I comment wasn't directly at you but we both know that knowing United and LvG. The kid will probably play 7 positions in the next 5 games. I just think its healthy when a player is assured that x is his bread and butter rather than "hey, do you feel like playing here today?". For all the muppetry going on about who we want to buy, our club is riddled with the shoehorning players, like a band, Wazza and the shoehorners.
TFM is in his development stages though so you don't even agree with your own point. It is hardly shoehorning when he has played FB for our youth teams, for the Dutch youth teams and now for our first team. He is well capable of playing at FB and footballers can play more than one position. Lahm's own teammate in Alaba plays at LB, CB, and CM. Which one is his best? Should he not be allowed to play the other positions? Of course he can because he is a fantastic footballer who can play multiple positions at a top level.I am not writing him off at all but I doubt shoehorning a player about or doing a "Rooney" as I call it so often does wonders for a player ability to master a role except in the development stages of a player. Moving a player about is usually an emergency call or they have actually nailed their natural roles at CB and bring their experience in to the secondary role of FB but it doesn't seem to be the case at United. At one point, one could not tell if Jones was a RB or CB or DM. Even Lahm had to be a master at one before exploring other roles. I've seen people say that TFM, is our future RB, some at LB meanwhile we brought him in as central player where I believe his maximum potential lies.
I'm not saying that I know what the coaching staff, it's just a concern that he might end up being a jack of all trades. In the last 10 years or so, Rio and Vidic are the only CBs that haven't been moved about bar one game with Rio at DM
Who decides what this natural position is though? There is no such thing as a natural position and it is a load of bollocks. Players can either play a position or not and several players can play in multiple positions.I comment wasn't directly at you but we both know that knowing United and LvG. The kid will probably play 7 positions in the next 5 games. I just think its healthy when a player is assured that x is his bread and butter rather than "hey, do you feel like playing here today?". For all the muppetry going on about who we want to buy, our club is riddled with the shoehorning players, like a band, Wazza and the shoehorners.
Apart from Smalling, DDG and Schneiderlin every player has played every where with little succes on a whole IMO. I think in the last game, only 4 playes including the GK played in their natural positions. It's like a plague. Some players have overstayed their usefulness but still remain here because "they can play more than one position". Nothing to do with ability but how they can play other roles, averagely. Until we get rid of this mentality, will not affect the way we sell and buy players? For example, how do you buy a RB when one can say "no need, Valencia, Darmian, Varela, TFM, Smalling, Jones, Young, McNair, Januzaj, Riley and Lingard can all play there". The same goes for everywhere else on the pitch!
For me, only Darmian, Varela and Riley should be fighting for the RB position. And If they are not good enough, we know who to move and make a quick replacement.
Same with the situation up front. It's a good thing that Martial and to a lesser degree Rashford have been in scintillating form this season. To be pedantic, LvG stated that he brought Martial as a #9, and Martial himself wanted to play as a #9. But, in other to shoehorn Rooney into the team, we have moved the kid to LW, and fair play he has done well but is it not possible that he could have done more damage at #9? Same thing last season, that we moved Mata out wide to accommodate Rooney in the #10 position, when Mata could have done more damage there.
Assuming Rooney will start either as No.10 in a 4231 or midfielder in a 433, I think signing just 1 CM would be enough this summer.
I don't think Schneiderlin has done anything to merit being a starter personally, and him, Kroos and Rooney is a disaster waiting to happen IMO, no athleticism or guts in that trio.
Kouilbaly is a big unit, about 6'5 I think, certainly taller and more powerful than Marquinhos.
Sane is stronger than Ounas but I'd say the latter is a better dribbler and has superb close control. I hope we avoid Mane like the plague, mediocre and a mercenary attitude.
This is the tricky one because if Rooney is going to be stinking up the joint next season then I don't see any point in bringing Ibra in, we'd be like molasses through the middle.
How does Schneiderlin keep making the cut in these dream line-ups?
Could be similar to Schneiderlin in that he excels with mobility and size but he might not be quite good enough on the ball. I doubt he's as clumsy, prone to hiding and lacking in creativity as Schneiderlin (that sounds like I hate the Frenchman but I don't, just think he's been surprisingly limited on the ball. Hopefully Van Gaal and his weird beliefs leaving fixes it partly) but he still doesn't necessarily fit the mold of a guy who will do better on a bigger team.
Matic, Schneiderlin and Rooney in the same midfield? Half the PL will completely overrun that slow midfield.
Fabregas, Oscar and Matic is the midfield that won for Chelsea and that's no quicker. Rooney is the elephant in the room, Schniderlin and Matic would be a solid defensive pair
They, at least, were better technicians on the ball. A midfield doesn't necessarily need to be fast but to construct one so slow and with 2/3 of it being average to poor on the ball is not a very good idea.
Remeber this is a Mourinho midfield, he's a defensive manager that I think would love that midfield pairing, it's not a lot different from the wanyama- Schniederlin midfield that made Morgan the best cm in the league last season. There's no reason why he couldn't rediscover that form if paired with a more defensive midfielder. We would also have other options in Herrera, schweinsteiger and possibly Carrick to change things up but this looks very much like a Mourinho big match midfield to me. The goals and creativity would come from the front 3 and fullbacks and they all have bags of pace that would stretch the game.
He is obviously better than what Louie Van Frankenstein is turning him to be.How does Schneiderlin keep making the cut in these dream line-ups?
Kroos tick
European cup winner Kroos will laugh us off, Mahrez has CL and has offers from currently more successful clubs with just as much money as us with CL I'll bet, Mane (a less attractive player for the absolute top clubs right now) might have a big think and begrudgingly choose us for a bit of cash and we'll have acquired a 'handy player'... noone wants Stones anymore so there is that.
Think your being a bit harsh all those players would jump through hoops to be here perhaps with exception of Kroos.
Wanyama, Mane and Zlatan in. Would be paradise.
I think he'd be a great signing, would really toughen us up and free up Schneiderlin to play a bit more of a dynamic role, the role that he is more accustomed to. However, I think I would generally want to play Blind at centre back behind that midfield partnership, as we would need that ball playing ability to play through the lines and remove any creative burden from the midfield two (obviously you would probably want to drop Blind against a powerful forward, Carroll, Benteke etc).
Why would Saul ever leave Atleti for us though?
We should splash in midfield imo, don't think signing a striker is the issue. We should sign Ibra for 1+1 years, go for class players is midfield and leave the striker position for next season
I like that team. Mainly because it's quality and realistic.
