Is not signing a left back going to cost us the league?

[BringNaniBack]

Today's game against Stoke was just another reminder we are severely lacking in the left back position. Darmian is ok defensively the majority of the time but is woeful going forward. We have so much space on the left side for an attacking full back to exploit but the likes of Darmian and to a lesser extend Blind aren't capable of doing it. Blind does a decent job there and I would stick with him for now but we really have missed a trick not signing a better left back.

Let's hope Shaw can get back to full fitness but if not I would actually like to see Young given a run of games there. Pretty sure he would do a better job there than what we have seen from the others so far.

 

[Art]

It will.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Or a right back.

 

[Kapardin]

I always maintained we were good for third, not for the title. Man City and Chelsea are more balanced than us. We also lack a good crosser and our wing-play is definitely going to cost us some potential goals.

A very good season would be us closely challenging for the title and finishing third. A bad season would be us finishing third being far away from the 1st and 2nd. A terrible season would be finishing below Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs.

 

[AshRK]

It's not just the left back, our crossing in general is horrendous. Herrera valencia darmian rashford all were piss poor.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Shaw will get his games ( i hope) and if he doesn't perform we will buy left back in january. But valencia is in decline also....

 

[SwSw]

Today's game highlighted why we should have went all in for Perisic. We have no one on the team who could cross the ball. Our best crosser imo is Valencia and his crossing is horrible when you compare it to our rivals.

 

[SwansonsTache]

This summer we needed both an attacking LB and RB. Valencia seems to have everyone fooled by getting forward a lot, but his contribution stops the moment he crosses the half-way line.

Every top team utilize attacking fullbacks, it is not a coincidence. Our lack of a pure winger only makes the problem more glaring.

 

[JohnnyKills]

We need two full-backs, not just one. If Shaw comes back firing then RB is the bigger problem than LB.

 

[Kush]

You're reading too much into today's performance, we forced our way into the lead after going behind at a difficult place. Darmian wasn't the reason we dropped points, if Jones doesn't trip over his feet we probably go on to win the game.

We've got plenty of options there who can do a solid job and I'd argue we don't necessarily need a specialist in there because we don't play with wing backs.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Shaw isnt good enough and Valencia cant cross. We need to upgrade the left back position. Dalbert would have been a good addition.

 

[izec]

No, our general wing play from the left and right needs to improve. A new LB would improve us, but not enough to make up for the lack of poor crossing and wing play of the rest of the squad.

 

[LoneStar]

Yes. Especially with Valencia seemingly having regressed this season. Blind and Darmian should never start for a team hoping to win the title. My only hope is that Shaw will come good.

 

[Skills]

Just play blind. He was doing fine

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Still really annoyed we didn't sign Aurier he's quality and was a bargain

 

[kps88]

Just play blind. He was doing fine

We have 7 games in 22 days. Blind can't play them all and we will have to rotate.

 

[Adisa]

Left and right.
Said it before we played a game.

 

[el3mel]

Probably, but we can still win the league though if the offensive contribution from the midfield compensates for this. Impossible to do anything in Europe with this crap, though.

Next season if we get a RB, LB and a RW we'll be almost a complete team ready to win the league and reach advanced stages in CL.

 

[MZX7]

Today's game against Stoke was just another reminder we are severely lacking in the left back position. Darmian is ok defensively the majority of the time but is woeful going forward. We have so much space on the left side for an attacking full back to exploit but the likes of Darmian and to a lesser extend Blind aren't capable of doing it. Blind does a decent job there and I would stick with him for now but we really have missed a trick not signing a better left back.

Let's hope Shaw can get back to full fitness but if not I would actually like to see Young given a run of games there. Pretty sure he would do a better job there than what we have seen from the others so far.

As if our RB is any better.

 

[Sandikan]

Does anyone have any clue what state Shaw is in?

Could he available at least for the Burton game? That'd be an ideal first game back.

 

[lawliet354]

Those Mendy assists now playing over and over in my head, to have a left back that is so very afraid to keep the ball and do something with it is tragic for a club like Manchester United

 

[Irrational.]

What's the point in having all these giants in the spine of our team if the delivery is piss poor?

Our constant short set-pieces frustrated the hell out of me. I think we'll definitely regret not signing Mendy, Aurier, Tierney... heck even Robertson. All of these options are superior to what we have now.

 

[Hed Zitin]

I thought to win the league we needed to add more attacking pace to the side and it was either through another winger or a LB.

Doesn't help when you play a total wall flower like today. He shouldn't be getting games.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

For those mentioning Valencia, tt least Valencia isn't scared of stepping over the halfway line, and his presence and pace stretches teams. Stoke continually left our left side open because we had absolutely not threat down it until Martial came on.

Would rather see Shaw be given a try, and I'm not particularly a fan of him. At least he will go direct and have a go. There just can't be a less imposing wide player in the league than Darmian. Even that lump Pieters for Stoke was more dangerous, and he is garbage.

 

[Minimalist]

I think Blind is a fine player for providing support and defensively he's usually okay. Shaw is suspect due to the last two seasons and to be honest, even at his best his support was pretty limited. Darmian is a bit unremarkable. I think it's more than we don't have a legit first team left back that has grasped that position.

I'd play Blind there every day of the week with the options we have.

I don't think it's going to be the thing that costs the league but we could do with new high-quality full backs. Valencia doesn't even have legit competition for his position which is poor all-round.

 

[DWelbz19]

Or a right back.

Yup.

 

[breakout67]

No, if you think a left back is a make or break position for a classical manager like Mourinho then you are wrong.

Mourinho used a right-back at left back and played him as a 3rd centre back to cover for a slow centre back next to him...and won the league.

 

[Hugh Jass]

We cant keep buying players. Darmian was playing because Jose correctly saw that Stoke are a dangerous team in Stoke. Still would prefer Shaw alright, but I can understand why Jose played him.

Crosses as well are pure luck because usually the defending team has more players in the box than the attacking team. Some days you can score from your first cross, other days like today, you can send in seven or eight and get no luck. Granted I thought Rashford should have passed more than he shot.

 

[NoLogo]

Mendy unfortunately looks quite good. Shame we weren't in for him.

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Full backs are the most important positions these days, yet we decided not to go for a modern full back. When you decide to persist with the average, you get average performance levels.

I watched the City game today, Mendy was a constant threat down the left. Just watch a RM game and look how much Carvajal and Marcelo contribute. Kurzawa and Meunier for PSG. So many full backs were available but we decided to let them join our rivals.
Here, we have a RB who can't cross and a LB who shats himself after crossing the halfway line.

May god bless our scouting network.

 

[Jaybomb]

We should have bought Aurier and Mendy. Said this from day one.

 

[Sandikan]

Danny Rose instead of Darmian and we'd look a really strong proposition on the left.

However, not to be, so hopefully Shaw can get back in.

 

[BringNaniBack]

As if our RB is any better.

Our RB is certainly better but still not great. Valencia can't cross but at least he does everything is exceptionally well. The same can't be said for any of our left backs.

 

[charlenefan]

No don't be silly

 

[iluvoursolskjær]

Yes.

More often than not our LW has to beat 2-3 men with individual brilliance to create space going forward. Opponents also know that both our LWs like to come inside so they'll defend the corresponding space. A good fullback that can overlap and put in crosses adds a whole new dimension to attacks and widens the play. Exactly what Valencia does on the right.

Gambling on Shaw was an un-Jose thing to do really.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

We were never going to get Rose on the cheap
The best we can do now if we want a genuine left footer is promote Mitchell

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I hope Shaw is brilliant when he comes back, or the decision not to sign one is going to look bad.

 

[settembrini]

Idk but it was certainly a blunder not sorting the position out.

Last season we just rotated through the four options because none of them were good enough to keep their place in the team and I expect we will do the same thing again this year.

Then in the summer I will say 'we need to sort out left back' and people will tell me we are 'stacked in the position' and 'Shaw deserves another season'.

 

[CM]

Only if Shaw doesn't get the opportunity to cement a place in the team. I'm a lot more concerned about right back.

 

[Adisa]

We were never going to get Rose on the cheap
The best we can do now if we want a genuine left footer is promote Mitchell

Agree. I'm desperate.