Sabitzer has played as a 6 more times than any of the names you've listed.
I would not say this it true. Look at Varane this year, TH is rotating him and keeping him in a loop in order to rest him and have him for big games. But he has options there suitable for some games. Also, Dalot and AWB now, he is rotating them. I think the reason why he is playing Casemiro every game, and Eriksen before, or Rashford, is that he doesn't gave replacement good enough (on 80% of level of first choice). But I am sure he is aware that Casemiro and Rashford now can't play every three days till May.
Good choices
Difference is that we at least have some CB cover to rest Varane at times,however in terms of Casa cover we haven't anyone who has his positional sense at all
Sabitzer ain't a DM, he's the Eriksen backup. Casemiro's the only recognised DM in the squad, the others are more box to box players.
I don’t think it really matter that much. We played with 2 central midfielders on the field and Sabitzer is a good ball winner in midfield. In fact majority of the game he has played for Bayern is in DM position.
He played well for us so far. Looking aggressive/combative enough even in PL. I think he is made for this league.
Sabitzer and McTominay are no DMs. Both are missing the real sense of positioning and especially McTom is dribbled past pretty easy (just look at one of Maddison shots yesterday late in the game). Sabitzer might be a good rotation option for Eriksen when he settles but his best work is done in the builtup and in front of opposition goal. The notion that he is a DM is a little misguided. He can be, just like Martinez can be. But why would you try to push a player into a position that he isn't thriving in. Sabitzer made a name for himself at Leipzig where he didn't play DM or DLP. He is a roaming midfielder who is no slouch in terms of defensive actions (like Eriksen is these days) but that doesn't make him a DM. When we see the effect that Casemiro had on our team it is a bit bizarre that people still dismissing the need of a specialized ball winner, not a makeshift solution.
And he didn't make any sort of impact there and became unhappy. Don't get me wrong, I am not against the player but he isn't a Casemiro replacement.
I don't see how you watch the games we've played without Casemiro and think Sabitzer suits the DM role. It's so clear we've missed a DM and that's not Sabitzer's fault, he's just not a natural DM
Yea but with Casemiro starting most of the games, we don’t really need a top class backup DM there playing 20+ games a season. We probably need someone who could play CM and also fill in DM role when required so (~10 games would do). Sabitizer is one of few times I could think of who can do both, and seems adapts well in this league
I disagree. You'd need someone that can play DM and fill in CM if required, not the other way around.
I think that’s even harder to find.
Bruno Guimaraes.
Guimaraes is also a combatitive 8 but not a sitter. Casemiro is exactly that and the replacement/rest option should have a similar skillset. Definitely in terms of defensive nous. Casemiro is obviously great because he is imperious defensively and still very good with the ball.
Fully agree here. Feels wild that people were screaming for a DM for years, now have seen the effect of Casemiro and still come to conclusions that we just need players "who can do a job there" and not specialists
100%. And the lack of a DM has been clear to see in the games he's missed in my opinion. For instance, if we had a proper DM then I don't think we would have drew 2-2 with Leeds last week
He's certainly tenacious enough to excel in the PL, I don't disagree with you on that bit. He's also a better player than McT, and Donny. His passing is way better/more consistent than Fred and you want that from a player playing in the centre of the pitch. He has shown he has an eye for a pass - that switch out wide to Shaw leading to Rashford's goal against Leeds.
I actually agree we need a young proper DM specialist as backup. But I suspect his game time would be very limited, so we might end up having to take some risk to bring in some young potential (rather unproven) who doesn’t mind to play 2nd fiddle all season.
