On average 5-10 yeahbut within 5 yards of each other, right?
Summer 2019 Midfield Rebuild
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
What about Thomas Partey? Doesn't he have quite a low release clause?
Any links to Strootman yet for our DM?
Pogba Rabiot Partey - Wouldn't cost a bomb to do this, if Pogba leaves then spend the money on a replacement.
McT should be a squad player
McT should be a squad player
I think we need 1 cm without Herrera leaving.
Now we need 2.
I'm all for Pogba leaving so possibly 3 needed but based on other areas - unlikely that's going to happen in 1 window.
I'd go for Rice and Neves.
Rice/Neves/Fred/Periera/McTom/Matic = 6 midfielders for 3 spots. Also have youth.
I'd like to see TFM tested in the DM role if we cannot get Rice or If Matic leaves.
I think the talk of Saul/Rabiot are out of our reach at this time.
We need a functional midfield, not a midfield of big names and disjointed positional play (which is why Pogba HAS to leave)
Now we need 2.
I'm all for Pogba leaving so possibly 3 needed but based on other areas - unlikely that's going to happen in 1 window.
I'd go for Rice and Neves.
Rice/Neves/Fred/Periera/McTom/Matic = 6 midfielders for 3 spots. Also have youth.
I'd like to see TFM tested in the DM role if we cannot get Rice or If Matic leaves.
I think the talk of Saul/Rabiot are out of our reach at this time.
We need a functional midfield, not a midfield of big names and disjointed positional play (which is why Pogba HAS to leave)
Rodri seems to be on the move, an excellent player. I wonder why we're not interested
True age isnt on his side but a holding mid with pace and a good engine is what we need. Watching Matic, Pogba and Mctominay trying to win the ball back and get a counter attack going at pace is painful to watch and I think Rice is too similar in that respect in that hes a great tackler and good in possession but lacks that pace and power to win the ball back and couter quickly like kante or fernandinho. I dont think being 30 matters if hes in his prime which he is atm.
He's in the final year of his contract according to reports he's available for under £30 million which isn't crazy money. He's only a year older than Kante and 4 years younger than Fernandinho so this whole problem of him being 29 years old going on 30 in September is only an issue if made an issue. I'm not saying we must sign Idrissa Gueye I would like to see a player of that mold- mobile, tough tackling, competent in possession, able to turn the ball over quickly sign for us as i think it would suit our counter attacking style.
Think he has his heart set on linking up with Pep at City,haven't seen any other club interested in him
A pivot of Llorente-Rabiot with Pogba as the 10 ahead of them looks good to me. Fred, Mctominay and Gomez backing them up, sell Matic and Lingard to pay for Rabiot's high wages from him being on a free and Llorente's fee.
@Eoin McMahon if we sign Gueye, that shows we haven’t learn a single thing from our own mistakes.
Ndidi is probably what you're after. He's 22 years old and similar type. I would say Rice as another option, but he will be expensive given his media hype.
Going to throw another name in the mix.
Michel Vlap - Heerenveen (Eredivisie)
21 Years of Age - Attacking Midfielder - 34 Games, 16 Goals, 6 Assists.
Quite a promising talent and has had a good season (I know - not how scouting is done, blah blah).
But considering that we have no champions league this season, and getting top talent will be hard, perhaps using United's philosophy on youth and buying Europe's most promising will be a much realistic method to attracting talent this season. Here could be a good option.
Michel Vlap - Heerenveen (Eredivisie)
21 Years of Age - Attacking Midfielder - 34 Games, 16 Goals, 6 Assists.
Quite a promising talent and has had a good season (I know - not how scouting is done, blah blah).
But considering that we have no champions league this season, and getting top talent will be hard, perhaps using United's philosophy on youth and buying Europe's most promising will be a much realistic method to attracting talent this season. Here could be a good option.
Watched a highlights reel of him. Seems a pretty clever passer, but honestly, seems like he’d get smashed in the prem. Is allowed far too much space and time on the ball. His long range shooting looks pretty tame as well, considering how many were in the highlight reel I watched.
The sensible signing to aim for is Doucouré. Put him in a top squad and he will thrive, absolutely talented midfield player. Gave us hell at Old Trafford.
No Herrera
Matic is finished
Pogba probably gone
So thatleaves Fred, Periera and McTom. We are fecked, Fred just ain't good enough, Periera same and McTom is still learning and can't rely on him to carry the midfield. If Pogba leaves then that's going to set us back big time and I can't see anything positive happening that will keep us top 6 next season.
Matic is finished
Pogba probably gone
So thatleaves Fred, Periera and McTom. We are fecked, Fred just ain't good enough, Periera same and McTom is still learning and can't rely on him to carry the midfield. If Pogba leaves then that's going to set us back big time and I can't see anything positive happening that will keep us top 6 next season.
To be fair, Bobby Reid of Cardiff gave us hell at Old Trafford too.
It depends on Pogba leaving or staying. But I hope we can 2 midfielders:
1. A goalscoring midfielder like Havertz or Fernandes to play behind Rashford and a big signing like Felix, Jovic or even Dybala.
2. A mid like Neves, Rodri, Rice, Ndidi, Ndombele, Tielemans, Van De Beek, Barella, etc.
1. A goalscoring midfielder like Havertz or Fernandes to play behind Rashford and a big signing like Felix, Jovic or even Dybala.
2. A mid like Neves, Rodri, Rice, Ndidi, Ndombele, Tielemans, Van De Beek, Barella, etc.
I agree, but hes 26 now and no other big club is linked to him. I wonder if he has what it takes to step up
Some of my thoughts on this.
Herrera - Confirmed leaving
Matic - Dropped towards the end with poor performances. Either he is suddenly getting too old or he totally lost his motivation for United. If Ole can't turn him around, will probably leave
Perreira - This was supposed to be his make or break season for United. He tried to be a No 6/8 but failed. Plays best as a 10 or wide midfielder. Even under Ole, he has only at best been a substitute. I think he will leave.
Pogba - I keep hoping he will have his "Ferdinand" moment where he realises he has to deliver more on the pitch instead of talking more shit. Unfortunately, I don't think that will happen. On top of that, his head is turned. Unless his agent getting banned becomes a problem, he will want to join Real/Barca
Fred - Will probably stay at least another season to prove if he can at least be squad material. He started as an 8 but so far I think his best performances were as a 6 and coming in late to the box. Needs to cut out the needless fouling he tends to do though.
Mctominay - Will and should stay. The only bright spark in midfield this season. Still a lot of room for improvement but definitely at least squad material.
I'm guessing around 3 of them will leave so I'd imagine we'd need at least 2 more midfielders. Judging from Ole's high intensity style, they will need to be all rounded, box to box type with lots of energy. From a quick glance at FM (I know, I know) and based on rumors from the other thread from the ITK, Adrien Rabiot seems to fit the requirements. Another that has come to mind for me is Koke who, if I understand correctly, plays box to box across the middle 3 for Athletico. There are others, like Ndombele and Bruno Fernandes, but I'm not really familiar with them, so I can't really say if they fit.
Ideally, I would want to see a brilliant passer come in as one of the midfielders, but I'm not sure it will happen, as Ole's high intensity style means physical ability will be very important and there aren't many midfielders who can do both equally well.
Just my 2 cents.
Herrera - Confirmed leaving
Matic - Dropped towards the end with poor performances. Either he is suddenly getting too old or he totally lost his motivation for United. If Ole can't turn him around, will probably leave
Perreira - This was supposed to be his make or break season for United. He tried to be a No 6/8 but failed. Plays best as a 10 or wide midfielder. Even under Ole, he has only at best been a substitute. I think he will leave.
Pogba - I keep hoping he will have his "Ferdinand" moment where he realises he has to deliver more on the pitch instead of talking more shit. Unfortunately, I don't think that will happen. On top of that, his head is turned. Unless his agent getting banned becomes a problem, he will want to join Real/Barca
Fred - Will probably stay at least another season to prove if he can at least be squad material. He started as an 8 but so far I think his best performances were as a 6 and coming in late to the box. Needs to cut out the needless fouling he tends to do though.
Mctominay - Will and should stay. The only bright spark in midfield this season. Still a lot of room for improvement but definitely at least squad material.
I'm guessing around 3 of them will leave so I'd imagine we'd need at least 2 more midfielders. Judging from Ole's high intensity style, they will need to be all rounded, box to box type with lots of energy. From a quick glance at FM (I know, I know) and based on rumors from the other thread from the ITK, Adrien Rabiot seems to fit the requirements. Another that has come to mind for me is Koke who, if I understand correctly, plays box to box across the middle 3 for Athletico. There are others, like Ndombele and Bruno Fernandes, but I'm not really familiar with them, so I can't really say if they fit.
Ideally, I would want to see a brilliant passer come in as one of the midfielders, but I'm not sure it will happen, as Ole's high intensity style means physical ability will be very important and there aren't many midfielders who can do both equally well.
Just my 2 cents.
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Rice and Neves would be great at this point in time. Right age, premier league proven and wouldn’t smash the bank account. Instant improvement over our midfield and realistic targets for where we are.
Ndidi and Neves and we are all set in midfield.
Haha fair, but Doucoure is actually talented. He’d be one of those astute signings where you don’t realise how good he is till you watch him play week in week out. Exactly the type of signings we need to be making.
A lot of names of foreign players here who we have no idea that’ll cope in England. Rather take a player I know will improve us.
IT looks like Rodrigo is going to City, and who would'nt ATM, but he's exactly what we need, Matic needs replacing even more than the likes of Young, Jones & Lingaard,
N'Dombele - Rodrigo - Pogba, that would do nicely !
N'Dombele - Rodrigo - Pogba, that would do nicely !
A good Herrera replacement would be Fornals of Villareal who would cost less than 30 million.
Rabiot is worth wages up to 250,000 a week considering we was going to offer about 200,000 to Herrera, there is also a very good chance he can justify it with his current ability and potential to get even better and it's not like his legs are going to go on him anytime soon being at such a young age like we saw with Sanchez and he's not injury prone like Ramsey who got 400,000 a week to join Juve.
Two wildcards would be to try Lingard in midfield and Darmian as a defensive midfielder, he's far more mobile than matic, good defensively and a tidy passer of the ball, it wouldn't be the first time we have used fullbacks as defensive midfielders to good effect.
Rabiot is worth wages up to 250,000 a week considering we was going to offer about 200,000 to Herrera, there is also a very good chance he can justify it with his current ability and potential to get even better and it's not like his legs are going to go on him anytime soon being at such a young age like we saw with Sanchez and he's not injury prone like Ramsey who got 400,000 a week to join Juve.
Two wildcards would be to try Lingard in midfield and Darmian as a defensive midfielder, he's far more mobile than matic, good defensively and a tidy passer of the ball, it wouldn't be the first time we have used fullbacks as defensive midfielders to good effect.
If we sell Pogba... I would like a midfield like this:
Rodrigo
Ndombele - Havertz
Ndombele - Havertz
If Pogba leaves my first choice trio is Rodri, Saul, Eriksen. Second choice Ndidi, Ndombele, Fernandes. Third choice Rice, Rabiot, Fekir.
No news on this front? Fellani gone, Herrera gone, matic useless, pogba needs others to carry his weight, andreas just a squad option with little value.
We should be looking at a player like Marcelo Brozovic from Inter, apparently his release clause is €60m.
If we can't land someone like Rodri as first choice in the DM role, Brozovic would be my 2nd.
If we can't land someone like Rodri as first choice in the DM role, Brozovic would be my 2nd.
I think Pogba will stay: N'Dombele, Rabiot and Pogba looks good to me and say bye to Matic. Can't see that happening though, sadly.
Scratch Kroos from the list. He's just renewed with Real Madrid.
I thought Rabiot was older than 24. Thought he was like 27.
Just turned 24 last month. Is he any good?
Just turned 24 last month. Is he any good?
The links are sparse right now, I am still very wary of Rabiot personally, this is a club filled with toxicity already, I think we need to add personalities that are more stable and grounded. The Tielemans link is interesting, he has a bit of everything in his game.
My worry is that we've got this deluded idea about Garner and we just hope we can keep using Matic in the DM role until the kid is ready, the complete opposite of how a big club acts.
It would make a lot of sense to go for Ndidi. He won't be that expensive, and ultimately you would hope for a DM like Garner, but seeing as he's not ready yet, a destroyer like Ndidi is a great option.
My ideal 4 are
Pogba - 8/10
DM - Garner
Destroyer - Ndidi
CM - Gomes
In my dreams, but it's just to show what types of midfielders I want in a rotation.
Very much agree! Brozo is what we need.
Brozovic is a little low in workrate so I'd pair him with someone like Ndidi to balance it out.
Ndidi, Brozo, Pogba & Ziyech would be a dream quartet imo. Fully balanced. Range of passes, high workrate, creative, physical. Stick them 4 behind a really fast attacking duo & we're in business.
Leicester have decent financial backing and unless Ndidi is in the last year of his contract I don't think he'll be cheap, plus he's poor on the ball, now I know your Pogba/Gomes double 8's in front of him might cover that ut I just don't see Gomes getting a chance here as anything but a #10 in the diamond.
Brozovic runs most in whole Seria A this season and his defensive play is great last two seasons, for example look at his block of Suarez free kick in CL, pure brilliance.
Yup, I remember that block. Was genius.
Oh I did not know he ran the most in Serie A. My bad. All the more reason to want him at United.
Anyways, he doesn't score well for interceptions and tackles. That's why imo, if we get Brozo he should be paired with someone like Grillitsch / Partey / Ndidi.
Worried there's no sign of Matic leaving. He's done. How we can have him in midfield for another season is baffling.
I think this would work as first choice XI:
Forwards: Martial - Rashford/Lukaku - Pepe/New RW
Midfield: Pogba - Matic/McTominay - Fred/Partey or Bruno
Backline: Shaw - Lindelof - New CB - Wan Bissaka
GK: De Gea or Romero
Bench signing: Daniel James.
That's 5 signings I believe we will make. It does improve the team a fair bit, we might be able to do better than Chelsea and Arsenal, and maybe even Spurs too. I know Ole said there would not be 6 signings, but if we buy a striker and sell Lukaku as well, it would really be a major boost to our rebuilding process.
Forwards: Martial - Rashford/Lukaku - Pepe/New RW
Midfield: Pogba - Matic/McTominay - Fred/Partey or Bruno
Backline: Shaw - Lindelof - New CB - Wan Bissaka
GK: De Gea or Romero
Bench signing: Daniel James.
That's 5 signings I believe we will make. It does improve the team a fair bit, we might be able to do better than Chelsea and Arsenal, and maybe even Spurs too. I know Ole said there would not be 6 signings, but if we buy a striker and sell Lukaku as well, it would really be a major boost to our rebuilding process.
Maddison
Tielemens
Fernandes
Rice
Tielemens
Fernandes
Rice