Coops73
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An entirely new defence
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I think this is a solid point. We need to be able to control games with possession whilst also working hard.This summer Pogba, Lingard, Matic, Mata, Bailly, Jones, Dalot, Henderson, Martial and Cavani should all be off at the very least, there's others I'd like to see leave as well but it might not be feasible until 2023.
We need a CB, RB, 2 CM's, a WF and a Striker, that's a hell of a lot. With midfield I think our fans have become obsessed with grafters due to the lazy attitudes of the bulk of this squad, but I think we need positionally astute players as well and at least one midfielder that can control the game on the ball, especially with Hollywood Bruno as our #10 who is more of a SS. I'm not sure exactly who I'd pick for the various positions at the moment as it's such a mess, but for the forward I think Nkunku is by far the standout attacking option.
Hard to argue against any of these being shown the door. The only one I would even consider giving a chance to would be Donny.To go:
Henderson
Grant
Dalot
Bailly
Tuanzebe
Jones
Telles
Pogba
Matic
Lingard
Pereira
Mata
Greenwood
Martial
Donny
Cavani
Buy:
RB
CB
CDM/CM
CM
RW
ST
Thins the squad out and promote youth where needed.
For City and Liverpool I think only Cristiano and Varane. For Chelsea those 2, plus Bruno and Sancho. For Arsenal and Spurs quite some others, they dont have great squads either.If we put every single player in our squad up for sale, how many of our players would be wanted by City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and/or Spurs?
I admire your optimism with your salesLooking into the detail I think we can balance the books, condense the squad, give Ten Hag a decent summer budget and rid the squad of dross and fringe players.
12 out and 4 in would do it for me.
MUFC FIRST TEAM 22-23
GK
De Gea
Henderson
CB
Varane
Maguire
Lindelof
New 60m - 200k pw
FB
Shaw
Telles
Wan Bissaka
New 50m - 200k pw
MF
McTominay
Fred
Fernandes
Van De Beek
Hannibal
New 60m - 300k pw
WING
Rashford
Elanga
Sancho
Diallo
FW
Ronaldo
New 80m - 300k pw
IN Total 250m fees - 1m wages
OUT Total 100m fees - 1.5m wages
Bailly 15m - 80k pw
Jones 5m - 75k pw
Dalot 25m - 45k pw
Pogba Nil - 290k pw
Matic Nil - 120k pw
Lingard Nil - 75k pw
Mata Nil - 160k pw
Greenwood Nil - 75k pw
Cavani Nil - 250k pw
Tuanzabe 15m - 50k pe
Martial 30m - 250k pw
Pereira 10m - 30k pw
We have to discount greenwood. Otherwise we plan for him and have a big gaping hole when he’s not availableGreenwood if he is cleared, Garnacho, Hannibal, Sancho would all be of interest I feel.
Outside of the youngsters....maybe Martial/Rashford/Shaw for Arsenal or Spurs but probably none for the top threewhich is a sad indicement
Do we not need to sign a Pogba replacement tooSince we have so much to do and it's not gonna happen just in one summer, I'll do a 2/3 year plan. The sales this summer are more what I expect will happen, rather than want to happen.
Summer 2022:
Sell/Release/Loan:
Priorities:
- Henderson
- Grant
- Jones
- Bailly
- Williams
- Laird
- Tuanzebe
- Mengi
- Matic
- Mata
- Pereira
- Lingard
- Pogba
- Cavani
- Ronaldo
- Amad
- Hannibal
- Pellistri
- Chong
- Shoretire
Buy:
- ST
- DM
- RW
- RB
- GK
2023:
- Timber
- Darwin
- Tchouameni (dream)
- Johnstone
Sell/release/loan:
Priorities:
- De Gea
- Telles
- Wan Bissaka
- Laird
- Garner
- Martial
- Pellistri
- Chong
- Garnacho
- Shoretire
Buy:
- GK
- RW
- CM
- CB/RB (whichever one Timber is not)
- LB
- Backup ST
23/24 starting lineup:
- New Goalkeeper
- Frenkie De Jong
- Antony
DarwinBackup 11:
Sancho Bruno Antony
De Jong Tchouameni
Shaw Varane Maguire Timber
New GK
Rashford
Hannibal VdB Elanga/Amad
Fred McTominay
Williams Lindelof Mengi Dalot
Johnstone
Tchouameni is probably unlikely. In which case, Kamara on a free, and then push for Rice in 2023 or 2024 if Tchouameni is already gone.
Pogba was replaced ages ago, pretty much when we signed Bruno. He doesn't really have a clear role anyway. Being realistic, we are just signing 1 midfielder this summer, so the ideal is a DM like Tchouameni to sit behind Fred and Bruno, both of who have been automatic starters for a couple of years now and will likely continue as such. Pogba is being replaced by a defensive midfielder who actually fits the system, and we are using Fred in his best position like how Ralf has used him.Do we not need to sign a Pogba replacement too
As mobile as MaticJulian Weigl
He has a richer passing range, so he can sit deep and dictate play.As mobile as Matic
I dunno, don’t think he’s a good fit for the PLHe has a richer passing range, so he can sit deep and dictate play.
Great post, enjoyed reading it and in many ways I fully agree.Ok,commented a fair bit on here, but heres my final thoughts of what I would do.
We need
New Manager - Done
Club Advisor - Done if he stays
New scouts / people in charge of recruitment: Seems to be in process, would love to see somoene like Mitchell come in
As for who is out, its not even so much about that as the whole squad has been poor and even our better players there are reasons why you would sell, so before that its important to decide who we should keep:
1) Our youngsters - SOme may not be good enough but in terms of the squad, ability to coach and mould and numbers, these players deserve the right to earn squad places, so:
Williams, Mengi, Alvaro Fernandez, Amad, Pellestri, Garner, Hannibal, Elanga, Chong, Shoetire, Laird, Garnacho all stay in the squad for next season (have left out Greenwood for obvious reasons)
2) Players we signed last year - They have come into a rotten squad and only had one season, but the quality is there and they have all been ok, one player good, so keep Ronaldo, SAncho, Varane
3) Players that appear to have the right attitude and desire - A major part of the rebuild I feel is the attitude of players next season, so there are a few players I dont even rate, but when we are moving on so many, the attitude in the dressing room next season is prevalant in us progresing, some of these the deciding factor also is there contracts end in 2023 so they can be assessed and contacts can be ran down or new ones offered from Te Hags thoguhts workign with them for the first couple ofmonths (as they dont have transfer value anyway):
Heaton, Dalot (and I dont rate him at all), Jones, Fred, Lindelof, McTominay, Fernandes
Thats a squad so far of 22 players of:
GK - 2
RB - 2
CB - 3
LB - 2
DM - 0
CM - 3
AM - 3
LW - 4
RW - 2
CF - 1
Can see purely numbers wise DM and CF are where we are weakest which are areas many have already mentioned, we actually have big numbers if not experience already in other areas, this is why we should sell a lot of the remaining players.
The definite outs are of course the contracts ending:
Pogba, LiNgard, Mata, Matic, Grant, Cavani
Leaves
GK
Henderson, rumoured to be unhappy - SELL
LB
Shaw - He does have the quality and contact a year left - KEEP
Telles - He simply cant defend and hasnt offered enough forwards either - SELL
CB
Bailly - I like him but the injuries, poor moments and wish for first team action - SELL
Tuanzabe - Despite odd great game failed to breakthrough here or on loan - SELL
Maguire - Purely because of numbers, wages he is on and experience, - KEEP (strip of captaincy though and fight for place with failure to move on next summer once cull has been done this year)
RB
Bissaka - Hands up, thought hed be a good signing and made progress last year, but regressed a lot and not sure he fits into a tactical system, he also holds transfer value - SELL
DM
We have none!
CM
Pereira - DOnt believe rumours of him comign back, never taken chances - SELL
VDB - Ten Hag knows him, but we have numbers and I expect an additional signing and again he holds value - SELL
AM
All options already retained
LW
Rashford - We have numbers and I dont buy into the confidence/injury thing or his past form has been so good as others say, been hit someotimes and mss jsut as often, but this season the desire, movement, quality, courage, desire is so poor, he has a year on his contract, would get plenty of interest and rumours of unrest 100% for me - SELL
Martial - LW or CF, the loan fail just shows cant trust in him, one good season - SELL
RW
All options retained
CF
Only option retained
So thats 15 players out for me, dont want to fo into fees but £150mish and a lot of wages off the books could pretty mcuh cover the £200m rumoured budget
So our squad after exits would be before additions:
GK DeGea - Heaton
LB - Shaw - Fernandez - Williams
CB Varane - Maguire - Lindelof - Mengi - Jones
RB Dalot - Laird
DM
CM Fred - Garner - McTominay
AM Fernandes - Hannibal - Shoetire
LW Sancho - Elanga - Garnacho - Chong
RW Amad - Pellestri
CF Ronaldo
I would loan out the bolded players where we are stacked.
SO in terms of ins we NEED 2 x DM options and 1 x CF option. In terms of quality really needing improving....1st choice CB, RB, CM, RW
So 7 signings I feel are needed this summer yes SEVEN, not even including a keeper, think we can call up a youngster of just an experinced keeper this summer for free such as Jognstone.
High on my signings were Vandervort who has agred a move and Livaramento who has a big injury, with so many needed I think we can rule out huge £60m+transfers especially those dont even sound keen such as DeJong and Id love Sulemana but cant sign another LW
CB Romagnoli - FREE left footed, leader, experienced and partly due to rb signing and cheap replacement for Maguire 2023
RB Jurrien Timber £40m - Knows sytem, intelligent positioning, possibly CB signing but allows Laird opportunities if he plays CB too, so can move into middle as well in a season and allow us to make a RB signign next summer
DM Kamara FREE - No brainer, specialised intelligent DM, free and lots of room for development as well
DM Tchouameni £50 - I;'d liek to say Enzo Fernandez but not seen him and also with Kamaras age and relative inexperience, we need a big signing in DM. I feel in certain games Tchouameni and Kamara can be a godo partnership as Tchouameni offers more than jsut DM. Camavinga was always my dream signing and Id love Rice or Bellingham but nto sure we can do another season of waiting with such few options
CM Caqueret £20m - Maybe small and technical, but works hard up and down, think he can be the DM playmaker, yougn and hungry and a much cheaper option that I feel could be a DeJong for us for a much cheaper price and wish to come here and I much prefer him to Neves/Tielmans for example. Lyon missed him massively v West Ham
RW - This is a tough one. Think with inverted wingers we may see Garnacho on the right. I really liek Doku but he is right footed has niggling injuries and still alittle raw, I rate ANtony Gordon but agai right footed. Raphina is a good player but instinct just says no. Ive not seen enough of him but Im not really that convinced by Antony personally from what I have, better than Neres who was highly rated but dont think he is top drawer.
I think from what I have seen in terms of age, how he is breakign through, has pace we dont really possess at the moment with Pellestri and Amad, I would probably go for
Moussa Diaby £45m
CF Giouri £45 - Followed him since youth football, massive talent, reminds me minus the aeriel proceess and hold up play of a yougn Benzema, intelligent, superb technique, good finishing, real star quality, seen more of him but Omsihen/Nunes £70m odd, get out of here, he is far more talented, my surprise big purchase of the summer and the perfect replacement for Greenwood as a CF
£200m maybe a little more, but wehave also made a lot of sales, savings on salaries too as dont expect many of these to be big wages and most imoortantly, cleared out the vast majority of ourcurrent problems in the squad whilst also covering most of next seasons possible sales nd we have lots of options
DeGea
Timber
Varane
Romagnoli
Shaw
Tchouameni
Caqueret
Fernandes
Sancho
Diaby
Ronaldo
Heaton
Laird
Lindelof
Maguire
Williams
Kamara
Fred
Hannibal
Elanga
GArnacho
Giouri
Alvaro Fernandeez, Jones, Dalot, Garner, McTominay, Amad, Pellestri, Shoetire
Secodn eleven weak in areas and inexperinced but there are still other options from the rest of the squad. Also think importantly there is much more aggresion, balance and intelligence in both sets of midfields which would protect a back four that would be more organised and reliable in the first eleven.
Doe that challenge for the title or chamions league - No. DOes it guarantee top four - NO. But there is more of a balance, players I feel would suit and coudl learn a sytem more, more energy, better pressing and also, still plenty of experience but there are a good 12 players or so around 21 years old, so there is a lot to work with longer term...bar GK and one CB there is actually potentially a quality first eleven of players all around that age 2/3 of which I feel have a real chance to be very good players for us.
Ok thats me done, no more of these
Depends if he relly wants inverted wingers as it appears. I really struggled to think of many on the right. All the wingrs i reall like seem to be right footed left side players and maybe as squad players the likes of Amad move to that side added to wht we already have.Great post, enjoyed reading it and in many ways I fully agree.
As for RW, what about Marco Asensio? One year left on his contract so could be attainable (transfermarkt says 40m euros). Left footed, goal threat & assists provinser, good pace, and more suitable for posession-football rather than counter-play compared to fe.x. Rashord or whoever we got for RW. 26yo and still some resell value on him if other better option from within the cloub or externally arise the next years.
Is not a complete package, far from it actually. He has abysmal stats for passing and ball retention, like bottom 1% bad. It's his goal scoring that make him stand out and little else; his work rate too tbf.Darwin Nunez is a must for me. Not often you can find such a complete package as a striker. Even rarer to see a lone striker shine against the likes of Van Dijk and Konate.
I've had similar thinking but the parts you left blank, the mid, are the sticking points. High quality first 11 players like De Jong and Tchouameni (that I also want and I think are a must; we can not cheap here) cost a lot, leaving little else for the others.Ten Hag has a mammoth task ahead of him as there's not only incommings and outgoings but he has to try and get a tun out of Bruno, Maguire and Rashford as they won't be going anywhere this summer.
The defence is a shambles, we need a CB but even moreso we need a RB as our options are frankly the shits. Midfield is terrible as well, Bruno will no doubt start the season as part of the 3 but we need 2 new starters in there with him. In the forward line I think we need a versatile attacker as if Ronaldo is staying there's no point in buying one of these €80M pure #9's.
GK - De Gea/Johnstone
CB - Varane/Gvaridol/Lindelof/Maguire
RB - Timber/Dalot
LB - Shaw/Telles
DM - New signing/Garner
CM - New signing/Fred/McTominay
AM - Bruno/VdB/Hannibal
Forwards - Ronaldo/Sancho/Nkunku/Rashford/Elanga
I think the 2 defensive additions are young enough to accept no CL for a season and will need the first season to blood in, and they are at selling clubs. For the attack Nkunku is a talent that is not only hitting consistent form, he's versatile and works like a trooper if we aare going to properly implement a proper press.
Midfield I've left blank as I'm really not sure who we can get, I'd love Tchouameni and De Jong and I wouldn't be adverse to Rice but none of those 3 are likely. Phillips has been linked and he's not bad, then there's the other 2 PL midfielders Tielemans and Neves, the former I think lacks the mentality and the latter I worry he's not mobile enough, beyond those there's less proven players like Kamara, Caqueret, Vitinha and Matheus Nunes.
We tried with Schneiderlin but it didn't work outAm I right in thinking that we have only signed two first team DMs in the last 16 years? Carrick in 2006 and Matic in 2017. We just don't like signing them for some reason, even though in the modern game it's arguably the most important position on the pitch.
Ah yes Schneiderlin, such a good signing that I didn't even remember that he played for us.We tried with Schneiderlin but it didn't work out
Hagreaves, Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger were meant as CDM signings for the first eleven as well, but they all flopped for different reasons.Am I right in thinking that we have only signed two first team DMs in the last 16 years? Carrick in 2006 and Matic in 2017. We just don't like signing them for some reason, even though in the modern game it's arguably the most important position on the pitch.