[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Can see both sides of those points.

A few versatile players are good for a squad as they provide options and therefore depth in a variety of positions.

So, yeah, I'm happy to have some versatile midfielders amongst the group. But specialists are also key. So it's all about the balance. Personally, I think there's room for both Fred and Sabitzer in a group of six midfielders. Especially with Sabitzer also able to play as a #10. But you'd probably then look to offload McTominay and VDB to bring in a specialist understudy #6 along with Casemiro. With Eriksen and Fernandes rounding it off.

With those six, you'd have at least two players able to play the 6, 8 and 10 roles and have balance as well as depth and quality.

Agree completely. Shave off the deadwood of McT and VdB, and bringing in a true DM understudy should be a huge priority. And then we still need a carrying 8, but that's much tougher to find.

 

[FrankWhite]

Can see both sides of those points.

A few versatile players are good for a squad as they provide options and therefore depth in a variety of positions.

So, yeah, I'm happy to have some versatile midfielders amongst the group. But specialists are also key. So it's all about the balance. Personally, I think there's room for both Fred and Sabitzer in a group of six midfielders. Especially with Sabitzer also able to play as a #10. But you'd probably then look to offload McTominay and VDB to bring in a specialist understudy #6 along with Casemiro. With Eriksen and Fernandes rounding it off.

With those six, you'd have at least two players able to play the 6, 8 and 10 roles and have balance as well as depth and quality.

A midfield six of Bruno, Eriksen, Fred, Sabitzer, Casemiro and Casemiro's back up (assuming we sign one) for me, is good not great. We still lack a press resistant ball carrier that can dictate play. This is why I would hesitate to sign Sabitzer on a permanent.

On the other hand, Sabitzer would be a prudent choice given that we already need a CF, CB (to replace Maguire), GK and CDM. We will probably end up keeping Sabitzer and grooming Kobbie Mainoo for that roaming playmaker role.

 

[Raven]

Not really seeing it with this lad.

 

[Telsim]

What's he for?

 

[Dec9003]

I thought he’d make a bigger impact than he has to be honest.

 

[Bobski]

Very average player, pace of the game in the PL is too much for him. Always a bit of new signing optimism but even with that he is not showing enough to make him a worthwhile permanent addition.

 

[Betson]

On viewing so far he looks an average player that you would see in a mid to lower table side.

Brings nothing extra to this squad.

 

[Suedesi]

Does not bring anything to our midfield

 

[kouroux]

There's been enough sample of games to safely conclude he's pants

 

[Bobski]

There's been enough sample of games to safely conclude he's pants

He lost the ball twice in the last 2 mins just getting run off the ball so easily, nothing fancy, just couldn't hack the physicality of the challenges. He is an attacking midfielder who can be useful in and around the opposition box but what Utd need is a rounded midfielder who can help with the ball progression and be defensively capable. He seems so far to bring a lot of the same issues as Donny.

Unless we get rid of Bruno and go back to a more standard midfield 3 I think it is difficult to utilize guys like Sabitizer/Donny effectively.

 

[Irwin99]

Not seeing enough aggression from him. Too anonymous out there and was dominated by their midfield.

 

[Telsim]

Looks like your average Bundesliga transfer to the Premier League. Or maybe it's just our luck?

 

[Mmm-Qatarian]

He's just completely unsuitable to play next to McTominay.

The double pivot we were playing today was completely ridiculous. No defensive presence whatsoever.

 

[PSV]

He's just completely unsuitable to play next to McTominay.

The double pivot we were playing today was completely ridiculous. No defensive presence whatsoever.

He didn't play next to McTominay. He was either playing a double-pivot with Bruno or as the 6 in a 6/8/10 setup (with McTom being the 10).

 

[Mmm-Qatarian]

He didn't play next to McTominay. He was either playing a double-pivot with Bruno or as the 6 in a 6/8/10 setup (with McTom being the 10).

I mean this is sort of my problem though. It wasn't obvious what the feck our midfield was supposed to be today because we had nobody who can actually play the defensive midfield role.

At this stage, although it's not an ideal solution, I really think we might need to consider playing Licha in defensive mid whenever Case is out. There's no combination of Fred, McTominay, and Sabitzer that is going to prove sustainable.

 

[ti vu]

He didn't play next to McTominay. He was either playing a double-pivot with Bruno or as the 6 in a 6/8/10 setup (with McTom being the 10).

He's just completely unsuitable to play next to McTominay.

The double pivot we were playing today was completely ridiculous. No defensive presence whatsoever.

First half Mctoninay 10, Bruno and Sabitzer double pivot. Second half before McTominay subbed off, it's Sabitzer 10, Bruno and McTominay double pivot.

 

[Fortitude]

Been quiet in here because I know little about the player, but from what he’s been here there’s no reason or point to signing him.

 

[Verminator]

He is Mata without vision.

 

[Lemoor]

Been quiet in here because I know little about the player, but from what he’s been here there’s no reason or point to signing him.

It depends how much he would cost and how often would he expect to play, but it seems that it's yet another situation of getting a box-to-box who mostly shines going forward and expecting him to be a great holding midfielder because of that.

 

[ti vu]

He is Mata without vision.

More like Schneiderlin. Everywhere player, but not really good at any disciplined role.

 

[Fortitude]

It depends how much he would cost and how often would he expect to play, but it seems that it's yet another situation of getting a box-to-box who mostly shines going forward and expecting him to be a great holding midfielder because of that.

Not even for that, (off the strength of his showings here) we should be aspiring for better, even off the bench, or give those minutes to a prospect with great potential.

Not trying to knock the player, but he’s offering us nothing to invest in.

 

[Verminator]

I can see that, but Schneiderlin was more mobile.

 

[Lay]

Imagine him and VDB playing hide and seek

 

[Rampant Red Rodriguez]

The whole team was crap today, so let's not try to pin it on him too much.

 

[Verminator]

The whole team was crap today, so let's not try to pin it on him too much.

For clarification, my opinion on him is not just based on today.

 

[Quagmire Maguire]

Yet another player massively overrated by the caf experts. Added to the scrap heap alongside Pogba, Falcao, Schwenstiger, Schneiderlin, Di Maria, Van de Beek, Sanchez, Sancho..

(And people wonder why I don't want De Jong anywhere near this club!)

 

[HookedOnAPhelan]

On second thought let's not sign Sabitzer

He's a silly player

not at all to blame alone for the loss today, but man that was a nothing performance

 

[UpWithRivers]

I've kept quiet about Sabitzer because I wanted to give him a chance and I wanted to figure out what people were seeing that I didnt see. He's had enough games now. Conclusion - Not good enough. He's like if Fred and Eriksen had a baby but the kid only got 20 percent talent from each one. Runs about and can pass a bit but average at both and doesnt do much else.

 

[golden_blunder]

Meh

 

[Red Rash]

Not a good performance but none of our midfielders are capable of much without playing alongside Casemiro.

Whenever you have a position that requires players to work in a tandem like CB or CM it's a bit harsh to judge them when they are playing alongside mediocrity. That being said the signs aren't looking super promising.

I'd still like to see him play a few more times alongside Casemiro before completely writing him off.

 

[Abraxas]

Not seeing much at the moment. My gut feeling is he's a decent footballer once he gets going and in the right team, but he's not one to make a difference on his own through his force of personality or skillset as a footballer. He could probably enter a functioning midfield and team and do a squad role if you really wanted that player. But he's not going to lift up a side like today like Casemiro would.

It's hard to name an area he legitimately excels in. He's just sort of okay across the board.

 

[caid]

Its hard to make an impact half a dozen games into a new league, especially with most of them coming when Casemiro is out. Dont see it working out anyway. He left Bayern to get games so dont see why he'd want to swap their bench for ours. We have about 5 other players who can play the position to a similar level so i dont see the point. Maybe if he cost next to nothing and you sold McTominay, Fred and Van De Beek - he probably fits our needs slightly more than them.

 

[OrcaFat]

Not seeing much at the moment. My gut feeling is he's a decent footballer once he gets going and in the right team, but he's not one to make a difference on his own through his force of personality or skillset as a footballer. He could probably enter a functioning midfield and team and do a squad role if you really wanted that player. But he's not going to lift up a side like today like Casemiro would.

It's hard to name an area he legitimately excels in. He's just sort of okay across the board.

This is pretty reasonable. He just been injured and in fact he’s never had even a little run in the team at no8 which is his best position.

I thought he did pretty well today (vs Newcastle) in a woeful team performance. It’s hard to shine when the whole team is bombing. Andy Ritichie had him as MOTM today. I’m aware there’s a majority who disagree with that but he was far from the worst player today.

He doesn’t look like a world beater, it’s true.

 

[Dve]

Not seeing much at the moment. My gut feeling is he's a decent footballer once he gets going and in the right team, but he's not one to make a difference on his own through his force of personality or skillset as a footballer. He could probably enter a functioning midfield and team and do a squad role if you really wanted that player. But he's not going to lift up a side like today like Casemiro would.

It's hard to name an area he legitimately excels in. He's just sort of okay across the board.

My exact though after what I've seen so far. A bit better in the second half today, but could barely deliver the simplest pass first half, especially the first 30 minutes. You would still expect to see plenty of aggressivity and physicality, but I did not see him benefiting much for that either. If this is what he's got, we already have Fred and McTominay as squad fill. Out of the 3, Fred has been the better, imo.

 

[The United]

He looks slow to get to the ball, and the ball just passes by him almost all the time. He is good at getting into the box though. But what we need is midfielder who can be visible between the two boxes.

We still have a few more games for him to show what he has. But it was very premature for people who were saying we should sign him after like two games or something.

I mean, there is a reason why Bayern loaned him out in the middle of the season.

 

[Fabio Rochemback]

He's not a bad player, and it does need to be taken into account that he's never played alongside a good midfield partner. Still, it's not enough to excuse that he's shown rather little so far. Maybe he'll come good if he gets a run of games with Casemiro.

 

[OrcaFat]

He's not a bad player, and it does need to be taken into account that he's never played alongside a good midfield partner. Still, it's not enough to excuse that he's shown rather little so far. Maybe he'll come good if he gets a run of games with Casemiro.

Plus he’s had a couple of knocks and never got two or three games in a row. Main thing is he needs to play with a proper no6. I can understand the sceptics because he’s not been great but I do think his deficiencies are being exaggerated a little and more games will help us to assess him properly.

 

[klsv]

Yet another player massively overrated by the caf experts. Added to the scrap heap alongside Pogba, Falcao, Schwenstiger, Schneiderlin, Di Maria, Van de Beek, Sanchez, Sancho..

(And people wonder why I don't want De Jong anywhere near this club!)

What are you talking about? He's here on a loan after we lost Eriksen without any time (or money) to sign someone good permanently in January.

 

[Chief123]

Dare I say it, Fred looks a better option.

 

[KjaAnd]

I always had the impression he was a physical, high-octane player but from what I have seen thus far, he looks very slow and weak. Maybe it's the gulf between the Bundesliga and the PL showing once again.