Do we need another midfielder?

[Eddy_JukeZ]

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I've felt like our midfield has notably gotten worse each game post-restart if one of Pogba/Bruno are taken off.

In this game, we saw both taken off and we were pinned back as if we were playing Pep's Barcelona.

Don't we need another midfielder that can challenge 1 of Pogba/Bruno?

 

[Icemav]

The forum is asking the same question over and over again. There is no smoke without fire.

 

[PoTMS]

Yes.

 

[Judas]

Obviously. The drop off from our best three is massive, just huge.

 

[FootyGirl88]

Yes Grealish or VDB

 

[Icemav]

Obviously. The drop off from our best three is massive, just huge.

I like James. I like Mctominay. I like Mata. But christ is that a hope and a prayer at the moment.

 

[NinjaZombie]

I'd take Van De Beek in an instant. We need strength in depth.

 

[el3mel]

We definitely need another backup to Pogba and Bruno if we're going to play both in the starting lineup.

Scott and Fred have different roles.

 

[Robbie Boy]

We need an upgrade on Matic as a starter. Also, after Bruno and Pogba the drop off in quality to Fred and McTominay is monumental.

 

[kirk buttercup]

I'd take Van De Beek in an instant. We need strength in depth.

Agreed . We need to be able to make changes with quality players

 

[ivaldo]

Those stats are a bit misleading. We finished the game with ten men and evidently decided to see out the game well before that.

That being said, yes we do. We need someone willing to sit on the bench to be back up to our creative players (Buendia) and we also need someone to start over Matic, someone who is comfortable playing in tight space against pressing teams and is mobile enough to cover for his midfield partner.

 

[Adnan]

We need strength in depth which is pretty clear. The drop off from Pogba and Fernandes is huge. Sancho will help in that regard though and Grealish/VdB would also greatly help. Even Buendia would be worth it as mentioned above.

 

[CM]

Absolutely. We had to more or less wait until Bruno had been run into the ground before taking him off tonight because nobody else on our bench comes close to his quality. I dread to think what would happen if he got injured.

 

[The Brown Bull]

Duh!
Of course we do.

 

[noodlehair]

We should try using the ones we have properly first. We had two midfielders on the bench who could have been helping Pogba tonight, or even helping each other if we had to take Pogba off. No point whining we need extra players when we already have them and are too stupid to use them.

Fred and Mctominay were both perfectly good players before lockdown. They haven't suddenly both become worse than playing NO ONE with Pogba in midfield and then subbing him off.

We need a better back up for Fernandes but that's a different issue.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

We need another creative midfielder.

 

[Zoo]

Someone like Grealish would have taken the ball wherever, won fouls breaking up their rhythm and helped us control the game. It’s a no-brainer if we can get him.

 

[TrustInOle]

Yes, some one attack minded, I fully trust Scott and Fred to come in and do the job when needed as 8's, but we need a replacement for Jesse/ Andreas.

 

[Rampant Red Rodriguez]

Soo in my humble opinion it is squad depth we need, but at the same time we have to remember Martial and Rashford missed guilt edge chances of getting 2 up on Sotton.

Greenwood needs to be a supersub, Sancho needz to start and Grealish for rotation

 

[Josh 76]

Absolutely. We had to more or less wait until Bruno had been run into the ground before taking him off tonight because nobody else on our bench comes close to his quality. I dread to think what would happen if he got injured.

There are fans on here who say there is no point signing another creative midfielder because he wouldn't get in the team.
Hope yesterday's match proves to them that we defiantly need one.
I've said it many times, Bruno and Pogba will get tired, lose form or get injured through out the season.

 

[Isotope]

I'd take Van De Beek in an instant. We need strength in depth.

This. He's capable of playmaking as attacking or deep midfielder. We sorely miss this if Pogba or Bruno is having an off day.

 

[Class of 63]

Nope not this Summer/Autumn unless Pogba leaves, would rather give Garner, Levitt or Galbraith a chance first.

 

[In Rainbows]

My hope is that we get a midfielder who is basically the safest pair of hands in the side. Basically the player with the best technique or near best, and with composure. That way he is always an option to receive the pass whenever someone is in danger.

Odds of that happening are low tbh. Next best thing for me is someone in the mold of James Garner should he actually fulfill his potential. Or maybe someone like Tonali. A playmaker from the back. Basically a younger Pirlo.

 

[Strelok]

Yes, a world class or decent but would be world class DM please.

I like Ruben Neves or Camavinga. Tonali seems good as well. Still, we'd need a proper RW first.

 

[Mcking]

Fred is good, but McTominay doesn't cut for me, and I think people are getting well ahead of themselves with Matic.

 

[Danimancer]

We need strength in depth which is pretty clear. The drop off from Pogba and Fernandes is huge. Sancho will help in that regard though and Grealish/VdB would also greatly help. Even Buendia would be worth it as mentioned above.

For a second i read Ever Banega

Would love us to get Thiago - his brother "supposedly" reported that Thiago is coming to us. Silly season i know, but that would be a dream!

 

[Fully Fledged]

Someone like Grealish would have taken the ball wherever, won fouls breaking up their rhythm and helped us control the game. It’s a no-brainer if we can get him.

This.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

We need 2, a backup AM & a young DM.

The drop in quality between Matic/Pogba/Bruno & McT/Fred/Pereira is absolutely huge.

 

[saivet]

I personally think this is our most important area after right wing. I think we need a Matic replacement/back up and a back up creative midfielder that can slot in for either Bruno or Pogba as I don't think McT or Fred are any good nor can they play in similar roles to Matic, Pogba or Bruno.

 

[jesperjaap]

Funny go back to January time when Pogba was unavailable and Fernandes not signed, everybody was lauding McTominay especially for us and the improvement of Fred.
Fast forward and finally a lot of fans are seeing that these two are good squad players not starters.

Do think some of these stats are misleading though. With Pogba and Fernandes we got dominated the first 15minutes and the same was starting to happen again before they were taken off, let alone the ten men problem later on. Also this is the same SOuthampton beat City days earlier, they played very well against us.

The good thing about this game is hopefully it has stopped people getting carried away. Yes we are moving in the right direction and improving, we have a large squad.....but we are still quite a long way away from being right back in there.

As for do we need a new midfielder? Some recently saying we need just a couple of additions.....piffle. Even since the restart and our very good performances where Lindelof has played quite well there have been several instances at the back that have or nearly proved costly. We need a new centre back for sure. We do also need another midfielder yes, maybe even two? We have no genuine competition for Matic and his role. Both Fred and McTominay really in a different way are more Pogbas role. We also have no competition/cover really for Fernandes, the bet option maybe Mata?
Then there is our forward line. People rightly have been raving about our front three recently.....but Lingard/James/Mata/Ighalo....can talk about the drop off in midfield, how big a drop off is that up front? And this is a drop off from Rashford/Martial who are not yet consistently at the top of there game and a very young talent in Greenwood? The Greenwood whos future is probably in the middle up front.

So for me our first eleven needs a centre back upgrade and a right winger. Our squad also needs a defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder and better attacking competition on the flanks if we are to move Greenwood inside. That is six players. Whether some of the can come from our youth such as Garner/Mjebri it is too early to tell. It does to me straight away though scream out Grealish as he gives us competition in pretty much half of those positions. Sancho, Grealish and a centre back for me is a must this summer, then we can address Matic and his position next season.

 

[Santos J]

Wasn't sure where to post it but quite an interesting graphic & comparison of Pogba/Bruno/McT/Fred.

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[McGrathsipan]

Jeff Hendrick incoming