It is difficult for the team to pass and maintain possession as it stands, so "technically sound if enough" won't cut it. And adding a CM whose passing statistics are on par with Rashford won't help either. We need midfield metronomes capable of controlling a game and passing at a high level, and Amadou won't fulfill that role.
Amadou Onana | Ornstein: Villa agree ~50m deal
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Jamie (@Vault Dweller) are here to talk about United's dreadful home defeat at the hands of Big Ange's Tottenham Hotspur. Should this have been the end of Ten Hag? How long does he actually have left? And does Nik finally want ETH out?!
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It is difficult for the team to pass and maintain possession as it stands, so "technically sound if enough" won't cut it. And adding a CM whose passing statistics are on par with Rashford won't help either. We need midfield metronomes capable of controlling a game and passing at a high level, and Amadou won't fulfill that role.
Im not saying that we buy him (Onana), im saying base on what we need (tactics, coach, teamates...ectc) we buy the profile of players we need. If its up to me i would sell Bruno, and buy a DM with the attributes of athletic, strong, fast, can cover vast areas and technically good enough. Also, he should be young enough and still has room to improve. Then buy another MF that has better technicall aspect than the DM so the three of them can compliment each other and if we can find the MF that can do everything to a high standard thats even better but its going to cost a lot more than we want to afford and it seems to me that profile of players are rare. Every players has their pros and cons, we just need to buy the ones that offers us the best pros (profile we need) and a higher base of cons (dont know if i term it right).
Sure but there were doubts about Rodri. Je was regarded as a good talent but Is he quick enough etc was said. That carried well into his first season where plenty had doubts. Too slow, bit of a nothing player people said. Overpaid for him.
He wasn't some nailed on, no possible downside signing like Kane. I think if you dropped him in our midfield now his mobility would be exposed somewhat.
Guaranteed players rarely exist, Rodri wasn't one of them and I doubt any midfield player we target will be. We'll be able to see a potential drawback in any of them.
So Onana yeah we can question, can he pass the ball well enough. Maybe not, if you stick him with two other technically limited players.
That sounds like a job for Tchouameni and Joao Neves… Would make for an incredible midfield 3 with Mainoo if that ever became possible.
Like Pogba back in time. France at that time were better than United as a team.
Same for Onana with Belgium, with top player like De Bruynea and others.
So playing for Everton. A team and top level that have many weakness. It's hard to judge Onana.
Higher quality of teammates always are helping your performances a lot.
You are suppose to play Onana in a top team. So when he is playing for Belgium then you can if he is doing well or struggle.
Doing average or not good in top teams. Then you are not up to it.
Same for Onana with Belgium, with top player like De Bruynea and others.
So playing for Everton. A team and top level that have many weakness. It's hard to judge Onana.
Higher quality of teammates always are helping your performances a lot.
You are suppose to play Onana in a top team. So when he is playing for Belgium then you can if he is doing well or struggle.
Doing average or not good in top teams. Then you are not up to it.
He's really bad.
Poor guy is looking bang average next to Kobbie
Don't think he's been that bad? Just an average game.
Easy assist.
Easy assist.
Caf only lives in extremes. You know that.
Hes done ok but not worth the 60m they'll want for him
Was harsh on him i feel, he is a pretty big talent as well. Has been important for Belgium tonight
Thought he looked good, his athleticism is incredible, and he can actually play some nice passes too.
Think he’s been good tonight and he’s great talent. I’d love him here, just what we need actually
Had a much better second half. Grew into the game while Mainoo faded due to fitness.
I'm not totally convinced he's for us. I think we should be leaning into what we've unearthed with Mainoo and trying to inject even more technical quality. Yes you need a bit of steel and physicality too but this guy seems to have plenty of that and a bit light on ability for where we're trying to get to.
Spot on. A signing for the previous regime and hopefully not this one. Lets find a player that can do both, we dont need a slightly better version of Scott.
I’d take him, not going to lie.
He hurts my eyes.
I feel like he’s a bit like Doucore a few years ago where he’ll turn into an absolute monster every now and again, but isn’t quite up to the levels needed for a top club.
He’s a good player but he’s not worth 70m which is what Everton would want. Type of player you need to pick up direct from Ligue 1 when available for half the price. He’d be a very good squad player to have and he is a physical presence way beyond anything we currently have but just too expensive.
He’s really not at all. I’m not saying you specifically but a lot of posters on here don’t seem to get the workhorse / engine room players. All he can do in a poor team like Everton is dominate his zone and win his battles and then get the ball up the pitch. He’s good at all of those things. He would compliment what we already have perfectly. I’ve been wrong about plenty of players but I think it is pretty clear already that this guy is tailor made for the PL and he’s not finished developing yet. You could see tonight Bellingham didn’t enjoy playing against him either.
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Thought he was better than Rice tbh. And I don't really rate him.
Watched him 3 times now (I know it’s not a lot) but he’s never stood out as someone United should be chasing or paying a hefty amount for.
I agree. Rice was invisible and under par.
Thought he was great tonight.
The best partner for Mainoo was Rice. The closest thing to Rice available I can see is Onana, minus maybe the same attacking threat. Onana can sit but can also go forward when Mainoo drops deep, he's also very mobile and covers Mainoo's weaknesses perfectly.
I'd rather have Onana over Rice.
Onana has the mobility, height, tackling and is slightly better I feel on the ball than Rice.
He's more dynamic and I think he could definitely be the CDM for us. He would be a big upgrade on Casemiro there.
Could see Onana play 6 and Mainoo 8 on occasion. Also could see the two of them rotating for the 6 position if we were to sign a true number 8 in the Scholes/Kroos/Modric mould.
Onana has the mobility, height, tackling and is slightly better I feel on the ball than Rice.
He's more dynamic and I think he could definitely be the CDM for us. He would be a big upgrade on Casemiro there.
Could see Onana play 6 and Mainoo 8 on occasion. Also could see the two of them rotating for the 6 position if we were to sign a true number 8 in the Scholes/Kroos/Modric mould.
Agreed. He also made a brilliant tackle on Foden in the box.
If we bought him, I can see the upgrade to our midfield in regards to positioning and athleticism. Covers more ground than Casemiro and better tactically than McT. I could see him and Mainoo working well. Overall output is it convincing me though. Would probably cost more than what we get for McT so is it worth it?
Was very impressed by him, surprised to see people not rating that performance. For those that want a shielding DM that can offer a bit more going forward too, he looks like an incredibly good option. An Onana and Mainoo Midfield would incredible balance based on what I watched last night.
I like Onana - have done since I saw him make his Belgium debut against Holland a couple of years ago. The problem is the fee Everton will demand when there are so many players out there who could do the same job for a fraction of the price. Watch Brighton and Benfica sign 2 players each just like him at various age points this summer.
I agree that he would work well with Mainoo in a double pivot. Primarily because of his huge physicality. He's like 6'4? Can run all day and covers so much ground. He also offers the box crashing aspect McT does, but you wouldn't have to sacrifice defensive shape in midfield.
I don't think Mainoo is a pushover by any stretch, but you sort of need to put him with a player like Onana, especially in the EPL. It's why I don't think the Neves links made any sense, especially for the money Benfica would want for him.
I worry that Onana's technical ceiling isn't high enough to become a truly WC CM, but to be fair he's certainly no slouch with the ball. His ability in this respect might hinder us when playing out from the back, but I think you can compensate for this by having another CB good on the ball next to Martinez. If you include GK Onana, then our starting back 5 would all be very good at beating the first press and would take a lot of that emphasis off of our CMs. We'd need better backups too though, because you swap out Dalot for AWB and suddenly you're expecting Onana to get a lot more involved in that first phase build up.
If we don't sign this guy, then we should probably be looking at someone in this mould.
He's clearly a worker in midfield and I think he'd look better in a better team than Everton. Physically imposing and does the simple things well, and that's something we've lacked. I suspect he's one of a number of options being looked at, and also that he's on plenty of clubs' radar. He comes with less risk than other potential targets being adjusted to the PL already. Might be a good fit.
Nobody playing for Benfica is going to necessarily perform in the PL. That's why so many player land in Portugal before moving on to other European Leagues. Brighton have identified a lot of talented players and obviously, that's a model any club should look to follow.
Plenty of players available for less money and no guarantee that any of them are going to be good enough. Players like this are a middle ground between unknowns and the mega money big names. I suspect nobody will break the bank for him in the current climate but already doing it in the PL will demand a certain premium.
A lot of split opinions on him. I do like him but I haven't seen enough. Obviously seen him when United beat Everton, and thought he was poor in posession that day, but could have just been an off day.
My worry with guys like Onana is that it looks good when he's in a midfield where Mainoo and whoever is playing in the 10 are able to bring that creative edge, but let's say Mainoo is injured. Is Onana good enough to get on the ball and knock it around the pitch, and progress us through the middle of the pitch?
I don't think he is, and therefore I don't think he's good enough to play for United, especially not where we want to get to. I think we need someone a bit more dynamic if we're going to persist with that double pivot. Onana doesn't look rounded enough to be a midfield player at United.
Not hating on him, but I could never see Onana at City for example. Not saying we should be trying to copy City, but compare Onana with Rodri. It's chalk and cheese.
My worry with guys like Onana is that it looks good when he's in a midfield where Mainoo and whoever is playing in the 10 are able to bring that creative edge, but let's say Mainoo is injured. Is Onana good enough to get on the ball and knock it around the pitch, and progress us through the middle of the pitch?
I don't think he is, and therefore I don't think he's good enough to play for United, especially not where we want to get to. I think we need someone a bit more dynamic if we're going to persist with that double pivot. Onana doesn't look rounded enough to be a midfield player at United.
Not hating on him, but I could never see Onana at City for example. Not saying we should be trying to copy City, but compare Onana with Rodri. It's chalk and cheese.
He's not good enough to be a big money signing. £40m or thereabouts sure. But we'd be charged somewhere between Mount and Antony money.
The CAF has got it wrong with lots of players and I think the posters who can't see the class player he is, are in that box. People were all over Lavia yet Onana is a better version of the player Lavia could be. Onana hasn't scratched the ceiling of his potential yet and there is still upside with him. He's playing within himself at Everton because of Dyche's tactics. He's built for the EPL and the balanced CM pairing with Mainoo would drag our midfield out of the mediocrity of the post Scholes/Carrick years. For those who doubt his technical ability, Barcelona are supposedly in for him and I don't think they are looking at mugs on the ball for the pivot position. He can play both 6 and 8 at a high level, so can partner Mainoo or rotate with him. Yes, there are cheaper profiles than him but he's already PL proven, young, has upside and fills our need. There's huge interest in him from Barca and was supposedly Arsenal's plan B if they didn't get Rice, yet we are complaining that he can't come in and easily be our best or 2nd best CM.
His passing stats range from average to bad, and his interception and blocking stats don't make for great reading either, outside of tackling and aerials duals this guy does not seem to have much to his game.
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