Mario Lemina

JJ12

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There has been no proof that our midfield can consistently perform to a level greater than it's parts.
McTominay and Pogba will be a very good duo this season in my opinion.

I'm more concerned about who's playing '10'
 

Stacks

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McTominay and Pogba will be a very good duo this season in my opinion.

I'm more concerned about who's playing '10'
McTom is still an uncertain. He isn't particularly better than Gendouzi based off last season and this is compounded by Matic being finished. Pogba may not even be bothered next year. Tielemans could of been worth a punt!
 

JJ12

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McTom is still an uncertain. He isn't particularly better than Gendouzi based off last season and this is compounded by Matic being finished. Pogba may not even be bothered next year. Tielemans could of been worth a punt!
We should have signed somebody for midfield absolutely. If we have to play a game without Pogba and Scott we will get battered.

Based on the end of last season and pre season id be shocked if people wern't raving about McTominay this season.

Soon find out.
 

Based Adnan

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McTom is still an uncertain. He isn't particularly better than Gendouzi based off last season and this is compounded by Matic being finished. Pogba may not even be bothered next year. Tielemans could of been worth a punt!
Don't be ridiculous. Guendouzi got benched as his performances fell off whilst McTominay went from strength to strength. Not to mention Guendouzi has shown nothing near to the performances McTominay showed vs Barca, PSG and Liverpool (and last season wasn't the first time he showed these performances either).
 

The Purley King

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We should have signed somebody for midfield absolutely. If we have to play a game without Pogba and Scott we will get battered.

Based on the end of last season and pre season id be shocked if people wern't raving about McTominay this season.

Soon find out.
I’ve said this in a few different threads but mctominay will shine this season. Seems to have found more incisive passes and has improved shielding the ball too.
We can rely on him imo.
 

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Don't be ridiculous. Guendouzi got benched as his performances fell off whilst McTominay went from strength to strength. Not to mention Guendouzi has shown nothing near to the performances McTominay showed vs Barca, PSG and Liverpool (and last season wasn't the first time he showed these performances either).
Gendouzi ended the season with 4 starts in the last 8 EPL games. In our last 8 games McSauce started 3 matches, was not in the squad for City, bench vs Chelsea, bench vs Everton and West Ham, not in the squad vs Watford and bench vs Arsenal. People are exaggerating his contribution last season and making it into some mythical end to season. He had a handful of games where he stepped up and did better than we had hoped based off his previous half of the season. But there were also games when our midfield showed no creativity if Pogba did not turn up.
 

Based Adnan

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Gendouzi ended the season with 4 starts in the last 8 EPL games. In our last 8 games McSauce started 3 matches, was not in the squad for City, bench vs Chelsea, bench vs Everton and West Ham, not in the squad vs Watford and bench vs Arsenal. People are exaggerating his contribution last season and making it into some mythical end to season. He had a handful of games where he stepped up and did better than we had hoped based off his previous half of the season. But there were also games when our midfield showed no creativity if Pogba did not turn up.
McTominay had fitness issues towards the end of the season which is why he missed the City game and only played 9 minutes in the Chelsea game straight after. If I remember correctly he failed a fitness test. Once he broke into the team (after the Liverpool game) under Ole he played a part in every single game bar just 4. For one of those 4 he wasn't fit and for the West Ham game he was being rested for the Barcelona game midweek (again highlighting his importance). Can't remember the other 2.

Arsenal towards the end of last season had packed in the league and were solely focused on the Europa League. From the quarter finals all the way to the finals Guendouzi played a grand total of 92 mins.
 

Crashoutcassius

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I've always defended Matic on here, but I know we need an upgrade in his position. Don't think Lemina would be a like for like replacement. He'd likely be a replacement for Ander. If Matic is not playing, the most suitable player to pick the ball up deeper and orchestrate from there is Pogba. I don't see Fred, Pereira or McTominay really capable of doing that. And I doubt Lemina fits that bill either.
Fred did exactly this at shaktar in a double pivot. Question mark is really over whether he has adapted to the prem enough to be effective doing it... seemed to get caught often last year and his timing wasn't there at all. But this is what fred is really known for
 

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Fred did exactly this at shaktar in a double pivot. Question mark is really over whether he has adapted to the prem enough to be effective doing it... seemed to get caught often last year and his timing wasn't there at all. But this is what fred is really known for
Yeah, in the Ukrainian league. Hopefully he can step up a few levels this season. He needs to improve by about 200%.
 

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And in the cl vs city Lyon and Roma over 6 games which is think was really the impressive part that made city and United want him
Yeah, I've started to become tinfoil-hat cynical about City's interest. Given that we don't know what we're doing we began following their targets. We signed Sanchez and were badly stung. Then we spent big money on Fred and got stung again. I doubt City were ever really in for him. There is no way in hell he would still be at City if he'd have had the season he just had with them.
 

Crashoutcassius

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Yeah, I've started to become tinfoil-hat cynical about City's interest. Given that we don't know what we're doing we began following their targets. We signed Sanchez and were badly stung. Then we spent big money on Fred and got stung again. I doubt City were ever really in for him. There is no way in hell he would still be at City if he'd have had the season he just had with them.
No they would have given up on him like mangala mendy walker and whatever other 50m signings they didn't like. We don't seem as keen to give up