CB LEADER maybe?
What do we still need? Aka The never ending story
- Thread starter Devil may care
- Start date
CB LEADER maybe?
Yes that would be ideal, I'm not sure who yet as a few names being mentioned
Kounde/Konate are a couple of names that spring to mind but don't know whether they are leaders or not
For me, not much has changed from what we need from the summer apart from not yet knowing how the young signings may progress:
Priority signings:
Centre Back: I Still see this as an absolute priority. Lindelof is consistently averagely not good enough to be a starting centre back for a title contending side. Bailly is consistently not fit enough and Tuanzabe has been fit fo rsome time now with few opportunities, you have to ask why? A leader/reader with pace, Ferdinand type is what is needed. The positioning of our defenders and moving up and back in unison is still poor too often. Feels like when we play anybody decent we revert so often to Fred and McTominay or Matic as anybody gets at our defence....they are vulnerable
Defensive Midfielder: For me we only have one, an old Matic we should be looking to replace. People can alk about the merits of McTominay or/and Fred, they arent defensive midfielders. In fact I think all of our midfielders bar Matic defensively and Fernandes VDB offensively are box to box midfielders, all in a different way, we dont need them all, we do need a defensive midfielder though
Right Winger We may have already made that signing in Diallo, in fact with the price paid, I think we have.....but it is of course too early to tell if he is ready, not just ready but is he good enough? Looks a real talent, but he hasnt even played yet. There were simlar aspirations with Pellestri who is still playing youth football and now going on loan as isnt quite ready, despite what we read about him being involved straight away when signed, and this is more realistic
Striker Personally thought at the time and still do now, Cavani was a very good signing, but its a short term one and we cant expect him to start every game, Greenwood I dodnt think is there yet in terms of being our starting striker and Martial of coruse often flattering to decieve a lot.
So effectively we NEED three signings, but it doesnt end there. One of the biggest problems with this group of players for me for the last 4/5years is that individually, so many of them have been inconsistent whether that be performance, attitude or through injury: DeGea, Bailly, Shaw, Pogba, Rashford and Martial for me being the main culprits. DeGea and SHaw now have competition so that isnt a cocnern, Bailly will with another cb signing mentioned above....that leaves Pogba, Rashford and Martial.
Pogba: sorry I am very much on the side of sell him, too many problems he brings and even playing quite well as he is now, still in the peak of his career so often he is just sloppy givign the ball away in really dangerous areas of the pitch, you simply cant have that from asupposedly world class player at his age. Barkley got criticised for it as a yougnster, Pogba is still doing it now. He is quite obviously a huge talent but that isnt enough
Rashford: Just personal opinion, but still think he is over rated. When he is in form he is a huge danger, when he isnt he is actually pretty poor and very ineffective, he really needs competition. I think signing VDB and not Grealish was a grave error myself. VDB is a decent player not a great one, always has been and he really only offers competition in central midfield of which we already have so many players and as back up to Fernandes. Grealish would have offered all of that plus COMPET|ITIOn to Rashford and cover for the right flank as well
Martial: For me without doubt good enough but also without doubt not consistently effective enough still after a fair few seasons now, he was a Van De Gaal signing, that how long he ha sbeen here, he isnt a youngster now and he also isnt a consistent performer, time to cash in
So I still think there is a huge clear out to be done, and also still several signings to be made, joke really still needed to be done year after year, but:
Out:
Definates
Rojo
JOnes
Dalot
Matic
Perreira
Lingard
Mata
We have loaned a few out and also cleared out Fosuh Mensah, but lets face it, not much money coming in transfer fee wise for these players
Also out for me
Fred - I simply think we dont need him and McTominay, both do such a similar role and both are box to box players in a different way to what Pogba or VDB offer. I liek him, but dotn love him, he breaks up play but offers little else for me, doesnt have the quality required, I prefer McTominay
Pogba - Been discussed a million times, Im on the sell side
James - For me he would be one of the first names I would sell, simply don tthink he is anywhere good enough. He certainly provides no competition and offers little in a squad as back up either for me
Martial - Throughout a season he isnt a starter as he simply doesnt perform often enough and with that inconsistency cant really rely on as a squad player, more value in selling him and looking to improve on with a new signing for me
I do think these four players would bring in good money, wont go into mentioning figures. I then see us looking to sign:
CB: Leader/Ball player with pace
DM: A proper ball playing defensive midfielder with good positioning and good in the tackle and a terrier with heart coverign a lot of ground
CM: WIth Pogba and Fred sold, only leave VDB and McTominay for that spot, both can cover other positions in midfield and both I am not convinced are that player we need. WOuld like to see a big signing in this position
RW: WIth James/Mata/Lingard sold and more of a transition into a striker for Greenwood hopefully next year.....there is room for either competition to Diallo, or if he isnt ready, the big player for him to be under study too for now
LW: No Martial or James to back uo Rashford and I think he needs serious competition there
ST: With Cavani another year older and maybe less starts and still Greenwood maybe not ready to be the main man, a Matial replacement
I am not going to mention a load of names. WHat I will say is what we need is six positions covered....but it doesnt have to be six signings, one name I will mention for example Grealish could potentially solve three of them to a degree
Priority signings:
Centre Back: I Still see this as an absolute priority. Lindelof is consistently averagely not good enough to be a starting centre back for a title contending side. Bailly is consistently not fit enough and Tuanzabe has been fit fo rsome time now with few opportunities, you have to ask why? A leader/reader with pace, Ferdinand type is what is needed. The positioning of our defenders and moving up and back in unison is still poor too often. Feels like when we play anybody decent we revert so often to Fred and McTominay or Matic as anybody gets at our defence....they are vulnerable
Defensive Midfielder: For me we only have one, an old Matic we should be looking to replace. People can alk about the merits of McTominay or/and Fred, they arent defensive midfielders. In fact I think all of our midfielders bar Matic defensively and Fernandes VDB offensively are box to box midfielders, all in a different way, we dont need them all, we do need a defensive midfielder though
Right Winger We may have already made that signing in Diallo, in fact with the price paid, I think we have.....but it is of course too early to tell if he is ready, not just ready but is he good enough? Looks a real talent, but he hasnt even played yet. There were simlar aspirations with Pellestri who is still playing youth football and now going on loan as isnt quite ready, despite what we read about him being involved straight away when signed, and this is more realistic
Striker Personally thought at the time and still do now, Cavani was a very good signing, but its a short term one and we cant expect him to start every game, Greenwood I dodnt think is there yet in terms of being our starting striker and Martial of coruse often flattering to decieve a lot.
So effectively we NEED three signings, but it doesnt end there. One of the biggest problems with this group of players for me for the last 4/5years is that individually, so many of them have been inconsistent whether that be performance, attitude or through injury: DeGea, Bailly, Shaw, Pogba, Rashford and Martial for me being the main culprits. DeGea and SHaw now have competition so that isnt a cocnern, Bailly will with another cb signing mentioned above....that leaves Pogba, Rashford and Martial.
Pogba: sorry I am very much on the side of sell him, too many problems he brings and even playing quite well as he is now, still in the peak of his career so often he is just sloppy givign the ball away in really dangerous areas of the pitch, you simply cant have that from asupposedly world class player at his age. Barkley got criticised for it as a yougnster, Pogba is still doing it now. He is quite obviously a huge talent but that isnt enough
Rashford: Just personal opinion, but still think he is over rated. When he is in form he is a huge danger, when he isnt he is actually pretty poor and very ineffective, he really needs competition. I think signing VDB and not Grealish was a grave error myself. VDB is a decent player not a great one, always has been and he really only offers competition in central midfield of which we already have so many players and as back up to Fernandes. Grealish would have offered all of that plus COMPET|ITIOn to Rashford and cover for the right flank as well
Martial: For me without doubt good enough but also without doubt not consistently effective enough still after a fair few seasons now, he was a Van De Gaal signing, that how long he ha sbeen here, he isnt a youngster now and he also isnt a consistent performer, time to cash in
So I still think there is a huge clear out to be done, and also still several signings to be made, joke really still needed to be done year after year, but:
Out:
Definates
Rojo
JOnes
Dalot
Matic
Perreira
Lingard
Mata
We have loaned a few out and also cleared out Fosuh Mensah, but lets face it, not much money coming in transfer fee wise for these players
Also out for me
Fred - I simply think we dont need him and McTominay, both do such a similar role and both are box to box players in a different way to what Pogba or VDB offer. I liek him, but dotn love him, he breaks up play but offers little else for me, doesnt have the quality required, I prefer McTominay
Pogba - Been discussed a million times, Im on the sell side
James - For me he would be one of the first names I would sell, simply don tthink he is anywhere good enough. He certainly provides no competition and offers little in a squad as back up either for me
Martial - Throughout a season he isnt a starter as he simply doesnt perform often enough and with that inconsistency cant really rely on as a squad player, more value in selling him and looking to improve on with a new signing for me
I do think these four players would bring in good money, wont go into mentioning figures. I then see us looking to sign:
CB: Leader/Ball player with pace
DM: A proper ball playing defensive midfielder with good positioning and good in the tackle and a terrier with heart coverign a lot of ground
CM: WIth Pogba and Fred sold, only leave VDB and McTominay for that spot, both can cover other positions in midfield and both I am not convinced are that player we need. WOuld like to see a big signing in this position
RW: WIth James/Mata/Lingard sold and more of a transition into a striker for Greenwood hopefully next year.....there is room for either competition to Diallo, or if he isnt ready, the big player for him to be under study too for now
LW: No Martial or James to back uo Rashford and I think he needs serious competition there
ST: With Cavani another year older and maybe less starts and still Greenwood maybe not ready to be the main man, a Matial replacement
I am not going to mention a load of names. WHat I will say is what we need is six positions covered....but it doesnt have to be six signings, one name I will mention for example Grealish could potentially solve three of them to a degree
Just buy a right winger. This is getting ridiculous.
We had no decent no.10s, so we bought one and it made every one else look so much better. But that gaping hole on the right has been ignored for far too long.
We had no decent no.10s, so we bought one and it made every one else look so much better. But that gaping hole on the right has been ignored for far too long.
We have so little creativity out wide, it's tragic, predictable and has been a problem for far far too long.
A right back.
A defensive midfielder.
A right winger.
A manager.
A defensive midfielder.
A right winger.
A manager.
A CB to partner Maguire (hopefully one which will have a similar effect on Maguire as Dias has had on Stones)
A right winger
Grealish too
A right winger
Grealish too
New frontline
ASM.
Buendia.
Neto.
Buendia.
Neto.
I don’t think we need much maybe a striker would be good. Instead of temperamental forwards who just want spectacular goals. There’s enough quality in that squad to finish top 3 anything less is a failure on Oles part. Half a billion quids worth of players and we can’t score a goal - bag of shite!!
Seems weirdly quiet from us - surely we can’t let another window go by without addressing glaring issues?
RW and CB is must. DMF also.
If is on me, sell Pogba and Martial to rise pounds for Grealish and new ST.
Bring back Dalot.
Thats it.
If is on me, sell Pogba and Martial to rise pounds for Grealish and new ST.
Bring back Dalot.
Thats it.
A better coach
Some players who actually give a feck about playing for Man Utd might be a start!
wanna bet
we need a class DM. Rice would be great. I’m sure there are cheaper options out there but future England captain material. Seems a good obvious deal for us. I think he could free up Pogba better but I have a feeling a really good dm and Fred/VDB buzzing around with Bruno dropping in would be our most functional midfield lineup. Camavinga would be a dream. Would barca somehow sell De Jong? What a signing he’d be.
a left footed centre back. Bastoni looks a good player. Pau Torres is supposed to be good. Badiashille looks a unit but I’ve not really seen him play at all.
A striker. We need a killer. Martinez, Haaland someone like that would be a huge statement of intent.
Creative winger. Is diallo that player? He looks special but is he too similar a player to Rashford and martial? Martial and Rashford are already too similar and not creative enough for me. Sancho would still be an amazing signing. Grealish has me eating my words. We could still easily upgrade in this area.
Nuno Mendez. get him in at the end of the season as Telles doesn’t look to be up to much. We’ve no notion and he should probably wait another few seasons with sporting but he looks special. I would like us to be in the front of the line when he goes up for sale.
we will realistically get rice and Cavani signed up for another year and it’s not enough I don’t think.
I really want a bastard of a striker first and foremost. Then a cnut keeper
A striker that's angry if he doesn't score even if we win in 6-0 and a goalie that's angry even if we win 6-1
I feel like we've got a number of good support acts but we need more headliners. They cost a tonne and need to be carefully selected but if you're serious about winning big prizes you need sure-things in key areas. The guy that bags the goals is the most key position of all (with goalie second)
Whatever the modern equivalents of ruud and schmikes are please
A striker that's angry if he doesn't score even if we win in 6-0 and a goalie that's angry even if we win 6-1
I feel like we've got a number of good support acts but we need more headliners. They cost a tonne and need to be carefully selected but if you're serious about winning big prizes you need sure-things in key areas. The guy that bags the goals is the most key position of all (with goalie second)
Whatever the modern equivalents of ruud and schmikes are please
There's still too many compromises and fudges being made, especially in the bigger games, to mask flaws in the squad. We play with 2 quite limited midfielders because we haven't got one outstanding holding midfielder and because our defence needs a lot of protecting. We also played Rashford on the right because we have no one to play there, despite it clearly not being his best position, and Pogba was on the left because he's been playing well and that's a place to crowbar him in as Solskjaer doesn't want to play him as one of the 2 in midfield.
We therefore need a centre back, a defensive midfielder and a right winger (there are other areas that aren't great but we're unlikely to sign 3 first team calibre players in the summer, never mind more than that) and to finally sort out the long-term Pogba situation.
We therefore need a centre back, a defensive midfielder and a right winger (there are other areas that aren't great but we're unlikely to sign 3 first team calibre players in the summer, never mind more than that) and to finally sort out the long-term Pogba situation.
How much are you expecting United to spend in the summer ?
I'll be surprised if we spent over 50 million.
I'll be surprised if we spent over 50 million.
Yeah, I agree with everything said here in bold. We're covering up for too much deficiencies in the squad at the moment.
If we make top 4 and we don't strengthen, it'll finally confirm what many have long suspected. That we're happy getting 4th.
I believe last season muddied the waters of our necessity for a top class right sided forward given the excellent form and goal return we got from the Rashford, Martial & Greenwood trio. However, with this trio all way below the standards set last year, it has hi lighted for me a cataclysmic size hole in that area of the pitch that needs addressing ASAP. Is the kid Diallo going to be the answer...? who knows, but I’m not sure we can be pinning our hopes on a teenager who’s all potential rather than proven first team quality.
There’s not going to be a lot of money to spend this summer so we need to find some decent value.
We desperately need a RW, a defensive midfielder and a CB, but the way we spend money we are looking at probably only one of those getting resolved in the summer and maybe a backup RB (Trippier seems almost inevitable).
We desperately need a RW, a defensive midfielder and a CB, but the way we spend money we are looking at probably only one of those getting resolved in the summer and maybe a backup RB (Trippier seems almost inevitable).
Yeah said exactly the same thing the other day and with our record it's worrying to say the least, as the last couple of games have shown we also need a younger version of Cavani too so that's four first XI signings. The problem is where do you find quality and value at CDM & RW if we did decide to bring in a Kounde because his value looks to be around £60m. Personally I think it would be unfair to put all the pressure on Amad & Mason there when we need a starter who offers the creativity too.
The further into the season we go, the more it looks to me like it’s attacking talent/options we need.
Even if Pogba goes, we still have ample in CM.
We started the season looking dodgy at the back, but we’re looking a lot better of late, although still work to be done.
But the final third and scoring goals is an issue and we have such a lack of options, particularly in the wide areas. Neither Rashford or Martial are playing well, yet we’ve got very little to be able to bring in.
Hopefully Diallo will give us another option but for me we still need at least one more wide player.
Even if Pogba goes, we still have ample in CM.
We started the season looking dodgy at the back, but we’re looking a lot better of late, although still work to be done.
But the final third and scoring goals is an issue and we have such a lack of options, particularly in the wide areas. Neither Rashford or Martial are playing well, yet we’ve got very little to be able to bring in.
Hopefully Diallo will give us another option but for me we still need at least one more wide player.
Just go all out for Haaland or Kane if they become available. We need a consistent goal scorer above anything else.
Only trouble is Spurs would want around £150m for him and I do worry that these ankle problems could cause a decline over the next couple of years. We still need to sign four players for the starting XI over the next two summers but to get the below would cost at least £260m and even with sales of Pogba and Martial it looks impossible to pull off
CB Kounde
CDM Zakaria
Winger Grealish
ST Haaland
Yes I know we could ideally do with Sancho on RW but suppose the romantic in me is hoping that Diallo will hit the ground running when he gets his chance at some point this season. Being realistic we aren't going to spend mad money so will have to make some shrewd buys but then the issue is what kind of quality will that get us.
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Priority signings have to be one of Haaland/Kane and then Grealish. Beyond that we can try get some short term fixes at DM and CB.
Just can't see us doing business with Spurs knowing what Levy is like to deal with, in regards to CDM & CB do you not think we need to look at signings that could be with us for a long time because they are two areas I feel we need some quality rather than quick fixes
Grealish for Pogba if pogs does in fact leave, Haaland for Martial because Kane’s price will double under the way leavy does business and a CB.
It's more that I think we need an injection of attacking talent and would prioritise spending there. Furthermore, I think the period of rebuilding/overhaul we have been through is done and we're not far off being a side that can be competitive on all fronts. Ideally we would sign players in that 22-25 bracket that can give you their prime years but while we're about to enter our ' silverware window', so to speak, I don't think it's a bad idea to get some players who can bolster and round out the team even if only for the short-term. Maximising our winning potential during this window is vital I feel, and can give us a platform for future success.
I think if the club signed a CB, DM and Grealish, then i'd be elated but it won't be easy in the current climate and we'll need to raise funds by selling players which also won't be easy due to the current climate. The striker signing I feel we will put back a year which will open up the possibility of us trying to sign Haaland when his release clause comes into effect in 2022.
We need a lot! Cb, Rw, cdm, striker and so on.
But what we need most is another right back, and we need one today! Awb is fine, but we have no back up or rotating options.
But what we need most is another right back, and we need one today! Awb is fine, but we have no back up or rotating options.
IMO we need:
A tall, mobile & aggressive tackling DM.
A dominant CB.
Competition at RB.
An out and out striker who can share the burden with Cavani. Moving Martial and Rashford to compete for the LW position.
Clinical RW.
Easier said than done!
A tall, mobile & aggressive tackling DM.
A dominant CB.
Competition at RB.
An out and out striker who can share the burden with Cavani. Moving Martial and Rashford to compete for the LW position.
Clinical RW.
Easier said than done!
Some red lines on how to attack/play/pass against low/middle blocks and what to do when teams remove the option of Bruno.
It is relatively easy to stop us: Protect the middle -->force the ball out to our fullbacks, often in a "pressing trap". They either have to give the ball to our wide forwards in bad positions, play it back again or make a risky pass.
Shaw has progressed in this area, as he is not as often losing the ball, making the bad pass. AWB is a major problem due to him not being a good passer, taking to long on the ball or running straight into a position where he is surrounded by 2/3 players.
It is relatively easy to stop us: Protect the middle -->force the ball out to our fullbacks, often in a "pressing trap". They either have to give the ball to our wide forwards in bad positions, play it back again or make a risky pass.
Shaw has progressed in this area, as he is not as often losing the ball, making the bad pass. AWB is a major problem due to him not being a good passer, taking to long on the ball or running straight into a position where he is surrounded by 2/3 players.
I tend to agree with your post but i don't see even 500mil buying us those players, especially with the inflated prices. Not to mention that I can even name 1 player per position that I have 100% certainty will get the job done.
In addition to adding better players, the level of coaching has to improve. I think that gone are the days, at least for most teams (us included), where you can just go to the market and buy 2-3 big name players to solve problems with the team.
As the post above mine states, we really need to tactically work on our weaknesses.
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Yeah it's quite frankly scary just how much we still need to sign and could even throw some backup midfield creativity in there if you were being really picky. So that is four players needed for the starting XI and potentially depth at both RB & AM which makes SIX across the squad in total.
It would be beneficial to buy players that suited our approach to football, then again, we rely on counter-attack and individualistic moments... Which, imo, is an outdated approach. Unless we think/hope that buying good players and keeping them happy and that they will find a way to play, is going to work...
thats the Fergie way. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.
No way we are going to close the gap with Liverpool and City when our players are using sticks and stones and most of the opposition is playing with swords and shields, while City is playing with lightsabers and force shields.
I agree we need a CF, RW, CDM, CB and a backup RB. But we don’t have the funds to do all that.
All things considered, the most urgent need is a CF. We can’t trust Martial and Rashford. And although I really like Greenwood I don’t think he’s our answer.
We’re dropping too many points due to lack of goal production. What is it...1 goal scored this season against top six clubs? Tactics no doubt play a role in us not being able to score in these big matches, but these tactics partially reflect the reality that we don’t have a reliable goal scorer.
We can definitely improve elsewhere, but if we can’t take our chances on goal we’re bereft of hope of anything more than scraping top four.
All things considered, the most urgent need is a CF. We can’t trust Martial and Rashford. And although I really like Greenwood I don’t think he’s our answer.
We’re dropping too many points due to lack of goal production. What is it...1 goal scored this season against top six clubs? Tactics no doubt play a role in us not being able to score in these big matches, but these tactics partially reflect the reality that we don’t have a reliable goal scorer.
We can definitely improve elsewhere, but if we can’t take our chances on goal we’re bereft of hope of anything more than scraping top four.