Wingers/Wide Forwards - Our best options?

I would have liked Draxler as well but hasn't he expressed a desire to play at number 10 a few times?

@Balu , @ManniKaltz
Yeah, he said that a few times, but I doubt that his next career move will depend on it. He gave an interview yesterday and it sounded a lot like he'll stay at Schalke for another season. Probably best for him.
 
I would have liked Draxler as well but hasn't he expressed a desire to play at number 10 a few times?

@Balu , @ManniKaltz
Agree with Balu but OTOH, in one interview (Kicker this spring, IIRC), I perceived him being really pissed about not being picked for his most wished for position.

BTW: Nice thread to share another pixel of the Reus' interview in Kicker today: He stated that he prefers to play centrally :devil: but plays on the left or right wing if the manager wants him to.


ETA: even if you were replacing "stubborn" in your earlier post by "smart" or "clever", a swap still won't pan out. :D
 
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We're more famished out wide than we are in any other position in my opinion.

Our wingers this season have contributed between them 17 goals and 16 assists in 135 appearances. That is beyond shameful for a club that prides itself on it's wingers and plays in such a way that relies on them.

It's even worse considering the stats are skewed by Mata's included statistics when he actually got 4 of those goals and 2 assists playing off the striker so if I adjust the stats accordingly to only include Mata playing from wide they read like this:

124 Apperances, 13 Goals, 14 Assists.

1 goal or assist contributed by a winger every 5 games.
Yeah, but our wingers would do better if they had better supply. Our midfield has got to be our number one priority. It's an unimaginative dross to look at.
 
I would love for us to go for Viktor Fischer. Think he would be great from the left for us. That's only if we get rid of Young and Nani though. Maybe Valencia too although I wouldn't mind him staying as back up.
 
Yeah, but our wingers would do better if they had better supply. Our midfield has got to be our number one priority. It's an unimaginative dross to look at.

I don't subscribe to that view whatsoever. Young and Valencia are supplied the ball constantly and constantly fail to do anything productive with it. The stats completely back up the fact that we don't have anybody to carry and create.
 
Isn't Draxler going to Bayern anyway? I thought that was pretty much confirmed? Bayern loan him to Schalke for 14/15 season and then joins Bayern in 15/16?
 
Isn't Draxler going to Bayern anyway? I thought that was pretty much confirmed? Bayern loan him to Schalke for 14/15 season and then joins Bayern in 15/16?
No, it was never comfirmed. Both Rummenigge and Sammer denied that it's true (of course that doesn't really mean a lot). But I'm slightly worried that it might actually be true.
 
I didn't mention Draxler because I thought he was already Bayern bound, if not then I'd say he's a decent option.

Is Memphis Depay in the Dutch squad for the World Cup?
 
It really does seem like we should sign Griezmann, especially with Kagawa`s struggles.

---------RVP/Rooney------------
Janujaz---Mata----Griezmann
--------------CM-------------
Shaw----Carrick-------Rafael
------Jones---Smalling------
-----------De Gea---------

Looks dangerous going forward, and we can replace Carrick next summer if we can't get 2 top CM's signed this summer.
 
It really does seem like we should sign Griezmann, especially with Kagawa`s struggles.

---------RVP/Rooney------------
Janujaz---Mata----Griezmann
--------------CM-------------
Shaw----Carrick-------Rafael
------Jones---Smalling------
-----------De Gea---------

Looks dangerous going forward, and we can replace Carrick next summer if we can't get 2 top CM's signed this summer.
Greizmann is more of a forward/winger. we need someone who has a high tempo to his game and can defend and attack in almost equal measure. if i had to pick one winger we have should sign this summer, it has to be Lucas from PSG.
 
I didn't mention Draxler because I thought he was already Bayern bound, if not then I'd say he's a decent option.

Is Memphis Depay in the Dutch squad for the World Cup?
He was in the training squad last week. Don't think the final squad has been named.
 
Greizmann is more of a forward/winger. we need someone who has a high tempo to his game and can defend and attack in almost equal measure. if i had to pick one winger we have should sign this summer, it has to be Lucas from PSG.

It depends on how Van Gaal wants to play, and where he sees Mata. Does he like him as a RW, playing a bit narrow or as a 10?

I like Lucas too. 21 years old and a brilliant runner on the ball who seems to have the enthusiasm needed to press constantly. The rest will come. I`d love to see us sign him as a right winger. He`d cost 10-15 more than Griezmann, though, presumably, and PSG don`t have to sell him, whereas if we tapped up Griezmann and offered Sociedad 25 million...
 
It really does seem like we should sign Griezmann, especially with Kagawa`s struggles.

---------RVP/Rooney------------
Janujaz---Mata----Griezmann
--------------CM-------------
Shaw----Carrick-------Rafael
------Jones---Smalling------
-----------De Gea---------

Looks dangerous going forward, and we can replace Carrick next summer if we can't get 2 top CM's signed this summer.

Ugh Carricks name just brings that team down. I bet LVG wont be a fan of Rafael
 
It depends on how Van Gaal wants to play, and where he sees Mata. Does he like him as a RW, playing a bit narrow or as a 10?

I like Lucas too. 21 years old and a brilliant runner on the ball who seems to have the enthusiasm needed to press constantly. The rest will come. I`d love to see us sign him as a right winger. He`d cost 10-15 more than Griezmann, though, presumably, and PSG don`t have to sell him, whereas if we tapped up Griezmann and offered Sociedad 25 million...
van gaal likes 4-3-3 as far as i know. but he also likes his wide men to be able to take their respective fullbacks. signing griezmann would be easier but Lucas has more in his locker in my opinion. and i think mata can only play as a 10. so i doubt he will be played anywhere else. either he will be left out or he will be played in the hole, nowhere else.
 
I'd be inclined to wait a year for Reus, assuming he'd even be realistic in 12 months time, and assuming no better options become available this summer. As has been said, we have quanitity, what we need is quality, so there's no point buying for the sake of buying. If that quality player isn't available, I'd prefer to be patient.
 
van gaal likes 4-3-3 as far as i know. but he also likes his wide men to be able to take their respective fullbacks. signing griezmann would be easier but Lucas has more in his locker in my opinion. and i think mata can only play as a 10. so i doubt he will be played anywhere else. either he will be left out or he will be played in the hole, nowhere else.

If we play good enough football, have at least one CM that can really get forward and control games, Mata can play as a RW. He does it for Spain when he played there.

Also, if we move to the Brazilian-Citeh style 4-4-2 that Pellegrini also played at Villareal, Mata can play on the right, though we`d need 2 new CM`s to play this way most likely. We saw how dangerous he is playing through balls in this scenario in the 2nd half against Southampton.

--RVP--Rooney- (Welbeck, Chicharito)
-Janujaz------Mata (Kagawa)
----CM-----CM (Fellaini, Carrick)
 
Reus would be my first choice, but looks like he is not going to be available this summer. My next choice would be Sanchez followed by Griezmann. Have a sneaky feeling the Gooners will end up with Sanchez.
 
He likes his players disciplined.

But he likes to improve his players, he is not gonna buy someone without trying to work with Rafael first.

For the winger i think that we should go for Griezmann he is fast, can score, can dribble, is versatile and he "only" costs 30m euros (he has a clause).
Pedro and Alexis Sanchez are good options too, if they really are on the market, they will be cheap, around 30m euros.
Lucas is ultimately dumb and will cost more than 40m £
 
We need a winger with pace and directness to compliment what our best attacking options already offer, by this I mean Kagawa, Mata, Januzaj.
 
I'll continue to beat the Juan Cuadrado drum. If Barca get him I won't be happy.
 
If we sort the other areas of the team, I'd be inclined to wait a year for Reus. If not, I'd gladly take Pedro, or a punt on Memphis Depay, although him and Januzaj may be too young as a pair.
 
If we play good enough football, have at least one CM that can really get forward and control games, Mata can play as a RW. He does it for Spain when he played there.

Also, if we move to the Brazilian-Citeh style 4-4-2 that Pellegrini also played at Villareal, Mata can play on the right, though we`d need 2 new CM`s to play this way most likely. We saw how dangerous he is playing through balls in this scenario in the 2nd half against Southampton.

--RVP--Rooney- (Welbeck, Chicharito)
-Janujaz------Mata (Kagawa)
----CM-----CM (Fellaini, Carrick)

cant agree with that. the best way to play would be to utilize our own strengths and tradition of playing world class wide men. in addition, we have to also play to our players strengths. mata is not a winger anymore, hes a no.10. sure he played there for valencia and even for chelsea sometimes, but he has all the attributes for a no.10 and thats where he should be played. he himself says so. so why play him as a winger?

Call me crazy if you like, but if i had it my way i would play this as the front 4 (if we signed Lucas or a world class winger)

Welbeck
Januzaj Mata Lucas

i feel we have to look to play a young and energetic lineup, players like rooney have underperformed in big games and van persie is past 30, we need to plan for the future and i think welbeck is good enough to lead the line on a regular basis. there could be enough pace trickery and fluidity in that front four. with van persie and rooney we have become static and predictable.

sorry to stray off topic there...to get back to the topic at hand, mata should not be played as a winger and we should sign atleast one world class, hard working winger like Lucas.
 
I'll continue to beat the Juan Cuadrado drum. If Barca get him I won't be happy.
a good player but very valencia like in his approach. would be world class if he learnt how to defend better and became a right back.
 
He likes his players disciplined.
he likes players who can play football. Rafa is the best RB we have got and based on ability, easily one of the top 5 full backs in the league. I dont see a reason we have to doubt his abilities. His injury record is something of a concern, not anything else.
 
He was in the training squad last week. Don't think the final squad has been named.

It will be interesting to see if he makes the cut, I've only seen him on youtube so I couldn't really rate him but he looks to have speed and some flair.
 
he likes players who can play football. Rafa is the best RB we have got and based on ability, easily one of the top 5 full backs in the league. I dont see a reason we have to doubt his abilities. His injury record is something of a concern, not anything else.

By disciplined I mean playing his position right and not flying into tackles AND his actual disciplinary history. Van Gaal will favour compliance over ability (Rivaldo)
 
By disciplined I mean playing his position right and not flying into tackles AND his actual disciplinary history. Van Gaal will favour compliance over ability (Rivaldo)
the rivaldo example makes no sense here.. rivaldo didnt want to play on the wing and van gaal wanted to play him there. Rafa would play anywhere as long as u let him play. van gaal likes his players putting in everything, and rafa puts in everything. i highly doubt van gaal will have a problem with him. its not like rafa is our most carded player is he??? its vidic and then valencia..so what is everyone talking about when they say hes reckless?
 
By disciplined I mean playing his position right and not flying into tackles AND his actual disciplinary history. Van Gaal will favour compliance over ability (Rivaldo)
Rafael doesn't play for himself he plays for the team. He gets us on the front foot and drives us forward. You're making him out to be far more impetuous than he actually is. I bet LvG will love him.
 
a good player but very valencia like in his approach. would be world class if he learnt how to defend better and became a right back.

He's quicker and has a fair bit of skill and is very good at going past players. He has a hammer of a right foot at scored 14 goals in all competitions this season. He'd do very well on the wing here.
 
Your best option would be to forget about wingers and copy City by playing 4222. Buy a big ugly CM to play alongside Carrick (or two if you don't think he'll come back) and play Mata and Kagawa behind Rooney and RvP. Get width from Shaw and Rafael.
 
Your best option would be to forget about wingers and copy City by playing 4222. Buy a big ugly CM to play alongside Carrick (or two if you don't think he'll come back) and play Mata and Kagawa behind Rooney and RvP. Get width from Shaw and Rafael.
we dont copy and we dont need to.
 
He's quicker and has a fair bit of skill and is very good at going past players. He has a hammer of a right foot at scored 14 goals in all competitions this season. He'd do very well on the wing here.
i dont think hes quicker but definitely quicker on the ball and has better feet. but i still think he would be a better RB than a midfielder. one on one he is difficult to beat..just like valencia.
 
we dont copy and we dont need to.
Have it your way then. Buy another crap winger to add to your collection/continue to waste Mata and Kagawa/and fail to find a way to get the best out of RvP and Rooney. Fight it out with Spurs for 6/7th.
 
Young and Nani will hopefully both go next summer. The first is just bang average and the second clearly needs a new environment and get some confidence back as he barely had a kick for 18 months now. I'd keep Valencia and play him as a right wing back to cover for Rafael otherwise I wouldn't mind seeing the back of him.
 
The truth of the matter is that most wide players these days are more comfortable cutting inside and playing a bit more centrally while width usually is provided by fullbacks. So I wouldn't mind adding another false/inverse winger to our setup. Mainly someone who is a smart player that can score as well as assist, so Reus would be perfect but we will have to wait another year at least before we really have a shot of getting him.
 
Have it your way then. Buy another crap winger to add to your collection/continue to waste Mata and Kagawa/and fail to find a way to get the best out of RvP and Rooney. Fight it out with Spurs for 6/7th.
that doesnt make any sense. we dont have to play mata kagawa rooney and rvp in the same team. they are all good players but different circumstances require different players. mata and kagwa on the wing are a liability. you cant copy city or any other team and try to play like them with players who are nothing like their players. if you knew anything about football, you would know that.