Howson also happens to be an absolute dickhead:
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...s/manchester-united-fan-charging-old-10284652
Nikola Milenkovic
- Thread starter Adnan
- Start date
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...s/manchester-united-fan-charging-old-10284652
Having watched Lindelof for a period of time now It reinforces the doubt I had originally which was the main point.
We need Koulibaly, Skriniar, Toby, Varane, etc - not another hot prospect..
People do realise that Vidic was 24 when we signed him from the Russian League if I'm not mistaken. He had a poor start to his career at OT too. He overcame that and became a brilliant player for us no doubt. Milenkovic has just turned 21 in October and if you want to compare, then compare both players at a similar age.
No one is saying a 21 year old Milenkovic will start to produce peak Vidic performances straight away. He's a different type of CB in many ways to Vidic which I think is a good thing too. The issue we have is many of our fans have been burned by the arrival of Lindelof who was our developmental CB and are turning their noses up at young prospects who are on the cusp of being fantastic players.
No one is saying a 21 year old Milenkovic will start to produce peak Vidic performances straight away. He's a different type of CB in many ways to Vidic which I think is a good thing too. The issue we have is many of our fans have been burned by the arrival of Lindelof who was our developmental CB and are turning their noses up at young prospects who are on the cusp of being fantastic players.
I'll kill to see a Vidic's clone playing at OT right now! I loved the lad!
Vidic had 2/3 poor games at the start of his United career and,like Evra,everything just seemed to click then after.
The way fans talk its as-if Vidic and Evra were absolute atrocities until the 07 campaign.
Vidic was up and down in more than the first 2/3 games.
That's exactly what Mourinho's craving from some time imo but he was probably told this summer that he might not get all his original targets for some reasons.
Sounds like a great player to have. Apart from the lack of experience, he's exactly what we need.
Manchester United send scout to watch Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic
• Powerful Serbia central defender can also play at right-back
• Milenkovic on transfer radar of Juventus as well
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...-fiorentina-defender-nikola-milenkovic-serbia
From Fabrizio Romano^
• Powerful Serbia central defender can also play at right-back
• Milenkovic on transfer radar of Juventus as well
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...-fiorentina-defender-nikola-milenkovic-serbia
From Fabrizio Romano^
Has a girls name. Look for someone called Brock
29 in 8 years, too old, DNW.
Never heard of Nikola Tesla?
Next stage preparing a bid.
Evra pretty much was. He improved after his debut (hard not to improve on that), but he definitely didn't look like he'd go on to be a top leftback during his first 6 months.
Vidic on the other hand wasn't anywhere near as bad as many seem to make out. He had some shaky moments, but he also had great games and it was obvious he had the potential to become a monster.
I'm sure somewhere on my post history you'll find me being impressed with him at the World Cup.
If the way he played then is a consistent level for him, I'd have him. Smalling, Jones and Rojo need to go.
If the way he played then is a consistent level for him, I'd have him. Smalling, Jones and Rojo need to go.
Nope, never heard of her
Our preparation for a bid takes months. By the time we submit the bid the January window would have closed.
Don't know about 2/3 games but with Vidic I felt he looked a special talent from the get go. Yes he looked a little clumsy and must have made mistakes but I personally felt he was a very exciting player. Basically the opposite of what I'm seeing from Lindelof. Hopefully even if he has a right start, if we sign this chap he's more like Vidic than Lindelof.
Also it has to be said that the age difference does matter for a CB. Vidic could start producing world class peformances within 6 or so months because he was at the age where he could lead and dominate. While its possibly for a 22 year old defender to be ahead of the curve mentality, that not being enough is worth considering.
Personally speaking, if he's a top top talent I'd go for him regardless. No idea if he genuinely is.
Not just Lindelof, Bailly was before that.
And if you think you're doing Milenkovic a favour by feeding into the narrative that he "can be just like Vidic" you are wrong. Yes Vidic came in at 24 and became a rock solid defender for us, but thats not the norm. Its only worth mentioning such a comparison if he does sign for a top team and does become a very good defender for them. Until then its added hype and pressure that most young players don't live up to and don't need. If he becomes 3/4 as good as Vidic he'd be a successful signing - as long as we arent paying something silly for him to start with.
Even if we are paying silly money for him, his signing being success would be a welcome change from overpaying for not so successful transfers off late which we seem to be quite adept at.
The age thing worries me as well but we kind of get excited by attacking talent at that age.
Do Now, Want.
Our problem isn't a lack of experience at CB. It's a lack of team organisation. Smalling had north of 200 EPL appearances. City's defence has been manned by two CBs born in 1994 and they're very good defensively.
Thats a dubious claim given they are not being tested often.
Because they are well organised.
No because their team often dominates possession and plays on the front foot. Most times the LB and RB are so far upfield that they look more like wingers than defenders
That's part of being organised as a team. Press high, dominate the ball and midfield to protect your defence. Same with Juventus and Atletico. We hail them as a great defensive sides but like City, their centre backs are hardly exposed. Ours are constantly exposed.
We are not going to suddenly become good defensively if we buy some 30 year old with all the experience.
It would probably help though... I mean look at how liverpools defence improved with VVD - one player probably wont fix everything but top defender who is able to help organise on the pitch probably wouldnt hurt
The evaluation of defenders should not be premised on how much the midfield is covering for them, but in isolation of how they handle the threats posed to them.
There is a difference between a team's defensive quality and the quality of its defenders.
Indeed, we won a lot of titles relying on our defenders actually defending.
Obviously that's "old school" to some now, the only way is Peps way
I still think Bailly has the ability to become a very good player for us, unlike Lindelof.
I'm not feeding the narrative at all. It's people in Serbia who have made the comparison. The former Roma and Alaves player Tomic who coached Partizan is quoted as saying the following about 17 year old Milenkovic in 2015.
"Milenkovic has [the] physical characteristics of a beast. He reads the game well, plays the ball, and should have a great career ahead of him," Tomic has said of Milenkovic, privately predicting his protege would soon be worth at least €30 million."
A little over two years after Tomic made that statement, Diego Simeone's Atletico were reported to have had a €45m bid turned down by Fiorentina.
The Vidic comparison was made not long after that, when the Serbian media said the following.
"Milenkovic is better than Vidic with the ball at his feet, and he is much calmer on the field," Mozzart journalist Dejan Stankovic tells ESPN FC. "He is the most talented centre-back Serbia have had since Vidic, and they definitely have one thing in common -- both are fearless."
Having watched him for awhile now. I believe who ever signs him will have one of the top CB's in the game in a few years. Tactically he's had a good grounding in Serie A. He's very good on the ball, very dominant in the air and has pace which is great to see considering he's around 6ft4/6ft5. With experience he'll get better but I feel he has all the attributes to go all the way. I can't point out any significant weakness in his game.
I like this player a lot. Think he'd be a very good fit for us. He is very comfortable on the ball which of course we are crying out for. His aggression is what we also lack. Watching Glenn fecking Murray bully our backline 2 seasons in a row is embarrassing. We'd get that bite back, proper aggression, not Bailly, Smalling, Rojo or Jones being reckless in a tackle, or grabbing someone's shirt at a corner. But someone who competes in the tackle and in the air. I'm not too keen on giving Jose money in Jan, I think there's too much uncertainty re his future, and I'd hate to pay big coin for a player who a potential new manager doesn't rate. I'd make an exception for this lad though, even if we brought in a high press possession based manager he would be comfortable in that.
I liked him at the WC, i hope we buy him. Sounds really promising. A Serbian player Jose can play as much as he wants, not the past it ones that are on the decline.
There is some weird hype about this one, if he is smart, he will stay away from us, actually think he should take steps best for his development instead of making weird jumps.
He looks good with the ball at his feet and that's something that seems to be talked about, but how is his actual passing? Being good at the first doesn't necessarily mean his passing is particularly good. For instance I'd say Bailly is good with the ball at his feet, but his passing is quite inconsistent.
Yes they have a brilliant manager.
And you just fed it again.
Really exciting player. But he is too young to fit in in our squad. Our most experienced CB is Smalling and he is just 29, which is nothing for a CB. Both Lindelöf and Bailly are still young.
We should be looking for a more experienced CB this summer: Aldeweireld or Koulibaly (who will be to expensive, I am afraid). Both experienced but not old, old from a CB perspective.
Let Rojo go and we would have a better structured squad age-wise at CB and also will have upgraded us quality-wise.
There should also be strong arguments for giving Tuanzabe a squad place next year as well, but he could take Darmians place squad-wise IMO.
If Bailly or Jones wants to leave in search of playing time then there might be a reason to look at players as Milenkovic or Skriniar.
I would like De Ligt, which would make the above scenario a bit different but he is going to Barca or Real IMO. Too bad that.
We should be looking for a more experienced CB this summer: Aldeweireld or Koulibaly (who will be to expensive, I am afraid). Both experienced but not old, old from a CB perspective.
Let Rojo go and we would have a better structured squad age-wise at CB and also will have upgraded us quality-wise.
There should also be strong arguments for giving Tuanzabe a squad place next year as well, but he could take Darmians place squad-wise IMO.
If Bailly or Jones wants to leave in search of playing time then there might be a reason to look at players as Milenkovic or Skriniar.
I would like De Ligt, which would make the above scenario a bit different but he is going to Barca or Real IMO. Too bad that.
And I will keep feeding it because I believe Milenkovic is a super talent.