Class our squad.

Canagel

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How would people class this current squad of players?
For me there are four categories (but you can class them however you want)
1) World Class
2) potential to be very good or world class with the right coaching
3) OK for now but need replacements soon.
4) simply not good enough

The first tier:
De Gea
Pogba

The second tier:
Dalot
Bailly
Shaw
Periera
Fred
Martial
Rashford

The third tier:
Smalling
Matic
Fellaini
Lukaku

The fourth tier:
Valencia
Young
Jones
Lindelof ( I don't think he's a bad player, just too weak for the PL)
Darmian
Rojo
Herrera
Lingard
Mata
Sanchez

The third tier aren't good enough long term but I kept them separate because we don't have quality alternatives at this moment.
 

Mcking

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Hard to class them imo since they were very good players when we signed them only to turn them to average to poor players. Pogba's our only genuine world class player though.
 

Treble

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Same players would perform differently in different systems and under different managers. It's a pointless exercise imo.
 

United Pro

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Well, I think the second tier should be a player performing just below world class level and/or potential to be there. I'd have Matic and Lukaku there for sure. I'd also remove the majority from tier 4 and put them into tier 3. Not every player in a squad need to be world class. You'd still need players like Lingard and Herrera to come in and do a job.

The main problem with this current squad is that there's a lack of balance in certain areas. We don't have a RW and a good enough ball playing CB and our first choice RB has lost a few yards of pace with the back up, even with his potential, lacks experience.

Generally we lack top tier quality players (which is likely the point of this thread). That doesn't necessarily mean we get rid of 14 players in the short to mid term, but we do need 3/4 more top tier players to properly compete in the champions league.
 

Mcking

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Not really. A few players perhaps but jones, Valencia, young, lingard, fellaini and most of the rest will still remains the same.
I think Fellaini will fit better at Burnley and Lingard, under Klopp.
 

red4ever 79

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Of the current squad. I would keep
De Gea, Dalot, Smalling, Bailly, Shaw, Fred Matic, Pogba, Martial, Rashford, Lukaku

The rest are all not good enough
 

Toad

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How would people class this current squad of players?
For me there are four categories (but you can class them however you want)
1) World Class
2) potential to be very good or world class with the right coaching
3) OK for now but need replacements soon.
4) simply not good enough

The first tier:
De Gea
Pogba

The second tier:
Dalot
Bailly
Shaw
Periera
Fred
Martial
Rashford

The third tier:
Smalling
Matic
Fellaini
Lukaku

The fourth tier:
Valencia
Young
Jones
Lindelof ( I don't think he's a bad player, just too weak for the PL)
Darmian
Rojo
Herrera
Lingard
Mata
Sanchez

The third tier aren't good enough long term but I kept them separate because we don't have quality alternatives at this moment.
At this current moment.
-I’d put Pogba in second tier, just not consistent enough.
-I’d rate Fellaini as a good squad player that doesn’t need replacing.
-Lukaku would be in first tier under the right tactics/management
-Lingard is put into second tier, I rate him highly given the tactics.
-Sanchez will be in first tier if JM weren’t here.
- Mata probably third tier.

The others I agree with.

But the keywords are in bold.

Plus Mourinho would be in 10th tier.
 

AlwaysRed66

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There is only one world class player here, & without him the last few seasons, it is hard to say where we would have finished. Thank god for Real Madrid's fax problems.

The rest of the players, particularly offensive ones, it is hard to classify, as some would probably fare much better under a decent attacking coach.
 

The holy trinity 68

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The third tier:
Smalling
Matic
Fellaini
Lukaku
Oh come on, the man has scored 104 PL goals. More goals and assists than any player in the PL since 2012 except Aguero. Same amount of PL goals as Drogba in 20 less games.

If you think he is ok for now but needs replacing soon yet you think Martial and Rashford can become WC then that is just ridiculous. Martial is 2 years younger than Lukaku and no where near his level for a striker. Rashford at this age has nothing on Lukaku at his age.

I don’t get this infatuation and over rating of Rashford and Martial while dismissing Lukaku so easily.
 

Mcking

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Oh come on, the man has scored 104 PL goals. More goals and assists than any player in the PL since 2012 except Aguero. Same amount of PL goals as Drogba in 20 less games.

If you think he is ok for now but needs replacing soon yet you think Martial and Rashford can become WC then that is just ridiculous. Martial is 2 years younger than Lukaku and no where near his level for a striker. Rashford at this age has nothing on Lukaku at his age.

I don’t get this infatuation and over rating of Rashford and Martial while dismissing Lukaku so easily.
I'd barely take Martial ahead of Lukaku, but Rashford has nothing on Lukaku. Completely nothing. Only pace which he doesn't know how to use.
 

James Peril

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Hehe... Dalot is second tier? Six games for Porto, zero league games for United... and he’s better than Smalling. Not jumping into that discussion.
 

QoS

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Pogba is not world class. You need to be consistent to be considered world class.

De Gea is genuinely the only world class player United have.
 

Canagel

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Oh come on, the man has scored 104 PL goals. More goals and assists than any player in the PL since 2012 except Aguero. Same amount of PL goals as Drogba in 20 less games.

If you think he is ok for now but needs replacing soon yet you think Martial and Rashford can become WC then that is just ridiculous. Martial is 2 years younger than Lukaku and no where near his level for a striker. Rashford at this age has nothing on Lukaku at his age.

I don’t get this infatuation and over rating of Rashford and Martial while dismissing Lukaku so easily.
You can score a lot of goals and not be a top top striker. Mario Gomez had a brilliant record but he was never world class. The team right now is set up for Lukaku and he fluffs his lines too much when we need him to step up. Very good when in a team that runs up the scoreline against the likes of Luxembourg and Estonia but he's never going to be the player that breaks the deadlock for us in a tight game. How many of those 104 goals have been against top opposition?
 

Mcking

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Hehe... Dalot is second tier? Six games for Porto, zero league games for United... and he’s better than Smalling. Not jumping into that discussion.
The tiering is not good. There's no place I'd place neither Dalot nor Smalling.
 

Minimalist

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At the end of the day there's only a handful of players that have been what I class as reliable under Mourinho. Whether that's down to them is irrelevant.

Dave. Smalling. Matic. Lukaku.

Pogba, Herrera, Lingard are in the sometimes category.

The rest is all up in the air or don't play enough to consider (Romero).

As said before, this is all through the lens of Mourinho's coaching. There would definitely be surprises (players produce much better) under a different setup - I'm convinced of that.
 

MikeKing

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1) World Class / Top exiting talents
2) Just good players / has potential to be very good
3) Not good enough / Time to sell and replace now

The first tier:
De Gea
Pogba
Martial
Gomes
Chong
Bailly
Greenwood
Dalot
Tuanzebe

The second tier:
Lukaku
Matic
Smalling
Shaw
Periera
Fred
Rashford
Herrera
Sanchez
Lingard
Fosu-Mensah


The third tier:
Fellaini
Valencia
Young
Jones
Lindelof
Darmian
Rojo
Mata
 

The holy trinity 68

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You can score a lot of goals and not be a top top striker. Mario Gomez had a brilliant record but he was never world class. The team right now is set up for Lukaku and he fluffs his lines too much when we need him to step up. Very good when in a team that runs up the scoreline against the likes of Luxembourg and Estonia but he's never going to be the player that breaks the deadlock for us in a tight game. How many of those 104 goals have been against top opposition?
And what has Martial or Rashford done to even warrant that they could become WC? Lukaku has done a lot more in his career to prove that he is a top player, the other two haven’t done much to suggest that they will.

We will never win the PL if we hope Rash and Martial become top players. I don’t think they will.

Relying on them two, Lingard, Mata, and we will get no where.
 

arthurka

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DDG top notch
Pogba and Matic I will let the slide.
Rashford just for the romance.
 

el3mel

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First tier :

DDG

Second tier :

Pogba

Third tier :

Any names not mentioned in this post.

Shite tier :

Darmian
Valencia
Young
Lindelof
Jones
Rojo
Mata
 

parkthebuslads

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1:
De Gea
Pogba
2:
Pereira
Fred*
Sanchez
Dalot*
Bailly
3:
Lukaku
Smalling
Matic
Herrera
4:
Shaw
Martial
Rashford
Valencia
Young
Jones
Lindelof
Darmian
Lingard
Mata
Fellaini
Rojo

*Largely based on hope at this point
 

Web of Bissaka

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1st "God" tier:
De Gea

2nd "Key" tier:
Pogba

3rd "Promising" tier:
Martial, Bailly, Rashford, Shaw, Pereira, Dalot*

4rd "Good" tier:
Lukaku, Matic, Romero

5th "Squad" tier:
Valencia, Smalling, Grant, Mata, Herrera, Fred*, Lingard, Young, Darmian, Lindelof, Fellaini, Sanchez**

"Time to go" tier:
RoJones

---

* = not enough games for better evaluation.
** = need to prove more he still have it.
 

Robbyb03

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Hard to class them imo since they were very good players when we signed them only to turn them to average to poor players. Pogba's our only genuine world class player though.
How do you not rate De Gea as world class?!?
 

SAFMUTD

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The way I see it we should be playing way better with the squad we have, it´s not coincidence that players that delivered in other teams come here and play no where near their used level, the way Mourinho intends to play is not suited for any major club. Top clubs base their game on their top players, we should build our team around Pogba´s talent, not on the way Mourinho wants to play and force all the players to the system, the system should be build around the players available.

Most importantly eventhough Mourinho system sometimes works it is always boring, a top club should always aim to play attractive football.

Saying that, I think most of our players would deliver far better under another manager, right now we speak of how great City´s squad is, but before Guardiola a lot of players were not what they are now. Players like Sterling, Ferdandinho or David Silva were not even close to the level they show these days.

Would Salah, KDB or Aguero would excel in Manchester United right now? being forced to play on long balls all game? Asking them to track back and worry always about defence before attack?

It´s easy to blame the players saying they are not good enough but no team in the world buys all ready world class players, you must build them. We have some of those in the team, we just need them to be under the right manager.


The first tier:
De Gea
Pogba

The second tier:
Lukaku
Dalot
Shaw
Periera
Fred
Martial
Rashford
Bailly
Lindelof
Sanchez

The third tier:
Smalling
Matic
Fellaini
Valencia
Herrera
Lingard
Young

The fourth tier:
Jones
Darmian
Rojo
Mata
 

Jojo <3 Mou

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1. World Class
De Gea

2. Really good but inconsistent
Pogba, Lukaku

3. Good
Matic

3b. Previously good but indifferent form

Alexis

4. Good Potential but inconsistent
Shaw, Dalot*, Rashford, Lingard, Pereira, Martial, Lindelof, Bailly

5. Performs when called upon
Smalling, Fellaini, Romero, Young

6. I don't know about
Jones, Rojo, Fred*, Valencia, Mata, Herrera, McTominay, Grant, Darmian

Tier 3b player/s previously belonged to higher tiers but due to performances over the past 1-2 years they have had their ranks lowered

*: Not enough information available to rank player.

Our squad is a sorry mess that the current manager cannot get Championship level performances from. We need squad upgrades. Some believe that a change of manager is all we need but that's wishful thinking.
 

RooneyLegend

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Same players would perform differently in different systems and under different managers. It's a pointless exercise imo.
True, right now it's difficult to rate our squad cause the platform to perform just isn't there. Sure, some of our players reek of incompetence but others have performed elsewhere or in a different regime just here to a very high level. Should we just discard all of that and classify everyone in the outfield as just not that good?

Forget not getting a tune out of talented youngsters, we're struggling to get a consistent tune out of proven top level performers like Lukaku, Sanchez and Pogba.
 

Zlatattack

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You can score a lot of goals and not be a top top striker. Mario Gomez had a brilliant record but he was never world class. The team right now is set up for Lukaku and he fluffs his lines too much when we need him to step up. Very good when in a team that runs up the scoreline against the likes of Luxembourg and Estonia but he's never going to be the player that breaks the deadlock for us in a tight game. How many of those 104 goals have been against top opposition?
Mario Gomez was a wonderful striker. Strikers are meant to score goals, he did that. People seem to think anyone who isn't Ronaldo isn't a good striker anymore.
 

Jojo <3 Mou

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True, right now it's difficult to rate our squad cause the platform to perform just isn't there. Sure, some of our players reek of incompetence but others have performed elsewhere or in a different regime just here to a very high level. Should we just discard all of that and classify everyone in the outfield as just not that good?

Forget not getting a tune out of talented youngsters, we're struggling to get a consistent tune out of proven top level performers like Lukaku, Sanchez and Pogba.
I agree that it's difficult to rate the players.
But, how do you account for the players that play well this week and stroll about the next or play well for a few months then sulk for a few more? System? I don't think that the system can be blamed for the inconsistencies displayed by this squad and it's one of the biggest issues that we have: Inconsistency. How do you explain this?
 

Still ill

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A meteoric rise for young Dalot, who catapults himself a full 2 tiers above Alexis Sanchez after an earth-shattering one appearance against the mighty Young Boys of Bern.
 

RooneyLegend

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I agree that it's difficult to rate the players.
But, how do you account for the players that play well this week and stroll about the next or play well for a few months then sulk for a few more? System? I don't think that the system can be blamed for the inconsistencies displayed by this squad and it's one of the biggest issues that we have: Inconsistency. How do you explain this?
Without any consistency in the system, there won't be consistent performers. Check out all the successful teams in Europe and you could write a page long post about how they play. What roles players have and the tactics of the team. With us, no one really knows. we randomly change set ups on a match to match basis. That has led to random performances on a match to match basis.
 

iluvoursolskjær

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Tier 1 - World class / great

Tier 2 - good / young potential

Tier 3 - solid squad options / players we can upgrade on in the future

Tier 4 - not good enough
---
1 - DDG, Pogba

2 - Lukaku, Sanchez, Martial, Rashford, Fred, Perreira, Shaw, Bailly, Dalot, Lindeloff

3 - Matic, Herrera, Lingard, Fellaini, Mata, Smalling,

4 - Valencia, Young, Darmian, Jones, Rojo,

Our defence, particularly at FB, is in tatters.
 

Eric's Seagull

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Oh come on, the man has scored 104 PL goals. More goals and assists than any player in the PL since 2012 except Aguero. Same amount of PL goals as Drogba in 20 less games.

If you think he is ok for now but needs replacing soon yet you think Martial and Rashford can become WC then that is just ridiculous. Martial is 2 years younger than Lukaku and no where near his level for a striker. Rashford at this age has nothing on Lukaku at his age.

I don’t get this infatuation and over rating of Rashford and Martial while dismissing Lukaku so easily.
I think Lukaku should be in 2nd tier. But could understand how someone might put him in the 3rd as he went from scoring 25 league at Everton to 16 league goals for us. He even 1 more in a season for West Brom in the lesgue. Personally I thought his goal return would be a lot higher coming to a better quality team. Others should be scoring more but it could be seen as a fair point that he doesn't score enough for a team aiming to get to the top again.