This is why Woodward's briefing before the leicesLei match didn't mean anything to me. If you don't like the managers preferred targets that's fine, but you still need to find a suitable addition to improve an obvious glaring weakness in the side.
Why didn't we sign a right-winger?
- Thread starter altodevil
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This is why Woodward's briefing before the leicesLei match didn't mean anything to me. If you don't like the managers preferred targets that's fine, but you still need to find a suitable addition to improve an obvious glaring weakness in the side.
Because that idiot Woodward is more concerned with a players marketability than their playing ability.
He clearly wouldn't want Mata to be replaced by some effective non entity. It was Bale or bust in his eyes I think.
I'm sure Ribalta and Mourinho would have suggested other up and coming talent but Woodward wouldn't get rid of Nice guy Mata without a big name replacement.
This is why we are in a mess. We either build for the long term or we don't. Just coz Perisic has a face only his mother could love shouldn't stop us buying him.
Woodward's priorities are all wrong and we will continue to be played by big names that give him a massive wide-on rather than the best talent available.
He clearly wouldn't want Mata to be replaced by some effective non entity. It was Bale or bust in his eyes I think.
I'm sure Ribalta and Mourinho would have suggested other up and coming talent but Woodward wouldn't get rid of Nice guy Mata without a big name replacement.
This is why we are in a mess. We either build for the long term or we don't. Just coz Perisic has a face only his mother could love shouldn't stop us buying him.
Woodward's priorities are all wrong and we will continue to be played by big names that give him a massive wide-on rather than the best talent available.
I don't even think Perisic is that bad looking!
This is what I don't get. Is our scouting system not able to find any potential options for the right wing or is Jose just ignoring any of their suggestions. It's not like we absolutely had to sign a world class player there. There are plenty of options out there who would at least be an upgrade and provide us with a player who could actually provide reliable service from the right hand side. As much as I like Lingard, the biggest thing lacking in his game is the ability to pick out a final ball or cross. He is a decent option out right, but I think it is clear that he is better when played in the middle and allowed to roam.
A striker like Lukaku would absolutely thrive if we could regularly get the ball to the end line and float balls up for him to attack. As it stands, we don't have a single option on the right who can take players on off the dribble. Martial and Rashford should ideally be able to at least be options there, but they have looked uninspiring at best when played there. Partly I think their struggles both there and on the left are evidence of systemic issues with our attack. When you have Sanchez, Rashford, and Martial all under performing in a position, it can't be just down to individual talent or loss of form. We rarely get any of our wingers isolated against their defenders. Part of the reason our options struggle so much on the left is because we have basically no threat on the opposite side apart from the odd game where Valencia remembers how to cross a ball.
If Jose wanted Malcom then Woodward would have got him. However Jose is so stuck with his tactical agenda - the only 2 players that would have put a smile on his face were willian & perisic.
His style of football is dead & is not beneficial to a club - if it is; only on very short term basis & looking at the current oppositions - none of the guys Jose would buy would make us win the league since we would be playing like a better Stoke.
His style of football is dead & is not beneficial to a club - if it is; only on very short term basis & looking at the current oppositions - none of the guys Jose would buy would make us win the league since we would be playing like a better Stoke.
I think Lingard will play there. Not ideal still.
We should have just paid the extra 4-5m a year ago for Perisic and we'd look pretty good with good balance and who knows maybe the outlook would have been better and Jose would have been backed this summer to buy a central defender and maybe even a left-back.
I have been asking this for the past three years. Where is the right winger we need? I cannot understand. But I guess I cant be better at judging what the team needs than Mou & Co. 
Jose said in January we wouldn't be signing an attacker. How is that Woodward's fault?
Jose also said Young will be able to play 50 games and Shaw was told he'd have a chance to battle for a spot, so we clearly were not after a second FB either despite what any papers said.
Jose also said Young will be able to play 50 games and Shaw was told he'd have a chance to battle for a spot, so we clearly were not after a second FB either despite what any papers said.
He’d of spoke to Woodward by then about this seasons budget.
We signed a full back - Dalot - at Ribaltas reccomendation. It was him who also recommended Fred.
If Mourinho had wanted Mahrez, Pulisic or Malcom he'd have gotten them.
It's just people wanting to put the blame on woody. The right winger Mourinho wanted was Willian who was unattainable
Do you actually believe that. I don't remember Lukaku being known for his marketability, Matic,Fred who cost less than what Barca paid for Malcolm. The right winger that Mourinho really wanted was willian and its obvious to everyone Chelsea were not willing to sell. Then there is the assumption that had Mourinho bought Perisic he would play him in the right wing. I would say the assumption is the same as when everyone assumed Alexis would play there. Mahrez, Malcolm, Bailey anyone of these guys would have been a significant upgrade on our right wing. If our right wing options were Bale, Willian and Perisic it's was obvious we wouldn't sign any of them. Funny thing is Bale was the one who looked like he would be available up until Zidane quit Madrid.
Not sure if it was Mourinho's reasoning but I think that was more important than signing a left back, especially with the possibility of Shaw having more opportunities. I know people don't like short-termism but Willian would have helped loads.
Is this based on anything? Has there been any quotes from Woodward to suggest he thinks this way?
The likes of Bailly, Mkhitaryan, Matic etc. were not very marketable players, certainly not on the level of Pogba anyway and he seemed to have no problems signing those players.
It's this weird narrative people are running with in order to bash Woodward. Every single signing we have made was made at our manager's behest. We've seen how Jose carries on when he is forced to work with signings that he did not agree to.
Yeah for the most part Woodward and the club have signed the players Mourinho has wanted. Ibra, Mkhitaryan, Pogba, Bailly, Lindelof, Matic, Lukaku, Sanchez, Fred and Dalot. Thats a lot of players in a short period for a lot of money. This summer they did fail to sign another defender for him but there were some mitigating circumstances, the World Cup and a much shorter transfer window than usual.
We were not really strongly linked with wingers this summer, not to the extent we were centrebacks anyway. I genuinely think we didn't go for a right winger because Mourinho doesn't think we need one. Same with Left back we were never seriously linked with anyone there after the Sandro rumour fizzled out early in the window.
Mahrez, who sits on the City bench, scored two for them today. Even if you wanted to argue we had a decent right-winger in the squad already, it's clear you need depth to compete at the top. Still can't believe we didn't bring someone in.
It's tragic we're still wheeling out Mata and relying on Valencia to provide something on that side of the pitch.
Who is this decent right winger? Only right winger I can think of is Chong.
We don't even need a right winger when we don't have one - why don't we play with 2 strikers upfront & let's the wing backs give us the width.
It's a very good question considering we have no right wingers.
What sort of width is Valencia going to provide though? The sooner Dalot is replacing him every week the better.
We have no wingers at all, not only right ones.
Been here asking for a right winger for a pretty long time . Can somebody give me a reason why we haven't gotten one?
. Can somebody give me a reason why we haven't gotten one?The same width we always have on the right.
There is absolutely no point in Luke Shaw & Alexis Sanchez doing the exact same thing on the same spot ie LM/LW channel. Why not just use one?
What do we have on the right? Absolutely nothing so why not just use Valencia further more upright than use 2 players that end up doing nothing on the right such as Lingard & Valencia?
Simple answer - Jose's incapability to adapt his tactics. Same target men, same crosses from multiple angles. Think we can do better with our most technical players playing in technically central positions.
Mourinho only seems to be interested in Perisic and Willian. Woodward only seems to have a hard on for Bale.
All good players, but surely there is more out there? In the past we would have taken a punt on someone that may have (Ronaldo) or may not have (Obertan) worked out. It's early days, but we've taken a punt on Dalot, so surely that shows the club are still willing to make that kind of transfer.
Also, perhaps if we'd moved quick enough we could have gotten one of B. Silva or Mahrez? If anything they show you can find some quality wide players out there, beyond what we have been linked with.
All good players, but surely there is more out there? In the past we would have taken a punt on someone that may have (Ronaldo) or may not have (Obertan) worked out. It's early days, but we've taken a punt on Dalot, so surely that shows the club are still willing to make that kind of transfer.
Also, perhaps if we'd moved quick enough we could have gotten one of B. Silva or Mahrez? If anything they show you can find some quality wide players out there, beyond what we have been linked with.
Mahrez was on the market for years, nothing to do with speed of getting his signature. Jose clearly didn't fancy him.
Cos Sanchez
Malcom/Mahrez were available
True, left side is not much better.
On the left we have Sanchez, Martial and Rashford. These are decent players, regardless of what you or some people on this forum think.
On the right, however, we have Mata and Lingard. They are "okay" but nothing special.
To win the league, a team needs to have good-excellent players in attacking positions, not just "okay" players.
Sanchez on the left has been no better than whoever’s been out on the right since he’s joined. Martial and Rashford are good young players with potential that may or may not elevate them to the top level, but it’s unlikely that their potential will ever be fulfilled on the left.
We have major problems right across our front line.
We just weren't in for one, no links, nothing. Jose said towards the end of last season we were happy with our forwards.
We actually don't have any "wingers" whatsoever. We have Alexis, who is an inside forward, Martial & Rashford, who are strikers playing as inside forwards, Lingard who is a jack of all trades master of none type, and Mata, who is a #10. I'd honestly try Dalot at right wing, at least he can cross.
The 2 players we use there the most, Lingard & Mata, are both better at #10. I may be wrong on this, but have we ever used Mata in his strongest position? Feels like we have always used him on the right, where he is nowhere near as effective.
We actually don't have any "wingers" whatsoever. We have Alexis, who is an inside forward, Martial & Rashford, who are strikers playing as inside forwards, Lingard who is a jack of all trades master of none type, and Mata, who is a #10. I'd honestly try Dalot at right wing, at least he can cross.
The 2 players we use there the most, Lingard & Mata, are both better at #10. I may be wrong on this, but have we ever used Mata in his strongest position? Feels like we have always used him on the right, where he is nowhere near as effective.
Woodward
Because Mourinho is a past it fraud who'd rather waste £25m per year on Sanchez.
The blue print for the wide forwards in a front 3 has been pretty obvious for about 8 years now in top teams.
Real: Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale
Barca: Neymar/Dembele, Suarez, Messi
Bayern: Ribery, Lewandoski, Robben
Add to that now:
City: Sane, Aguero, Sterling
Liverpool: Sane, Firmino, Salah
Essentially every single one of those wide forwards are good at dribbling at defences, make good runs, and can finish. I'd say their biggest attributes are that if you give them the ball in the final third, they'll look to take on the full back or CB and get a shot in or cross it to the striker. And all of them supported by a CF that is very good with the ball at their feet and playing one-twos with the wide attackers.
Which baffles me why we still have the wide options we do, none of them can consistently beat a man. Lingard, Sanchez and Mata don't even try; Rashford just kicks it and runs after it, half the time out of play; Martial tries and succeeds occasionally but very hit and miss. Most of them rarely ever make forward runs. It's pretty funny because today when Sanchez and Lingard get they ball, they're in front of the defenders and they look up to try to find a pass, when they should be the ones making the runs to get the ball passed too, they should be the ones trying to get at the opposition full backs.
I genuinely think if we binned all our wide attacking options, signed Costa and Adama Traore from Wolves, and told them every time we get the ball, make forward runs and Pogba will pick you out we'd look a lot better. We'd stretch the play, let our midfielders get forward, and have wide players that actually try to dribble at defenders. Instead it seems like we've been perpetually stuck with wide players whose only skill is to come short to get the ball, then pass it sideways to the CM or the full back.
It seems to me obvious what the solution is, but apparently it's not to everyone actually involved with the club. So we'll persist with another season of boring, uninspired football. Must say it's a huge culture shock to go from SAF, whose teams were built on having good and great wide players, to Van Gaal and Mourinho, who seem to play everyone but actual wide players in wide positions.
Sanchez best position is as right winger
- Monsieur Wenger
Now play him there.
- Monsieur Wenger
Now play him there.
We wouldn't need a right winger if our front office had been smart and loaned Zaha instead of selling him. Just another head-scratching move.
Because the club is reactionary. There is no long or even short term plan in our signings. It's as if we pick them out of a hat. There was no need for Sanchez, but fine - with him being world class at the time and able to play on the right, it's understandable.
For some reason, however, Mourinho refuses to play him there. Again, fine - if you feel like he's better on the left, then ok, but by no means should this mean that we neglect signing a player in by far our weakest position. Lingard, Martial, Rashford - if they're good enough - would've fought for their positions.
For some reason, however, Mourinho refuses to play him there. Again, fine - if you feel like he's better on the left, then ok, but by no means should this mean that we neglect signing a player in by far our weakest position. Lingard, Martial, Rashford - if they're good enough - would've fought for their positions.
There was no viable target, perhaps aside from Riyad Mahrez, who Jose seemingly never wanted, and had likely agreed to go to City since January anyway.
Last thing I want is us buying some 6.5 out of 10 who is 23 years old and is the reason we don’t sign the 9 out of 10 we need next summer.
I’m convinced we would have gone for Gareth Bale if we could have, but after him, I didn’t see too many Manchester United right wingers on the market in the summer. Whoever we bought would have been criticised on here no end for not being good enough (and defended by many, simply because he now plays for us and is new, to be fair).
Everyone discussed this all summer, and from my recollection, beyond Mahrez, the caf struggled to put forward any realistic candidates themselves, despite insisting they wanted us to ‘buy a RW’. We had no overwhelming favourites. Nothing out there.
Sanchez was the right move in January, and him being shite has really, really cost us. It was an amazing coup and should have transformed our attack.
Last thing I want is us buying some 6.5 out of 10 who is 23 years old and is the reason we don’t sign the 9 out of 10 we need next summer.
I’m convinced we would have gone for Gareth Bale if we could have, but after him, I didn’t see too many Manchester United right wingers on the market in the summer. Whoever we bought would have been criticised on here no end for not being good enough (and defended by many, simply because he now plays for us and is new, to be fair).
Everyone discussed this all summer, and from my recollection, beyond Mahrez, the caf struggled to put forward any realistic candidates themselves, despite insisting they wanted us to ‘buy a RW’. We had no overwhelming favourites. Nothing out there.
Sanchez was the right move in January, and him being shite has really, really cost us. It was an amazing coup and should have transformed our attack.