Our depth must be one the best in the league if not Europe now surely, apart from the odd player we have a quality back up in all position.
Are we a CDM short of being an elite team?
- Thread starter Bastian
- Start date
I reckon us signing Ronaldo and Varane, and keeping Pogba, will convince Camavinga that signing for us is a pretty good idea after all.
jderbyshire said:
Just listening to Rio's podcast live on YouTube.
He's been talking about how he was texting Ronaldo last night, etc.
And he's just said something along the lines of:
"You need to be watching my channel on transfer deadline day, because it's gonna be a crazy one... That's just a little hint that I'm giving ya"
Interesting.
By midnight we will have more new threads about midfield than about Ronaldo.
Agree with that. People forget that signing Ronaldo pushes another player to the bench which makes the bench stronger. Also Cavani, Rashford still have to come back
Imagine adding a 12/13 Carrick to this squad.
I still think we might loan Saul and put him in a 2 with one of McTominay or Fred.
Front 4 of Bruno, Pogba, Ronaldo & Sancho. Greenwood in for any one of them
Front 4 of Bruno, Pogba, Ronaldo & Sancho. Greenwood in for any one of them
True, but think of Ronaldo as the icing, and the missing DM as half the fecking sponge.
That possibly wins the league for me.
Because with the excitement of signing Ronaldo you see how strong our forward line is, it also gets most thinking that we are becoming incredibly strong so people think of the DM/CDM where it’s obvious we still lack
We need a DM now more than ever.
Regardless of DM we should be joint favourites with City.
We're already an elite side with the team we have now it's absurd to say otherwise. Even elite teams have weaker positions.
Still even when we were winning title after title we had people saying several players weren't good enough so no surprise.
Still even when we were winning title after title we had people saying several players weren't good enough so no surprise.
Our midfield is certainly our major issue right now.
That's partly down to the players but also partly (imo) to the coaching. Based on some of the analysis we saw in the recent thread looking into our difficulties in playing out from the back, we could do more even with the limited players we have and (by extension) we could get less than we should from a midfield of better players too. But of course improving the players is easier than improving the coaching.
Given the context of the rest of our transfer window though, I would be happy to get a midfielder who can at least dislodge one of the McFred pair, even if they're not top class, or a specialist DM, or functionally dissimilar to those two.
It's important to remember that if the team is coached properly then we shouldn't need every aspect of the team to be superb. Hell, just last year City won the league having to rely on Ilkay Gundogan as their top scorer with a measly 12 goals. In reality there will never be a point where we don't think we need some signings.
That's partly down to the players but also partly (imo) to the coaching. Based on some of the analysis we saw in the recent thread looking into our difficulties in playing out from the back, we could do more even with the limited players we have and (by extension) we could get less than we should from a midfield of better players too. But of course improving the players is easier than improving the coaching.
Given the context of the rest of our transfer window though, I would be happy to get a midfielder who can at least dislodge one of the McFred pair, even if they're not top class, or a specialist DM, or functionally dissimilar to those two.
It's important to remember that if the team is coached properly then we shouldn't need every aspect of the team to be superb. Hell, just last year City won the league having to rely on Ilkay Gundogan as their top scorer with a measly 12 goals. In reality there will never be a point where we don't think we need some signings.
Last edited:
Never. I rate our squad but even if you rate are squad up there with them they have the advantage of been there done that and Ole still has to prove he can challenge
Am talking only about central midfield.
Haha, I’d love a proper DM, go all out for Ndidi or a similar level player, would be challenging on all fronts then.
If we don’t buy a new one we just need to stick with one and coach it into him, break up play and distribute quick, that’s all they’d have to do.
Ole made it quite clear Lingard isn't going anywhere at all.
But yeah I think we'd be lucky to get a DM in this season sadly.
I’d say so, yes. Or just a good midfielder who can pass a ball under pressure and stand in the right places.
Push the boat out and get it done.
Push the boat out and get it done.
Fairly sure Ole made it clear Sanchez was going nowhere until he did. We are playing a game of chicken with West Ham and it does not help us if Ole blinks first.
It is interesting, all the reports seemed to suggest that the problem with Camavinga is that he wants to play for one of the big Spanish boys. If he's got such a hard-on for faded superstars, we've just nabbed the best one.
Yes.. We are a swap deal (£50m + Lingard) away from the PL and CL title
I don't think the manager can complain about the squad or it not being "elite."
I don't think every position has to be your ideal player to expect to get things done. On paper the central midfield and right back areas look short but we have wonderful forward options and reliable defenders.
I'm a big defender of Oles work to date but he has to take big steps forward after this summer's work. You simply have to find a winning formula with those options. Okay, if he doesn't win the league that may be excusable depending on circumstances but he probably needs to win something.
I don't think every position has to be your ideal player to expect to get things done. On paper the central midfield and right back areas look short but we have wonderful forward options and reliable defenders.
I'm a big defender of Oles work to date but he has to take big steps forward after this summer's work. You simply have to find a winning formula with those options. Okay, if he doesn't win the league that may be excusable depending on circumstances but he probably needs to win something.
Have no doubt that he's still better than Matic.
I agree with this, even though Bissouma might not be our prime target. Saul on loan is another option. I really hope we get one CDM in, that would make us challange for the title.
A
Playing Pogba in midfield demands that we get a DM and a good one at that as the likes of Neves won't cut it. I wish the club would see it that way too but we are running out of time imo.
Right on, Ronaldo is an elite goal scorer but we will also be losing some work rate of the ball and none of our front four bar Bruno are renowned for that. When Marcus comes back I am sure Pogba will revert to midfield as it wont sit right with Ole to bench two of our most prominent stars from the academy in recent times.
Playing Pogba in midfield demands that we get a DM and a good one at that as the likes of Neves won't cut it. I wish the club would see it that way too but we are running out of time imo.
If it does I might have to stop hating the Glazers. Which would frankly be traumatic.
More Event Horizon, “we don’t need eyes where we’re going”
It’s absolute fecking bollocks like this that has to stop. For an attacking midfielder he does more than his fair share of defensive work. But ok yeah just don’t play Pogba. Play McT Fred and Matic.
Goalkeeper and DM away I'd say.
Two midfielders short, none of the 3 we have are good enough to be starters.
There is one. His name is Frenkie de Jong. If we could sign him we would have the best team since 2007-2008. Sadly, not happening though
We already are an elite side. Our back 4 is as good as any in the world on paper, as is our front 4. And for games where we dominate, make that a front 5 if Pogba goes in midfield. Up to Ole and the players to get the consistency to challenge, regardless of the midfield.
De Jong would be the fecking dessert and he'd take this team places. I hope Barca's situation turns to worse and Rio is on the phone with him in January.
Pogba/Rice
Pogba/Bissouma
job done
Pogba/Bissouma
job done
Don't think he has the defensive awareness Carrick had at the time.
Rice would be ideal imho
Sign a DM and we should be thinking about the CL too.
My assumption is that since Bruno and Cristiano didn't link up well for Portugal as a 10-9 combo that we'll play 4-3-3:
----------------------Cristiano (Cavani)-----------------------
Rashford(James)-----------------------Sancho(Greenwood)
-------------Pogba(Fred)---Bruno(Pogba)------------------
---------------------McTominay(Matic)----------------------
Shaw(Telles)-----------------------------------AWB(Dalot)
--------Maguire(Lindelof)--Varane(Lindelof)--------
-------------------------De Gea(Henderson)-----------------
with VDB struggling to get time and Bailly the 4th CB.
Looking at it, the obvious thing to do in the next few days is to loan out VDB, who has 4 years left on his deal, sell Matic and buy a proper DM even if it means trusting a youngster like Tchouameni with the job or overpaying by 5-10M for a guy ready to immediately anchor us, like Brozovic.
Or just hope that McTominay's size and mobility mean he's up to the job, as he's the only one you can really see stepping up I think.
----------------------Cristiano (Cavani)-----------------------
Rashford(James)-----------------------Sancho(Greenwood)
-------------Pogba(Fred)---Bruno(Pogba)------------------
---------------------McTominay(Matic)----------------------
Shaw(Telles)-----------------------------------AWB(Dalot)
--------Maguire(Lindelof)--Varane(Lindelof)--------
-------------------------De Gea(Henderson)-----------------
with VDB struggling to get time and Bailly the 4th CB.
Looking at it, the obvious thing to do in the next few days is to loan out VDB, who has 4 years left on his deal, sell Matic and buy a proper DM even if it means trusting a youngster like Tchouameni with the job or overpaying by 5-10M for a guy ready to immediately anchor us, like Brozovic.
Or just hope that McTominay's size and mobility mean he's up to the job, as he's the only one you can really see stepping up I think.