I have to say I disagree with this. Our style of play is largely dictated by the players at our disposal. Our lack of a quality left footed left-back has a significant impact on what happens on the pitch.
Alex Sandro
- Thread starter davidmichael
- Start date
I have to say I disagree with this. Our style of play is largely dictated by the players at our disposal. Our lack of a quality left footed left-back has a significant impact on what happens on the pitch.
I've only watched him in the CL but I always found him very good. Type of player very good technically so when pressed and cornered he has the ability to get out of that situation and beat the man pressing. Something we don't have in Young or Valencia. The former who tends to shit himself under pressure. Good pace and cross too. Defensively, I can't say I ever paid too much attention as we weren't linked with him at the time so.
There are some contrasting opinions on this thread, though. Some rate him very highly, up there with the best LBs. While there are a few who watch him regularly and claim he's average and Juventus won't miss him. Some poster (IIRC), claimed to have watched him since his time in Brazil and said he never got the hype, that he's average at best.
If he's somewhere between the two opinions (average & world class), he'll still be a huge upgrade on what we have. We haven't had a proper LB since Evra.
I don't see Shaw or Young doing what a United left back should be doing. I'd be interested to see how their average position compares with the likes of City and liverpools fullbacks.
We need more adventure in these positions, fullbacks who get to the byline and create an overload/option for our wingers who cut inside. Its the single biggest upgrade to our attacking play that I can think of. Think of Evra and Neville, they constantly looked to get forward, yet fullbacks are where our play breaks down.
Shaw is potentially good enough but I don't want to see another season like last season for him, it's painful and simply not healthy for us or the player.
I personally agree on Shaw, but we all know it isn't going to happen for him here.
If there is a chance of us getting him for 44m we should be all over it.
This not posted yesterday?
Was.
With Lichtsteiner moving to Arsenal, would they sell another FB in the same summer ? Seems a bit risky.
Asamoah left also. Darmian can kind of replace both as a rotational fullback, but Sandro will need to replaced by a star fullback. Not as optimistic about this happening as I was to begin with.
Going from Sandro, Asamoah, Lichtsteiner to Darmian and De Sciglio seems a bit risky imo. I wouldn't imagine therefore that they would part with Sandro for anything other than a massive fee.
One of their other fullbacks also broke his leg/done his ACL can't remember which one. Sandro beginning to look more and more less likely, unfortunately.
Any other LB's on the market? Ghoulam?
Any other LB's on the market? Ghoulam?
Tierney maybe. Not that many around.
LB feels like it's always been a starved position in world football. That's why I was so excited for Shaw originally. Limited options and availability. Really beginning to worry that we go into the season with Valencia and Young STILL as our fullbacks.
Can Dalot play LB? Then go for that Oreo biscuit Spanish lad who looks class for RB.
Alex Telles
Porto's LB Alex Telles, another Brazilian, is coming off a career year with 4 goals and 20 assists in 45 matches. Has played 45 matches and 4000 minutes in each of the last 2 seasons at Porto. Reports say he has a 35m release clause and Spurs are showing serious interest.
Porto's LB Alex Telles, another Brazilian, is coming off a career year with 4 goals and 20 assists in 45 matches. Has played 45 matches and 4000 minutes in each of the last 2 seasons at Porto. Reports say he has a 35m release clause and Spurs are showing serious interest.
Still early days yet but this is a major concern of mine, it is a glaring weakness and you could point to many instances where it was exposed last season.
I'm not as convinced that we'll sign a LB now since Jose apparently trusts Valencia for another season, trusts Young, Shaw wants to stay and we're signing Dalot who can play in both full back positions.
Apparently all of his starts for Porto senior team have been as LB. His preferred position has been as an advanced right-back at youth levels though.
No chance Jose is coming into a new season without a new word class LB.
How does he compare to Sandro? Anyone watched him extensively enough to form an opinion? We were also linked with the young Spanish left-back from Benfica, Alex Grimaldo but it doesn't appear like he played many games last season. Telles does sound excellent from the scouting reports and that's a very reasonable fee. Jose Gaya at Valencia is another one worth a look. I just wish Shaw had kicked on as we had hoped but I really don't want to enter the season with Young and Shaw as our options at LB since I'd like Dalot to focus on being RB.
Seems we have profiled an Iberian/Brazilian style of full-back though and it's still early days. Hope that's our next signing.
I don't know necessarily it's that Jose trusts Young or rates him all that highly more that he doesn't trust Shaw and didn't rate our other LB options. It's highly doubtful IMO that Young is our starting LB for next season.
I remember someone who watches the portuguese league saying he is very good but not as complete as Sandro is. Sandro is a very rounded player with no real weakness and Telles although good at defending and crossing isn't as good as Sandro technically.
Its just easier to ask @broccoli
Ye i subscribe to your general idea. While Alex Telles is very good for us I don't see him world class unlike Sandro.
Yeah I agree with you. All things said he's likely to be an improvement on what we have right now, but it's going to be pricey and possibly disappoint people who are hoping for world class.
His style actually reminds me of our own Luke Shaw, which shows just what a pity it is that our biggest hope for the LB simply didn't happen. Still, if there's a chance Shaw has his best days ahead of him, I'd stick with him instead of Alex Sandro.
Alex Telles would be excellent for you, it isn't as good as Alex Sandro right now but he's definitively one of the best LB currently. His crossing is excellent so at least you would have someone to actually make crosses in your team :P
He won't, of course, be as expensive as Alex Sandro.
The only problem is that we are probably very reluctant to sell him right now, we sold our two best RBs (Ricardo and Dalot, we are left with the 34 year old Maxi Pereira), one of the starting CB left for free (Marcano) and the main sub CB will probably leave too (Reyes) - the other CB sub Osorio has barely played since he arrived and the good loaned CB, Boly, has been bought by Wolves as they triggered the buyout clause.
To make it worse our two u-20 promising CBs (Leite and Queirós) are also being coveted by other teams (Leite by Arsenal).
Our defense right now can only be trusted upon Felipe and Alex Telles, if Telles leaves then it would simply be probably too much to rebuild.
We are under finantial fair play "rule", so any money would be welcome, but giving that we will probably also sell Herrera and Brahimi in this window we can probably hold on Alex Telles.
I did hear the rumour though that Dalot wasn't the only player we were negotiating with United, and from our players Alex Telles would probably be the most needed by you.
He won't, of course, be as expensive as Alex Sandro.
The only problem is that we are probably very reluctant to sell him right now, we sold our two best RBs (Ricardo and Dalot, we are left with the 34 year old Maxi Pereira), one of the starting CB left for free (Marcano) and the main sub CB will probably leave too (Reyes) - the other CB sub Osorio has barely played since he arrived and the good loaned CB, Boly, has been bought by Wolves as they triggered the buyout clause.
To make it worse our two u-20 promising CBs (Leite and Queirós) are also being coveted by other teams (Leite by Arsenal).
Our defense right now can only be trusted upon Felipe and Alex Telles, if Telles leaves then it would simply be probably too much to rebuild.
We are under finantial fair play "rule", so any money would be welcome, but giving that we will probably also sell Herrera and Brahimi in this window we can probably hold on Alex Telles.
I did hear the rumour though that Dalot wasn't the only player we were negotiating with United, and from our players Alex Telles would probably be the most needed by you.
Lichtsteiner is 34 he needed replacing either way.
Yeah Telles could be a very good back up option if Sandro decides to renew.
Also maybe paying Porto the extra 2 million was done to keep Porto happy in case of any future deals.
Regarding Telles, do you think he can reach Alex Sandro's level or close to that in 1-2 years?
He doesn't seem to have many weaknesses to his game
That's impossible to tell. He is very good all around and I would say he's as good for us as Alex Sandro was (in the first years, in the last year Alex Sandro was meh-ish because he wanted to leave), but I cannot simply say if he will adapt to the Premier League.
It's a lot more physical than our league, to compensate he has better technique than the average PL player and has excellent crossing and set pieces, to say where he would end it's hard.
At least better than Ashley Young he'll surely be
Just googled Telles and it seems liverpool and chelsea are being linked with him by some questionable outlets, but no mention of United. Not recently at least.
With Sandro being omitted from Brazil's World Cup this means that there isn't the same urgency to strike an agreement as there would be with players going to the World Cup.
It also means he'd have a good Summer Break and be able to join his new teammates for a full preseason.
I'm really hopeful that we now concentrate on getting him signed.
I don't think we'll sign Sandro, I reckon we'll all be surprised with who comes in as left back like with Dalot.
Plus the idea of spending 50 million on a left back fills me with dread.
Plus the idea of spending 50 million on a left back fills me with dread.
Independent saying that United won’t sign a LB at all.
Feck independent.
Appreciate the input.That's impossible to tell. He is very good all around and I would say he's as good for us as Alex Sandro was (in the first years, in the last year Alex Sandro was meh-ish because he wanted to leave), but I cannot simply say if he will adapt to the Premier League.
It's a lot more physical than our league, to compensate he has better technique than the average PL player and has excellent crossing and set pieces, to say where he would end it's hard.
At least better than Ashley Young he'll surely be
But being better than Smashley is not much of an achievement
Would love him here. I don't see Juventus letting him go though. If there is even a sniff of a chance to get him we have to jump on it.
I feel like Ghoulam is the more realistic option however. Either way I would be pleased with both.
I feel like Ghoulam is the more realistic option however. Either way I would be pleased with both.
Why is he not here yet? It's already June, ffs.
Swear to god if we line up with young next season I’m giving up. Dalot will be gradually put in the team, can’t see him him getting thrown in straight away
So looks like it’s another year of Tony the shin splitter on the right and Ashley always cut inside on the left. Oh joy.
The press were linking us with Sidibe and we signed Dalot out of nowhere. We shouldn’t read too much into the Independent article.
We are in desperate need of a left back. The summer cannot pass without this position being addressed. Another season of Ashley Young is too much. If we can't get Sandro, move on to someone else.