Sergej Milinkovic Savic

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He's not a holding midfielder, I've seen him a few times now and his game is very similar to Pogba's, he'd not work in a midfield 2 with Pogba IMO.
 

beingshe7don

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He's not a holding midfielder, I've seen him a few times now and his game is very similar to Pogba's, he'd not work in a midfield 2 with Pogba IMO.
I think a midfield three would work best for us. Either way, we need a more than capable backup for Pogba when he's out injured or suspended.

---- Pogba ----- Savic ----
----------- Matic ----------
 

Devil may care

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We are fecking poor without Pogba. Get him, and we will be fine without Pogba, and have 2 Pogba with Pogba :D:D:drool:
That would definitely be an advantage. :D The only difficulty is that it will effect Martial, Lukaku and Rashford in terms of how this current system is great for their games.

I think a midfield three would work best for us. Either way, we need a more than capable backup for Pogba when he's out injured or suspended.

---- Pogba ----- Savic ----
----------- Matic ----------
There's definitely a structural benefit to it I agree, but I think the 3-4-3 is better for Lukaku, Rashford and Martial.
 

beingshe7don

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Interesting that he mentioned us by name and the key part in there is that this is not the moment to talk about transfers, Lazio are having their best season in ages and are in with a shot at winning Serie A, if there is any deal to be done it would be in the summer.
Well, if we are definitely in for him. It needs to be done before the world cup because his price will only rise and we'll have for competitors for his signature.
 

Agni

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Don’t see us burning the reported amounts for a squad player, which he will be if we stick to 3-5-2 / 4-2-3-1.

However if we do move to a 4-3-3 and have a creative attacker on the right wing then it makes a lot of sense.
 

Mcking

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That would definitely be an advantage. :D The only difficulty is that it will effect Martial, Lukaku and Rashford in terms of how this current system is great for their games.



There's definitely a structural benefit to it I agree, but I think the 3-4-3 is better for Lukaku, Rashford and Martial.
If Jose would have the balls to play an attacking 433, it could work.
With a midfield as solid as that, the fullbacks - Valencia and assuming Sandro or Rose - should be allowed to push forward and provide width with Martial playing as an inside forward like he currently does.
With Sandro providing the whole width on the left, the RW could then hold the width on the right with Valencia bit futher back to cover the defence.
This will free up the middle and allow Savic-Pogba to repeatedly roam into space.

Neutral:


Vale CBCB Sandro
Pogba Matic Savic
Malcom Martial Lukaku

In attack:


Matic Savic
Malcom Pog Sandro
Lukaku Martial​
.

Alternatively:


Pogba Matic
Malcom Savic Sandro
Lukaku Martial
 

ti vu

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He's not a holding midfielder, I've seen him a few times now and his game is very similar to Pogba's, he'd not work in a midfield 2 with Pogba IMO.
He is not holding midfielder, but more like box to box with good ball winning ability. In a sense like Vieira. It's not the death for midfield 2 with Pogba unless it's a gung-ho form of 4-4-2. A back 3 with a CB that can play liberal role would allow such midfield partnership.
 

davidmichael

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Lose Fellaini and Carrick in the summer (Carrick joining the coaching staff though) and bring in Savic and Goretzka on a free to replace them be immense.

Always wary though of midfielders or attackers from Serie A though just because it’s so different from our league, saying that though Pogba is proving to show my thought process to be very wrong so maybe Savic would be the same.
 

Nedved

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Lose Fellaini and Carrick in the summer (Carrick joining the coaching staff though) and bring in Savic and Goretzka on a free to replace them be immense.

Always wary though of midfielders or attackers from Serie A though just because it’s so different from our league, saying that though Pogba is proving to show my thought process to be very wrong so maybe Savic would be the same.
Salah, Pogba, Coutinho, [Irrelevant point] and Pereyra should have changed that wariness already. Not to mention those who broke through in the Serie A and had a stop-over somewhere else: Sanchez, Ibrahimovic, Morata etc.
 

Devil may care

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If Jose would have the balls to play an attacking 433, it could work.
With a midfield as solid as that, the fullbacks - Valencia and assuming Sandro or Rose - should be allowed to push forward and provide width with Martial playing as an inside forward like he currently does.
With Sandro providing the whole width on the left, the RW could then hold the width on the right with Valencia bit futher back to cover the defence.
This will free up the middle and allow Savic-Pogba to repeatedly roam into space.

Neutral:


Vale CBCB Sandro
Pogba Matic Savic
Malcom Martial Lukaku

In attack:


Matic Savic
Malcom Pog Sandro
Lukaku Martial​
.

Alternatively:


Pogba Matic
Malcom Savic Sandro
Lukaku Martial
If Jose was willing to cut loose then maybe, but it doesn't seem overly likely, we've only really started to get dual wide threats since we moved to the back 3, who with Matic dropping in keeps the back 4 security net he likes, and he'd still require a lot of tracking back from the wide forwards, the way we are using 3-4-3 has created a freedom for Martial/Rashford, given us the attacking width and allowed Jose to keep his defensive principles.

He is not holding midfielder, but more like box to box with good ball winning ability. In a sense like Vieira. It's not the death for midfield 2 with Pogba unless it's a gung-ho form of 4-4-2. A back 3 with a CB that can play liberal role would allow such midfield partnership.
Even then I just think they are too similar to operate in a 2 together, you need the balance of a holder in there to maintain 4 at the back when the wingbacks push right up.
 

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I just saw a headline that we are going to offer £95M for him in the summer, but then I saw it was from The Express who I think are considered the poorest fish & chip wrapper out there.
 

amolbhatia50k

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I think a midfield three would work best for us. Either way, we need a more than capable backup for Pogba when he's out injured or suspended.

---- Pogba ----- Savic ----
----------- Matic ----------
Doesn't look ideal. We need a technical midfielder who can control the game. Pogba is full of flair and creativity but he's no Scholes who can run the game. Someone you can pass to in any situation and he'll find the best solution possible and knit everything together. This savic might be big and strong but doesn't seem to offer that which is what we need.
 

beingshe7don

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Doesn't look ideal. We need a technical midfielder who can control the game. Pogba is full of flair and creativity but he's no Scholes who can run the game. Someone you can pass to in any situation and he'll find the best solution possible and knit everything together. This savic might be big and strong but doesn't seem to offer that which is what we need.
I beg to differ but I think Pogba is quite capable of controlling the tempo of the game. He may have not reached Scholes' level yet but he's improving. He's not the finished product. Savic will complement Pogba well not because he's tall but he's technically very good as well. He can make those long passes and also make a dash into the penalty box. Savic will be a better version of Herrera.

Check this out...
 

Hojoon

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He's impressed me the few times I've seen him but he plays in the exact same position as Pogba as an attack-minded LCM, I don't see how they're compatible unless one of them adapts.
 

beingshe7don

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He's impressed me the few times I've seen him but he plays in the exact same position as Pogba as an attack-minded LCM, I don't see how they're compatible unless one of them adapts.
I think he could be just as good as a RCM and Pogba could continue being an LCM
 

Red4Life_#7

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Lose Fellaini and Carrick in the summer (Carrick joining the coaching staff though) and bring in Savic and Goretzka on a free to replace them be immense.

Always wary though of midfielders or attackers from Serie A though just because it’s so different from our league, saying that though Pogba is proving to show my thought process to be very wrong so maybe Savic would be the same.
Pogba played English style football for 3 years, so it wasn't completely new uncharted waters.
 

Mcking

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He's impressed me the few times I've seen him but he plays in the exact same position as Pogba as an attack-minded LCM, I don't see how they're compatible unless one of them adapts.
Pogba has played most of his games at RM for us this season. He usually plays there for france too.
 

ti vu

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Even then I just think they are too similar to operate in a 2 together, you need the balance of a holder in there to maintain 4 at the back when the wingbacks push right up.
In a system with 5 at the back, the wing back ain't full back, they are not really as defensive nous as fullback and ain't as restricted. The liberal role is more defensive restricted than the deep laying holding midfielder, as it's part of the defense. So in term of number, it's the same as 4 at the back with both FB pushing up while one defensive midfielder in midfield 3, just stay behind.
 

SwansonsTache

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That is some price being quoted. Find it hard to believe that he'll cost more than Pogba, but then again we are living in a post-Neymar world.
 

Kidders

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I beg to differ but I think Pogba is quite capable of controlling the tempo of the game. He may have not reached Scholes' level yet but he's improving. He's not the finished product. Savic will complement Pogba well not because he's tall but he's technically very good as well. He can make those long passes and also make a dash into the penalty box. Savic will be a better version of Herrera.

Check this out...
I can see why he appeals as a kind of Jose type player, very right footed though, I could see him as a midfield combo of him and Matic, freeing up Pogba to play further up field.
 

Devil may care

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In a system with 5 at the back, the wing back ain't full back, they are not really as defensive nous as fullback and ain't as restricted. The liberal role is more defensive restricted than the deep laying holding midfielder, as it's part of the defense. So in term of number, it's the same as 4 at the back with both FB pushing up while one defensive midfielder in midfield 3, just stay behind.
I know, that's what I was saying, it's why Pogba and Milinkovic Savic as the 2 CM's in a 3-4-3 system wont work, one of them would have to basically be in the role Lingard or Mata play between the 2 strikers and the midifled 2.
 

beingshe7don

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I know, that's what I was saying, it's why Pogba and Milinkovic Savic as the 2 CM's in a 3-4-3 system wont work, one of them would have to basically be in the role Lingard or Mata play between the 2 strikers and the midifled 2.
Why wouldn't a 4-3-3 work?
---- Savic ---- Pogba ----
--------- Matic -----------

We don't need a No. 10. Lingard and Mata would be playing on the wings instead.
 

ti vu

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Why wouldn't a 4-3-3 work?
---- Savic ---- Pogba ----
--------- Matic -----------

We don't need a No. 10. Lingard and Mata would be playing on the wings instead.
Because the more Martial hugs the line, the less influence/ involvement he has. It's clear he enjoys more freedom to roam centrally than your typical Robben type of wing forward. Playing Lingard, Mata wide is also the problem. They both rely on their ability to find pocket of space. Relying on our current set of full backs for width is even bigger problem. So by changing to midfielder 3, we probably need to shuffle a lot in term of personnels. It's not simple plug & play in this case.
 
Last edited:

gajender

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Because the more Martial hug the line, the less influence/ involvement he has. It's clear he enjoys a more roaming centrally than your typical Robben type of wing forward. Playing Lingard, Mata wide is also the problem. They both rely on their ability to find pocket of space. Relying on our current set of full backs for width is even bigger problem. So by changing to midfielder 3, we probably need to shuffle a lot in term of personnels. It's not simple plug & play in this case.
Agree with the post completely but don't you think we need to upgrade our full backs position any way and Mata , Lingard should not be starters for us so factoring them for our primary formation is not relevant. Ideally we need another 4 players as starters , if we bring Savic then no need for marquee No 10.
 

ti vu

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Agree with the post completely but don't you think we need to upgrade our full backs position any way and Mata , Lingard should not be starters for us so factoring them for our primary formation is not relevant. Ideally we need another 4 players as starters , if we bring Savic then no need for marquee No 10.
We do. But I am trying to be realistic since the player price is high these days and I don't see us being able to acquire 3-4 marquee signings in one go (especially with other clubs also looking for same/similar positions). Going the no 10 route, arguably Ozil would be an alright option while doesn't cost much. That way it would leave us more fund to get other position up to task. And a no 10 is suitable for our current set of players (the forwards)
 
Last edited:

Devil may care

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Why wouldn't a 4-3-3 work?
---- Savic ---- Pogba ----
--------- Matic -----------

We don't need a No. 10. Lingard and Mata would be playing on the wings instead.
@ti vu covered my concern with it in regards to Martial and Rashford as well, neither are #9's but I don't think either will ever fully thrive when froced too wide and tasked with tracking back wide all game, which will always be the case under Jose, where as in the 3-4-3 Martial and Rashford have freedom to play as practically second strikers off Lukaku.