Let’s get him and sprinkle fairy dust on mctominay
Antony | Here we go! €100mill, contract until June 2027, option 'til 2028.
- Thread starter Reapersoul20
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If only Elanga was fully ready... Still looks like ETH will need additional option on the right, he also loves left footed option in the squad and Antony is actually not bad in defense. Perhaps final decision will be made after the tour in wait of Amad or Pellistri making it straight into big football. It will take a lot from them and tbh also not sure they're entirely ready.
We need plenty throughout the squad but we definitely need a right sided attacker and a centre forward in the mould of ETH’s tactics, like you said though mate the question is who ? As far as actual centre forwards go the market is bare outside of expensive punts.
Ajax apparently wants 70-80m euros for him and they also want Laird. I think 64m euros( or 55m pounds) plus Laird is a good compromise for both teams
4-2-2-2
except ETH knows him inside out, so he knows better than stats. He sees his mentality, his desire, passion, how he trains, he sees what he brings to a team beyond stats. What he would bring to this changing room. ETH knows this player better than anyone.. if he wants him there’s a reason for it, we just have to go with it and trust this coach.
70-80m is absurd. Who do they think he is, Neymar??
It's absurd because they don't want to sell.
Tadic and Antony had different tasks.
Watching Antony I was always a bit put off by how sloppy and imature he came off. But his stats is really good if you compare it to his function on the pitch. People tend to compare every winger to Salah/Mane, making the fallacy that we will be a copy of Liverpool.
Antony is more of a playmaker responsible for progressing the ball, and I think the task he solved for Ajax is more similar to the one Giggs/Beckham did. Looking at his stats, they are actually very similar to Trent Alexander-Arnold. It reminds me a bit about something Pirlo wrote in his thesis:
«As we will see below, the meaning of role is changing in modern football. It is no longer a fixed position that identifies the characteristics of a player, but more and more the different functions and therefore the tasks that a player performs in the match identify him. Therefore, the characteristics of the players are enhanced through the tasks he is called upon to perform.»
Antony is outstanding compared to the very best players in the world in terms of;
- Progression of the ball (both carries and passing)
- Passes and crosses into the penalty area
- Carries into the penalty area
- Recoveries
Furthermore, his goal and assist stat is not as bad as a few of you make out either. He has played 3510 minutes in the Eredivise in two season. That is approx one PL-season. In the time period, he has 17 goals and 12 assists. All from open play as far as I am aware. Considering his age, I think that is very good.
But more importantly, what area of play do Man Utd have to improve significantly? I would argue ball progression. We struggled due to poor build up and transition-play. And what is the main characteristics of Martinez, Eriksen, Malacia, Frenkie and Antony? They are great at progressing the ball. In my opinion, that is the most important trait of all of these players.
EtH once said that Frenkie makes the attackers better. I think that would also be the case for Antony.
Top post.
Pin this.
Don't think we need him though, based on this pre season I have full confidence in Rashford and Sancho occupying our wings.
12 g/a from open play in 23 games as a winger is far from below decent.
Rashford and Sancho have been good, but we need options they won't be available always.
And if one of them gets injured or starts underperforming?
All of them will be looking to start I imagine, I think there are cheaper plan B's, especially with the holes still yet to be filled in midfield.
Like who? Genuinely curious
Interesting breakdown! I think actually Cristiano Ronaldo’s most important feature as a young United player, was progressing the ball from own half to attacking third of the pitch. He was criticized for two years for low end product, all the while he was the one player in the tram who really could regularily forward the play by fourty yards, like heyday Giggs and Sharpe could, and Beckham in his way. The effectiveness of his dribbles was much less important to Ferguson. When he started scoring lots of goals, the team was differently balanced.
You're right though.
But I like the look of the player.
Very good post. I’ve been on the fence myself regarding Antony. I would say it’s still a big step up from the Dutch league to the Premier League so apprehensive spending that much.
But reading your post makes me excited about ETH wanting to sign him.
Hope we can strike a compromise with Ajax. Want the manager to be properly backed.
I want that Brazilian flair, Sancho has that street football brilliance in him, so did Nani and young Ronaldo and even Pogba.
But I'll like to see a Brazilian dazzle in a Manchester united shirt.
But I'll like to see a Brazilian dazzle in a Manchester united shirt.
I think Elanga will have a spot, maybe another academy player as well.
I heard we were interested in Bergwijn, that would be quite a good plan B. I wouldn't know where to start, could look at Danjuma, Gakpo, Thorgan Hazard, Kluivert. I dont think we are in the position yet to manage several top players for the same position.
Real Madrid, Bayern, City get away with it because they are winning trophies.
What’s your lineup?
Memphis. Reports were in the beginning of the window that United were looking to add a versatile attacker. Memphis fits the profile. Coukd see that being a good move for both parties at this point.
Furthermore I agree United isn't in the position to bring topplayers of the bench right now.
The return of the fur coat and hat
Dalot-Varane-Martinez-shaw
Eriksen-FdJ
Sancho-Bruno
Antony-Martial (how does that sound eh)
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Why only 10 players?
I would rather see us play the good old 442.
Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Malacia
Antony, FdJ, Garner, Sancho
Martial, Bruno
Rashford and Ronaldo also options up top.
We need another winger for sure. We lose Sancho or Rashy and we’re looking at unready players. Depth in these areas in key and I cannot think of a better player for what we need than Antony. Quick, physical and intense presser. Hard as nails too. Most of all, he’s wonderful in the final third.
Sounds and looks very unbalanced. Antony is not a striker. Eriksen and FDJ as the holding mids would get over run.
There are talks on the media about Ajax signing a replacement for him from FC Porto, anyone with good insight on that?
If this guy came in and fulfilled his potential I have every reason to believe he and Sancho will be our eventual starters on the wings with Rashford likely providing cover.
Not a replacement, Ajax doesn't want to sell Antony. They've said as much yet again yesterday.
Ajax have been very clear. It's the same situation as Martinez, you either pay up or nothing will happen. So 80m euros it is.
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How good do you think he'll get, do you think he's worth the fee long term?
I competely disagree. Ziyech, that was a playmaker. Antony is a typical winger. One of his strenghts is dribbling and he combines it with his speed.
We'll see if he comes, I don't think he's good enough. Imo he's a hype because of his useless trics and I'm afraid we are paying way too much.
He’ll be at Utd before the window ends.
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If United pays the 80m euros, yes
In the sense thar Ziyech tucked in and was a more inverted winger I see your point. But I would argue that Beckham and Giggs was playmakers too. Wide playmakers.
If you by calling him a typical winger see him as a more traditional winger like them, I agree and that is partly my point. Antony is closer to Giggs in function than some of the inside wingers that has become so popular (Salah/Mane). And Beckham, Giggs etc rarely providee numbers in the range Antony has (17 goals and 12 assist in 3500 min).
Admittedly, Antony is a left footed right winger. So maybe he comes in a bit more than Beckham did. But EtH used him to provide width and progress the ball. Not to attack the space between CB and fullback.
I like Antony but we bought Sancho for the right flank just last summer for similar fee to what Ajax are demanding, I know we need more options but this would be quite costly.
More likely we'll get a versatile forward (I see we've been linked with Memphis), maybe this would be revisited next summer when hopefully we're in the UCL.
More likely we'll get a versatile forward (I see we've been linked with Memphis), maybe this would be revisited next summer when hopefully we're in the UCL.
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