I still think they're our best partnership but an improvement could be made. I know the goal wasn't their fault but I always feel as though a long ball over the top into space and a pacy striker chasing it always causes our defence big problems. Sheffield United and Chelsea in the league cup (if i'm not mistaken) had similar goals.
Maguire and Lindelof Partnership
- Thread starter luke511
- Start date
Lindelof and Maguire are too slow as a partner. Still the best CB pairing at United. We can improve on them but i think this summer DM, creative midfielder (if Pogba leaves) and RW should be priority. A decent striker should also be ahead of any incoming CB
Bailly and Maguire should be better on paper, just depends if Bailly can stay fit. Never quite trusted Lindelof really, and while Bailly always has the odd brainfart in him, you get the impression he'd be able to iron those out.
I'd rather Bailly or Axel with Maguire, there's no speed with Lindelof. He's had an awful season in my opinion. I thought he improved last year but he's been way off, even things like passing and reading the game (his stronger attributes). It's a shame but I've seen enough of this partnership.
"just depends if Bailly can stay fit" - so it's not better, is what you're saying? He's more injury prone than my nan, for feck sake.
If we had Smalling at the club, think he'd be a great partner for Maguire. Too bad Ole and Southgate are too dumb to try it.
Next would be Bailly on paper next to Maguire. You need the recovery pace and aggressiveness to partner Maguire. Lindelof is too soft, weak and slow. Awful partner to Maguire. Fine as a squad player though.
Next would be Bailly on paper next to Maguire. You need the recovery pace and aggressiveness to partner Maguire. Lindelof is too soft, weak and slow. Awful partner to Maguire. Fine as a squad player though.
Bailey has had one good game and if he played like that all the time he is levels above Lindelof but be is erratic so I doubt if he will.
I would like to see Adel get a decent run.
I would like to see Adel get a decent run.
i Know I know
We need to build around these two players. It may take a bit more time, but the fruits will deliver in the long run.
What's your problem about that??
Have you got a better alternative?
Lindelof strikes me as a player who sometimes lacks confidence in possession. Unfortunately he seems to have infected Wan Bissaka wth the same ailment which has led to a lot of negative play were they can’t get rid of the ball quick enough.
Bailly doesn’t have the lack of confidence issue but he doesn’t read the game as well as Lindelof although, when fit, his athleticism can get him out of trouble. Maybe if Lindelof had some of Bailly’s fearless attitude he would be fantastic.
Maguire, whilst not the most mobile of players, is definitely the best defender we have. I would like him to be more dominant in the box especially at winning headers defending corners but I think maybe there are signs that this is coming.
Bailly doesn’t have the lack of confidence issue but he doesn’t read the game as well as Lindelof although, when fit, his athleticism can get him out of trouble. Maybe if Lindelof had some of Bailly’s fearless attitude he would be fantastic.
Maguire, whilst not the most mobile of players, is definitely the best defender we have. I would like him to be more dominant in the box especially at winning headers defending corners but I think maybe there are signs that this is coming.
I don't see how people can rate Lindelof. He is terrible in the air and hardly Beckenbauer with his feet. Smalling should come back if he is happy with Maguire keeping the armband.
I gave him a good score in the last PL game but let's be honest, there were at least 2 mistakes in the first 10 minutes from him and a big mistake in the second half too. Other than that he was fantastic and probably stopped a goal with one block. He's back from injury so there's that to take into account but like you said he's just too erratic.
I understand that Lindelof can seem too passive and I think we can do better but I also think people are reluctant to give him due praise at times. He's still the best partner for Maguire I reckon.
Come on. Lindelof is okay, as a squad option. Shouldn’t be starting for United. But Smalling has also been shite for ages. Just because he’s been decent in a league where Ashley Young has looked good, doesn’t mean he’s good enough for United. He’s absolutely shocking at actually playing football.
Jones, Smalling, Rojo, and Bailly all need to be binned off this summer. The most shocking selection of center halves I’ve seen at this club in a long time. Maybe a life time. Each of them has fundamental flaws with the basics of the game. Bailly has come back and had one game where he made three glaring mistakes, and one heroic block and people have gotten collective amnesia about how shite he’s been for the last three years.
If Tuanzebe Can sort his fitness out, we should buy a new CB - a top drawer one - to partner Maguire and be done with it. Lindelof and Tuanzebe can be understudies. Let’s face it, Phil Jones will be here until he retires too. So that’s 5.
I posted in another thread that if we could do a deal for De Ligt plus cash for Pogba We would be set for years at the back.
The problem is the fat pizza man has his claws in De Ligt as well.
De Ligt lacks pace and pairing him up with Maguire would bring up the same questions as we're asking now. I think the sensible move would be to sign a different player in exchange from Juve and bring in someone of the profile of Ibrahima Konate who is lightening quick, fantastic at bringing the ball out of defence and very strong aerially. A Maguire and Konate CB pairing would win us the league before long IMO.
Even though they are contradictory, I agree with both posts. I like the profile of Konate a lot, but I also think pace in a CB is overrated. You don’t want a snail, but defensive nouse, reading of the game, and positioning, are far more important. I would happily take either. I’m a big fan of De Ligt. A proper defender, and he’s definitely not slow.
Zagadou looks so cool to me. Very young and unproven but could be the next VVD level CB, in a few years. We should just bring back Smalling and buy a young player like that and we'd be covered. Tuanzebe and Bailly could probably be decent back up. Lindelof should get us a decent fee.
Defensive nous, reading of the game, positioning along with searing pace is far superior. I also don't believe De Ligt is as good as he's portrayed to be and if it wasn't for the injury to Demiral he'd still be riding the bench right now for Juve.
Feel a CB is more of a Summer 2021 signing. Unless the opportunity to sign a high quality CB presents itself in the coming window we have more urgent needs to fill.
Konate would be awesome though.
Konate would be awesome though.
I think we're fine at CB. Not the best but fine and can manage without an upgrade for 2 more seasons.
Too many more priorities to address
Too many more priorities to address
I'd agree to some extent, but I also think at least one of the two centre backs should be quite fast. Since we'd be looking to partner any new one with Maguire (one of the slower players around) it would be far better to have somebody with a good amount of pace next to him. Especially if we want to play a high line.
This. If we spend big on another CB this summer, while leaving massive holes elsewhere it would be unforgivable.
Have to disagree. Three players we need this summer are a CB, RW and CF. Those should be the top priorities. With Bruno and Pogba in the squad, I don’t know why we’d prioritise a 10. In fact with Fred, McT, Pogba, Bruno and Matic, only midfielder I would sign is a young one. And if Pogba leaves, I’d sign more of a true box to box, or outright defensive midfielder to replace him.
Someone like Grealish could be brought in as a squad player to replace the hopefully departing Mata and Lingard. And provide variety. But our three biggest areas of weakness are clearly a CB partner for Maguire, a right winger where we have no one, and zero competition for places up front. Something like Konate, Sancho, Werner, Grealish, would be the perfect summer for us. With Smalling, Rojo, Bailly, Lingard, Sanchez, Pereira, and Mata all departing. The wild card would be adding someone like Bellingham too. But looking at the squad below, with those four additions, we look really good.
It’s not numbers we struggle with. It’s quality.
GK DDG
GK Romero
LB Shaw
LB Williams
CB Maguire
CB Konate
CB Lindelof
CB Tuanzebe
RB Wan Bissaka
RB Dalot
DM Fred
DM Matic
CM Pogba
CM Bruno
CM McTominay
CM Grealish
LW Rashford
LW James
CF Martial
CF Werner
RW Sancho
RW Greenwood
DNF Jones
Out of curiosity, where would you spend the money? I see just a CB, RW and CF as top priority. Those are the biggest holes in the squad. And we should be making 3-4 signings this summer.
RW and CF are a must for me. A defensive midfielder, which I doubt we'll go for. I want another attacking midfielder with the likelihood of Pogba leaving too. Then a CB.
For the record I don't rate Lindelof at all, would love to see him replaced, I just think there are bigger areas to fix that would really make a huge difference to us.
Somewhat agree, I agree that even with the possibility that Jones, Smalling and Rojo all leave permanently in the summer, 4 CB's - Maguire, Lindelof, Bailly & Tuanzebe should be enough numbers. its only a somewhat agree as if Bailly continues to be as injury prone as we've seen in the past 4 seasons we may need a new CB next summer rather than 2.
This summer however - Pogba & Matic look very likely to leave an area of the pitch we don't have many options, so 2 new CM's this summer to add to McTom, Fred, Bruno, Garner, Pereira, Mata (I'd like all of Lingard, Pereira and Mata to leave this summer however with Pogba + Matic both almost certainly gone, I think 2 of those 3 will get 1 more season before leaving next summer, Lingard seems the one closer to the door). that would give us 8 players to cover the 3 CM roles (CDM, CM, CAM).
For me a RW would take priority this summer over CB as well. 3 signings this summer would probably be our lot given recent summer transfer history. 4 including making Igalho permanent on a 1 year contract only before Summer 2021 when ST would be number 1 priority. It's not realistic to deal with CB, CM x2, CAM, RW & ST all in one summer
They don't compliment each other at all. I think Maguire needs someone aggressive and agile (Baily?) but not rash(no Baily then) beside him
CB cannot be prio 1 this summer. For teams like Chelski, Spurs and Arsenal all need new CBs.
But for us the RW spot has been up for grabs long time now. And we need a new CF.
But for us the RW spot has been up for grabs long time now. And we need a new CF.
Konate is the player we need in my opinion, he's going to be one hell of a player. Fast, tall, great on the ball and looks to be very much a leader.
I hate it tbh. It's not terrible and it does the job a lot of the time but with Maguire being slow and Lindelof being timid it will never be a dominant pairing and will never instil fear into attackers.
We spent £80m on Harry and he's the captain so Lindelof has to drop. A Varane type is what we need but I doubt we'll be buying a CB this summer.
We spent £80m on Harry and he's the captain so Lindelof has to drop. A Varane type is what we need but I doubt we'll be buying a CB this summer.
Haven't seen him but heard good things. Wonder how Milenkovic is doing nowadays too
agree with this. with got three who get better the more games they play together. Can't go spend close to £100m on, say. Koulibaly and not address need to create and score goals. that has to be the priority in the summer
It's not a CB partnership you can build a title challenge on unless you have Barcelona/City level attackers or possession. It's the level of CB Arsenal would have when finishing 4th every year under Wenger when they were used to a Campbell and Toure level
It still feels shocking Lindelof has emerged as this first choice player.
Everyone can see Maguire needs a partner with differing strengths - pace for certain.
Everyone can see Maguire needs a partner with differing strengths - pace for certain.
Over time I've realised I'd much rather have Bailly starting instead of Lindelof, don't rate him at all anymore. Before we signed him it was pretty obvious he wasn't a standout CB.
When Bailly plays, he is always running towards the ball and leaves a hole behind him that Maguire and AWB need to cover. That takes away Maguires big strength which is attacking the ball high up the pitch. It can work in a 3 at the back where Bailly is fast and aggressive but always has someone to cover for him.
I love this partneship. There were two situations where they were pressed in penalty box but they calmly dealt with it without panicking or kicking the ling ball. I loved that. Smalling and Jones would kick the ball out of play.