Experienced CB

[Decomposing In Paris]

What is the general opinion here of adding an experienced CB to our squad? Pace might be an issue if we have to start them in a 2 with Maguire/Lindelof, but their leadership, tactical awareness, and organisational skills could add a lot to our squad.

I ask because it seems Pique and Thiago Silva are available.

 

[Skeezix]

This has been a lot on my mind lately. We have not replaced either Ferdinand or Vidic.
The likes of Smalling, Lindelof, Maguire (though good) are not World class level that will take us to Champions League glory.

There seems to be no one in the Market. We will have to mould our own.

We miss Vidic so much. Some days in the near future I hope we would sign one tough fecker from Serbia or one of the Slavic countries.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

This has been a lot on my mind lately. We have not replaced either Ferdinand or Vidic.
The likes of Smalling, Lindelof, Maguire (though good) are not World class level that will take us to Champions League glory.

There seems to be no one in the Market. We will have to mould our own.

We miss Vidic so much. Some days in the near future I hope we would sign one tough fecker from Serbia or one of the Slavic countries.

Is not Maguire bought in to be a Vidic type defender, but with better skills on the ball?
I think we need pace more than airial skills though so a Rio type would be needed more.

Personally think we need to uppgrade our fullbacks more with attacking skills in them.
Then we need attacking options for sure.

 

[RDCR07]

What is the general opinion here of adding an experienced CB to our squad? Pace might be an issue if we have to start them in a 2 with Maguire/Lindelof, but their leadership, tactical awareness, and organisational skills could add a lot to our squad.

I ask because it seems Pique and Thiago Silva are available.

So you want a 33 year old and a soon to be 36 year old to play in the premier league? And Pique is slower than even Maguire and that’s saying something. Also they aren’t going to play for 50k a week just cause they are old. So paying high wages even for a one year contract makes no sense when we should be investing for the long term. These stop gap solutions don’t work and I hope we don’t keep going down this road again.

 

[bond19821982]

Pique or Silva ? Seriously? Let's bring Vidic as well.

 

[croadyman]

What is the general opinion here of adding an experienced CB to our squad? Pace might be an issue if we have to start them in a 2 with Maguire/Lindelof, but their leadership, tactical awareness, and organisational skills could add a lot to our squad.

I ask because it seems Pique and Thiago Silva are available.

Ideally we need to try and find someone who has both the pace and leadership but not saying that's going to be easy to find because it definitely won't

 

[mu4c_20le]

I'd rather just replace Lindelof because he isn't going to get much better

 

[Jibbs]

I think Lindelof will thrive in La liga and especially Barcelona. If any of la liga side show interest he needs to be moved. Ideally I would love to sign Upamecano and Torres both, but if we can get anyone if them it will be great.

 

[steve.crowford]

What transfer budget we have for this summer?
Eric Bertrand Bailly will be fine pair for Harry, better concentrate for right winger and central midfielder. Fabian Ruiz 70mln. and Sancho 120mln. euro)

 

[Skeezix]

Is not Maguire bought in to be a Vidic type defender, but with better skills on the ball?
I think we need pace more than airial skills though so a Rio type would be needed more.

Personally think we need to uppgrade our fullbacks more with attacking skills in them.
Then we need attacking options for sure.

Maguire is often left behind by even slightly skilled and pacy attackers. His anticipation is not up to the mark yet. Which I hope will come with more experience.
But one thing going for him is he is fit and always available which is a welcome change.

By Vidic I mean, Not just Vidic the player, but Vidic the character. Vidic the Captain. Vidic the defender who will marshall and organise our defense. I am fully yet to see that quality among our current CBs yet.

Completely agree with you on our need for quality attacking full backs.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Maguire is often left behind by even slightly skilled and pacy attackers. His anticipation is not up to the mark yet. Which I hope will come with more experience.
But one thing going for him is he is fit and always available which is a welcome change.

By Vidic I mean, Not just Vidic the player, but Vidic the character. Vidic the Captain. Vidic the defender who will marshall and organise our defense. I am fully yet to see that quality among our current CBs yet.

Completely agree with you on our need for quality attacking full backs.

Vidic struggled with pace too. Torres destroyed him at times. Although Maguire might be even slower or just more exposed.
As a leader Vidic was superb so Maguire is certainly behind him on that front. Although Van der Sar helped Vidic out with organizing the defense far better than De Gea does.

 

[tenpoless]

Just get Mike Smalling back for free and sign a young CB. Old CBs can be expensive and won't stay here for long.

 

[bsCallout]

Get Gabriel.

 

[croadyman]

Just get Mike Smalling back for free and sign a young CB. Old CBs can be expensive and won't stay here for long.

Wouldn't rule that out happening at the moment

 

[ThierryHenry14]

For stats, Thiago Silva is still the one of the very best defender out there at age 35.

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/d...ent-for-thiago-silva-data-analysis-statistics

 

[Web of Bissaka]

I think we shouldn't.

Were there any experienced CB in the past that worked wonders for top teams in EPL?

We tried with Blanc, improved the team but the limitations are there and we had to immediately get another CB soon the next season. Same with Arsenal with Campbell... twice was it? didn't work out well ain't it. Chelsea also had to remove Terry, Cahill, Cole and Ivanovic once they've declined massively then never look back.

Experienced players are only useful if they play Keeper or play further up (midfield or attack) so their physical declines and consistency issues won't be much of a problem because there are plenty of covers whenever they make mistakes or lose possession or when we're hit with quick counters.

 

[ThierryHenry14]

For stats, Thiago Silva is still the one of the very best defender out there at age 35.

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/d...ent-for-thiago-silva-data-analysis-statistics

This mean PSG will be after a high quality CB to replace T. Silva this summer, and Dayot Upamecano is an obvious choice for them.

 

[croadyman]

This mean PSG will be after a high quality CB to replace T. Silva this summer, and Dayot Upamecano is an obvious choice for them.

Well if PSG can go for Dayot this summer then there is no reason why we shouldn't as well then

 

[Decomposing In Paris]

So you want a 33 year old and a soon to be 36 year old to play in the premier league?

I knew there would be at least one straw man. There’s nothing more exciting than telling people what you wrote in the post they replied to. I asked for your opinion on the idea of signing one experienced CB, and I think I was pretty clearly not advocating for it, and certainly wasn’t suggesting we get two. You are against it, great.

 

[sammsky1]

Someone like Smalling?

 

[Foxbatt]

we are not going to get a Rio/Vidic combination. It probably was a fluke and a one off. So it is better to get a better keeper than DeGea and that is going to help the defence. A keeper who can command and organise his box.

 

[MadDogg]

Vidic struggled with pace too. Torres destroyed him at times. Although Maguire might be even slower or just more exposed.
As a leader Vidic was superb so Maguire is certainly behind him on that front. Although Van der Sar helped Vidic out with organizing the defense far better than De Gea does.

Maguire is much slower than Vidic. Vidic was more like lindelof - he wasn't fast but he wasn't actually slow either.

 

[dev1l]

Re Vidic. I think today, the player which most resembles his style and qualities us Skriniar of Inter.

 

[DWelbz19]

For stats, Thiago Silva is still the one of the very best defender out there at age 35.

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/d...ent-for-thiago-silva-data-analysis-statistics

If it’s the right environment, Silva can keep going for a little while I reckon. Maybe back to Italy at Milan or somewhere. Pique is done at the very top for me though.

 

[Kostov]

We don't need a Thiago Silva or Pique, we need to make the right judgement and buy a proper CB talent like Upamecano for example. His talent and a proper coaching set up will make him one of he best CB in Europe in a season. We could also try and find a gem like Vidic, but we have been awful at that in the last years.

 

[Gopher Brown]

What transfer budget we have for this summer?
Eric Bertrand Bailly will be fine pair for Harry, better concentrate for right winger and central midfielder. Fabian Ruiz 70mln. and Sancho 120mln. euro)

Bailly is too erratic to ever be a top class centre back.

 

[RooneyLegend]

Silva is the answer. Could teach our bunch how to defend properly.

 

[IAmAWinner]

Thiago Silva off to Chelsea it looks. I just don't get why we didn't even look at him. Still a class player, and would instantly be our best centre back by a country mile. sigh.

 

[croadyman]

Thiago Silva off to Chelsea it looks. I just don't get why we didn't even look at him. Still a class player, and would instantly be our best centre back by a country mile. sigh.

Ole clearly didn't want to break his transfer strategy

 

[Lee565]

Maybe take inspiration from how lot of the best clubs in Europe are now moving players from midfield/fullback into centre back position and use shaw as a left sided centre back next to Maguire, he has done very well in the past in a back 3 with lindelof and maguire, dare I say it he has even out performed them on some of those occasions he has been along side them.

 

[seegoblu]

Alaba

 

[croadyman]

Alaba

Would love to sign him but still get the impression he isn't going to leave, however if he did I think Utd would be put off by his supposed wage demands

 

[seegoblu]

Would love to sign him but still get the impression he isn't going to leave, however if he did I think Utd would be put off by his supposed wage demands

Assuming he is willing to leave, Alaba’s wage demands will be offset by his lower transfer fee. I have no idea what City will end up paying for KK from Napoli, but the combined outlay (fees and wages) for Alaba will be less and represent better value and fit for United. Seems like a good fit.

 

[golden_blunder]

Re Vidic. I think today, the player which most resembles his style and qualities us Skriniar of Inter.

Used to. I feel like he’s regressed.

 

[Kaos]

A 33 year old defender who was part of a defense that recently let in 8 goals in a European quarter final or a 35 year old that's spent the bulk of his career in the French league.

Don't get me wrong, I would have taken either of them in a heartbeat years ago, but not now. I wouldn't mind having either of them around though if they were willing to relax their inevitably astronomical wage demands.

 

[DevilRed]

Used to. I feel like he’s regressed.

It could be a system thing rather than a player issue.

I don't proclaim to be an expert in the serie A but from the snippets we see, he has been playing at times in a wide position on the right of the 3 man central defence. It just doesn't suit him at all.

I'd be willing to take a gamble on him as 2018/2019 Skriniar was among the best defenders in Europe.

If he was made avialable for around 40-50m that could potentially sort our defence for years to come.

Maybe if we're lucky they would take Smalling and reduce the fee. Dream signing for me and he could come in and perform from day 1.

I'd personally build conte a statue if he allowed this to happen

 

[bktm]

It could be a system thing rather than a player issue.

I don't proclaim to be an expert in the serie A but from the snippets we see, he has been playing at times in a wide position on the right of the 3 man central defence. It just doesn't suit him at all.

I'd be willing to take a gamble on him as 2018/2019 Skriniar was among the best defenders in Europe.

If he was made avialable for around 40-50m that could potentially sort our defence for years to come.

Maybe if we're lucky they would take Smalling and reduce the fee. Dream signing for me and he could come in and perform from day 1.

I'd personally build conte a statue if he allowed this to happen

Conte will probably let him leave seeing he was not utilized much all season. Given that he stays at Inter . He dont play like others.
His motto is probably" My way, or give me My $$$$ pay"

 

[jesperjaap]

What transfer budget we have for this summer?
Eric Bertrand Bailly will be fine pair for Harry, better concentrate for right winger and central midfielder. Fabian Ruiz 70mln. and Sancho 120mln. euro)

Well that is kind of the problem though. Of our current centre backs, potentially I think Bailly or Tuanzabe are the best partners for Maguire. As neither can stay fit though is it really how to move forward, when if things go with these two players how they have for the last 2/3 years we are still left with Lindelof or jOnes at the moment?

 

[jesperjaap]

Vidic struggled with pace too. Torres destroyed him at times. Although Maguire might be even slower or just more exposed.
As a leader Vidic was superb so Maguire is certainly behind him on that front. Although Van der Sar helped Vidic out with organizing the defense far better than De Gea does.

This is exactly why we need a new centre back signing. Vidic was a quality centre back, absolutely no doubt about that. But it was all about the partnership, he was the perfect foil for Ferdinand and the partnership with Ferdinand made him a world class performer for us. in dividually for all hiw warrior like ability and bravery, he was a very good defender, but not world class.
I am not saying Maguire can be a world class performer with the right partner, but he would definately be a far better centre back than he is currently with a quality partner next to him that he could be a similar foil for. He has never played next to one when you look at his career for club and country

 

[DevilRed]

Conte will probably let him leave seeing he was not utilized much all season. Given that he stays at Inter . He dont play like others.
His motto is probably" My way, or give me My $$$$ pay"

Its really a golden opportunity to get a world class defender for a reasonable fee and without fighting the selling club for him!

conte owes us anyways

I'd send Smalling the other way if he wanted a replacement. He's already familiar with a back 3 under LVG.