Luckhurst: United prepared to move for a holding midfielder in January

Considering there haven't been any strong rumors from any of the big news outlets its looking like we're not getting a new midfielder.
 
Cant help but feel that Lingard digging his heels in probably ends our hopes of getting a midfielder, which massively massively sucks.
I hope that people aren’t going to start blaming lingard for the club not signing another midfielder. That would be stupidity
 
Considering there haven't been any strong rumors from any of the big news outlets its looking like we're not getting a new midfielder.

By the same token, we aren't getting Ronaldo.
 
Quick math doesn’t equal making up numbers. Sancho was £73m paid over 5 years. Varane is £34 fee without addons also paid over time. Ronaldo was only £12m upfront.
There is a flaw in that calculation. Do you remember the transfer amortization fee accumulated from previous season for this season because I have no idea about the same? Its one of the reason why I dont think we should focus on how the deal is structured.
 
I really hope they add a solid RB that can actually play some football. I think some people are massively underestimating what a good attacking back could bring to this team. Would allow Greenwood/Sancho to play with more freedom and cut in more as well. Both Shaw and AWB are super predictable and better defenders but provide barely anything offensively, but at least Shaw can give the team something from time to time. I really wished they would pursue someone else after they backed out for Trippier.
Think the RB issue will resolve itself. Laird is that guy in the long-term for me and I'd like to see him given the chance if he performs well for Swansea this season. Likewise, I wouldn't be surprised if after this year Dalot goes next summer and Trippier comes in on a cheap deal as he only has one year left on his contract at that point and he acts as the stopgap.

The thing is AWB's X factor is so unique and so good, he's worth all the other drawbacks he has. So let's see what ends up happening.
 
Luckhurst among many others now stating that our business is done.




To the Jan transfer window thread!.

We may have 6 options but they are mostly terrible. Oh well, we will just have to outscore everyone.

EDIT. Yeah where are the 6?. Fred, Mctom, Donny, Matic, and Pogba?
 
We have 6 options for that position? What? There are three. One is injured.. One is old and slow. One is a headless chicken. Unless you're pigeon holing pogba or dvb (he won't play) there?
 
To the Jan transfer window thread!.

We may have 6 options but they are mostly terrible. Oh well, we will just have to outscore everyone.

EDIT. Yeah where are the 6?. Fred, Mctom, Donny, Matic, and Pogba?
We should be more ruthless and sign 2 next summer. Pogba isnt a CM, Matic is too old and VDB doesnt seem a footballer in Ole's eyes.
 
It’ll be our downfall not bolstering such a key position.
That is the fear I have. Would be a real shame after all the good work we've managed to do this window.

I'm over the moon with our signings but this is still a real concern.
 
To the Jan transfer window thread!.

We may have 6 options but they are mostly terrible. Oh well, we will just have to outscore everyone.

EDIT. Yeah where are the 6?. Fred, Mctom, Donny, Matic, and Pogba?

Not sure who the sixth would be. Pogba will probably play LW at least as often as he plays central midfield and VdB is only an "option" if the manager is willing to pick him.

It's really three/four options: Matic, McTominay, Fred (and very occasionally, Pogba).
 
Ole may use Lindeloff in midfield
Has he ever played there? If he can beat the press then yeah maybe but I am not convinced he can play there. Very few defender can actually perform this role. I remember Rio Ferdinand tried it and was horrible in that role.
 
Six options? Matic, Fred, McTominay... erm... even if you count Pogba and Donny, that's five.

Luckhurst is reporting the view of the suits at Man Utd, none of whom understand football. In their minds Bruno counts as a midfielder. Even though we all know, for a fact, Bruno and Donny are seen as #10s by the coaching staff (and Pogba may as well be an inside left).

We have two #8s: McTominay and Fred and one #6: Matic. Its a horribly unbalanced midfield. We can all see it but if you grew up watching Rugby or NFL then...
 
To the Jan transfer window thread!.

We may have 6 options but they are mostly terrible. Oh well, we will just have to outscore everyone.

EDIT. Yeah where are the 6?. Fred, Mctom, Donny, Matic, and Pogba?
Probably counting Lingard or Bruno. Although Bruno basically plays as a striker (seriously look at his heat maps) it’s actually ridiculous how high up the pitch he is. Our formation is essentially 424.
 
Has he ever played there? If he can beat the press then yeah maybe but I am not convinced he can play there. Very few defender can actually perform this role. I remember Rio Ferdinand tried it and was horrible in that role.

Yeah i remember it was away at Wolves under Fergie. Can't exactly remember what happened, think he was pulled off when everyone realised it wasn't working
 
That is the fear I have. Would be a real shame after all the good work we've managed to do this window.

I'm over the moon with our signings but this is still a real concern.
Yep, it would've more or less been the final piece of the puzzle. Annoying we couldn't get it done when we're so close.
 
Surely with the signing with Ronaldo we should try to push the envelope with this season. Makes no sense to me why we are not going all out to get a CM now.
 
To the Jan transfer window thread!.

We may have 6 options but they are mostly terrible. Oh well, we will just have to outscore everyone.

EDIT. Yeah where are the 6?. Fred, Mctom, Donny, Matic, and Pogba?

May be Bruno/Mata can play in number-8 role?
 
Has he ever played there? If he can beat the press then yeah maybe but I am not convinced he can play there. Very few defender can actually perform this role. I remember Rio Ferdinand tried it and was horrible in that role.

Lindeloff reads the game well.
The pass he made to Bruno for his goal against Leeds was Pogba like.
He can defend. His one weakness is heading. Varane is far superior.
We have Bailly as cover for CB and Lindeloff can be too.

Yet if we do not make a specialist CDM signing today, the Ronaldo signing looks exactly what I thought at first.
A Glazers revenue generating exercise.

Fred is average.
McT is a box to box player
Matic is done.

The Southampton and Wolves match showed our lack of depth in the department.
 
There is an argument to be made that adding too many new faces to the starting XI at once can be a bit tricky. Also, if there are no CDMs that are both good enough and available for a reasonable price, then I guess it makes sense to wait a bit.

I really wanted a CDM, though. It would have been my first priority this summer.