FrankDrebin
Don't call me Shirley
Or James Ward Prowse maybe?
g = window.googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; window.googletag = googletag; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var interstitialSlot = googletag.defineOutOfPageSlot('/17085479/redcafe_gam_interstitial', googletag.enums.OutOfPageFormat.INTERSTITIAL); if (interstitialSlot) { interstitialSlot.addService(googletag.pubads()); } });
Or James Ward Prowse maybe?
If he reached even close to Carrick's level he'd be an absolute bargain.I think he would have the potential to improve and be better than Fred but I'm not sure he's instantly an improvement. More a different style and a sideways move. I think he could reach Carrick's level in a similar role. But I dont think he's a great player nor has he been in the past. He's been a decent player with the occasional great pass to set a forward free and he's got a great longshot from outside the box and will score some great goals. He still needs to put it all together and prove that he should be starting at a top 5 club.
For me he's probably never been worth over £35 million so its a fair price rather than a cheap one. But if he did reach Carrick's level then £35 million will have been good business
That's what we end up having to do in many games, because other teams tend to approach games against us more defensively. It doesn't work great for us so we should seek to improve, but our current players and recruiting strategy is not very conducive to such playstyle. We are the worse possession holders of this years top 4 teams.. and Leeds.A possession based side doesn't mean necessarily mean Barca or a side that plays positional game like LVGs. It just means a side that looks to dominate the game and break down a lower block defense. That's what we try to do in 80% of our games. Counter attacking is hardly a primary tactic.
Words are beautiful and everything, but like I said the players he signs (with the exception of VdB) and picks are not really players that are good at the short pass and move game. Neither Fernandes, nor AWB are any good at retaining possession and VdB is benched (correctly in my opinion) over Fred and McTominay. The short passing skills of both are at best average for the league if not below average. Rashford isn't particularly good at give-and-go either (though Martial is better) he thrives in balls behind the back of the defence that he can run onto."We want to be a team that can go and dominate teams and break teams down," the Norwegian said, as quoted by Goal. "It's taken Liverpool a few years to get to that place and we need to keep on building because that's where we want to get to.
"Yes, we're good at counter-attacking, yes, we've got pace, fast players, we should always keep that because that's in our transition. Now we need to be better at breaking lower blocks.
Not really a fair comparison, he spams crosses in the box and is a set piece specialist. Ruben Neves is a Scholes/Carrick/Pirlo/Jorginho type of player. Not the same level, but that style, and that's something we've needed for a while.Or James Ward Prowse maybe?
Then I dont rate it whatsoever. Moutinho is far more creative than Fred and the one that creates on a regular basis for Wolves. He'd need a partner who can do the same hereThink it's more as a partner to Fred.
Cavani
Rashford Bruno Sancho
Fred Neves
Shaw Torres Maguire Wan Bissaka
DDG
Would bring far more on the ball than McTominay, and he's better defensively as well, but primarily would finally give us a good passing range in midfield which we've been desperate for.
I like him, but I do agree, buying him would make sense if we're buying two midfielders.Then I dont rate it whatsoever. Moutinho is far more creative than Fred and the one that creates on a regular basis for Wolves. He'd need a partner who can do the same here
Guess I was not clear enough. I was implying a 3 mid formation with Bruno - DM- Pogba (most of the people here want this). Honestly, I can't see any mid that will make that mid-field work.I don't think that's what we're looking for, or should be looking for. Bruno has never played in the pivot and never will either, and all indications are Pogba's future isn't there either, for the most part. Effectively, our pivot first choice is Fred and McTominay, and the pivot clearly has a two-way function as a unit, rather than consisting of one defensive and one offensive player. In that context, Neves is an interesting option.
I quite like Neves as an option too. Though not as much as f.e. Locatelli. Thanks for clarifying, don't think a switch to a 433 formation is very likely either. And as you say, it wouldn't solve the Pogba problem.Guess I was not clear enough. I was implying a 3 mid formation with Bruno - DM- Pogba (most of the people here want this). Honestly, I can't see any mid that will make that mid-field work.
Neves is really an exciting option. We have the ball winner in Fred, the energetic one in Mactominay, and Creativity from Pogba and Bruno. We lack someone who can release the ball quickly in the mid and someone who can shield the back four well. Neves will never be an eye-catching player, but I believe he will bring that balance in the mid-field and can do both jobs well.
He is slower than Fred and McT, but also miles better with the football.He is slower than Fred and McT though. Immobile too. Read the wolves forums.
Locatelli is the dream, but I don't think he will Italy at all. Neves or Tchouaméni should be ideal.I quite like Neves as an option too. Though not as much as f.e. Locatelli. Thanks for clarifying, don't think a switch to a 433 formation is very likely either. And as you say, it wouldn't solve the Pogba problem.
His pressing stats are actually very good.Id take him, especially if the fee is reasonable. If Rice is quoted at 90m and Neves is quoted at 35m then its a no brainer really. His passing stats are good, his tackling stats are good. People are saying hes not as quick as theyd like but a DM who can put their foot on the ball and control play is something weve been missing for a long time. If we need to swarm teams with the press then weve still got Fred and McTominay for that.
Locatelli really does look like the dream midfield player for us to be a deep lying playmaker. Is he just one of those who won't leave Italy? Sassuolo shouldn't be too hard to pry him from of we were interested.Locatelli is the dream, but I don't think he will Italy at all. Neves or Tchouaméni should be ideal.
What’s the point in a player glued to the spot no matter how good with the ball? He’s not a quarterbackHe is slower than Fred and McT, but also miles better with the football.
Last time I watched him, it seemed like he can run and walk. He even jumped a couple of times.What’s the point in a player glued to the spot no matter how good with the ball? He’s not a quarterback
yeah this pretty much. He started off class but majorly tapered off over the last few years. He might be class again in a better team but I’m not calling for us to sign him. I think if he was the one player we got we’d be disappointed at the end of the day.Go on the Wolves forum at any point over the last couple of seasons and they're not overly impressed with him.
An improvementLast time I watched him, it seemed like he can run and walk. He even jumped a couple of times.
As a matter of fact, Ole deployed Pogba in one of 2 holding CMs in his 4231 formation last season until he was injured, then during project restart last season Pogba still played in the double pivot alongside either of McFred and behind Bruno, in the one-off Europa League semi-final vs Sevilla it was Pogba & Fred as CMs behind Bruno.That only happened for a few months during Mourinhos reign to terrible effects. Never at Juve, France or United under Ole, has Pogba been a DLM in a double pivot. Just hasn't.
Sassuolo shouldn't be hard, but are we really interested in him? I haven't seen any credible links so far. And, my intuition says he won't leave Italy, just hunch - I'll be delighted to be proven wrong here if we get him.Locatelli really does look like the dream midfield player for us to be a deep lying playmaker. Is he just one of those who won't leave Italy? Sassuolo shouldn't be too hard to pry him from of we were interested.
He's good but not that good.After reading this thread and even part of the wolves forum I still don't know if he's good or not
I'd be worried about adding another 'okay' player to our set of okay midfielders - Matic, Fred, Mctominay and VDB (okay is optimistic for him)Sometimes its worth the gamble and a Neves for 35 is worth the gamble all day long. We cant get top players in all positions DM, CDM. RW. We need one of the positions to be a bargain and Neves is just to good an opportunity to pass up.