Are you suggesting Michael Carrick wasn’t Manchester United level?
Yves Bissouma / Signs for Spurs
- Thread starter AgentSmith
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With only 2 years left on his contract he'd be a great option for next summer if he's unattainable this window.
Really surprised nobody has come in for him he’s been decent for a while now
Good player who will probably take a step up (no disrespect to Brighton I think they’re a brilliant club) next summer.
Good player who will probably take a step up (no disrespect to Brighton I think they’re a brilliant club) next summer.
The criticism Pogba's defensive game gets now is laughable. You'd think he was Messi off the ball, and not a player who consistently has solid defensive stats.
I love Pogba but lets not pretend he isn't playing in his best position because McT are both world class players
And to be honest I'm in agreement he should play there if he has the right partner
but we can't put ALL the blame on the lack of a perfect partner for Paul, he's been inconsistent in the CM role for us for years
It's only natural our fans want to see our club compete with the best in Europe and we haven't come close to doing that for almost a decade. We've finished 2nd in the league on a few occassions with numerous different players but that shouldn't be seen as some sort of achievement especially when we didn't come close to winning the league.
And what, Yves Bissouma is changing that?
Equally, let's not pretend he's completely incompetent at defending, which seems for be a common theme now (now saying that's specifically you). His best position is to the left of a three. He's playing a sort of hybrid of that now for us and played in a more traditional CM role for France in the Euros, performing very well. Again, I believe he contested the ball both in the air and on the ground more than his midfield counterpart, Kante. He puts a shift in when needed.
Well he plugs in to charge overnight
I don’t think he’s much of an upgrade, if at all on what we already have
Skill and intelligence married to that awareness of what the team needs and when it needs it - it’s crazy to think of all the attributes the top midfielders bring to the table in terms of dictating the midfield as a whole - I used eclectic because specialists have limitations that usually mean they them have to be compensated for by another member of the team - we really need that one guy who starts no matter what or whom he has to partner with in terms of personnel or system played - I feel we can’t do with another midfielder who has to be played in tandem with another to be optimised as we see with ‘McFred’ who are clearly better as a sum of parts than individuals with nobody covering for their flaws.
I don’t know how much value Ole places on that midfielder, but if he were to take a lesson from Fergie, it’s that that player is the staple of the whole team and Fergie always made sure the role was cemented from his beginnings at the club until he retired. I believe Pep has done the exact same throughout his career to date, too. It’s the defining factor for most teams who go on to win leagues and CL’s, and I don’t think either is achievable for us without that player.
I’m almost completely out of the loop with up and coming players now, so I do look forward to your posts as they serve as great heads ups on who to at least keep an eye on. I’ve coveted that special midfielder probably as much as Sancho, and I really hope we’re not going to go into the new season neglecting the position as over a campaign it’ll be undoing of us, I believe.
Indeed. Vital.
Bissouma on his own wouldn't, but it would be a step in the right direction with one more midfielder still needed to play alongside him.
We definitely ain't going anywhere with McFred playing in tandem. The attack and back line will carry us.
Good post, completely agree.
keeping a close eye on Bissouma again this year.
Not controlling or dictating midfield also forces other areas of the pitch to do less than optimal work and draw energy that should be reserved for their own specific tasks. If our attackers have to drop 15 yards constantly, that’s 15 yards they have to constantly make up to join the attack. That’s Ok for the odd big game, or even run of them, but over a season, that sub-optimal midfield will drain those who have to make up for it time and again.
A functional midfield sharpens the attack and enables the defence to play how they want to rather than how they must. We’ve been behind the pace in this area for almost a decade now, which is nuts.
Much rather him than Rice anyway.
I agree, We need that all action midfield general. Someone like Keano, Robbo, or even Ince.
See, I agree with the crux of this. I completely agree that the midfield needs to be improved upon. I just don’t agree with the idea that Bissouma is one of those players who markedly improves what we have.
Absolutely. There's a small section of United fans who passionately overrated the pair of them but we desperately need to upgrade.
You could be right and that's a plausible opinion to hold, but let's not demean him for the team he plays for.
For the first time on the cafe someone finally speaks my mind.
Pogba could only have worked with other two midfielders who are more defensively aware than him, fortunately Bruno has take that role.
If we could Bissouma this summer and then get someone like Dejong or Tielemans next summer, then we would have a settled midfield when Pogba inevitably leaves.
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We're definitely on the same page mate.
And more. Even our own Harry wasn't good enough well until he got injured and everything fell apart.
I've been saying this for a while now this kid is going places.
Watching him yesterday, he looks more like a box to box midfielder rather than a holding DM.
Definitely does looks a real good player though.
Definitely does looks a real good player though.
He can do both. Yesterday he played more box to box
He had an amazing game yesterday, he's developing really nicely at Brighton.
However, that said, I don't really see him as the kind of CM/DM that we need. He's a bit McTominay-like. He's very good defensively, has very good control of the ball and he can surge and dribble into the opponent's half. But his passing normally is quite timid.
Stats aren't the be-all and end-all of course, but here's a glimpse of how he looks against our current CM pairing for those wondering.
In a more dominating team his possession stats would increase of course, he would have more progressive passes and touches at the attacking penalty etc. He's showing glimpses that he can improve on last year's stats too. But I don't think his passing stats would increase to point of reaching Fred anytime soon. Nevermind the kind of DM I feel that we need in Fabinho or Jorginho (didn't fit).
Personally I maintain that we need a playmaker in midfield first and foremost. One that is also positionally aware and shields the defence through good positioning. Rather than some who is good defensively but limited with his passing.
However, that said, I don't really see him as the kind of CM/DM that we need. He's a bit McTominay-like. He's very good defensively, has very good control of the ball and he can surge and dribble into the opponent's half. But his passing normally is quite timid.
Stats aren't the be-all and end-all of course, but here's a glimpse of how he looks against our current CM pairing for those wondering.
In a more dominating team his possession stats would increase of course, he would have more progressive passes and touches at the attacking penalty etc. He's showing glimpses that he can improve on last year's stats too. But I don't think his passing stats would increase to point of reaching Fred anytime soon. Nevermind the kind of DM I feel that we need in Fabinho or Jorginho (didn't fit).
Personally I maintain that we need a playmaker in midfield first and foremost. One that is also positionally aware and shields the defence through good positioning. Rather than some who is good defensively but limited with his passing.
There's so many aspects to these deals that even these days we don't know about, United are in a position where we are going to lose him for free so the business side has to attempt to keep him even if it's a contract with a buyout clause in it. Obviously only time will tell but the fact is even if you are right about him in the midfield 2, it won't work this season as we haven't bought a holder so I imagine we'll be stuck with a lot more of McFred.
Just curious who you think is? Not aiming this at you specifically but I think if he was English and white he'd be valued for stupid money, but he plays for a very unfashionable team and is an import. I watched a lot of Brighton last year when all games were televised because there wasn't much else to do under covid and they frankly play some of the most entertaining football in the PL, I genuinely feel he's being underrated like he'd be another Schneiderlin.
Yes. It's the ONLY reason. It happened at City 2 seasons ago. It happened again last year as Pool lost their entire senior center defence. People just prefer to pretend our center midfielders are shit rather than admitting to the obvious truth.
I don't care. I'm just certain Pogba has NEVER been one of them
No. You won't admit to it even if it happens. You are in the bracket of those who have believed all the myths about Pogba. Both at Juve and for France. So nothing will revise your view.
As for average. Declan Rice is the text book definition of average. Bissouma is very close to an Ndidi in actually quality. The big club that bags him will be getting another Wijnauldum.
He had an amazing game yesterday, he's developing really nicely at Brighton.
However, that said, I don't really see him as the kind of CM/DM that we need. He's a bit McTominay-like. He's very good defensively, has very good control of the ball and he can surge and dribble into the opponent's half. But his passing normally is quite timid.
Stats aren't the be-all and end-all of course, but here's a glimpse of how he looks against our current CM pairing for those wondering.
In a more dominating team his possession stats would increase of course, he would have more progressive passes and touches at the attacking penalty etc. He's showing glimpses that he can improve on last year's stats too. But I don't think his passing stats would increase to point of reaching Fred anytime soon. Nevermind the kind of DM I feel that we need in Fabinho or Jorginho (didn't fit).
Personally I maintain that we need a playmaker in midfield first and foremost. One that is also positionally aware and shields the defence through good positioning. Rather than some who is good defensively but limited with his passing.
I think it all depends on how we want to play.
If the reports are true that Ole wants the team to play higher up the pitch and switch to a 4-3-3 with two attacking 8s (two of Pogba/Bruno/VdB/Lingard) then we probably need a destroyer type to prevent counter attacks against the high defensive line.
If we're sticking with the 4-2-3-1, and say Pogba isn't signing a new deal, and Bruno carries on being the main focal point of creativity in that 10 role, then yeah I agree with need that extra playmaking ability in the double pivot e.g. Neves.
Perhaps the answer is to get both for that flexibility? One this summer, one next?
Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. That’s why we have scouts, I suppose. I just want a central midfielder who can pass pretty well in addition to being mobile and making interceptions/winning duels. We have two main central midfielders whose best assets are the grittier part of the game, off the ball.
You're one of the deluded ones substituting myths for facts to believe in fiction, but like I say lets bet on it?
Bissouma's best qualities are the ones McTominay and Fred are already quite good at. Energy and pressing game isn't what lets those two down. Bissouma's interception numbers are very good but Fred's aren't bad either.
I don't hate the idea of Bissouma either but sometimes the seemingly ideal player from a midtable side doesn't work out as expected - see Schneiderlin.
We need two midfielders in all honesty, but I don't think we're going to see the best of our midfield until we sign a player to control the tempo and dictate play. Our biggest problem is still unlocking teams who hunker down. If we find the player who enables us to do that, we can get by with Fred.
Mctomminay would not be the best player at Brighton. Lay down the pipe.
That's pretty much Bissouma mate, his use of the ball is good and he's positionally adept.
Nice, no coming back from that one.
This is the type of player we dont buy now for 30m and then scramble to pay 70m for down the line. Its also crazy to me that Arsenal went to Brighton with 50m in a briefcase and didnt leave with him.
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