Aye, always gotta lock those stats to per 90 minutes tbh when checking them out.
Ismael Bennacer
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Fred comparisons here, with Rice included
Didn't realise I didn't check the per 90
Point stands, all over DMs are very similar that we're looking at.
Immediate fixes Brozovic is probably the best out there currently but he's 30 soon so he isn't long term option.
McTominay wins more in the air than any other CDM thats attainable, arguably more than Fabinho and Rodri but obviously it's his passing and discipline that's the issue (positionally)
Honestly Rice is the clear winner from that list for age and stats, Guido for example the links yesterday... great destroyer but he's 28 now but he's a clear upgrade over Fred.
Ruiz looks PSG bound now.
I'd much rather United go big on Rice and try to get SMS if somehow FDJ can't happen but again Rice I doubt would ever happen.
Definitely isn’t.
I'm less interested in individual battles than I am in the actual profile of midfielder we should be looking at. We need players who are brave in possession and comfortable under pressure. Rabiot's numbers in that regard don't stack up well vs McTominay, never mind Bennacer.
There's no joined up thinking here - we've just brought in the manager of Ajax who wants to play a certain way but we aren't providing him the tools to do so. A defensive midfielder who is limited on the ball doesn't really do anything for us. Bennacer on his own probably isn't enough, either, but it might actually help us take steps to become a team capable of playing more incisive football.
You don’t know what Rabiot does clearly. For one he’s a physical specimen. How is he not comfortable under pressure. You don’t care about individual battles that‘s fine. But the reason we are crap is because we lose ever midfield battle.
McTominay’s a physical specimen. We clearly need more than that. Rabiot is statistically worse at passing and casting than McT. This signing makes no sense.
Well can he break the press?
Maybe I don't know what Rabiot does because I just don't see it with him, frankly. Physicality is not the trait this midfield is lacking most, and as I said before, that alone doesn't count for anything. McTominay is more physical than Fred, for instance, but given the choice of the two I much prefer what Fred can offer.
Yes we do mate. Which is why we are signing a French International who is a first team player for PSG & Juventus.
McTominay is Scotland’s right CB.
Physicality is why McTominay starts every week and has been picked by 3 managers. This manager seems to have the balls to finally replace that physicality with quality on top.
If Fred had Physical strength he would of solved a lot of problems we’ve had over the past 2 years. But he doesn’t.
There isn’t midfield battles because our midfield is non-existent.
If opposition get possession from our forwards they have free run to our back line - there is nothing in the centre of the pitch.
Similarly when our defence gets possession from opposition forwards…. Again we have no one in the middle to advance the ball.
There isn’t a spine to the team, because our players in the middle are spineless. They’re not showing for the pass, they’re not advancing the ball, they’re not covering lanes. They just simply “exist” somewhere on the pitch.
But that's the whole reason why this transfer has been met with so much resistance - it's debatable whether Rabiot even possesses more quality than McTominay
That's the point I was making. Ultimately neither of them are good enough for whether we want to get to - but I'd rather have someone with a bit more to their game than just being a physical presence. Otherwise let's just go back to playing hoofball with Fellaini.
Exactly which is why we need two midfielders and buying someone who actually knows how to play in midfield for a top team is a great start.
To you and a couple fools who probably thought Ole was going to bring us trophies yes.But that's the whole reason why this transfer has been met with so much resistance - it's debatable whether Rabiot even possesses more quality than McTominay
That's the point I was making. Ultimately neither of them are good enough for whether we want to get to - but I'd rather have someone with a bit more to their game than just being a physical presence. Otherwise let's just go back to playing hoofball with Fellaini.
But I’m a realist. Besides Manchester City and Chelsea. Rabiot plays for every club in the top 6.
So you're just going to ignore what he actually does when he is on the pitch, which is very little.
As James Horncastle put it..."United target Rabiot is tall and elegant looking but not especially technical and rarely scores, assists or creates chances."
Why would you care about that from a defensive midfielder though?
So...like most DMs then?
Was we expecting Bruno Fernandes.
He hasn't been a defensive midfielder/6 for Juve for the majority of games. He kicked up a stink when PSG played him there. Also, it's pretty important that a DM has the ability to break a press and advance the ball forward. The fact that he is poorer than McTominay at making progressive passes and carries should be a worry.
You will be hard pressed to find a good progressive and a strong defensive player. They tend to be one or the other (or a shooter). Rabiot is strong defensively and tidy on the ball, but not adventurous. McTominay is more careless with his passing, but much worse defensively (it's not close). Rabiot is significantly more progressive with his carries, significantly more successful with them, and importantly, he is drastically better at not being disposed or miscontrolling the ball, something that McTominay ranks in the bottom third of all midfielders for (rabiot in the top 3rd). This was pogbas problem too. You can't be a good deep midfielder if you get dispossessed constantly.
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Watched Milans opener today. Bennacer was brilliant.
What is our scouting team doing ?
What did Wenger do to him when he was with Arsenal? Wenger out!