Matthijs De Ligt

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charlenefan

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Does Ten Hag play with a back 3? If not, where does de Ligt slot into your XI? I still find it completely unrealistic to assume a new manager is going to come in and instantly drop your £80m captain and cause a huge controversy from match week 1. And then you have Varane who should start every game when fit, yes?

You guys spending another £80m on a CB would be weird.
The links to us do seem a bit of a stretch right now, Varane's never fit though and in theory ETH could have already made his mind up about Maguire

I'd imagine we'd want to sell a CB or 2 before bringing another one in though
 

Stobzilla

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Obviously two class players who have the potential to become the very best of their generation (im not exaggerating) but even then our state is a bit concerning, im imagining top 4 to be our priority for next season and unless some of our players find their form like Rashford our options up front and in other areas leaves too much to be desired with the added danger of us failing to get back to champions league.
I agree, I just don't know if Antony solves the problems in attack to bridge the gap if their form does crap out, we need to account for the fact that he probably doesn't hit the ground running himself and it is a huge jump from the Dutch League to the Prem.
 

redcucumber

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His first season as a 18 year old kid was phenomenal. Not so much over last 2 season though (avg 1 goal every 4.2 games).
He was 18/19 years old - he turned 20 in October. He was still often our best player - his last game against Villa he was dropping deep, playmaking, and spraying the ball across the pitch whilst still bursting past players with pace and taking defenders on. He was a magnificent young player destined for the very top.
 

RedRonaldo

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He was 18/19 years old - he turned 20 in October. He was still often our best player - his last game against Villa he was dropping deep, playmaking, and spraying the ball across the pitch whilst still bursting past players with pace and taking defenders on. He was a magnificent young player destined for the very top.
Some games maybe he is good, but I also remember some other games he was so wasteful and frustrating to watch too, such as ignoring his teammates who is in better position, and always try to shoot from difficult angle instead, and cost us some games.
 

Red the Bear

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We will also get Eriksen for free. Fred would be our first choice DM next season, with Mctominay and Garner as backup.

DDG
Dalot Varane De Ligt Shaw
Fred FDJ
Antony Eriksen/Bruno Sancho
Ronaldo
120m budget

FDJ - 54m (+15m add on)
Eriksen - free
De Ligt - 58m (+15m add on)

all cash spent
Since we've bought De Light, we could then sell Maguire for 35m (+5m add on) to raise some funds, and together with 8m cash raised from Pereira sale, we may just have enough funds for another go for Antony for 45m (+15m add on)
I would like that but it's still risky for example are we really going to snub our captain and 80 mil center back since I certainly can't see anyone getting him off our hands.
Then you have someone like fre(whom I actually grown fond of recently) playing a role that he won't be really Suited to.

Whichever way ten hag goes on about building our team this season it's sure gonna be deciding factor on when and how we get back or successful ways, its a precarious situation.
 

redcucumber

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Some games maybe he is good, but I also remember some other games he was so wasteful and frustrating to watch too.
He was a teenager. Comes with the territory. The inconsistent argument could be levelled at quite literally every single other member of our squad also (who aren't all teenagers, obviously), without exception.
 

Red the Bear

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I agree, I just don't know if Antony solves the problems in attack to bridge the gap if their form does crap out, we need to account for the fact that he probably doesn't hit the ground running himself and it is a huge jump from the Dutch League to the Prem.
The kid certainly has potential as I recently been watching some of his all touch compilations and some full matches but you're correct, it would be too much for us asking him to hit the ground running, ideally his performances must be closer to Raphinha than to ziyach which is the sad part of our situation because in other times (when Fergie was around) we would get someone like him in hopes of him developing further but now we must bank on him being a straightforward success story.

Anyway ten hag sure has his work cut out for him, it makes my head hurt thinking about how to get back on top.
 

RedRonaldo

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I would like that but it's still risky for example are we really going to snub our captain and 80 mil center back since I certainly can't see anyone getting him off our hands.
Then you have someone like fre(whom I actually grown fond of recently) playing a role that he won't be really Suited to.

Whichever way ten hag goes on about building our team this season it's sure gonna be deciding factor on when and how we get back or successful ways, its a precarious situation.
If we really bought De Ligt, do you think ETH would want to keep Maguire for the bench? Of course he would be sold, I bet he wouldn't want to sit on bench either as this is WC year, I think he simply doesn't really fit into ETH system.

Also, its abit unfortunate but it seems all the good DM in market is already taken up in this summer (Tchouameni, Bissouma, Kamara). We might have to wait until next summer to buy another one.
 

RedRonaldo

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He was a teenager. Comes with the territory. The inconsistent argument could be levelled at quite literally every single other member of our squad also (who aren't all teenagers, obviously), without exception.
Yes, but his first season was better, and more "phenomenal". Not so much for his 2nd/3rd season with us, although he still looks exciting and promising at times. Seriously his first season has shown the kind of promise which is even comparable to Haaland at the beginning. His 2nd/3rd is more like Januzaj at the beginning though, who looks kind of promising/exciting at times, but also equally frustrating at other times.

I mean, look how frustrating is this

 

Red the Bear

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If we really bought De Ligt, do you think ETH would want to keep Maguire for the bench? Of course he would be sold, I bet he wouldn't want to sit on bench either as this is WC year, I think he simply doesn't really fit into ETH system.

Also, its abit unfortunate but it seems all the good DM in market is already taken up in this summer (Tchouameni, Bissouma, Kamara). We might have to wait until next summer to buy another one.
It's not as much about ten hag wanting to get rid as about the fact that no one would even touch him with 10 feet pole, he's become a walking joke , his stuck couldn't be lower even if he tried and considering his rather high wages which would preclude any midtable club from taking a pubt on him it makes sure that no one would be in for him unless he takes a massive pay cut.

We're definitely in a rather unpleasant situation :(
 

Berbaclass

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It's not as much about ten hag wanting to get rid as about the fact that no one would even touch him with 10 feet pole, he's become a walking joke , his stuck couldn't be lower even if he tried and considering his rather high wages which would preclude any midtable club from taking a pubt on him it makes sure that no one would be in for him unless he takes a massive pay cut.

We're definitely in a rather unpleasant situation :(
Apart from Barcelona obviously.
 

redcucumber

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Yes, but his first season was better, and more "phenomenal". Not so much for his 2nd/3rd season with us, although he still looks exciting and promising at times. Seriously his first season has shown the kind of promise which is even comparable to Haaland at the beginning. His 2nd/3rd is more like Januzaj at the beginning though, who looks kind of promising/exciting at times, but also equally frustrating at other times.

I mean, look how frustrating is this

It's wildly unrealistic to expect a 17/18 year old to instantly be getting 20 goals a season. He got 19 in his first season in which he started out as a 17 year old, he then got 12 in the next season (starting as an 18 year old) but he was on the bench for 14 out of the 35 games he was available for in the PL. It was well above average for a teenager playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world in the most competitive league in the world. Our club was also a mess under Ole and then Ralf - he was often our single bright spark.

Of course he was frustrating - he was a teenager. Ronaldo was equally frustrating when he was starting out. Absolutely no doubt that Greenwood could have made it to the absolute top of football, especially with a manager like Ten Hag to guide his development and push him further.
 

RedRonaldo

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It's wildly unrealistic to expect a 17/18 year old to instantly be getting 20 goals a season. He got 19 in his first season in which he started out as a 17 year old, he then got 12 in the next season (starting as an 18 year old) but he was on the bench for 14 out of the 35 games he was available for in the PL. It was well above average for a teenager playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world in the most competitive league in the world. Our club was also a mess under Ole and then Ralf - he was often our single bright spark.

Of course he was frustrating - he was a teenager. Ronaldo was equally frustrating when he was starting out. Absolutely no doubt that Greenwood could have made it to the absolute top of football, especially with a manager like Ten Hag to guide his development and push him further.
Ok let's get this straight and go back to where I started. Here's the first post I did which started this argument:

His first season as a 18 year old kid was phenomenal. Not so much over last 2 season though (avg 1 goal every 4.2 games).
I am only arguing in terms of whether he was "phenomenal" here, from the very start of this argument. Of course, being phenomenal he has to do something out of extraordinary. One example is Haaland in his past few seasons as youngster.

In Greenwood's first season, I think what he did is phenomenal, as he is only 18, his finishing being top notch, and managed to score 19 goals with many sub appearances.

In his 2nd/3rd season however, I think what he did was exciting/promising, not qualify as "phenomenal", as it is also frustrating at times. His numbers has been meh throughout, its not bad but not really good either.
 

Red4Life_#7

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Re-uniting with FDJ, VDB and ETH... along with United's new project, not to mention old teammate CR7... that's a bigger draw than Chelsea.
 

RedRonaldo

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Re-uniting with FDJ, VDB and ETH... along with United's new project, not to mention old teammate CR7... that's a bigger draw than Chelsea.
i am convinced he will come, if we meet Juvetus asking price
 

DevilRed

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Not so sure this guy is worth big money.

Been bang average even in Italy. Couldn't break up the pairing of chiellini and bonnuci. Although theres no shame in that.
 

BarstoolProphet

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Let's do the loan with massive option to buy like Italian clubs are so fond of.
 
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AndySmith1990

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This is a non starter. No chance we're signing a player who'll cost more than De Jong, not unless by some miracle we make a fortune from sales
 

JPRouve

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This is a non starter. No chance we're signing a player who'll cost more than De Jong, not unless by some miracle we make a fortune from sales
Agreed. I could see us go after him if De Jong's transfer doesn't happen otherwise the likes of Ndicka make more sense.
 

SATA

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I hope Chelsea do sign him. Never been really impressed. Apparently he couldn’t even get into the Dutch XI lately. But he’s still very young for a defender
 

mitchmouse

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I hope Chelsea do sign him. Never been really impressed. Apparently he couldn’t even get into the Dutch XI lately. But he’s still very young for a defender
I've not seen him play for a while but the few times I have, he was flawless. But I didn't see him at all last season
 

Suv666

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I've not seen him play for a while but the few times I have, he was flawless. But I didn't see him at all last season
He's been shite and Juve would be celebrating if they get a huge sum for him.
I've not seen a more error prone CB.
 

mitchmouse

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He's been shite and Juve would be celebrating if they get a huge sum for him.
I've not seen a more error prone CB.
I do have to ask if you watched a certain team in red last season and the lumbering oaf who is the club captain...
 

Suv666

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I do have to ask if you watched a certain team in red last season and the lumbering oaf who is the club captain...
De Ligt's in the Seria A though.
Honestly think Maguire would be class in Italy.

A De Ligt and Maguire CB pairing would be goated
 

mitchmouse

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De Ligt's in the Seria A though.
Honestly think Maguire would be class in Italy.

A De Ligt and Maguire CB pairing would be goated
I feel sorry for anyone paired with Maguire right now... but, yes, he'd be much better in Serie A
 
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