Dwight McNeil

M16Red

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Incredibly useful if Barnes and Wood are your centre forwards...
The asset was a low cross today, the corner one was a really high far post corner.

If we are in for him and he does play, my worry would be pogba because I really think he is the 10 in our current 4-2-3-1 system. I have the feeling that Ole is nostalgic and the utd way is 442 or 4411 to him..
 

Bebestation

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This video may show why his figures are good.


It shows that Burnley are one of the few teams left who play football the old way with wingers who can cross & strikers like Chris Wood who try to get behind the defence and score goals.

I wonder how useful is that really going to be for our team? The top teams hardly have wingers who cross anymore and are more forwards & apart from the few hit an strikers left - football is being played on the feet more & more every season.

I wouldn't mind him here for a reasonable fee - but he would have to be used right. Play the 352 with James at RWB and and Mcneil would be more useful than Mcneil trying to cross a ball in for strikers who can't head a ball in to the net & are better with their feet.
 

Holters

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If we are in for him and he does play, my worry would be pogba because I really think he is the 10 in our current 4-2-3-1 system. I have the feeling that Ole is nostalgic and the utd way is 442 or 4411 to him..
Firstly, Pogba isn't a 10 and never will be. He has the potential to be a world class midfielder (on the left in 433 or the pivot in 4231), but he will never be a world class number 10. His abilities are better utilized elsewhere.

Secondly, you obviously have no clue about Solskjaer. He is very flexible when it comes to formations and adapts to his players. His preferred formation throughout his managerial career is 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, but he has used 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1 and even 3-4-3. Solskjaer is also very fond of inverted wingers. There is absolutely nothing backing up your statement about Solskjaer being nostalgic and wanting to revert to 4-4-2. Stop spreading bullshit based on forum hearsay or other stupidities. Do some research and use facts instead.
 

M16Red

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This video may show why his figures are good.


It shows that Burnley are one of the few teams left who play football the old way with wingers who can cross & strikers like Chris Wood who try to get behind the defence and score goals.

I wonder how useful is that really going to be for our team? The top teams hardly have wingers who cross anymore and are more forwards & apart from the few hit an strikers left - football is being played on the feet more & more every season.

I wouldn't mind him here for a reasonable fee - but he would have to be used right. Play the 352 with James at RWB and and Mcneil would be more useful than Mcneil trying to cross a ball in for strikers who can't head a ball in to the net & are better with their feet.
Sane would argue that point about wingers, as for crossing city do a lot of byline cut backs, as do Liverpool and both don't have huge players.
 

M16Red

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Firstly, Pogba isn't a 10 and never will be. He has the potential to be a world class midfielder (on the left in 433 or the pivot in 4231), but he will never be a world class number 10. His abilities are better utilized elsewhere.

Secondly, you obviously have no clue about Solskjaer. He is very flexible when it comes to formations and adapts to his players. His preferred formation throughout his managerial career is 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, but he has used 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1 and even 3-4-3. Solskjaer is also very fond of inverted wingers. There is absolutely nothing backing up your statement about Solskjaer being nostalgic and wanting to revert to 4-4-2. Stop spreading bullshit based on forum hearsay or other stupidities. Do some research and use facts instead.
Attack the post not the poster. First off.

Why are you so angry you need water holy water, the bold part you just said he has played this formation your self. Has James been use as an inverted winger recently? Is rashford a inverted winger or a left side forward?

‘His strengths are running, passing the ball, getting into the box, scoring goals, assisting goals. - sounds like a 10 to me (Paul scholes)

Pogba was dispossessed more than another midfielder last at 89 times when that happens in the middle of the park you are on the back foot. - there is a fact for you chap.
 
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Valar Morghulis

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Firstly, Pogba isn't a 10 and never will be. He has the potential to be a world class midfielder (on the left in 433 or the pivot in 4231), but he will never be a world class number 10. His abilities are better utilized elsewhere.

Secondly, you obviously have no clue about Solskjaer. He is very flexible when it comes to formations and adapts to his players. His preferred formation throughout his managerial career is 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, but he has used 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1 and even 3-4-3. Solskjaer is also very fond of inverted wingers. There is absolutely nothing backing up your statement about Solskjaer being nostalgic and wanting to revert to 4-4-2. Stop spreading bullshit based on forum hearsay or other stupidities. Do some research and use facts instead.
?

I think we all know a bit too much about Ole now at this stage, flexible and tactically astute he is not. The Stewart Downing comparisons are funny, our own Stewart Downing to compliment our own Kenny Dalglish!

From what I've seen of him he doesn't remind me of Downing whatsoever, think he actually has a way higher ceiling. Only issue is he too is another player that seems to favour playing out on the left...
 

dev1l

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James plays on the right because we have no proper right winger.
I think McNeil apart from LW, can also play as an inverted right winger or even as a 10 instead of Mata/Perriera.
Physically he reminds me a bit of DiMaria.
 

paulscholes18

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This video may show why his figures are good.


It shows that Burnley are one of the few teams left who play football the old way with wingers who can cross & strikers like Chris Wood who try to get behind the defence and score goals.

I wonder how useful is that really going to be for our team? The top teams hardly have wingers who cross anymore and are more forwards & apart from the few hit an strikers left - football is being played on the feet more & more every season.

I wouldn't mind him here for a reasonable fee - but he would have to be used right. Play the 352 with James at RWB and and Mcneil would be more useful than Mcneil trying to cross a ball in for strikers who can't head a ball in to the net & are better with their feet.


Would take some manager to make it work as I’m not sure how good James and McNeil are defensively. Would be fun to watch under Chris Wilder mind, he could use AWB and Shaw as overlapping Centre backs
 

settembrini

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Seems to have had a cracking game today. Trying to impress watching scouts perhaps.
 

Snow

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He was not. But had the potential to be. There's a difference. Just like nobody in their right mind would have called Roberson pre Liverpool a "top class" player.
No he was top class. A lot of people on the CAF wanted him here after his first season and said he would walk into the starting lineup and rightly so. At Southampton he saw way less of the ball, played for a side that was less attacking yet he looked the same as he does now. The difference is mostly consistency and that usually comes with experience and confidence.
 

Harry190

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What's that thing about him not being quick? He leaves people in the dust. He just glides through players.

He should change his name to Mcneildinho maybe and declare his allegiance to Spain. Maybe it'll convince people better.
 

AltiUn

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This "he's british and he might be good in the future" policy is fecking stupid. We are crying out for world class players.

The fact that we were prioritising Sean Longstaff over Bruno Fernandes and Paulo Dybala this summer just sums us up.

If we're desperate for British players (I don't know why but we clearly are), go for Chilwell or Maddison or Sancho. We desperately need proven quality.
Wait, what? We never even bid for Longstaff yet held actual contract talks with Dybala so that's completely false.
 

Fosu-Mens

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Not as much hip movement, but that's an apt comparison. And he doesn't play LW exclusively. He is everywhere in the offensive game.
Seems to anticipate when to dribble players well. Few. if any weaknesses in his game. Can pass, cross, dribble, good technical ability, can defend and attack. Really "balanced" player that should be able to perform in most systems and attacking situations on the pitch.
 

SamoyedSam

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He might not play LW exclusively bit that's his best position. An old fashioned winger with a great cross on him. I don't see the point in playing him on the opposite flank and reducing his best quality.
 

RamblingRebel

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We love him at Burnley and have known about him for a good few years now. He is living up to all the promise and we would hate to loose him, but understand if a team like Utd bid for him with a fair price we'll not be able to keep him....I'd imagine though it will most certainly be a record fee we will receive for him...then again Burnley's record fee received for a player is peanuts for Utd. I'd imagine at least 40million would be needed possibly even more.
 

Dante

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I find too many of his tweets to be clickbaity, he’ll only show part of the picture in the interest of hype. Surprised he missed so many sexy stats out of that one.
Other than reeling off Whoscored stats, he offers no real insight. If you replaced him with a screenshot of an Excel spreadsheet, you'd lose nothing but gain extra charisma.
 

NoPace

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He might not play LW exclusively bit that's his best position. An old fashioned winger with a great cross on him. I don't see the point in playing him on the opposite flank and reducing his best quality.
Most wingers play on their off wing at big clubs and he only has 4 Prem goals in 34 games (though obviously he's so young). If we signed him it would presumably be to play RW and be a goal threat there rather than a wide, defensively sound crosser on the left like he is for Burnley. Martial is probably the worst Prem striker at attacking crosses (this might include backups!) so if he's another Ashley Young/Valencia type primarily providing width and crosses he should probably go to Chelsea to fight with HudsonOdoi and Pulisic for 2 wing spots (Pedro going and Willian probably following soon) to whip balls into Abraham.

In some ways he'd be what the Perisic move was supposed to be for us. First choice LWB when we play 3 at the back since he can stay wide and hit crosses and run, or maybe be a left-footed goalscoring option at RW and a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 LW when we want to be solid and play on the counter.
 

Jibbs

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Quality player... Somebody we should definitely look to sign. Ideally I would love to see these 6 players forming our attack and fighting for positions by end of summer 2020.
Rashford, Martial, Sancho, Haaland / Werner, James, McNeil.

Sanchez and Mata would be gone, Greenwood should be sent on loan to a championship side like Chelsea did with Abraham for at least 2 years. Chong looks likely to be gone as well. Lingaard would stay and could be used as a utility player.
 

shayanr

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Quality player... Somebody we should definitely look to sign. Ideally I would love to see these 6 players forming our attack and fighting for positions by end of summer 2020.
Rashford, Martial, Sancho, Haaland / Werner, James, McNeil.

Sanchez and Mata would be gone, Greenwood should be sent on loan to a championship side like Chelsea did with Abraham for at least 2 years. Chong looks likely to be gone as well. Lingaard would stay and could be used as a utility player.
If Pogba does leave, I will definitely add Maddison on that list.
 

Bebestation

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If we are targeting him then I'd have a feeling we were after haaland too.

Haaland is a left footed striker who is much more of a physical presence than anyone else in our first team attack & he is the type of striker who could use Mcneil's & James crosses.

Play a 352 with mcneil and James as wingbacks/defensive wide midfielders and

Rashford/Martial - Haaland/Greenwood​

Upfront.
 

Scholsey2004

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The asset was a low cross today, the corner one was a really high far post corner.

If we are in for him and he does play, my worry would be pogba because I really think he is the 10 in our current 4-2-3-1 system. I have the feeling that Ole is nostalgic and the utd way is 442 or 4411 to him..
Perhaps he feels a genuine 442 with capable providers in the wide areas is how to respond to teams who park the bus?
 

mattunited1978

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Quality player... Somebody we should definitely look to sign. Ideally I would love to see these 6 players forming our attack and fighting for positions by end of summer 2020.
Rashford, Martial, Sancho, Haaland / Werner, James, McNeil.

Sanchez and Mata would be gone, Greenwood should be sent on loan to a championship side like Chelsea did with Abraham for at least 2 years. Chong looks likely to be gone as well. Lingaard would stay and could be used as a utility player.
This is exactly what iv been thinking, would love to see that. Get shot of Sanchez, Mata, Lingard and Pereira, Bring in Sancho, Mcneil, Maddison and Haaland...We would save a fortune in wages and be set up beutifully for the future.

All interchangeable, but...

LW
Rashford
Mcneil

RW
Sancho
James

CF
Martial
Haaland

AM
Maddison
Gomes

With Greenwood being able to play practicaly any of the front 3 positions, i dont usually do these footy manager style squad builds, but the thought of this is really exciting.
 

M16Red

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Perhaps he feels a genuine 442 with capable providers in the wide areas is how to respond to teams who park the bus?
The Utd way?? there is nothing wrong in having the option. Working the wings for the low block and counter / high press for the attacking teams EG: Liverpool - if you notice our front the on the left and right are starting very wide, this gives us space behind the FB.

Look where Pools LB is here.


the space after the pass


my old basketball teacher used to call it the half court press.
 

Scholsey2004

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I wonder if we signed him we’d be considering playing him as a right inside forward with Rashford doing the same on the left and playing Martial as the false 9 to be the main chance creator. We’ve seen glimpses of how lethal that could be with the amount of chances Martial’s created for Rashford but we’ve just not converted.
McNeils biggest strength is his crossing. Since he's a left footer that probably means playing on the left. I think if we're signing him it probably means ole wants the option of a player who can cross from the left, something that as of now we don't really have.
 

AltiUn

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McNeils biggest strength is his crossing. Since he's a left footer that probably means playing on the left. I think if we're signing him it probably means ole wants the option of a player who can cross from the left, something that as of now we don't really have.
I posted that comment in the wrong thread :lol:
 

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With his crossing I think he might work better further back but United never really play with wing back. Vinagre is another option for replacing Shaw.
 

Sea-Cow

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With his crossing I think he might work better further back but United never really play with wing back. Vinagre is another option for replacing Shaw.
Vinagre was brilliant against Pool. Is he like that every week?