Thomas Meunier

[AllezLesDiables]

In my opinion, as long as he's not an actually bad defender, this shouldn't be too much of a problem. If we're playing with a 433 and have the full backs pusing forwards, our CDM ought to drop back and form a back 3 at time when the fullbacks are bombing up.

I was just trying not to oversell him. I think he’s a solid RB who is capable of some big performances and or wonder goal now and again.

He was a critical figure for Belgium in the last WC and not having him for the Semis was a bigger loss than most people realize.

 

[RussellWilson]

He's better attacker than AWB and that's more important for me. Especially with Shaw a fairly defensive full back on the other side. Can mirror the old Brown and Evra combo but opposite sides.

 

[The Nani]

He's better attacker than AWB and that's more important for me. Especially with Shaw a fairly defensive full back on the other side. Can mirror the old Brown and Evra combo but opposite sides.

This. He would go a long way to solving our inept right side on his own.

As I’ve said before, we could also run him and Dalot out together on the right as we did with Valencia and Rafael.

 

[Loublaze]

Every season you get players like AWB having their breakthrough season (remember Milinkovic Savic last season?!) and seemingly everyone wants them. I feel this is a mistake. Meunier is the more sensible signing since he has been tested at a high level for a number of seasons now and can be judged over a longer period of time. Weighing in the price too and the profile of the player (i.e. he's a United fan), it's a no-brainer.

For me AWB would be riskier than Meunier, it all depends on whether AWB can replicate his breakout season form.

Daniel James just made his breakthrough season in the championship but you think the risk is worth it. What's the difference? The transfer fee? The expected responsibility? AWB is a young player who has proven himself in the PL. If he comes good that RB position will be sorted for years.

 

[manutddjw]

I’d just go for this guy. Problem is we have too much to do and like feck we’re going to over 300 Million. An attacker and defender alone is pushing on 200 Million. AWB probably has that better future but keep in mind our right back is Ashley Young. Getting Meunier is a huge upgrade on what we have and for more than half of what AWB would cost.

 

[beergod]

He's better attacker than AWB and that's more important for me. Especially with Shaw a fairly defensive full back on the other side. Can mirror the old Brown and Evra combo but opposite sides.

My thoughts mirror yours. We need a RB who can give us width and attacking impetus now, not a youngster who may develop that aspect in the future.

 

[RussellWilson]

No brainer for me. And he's a United fan so he actually wants to play for the club!!!! Nice change.

Some match compilations. He can attack and cross!

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

An utter defensive liability. I hope we steer clear

 

[Sanche7]

For the price of 20-25 mill : absolute no brainer

 

[Adam-Utd]

An utter defensive liability. I hope we steer clear

Can't be any worse than what we already have TBH.

 

[FootyGirl88]

For the price of 20-25 mill : absolute no brainer

I agree

 

[SteveW]

With Dalot and Laird coming through at RB this is the only move that makes even the tiniest amount of sense.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

AWB looks like a quality full back but Palace wanting 70m quid for a 21 year old who has had one season is plain ridiculous, tell them to get stuffed!

25m quid for a proven full back, can't argue at that, also as he is what 27/28 adds a bit of experience and allows Dalot a year or so to mature as he looks quality going forward just needs to shore up his defensive work.

Also have TFM back and Laird looks a good prospect, would prefer Dalot/TFM to fit in around covering Munier and Shaw next year, giving Young as little game time as possible.

 

[jackal&hyde]

Much better then Young and gives us time to develop Dalot. For the price quoted this looks like a great fit.

 

[AJ10]

He's basically a right winger who goes back to "defend".

 

[Classical Mechanic]

An utter defensive liability. I hope we steer clear

Indeed.

 

[onemanarmy]

An utter defensive liability. I hope we steer clear

I agree

He's twice the defender Young is. For the prices quoted, should be a no-brainer.

 

[Cassidy]

He's twice the defender Young is. For the prices quoted, should be a no-brainer.

Not very hard

 

[StrettyEnder07]

An utter defensive liability. I hope we steer clear

We have Young, Rojo, Darmian, Smalling, Jones and Shaw. Munier would be a defensive upgrade on pretty much all of these.

If not Munier, who would you go for RB? Assuming you would not pay 70m for AWB?

 

[charlenefan]

An utter defensive liability. I hope we steer clear

This is my concern, there must be a reason (and only avid PSG viewers may know) why he's not getting a game at PSG, why he only has a year left on his contract, and why the only two teams he's being linked with are us and Everton

Every time I've seen him he's looked more than capable both ends of the pitch but it's a very small sample size

 

[arthurka]

I agree

You have been on the TM wagon for a while now, is there any reason why? I see a very flat player with no great strengths to mention. But he has serious defensive flaws that a easily spotted. Is there something I am missing?

 

[Raees]

An utter defensive liability. I hope we steer clear

Bit of an exaggeration there.

 

[thomas porter]

He would be a sensible signing if Crystal Palace demand 70 million for Wan Bissaka.

 

[Nick.]

He is massively, massively overrated on this site.

 

[Zlatattack]

He is massively, massively overrated on this site.

Who cares? We currently have dogshite as an option for our RB position. In fact if at the start of every match if we put a steaming pile of poo in the RB position it'd still be more effective as someone might try to run around it instead of stepping in it.

 

[BlueHaze]

If we can't get AWB which seems likely at the moment then by all means go for Meunier. He is a fan of the club and would love to play for us. Those are the type of guys we need. Use him as primary rb with Dalot as back up. Please just don't start Young I can't take it anymore.

 

[Enigma_87]

This is my concern, there must be a reason (and only avid PSG viewers may know) why he's not getting a game at PSG, why he only has a year left on his contract, and why the only two teams he's being linked with are us and Everton

Every time I've seen him he's looked more than capable both ends of the pitch but it's a very small sample size

He has played 29, 34 and 36 games for PSG in the last three seasons. Hardly not getting a game.

 

[jackal&hyde]

Young has some of the worst crossing stats in the league. Teams can afford to overcrowd their right side (our left) to stop Martial-Pogba-Shaw because we have nothing coming from the right. A player like Meunier would completely change this dynamic. In some sense, having a credible threat from the right will improve our left too.

If we are going to stick with Pogba as a mezzala on the left (i think we should because he can be WC here), i think a player like Meunier is much, much better for the balance of the team then a more defensively sound but attacking weak AWB.

 

[Nick.]

Who cares? We currently have dogshite as an option for our RB position. In fact if at the start of every match if we put a steaming pile of poo in the RB position it'd still be more effective as someone might try to run around it instead of stepping in it.

I just don't see the point in adding a third defensively suspect right back (we already have Young and Dalot). It will just be more of the same. There is surely quality out there if our scouts can look in the right places.

I bet if we get Meunier people will be fed up of him within three months due to his defensive errors.

 

[JPRouve]

This is my concern, there must be a reason (and only avid PSG viewers may know) why he's not getting a game at PSG, why he only has a year left on his contract, and why the only two teams he's being linked with are us and Everton

Every time I've seen him he's looked more than capable both ends of the pitch but it's a very small sample size

Meunier is an average to above average player, he can be very good going forwards but he isn't consistent and he isn't good defensively. I think that he is better than Young and if he was cheap, like in the 10s of millions then he could be a good purchase but don't count on him to be your undisputed RB, he could be but he could also flop.

 

[Zlatattack]

I just don't see the point in adding a third defensively suspect right back (we already have Young and Dalot). It will just be more of the same. There is surely quality out there if our scouts can look in the right places.

TBH, i've never seen the guy play. I'm only going by what others have said on this forum. From what i've read he's cheap, available, in his prime, and apparently a decent player. If you don't rate him fair enough. I just fear Ashley Young starting at RB again.

 

[StrettyEnder07]

He is massively, massively overrated on this site.

I love the fact that fans on this site just scream blue murder to any names that get suggested, acting as if we have Gary fecking Neville running down our right hand side.

That right hand side is the worst it has ever been, I will take fecking anyone at this point so I don't have to watch Ashley bloody Young and Jesse fecking Lingard trying to play football.

 

[onemanarmy]

why he's not getting a game at PSG

> 30 games this season, missing a handful with an injury. That's decent enough.

I don't get it. There aren't that many quality RB's on the market. He wouldn't cost much, is a full international with a proven record and would be a definitive upgrade to Young. A no-brainer to me. He's not a world class player, but he would do just fine to replace Young for couple of years.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Bit of an exaggeration there.

it really isn't. The dude defend s exactly like Dalot. Yet he is in his prime

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Can't be any worse than what we already have TBH.

He isn't an improvement defensively on anyone we have. which is the problem. If you think Young has made you tear your hair out with his defending of late. This guy will make you cry. He thinks he is a winger and defends like one, especially like one who views tracking back as a chore

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

We have Young, Rojo, Darmian, Smalling, Jones and Shaw. Munier would be a defensive upgrade on pretty much all of these.

That is a straight up lie. He is a far worse defender than every one on that list safe for Young. and that is only because Young is now old and past it.

If not Munier, who would you go for RB? Assuming you would not pay 70m for AWB?

Id rather bring back Rafael from Lyon. Florenzi at Roma. Or get Youcef Atal. Or go for the young french kid Salibba. Or go for like Malcuit from Napoli. Heck Id rather raid Norwich for Max Aarons then get this guy

 

[RussellWilson]

Young has some of the worst crossing stats in the league. Teams can afford to overcrowd their right side (our left) to stop Martial-Pogba-Shaw because we have nothing coming from the right. A player like Meunier would completely change this dynamic. In some sense, having a credible threat from the right will improve our left too.

If we are going to stick with Pogba as a mezzala on the left (i think we should because he can be WC here), i think a player like Meunier is much, much better for the balance of the team then a more defensively sound but attacking weak AWB.

Pretty much this. Teams literally never have to worry about our right side because even if we switch play out there, we never have anyone there (Lingard, Mata doing shit number 10 impressions) or Young who will do absolutely nothing with the ball. As a result the left hand side gets so crowded.

Football is pretty simple, you stretch teams out by making the pitch as wide as possible making the opposition team defend as much space as possible. It's what City do through their wide players and Liverpool do via their full backs. Teams get so tired tucking in then sprinting out to get to these players chances are made. We instead have an attack where everyone thinks they're Riquelme, playing off a non existent front man, trying one twos in the most crowded part of the pitch making it super easy to defend against. This is why the only decent football we've played under Ole is on the break, we still have no clue how to build an attack.

A right back that actually stretches the right side and holds width would help with this massively.

 

[Gandalf]

We need to pay the premium for AWB and sort the position out. Meunier wouldn't make the cut at any other top 6 club and if our benchmark is going to be is he better than Young then we are fecked. The team needs 3 or 4 windows to become truly competitive again, lets not do a Liverpool under Rodgers and buy 6 or 7 ok players at 20 million a pop. AWB and one of our other marquee targets like de Ligt would be good business for the first window under Ole, certainly better than bargain hunting in a futile attempt to upgrade half the team at once and ending up with a perennial Europa league level squad.

 

[Mr Smith]

He's basically a right winger who goes back to "defend".

Given the way Ole likes his fullbacks to play, that is kind of what we need right now. As has been pointed out elsewhere, we have a pretty defensive LB and unless we sign Sancho (we won't), there aren't too many natural right wingers on the market right now.

In conclusion, I am for this one. At worst, he's a stop gap as we continue to develop Dalot.

 

[VanGaalyTime]

Or we could just negotiate for Wan Bissaka. Why get a guy that can't defend, will cost more in wages, and will have to be replaced in a year or two anyway? AWB could be bought for less than 60m, and has 10 years at the highest level left. If United go for Meunier now it would be indicative that nothing has changed.