I am wasting a post but I meant the season before last...just to save you guys correcting me.
Midfield Next Season
- Thread starter Red Dreams
- Start date
I'd say it is the opposite. We need to replace Pogba with creativity, because barring him we have virtually none in our midfield and already have a set of 'workers' like McTominay, Matic, Andreas etc.
No.
If you are being overrun creativity means little, you might get a few breakaways etc but in the end we get found out. We saw that enough the back end of last season. I get what you are saying and in an ideal world I’d agree but currently we have to face facts that we are pretty average.
The job now is to stabilize the team and put us back in a position to be able to choose the players we really want to see in a United shirt.
A team with an average but functioning and well drilled midfield finished well above us.......
Negative
As if both things are opposites and each bit of creativity takes away a bit of workrate?
Not in your same frame of thought. Just think about, say, Iniesta...
Matic
McTominay
Fred
Andreas
Longstaff?
Even if we signed Fernandes, it looks quite weak compared to pretty much every top six side I guess? I mean, Arsenal's is still worse IMO, but Torreira would probably walk into our starting line-up. We will probably have to play more of a 4231 or perhaps a diamond midfield-four to pack it out with Lingard/Mata/Sanchez being more central with Fred/Andreas/Longstaff/Fernandes behind them and Matic/McTominay at the base. But then that begs the question are we going to get enough width in the attacking third from Wan-Bissaka and Shaw? Or with Rashford and Martial splitting?
It seems like the way we are going at the moment, but I expect it to not work.
McTominay
Fred
Andreas
Longstaff?
Even if we signed Fernandes, it looks quite weak compared to pretty much every top six side I guess? I mean, Arsenal's is still worse IMO, but Torreira would probably walk into our starting line-up. We will probably have to play more of a 4231 or perhaps a diamond midfield-four to pack it out with Lingard/Mata/Sanchez being more central with Fred/Andreas/Longstaff/Fernandes behind them and Matic/McTominay at the base. But then that begs the question are we going to get enough width in the attacking third from Wan-Bissaka and Shaw? Or with Rashford and Martial splitting?
It seems like the way we are going at the moment, but I expect it to not work.
The only positive i can take from the expected decimated state of our squad is that maybe the young players will get a chance. People like Taunzebe, Gomes, Greenwood, Chong, they deserve a start ahead of some of our senior players.
Unfortunately though, there is no Iniesta on the market. And if there was he wouldn't be interested in signing for us.
Nonsense. We need creativity and more creativity.
We need a DM and AM - starting calibre too.
I really do feel as though McTominay is going to kick on and have a brilliant year and make the 'Herrera position' his own.
I really do feel as though McTominay is going to kick on and have a brilliant year and make the 'Herrera position' his own.
I believe, if Pogba goes which is increasingly likely, the club is after at least two targets for the midfield. Imho there should be no need to buy three, as in «we need to replace Fellaini» because Ole can manage to sort it out without a player he clearly never thaught about since day 0. If we buy three is to strenghten and invest in future.
My guess, and I believe it would benefit a lot our game style-wise, is that Ole will favour a 4231 formation. With pace on the wings, said formation places a creative AM, a rol thats one of which is being targeted (most likely Fernandes, but Erikssen is being mentioned around too), and one that can be occupied by two of our recent contract renewals, and that suits them better than other positions where they have been used: Mata and Andreas (as well as Gomes, Lingard).
On the other hand, that double pivot can help ease the burden on a back four thats still under construction, helping out with the defensive duties of cbs and fbs as well as recycling balls back to the attack. Thats where I see pairings of Fred, Scott, Matic, Longstaff, Garner. And thats the other midfield target, where we would buy a SMS or VBeek as a more like to like Pogba replacement if we could say that. For me Longstaff is an «invest in youth» type of signing, not a replacing departures one.
Predicted best XI as of this post:
DeGea
AWB -- New CB / Smalling -- Lindelof -- Shaw
Fred / Scott --- Savic / Matic
James / New RW -- Fernandes / Mata / Andreas -- Martial
Rashford / Lukaku / Alexis / Greenwood
My guess, and I believe it would benefit a lot our game style-wise, is that Ole will favour a 4231 formation. With pace on the wings, said formation places a creative AM, a rol thats one of which is being targeted (most likely Fernandes, but Erikssen is being mentioned around too), and one that can be occupied by two of our recent contract renewals, and that suits them better than other positions where they have been used: Mata and Andreas (as well as Gomes, Lingard).
On the other hand, that double pivot can help ease the burden on a back four thats still under construction, helping out with the defensive duties of cbs and fbs as well as recycling balls back to the attack. Thats where I see pairings of Fred, Scott, Matic, Longstaff, Garner. And thats the other midfield target, where we would buy a SMS or VBeek as a more like to like Pogba replacement if we could say that. For me Longstaff is an «invest in youth» type of signing, not a replacing departures one.
Predicted best XI as of this post:
DeGea
AWB -- New CB / Smalling -- Lindelof -- Shaw
Fred / Scott --- Savic / Matic
James / New RW -- Fernandes / Mata / Andreas -- Martial
Rashford / Lukaku / Alexis / Greenwood
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I think a 4231 with Longstaff and McTominay in midfield and Pereira in #10 would be our best bet.
No white text... man that midfield is lacking quality in so many ways!
If we don't sign any other midfielders apart from Longstaff who else would you play?
It doesn't look to prosperous atm. Time is running down and we can't even get Fernandes over the line.
In fact latest is we have not even offered for him or Longstaff. All proposals so far.
In fact latest is we have not even offered for him or Longstaff. All proposals so far.
Woodward, and hope someone knocks some sense into him.
I would honestly love to snap up Thomas Partey and Bruno Fernandes.
Partey has the quality that a CDM needs and has plenty of energy to cover Pogba (if he stays), and he has a release clause of £45 mil.
Fernandes is someone that looks like it willhappen but we need to finalise the deal quickly or someone else is likely to come in for him.
Could probably get both for around £100 mil, but they are both starting quality players.
Partey has the quality that a CDM needs and has plenty of energy to cover Pogba (if he stays), and he has a release clause of £45 mil.
Fernandes is someone that looks like it willhappen but we need to finalise the deal quickly or someone else is likely to come in for him.
Could probably get both for around £100 mil, but they are both starting quality players.
Think I'll just go to the pub then, if that is all we can do.
Are you bored Tom?
Maddison Partey Ceballos would all be good midfield signings.
Longstaff havent seen enough of.
Still think we will sign Christian Eriksson
Longstaff havent seen enough of.
Still think we will sign Christian Eriksson
We'll get Longstaff to rotate with/phase out Matic and Fernandes to replace Pogba. Fred and McTominay will share the other spot for at least a season. Periera will be the back up 10 I imagine.
Still think we'd be lacking in quality and numbers but so it goes.
Still think we'd be lacking in quality and numbers but so it goes.
Should Pogba leaves, there is no argument for 433 every single game. Depending on who comes in of course, but a variety of 433 and 4231 or even 442 is possible per tactical requirement.
This sounds realistic and if it comes to pass it's a worse midfield then we had last season. Fernandes is not as good of a player as Pogba and Longstaff had a grand total of 11 games while Fred, though i rate him, has shown problems in adapting to the Prem.