andreas Pereira - £15m
• Young - free

Total: £190m (plus Lukaku swap, so £250m), countless wages

Squad (backups in italics):

Gk: De Gea, Romero, Henderson
RB: Meunier, Dalot
CB: Alderweireld, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Smalling, Jones
LB: Shaw, Laird?
CM: Rice, Tielemans, Bruno Fernandes, McTominay, Fred, Garner
RW: Sancho, James, Lingard, Chong
CF: Icardi, Greenwood
LW: Rashford, Martial, Gomes

 

[croadyman]

Over the next 2-3 summer windows, can see something like this (one can hope, and ticks off what we need for the most part, though obviously not all of this is realistic, more so the type of transactions that need to happen or likely will. Can replace some signings with other names, but it's the likely situation of what will need to happen in order for us to be truly successful again):
Incomings

• Daniel James - £15m
• Youri Tielemans - £45m
• Thomas Meunier- £20m
• Alderweireld - £25m
• Ruben Neves/Rodri Hernandez/Saul Niguez/Declan Rice/Thomas Partey - £50m-100m
• Bruno Fernandes - £60m
• Icardi - swap
• Sancho - £120m

Total: £350m - £400m (plus Icardi swap, so £450-500m)
Outgoings:

• Lukaku - swap
• Pogba - £140m
• Mata - free
• Darmian - £5m
• Rojo - £5m
• Herrera - free
• Sanchez - free (wages)
• Valencia - free
• Matic - free
• Bailly - £25m
• Grant - free
• Andreas Pereira - £15m
• Young - free

Total: £190m (plus Lukaku swap, so £250m), countless wages

Squad (backups in italics):

Gk: De Gea, Romero, Henderson
RB: Meunier, Dalot
CB: Alderweireld, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Smalling, Jones
LB: Shaw, Laird?
CM: Rice, Tielemans, Bruno Fernandes, McTominay, Fred, Garner
RW: Sancho, James, Lingard, Chong
CF: Icardi, Greenwood
LW: Rashford, Martial, Gomes

How many of those potential above incomings do you think will be brought in this summer just out of interest

 

[bosnian_red]

How many of those potential above incomings do you think will be brought in this summer just out of interest

I don't think we'll get the same players but I do think we'll get 5 players this summer, and get rid of around 7-8. Think it's gonna be around 4-5 in and 7-8 out for the next 2 summers actually.

 

[Wallez]

For starters, we need a new RB, CB, DM and RW. I also think Pogba will leave, which means that we need at least one CM. I recon we will use most of the Pogba money on Sancho, and end up with a starting 11 like this:

De Gea
Wan-Bissaka - Maguire - Lindelöf - Shaw
McTominay - Rice - Bruno Fernandes
Sancho - Rashford - Martial