I normally lack the patience for long posts but I read every word of this, so hats off to you for the worthwhile read!
The only position I would debate as being a priority is the LCB slot. Of course I would love to replace Licha with someone more reliable and imposing, but in your description of what we need you’ve essentially described Ayden Heaven. I’d personally wait another year given we’re not in Europe next season, see if Licha stays fit with the lighter workload and see how Heaven develops, as we still have Shaw, Yoro and potentially Kukonki in any emergency to cover at LCB.
I would personally push that money into another LWB this summer. Someone like Ait-Nouri, Robinson or Theo Hernandez (if he’s at all available) allowing us to ease the pressure on Dorgu who can cover as WB on both sides. I think Dorgu will develop into a really solid player given time and when he becomes more confident, but adding in a bombing LWB with quality in the final third would have a bigger impact than a new LCB.
Great post. Always the voice of reason.
I do think Heaven has shown great potential to be part of the 3 piece puzzle.
I wrote in another thread how a back 3 of de Ligt, Yoro and Heaven (before Heaven's injury) would help mitigate Spurs's physical advantage over us.
Alas, it was our lack of goal threat, rather than physicality that was the issue.
Thank you chaps for your responses and generous praise. I agree with everything you said. Heaven certainly has the tools, I just worry about putting too much responsibility on a player so young, something we’ve done too much of over the last couple of years. But I agree he has the tools, at least potentially. It’s an interesting point about the lack of European football next season and the potential to let Heaven step up. I need to digest that thought properly because I respond.
The fact I read all this rather than scrolling is testament to how good your posts can be.
Barella is my favourite active CM right now, I think he’s superb and would love him at United. He’s the beating heart of Inter.
Thank you mate. And yes on Barella. He’s been my ideal midfielder for United for a good few years. It’s amazing how underappreciated he is, because he’s world class without a doubt. I actually had an argument with a poster not too long ago, who was adamant that Barella couldn’t be considered a “technically proficient” midfielder. Mind boggling.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Great read.
Thank you.
Well thought out post. Enjoyed reading
I dont think three at the back suits us currently. It comes across as overly defensive. That's more to do with the fact we don't have wingers in the wingbacks positions who push forward and stay high up the pitch. Nor do we use the overlapping CBs idea that Inter Milan use.
You'd think a modern day Matteus Summer who could break through lines from a back three would come back into vogue. That or move DMs into slot into the centre of a back three. Then come out and move into midfield you have an overload or they can go into the DM position allowing both your CMs to go forwards.
In a nutshell, there's so much variation of the back 3 that could be attempted, but ours looks so one dimensional and passive. We just have 3 CBs standing there when we are attacking.
I'm surprised we didn't try (as far as I know) for frimpong. Thought he'd be ideal for RWB position. Fullbacks in the wingbacks positions doesn't work with the way he wants to play.
Anyway be very interesting to see who he brings in and lets go this summer.
Mathias Sammer is on of my favourite players of all time. He married an incredible no fuss, efficient, physically dominant style, to technical mastery, grace, and a deep understanding of the game around him. He used to drive forwards from the libero position and play as an auxiliary CM, and although he was powerful, he still somewhat glided over the ground. As a young man I was absolutely enamoured with the way he played and the positions he took up. Putting him in the team was almost like getting two players, a brilliant defender and a graceful midfielder. Honestly, in this era he would’ve been absolute gold dust when you consider the premium on playing out from the back.
With regards to the 3 at the back, it’s nature is neither defensive nor offensive. Not inherently. It’s all about personnel. I’ve argued this for a long time. If you play the system with two traditional wingbacks, it’s defensive. If you play the system with one wingback and one winger, it’s well balanced. If you play it with two wingers, it’s extremely attacking. Amorim has been limited by his main three options being Mazroui, Dorgu and Dalot. 2 are natural defenders, and the other is a wingback. It’s only when Amad plays there that you start to see its potential.
In terms of evolving our performances, recruitment at wingback is going to be vital. Of all the positions, getting a winger to play RWB is probably the one position that will change the shape and threat of the team more than any other.
If you gave me unlimited money and a CM style edit feature so players would all want to come to me, I wouldn’t play a natural defenders on either wing back slot, because that belies what this system is actually designed to be. I’d have a hard working wide midfielder on one side and a straight up winger on the other. These aren’t supposed to a case of “it is what is says on the tin”. The wing back label is a default moniker, a hypothesis underlined by the personnel Amorim used there in his time at Sporting. He had Quenda on the right who is a left footed, out and out winger. People picking defenders for this role are changing the entire system, and it’s a big reason why we’ve struggled going forwards this season, we just can’t create the needed overloads. We are losing at least one proper attacking player in the final third.
My dream would be Nico Williams as the “LWB”, and Federico Valverde as thee “RWB”. You’ve got the pacey inverted winger on one side and the industrious technically gifted midfielder on the other, who can easily make a significant defensive contribution (he’s played full back for Real many times). He’s also really dangerous going forwards and is very quick. Obviously we’ll never get either, but they are the dream. The only “defender” I’ve seen that would work in this system as one of the WBs is Alphonso Davies. And that’s because he’s a sort of hybrid full back/winger. I suppose Frimpong potentially could work too, but I genuinely think we need to sign a winger, rather than all the talk of looking for a wingback. We have our hybrid, industrious wide midfielder in Dorgu, already. He’s young and will need time to come good. On the other flank we need an outright winger or at worst a player of the profile of Valverde. If we sign a player who is even slightly more defensively inclined, we are not solving the problem.
