Joao Neves

[Lash]

I think this is an excellent post and so informative for someone like me who hasn't watched much of Neves outside of his Portugal run-outs and highlight reels.

But my question is: if you have to consider in this much detail to make the argument that he is defensively solid enough to make a partnership with Mainoo, surely it is too much of a risk at £80m+. That is the kind of money you should only ever spend on an absolute square-peg-square-hole superstar. Even if everything you say is absolutely right - and I have no reason to suggest otherwise - it's a concerning amount of strategic gymnastics. Your post pitching for an £80m+ player should just need to say 'He's obviously a perfect signing for what we need' and expect most people to just agree.

Personally I think our last ten years of signings are irrefutable evidence that signings at the top end of the market are just not good business or a good footballing strategy for any team not well established at the very top of the game, or at least their league. City, Real, maybe Bayern. We shouldn't be doing them at all. Because no signing is actually ever a sure thing, except in a team which could basically guarantee success even without that signing. At a team in our situation, where theoretically anyone could struggle, they're a terrible idea.

So much as I think Neves is a wonderful player who I'd love to watch in a United shirt, and your argument in favour is very compelling, I can't see this as a good signing for us.

I do agree, but devils advocate, all of the people associated with those rubbish transfers have been moved on and we've brought in people who've been associated with good transfer strategies. Not saying they'll definitely get it right, but probably not fair to use past mistakes against the new footballing operations team.

 

[Jacob]

Is this a young Herrera type of player?

 

[Rozay]

Is this a young Herrera type of player?

Yes.

 

[golden_blunder]

I like how Roberto Martinez spoke about him

 

[NZT-One]

I think the question to ask is how important is it? Height has its benefits, but it can often be at the expense of other things that smaller, legendary DM's have in abundance, namely ridiculous centres of gravity, mobility, doggedness, agility and recovery. Besides that, observing [good/great] small DM's in the position, they won't contest the first ball, but they will be in a position where it becomes very difficult to pick up the loose ball unless you're a skilled aerial player yourself, which is becoming more infrequent with the passage of time.

I agree. Thats why I said it is one factor of many and for sure, other factors when in abundance can set it off. So I think we are very much aligned on that.

You've given the taller players uniformity in skills to the smaller players, but unless you have a team of Lebron-esque freaks, that's not what happens and hasn't happened with the taller players you've mentioned, either. Busquets, Rodri and Carrick are not known for their agility or mobility, but what they all had is enough of what they needed to optimise their own styles of play, just as smaller DM's optimise their own skillsets in a way that is not feasible for taller DM's unless you have Redondo-esque freaks who have the lot.

Makes sense.

You say it's a thing, but I'd say it's a unique collective whom you don't really sit around waiting on in lieu of DM's who are there or thereabouts the height of Neves - what I would be looking at if concerned about his height is how strong is he in physical tussles? How good is his positioning in disrupting taller players who look to impose size on him? What kind of leap does he have? How dogged and aggressive is he? Shorter DM's make an absolute nuisance of themselves and can't be easily shaken off, can he do that? You can't stop a bigger player with equal amounts of will to win married to athleticism outright, but you sure can make it a difficult task for him to run a game, be that in the air or in physical battles and that's what I'd be looking at in this regard.

That would be one of my issues with Neves. Some of his fans seem to, at least in my eyes, act as if he already proved all the things you listed here. And in my eyes, that is a misrepresentation. A crass one at that. For starters because he is isn't around for too long, the most volume has been done in the Portugese League which isn't the same as the PL and even if we set those factors aside, as Adnan pointed out, he hasn't been used as the defensive midfielder for Benfica anyway.
Thats mostly why I'd be wary of people acting as if "he wouldn't have an issue to slot in with us" - for the record, I have the same doubts about Mainoo in terms of his feasibility for the role of a defensive specialist.

I'm not playing down height and/or size btw, but I am saying it can be offset by other qualities, or reduced considerably as a factor if the shorter player is savvy enough. Rodri might be a unit, but he's using physical/tussle strength much more than aerial ability; the guy's a bulldozer when he wants to be, and I think that's where his size comes to the fore over the times he's invaluable for swatting away aerial bombardment - he'd have had a lot more of that to deal with in the time of the aforementioned shorter players from my previous post than he ever does now - so there are pros to height (of course there are), but in this day and age, the caveats are stronger than I've ever known, as games are almost uniformly played majority along the floor now unless an anachronistic type is coaching a team to play throwback football (big man, knock down ala Moyes and Dyche, one of whom has just been moved on).

One hell of a long sentence. But I agree. The bolded part is probably the cornerstone of my "position" on the matter but I can totally see that other people take a different stance on it.

You've mentioned McTominay, but do you think it's height or playing style and desire to put himself about (physicality) that is important there?

I am not a fan of McTominay at all. I respect his professionalism and I appreciate his determination. I also think that managers like him because he isn't afraid to get stuck in. But I think the only thing he has to offer at the biggest stage is his height. My personal view is that even his physicality is overstated to a degree because with the frame he has, he should be so much more imposing than he actually is. He is making use of his strength and height against players that are 2-3 levels below his weight class and that is great to watch but as soon as somebody remotely close to him is up against, he seemingly shrinks and can't even win headers and fifty-fifties. In terms of playstyle I don't think he offers anything that an ambitious club should look for in a midfielder.

 

[NZT-One]

Because he’s still 19 years old. We’re going to spend the big money not for the finished article of his Benfica’s version. We’re going to spend the big money because he has the top class talent as midfielder who has the assets of press resistant, very good with his defending, very good with his passing, and has top class professional character. There are lot of rooms to improve and develop with those assets. Modric was an attacking midfielder, then he developed to become midfielder in more deeper role, an example of player can still develop and I’m sure there tons of young players out there had developed different position as they got older, which always been common.

Signing 19 years old was never going to be the solution, it needs time. But If Neves is a press resistant, very good with his defending, intelligent player who has tactical awareness, good with his passing, and has top class professional character, if Neves has all of these means he has the assets to play or be developed in more disciplined role like Rodri’s role and to become like Rodri’s level.

I guess we have to agree to disagree here. I can see your train of thoughts but I think you are missing I was trying to make. Again, Neves seems to be a wonderful player and I have nothing but praise for him BUT I don't see him becoming a DM like Rodri. You listed all those things and all of them are wonderful and good but the idea that he will end up a defensive specialist is nothing but hope. Because why would he become a defensive specialist. The skillset he has right now is at least just as important, probably even more - he should be used as progressor of the ball and as playmaker.

Everyone is extrapolating based on that. It's still just football they play in the English Premier League.

Very odd to pick out those three examples if your focus really is the physical and ball-winning aspects of the 6 role. While Rodri is a big unit and provides steel, the other two certainly excel more in the aspects you accuse the poster you are replying to of focusing on - positional discipline, taking the ball off the centre backs, safe passing option. They rely on their intelligence and have no aggression in their play. Busquets could probably have been blown over by a particularly stiff breeze. Neves is much more combative. Chuck a ball in the air or drop it in for a 50-50 challenge and Neves is a much better bet for coming out better off.

No it isn't odd at all. I never said that the top teams would all employ tall defensive specialist who excel in nothing but defensive aspects. What I am saying is that this defensive aspects are their strength, the capabilities are there but their "absolute top player" reputation is created because they are able to offer even more. Busquets and Carrick weren't weak at all and they were very difficult to get dribbled past. Same for Casemiro, Fabinho, J. Martinez and Rodri.
Even if Neves had that trait as well - it still wouldn't change the fact that the most successful teams in the more recent past have made use of defensive specialist that were tall. Not JUST because they were tall. Not JUST because they were defensive specialist. But those factors were there. You can argue towards those traits not being as important, thats fine, but you can't argue, that they weren't there.

Edit: About the rest of your post: What would you say is the most "shining" aspect of Neves? You say he is very good on and off the ball, what is where he excels the most in your opinion?

Kante - 1,68m
Neves - 1,74m

So I gave 6 examples and you present one? I already gave you guys Kimmich who also is rather small, but he is placed next to Goretzka who is 1,89 again. If we could do that, that is fine. But I don't know who this player is supposed to be - Mainoo isn't tall. Bruno isn't tall. And Kante played his best stuff next to Matic didn't he?

 

[NZT-One]

I think this is an excellent post and so informative for someone like me who hasn't watched much of Neves outside of his Portugal run-outs and highlight reels.

But my question is: if you have to consider in this much detail to make the argument that he is defensively solid enough to make a partnership with Mainoo, surely it is too much of a risk at £80m+. That is the kind of money you should only ever spend on an absolute square-peg-square-hole superstar. Even if everything you say is absolutely right - and I have no reason to suggest otherwise - it's a concerning amount of strategic gymnastics. Your post pitching for an £80m+ player should just need to say 'He's obviously a perfect signing for what we need' and expect most people to just agree.

Personally I think our last ten years of signings are irrefutable evidence that signings at the top end of the market are just not good business or a good footballing strategy for any team not well established at the very top of the game, or at least their league. City, Real, maybe Bayern. We shouldn't be doing them at all. Because no signing is actually ever a sure thing, except in a team which could basically guarantee success even without that signing. At a team in our situation, where theoretically anyone could struggle, they're a terrible idea.

So much as I think Neves is a wonderful player who I'd love to watch in a United shirt, and your argument in favour is very compelling, I can't see this as a good signing for us.

This is a good point and it worries me as well. I noted that last year and the year before, too - as soon as the transfer talks begin, you often get the notion around United fans that only the very best will improve our team and to get the very best, you just have to spend the big bucks. While that is certainly true, I think, it is a big boys game. And we aren't really a big boy these days. We have to smart with our recruitment to become a relevant and competitive, in the most basic terms a functional team before we should fall for the illusion that it is only those 100 million wonderkids that will improve us any further. We became 8th this year. And not even a good 8th but rather with a tendency to be even lower. There are so many players we finally should get rid off and there are so many areas in the team, that are thin and simply not functional.

I personally agree to you, I think, at this point we should take our medicine let the big boys fight for the creme de la creme in the 100 million for one player region. I understand this is going to hurt a few fans egos but when the last years showed something then that there is no shortcut to become a good team. And we are far more far away from a good team than one player.

(and yes, even though most of the people responsible for the transfer failings of the last years are gone, it still is a risky strategy. We haven't unlimited funds and we have many positions to adress. Putting so many ressources on one player, a teenager even, is risky no matter who is responsible for it. I thought we received our lesson on this with Sancho...

 

[JE-365]

I guess we have to agree to disagree here. I can see your train of thoughts but I think you are missing I was trying to make. Again, Neves seems to be a wonderful player and I have nothing but praise for him BUT I don't see him becoming a DM like Rodri. You listed all those things and all of them are wonderful and good but the idea that he will end up a defensive specialist is nothing but hope. Because why would he become a defensive specialist. The skillset he has right now is at least just as important, probably even more - he should be used as progressor of the ball and as playmaker.

Rodri is more specialist in progress of the ball than specialist of defensive work, hence why he’s a deep lying playmaker not a ball winner like Kante.

 

[DWelbz19]

I quite like the idea of this signing - the more players we have in central areas of the field who do not shit their pants when pressed and can adequately carry and pass a football, the better. Price is whatever, you're always going to be swindled when you purchase from Portugal, all the more when it's Benfica.

One thing I am conscious of: outside of Barcelona a few years ago with Pedri and Gavi, what other top level side has heavily utilised two teenagers in central midfield areas? Think in an ideal world were he to join, Neves and Mainoo should both be playing around 60-70% of the minutes of a full season. A good amount of that together, and then a decent amount rotating between the two. We don't want to follow suit with our Spanish friends and wear the bones off the kids by playing them until they drop.

 

[luke511]

I quite like the idea of this signing - the more players we have in central areas of the field who do not shit their pants when pressed and can adequately carry and pass a football, the better. Price is whatever, you're always going to be swindled when you purchase from Portugal, all the more when it's Benfica.

One thing I am conscious of: outside of Barcelona a few years ago with Pedri and Gavi, what other top level side has heavily utilised two teenagers in central midfield areas? Think in an ideal world were he to join, Neves and Mainoo should both be playing around 60-70% of the minutes of a full season. A good amount of that together, and then a decent amount rotating between the two. We don't want to follow suit with our Spanish friends and wear the bones off the kids by playing them until they drop.

We need 2 midfielders this summer without a doubt, the second can be a 6 (or even another 6/8) for a relatively low price that’s happy to be a rotation option.

 

[DWelbz19]

We need 2 midfielders this summer without a doubt, the second can be a 6 (or even another 6/8) for a relatively low price that’s happy to be a rotation option.

100%.

If it was Football Manager we would ideally rip apart our entire central midfield. The midfield massively lacks mobility and comfortable passers. The profiles are that shite that we really had no choice but to play Mainoo at every available opportunity. Nobody came close to offering what an 18 year old was doing in his breakout season for the club.

Keep Mainoo and Fernandes, but happily replace Eriksen, Amrabat, Casemiro, and McTominay*. Instead of targeting endless CBs and wingers every summer we need to make a concerted effort to fix the central midfield.

* Mount kind of lingers around for a little while longer until it's appropriate to sell, I guess...

 

[Rozay]

Matic, Herrera, Pogba was one of our better midfields of recent times. Neves is in the Herrera mould and Mainoo favours Pogba. We’d still need our Matic.

 

[The-Mezzala]

Matic, Herrera, Pogba was one of our better midfields of recent times. Neves is in the Herrera mould and Mainoo favours Pogba. We’d still need our Matic.

I really liked this midfield also, shame Matic legs had gone by then. Wish we had found a younger replacement. Then we had the torture of Mcfred after. Where does Bruno fit in there or do you think we sell as only way to sign Neves. Big risk

 

[Adnan]

If a player is the first receiver in midfield then they are, by extension, in a holding midfield role and part of the rest defence, in position to control opposition counterattacks. If a player moves or rotates into position as the first receiver in midfield, they also assume the responsibilities associated with that area in the event of a loss of possession. Neves rotates in and out of that area, spending constantly-varying periods of time in a holding midfield role over the course of a game. I think it's probably fair to say that he spends the majority of his time doing so. And when he is not in said anchoring position, his vacating of said space has happened in conjunction with the other midfielder rotating in and assuming that position and the accompanying defensive responsibilities.

The point with regards to Florentino Luis is that he probably spends more time in advance of Joao Neves, and it is therefore inaccurate to describe him as being the more positionally disciplined holding midfielder. Also, though I did watch one game where Joao Mario lined up alongside Neves, I believe that was a rare occasion and in the other games I've watched he has always been in the attacking band of three, usually on the left - Kokcu was the other player who operated in midfield. Regardless of which two were deployed there, the responsibility to sit and maintain structural integrity was shared among them. Sure, Neves played with a certain freedom - but that freedom was shared with the other central midfielders too.

Also, he thrives within far more areas of the game than the average player - for someone most readily categorised with midfielders whose strengths lie on the ball, he excels in many facets of out-of-possession play too. Mainoo is similar to Xavi, Modric, Kroos and the likes - a willing and adequate defender who will do his part but isn't going to provide excellence against the ball. Neves is different. More complete. While primarily a playmaker, he also shines when the opposition look to break quickly or have established possession.

Hence why, while I maintain it is not an ideal setup, I think a Neves - Mainoo partnership is certainly workable. Either share the workload entirely and allow the two of them to interpret the game and position themselves accordingly, or designate Neves as the 6 to Mainoo's 8 and still allow them the freedom to move and rotate as they see fit. Mainoo has shown his comfort receiving in deeper areas and even in his very good cameo for England as the 8 with Rice as the 6 there were instances where I felt he, and the England side, could have benefited from him rotating into Rice's position as the deepest midfielder to better aid in building the play. Operating alongside someone comfortable as both a 6 and 8 allows Mainoo to showcase his ability to do the same.



I am less keen on the idea of having Neves and Mainoo play ahead of a DM, due to both players excelling in deeper areas, as either a first or second function midfielder. Basically, I haven't seen either of them display the same comfort in more advanced positions ala Iniesta or Lampard. And even with a 4-3-3 and two 8s as opposed to a 4-2-3-1 with a 10, ultimately to have a functional setup one of those midfielders still has to occupy a higher position on the field.

The obvious caveat here is that they are very young and my opinion is based on limited viewing, so there is scope for them to develop into players who thrive in higher areas or that they indeed already are more comfortable in an advanced role than they have shown when I've seen them. I just prefer to look at what I currently believe them to be.



Everyone is extrapolating based on that. It's still just football they play in the English Premier League.

Very odd to pick out those three examples if your focus really is the physical and ball-winning aspects of the 6 role. While Rodri is a big unit and provides steel, the other two certainly excel more in the aspects you accuse the poster you are replying to of focusing on - positional discipline, taking the ball off the centre backs, safe passing option. They rely on their intelligence and have no aggression in their play. Busquets could probably have been blown over by a particularly stiff breeze. Neves is much more combative. Chuck a ball in the air or drop it in for a 50-50 challenge and Neves is a much better bet for coming out better off.

No, a player by extension isn't the holding midfielder if he's the first receiver in midfield. That used to be the case with teams in the past but with the evolution of positional play and it becoming more mainstream, the first receiver isn't necessarily utilised as the holding midfielder and coaches now invert players to come in-field to maintain balance and have allowed players like Joao Neves or even Kokcu to have greater influence on the play in all phases of play. Kokcu at Feyenoord under Arne Slot was utilised the same way where he was the first receiver in the build up phase and was then allowed the creative freedom in all phases of play. The holding midfielder was Mats Wieffer with Lutsharel Geertruida inverting from fullback to maintain the defensive balance in rest defense after Kokcu had vacated his position from a deeper midfield role. Kokcu was heavily relied upon in the build up phase but he wasn't relied upon in rest defense against the opponent's transition which was was normal because he was given a lot of freedom to roam like how Neves is being utilised at Benfica. Also you have to take into consideration that Benfica is among the very best teams in the league where they're going to be dominant in all of phases of play when they play anyone outside of Porto and SCP.

So because a midfielder is the first receiver in the build up phase that doesn't mean he is also part of the rest defense strategy to thwart the opponent's transitions.. Of course everyone will have to play their part, but as I outlined above using Feyenoord as a example, they controlled the central area in midfield with Mats Wieffer playing the disciplined holding role with the fullback taking up Kokcu's position once the ball was progressed through the thirds via the build up phase. Joao Neves is someone who is adept at applying the press and receiving passes between the lines, it would be a waste of his talents to try and utilise him in a way that won't get the best out of him. You buy Neves with a player like Varela or Wieffer which then creates a balance in the midfield and gives the more creative roaming type midfielders like Mainoo and Neves the freedom to play their natural game. And it also gives the coach more options having a holding midfielder which would then allow for players to possibly come in-field with him from the first line to maintain balance and provide a strong platform for the midfield and forwards to thrive.

The EPL for me is far stronger than the Portuguese league, and you will be severely tested in transition if the aim is to play a more expansive game in a higher defensive line.

I think I've said enough on this subject, so unless someone provides something new, I'm going to step-away for now because I don't think there's anything more to say.

 

[Adnan]

Matic, Herrera, Pogba was one of our better midfields of recent times. Neves is in the Herrera mould and Mainoo favours Pogba. We’d still need our Matic.

Agreed.

 

[Acquire Me]

@Vault Dweller Are we doing this?

 

[Hanky panky]

Yes.

Then he is not worth of anything near rumoured 100M. We must to search and find players with higher ceiling if we are planning to challenge.

 

[Remember the geese]

Then he is not worth of anything near rumoured 100M. We must to search and find players with higher ceiling if we are planning to challenge.

He does have a high ceiling.

 

[BabySinclair]

Matic, Herrera, Pogba was one of our better midfields of recent times. Neves is in the Herrera mould and Mainoo favours Pogba. We’d still need our Matic.

One of Bruno Guimares, Zubimendi, Onana or Hjulmand.

-----------------Bruno Guimares/Zubimendi/Onana/Hjulmand
Mainoo-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Neves

Maybe we wouldn't win every midfield-battle against the top teams but we would never lose a midfield-battle against teams like Wolverhampton or Luton

 

[Stadjer]

One of Bruno Guimares, Zubimendi, Onana or Hjulmand.

-----------------Bruno Guimares/Zubimendi/Onana/Hjulmand
Mainoo-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Neves

Maybe we wouldn't win every midfield-battle against the top teams but we would never lose a midfield-battle against teams like Wolverhampton or Luton

I dont think Onana (the Everton one right?) is like Matic, Zubi or Bruno. I dont know much about Hjulmand. Onana is big, strong and mobile but those other players are all excellent on the ball. I wouldnt say Onana his main strenght is how good he is on the ball.

 

[Hanky panky]

He does have a high ceiling.

Maybe. Haven´t seen him enough. Just comment because they compared him to Herrera who was ok but just ok.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Maybe. Haven´t seen him enough. Just comment because they compared him to Herrera who was ok but just ok.

He is nothing like Herrera except maybe his face

 

[maniak]

Generally benfica players are overhyped by the media to crazy levels, but in this case I think he's the real deal, I hope united doesn't get him.

 

[Redivy]

Maybe. Haven´t seen him enough. Just comment because they compared him to Herrera who was ok but just ok.

A few days ago I mentioned he is arguably a top 4-5 talent in football below the age of 20. And so I wasn’t surprised when I saw he was second in the Golden Boy ranking.

Even though it’s not a 100% fit, this is a premier talent.

He is already better at interceptions, blocks, tackles than Herrera. He has shown capabilities to being an excellent passer too.

If we can get Neves and Yoro (unlikely I think), then we’ve really set ourselves up.

 

[Vault Dweller]

@Vault Dweller Are we doing this?

hell yeah man, all aboard!

 

[bosskeano]

the kid is young, class on the ball and doesn't shy away from defensive duties....he's not worth 100m right now but that is based on future projections by Benfica

you're talking about arguably one of the best young players in the world

 

[Ekeke]

Apologies if anyone else has posted the video




Quite a Mainoo adjacent performance against Finland with some added long passes captured at the end of the video on top

 

[surf]

Apologies if anyone else has posted the video




Quite a Mainoo adjacent performance against Finland with some added long passes captured at the end of the video on top

Like Mainoo, he has unusually quick feet for a midfielder.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

He’s another one that would be great but I doubt we can get this done, especially at a cut price.

If they could somehow get this over the line for 60 that would be incredible, but we would still need a DM as I view him more in the Fred mould, he is going to be better allowed to go seek and destroy. Just think if you made him a solo pivot as a 6 we would lose some of what he is.

Love to get this done but don’t want to get my hopes up much like Yoro

 

[Klean]

Sell Casemerio to Saudi for the large sum reported. Buy Neves and make Amrabat deal permanent. Sorts the midfield doesn't cost a ton and allows for a CB/LB/St for the summer. Though i don't think that a LB is a priority, personally speaking.

 

[Rozay]

Then he is not worth of anything near rumoured 100M. We must to search and find players with higher ceiling if we are planning to challenge.

Saying that he is like Herrera does not mean that his ceiling is capped at Herrera’s level!

 

[izak]

Pay 75m and get it over with

 

[Hammondo]

I guess we have to agree to disagree here. I can see your train of thoughts but I think you are missing I was trying to make. Again, Neves seems to be a wonderful player and I have nothing but praise for him BUT I don't see him becoming a DM like Rodri. You listed all those things and all of them are wonderful and good but the idea that he will end up a defensive specialist is nothing but hope. Because why would he become a defensive specialist. The skillset he has right now is at least just as important, probably even more - he should be used as progressor of the ball and as playmaker.


No it isn't odd at all. I never said that the top teams would all employ tall defensive specialist who excel in nothing but defensive aspects. What I am saying is that this defensive aspects are their strength, the capabilities are there but their "absolute top player" reputation is created because they are able to offer even more. Busquets and Carrick weren't weak at all and they were very difficult to get dribbled past. Same for Casemiro, Fabinho, J. Martinez and Rodri.
Even if Neves had that trait as well - it still wouldn't change the fact that the most successful teams in the more recent past have made use of defensive specialist that were tall. Not JUST because they were tall. Not JUST because they were defensive specialist. But those factors were there. You can argue towards those traits not being as important, thats fine, but you can't argue, that they weren't there.

Edit: About the rest of your post: What would you say is the most "shining" aspect of Neves? You say he is very good on and off the ball, what is where he excels the most in your opinion?


So I gave 6 examples and you present one? I already gave you guys Kimmich who also is rather small, but he is placed next to Goretzka who is 1,89 again. If we could do that, that is fine. But I don't know who this player is supposed to be - Mainoo isn't tall. Bruno isn't tall. And Kante played his best stuff next to Matic didn't he?

Pirlo?

 

[NZT-One]

Pirlo?

I don't think anybody would consider Pirlo a defensive specialist, don't you think? And in an earlier post, I already mentioned that Juventus team for being special in a sense, that they had a 3atb formation, a wingback in Lichtsteiner who was able to step in and a physical freak like Vidal, who really could claim to be a specialist on all parts of midfield areas (6, 8, 10). But yes, they could get through as one of few exceptions.

 

[Hammondo]

I don't think anybody would consider Pirlo a defensive specialist, don't you think? And in an earlier post, I already mentioned that Juventus team for being special in a sense, that they had a 3atb formation, a wingback in Lichtsteiner who was able to step in and a physical freak like Vidal, who really could claim to be a specialist on all parts of midfield areas (6, 8, 10). But yes, they could get through as one of few exceptions.

You need 2 b2b players, doing the running for pirlo, but this guy seems more physical and defensive. You would need another hard working physical midfielder.

 

[RobbieBerns]

If there’s no standout DM available this summer, I think we could do a lot worse than bringing in Neves and playing him as a double pivot with Mainoo. The two of them at the base of a midfield receiving the ball off the CBs and both being able to break through the lines with their press resistance sounds like a treat.

 

[RuudTom83]

He looks a talented player, but I can’t see this being the plan next season. That midfield just doesn’t look right for the Prem imo.

- - Bruno - -
Mainoo - Neves

 

[Escobar]

He looks a talented player, but I can’t see this being the plan next season. That midfield just doesn’t look right for the Prem imo.

- - Bruno - -
Mainoo - Neves

It can against most teams, especially if we have a really solid back 4. We can still buy a cheaper destroyer

 

[mikeyt]

He looks a talented player, but I can’t see this being the plan next season. That midfield just doesn’t look right for the Prem imo.

- - Bruno - -
Mainoo - Neves

I think it'd do very well providing we have two CB's behind them that can play a high line and are able to effectively distribute the ball.

 

[Micky Targaryen]

Pay 75m and get it over with

Can I interest you with a summer of lowballing and a deadline panic buy of a Gibbs-White/McNeil instead?