What do we still need? Post Summer 2016 edition

manutd619 said:
DM
Winger
ST
CB

With 4 additions I really believe we are challenging for the title

I disagree that we need a LB because I am sure Shaw will come good
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This is my feeling as well. I don't buy into this rubbish about needing to replace both Zlatan and Rooney, the latter has barely been a fixture in the team for much of the season. And even if Shaw doesn't come good, its worth taking the time to see if he will, because he has the quality.

I also think Martial should be considered an option as a striker (frankly, I think he should play ahead of Rashford when fit). I think both of them will come along in leaps and bounds next season though, this season has been the learning curve year after last season's breakout year.

Also, why do so many people think we need a RB? Valencia has had his best season in years, and we've got cover in Darmian and TFM if necessary.
 
I think we are 5/6 players short. Centre back to replace one of the chuckle brothers. I'd get rid of Jones as Smalling isn't injured always like him. Ibra needs replacing and Rashford isn't the guy. We need another attacker to boost the squad. A sitting midfield and left back.
 
From each passing bad result, the needs become greater for me.

Out
Jones
Rooney
Ibra
Shaw
De Gea (not from choice)

In
GK to replace Dave
CB
LB
2 x CM
2 x ST

Potentially looking at 7 players coming in there. I would keep Young and Fellaini. They should not be starters but are good squad members
 
I think we'll need:

RB: to replace Valencia.
CB: to replace one of Jones/Smalling.
LB: potentially if Shaw doesn't sort himself out.
DM: it's clear we need a player to allow Pogba to flourish.
RW: I don't see many true pacey RW anymore, so I would love Silva.
SS: marquee signing like Griezmann
ST: player to replace Ibra, so Morata perhaps.

I think this summer however, we'll move for 5 players. With a De Gea replacement being one of them unfortunately. So I expect:

GK, CB, DM, SS, ST

I imagine we'll keep Young and possibly Darmian another season to back up Valencia and Shaw. Depending on the situation we could move for a RB and a LB in the January market. If not, I see a RB, LB and a RW in 2018.
 
I dont think we need to replace Valencia now when we have other pressing needs. Next summer would be perfect to bring in a challenger/replacement, unless we have the perfect replacement lined up already and he wants to move this summer

I think we need some massive investment and 5 or 6 players. We need to sell a few too.

- Striker
- winger
- reliable central midfielder/offensive midfielder depending on formation or tactic
- Defensive midfielder
- Central defender
- Left back
 
izec said:
I dont think we need to replace Valencia now when we have other pressing needs. Next summer would be perfect to bring in a challenger/replacement, unless we have the perfect replacement lined up already and he wants to move this summer

I think we need some massive investment and 5 or 6 players. We need to sell a few too.

- Striker
- winger
- reliable central midfielder/offensive midfielder depending on formation or tactic
- Defensive midfielder
- Central defender
- Left back
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This less a winger.....
 
deGea/Romero
Valencia/Darmian Bailly/Smalling Rojo/<New CB> <New LB>/Blind
<New DM>/Carrick/TFM
Mkhitaryan/Lingard/Mata Herrera/Pereira Pogba/Fellaini Martial/Young
<New CF>/Rashford
​
So at least:

1 x Center back
1 x Left back
1 x Defensive midfielder
1 X Striker

Let go:

Shaw, Jones, Zlatan, Rooney​
 
I wouldnt mind a brazilian. Its been too long
 
izec said:
I dont think we need to replace Valencia now when we have other pressing needs. Next summer would be perfect to bring in a challenger/replacement, unless we have the perfect replacement lined up already and he wants to move this summer

I think we need some massive investment and 5 or 6 players. We need to sell a few too.

- Striker
- winger
- reliable central midfielder/offensive midfielder depending on formation or tactic
- Defensive midfielder
- Central defender
- Left back
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Unfortunately you're right, we need a massive investment to be competitive at the highest level. (read CL knock out rounds or better) Our squad is unbalanced. We are short of midfielders. To many players have similar profiles.

We also need to decide preferred formation and style. Right now we are good at everything but we don't shine when necessary. (I hope this makes sense) In a 433 formation we need fast and skillfull wingers. Mata, Lingard and Mhiki are all very good players but they don't fit that profile. We need a Bernardo Silvia type of player who can dribble past his defender and create space and two against one situations.

If we sell Shaw and Jones (looks likely) we need replacements who are English. Michael Keane would be ideal and wouldn't cost a fortune. The hard part is to find a left back who's better then Darmian. Benjamin Mendy is my preferred option.

If we buy Greizmann we use a big chunk of our transfer budget, that's worrying. Another problem is the Martial and Rashford dilemma, they both looks better as a striker then as wingers. How should we fit in Greizmann in a 433 formation?

If I dream we buy Mendy, Keane, Fabinho, Silvia and Greizmann but that's a unlikely. This isn't easy....
 
My current wish list is a left back, right winger and striker. Mendy, Mahrez and King maybe.
 
We need four:

Striker
Centre midfielder
Creative player (probably a right winger)
Centre back or full back, depending on departures
 
AndyJ1985 said:
You think Mendy Mahrez and King will take us from 5th to 1st?
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We need more than just X players atm. Our tactics and fitness lag significantly behind Chelsea and Tottenham. However I think those three (and the correct sales) would give us a squad capable of challenging for the league yes.
 
settembrini said:
We need more than just X players atm. Our tactics and fitness lag significantly behind Chelsea and Tottenham. However I think those three (and the correct sales) would give us a squad capable of challenging for the league yes.
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We'd finish lower than this season, we'd have no #9 and only 2 CM's.
 
Beloddi
CB: Guy good in the air
Wingback: We need a guy who can run up and down the flank all day. Should be ambidextrous
RB: Valencia will be pushing up daisies soon, we need a replacement
DM: Tough tackler. Needs to have the heart of a lion and also the outward physical manifestation of a lion
DM: Needs to be able to dictate from deep
CM: A back-up
AM: I want my attacking mid. to be able to play as a ten
Inside Forward: This guy needs to have the technical skill of a Charlton and the grit of a Stiles
Right wing: Someone with pace
CF: we need a super sub to win us games
 
settembrini said:
Rashford and King are strikers and we have a lot of midfielders.
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King is not a proper striker and he's rubbish, while Rashford is a kid, we need a proper top class pair of attackers added. We have Pogba and Herrera for midfield, that is it, Carrick is 36 and will likely retire and Fellaini is garbage.
 
Seeing how the season has turned out over the past couple of weeks, I'd say we need a player for each of the following positions:

1. Centre back (Keane?)
2. Left back
3. Holding midfielder (Fabinho/Dier?)
4. Winger (Willian?)
5. Target man (Morata/Icardi?)
6. Second striker (Griezmann?)
 
Devil may care said:
King is not a proper striker and he's rubbish, while Rashford is a kid, we need a proper top class pair of attackers added. We have Pogba and Herrera for midfield, that is it, Carrick is 36 and will likely retire and Fellaini is garbage.
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King is a proper striker and has scored only 2 less goals for Bournemouth this season than Ibrahimovic has managed for us, despite far fewer chances. He also contributes a lot more defensively, doesn't lose possession as cheaply with bad passes or being caught offside and has tons more pace and ability to go past defenders. He's objectively not 'rubbish' just because he isn't a megastar who would cost £70m and 200kpw wages.

Rashford is an adult who has been a regular in our first team for over a year now. That's not going to change. Mourinho loves him and with good reason, he's one of the most exciting young forwards in world football. To give him cover and competition we don't need another Ibrahimovic, we need the opposite. Someone who won't expect to be an automatic starter but who has got similar pace and playing style to Rashford so we can develop a consistent attacking identity whomever we have in the team. King is a good fit for such a role, especially because of the time he has already spent at the club.

I expect us to be using a two man midfield next season so four players should be enough. Pogba as playmaker and Herrera as defensive midfielder are an excellent partnership. I would sell Fellaini and replace him with Pereira who can offer cover and competition for Pogba. To cover Herrera I would offer Carrick another year but I would also like to see Fosu-Mensah used far more frequently in that role. He's a very good prospect and we have wasted him this year imo.

Anyway, hope that explains my reasoning.
 
Thinking about this today, I've tried to tot up the amount of opportunities we have had in the last three seasons to capitalise on our rivals failures; dropping points when those around us dropped points etc.

I honestly feel that there is either a curse of appalling luck or we just cannot mentally achieve when we really need to.

Think back to say LVG tenure, times where we had to beat a bottom seven side at home to go above our rivals and secure, top four etc. How many times did we not do this? Must be five to ten occasions where our rivals dropped points only for us to let them off the hook.

With this in mind, I'm not sure any players can reverse this trend. Even adding a Griezman or Mbappe doesn't guaranteed it.

Sorry for the ramble but I'm almost not convinced major transfers will sort this out...
 
settembrini said:
King is a proper striker and has scored only 2 less goals for Bournemouth this season than Ibrahimovic has managed for us, despite far fewer chances. He also contributes a lot more defensively, doesn't lose possession as cheaply with bad passes or being caught offside and has tons more pace and ability to go past defenders. He's objectively not 'rubbish' just because he isn't a megastar who would cost £70m and 200kpw wages.

Rashford is an adult who has been a regular in our first team for over a year now. That's not going to change. Mourinho loves him and with good reason, he's one of the most exciting young forwards in world football. To give him cover and competition we don't need another Ibrahimovic, we need the opposite. Someone who won't expect to be an automatic starter but who has got similar pace and playing style to Rashford so we can develop a consistent attacking identity whomever we have in the team. King is a good fit for such a role, especially because of the time he has already spent at the club.

I expect us to be using a two man midfield next season so four players should be enough. Pogba as playmaker and Herrera as defensive midfielder are an excellent partnership. I would sell Fellaini and replace him with Pereira who can offer cover and competition for Pogba. To cover Herrera I would offer Carrick another year but I would also like to see Fosu-Mensah used far more frequently in that role. He's a very good prospect and we have wasted him this year imo.

Anyway, hope that explains my reasoning.
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King is rubbiish by standards required to play for Manchester United, if him and Rashford were our two strikers we'd be worse off than this season, and Mourinho loves Rashford on the wing becasuse he can't hold the ball up at all, he's only playing him as a striker now because Ibra is injured and Rooney is finished, we need some proven talent, not a kid and a bottom feeder, and I hate this identity stuff the likes of Pep have peddled, you need contrasting options so you can change it up depending on who you are facing, Jose will get himself a target #9 without a doubt.

Pogba in a 2 man midfield is a bad idea as he's really not good enough defensively, and Herrera is an awful partner for him because his best attributes are chasing the ball and pressing higher up, which leaves Pogba constantly deeper which again is an awful idea, we need a proper holding CM. As for the rest, Carrick's legs have gone and he's a passenger in a 2 these days, and Pereira isn't going to play in a 2 man midfield either, he simply doesn't have the physical requirements, if he's kept he'll occupy one of the attacking roles.
 
Mr Smith said:
This is my feeling as well. I don't buy into this rubbish about needing to replace both Zlatan and Rooney, the latter has barely been a fixture in the team for much of the season. And even if Shaw doesn't come good, its worth taking the time to see if he will, because he has the quality.

I also think Martial should be considered an option as a striker (frankly, I think he should play ahead of Rashford when fit). I think both of them will come along in leaps and bounds next season though, this season has been the learning curve year after last season's breakout year.

Also, why do so many people think we need a RB? Valencia has had his best season in years, and we've got cover in Darmian and TFM if necessary.
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imo We need to replace both. The problem is not a new player to replace Rooney in terms of mins, In home games we need goalscorers in attacking position next to striker, we lack that variety. Our 3 man midfield is good in away games. We don't have a Lampard or Sneidjer in our 3 man midfield to contribute goals. We are the worst scoring team in top 7 including Everton. Especially in Old Trafford, we need an additional goalscorer up top to help share the goals and a wide player who will use the width instead of both wide forwards coming inside and crowd the area.

Essentially we need 5 players. ST(replacing Ibra), SS(replacing Rooney), W, DM(replacing Carrick), CD(Rojo being out for the season start). Fullbacks are least priority.

(Striker)
(Left/Right Winger) (Second Striker) Mkhitaryan
Pogba (DM)
Shaw (CD) Bailly Valencia
DDG

Rashford
Martial Mata Lingard
Fellaini/(Pereira) Herrera
Blind Rojo Smalling/Jones Darmian/TFM
Romero/Pereira

*Carrick, Rooney, Ibra to move clubs/ retire.
*One among Smalling/Jones could be sold as well.
*If we are to buy a full back Either left or right, Blind could be sold instead of Darmian who could play as a defending full back in both sides,
*Additionally Mata could be sold(if we feel more attacking players are there) as his position is upgraded with a second striker and additionally a winger in 4231/433 respectively.

* Also one huge requirement is that one of the new attacking player should be good at taking set pieces
 
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Devil may care said:
King is rubbiish by standards required to play for Manchester United, if him and Rashford were our two strikers we'd be worse off than this season, and Mourinho loves Rashford on the wing becasuse he can't hold the ball up at all, he's only playing him as a striker now because Ibra is injured and Rooney is finished, we need some proven talent, not a kid and a bottom feeder, and I hate this identity stuff the likes of Pep have peddled, you need contrasting options so you can change it up depending on who you are facing, Jose will get himself a target #9 without a doubt.

Pogba in a 2 man midfield is a bad idea as he's really not good enough defensively, and Herrera is an awful partner for him because his best attributes are chasing the ball and pressing higher up, which leaves Pogba constantly deeper which again is an awful idea, we need a proper holding CM. As for the rest, Carrick's legs have gone and he's a passenger in a 2 these days, and Pereira isn't going to play in a 2 man midfield either, he simply doesn't have the physical requirements, if he's kept he'll occupy one of the attacking roles.
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We have such different opinions I don't see the point in carrying this on. It will only clutter up the thread. I think everything you have posted is complete nonsense and you clearly think the same of mine.
 
settembrini said:
We have such different opinions I don't see the point in carrying this on. It will only clutter up the thread. I think everything you have posted is complete nonsense and you clearly think the same of mine.
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Fair enough, I'd say that's accurate, fortunately I am confident the manager will be thinking much closer to me than the romantic idea of a bunch of academy kids making up the bulk of our main starters.
 
Freak said:
Seeing how the season has turned out over the past couple of weeks, I'd say we need a player for each of the following positions:

1. Centre back (Keane?)
2. Left back
3. Holding midfielder (Fabinho/Dier?)
4. Winger (Willian?)
5. Target man (Morata/Icardi?)
6. Second striker (Griezmann?)
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The more I think about the way this season has gone, the more I believe we should not be looking to only add 3-4 players. We need more IMO and I hope Jose goes all out to rebuild in the summer.

I think our outgoings would justify 6-7 transfers, including our January sales and expected summer sales:

1. Schneiderlin (Jan)
2. Depay (Jan)
3. Jones and/or Smalling
4. Fellani
5. Young

My list of requirements a bit different to yours however:

1. Centre Back (Keane will do, but I'd prefer Varane)
2. Right Back (Semundo as Valencia's successor is perfect. The latter is 32 before next season begins).
3. Holding Midfielder (I have no idea who can fill Carrick's boots. Will be a tricky one).
4. Box to Box Midfielder (Is Fabinho a box-to-box type? He's certainly bullish and gets about for Monaco).
5. Striker (Griezmannis obvious but Icardi and Moratta stick out too).
6. Winger (Anyone established. No more buying for the sake of potential here).

It would be a bonus if we bring in another LB (Mendy would be the dream). Wouldn't mind getting a simple poacher/super sub either. A player like Defoe would be cheap and do just fine off the bench, although I'm not sure how great he's been for Sunderland this season.
 
Devil may care said:
Pogba in a 2 man midfield is a bad idea as he's really not good enough defensively, and Herrera is an awful partner for him because his best attributes are chasing the ball and pressing higher up, which leaves Pogba constantly deeper which again is an awful idea, we need a proper holding CM. As for the rest, Carrick's legs have gone and he's a passenger in a 2 these days, and Pereira isn't going to play in a 2 man midfield either, he simply doesn't have the physical requirements, if he's kept he'll occupy one of the attacking roles.
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Its actually a great idea. Pairing Pogba with a solid DM is the best way forward.

Chelsea won the league with a starting pairing of Cesc+Matic, while Ramires was brought in to make a midfield triumvirate when a more defensive approach was required. For United, Pogba will play the Cesc role (primary playmaker), and he is much better defensively, more athletic, physically gifted, has longer passing range and just an overall better rounded CM. Herrera will play the role of ramires. The only player currently missing is the DM/Matic and I expect that to arrive this summer.

The DM does not need to be anything close to what Carrick is on the ball as his primary role is defending and winning the ball back. This criterion rules out someone like Bakayoko and Weigl who would not be solid enough defensively to give Pogba the freedom he needs. Still he should be good enough on the ball to get the ball forward when Pogba is unavailable. Best candidate would be Matic but I doubt he would leave Chelsea this summer. Rumored alternatives include Fabinho (who is said prefers to play as RB), Kessie (a bit soft for my liking) Gonalons, etc.

In house, Fosu-Mensah has potential and that position may be his window to break into the starting XI. LvG and United really missed the bus when we got Schnerderlin for £25m instead of Wanyama for £11m. Would be interesting if Spurs would sell Wanyama.
 
cheeky_backheel said:
Its actually a great idea. Pairing Pogba with a solid DM is the best way forward.

Chelsea won the league with a starting pairing of Cesc+Matic, while Ramires was brought in to make a midfield triumvirate when a more defensive approach was required. For United, Pogba will play the Cesc role (primary playmaker), and he is much better defensively, more athletic, physically gifted, has longer passing range and just an overall better rounded CM. Herrera will play the role of ramires. The only player currently missing is the DM/Matic and I expect that to arrive this summer.

The DM does not need to be anything close to what Carrick is on the ball as his primary role is defending and winning the ball back. This criterion rules out someone like Bakayoko and Weigl who would not be solid enough defensively to give Pogba the freedom he needs. Still he should be good enough on the ball to get the ball forward when Pogba is unavailable. Best candidate would be Matic but I doubt he would leave Chelsea this summer. Rumored alternatives include Fabinho (who is said prefers to play as RB), Kessie (a bit soft for my liking) Gonalons, etc.

In house, Fosu-Mensah has potential and that position may be his window to break into the starting XI. LvG and United really missed the bus when we got Schnerderlin for £25m instead of Wanyama for £11m. Would be interesting if Spurs would sell Wanyama.
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Using Herrera as a basic squad player would be a complete waste IMO and Pogba isn't good enough defensively to play in a 2 without it effecting the best parts of his game. I don't get why people want to force fit Pogba into a role that makes him do things he's not cut out for. We should use a 3 man midfield constantly to build up a consistentcy, no need to play a #10 or SS as that leaves us playing the satgnant 4-2-3-1..
 
Devil may care said:
Using Herrera as a basic squad player would be a complete waste IMO and Pogba isn't good enough defensively to play in a 2 without it effecting the best parts of his game. I don't get why people want to force fit Pogba into a role that makes him do things he's not cut out for. We should use a 3 man midfield constantly to build up a consistentcy, no need to play a #10 or SS as that leaves us playing the satgnant 4-2-3-1..
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It looks like there's every chance we may be paying a world record to sign exactly that type of player though in Griezmann!

Unless we play him up top, or wide, both of which surely won't maximise
 
The uncomfortable truth is that we brought 4 big signings in last summer, and will probably do exactly the same again.

You could argue one is needed in every position bar right back probably.
 
CB, CM & a forward. Centre back to replace the unreliable Jones, CM to replace the contributions of Fellaini/Carrick (reducing their game time) and a forward who can finish.

Something like Griezmann, Van Dijk & Fabinho would be fantastic.

Sell Rooney, Jones & Januzaj.
 
Sandikan said:
It looks like there's every chance we may be paying a world record to sign exactly that type of player though in Griezmann!

Unless we play him up top, or wide, both of which surely won't maximise
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I've always thought we'd give him the free role we give Mata, where he'd nominally srat on the right but drift wherever he wants.
 
Devil may care said:
I've always thought we'd give him the free role we give Mata, where he'd nominally srat on the right but drift wherever he wants.
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Probably will be something like that, but that for another year puts too much emphasis on Valencia to be the source of delivery from the right. When he hasn't really been an assist king since about 2011
 
Sandikan said:
Probably will be something like that, but that for another year puts too much emphasis on Valencia to be the source of delivery from the right. When he hasn't really been an assist king since about 2011
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If we played a 4-3-3 I'd like to see Herrera pull out wide right at times as he has a great cross on him.
 
A central midfielder who possesses defensive intelligence, as well as decent technical ability and is 6ft or taller, that we could use for a 3 man central midfield on occasion. And who could fit into a two man central midfield when Herrera or Pogba is unavailable.

A forward that can act as back-up to Rashford.

After that, I'd suggest it would just be change for changes sake. Sometimes you get an improvement, sometimes you make the situation worse.

What we really need is the likes of Pogba and Rashford to refine their finishing so the ball ends up in the net more often, Martial to rediscover his form of last season; that's what would make a significant difference to our end of season points total.
 
Devil may care said:
Using Herrera as a basic squad player would be a complete waste IMO and Pogba isn't good enough defensively to play in a 2 without it effecting the best parts of his game. I don't get why people want to force fit Pogba into a role that makes him do things he's not cut out for. We should use a 3 man midfield constantly to build up a consistentcy, no need to play a #10 or SS as that leaves us playing the satgnant 4-2-3-1..
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Its funny that you deem the most versatile formation stagnant. If Cesc with his mediocre defensive abilities can, I cant imagine under what logic you deem that Pogba is not good enough to do same.

A great midfielder does not just do only the things he is good at, but also works on those areas that do not come to him easily. Pogba is not being asked to play as a deep lying playmaker (who sits at the base of the midfield) but as a central playmaker who has free roam to be involved in play at both ends of the field. This is the role that best suits and maximizes his potential and contributions.

People like you are too quick to shoehorn players and are less appreciative of the long term benefits of having players adapt to more expansive roles. Bakayoko that is judged as one of the best young midfielders started out as a striker, Weigl was an attacking midfielder at 1860 but became a deep lying playmaker for dortmund and Fabinho was a RB that has converted to be one of the best young DMs in the world. There are many more examples of such in history. People need to stop limiting Pogba to the formation and role he had at Juventus.

Also one needs to consider the depth of the squad. The current squad is better suited to play 4-2-3-1 while a 4-3-3 would leave us with shortage of backup options in midfield and excess in attack.

Herrera will still get his playing time, in the occasional midfield trio and maybe even as starting as DM against weaker opposition but I will be shocked if the base formation next season includes Herrera in a 4-3-3. The main advantage of the 4-3-3 is that it helps compensate when you have DPLM who is less adept defensively or when you simply want to dominate possession - neither has suited Mourinho in the past. The absence of attacking creativity is just not worth it.

Pogba is not an AM and one of the key problems we have had this season is the absence of clear creativity in the final third (and not the failure to take the half chances that the statistics would suggest). Without a true AM, we have often failed to breakdown the opposition defence, relying more on the fast break and counter attack.

If you want to rely on the wingers for creativity, then you will need to add on both sides for balance (e.g. son + eriksen), which would risk both Rashford and Martial getting dropped to the bench or the attack is biased. But then, there is no need to overly complicate things, cos with the addition of the DM, CAM and CF the missing slots would have been field. All other additions will likely be for the backline.
 
When Mourinho first managed Chelsea he got in 2 quality players for each position, and thats what we need to look at. They dont have to be exact carbon copies as different games would suit one or the other and also give them rest periods. This is going to take a couple of windows of course, but its where we need to be if were going to compete at the very top again.
Mourinho is loathe to try the kids, although the money being invested in the youth and scouting, he is going to have to start looking otherwise whats the point wasting the time and money on it.
 
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