Jack Grealish

laughtersassassin

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We'd be lucky to get 2/3rds of Grealish's fee by selling Pogba I reckon.
Yes but that's because our club is idiotic and only knows how to get ripped off when buying and selling. Not much we can do about it.

Shouldn't be an excuse not to spend since it's down to negligence.
 

arnie_ni

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His body position when receiving the ball and first touch is class. Always ends up facing the opposition goal
 

Yagami

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Exactly this. We've seen how easy he's found it to transition from club to international stage. In only a couple of games, he's already become one of our (England) most talked about players due to his performances.
Those of us who actually saw his talent expected this, too. It was obvious he was going to take to international football like a duck to water and instantly get into the mix of Kane, Sterling, Rashford, etc. That's why Southgate overlooking him (and, to a lesser extent, Maddison) was so annoying to some of us.

He'll do exactly the same if/when he plays in the champions league. He's one of the best players in the world.

Now, we need to ditch this 3/5 at the back stuff and get Kane, Sterling, Rashford, Grealish and Foden all playing together. What a team that could be.
 

Josep Dowling

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Don’t really get the hype. Has some nice touches but barely creates anything that actually makes goals.

Also he requires a free role in the midfield and would need to play Bruno’s position. His big issue is he doesn’t fit into a system for a big club. He’s not a Ronaldinho or Messi calibre of player to allow him the free role. I have no idea why anyone wants him at United for that reason. Buy a RW and someone to replace Matic.
 

Davie Moyes

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Don’t really get the hype. Has some nice touches but barely creates anything that actually makes goals.

Also he requires a free role in the midfield and would need to play Bruno’s position. His big issue is he doesn’t fit into a system for a big club. He’s not a Ronaldinho or Messi calibre of player to allow him the free role. I have no idea why anyone wants him at United for that reason. Buy a RW and someone to replace Matic.
I'd really like him here based on the little I've seen of him as I love these old fashioned flair players. The type that every team used to seem to have.

However sometimes I think what you have just said and worry he would not work out here for those exact reasons and that he'd also cost a bomb.

I think in the past few weeks the hype seems to have gone slightly over the top. We have posters on here calling him one of the best in the world and others saying he's twice as good as Bruno.
 

RedDevilCanuck

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Don’t really get the hype. Has some nice touches but barely creates anything that actually makes goals.

Also he requires a free role in the midfield and would need to play Bruno’s position. His big issue is he doesn’t fit into a system for a big club. He’s not a Ronaldinho or Messi calibre of player to allow him the free role. I have no idea why anyone wants him at United for that reason. Buy a RW and someone to replace Matic.
He never loses the ball. We don't have a player that can keep the ball under pressure.

We have enough players to play the killer ball.

He can play different roles and excel at them all.
 

Yagami

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Indeed.

Like, for instance, almost eight years ago...

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/jack-grenglish.369888/

;)
If I could be bothered to find a bowing smiley, I'd give you it, sir!

Him and Foden together are scintillating. Hopefully we never see that for City. Those two alongside the likes of Saka, Kane, Sterling make us a very press resistant team. If Southgate plays them together, that is.
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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Those of us who actually saw his talent expected this, too. It was obvious he was going to take to international football like a duck to water and instantly get into the mix of Kane, Sterling, Rashford, etc. That's why Southgate overlooking him (and, to a lesser extent, Maddison) was so annoying to some of us.

He'll do exactly the same if/when he plays in the champions league. He's one of the best players in the world.

Now, we need to ditch this 3/5 at the back stuff and get Kane, Sterling, Rashford, Grealish and Foden all playing together. What a team that could be.
Get Pep in when he gets sacked from City.

Rashford Kane Sterling
Grealish Foden
Rice
Chilwell Maguire ? TAA
?​
 

VP89

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Yes but that's because our club is idiotic and only knows how to get ripped off when buying and selling. Not much we can do about it.

Shouldn't be an excuse not to spend since it's down to negligence.
No, I think no one out there will actually fork out 80m for Pogba. No one was doing it back when we bought him either.
 

Yagami

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Don’t really get the hype. Has some nice touches but barely creates anything that actually makes goals.

Also he requires a free role in the midfield and would need to play Bruno’s position. His big issue is he doesn’t fit into a system for a big club. He’s not a Ronaldinho or Messi calibre of player to allow him the free role. I have no idea why anyone wants him at United for that reason. Buy a RW and someone to replace Matic.
"Barely creates anything that actually makes goals" ?

If I remember correctly, he was 2nd only to De Bryune in chances created last season. For a team that just avoided relegation.

This season, he's 2nd in assists behind Kane, and is 4th in chances created with 19. One behind Bruno and De Bryune who both have 20, and two behind Salah who has 21.

He creates for fun!
 

Yagami

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Get Pep in when he gets sacked from City.

Rashford Kane Sterling
Grealish Foden
Rice
Chilwell Maguire ? TAA
?​
I'd have Saka instead of Chilwell, but yeah, we could have one tasty team. Pep managing us with the likes of these lot is a dream.
 

Bebestation

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Get Pep in when he gets sacked from City.

Rashford Kane Sterling
Grealish Foden
Rice
Chilwell Maguire ? TAA
?​
I know hes a bit young but that Spurs chap who's playing in Portugal (Edward's I think) is supposed to be good as well. Greenwood or him when they develop on the right aswell as I like the though of england having left footed inverted forwards. Sancho competing with Rashford. Phillips and Rice competing for one role.

Southgate is just unnecessarily stagnant and defensive for this generation.
 

laughtersassassin

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No, I think no one out there will actually fork out 80m for Pogba. No one was doing it back when we bought him either.
On a year left on his contract of course not but nah you could of got 80+ easily after we bought him. After the world cup you would of got more than that easy.
 

Classical Mechanic

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I know hes a bit young but that Spurs chap who's playing in Portugal (Edward's I think) is supposed to be good as well. Greenwood or him when they develop on the right aswell as I like the though of england having left footed inverted forwards. Sancho competing with Rashford. Phillips and Rice competing for one role.

Southgate is just unnecessarily stagnant and defensive for this generation.
I wouldn’t get too excited about Edwards. Huge ability but far too inconsistent. Cant even get a u21 call up these days. England will always value a solid citizen like McNeill over him. Be interesting to see McNeill play of the right.
 

VP89

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On a year left on his contract of course not but nah you could of got 80+ easily after we bought him. After the world cup you would of got more than that easy.
There's no way of really suggesting this though is there? He was a star player and a big brand at Juventus and no one wanted to offer 80m outside us. 4 years later and he's won a world Cup but arguably regressed in club form, and is 4 years older on top. You can grant some inflation buffers but even still I don't see big clubs paying that sort of money for him. That's why nothing concrete was really reported even in the turbulent times of Mourinho.

And now? Even with time left on his contract I wouldn't rate him as an 80m player.
 

Dave Smith

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There's no way of really suggesting this though is there? He was a star player and a big brand at Juventus and no one wanted to offer 80m outside us. 4 years later and he's won a world Cup but arguably regressed in club form, and is 4 years older on top. You can grant some inflation buffers but even still I don't see big clubs paying that sort of money for him. That's why nothing concrete was really reported even in the turbulent times of Mourinho.

And now? Even with time left on his contract I wouldn't rate him as an 80m player.
Anyone thinking that Utd are getting anything out of Pogba is deluded. His game now is to run out his contract pick up a hefty signing on fee and another bumper contract. My prediction is back to Juve. They love a bosman signing on massive wages.
 

Josep Dowling

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He never loses the ball. We don't have a player that can keep the ball under pressure.

We have enough players to play the killer ball.

He can play different roles and excel at them all.
So spend £80m plus on a player that doesn’t fit a system we play? Show me a formation and team that fits in Bruno (our best player) and Grealish. We would need to play with one defensive midfielder, which will expose our defence. Or you play Grealish wide left, taking Rashford’s spot, arguably our second best player. If not that we start to create unrealistic formations that lack any form of width. On top of this we already have VDB sat on the bench, as well as Pogba.

Signing him makes no sense at all when we still don’t have a right winger. Traore from Atalanta won’t make an immediate impact in January either
 

Josep Dowling

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"Barely creates anything that actually makes goals" ?

If I remember correctly, he was 2nd only to De Bryune in chances created last season. For a team that just avoided relegation.

This season, he's 2nd in assists behind Kane, and is 4th in chances created with 19. One behind Bruno and De Bryune who both have 20, and two behind Salah who has 21.

He creates for fun!
In a free role. He can float around and do whatever he likes for Villa. He won’t be able to do that for a big club. Better players don’t get that freedom.
 

Pogue Mahone

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In a free role. He can float around and do whatever he likes for Villa. He won’t be able to do that for a big club. Better players don’t get that freedom.
That doesn’t make any sense at all. Why would a relatively weak team like Villa have the luxury of giving one of their players a completely free role while a bigger/stronger club would need him to do more defending?
 

Dave Smith

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If Utd sign Grealish then I think the game is up in ever expecting the club to put together a cohesive side again.

Is he a good player? Yes, is he needed, no. I mean what formation are people going to fit him in and not drop Bruno or Rashford? Unless people want him out of position on in the RWF position.
 

wolvored

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I think he would make 14th placed Man United or whatever it is play better football than they are doing now, that’s for sure.
Im not disagreeing with you. Im just sceptical whether he would be a starter under Ole. VDB how much game time has he had?
 

Josep Dowling

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That doesn’t make any sense at all. Why would a relatively weak team like Villa have the luxury of giving one of their players a completely free role while a bigger/stronger club would need him to do more defending?
My point is a bigger club wouldn’t give him the free role because he’s not good enough. At Villa he’s a big fish in a small pond. If he went to City for example Pep isn’t going to let him do what he likes. No player gets that freedom at a top club unless you are truly world class like Messi or Ronaldo.
 

Nou_Camp99

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We'd be laughing now with:

-----------------------Martial / Cavani

Rashford-----------------Bruno-------------------Grealish


Spending 35 rising to 40m on VDB and 20m+ addons on this kid from Atalanta seems to be yet another high profile mistake from Woodward n co.

We could have waited for a player like Donny when Pogba inevitably leaves in summer. That signing wasn't a top priority. Somebody like Sancho or Grealish clearly was.
 

Judas

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We'd be laughing now with:

-----------------------Martial / Cavani

Rashford-----------------Bruno-------------------Grealish


Spending 35 rising to 40m on VDB and 20m+ addons on this kid from Atalanta seems to be yet another high profile mistake from Woodward n co.

We could have waited for a player like Donny when Pogba inevitably leaves in summer. That signing wasn't a top priority. Somebody like Sancho or Grealish clearly was.
Literally hasn't even worn our kit yet and you're calling him a mistake without witnessing him probably kick a ball. Bit silly.
 

Nou_Camp99

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Literally hasn't even worn our kit yet and you're calling him a mistake without witnessing him probably kick a ball. Bit silly.
It's a mistake only in the sense that 20m plus the money for Donny could have gone on Grealish.

Also that kid hasn't even ripped trees up for Atalanta in his brief time in the first team. Hasn't he played like 10 professional games or something ridiculous like that? It's a huge risk. He might be the next CR7 for what we know but it's a gamble.
 

Stacks

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I'm a huge fan, I think he'll displace Rashford on the left if he comes in.
Why Rashford? Marcus can do things Jack cannot do and vice versa
Those of us who actually saw his talent expected this, too. It was obvious he was going to take to international football like a duck to water and instantly get into the mix of Kane, Sterling, Rashford, etc. That's why Southgate overlooking him (and, to a lesser extent, Maddison) was so annoying to some of us.

He'll do exactly the same if/when he plays in the champions league. He's one of the best players in the world.

Now, we need to ditch this 3/5 at the back stuff and get Kane, Sterling, Rashford, Grealish and Foden all playing together. What a team that could be.
He needs more seasons and prove it at the top level consistently before making these claims. There are many "nice" players around the world and he has only just had his break out season last season which has been bettered in the past. Does a few nations league performances elevate you to "one of the best in the world?" We are giving these titles soo quickly nowadays.
You could have said the same about Isco a few years back and where's he at? He got his big move did not present himself as one of the best in the world. Could easily be the same for Jack which is why we should hold fire on these claims.
 

iHicksy

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So the reason, for those that don't see it, that would make him an asset for us is that he can play a variety of roles. But, for us i think his value would come from playing slightly deeper, as he did for Villa a season or two ago. His ability to keep the ball under pressure is so vital in the modern game. We had it with Carrick and Scholes. But we don't really have an outlet that you can pass the ball to and know that possession will be kept, or progressed.
That kind of skill set allows for better transitions and counter attacks. It would mean fewer balls right back into the defence, which either invites pressure or allows the opposition to get setup up. Making a quick counter attack impossible. Bruno has this, but for obvious reasons we play him higher up the pitch. Fred and McT for all their other abilities, don't posses this particular skill at all.
 

Teja

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Why Rashford? Marcus can do things Jack cannot do and vice versa
Yup I can see Rashford being great when we're counter attacking but any game we're expected to dominate, I think Graelish will start over him on the left. (Assuming he'd play there at all and doesn't get shoved elsewhere like CM / RW to fit Rashford in)
 

Winzaghi

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Grealish is a lot better. The club deeming £40m for Donny as a better deal than £80m for Grealish was, as usual from us, poor business. Anyone who watched both knew that.

This is what I'm talking about, @Winzaghi . Donny is nowhere near Grealish but, because he's played in the CL, people think he's better. Horsey is doing his usual bit but this is what our fans thought in general over the summer before and why I was a man alone on an island saying the opposite.
Yup, this is classic big club/CL bias. Nobody would be saying this if they both played for the same team. This bias is also why he only got his first England cap in 2020. If he played for a top 6 club he'd have gotten it in 2018, easy.

Luckily these England performances are starting to dispel these lazy stereotypes. Playing with better players and also against some good teams like Belgium where he was the best player on the pitch. It's becoming hard to ignore.
 

Winzaghi

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Don’t really get the hype. Has some nice touches but barely creates anything that actually makes goals.

Also he requires a free role in the midfield and would need to play Bruno’s position. His big issue is he doesn’t fit into a system for a big club. He’s not a Ronaldinho or Messi calibre of player to allow him the free role. I have no idea why anyone wants him at United for that reason. Buy a RW and someone to replace Matic.
He was only second behind De Bruyne for chances created last season, and already had 5 assists this season, so not sure how you worked that out.

He also doesn't need a free role and is just as good on the left of a front 3 in a 4-3-3 as he does for Villa, and before that as a #8 in the same system. It's a myth that he needs to play in a free role. He is very disciplined tactically.
 

tomaldinho1

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Yup, this is classic big club/CL bias. Nobody would be saying this if they both played for the same team. This bias is also why he only got his first England cap in 2020. If he played for a top 6 club he'd have gotten it in 2018, easy.

Luckily these England performances are starting to dispel these lazy stereotypes. Playing with better players and also against some good teams like Belgium where he was the best player on the pitch. It's becoming hard to ignore.
Is it not lazy to compare VdB with Grealish though - they would never be tasked with playing the same type of role in a football team because they are very different players? Unless people want to stay super high level and say Donny can play 10 and so can Grealish and therefore we should directly compare them - it only takes a second or two of seeing them on the ball to understand they approach the game in a very different way.

United have for years just tried to buy the best or most hyped players around, before then addressing the problems of fitting them into a team. Grealish would not displace Bruno (regardless of who you think is better the club paid a lot of money for him), won't start in front of Rashford (whether or not you think he's a better player Ole is so reliant on pace he wouldn't start LW), he'd be a bit wasted as a CM in our double pivot, he's not a CF and so we'd essentially be signing him for the RW or as general competition for places. This is why VDB made sense, he's a solid all rounder, was relatively inexpensive and covers a lot of positions whereas Grealish is someone you buy to be one of the main men and in that role where he's so dangerous off the left. No one is going to be spending 80m on a player to then play him out of position.

I get he's a good player but I don't see how that move, particularly in the current market, makes any sense.
 

Winzaghi

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Is it not lazy to compare VdB with Grealish though - they would never be tasked with playing the same type of role in a football team because they are very different players? Unless people want to stay super high level and say Donny can play 10 and so can Grealish and therefore we should directly compare them - it only takes a second or two of seeing them on the ball to understand they approach the game in a very different way.

United have for years just tried to buy the best or most hyped players around, before then addressing the problems of fitting them into a team. Grealish would not displace Bruno (regardless of who you think is better the club paid a lot of money for him), won't start in front of Rashford (whether or not you think he's a better player Ole is so reliant on pace he wouldn't start LW), he'd be a bit wasted as a CM in our double pivot, he's not a CF and so we'd essentially be signing him for the RW or as general competition for places. This is why VDB made sense, he's a solid all rounder, was relatively inexpensive and covers a lot of positions whereas Grealish is someone you buy to be one of the main men and in that role where he's so dangerous off the left. No one is going to be spending 80m on a player to then play him out of position.

I get he's a good player but I don't see how that move, particularly in the current market, makes any sense.
I agree with you. Post-Bruno, it seems like buying him would be for vanity more than anything else. Don't see how he fits in. You already have good players in the positions he plays.

I'm not saying the comparison between Grealish and VdB are lazy, even though they're quite different players, they could I guess roughly play the same position so it's valid. But I mean the blanket statements like VdB is obviously better than him because he played in the CL are lazy.
 

tomaldinho1

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I agree with you. Post-Bruno, it seems like buying him would be for vanity more than anything else. Don't see how he fits in. You already have good players in the positions he plays.

I'm not saying the comparison between Grealish and VdB are lazy, even though they're quite different players, they could I guess roughly play the same position so it's valid. But I mean the blanket statements like VdB is obviously better than him because he played in the CL are lazy.
Ah ok understood - yh CL makes no difference, good players are good players. The CL is a great shop window for younger players but, then again, if some of these younger exciting players were at CL clubs I guess United wouldn't even be enquiring about them.
Personally would like to see Grealish go abroad. In his shoes I would be thinking about league titles and CL opportunities as well as escaping our horrendous press - would be amazing to see him in La Liga or Serie A.
 

James Peril

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He obviously has ability in carrying the ball and dictating tempo - something we desperately lack. I am impressed by him the last week. He has played way too much football in a short time, something he is not used to. He has also played brilliantly against low blocks, something he is never really doing for Villa. Sure it happens here and there, but I was sure he was going to struggle more. On top of that, the pressure of playing for England with the amount of attention - it could have broken a few players, but he got away with a standing ovation. Now watch him struggle for Villa against Brighton and getting injured.
 

slyadams

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I'd have Saka instead of Chilwell, but yeah, we could have one tasty team. Pep managing us with the likes of these lot is a dream.
I've not seen too much of Saka, but what I have I've been super impressed. I havn't seen him against good sides enough to know how good of a defender he is though?