Do We Already Have our Future CDM?

manunited1919

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
3,580
Watching Axel Tuanzebe play for us I can’t help but think he would be a great CDM. He is good on the ball, is quick, understands how to defend, and can pass the ball. Could he be our solution for when Ole realizes Matic’s legs are gone?
 

Wednesday at Stoke

Full Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
21,629
Location
Copenhagen
Supports
Time Travel
Fosu-Mensah has a future there, wish he wasn't injured. I'd much rather let Axel develop as a center back.
 

2 man midfield

Last Man Standing finalist 2021/22
Joined
Sep 4, 2012
Messages
45,670
Location
?
Watching Axel Tuanzebe play for us I can’t help but think he would be a great CDM. He is good on the ball, is quick, understands how to defend, and can pass the ball. Could he be our solution for when Ole realizes Matic’s legs are gone?
I'd be open to trying him there, even if it's just so he gets minutes. Whatever results in Matic being off the pitch as much as possible.
 

Godfather

Full Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
29,803
Location
Austria
No and we should stop shoehorning players into positions that are not their best. There is so much more to the CDM position than being a decent defender.
 

André Dominguez

Full Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Messages
6,325
Location
Lisbon
Supports
Benfica, Académica
The only adaptions that went relatively well on Benfica was during Jorge Jesus period where he adapted Fábio Coentrão as a left back (he was a left winger) and adapting Matic as a defensive midfielder (yes, he used to be an attacking midfielder, believe it or not).

But I can't remember a single center back who was adapted to other position on the field. Usually is always the opposite.
 

manunited1919

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
3,580
No and we should stop shoehorning players into positions that are not their best. There is so much more to the CDM position than being a decent defender.
Yes I’m sure you are right about that. Although I have always thought Phil Jones was much better as a midfielder or right back than he has been as CB.

It would be a wat to give Axel minutes, otherwise he will spend most of the season on the bench.
 

Andersons Dietician

Full Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
13,192
He’s looked alright on the ball for a CB but no where near good enough to be put in midfield. Might as well just stick Shaw in there.
 

Dec9003

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
Joined
Jul 31, 2015
Messages
8,922
Tuanzebe has the potential to be one of our top two centre backs this season.
If we need a defensive midfielder, we should buy one rather than shoehorning a youngster.
 

Lash

Full Member
Joined
May 3, 2012
Messages
11,888
Location
Buckinghamshire
Supports
Millwall, Saint-Etienne
Fosu-Mensah has a future there, wish he wasn't injured. I'd much rather let Axel develop as a center back.
I was looking at the squad and I forgot we still had him. I expect him to get some minutes there this season if we don't sign a DM (which I'm not sure we will).
 

keener

Full Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2013
Messages
576
Location
North Carolina, USA
I'm with you guys that Matic isn't the answer for us nor is Fred. This is the glaring hole in our lineup IMO. I'd much rather have Matuidi than Manzukic or Dybala... He would fit our need and fit our team so well.

That said, I'd rather have Kante .... but not sure who else. I had hoped Herrera would become this player for us but he was mostly used as a box to box guy for us and never that holding player.
 

ArjenIsM3

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
5,633
Location
Netherlands
If we're going to try a youth player there, why not go with a youth player that's actually a talented CDM in Garner instead?
 

Njord

Full Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
428
James Garner should be Matic's succesor. Unfortunately, Matic seems to be finished a couple of years before one would expect, and now it is too soon for Garner.
 

Unelected

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Messages
16
Left-field idea: turn Luke Shaw into a CDM. Worked with Emmanuel Petit, although he had better hair.
 

manunited1919

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
3,580
Tuanzebe has the potential to be one of our top two centre backs this season.
If we need a defensive midfielder, we should buy one rather than shoehorning a youngster.
The potential is there, but he is dead last in the pecking order. Well, he is ahead of Bailey but only due to injury/surgery.
 

Marcelinho87

Full Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
7,201
Location
Barnsley
United and it's fans has this strange obsession with shoehorning players in other positions... it's mad.
 

Dec9003

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
Joined
Jul 31, 2015
Messages
8,922
The potential is there, but he is dead last in the pecking order. Well, he is ahead of Bailey but only due to injury/surgery.
We don't really know where he is in the pecking order until we're well into the season.
The club are hoping he can break into the side this season.
 

settembrini

Full Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
3,283
I was naive to click this thread thinking it would be about one our actual midfielders.
 

André Dominguez

Full Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Messages
6,325
Location
Lisbon
Supports
Benfica, Académica
Marcel Desailly, Frank Rijkaard etc.
Rijkaard was actually a midfielder but went back to the defense at later stages of his career. He was sometimes deployed as a center back because of his height and agressivity, mainly against teams who sited very deep, where he could offer a threat from behind. Sacchi used him very well with his hybrid positioning.

Desailly is a good shout though. Almost forgot he also played at the back in early and later stages of his career
 

Kostur

海尔的老板
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
28,749
Location
Poland, Kraków
United and it's fans has this strange obsession with shoehorning players in other positions... it's mad.
Been there done that with TFM already. Whenever he had a shit game, 'X is his position, Y is not', rinse repeat type of shit, worryingly enough they're trying to do the same with Tuanzebe now.
 

12OunceEpilogue

In perfect harmony
Scout
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
18,392
Location
Wigan
James Garner should be Matic's succesor. Unfortunately, Matic seems to be finished a couple of years before one would expect, and now it is too soon for Garner.
Yeah it's a shame the timelines haven't quite matched up. I don't think shoehorning Tuanzebe in is the answer, we'll need anew signing there at some stage as we're looking light in that area again.
 

harms

Shining Star of Paektu Mountain
Staff
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
27,952
Location
Moscow
Rijkaard was actually a midfielder but went back to the defense at later stages of his career. He was sometimes deployed as a center back because of his height and agressivity, mainly against teams who sited very deep, where he could offer a threat from behind. Sacchi used him very well with his hybrid positioning.

Desailly is a good shout though. Almost forgot he also played at the back in early and later stages of his career
Nope. Rijkaard started as a center back, was moved to midfield by Sacchi and later dropped back into a hybrid defender/holder role under van Gaal.
 

fergie_god

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Messages
60
Being good on the ball as a CB and being good on the ball as a DM are two totally different standards
 

Handré1990

Full Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
4,814
Location
In hibernation
I'm with you guys that Matic isn't the answer for us nor is Fred. This is the glaring hole in our lineup IMO. I'd much rather have Matuidi than Manzukic or Dybala... He would fit our need and fit our team so well.

That said, I'd rather have Kante .... but not sure who else. I had hoped Herrera would become this player for us but he was mostly used as a box to box guy for us and never that holding player.
Neither of those players are CDMs (Kanté and Matuidi).
 

ash_86

Full Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
6,337
CDM these days isn't just about stopping the ball. Essentially they need to have a very good pass on them , both long and short along with a good shot.
 

youngrell

Full Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2016
Messages
3,544
Location
South Wales
The different skill set needed for midfield (any midfield position) to defender is vast.

Playing the ball out from the back is about as easy as it gets in football. Everything is in front of you and nobody minds if you have to hoof it now and then. Midfield you have players coming at you fro mall angles and distances.
 

reddevilchennai

Full Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2019
Messages
702
We do not have anyone for that position in our club.

We should move for Partey next summer. Sancho & Partey should be our main priority next summer.
 

Lee565

Full Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2019
Messages
4,978
If there was ever a player to experiment with as defensive midfielder it's Darmian but would have to be part of double pivot in midfield because you cant expect him or any of our defensive players to play deep role in midfield on their own, i could imagine him being very tenacious in a midfield battle similar to how Herrera was, defensively he's good, experienced, can carry the ball forward, technically he's very sound, got good balance and mobility, has good positional sense and wont neglect tactical instructions given to him to follow.
 

romufc

Full Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2019
Messages
12,555
If there was ever a player to experiment with as defensive midfielder it's Darmian but would have to be part of double pivot in midfield because you cant expect him or any of our defensive players to play deep role in midfield on their own, i could imagine him being very tenacious in a midfield battle similar to how Herrera was, defensively he's good, experienced, can carry the ball forward, technically he's very sound, got good balance and mobility, has good positional sense and wont neglect tactical instructions given to him to follow.
Do people just throw out random names these days? Darmian? He barely gets in as a backup RB, you want him at CDM?
 

manunited1919

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
3,580
We do not have anyone for that position in our club.

We should move for Partey next summer. Sancho & Partey should be our main priority next summer.
We should go for him NOW. But it’s obvious we aren’t going for him. Hence the thread. Fred doesn’t cut it. Whenever we have played him or Andreas in there they have looked like fish out of water. I would bet Axel can do a better job than either of them.
 

manunited1919

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
3,580
If there was ever a player to experiment with as defensive midfielder it's Darmian but would have to be part of double pivot in midfield because you cant expect him or any of our defensive players to play deep role in midfield on their own, i could imagine him being very tenacious in a midfield battle similar to how Herrera was, defensively he's good, experienced, can carry the ball forward, technically he's very sound, got good balance and mobility, has good positional sense and wont neglect tactical instructions given to him to follow.
Does he have a good pass in him?