Do we need a creator?

[walkinhop]

A lot has been said about the areas needing additions - winger and fullback being the center of attention. However, it's the creative mid which I think stinks if not more than at least equally as bad as the rest.

I though we had enough players there. Number-wise it seems so. With time, the shaky performances of Mata, Mkhitaryan, Lingard, added up and the last few matches simply poked my eyes.

We have young attackers, pacy and direct, who seem starved of quality decisive passes. None of the people in the current team, not even Pogba, are good enough at accelerating the attack with a pass.

How many times this and previous seasons have we witnessed open channels and runs going unnoticed? Is it time to look at a replacement for Mata and some serious competition for the rest? Is crossing really the problem or are our attackers generally inept at passing in those areas?

I've got no statistics to prove my points, so this is mainly a question based on my inaccurate observations.

 

[JPRouve]

A winger/wide forward can be a creative hub.

 

[suhaylah]

We need Griezmann and Ozil badly in January. They would put Manchester United on another level. Sanchez would be my favorite but he seems hell bent on going to City

 

[Tarrou]

Pogba is excellent at creative passing. Wha you on about?

Although I agree if we're switching to a midfield three now, it would be good to have someone else who can play there who's good going forward. Pogba, Matic with another defensive-minded midfielder is too negative for lots of games.

 

[Kag]

Creativity is moreso a product of approach rather than personnel.

We would buy Griezmann and Ozil and encounter very similar problems.

I mean, bloody hell, I don't think there is a better central midfielder in Europe when it comes to lifting balls over the top than Pogba. But, of course, now he's here and disregarded as a byproduct, of course he isn't good enough at accelerating an attack with a pass...

How many players do we need to churn through before it's widely accepted that the players aren't the problem? Yes, like all sides we can improve, but our general inability to play with any sort of freedom, verve and excitement isn't a personnel problem. It's a coaching one.

 

[suhaylah]

Creativity is moreso a product of approach rather than personnel.

We would buy Griezmann and Ozil and encounter very similar problems.

I mean, bloody hell, I don't think there is a better central midfielder in Europe when it comes to lifting balls over the top than Pogba. But, of course, now he's here and disregarded as a byproduct, of course he isn't good enough at accelerating an attack with a pass...

How many players do we need to churn through before it's widely accepted that the players aren't the problem? Yes, like all sides we can improve, but our general inability to play with any sort of freedom, verve and excitement isn't a personnel problem. It's a coaching one.

I agree that Mourinho should allow more freedom to his players. We should have more players in the box when we attack.
But Micki has been terrible for long enough for Mou to decide upgrading on him.
As for Mata, I think Ozil would be an upgrade on him on the right wing.

 

[walkinhop]

Creativity is moreso a product of approach rather than personnel.

We would buy Griezmann and Ozil and encounter very similar problems.

I mean, bloody hell, I don't think there is a better central midfielder in Europe when it comes to lifting balls over the top than Pogba. But, of course, now he's here and disregarded as a byproduct, of course he isn't good enough at accelerating an attack with a pass...

How many players do we need to churn through before it's widely accepted that the players aren't the problem? Yes, like all sides we can improve, but our general inability to play with any sort of freedom, verve and excitement isn't a personnel problem. It's a coaching one.

You make a good point. Still, the coach can't make the player misplace less passes, can he?

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I'd like us to be more aggressive and attack minded. But we also probably need to get an attacker or two who are comfortable in between the lines I.e de Bruyne and Silva, given Mkhitarian appears to be a bit of a let down. I reckon Martial can also do a bit of that if trusted.

 

[ivaldo]

We certainly need another playmaker as we are far too reliant on Pogba. We need a central midfielder who can become the catalyst of our attackers when Paul is missing. Expecting Herrera, a defensive ball winning midfielder, to do this role isn't good enough.

 

[AgentP]

We need someone world class in that position. I was hoping Mkhi could do that job but after seeing him for over a season, it's apparent that we need better. And we don't need a Griezmann type but someone like Ozil (in his Madrid form), Silva or Isco. We also need a pacy RW to make runs into the box.

 

[Needham]

Thousands of years of written civilization hasn't answered this question, don't think we're going to solve it on Redcafe.

 

[JPRouve]

Thousands of years of written civilization hasn't answered this question, don't think we're going to solve it on Redcafe.

I'm pretty that the caf determined that LVG laid the foundations.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Feels like an age since we've had a player in Number #10 playing with high standards.

 

[Foxbatt]

A creator? I think we should keep religion out of this. LOL

 

[walkinhop]

I made it too easy for you, didn't eye? I for an eye

 

[JustinC00]

People complaining about Mkhitaryan and then saying they want Ozil is comical.

 

[Ballache]

We need a creative player in the final third. Pogba in his current role links our defence and attack but we need a creator in the final third too. This is why I think Özil would be a very good signing and why I don't necessarily think Griezmann is the answer (unless we play him on the right, which is not his ideal position.
Personally, I'd sign Özil and a wide forward for the right flank that's both creative and can beat a man (Mahrez for example).

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

Özil in January and Zaha in the summer would be nice and wouldn't cost a fortune either.

----Pogba - Matic---
Zaha-Özil-Rashford/Martial
-------Lukaku-----

That line up has pace, strength and creativity.

 

[adexkola]

People complaining about Mkhitaryan and then saying they want Ozil is comical.

This is actually true. Very good chance that Ozil in this side would be the same.

 

[Struggleisreal]

Mkhitaryan?

 

[Bestietom]

The attack will be much better when Pogba returns, but we really need a creative player up front. Mkhi and Mata are just not doing enough for us. We have brilliant attacking players in Lukaku, Martial, and Rashford but they are starved of service because of the need of a creative player.

 

[kouroux]

No because one player doesn't solve the main issues. We lack off the ball movement, specially knowing when to give support to a player, when to make the right runs and we lack the ability to release the ball at the right moments. One player doesn't solve that I'm sorry.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Kinda depends how Jose intends to play going forward. If for example we continue like yesterday in that shape then you could go with the likes of Ozil, Griezman or my personal fave Dybala. They could also play in a 4231.
If he decides 433 then you kinda need someone more like a Thiago,Modric,Kroos I know it’s only been a few games but really been impressed with that Winks kid. Kinda want to see more of his passing ability tho.

We certainly need someone on the right in both positions winger and fullback. But honestly we just need to play every position 5m forward. Our midfielders are too concerned with protecting our defence and the defence sits too far back that when we go forward our attack is really isolated.

E work attackng positions then cross to one player in the box where there should be about 4 or 5. So for me it’s not just a case o getting in the players. I think Jose has to change his approach to games.

 

[SambaBoy]

We need someone who can play that ball that Eriksen provided for Alli yesterday. Only Pogba can provide that at the minute and he's better at doing that from a deeper position so if we can get someone closer to goal who can play them cute balls than that's what we should be focusing on. Alternatively we can get a good dribbler who can finish, Mkhi was supposed to be that man and I still think he can but I would bring someone else in as well, maybe Fekir or Malcom.

 

[glazed]

We have creators. - Mhiki, Mata etc. What we need is a creator who is also able to turn defense into attack quickly. Pogba can, but Carrick is the best at this.

 

[Giant Midget]

We need some pace on the flanks - primarily LB and RW. At the moment, we just have Lukaku and Rashford as runners (plus Valencia sometimes) and it severely limits our play.

 

[Mcking]

People complaining about Mkhitaryan and then saying they want Ozil is comical.

How? [confused]

 

[yfoFC]

We just need a no 10 who can play simple passes when needed rather than giving the ball to the opposition, and I'm not talking de bruyne level passes but just simple obvious passes

Michy did that at the start of the second half against spurs for 10mins and voila! Like magic our game became better than we have seen in the last few games and built up sustained period of pressure for the first time in ages

To summarize, we don't need a brilliant Creator but just someone who can make the simple passes to connect our midfield and attack. Michy/Mata/lingard have failed in that regard (mata hasn't been giving that role too much tbf)

 

[ayushreddevil9]

Proper wingers with a ten with precise vision.
Mata mkhi are just not good enough and we don't have proper wingers too

 

[Kag]

How? [confused]

Because Ozil will solve sod all. He'll just be another poor cnut to lambast when we struggle to score goals.

 

[BenjaminP]

Griezmann

 

[mav_9me]

This is actually true. Very good chance that Ozil in this side would be the same.

Disagree. Ozil would be just as poor defensively with token track back and zombie defending. But on the ball no way he is like Mkhi. He would be couple of levels up on the passing.

 

[lakesred7]

A creative player on their own won't change much. We need a right winger and a left back to give us more options in attack. At the moment we are to predictable with valencia by himself on the right and martial/Rashford on the left unsupported.

 

[Lawman]

Proper wingers with a ten with precise vision.
Mata mkhi are just not good enough and we don't have proper wingers too

Pretty much spot on

 

[Mcking]

Because Ozil will solve sod all. He'll just be another poor cnut to lambast when we struggle to score goals.

Yea, he will probably be another poor cnut to lambast when we struggle to score goals, but if you have actually watched our games this season, you will find out that Mkhi is not being lambasted because we struggle to score goals, but because he's been awful, shocking and a disaster. Ozil has the best per min chance creation ratio in the EPL, but he will solve sod all. Keep going.

 

[adexkola]

Disagree. Ozil would be just as poor defensively with token track back and zombie defending. But on the ball no way he is like Mkhi. He would be couple of levels up on the passing.

Did you see Mkhi at Dortmund?

One of the (unfair) criticisms hurled at Ozil is that when the going gets tough he disappears. Do you think he would have made the difference away at Huddersfield in our stagnant offense?

 

[Mcking]

Pretty much spot on

Seconded. A right winger to give us width and more options in attack, and help stretch play and a playmaker to feed the attack, deliver the final balls, lead our transistions and keep the ball in attack. Then the attack is sorted. Simple. Its then up to Mourinho to gel them.

 

[gavdim2002]

All the way back to Sir Alex, we do not apply our creative potential very well. I know José get a lot of blame (also from your truly), but he is just another Boss at this club who is struggling to get the benefit from true creative footballing talent.

Veron, Kagawa, Nani, Berbatov, Di Maria and even Giggs and Scholes for some periods did not contribute to the level of their creative talent back then, just as it is the case with the like of Martial, Mikey, Mata and to some extent even Zlatan in today’s team.

Building on this observation, I do personally not think that we should be looking for an addition that other people do label as a ”creative player” (the likes of Di Maria and Özil).

We do seem to have much more success from people with ”power and pace”, maybe due to a lack of trust shown towards our creative players, who for the last decade or so have lost out to ”bigger & faster” type of players at Man Utd.

 

[Lawman]

Seconded. A right winger to give us width and more options in attack, and help stretch play and a playmaker to feed the attack, deliver the final balls, lead our transistions and keep the ball in attack. Then the attack is sorted. Simple. Its then up to Mourinho to gel them.

Griezmann and Sanchez for me and I think both are obtainable due to their contracts. Yes both ready made players but I’m fine with that. We could then get a left back and we’d be a real tough team capable of beating any team in Europe.

 

[Kag]

Seconded. A right winger to give us width and more options in attack, and help stretch play and a playmaker to feed the attack, deliver the final balls, lead our transistions and keep the ball in attack. Then the attack is sorted. Simple. Its then up to Mourinho to gel them.

Ay, simple mate. Piece of piss. Just bring in these lads and watch us fly. Ozil has the best chance creation stats or something. Woo.