Who do you class as "deadwood" in the current squad?

hungrywing

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Yes it's gotta be his biggest achievement so far. He should've been allowed to spend more in the transfer window I believe. Would like to see the wage bill when he took over vs now.
I think those first seven players gone (Lingard still here) are around 50m/yr saved and then we signed James (60k), AWB (80k), Maguire (185k), Bruno (70k?) and bumped Williams (+45k), McT (+35k), Greenwood (+30k), Martial (+140k), Rashford (+120k) towards a total of around 40m/yr. So around 10m/yr shaved off.
 

Fosu-Mens

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In general our squad is full of players that have deficiencies in their abilities that makes them unsuitable long term for a team wanting to compete at the highest level(that means playing a more pressive style of football, possession, high cohesive press, high line, positional fluidity, everyone contributing in most phases of the game), especially as starters or as rotational players able to come in without us needing to cover for them in some way or another... That being said, given the quality in the squad, playing style? etc. there are actually not that many players that cannot be said are deadwoods... Long term, sure, we should aim to replace most of the players in the squad, but currently, we need most of them.

Players that are not suited and we have adequate cover:
Lingard - Does not have the abilities suited to a team playing "express yourselves" football.
Jones - To many injuries to serve as a backup.
Rojo - See Jones.
Bailly - See Rojo. Can look like the best centreback in the world for most of a game then make two blunders in 5 minutes.
T. Fosu-Mens - Needs to be given a specific role and specialize. Great player though.

Romero - Certainly good enough, but we are already overstocked on GKs... I can understand not letting him go to Everton, but there were other suitors as well. From a financial pov, it makes little sense to have him on the books when he is not going to play many minutes.
 

Rampant Red Rodriguez

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Jones more of a consistent meme subject than as a EPL defender
TfM unfilled promise and lack of singular position specialism.
Rojo because he's never fit.
Shaw because he cannot defend.
Romeo unfortunately because of Henderson coming back..

Bailiy on the brink for being injury prone now and how he was exposed vs Tottenham.. Plus he doesn't link well with anyone other than Lindelof.

Mostly defenders because of quality we have in our set defenders and the quality of the lads coming through.
 

MrSingh2002

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I think those first seven players gone (Lingard still here) are around 50m/yr saved and then we signed James (60k), AWB (80k), Maguire (185k), Bruno (70k?) and bumped Williams (+45k), McT (+35k), Greenwood (+30k), Martial (+140k), Rashford (+120k) towards a total of around 40m/yr. So around 10m/yr shaved off.
Looks like a decent job done there. Would like to time travel and see if the overhaul job is completed next season.
 

IrishMcD

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Lots of talk in the press today that Ole want a new contract for Fosu Mensah asap. Why? He hasn't proven he can stay fit. He was average at best during his loan spells, despite some people making out he was incredible at Villa. He is technically poor, and would never get a sniff of a game at Liverpool, City, Chelsea etc. Why, oh why do we insist on giving deadwood new big contracts which results in us being unable to sell them? Club hasn't learnt from big new contracts given to Jones, Rojo, Lingard et al.
 
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Lots of talk in the press today that Ole want a new contract for Fosu Mensah asap. Why? He hasn't proven he can stay fit. He was average at best during his loan spells, despite some people making out he was incredible at Villa. He is technically poor, and would never get a sniff of a game at Liverpool, City, Chelsea etc. Why, oh why do we insist on giving deadwood new big contracts which results in us being unable to sell them? Club hasn't learnt from big new contracts given to Jones, Rojo, Lingard et al.
Rojo and Jones are the abomination. There was no issue at all with the Lingard contract.

I’ll wait to see what the contract is before a deliver a judgement on TFM, but if it’s a 2.5 year contract on a low wage, then no issue at all. He can play in 3-4 positions, and you need players like him in a squad.
 

Giggsy13

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Bailly, Jones, Rojo and Lingard. At least Matic and Mata offer something off the bench and with the occasional start. Pogba is heading towards a deadwood label with his inconsistent performances and recent injury history.
 

giggslover

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If you mean have no value at all to us

Jones
Romero
Ighalo
Periera

Please remember in this era of little/no offseason, shortened season with more games per week, we need everyone.

Some who may still offer something

Rojo - Shaw currently out for possibly 6 weeks, Telles still coming back from Co-Vid plus anyone can test positive for Co-Vid at anytime. Think Rojo is still on the books for the League.

Fosu-Mensah - actually used within past 3 weeks, gives us cover for Wan Bissaka usually. Think his athleticism can help us against certain teams, don't know if he's taller than most footballers, can help on set pieces?? (Wow, as I write this think I'm stretching).

Bailly - when fit and on song, good defender who can own a box on any given day.

Lingard - main problem with him was signing on with Pogba's agent. As of this writing he's dropped him, so I think we'll see Lingard playing in 2nd half of season.


Now if your talking who should be sold at end of season?

Igahlo - actually gone in January
Mata
Bailly - another Saha for me, good when available just not available nearly enough
Romero
Jones
Matic
Rojo
Periera

On the bubble but should stay IMHO

Lingard
Dalot
Fosu -Mensah

Definitely stay

Dan James
Chong
 

Lentwood

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Definition of “deadwood” to me is a player we’re going to struggle to sell but also have very limited use for as a footballer.

So for me, there’s not much actual “deadwood”.

If you’re asking “who do I think is not good enough to contribute ANYTHING but could potentially be sold for a fee” I would go for

Jones
Lingard
Pereira
TFM
Rojo

I would arguably add Mata to that list as personally, I think he is appallingly bad. However, Ole tends to use him and every once in a blue moon, he does produce one moment of quality.
 

IrishMcD

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Rojo and Jones are the abomination. There was no issue at all with the Lingard contract.

I’ll wait to see what the contract is before a deliver a judgement on TFM, but if it’s a 2.5 year contract on a low wage, then no issue at all. He can play in 3-4 positions, and you need players like him in a squad.
I am not trying to be a smart arse with you mate, genuinely, and I get the point of needing John O'Shea types who can play multiple positions, but what positions can we use TFM for when he is CONSTANTLY injured. Can use him for rotation option if he isn't fit. And even if he was, and this bit is just my opinion, he is not good enough to be used in that role. Each position he can play, we have better or more promising players than him outside of first team squad.
 
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I am not trying to be a smart arse with you mate, genuinely, and I get the point of needing John O'Shea types who can play multiple positions, but what positions can we use TFM for when he is CONSTANTLY injured. Can use him for rotation option if he isn't fit. And even if he was, and this bit is just my opinion, he is not good enough to be used in that role. Each position he can play, we have better or more promising players than him outside of first team squad.
I agree about the injury issues, and that’s clearly a consideration. He’s still a young player, so hopefully he’s getting over these problems, I don’t know? He’s not good enough to be a starter, but he can play across the backline.

We need to get rid of a few defenders. And he’s good enough to play the occasional game that Rojo, Bailly and Jones play at a fraction of their wages.

he surprised everyone by being resurrected at the end of last season, hopefully he’s been showing Ole good things.
 

Josep Dowling

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Definition of “deadwood” to me is a player we’re going to struggle to sell but also have very limited use for as a footballer.

So for me, there’s not much actual “deadwood”.

If you’re asking “who do I think is not good enough to contribute ANYTHING but could potentially be sold for a fee” I would go for

Jones
Lingard
Pereira
TFM
Rojo

I would arguably add Mata to that list as personally, I think he is appallingly bad. However, Ole tends to use him and every once in a blue moon, he does produce one moment of quality.
I think that’s a bit harsh on Mata. He has never been used correctly by us. He’s a natural CAM and we have always used him as a right winger. This doesn’t play to his strengths at all as he lacks pace. He tends to drift into central positions and then we have no width on the right wing when he plays. It was such a vanity signing by Moyes and Woodward with no consideration how he would fit in the team.
 

FatherWolff

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I think some confusion on her on the difference on wood and dead wood. Dead, is not needed at all. Wood is what you would like to upgrade. In this context anyhow..

Everyone in our 25 group is wood. Every one else is dead. Simple.
 

DRJosh

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I think David James' pace alone makes him somewhat crucial as an impact-sub in more straight forward attacking plays, especially if we continue with our counter-attacking style. His involvement (specifically speed) may paper over our lulls in creativity when Bruno isn't playing or during one of the many off days Pogba has.

Ordinarily though, I'd say James isn't good enough to be a United player based on technical skill alone.