Not sure why? Valencia is still one of the best in the league, irrespective of our frustrations with his attacking product. We're literally picking squad fill on the left, while we gamble Shaw might be excellent if he ever gets back.
Is not signing a left back going to cost us the league?
- Thread starter BringNaniBack
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We need to get Shaw back to full fitness then give him a good run on the left side.
Jeez will people wait until Luke Shaw is back before discussing left backs.
Blind offers more than Valencia in the final third (usually). Even scores the odd goal and makes the odd assist.
No, but in general we are still short of quality in key areas. I have maintained this for a while and got some stick at times but whilst I feel our squad is definitely going in the right direction, players like Mata, Herrera, Darmain, Valencia etc...whilst being well above average and somewhat likeable, are not top players
Over the course of a season I mean. Valencia is fine for now but I don't think he has any real competition for that position and it'll be difficult for him to maintain his form of last season.
At the moment we don't have anyone nailed down as the starting left back but between Shaw, Blind and Darmian we should have it covered.
He is back. Looking average in the youth team.
Fullbacks weren't the reason for dropped points today.
This thread should have been made after the first three wins. Then I'd take slightly more seriously.
This thread should have been made after the first three wins. Then I'd take slightly more seriously.
Actually Valencia isn't fine at the moment, he puts in one decent cross per match despite getting like 20-30 chances. We should have went for Aurier. Blind and Darmian aren't good enough, neither of them have pace and Shaw's had two horrific injuries already, we needed two good fullbacks just like City but they broke the bank and got them in.
Fullbacks are incredibly important in modern football. Top teams really need athletic, skillful FB's who can cross and offer a genuine attacking threat. City managed to significantly strengthen their squad there whereas we didn't do anything this summer. Walker, Mendy, and Danilo went to City, Semedo went to Barcelona, Aurier went to Spurs (who to be fair lost Walker), Dani Alves went to PSG (who signed two other FB's). Even Chelsea signed a fullback in Zappacosta after winning the title last year and Juventus signed De Sciglio. Real Madrid, who has the best left back in the world, signed Hernandez who is probably good enough to start games in most teams in their league and is only 19.
This window had so many fullbacks moving around because people were realizing how important they are.
We have a bunch of players who can cover these positions but none of them are good enough to be starting regularly unless our ambition is to remain around 4-5th position in the league every year. Shaw is less reliable than Owen Hargreaves. It's surprising that Mourinho let this summer pass by without signing anyone who can play there. It's going to ruin his 2nd season title winning record.
This window had so many fullbacks moving around because people were realizing how important they are.
We have a bunch of players who can cover these positions but none of them are good enough to be starting regularly unless our ambition is to remain around 4-5th position in the league every year. Shaw is less reliable than Owen Hargreaves. It's surprising that Mourinho let this summer pass by without signing anyone who can play there. It's going to ruin his 2nd season title winning record.
I have faith in Shaw. He will be an upgrade to what we have.
I think he will do well for us. Make or break year for him.
I think he will do well for us. Make or break year for him.
Id like to see Shaw get a run.
Though in also not as firmly inside the Valencia fanclub as many others seem to be
Though in also not as firmly inside the Valencia fanclub as many others seem to be
Luke Shaw needs to step up and do what he's supposed to do. And eat healthy.
Shaw is a good dribbler and will provide good overlaps with Rashford and Martial but he's poor in crosses just like all our other attackers. I don't remember him putting any good cross since he comes here. He's more of a dribbler back who opens spaces for the wingers.
I don't find City to be balanced. They lack a central midfield. Bernardo Silva, David Silva, De Bruyne are all better closer to the final third. Fernandinho/Toure is basically their CM with Gundogan being out injured. United has Pogba, Herrera, Matic which is clearly better. However United don't have a Mendy at LB.
Darmian is total garbage and Valencia, for a right back (let alone a former winger) sucks at crossing. This deficiency is massively amplified by the fact that we don't have a winger roster, let alone the first XI. It's also nearing time to pull the plug on the Luke Shaw experiment, or a least loan him somewhere he can get more regular, lower-pressure games. Thank god Blind can put a shift in, even though fullback is probably his third or fourth best position.
I don't know about it costing us the title as I'm not sure we're good enough for a title run with the current attacking midfielders and wingers but it's definitely a weak spot in the squad. Looking at Mendy's performance today one could only imagine how much more threatening we would be from the left wing with a left back of similar quality.
Too early to say, Shaw might yet come in when he is fit and fulfill his potential, who knows. That said, this season will probably be his last chance to establish himself. Days like today remind you of just how limited Darmian really is.
If he ever gets back... he is 22 a few weeks haha
Is Blind injured? If not, should have started him today and play Darmian against Basel.
EDIT: I've got that wrong. Darmian played two games as well. No idea why Mourinho changed it to be honest in that case. Silly decision I think.
I don't disagree that full backs are vital in the modern game but we do not play like a lot of those top teams do. We can't just pick and choose the areas we want to be like them. Mourinho does not build a team that would need that type of full backs and the way he built this team does not suggest any change in approach. He won the league not long ago using his methods and I don't see why that should present as much of a problem for him as it would someone like Pep or Pochettino. I think people are simply reading too much in a draw away to Stoke which is by no means what you'd call a stupid draw. We played like we did throughout this season and like I think we will play throughout the season. The success or lackof will be decided by the efficiency of what we put our eggs on i.e: Matic protecting the back four including the full backs and Mkhi, Rash, Pogba and Lukaku producing enough individual quality to get us the goals we need on the other end.
Think we will definitely get someone next season.
I don't expect Shaw to be still at United next season. At least 27mil doesn't look like much nowadays.
I don't expect Shaw to be still at United next season. At least 27mil doesn't look like much nowadays.
If Jones and Bailly played as well as Damian did today we would have won the game.
Definitely. Blind has been a constant threat on the left since the start of the season (both for club and country) and we needed his attacking runs today.
Darmian's inclusion in the team basically ruined our attacking play on the left before a ball was kicked.
We need right and left full backs, just posted that in the post match thread. I've got a feeling we're going to sign Rose in January and I think he will be great for us if he's fit.
But he was very much part of the problem. The Stoke attacks were coming from his side. They clearly targeted him and had a lot of joy there. He was also very lacking in attack. We could have nailed Stoke if we had good attacking play from the left.
Having said that, the primary problem was our central defence. Bailly and Jones had a horrible game and they were the primary reasons we conceded.
I totally agree.
I see all the criticisms pointed at Valencia but I have a very different view. I think he is one of our best attacking outlets. Our primary problem is the left back and not the right back even though the right back can do with very good back up or upgrade.
Signing a cup tied first team player from Spurs and Levy in January.
Seems legit.
It was obvious to many fans that we needed a starting left back and proper wingers but for financial reasons, we didn't upgrade those positions during the transfer window. How crazy is it that we are pinning our hopes on a guy that has been injured for the last two years(Luke Shaw). How much better would the team have looked today if we had Ricardo Rodríguez at left back and Fabinho or Sergie Aurier at right back. We don't need superstars just good players to fill the holes in the squad and also let's stop playing guys out of position (Darmain).
City are shit.
If we end up playing Darmian there for more than 5-6 games then yes. But Shaw might come back strong or we might get away with playing Blind there.
Think Shaw will improve us in the LB position when he returns soon...But the crossing from Valencia worries me.
I think it is here where we want to look at bringing someone in @BringNaniBack ..
Really interesting seeing people's personal opinion on players cloud their judgement. Darmian was not at fault for either goals today (Bailly first and Jones second) and actually helped contribute to our second goal.
He's done MUCH more than Luke fecking Shaw has in his career with us, and been an important defender. I agree he's not great going forward but Jose doesn't play with two attacking full backs. Hasn't since Madrid.
He's done MUCH more than Luke fecking Shaw has in his career with us, and been an important defender. I agree he's not great going forward but Jose doesn't play with two attacking full backs. Hasn't since Madrid.
I don't think it will cost us the league because I haven't thought we would win it from pre-season. I think we are one season and one transfer window away from it. Whether it costs of 2nd or 3rd is another matter.
I'm not sure where I read this, but isn't Shaw playing badly in his U23 games? That his motivation is being questioned? I might be wrong.
I'm not sure where I read this, but isn't Shaw playing badly in his U23 games? That his motivation is being questioned? I might be wrong.
I was actually expecting Valencia to be rested since he was the last to come back and had traveled to South America while the rest played in Europe.
Darmian and Blind not good enough, try Young 
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Luke shaw is the mythical unicorn who will lead us to glory when he is back in 2071.
I genuinely can't believe the state of this thread looking back on it.
Would you guys seriously reject signing a world class leftback because he's a bit of a cnut?
Would you guys seriously reject signing a world class leftback because he's a bit of a cnut?
I'm still hopefully Shaw can fulfil his potential.
That said Mendy looked fantastic yesterday and if Shaw does not develop its certainly going to be an area city have an advantage over us.
That said Mendy looked fantastic yesterday and if Shaw does not develop its certainly going to be an area city have an advantage over us.