Your ideal 11 - 2018/19 and outs (being realistic)

[Canagel]

I don't think Shaw will leave this season, no takers. But I can realistically see Young to be trusted again at LB.

-----------------------De Gea---------------------
Dalot----------Bailly---------Lindelof-------Young
---------Fred---------Matic----------Pogba--------
---------Lingard------Lukaku----------Sanchez---

I don't see another major signing for the first 11, just because we have to get rid of one player for each position. After all, our squad size is too big now.

We are not winning the title if this is the best we can come up with.
Still need a RW and LB. Possibly another CM.

 

[kthanksbye]

.......................DDG......................
......Bailly.......Smalling......Jones......
Valencia...........Matic...............Young
...............Fred..........Pogba.............
..............Lukaku.......Sanchez..........

We're going to set up something like this next season.
Think a formation like this suits most our players. At some point next season, I'd like to see Mata in the #10 position with two of Rash/Sanchez/Lukaku ahead of him.


Romero, Lindelof, Rojo, Tuanzebe, Dalot, TFM, Shaw, Fellaini, Mctominay, Herrera, Lingard, Mata, Martial, Rashford.
there's another pretty balanced 11 among these 14 players too.

That's 25 players without counting Blind and Darmian. Jose likes to operate with a small squad. There's a strong possibility that we don't make another signing this window, unless we get a good offer for Martial.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

.......................DDG......................
......Bailly.......Smalling......Jones......
Valencia...........Matic...............Young
...............Fred..........Pogba.............
..............Lukaku.......Sanchez..........

We're going to set up something like this next season.
Think a formation like this suits most our players. At some point next season, I'd like to see Mata in the #10 position with two of Rash/Sanchez/Lukaku ahead of him.


Romero, Lindelof, Rojo, Tuanzebe, Dalot, TFM, Shaw, Fellaini, Mctominay, Herrera, Lingard, Mata, Martial, Rashford.
there's another pretty balanced 11 among these 14 players too.

That's 25 players without counting Blind and Darmian. Jose likes to operate with a small squad. There's a strong possibility that we don't make another signing this window, unless we get a good offer for Martial.

Doesn't that starting team get you excited.

 

[kthanksbye]

Doesn't that starting team get you excited.

It doesn't, but I do not want us to just sign players who're available. If our targets are available, we should pursue them with intent, or else we should work with what we have.
I am also a firm believer that better management can get more out of this bunch of players. Players like Pogba, Lukaku, Rashford, Lingard, Shanchez, Bailly, Lindelof all have a higher ceiling than what we've seen so far or are still developing as players. Fred could well be the missing piece of our midfield.
Buying players doesn't solve our problems, unless we find a way to get the best out of what we have.

 

[sparx99]

It is interesting to see us being linked with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic again now that Juventus have bought Ronaldo. With Fellaini staying it would only seem to make sense if we are switching formations to something like 3-5-2 or 4-1-2-1-2.

Looking at our squad I could see both of those formations being used for different challenges but 4-1-2-1-2 could be really exciting with our squad. Particularly as there seem to be so few quality right wingers available to resolve our issues when playing 4-2-3-1.

Imagine if we lined up with the following team next season.

De Gea/Romero/Grant

Dalot/Valencia
Bailly/Smalling
Lindelof/Jones/Rojo
Shaw/Young

Matic/McTominay

Fred/Herrera Pogba/Fellaini

Sergej/Lingard/Mata

Lukaku/Rashford Sanchez/Martial

Personally, I think this could allow Pogba the freedom to roam down the left side of the midfield. It may give Shaw a final chance to make it by giving him the freedom to attack knowing there is Matic sitting deeper to cover him. Dalot/Valencia would be able to get forward on the right.

It's not completely ideal but that is a 24 man squad with only one more addition required to what we currently have and seems a formation best suited to our current players. I'd like to see an upgrade at CB but it's not an absolute priority this summer.

This also seems to fit with what we've heard about Mourinho being prepared to start the season with Shaw and Young as his LB options.

 

[diarm]

De Gea

Bailly ---- TobyV
Dalot ------------------------------- Sandro
Matic
-- Fred -------- Pogba
Lingard

- Lukaku ------- Sanchez

​

 

[KingMinger22]

Looking at these lineups...

We seriously lack top class players.

We have some that are “decent to good” but very few that, for example, any of our rivals would ever be interested in poaching from us.

 

[Judas]

I fear we're going to look back at this summer as another one where we let the rest of the pack get further away from us. We'll still be top 4, but we're hardly going to be making City nervous.

 

[mad1max954]

.......................DDG......................
......Bailly.......Smalling......Jones......
Valencia...........Matic...............Young
...............Fred..........Pogba.............
..............Lukaku.......Sanchez..........

We're going to set up something like this next season.

As much as I would like to see this, or even a diamond in the middle, Jose ha shown no inclination to try this. Think we are settled with 4231/433.

 

[Kidders]

DDG
Valencia-Bailly-Koulibally-Sandro
Fred-Matic-Pogba
Mbappe-Lukaku-Martial

Romero
Dalot-Smalling-Jones-Shaw
Herrera-Fellaini-Pereira
Lingard-Rashford-Sanchez

 

[Bearded One]

Dreaming of:

Lukaku
Martial/Rashford Mbappe Sanchez

Or

Sanchez Lukaku Mbappe (this is more realistic given that we have Fred already but I feel Mbappe is a bit wasted wide)
​

I need to wake up from my slumber I know but boy I love Mbappe

 

[NoPace]

I still think these are our holes, assuming Mourinho is our manager the next couple years:

Sanchez--Lukaku---RW (Martial, Rashford, Target9)
------Pogba----Fred----- (Fellaini, Lingard)
----------Matic----------- (Herrera)
LB--------------Valencia (Young, Dalot)
-------LCB--Bailly------- (Lindelof, Smalling, Rojo/Jones)
--------De Gea---------- (Romero)

and then a utility man for the front 5 and the back 5, I'd say Pereira and Blind are the best options but it's not crazy to think Tuanzebe or Fosu-Mensah could fill the latter's role and that we could just use Mctominay and whoever is playing well for the academy like Chong, Gomez or Greenwood for the front spots.

Rest can be sold, though Shaw remains a potential long-term starter at LB for yet another year. Ideally we'd sign him to a longer deal at a salary that doesn't make him unmoveable or with options for us and loan him to start somewhere for a year and get his career back on track.

So, order of priority: LB, then RW, then LCB and then the physical backup 9 for cheap. That seems doable to me.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

Alexis - Lukaku - Bale--
Pogba - Fred--
Matic
Sandro - Maguire - Bailly - Valencia-
DDG

Out: Jones, Blind, Shaw, Darmian

Bale is a risk, but not my money, so why not. He is class when fit, and commercially attractive.​

 

[MadMike]

Looking at these lineups...

We seriously lack top class players.

We have some that are “decent to good” but very few that, for example, any of our rivals would ever be interested in poaching from us.

Wut? Are you drunk?

City were trying to sign Fred and Sanchez. Chelsea were trying to sign Lukaku. Any team would want to have Pogba or De Gea. That’s already half the starting XI.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Alexis - Lukaku - Bale--
Pogba - Fred--
Matic
Sandro - Maguire - Bailly - Valencia-
DDG

Out: Jones, Blind, Shaw, Darmian

Bale is a risk, but not my money, so why not. He is class when fit, and commercially attractive.​

Nice team.

 

[jesperjaap]

Ok another one:

Keeper: Lee Grant £1.5m
Centre Back: Upamecano in paid for by selling Blind, Darmian, Lindelof and Rojo £0m
Full Back: Dalot £18m
CM: Fred £52m
CM: Alan Guimaraes - out Herrera Spend £15m
RW: Bale - out Martial and Mata spend £20m
CF: Umaro Embolo £40m

Overall net spend £150m odd

GK DeGea
RB Valencia
CB Bailly
CB Upamecano
LB Young
DM Matic
CM Fred
CM Pogba
LW Sanchez
RW Bale
CF Lukaku

GK Romero
RB Dalot
LB Shaw
CB Jones
CB Smalling
DM McTominay
CM Fellaini
CM Guimaraes
LW Rashford
RW Lingard
CF Embolo

GK Grant
RB Laird
CB Tuanzabe
CB Mensah
LB Mitchell
DM ??
CM Perreira
LW Gomes
CF Greenwood
RW Chong

Powerful first team, decent spine and exciting young attacking second team. The third team personally I would prfer a coupel of them in the second team over some of the second team. In a couple of years I could see 5/6 of the old first team players phased out, Lukaku being over taken by either of the young ventre forwards we have and our exciting youngsters bringing in pace and technical genius whilst the remaining first teamers reach there peak.

Of course in reality we are talking about spening £350m odd this year and keeping a lot of very bug young talents happy on the sidelines for 12-24 months but it would get rid of a lot of the deadwood and probably allow us to move on Valencia, YOung, Jones, Smalling and Fellaini next summer as well as Sanchez, Shaw, McTominay, Perreira if they dont perform without having to spend too much next summer replacing them.

A man can dream

 

[Ola]

I think we should pick up Kante (best in the world at CDM) now that he is on the market.

And Trippier from Spurs would slot in prefect at RB or RWB.

DDG
Jones - Lindelöf - Bailiy
Trippier - Kante - Fred - Young
Pogba
Lukaku - Sanchez

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

I think we should pick up Kante (best in the world at CDM) now that he is on the market.

And Trippier from Spurs would slot in prefect at RB or RWB.

DDG
Jones - Lindelöf - Bailiy
Trippier - Kante - Fred - Young
Pogba
Lukaku - Sanchez

Don't think he would be available for us, only for PSG.

Pogba, Kante alone is mouthwatering. France are so lucky.

 

[friendlytramp]

——————De Gea
-—Bailly-Alderweireld-Shaw
Willian-Matic-Pogba-Perisic
——————Sanchez————-
———-Lukaku—-Rashford

Romero, Valencia, Tuanzebe, Smalling, Young, Fred, Lingard, Fellaini, Herrera, Pereira, Martial, Arnautovic, Gomes, Chong

Sell:

Darmian
Lindelöf
Rojo
Mata
Jones

Loan:

J Pereira
Dalot
Fosu
McTominay
Haaland

We need English players and youth product in the team.

 

[kirk buttercup]

- LUKAKU -
-PERISIC- - SANCHEZ -
-POGBA- -FRED-
- MATIC-
-SANDRO- BAILLY- ROJO - VAL-
- DDG-

 

[Fer]

Ideal would be to sign a top RW, an experienced CB and quality fullbacks that can attack/cross.

With the players we have, I would play 4312.

Martial - Lukaku
Sanchez
Pogba - Matic - Fred
Shaw - Smalling - Bailly - Dalot
De Gea​

 

[Cliche Guevara]

DDG​

Dalot Bailly Alderweireld Shaw

Fred Matic Pogba​

Bale Lukaku Sanchez​

 

[hobbers]

De Gea

Dalot Bailly Maguire Young

Fred Matic Pogba

Willian Lukaku Sanchez
​

Massive shitshow, not gonna lie.

 

[jesperjaap]

As we still have two weeks left in the window, may as well try a few ins and outs:

Out: Blind, Darmian, Smalling, Jones, Lindelof, Rojo, Herrera, Fellaini, Mata, Martial, Lukaku - £350m
In: Khoubilay. Upemecano, Dalot, Ndombele, Guimaraes, Fred, Adshed, Amaro Embalo, Bale, Lincoln, Welbeck £450m

Gk: DeGea, Romero
lb: Shaw, Young
cb: Upemecano, Mensah
cb: Khoubillay, Bailly
rb: Dalot, Valencia
dm: Matic, Pereirra
cm: Pogba, Ndombele
cm: Fred, Guimaraes
LW: Sanchez, Rashford
RW: Bale, Lingard
CF: Lincoln, Welbeck

Yes Im probably in a minority....but I think Lukaku though gurantees goals and is unplayable at his best...though he works hard....is really not that good. Holdign the ball up with his back to goal, laying it off and general team play are all pretty awful. He is good in the air and a decent finisher but I think Lincoln is also strong, good in the air and a good finisher and could come straight into our side and style of play as Jesus has at City. Rashford and Sanchez can also play there and I would bring Welbeck back as a good squad option with experience.
Add the youth or Embalo, Greenwood, Gomes and Chong to Lincoln and Rashford over the next 2/3 years and you have both depth and potentially the best attacking three we have had since Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo.

A side that is ready to compete for the premiership and potentially in 5 years time:

DeGea
Shaw
Upemecano
Bailly
Dalot
Ndombele
Gomes
Guimaraes
Chong
Greenwood
Embalo

Yes this is football manager, yes it is unrealistic, yes it is a gamble up front and no I havent signed any full backs, personally think Valencia and Young are good for one more season when we should then look at new full back, but Dalot and yes Shaw too both are very talented fullbacks and young. point I am making again is we do have loads of dead wood, especially in defence, I do genuinely believe at least four of those six should be sold. The other point is there are loads of top quality players could improve us, bar Bale and maybe Khoubilay cost wise....all of those players are attainable and bar Adshed and maybe Embalo I think all the young players are capable of starting within the next 18 months.

 

[Jim Reaper]

3-5-2

sanchez lukaku
pogba fred
sandro matic dalot
maguire skriniar* bailly
de gea

* or koubaliy/toby

 

[Sterling Archer]

We are not winning the title if this is the best we can come up with.
Still need a RW and LB. Possibly another CM.

On paper versus how the season actually transpires tends to be very different. If we take an honest look back, City should have won the title four times in a row 'on paper'. Instead there's a Chelsea team coming off 7th was it? and a rather unlikely Leicester coming off whatever not top six place the season before. And in those years as favorites, City weren't 'pipped' at the end. They failed spectacularly in comparison to their worth. Last year could be the beginning of an era. But then again, look at Chelsea's record breaking season and then what followed that.

Odds are City win it on the trot. Liverpool comes no closer than we do. That's the outlook based on the numbers. But football is just as much a game of the heart though the statistics lovers hate to admit. I'd rather think back to the late 2000s after a series of subpar seasons with a young squad. You know, after the infamous wink. We're coming off another world cup now, and this time we've got a winner and quite a few semi-finalists. ALL of them, young except for Young hehe I'm hoping this was a coming of age summer like that one a decade ago and that we see the squad gel and become the world beaters we so desperately want to sign.

 

[bosnian_red]

What I'd hope for the squad.
Gk: De Gea, Romero, Grant

Rb: Valencia, Dalot
Lb: New left back, Young
Cb: New cb, Bailly, Smalling, Lindelof, Tuanzebe

RW: New right wing, Mata, Lingard
LW: Martial, Rashford
CM: Pogba, Matic, Fred, Herrera, Pereira, Fellaini

ST: Lukaku, Sanchez

Sell: Jones, Rojo, Shaw, Darmian
Loan: Fosu-Mensah, McTominay, Joel Pereira

De Gea
Valencia ??? Bailly ???
Fred Matic Pogba
???
Lukaku Sanchez
​

Missing attacker could be a left winger if we use Fred on the right and make it a 442. Or a RW in a 433 pushed up high. Just want sanchez up top. And more central. Going into the season with the 3 obvious gaps though will cause problems.

 

[SER19]

I only say this if rumours are true, but if Martial leaves, considering we haven’t spent heavily, use a healthy budget to sign Willian and perisic and go 352. Forget individual prices, 150-160m after a large martial fee would leave us with lower spending than recent years in terms of book balancing

.......................De Gea.................

...........Lindelof..Bailly..Smalling......

Willian...................................Perisic...
............Fred.....Matic....Pogba............

.................Lukaku...Sanchez......

It’s a team capable of winning the title, it’s a bit short sighted but lindelof, Bailly, smalling, Pogba, Fred, lukaku, rashford, lingard, Dalot, mctominay, Perreira, Chong, are all young enough to be a core of a squad for a few more years while accepting need to invest in wide players and a midfielder over 2-3 years. Allowing the team to evolve gradually from that line up would be solid. When Matic, Willian, perisic, Sanchez go we would ideally already have their replacements on our books for the most part with sensible transfer business over the next few years.

 

[RedEM10]

Some serious waffle in this thread

Team for first game

--------------DDG--------------
TFM--Bailly----Smalling--Shaw
---Herrera--Pereira--Matic-----
Mata-----Sanchez----Martial---

 

[Lookatu]

----------------------- De Gea ---------------------
Valencia --- Bailly-- Aldeweirald -- Shaw
-------------------------- Matic ----------------------------
------------------ Fred ------ Pogba ----------------------
Willian ------------------------------------------ Sanchez
-------------------------- Lukaku ----------------------------

Realistic and boring some will say
But I don't think we need more than Jose's two if Sanchez, Bailly and Pogba can raise it to the levels they are capable of

 

[Bestietom]

I would like to see us get Sanchez for the LB position and Maguire for CB. But I still think that we need a magician of a right winger who can score and create goals. We need to see all the front players contributing double figures in goals, and some from Midfield also.

 

[Chaky_Best]

Ideal XI knowing that we still have 14 days to buy, and a month to sell (abroad). Splash that cash

4-3-3

De Gea (Romero/Grant)

Valencia (Dalot)
Alderweireld (Smalling)
Bailly (Lindelof)
Shaw (Young)

Matic (Herrera)
Fred (Fellaini)
Pogba (Mc Tominay)

Willian (Lingard)
Lukaku (Rashford)
Sanchez (Pereira)

Sell :
Martial to Bayern, use the founds for Willian 60M
Jones
Rojo
Darmian

Loan :
Joel Pereira
Fosuh Mensah
Tuanzebe

 

[Heardy]

As we still have two weeks left in the window, may as well try a few ins and outs:

Out: Blind, Darmian, Smalling, Jones, Lindelof, Rojo, Herrera, Fellaini, Mata, Martial, Lukaku - £350m
In: Khoubilay. Upemecano, Dalot, Ndombele, Guimaraes, Fred, Adshed, Amaro Embalo, Bale, Lincoln, Welbeck £450m

Gk: DeGea, Romero
lb: Shaw, Young
cb: Upemecano, Mensah
cb: Khoubillay, Bailly
rb: Dalot, Valencia
dm: Matic, Pereirra
cm: Pogba, Ndombele
cm: Fred, Guimaraes
LW: Sanchez, Rashford
RW: Bale, Lingard
CF: Lincoln, Welbeck

Yes Im probably in a minority....but I think Lukaku though gurantees goals and is unplayable at his best...though he works hard....is really not that good. Holdign the ball up with his back to goal, laying it off and general team play are all pretty awful. He is good in the air and a decent finisher but I think Lincoln is also strong, good in the air and a good finisher and could come straight into our side and style of play as Jesus has at City. Rashford and Sanchez can also play there and I would bring Welbeck back as a good squad option with experience.
Add the youth or Embalo, Greenwood, Gomes and Chong to Lincoln and Rashford over the next 2/3 years and you have both depth and potentially the best attacking three we have had since Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo.

A side that is ready to compete for the premiership and potentially in 5 years time:

DeGea
Shaw
Upemecano
Bailly
Dalot
Ndombele
Gomes
Guimaraes
Chong
Greenwood
Embalo

Yes this is football manager, yes it is unrealistic, yes it is a gamble up front and no I havent signed any full backs, personally think Valencia and Young are good for one more season when we should then look at new full back, but Dalot and yes Shaw too both are very talented fullbacks and young. point I am making again is we do have loads of dead wood, especially in defence, I do genuinely believe at least four of those six should be sold. The other point is there are loads of top quality players could improve us, bar Bale and maybe Khoubilay cost wise....all of those players are attainable and bar Adshed and maybe Embalo I think all the young players are capable of starting within the next 18 months.

Wtf is this mess! Sell 10 players in the next two weeks? and why would you include Lukaku in there.

 

[SparkedIntoLife]

I've already written in this thread but am doing a new one with the current state of play.

(433) De Gea; Valencia, Young, Alderweireld, Bailly; Matic, Fred, Pogba; Eriksen, Sanchez, Lukaku
with a second string of
(3421) Romero; Lindelöf, Smalling, Rojo; Dalot, Shaw, Herrera, Fellaini; Lingard, Pereira; Rashford
with additional players
Grant (GK), O'Connor (RB), McTominay (DM), Mata (AM), Chong (RW), Greenwood (ST)

The remaining signings would be Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen from Spurs. There would be some sort of swap deal extravaganza on deadline day with Jones and Martial going the other way plus 50m to them and a 20% next sale clause on Martial. I think Eriksen can solve a lot of the creativity issues we have. He's able to pass in between the lines but also can hit pinpoint crosses which Lukaku will thrive on. Down the line, I can see him shaping up into a Modric type player in a deeper role. Alderweireld is better than Maguire for me. A little older, sure, but he seems more agile and has better experience.

Is this realistic? Probably not. Most Spurs fans seem to see Eriksen as their second most important player behind Kane and there's barely any whispers of him leaving. I just think he's a class player who would improve us dramatically and in a way we're lacking. He's at a perfect age to move and it's seemed clear that Spurs have interest in Martial. Do I want Martial to leave permanently? No. I think he's been alienated by Mourinho and hasn't stood up to be counted but will probably do a Salah/De Bruyne and step up away from Jose's shackles. However, I don't hold much hope that he'll revive his career if he just stays at United. He's not a fighter, he's someone who will soar on self belief which is currently not being encouraged in him.

The above lineups are missing players like Tuanzebe, Fosu Mensah, Joel Pereira etc. who will go out on loan.

Dalot is likely to usurp Valencia in the second half of the season, in my view. The 433 can convert into a 442 Diamond. Ideally, I'd sign a left back but there's not anyone great on the market and Young is deserving of his opportunity with also the vague hope Shaw will finally come good. We're a bit lacking in striker options but, unless we bring back Zlatan, I think we'll make do.

 

[svastian99]

Being realistic:

4-4-2 diamond:

........Alexis.........Lukaku
............Mata/Lingard
.....Pogba................Fred
.................Matic
Young...Maguire...Bailly...Valencia
................DeGea

4-3-3:

...Alexis......Lukaku......Lingard
.......Pogba................Fred
...................Matic
Young...Maguire...Bailly...Valencia
..................DeGea


4-2-3-1:

.................Lukaku
....Alexis.....Pogba.....Lingard
........Matic.............Fred
Young...Maguire...Bailly...Valencia
.................DeGea

Alderweireld is older than Maguire and has a worse record of injuries. If we could sign Alex Sandro, it would be hopeful.

Sell : Darmian & Jones

 

[KingMinger22]

It’s very frustrating looking at these lineups and realising just how far away from fielding what I used to think of a proper United XI talent-wise.

 

[Scroto Baggins]

As we still have two weeks left in the window, may as well try a few ins and outs:

Out: Blind, Darmian, Smalling, Jones, Lindelof, Rojo, Herrera, Fellaini, Mata, Martial, Lukaku - £350m
In: Khoubilay. Upemecano, Dalot, Ndombele, Guimaraes, Fred, Adshed, Amaro Embalo, Bale, Lincoln, Welbeck £450m

Nice wind up lol, 11 players being sold? Im getting FM vibes.

I dont expect much more tbh, I think unless some real quality becomes available such as Bale leaving RM Jose will focus on one or two more key targets. And will be happy to trim the squad by moving on some fringe players if possible.

The market is a bit flat atm, and not just for us look at RM, cash to burn, havnt splurged in a while and have the Ronaldo money but who is there to buy?

 

[Macern]

DDG
Valencia
Bailly
Maguire
Sandro
Matic
Pogba
Fred
Bailey
Lukaku
Sanchez

 

[Devil may care]

From the current crop of rumours and what we have this would be my starting 11, and yes I know the wingbacks suck, but they suck as fullbacks as well and we are stuck with them regardless as there's nothing about us wanting a LB, the opposite in fact.

 

[Sterling Archer]

From the current crop of rumours and what we have this would be my starting 11, and yes I know the wingbacks suck, but they suck as fullbacks as well and we are stuck with them regardless as there's nothing about us wanting a LB, the opposite in fact.

That looks a very good team. Especially if Dalot can come in for Valencia and bring more attacking depth to that side