Agreed. I don't rate Lukaku as highly as others. Putting Rashford on the wing is a shoehorn approach because he is United youth and a great player but not a natural winger. Better options. Rashford is not ready to be the #1 #9 just yet. If we're going to compete, we need to be aiming higher than Lukaku as a #9. Too inconsistent for me.All that money, and Pogba at number 10, Rashford on the wing and Lukaku up front would probably still produce some of the most frustrating football we'd see
Spend all now
- Thread starter Magnus
- Start date
Flintoff from cricket is our number 1 priority
De gea
bailly Rojo Lindalof
Valencia Pogba Fabinho Herrera Mendy
Lukaku rashford
Sign: Lukaku, Fabinho, Mendy and lindalofbailly Rojo Lindalof
Valencia Pogba Fabinho Herrera Mendy
Lukaku rashford
Then I'd go with a Chelsea-esqe aproach
3 centre backs
Tony V and Mendy can play more advanced roles
Fabinho can sit deep when attacking, Herrera can be Herrera just buzzing everywhere in midfield and Pogba can venture forward
Lukaku and rashford up front together would compliment each other I feel.
No Rodriguez, bale, perisic needed. I think that team is more than capable of winning the league
My analysis is that, to compete for a CL title, at a minimum, we need a world class striker, world class pacy winger and/or attacking midfielder, a world class holding midfielder to pair with Pogba, a centreback who can start from day one in both the PL and CL, and a young right sided fullback in case Valencia starts to fall.
Right now, the only players who I could see starting for a side that wins Champions League on United are De Gea, Bailey, Valencia, Pogba, and maybe Rashford. I'd posit that the latter, though, is not at that level yet.
The goal this summer, in my mind, needs to be creating a squad that can win the Premier League. My bet is Mourinho tries and gets two world class players this summer (striker, winger/attacking midfielder, and/or holding midfielder) and fills out the other holes with young players who can start for a club that is trying to win the Premier League.
Right now, the only players who I could see starting for a side that wins Champions League on United are De Gea, Bailey, Valencia, Pogba, and maybe Rashford. I'd posit that the latter, though, is not at that level yet.
The goal this summer, in my mind, needs to be creating a squad that can win the Premier League. My bet is Mourinho tries and gets two world class players this summer (striker, winger/attacking midfielder, and/or holding midfielder) and fills out the other holes with young players who can start for a club that is trying to win the Premier League.
I'd be happy with just 5 signings in a centre back, first choice left back, defensive midfielder, winger and an out and out striker. I'd be happy with Keane, Rose, Fabinho, Bale and Lukaku and I'd accept Lindelof, Rose, Dier, Bale and Lacazette.
Having Mkhitaryan and Bale behind or off of Lukaku or Rashford backed up by Herrera and Pogba with Fabinho sitting and breaking play up then Valencia and Rose up and down the wings with Keane and Bailly at the back is probably as good as it can get for us realistically.
Having Mkhitaryan and Bale behind or off of Lukaku or Rashford backed up by Herrera and Pogba with Fabinho sitting and breaking play up then Valencia and Rose up and down the wings with Keane and Bailly at the back is probably as good as it can get for us realistically.
If it was up to me (while trying to be relatively realistic here) I'd be looking to overhaul the attack with multiple signings. Something like this would be the goal;
De Gea
Valencia Bailly Smalling Mendy
Fabinho Pogba
Sanchez Rodriguez Martial
Morata
Valencia Bailly Smalling Mendy
Fabinho Pogba
Sanchez Rodriguez Martial
Morata
Can "Spend All Now" be an acceptable post reply to all transfer related questions this summer?
Morata: "Spend All Now"
Fabinho: "Spend All Now"
Bale: "All your bases are belong to us. Spend All Now"
Morata: "Spend All Now"
Fabinho: "Spend All Now"
Bale: "All your bases are belong to us. Spend All Now"
Unfortunately, this isn't relatively realistic, this is... Spend All Now!
De Gea
Sessegnon Bailly Keane Mendy
Herrera Fabinho Pogba
Sanchez Griezmann Bale
Sessegnon Bailly Keane Mendy
Herrera Fabinho Pogba
Sanchez Griezmann Bale
Just 12 months ago people screamed for Rojo to go.
I'd be happy with 3 players
a DM (Fabinho perhaps) to free up Pogba and play alongside Herrera
2 star attackers- Bale and M'Bappe would be ideal
I'd be satisfied with that
a DM (Fabinho perhaps) to free up Pogba and play alongside Herrera
2 star attackers- Bale and M'Bappe would be ideal
I'd be satisfied with that
I'm not shoehorning anyone into anything. The OP asked how we would spend our money this summer and I just mentioned the players I think we would buy and where I see them playing.
Mourinho might have spoken about Shaw's and Martial's mentality, but by no means has he given up on them. He did the same thing at Chelsea with Hazard.
There has been no mention in the media about selling the likes of Shaw or Martial. That to me suggests that Mourinho still has a plan for them (Martial definitely, Shaw remains to be seen). So, it's not a case of me playing favourites and putting players I like into the team. When we were first linked to Perisic, and after doing my initial research on him, I thought Jose wanted him to play at LWB for the tough games against the likes of Chelsea. But him being ambidextrous means he can play on either flank as well.
Also, you should learn how to make a post without being condescending, with the whole "criticize the post, not the poster" and all. We are all here to exchange our thoughts and opinions, not force them on others.
I think that a few sales and potentially DDG going too, would make it less insanely expensive and I don't think we'd need to spend £250m or anything crazy.
Sell: Jones, Smalling, Fellaini and recoup £45m or so. Buy Lindeloff, Perisic I guess, get Morata in the mooted swap deal and buy Fabinho, or similar along with Mahrez or Douglas Costa.
Sell: Jones, Smalling, Fellaini and recoup £45m or so. Buy Lindeloff, Perisic I guess, get Morata in the mooted swap deal and buy Fabinho, or similar along with Mahrez or Douglas Costa.
Romero
Valencia Bailly Lindeloff Shaw
Fabinho
Herrera pogba
Mahrez Morata Perisic
Valencia Bailly Lindeloff Shaw
Fabinho
Herrera pogba
Mahrez Morata Perisic
----------Romero--------
-----bailly----smalling---
Valencia-------------Shaw
-----------Fabinho--------
----Herrera-------pogba-
mkhi-------------------perisic
-----------ronaldo---------
-----bailly----smalling---
Valencia-------------Shaw
-----------Fabinho--------
----Herrera-------pogba-
mkhi-------------------perisic
-----------ronaldo---------
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Mourinho has also been clear he wants one of his fullbacks to play defensive. So long as he starts Valencia that means the left wing needs taking care of with a wide attacker, not strikers or AMs posing as wingers.
Not forcing my views on anyone. I actually don't like the logic, but it is what it is. I don't mean to be condescending, just frustrated at how many keep banging on about Martial, Bale and whatnot while dissing the only player we've been linked to that can deliver the balance we will need given how José wants to set up.
Our attack down the left was a shower of shite all season and it won't be a shiny player fixing it but someone with the required attributes.
I agree that Perisic brings balance to the team, but my view is that it will be the right side of our side that will be defensively disciplined. I think Perisic and Valencia will lock down that flank allowing our left side more freedom to operate in. I know Shaw and Martial didn't have a great season, but it's not the end of the world. Especially considering that the number of LB's available out there are in short supply, Jose is likely to trust one of Shaw or Blind and in difficult games, Darmian.
Normally, Jose allows one side a bit of a leeway, but my thinking is that depending on the game, the flank that gets more license to go forward will depend on the opposition. Just my view though.
Edit: Also never did I mention anything about Bale. I was sure we weren't interested in him.
It isn't defensive flank vs creative flank. It's one of the fullbacks being attacking and the other not.
That has a direct impact on the forward play ahead. The flank with the attacking fullback providing width doesn't get a winger but an inside player (the AM or converted striker types we are using on the left).
The flank with little or no contribution from the fullback needs a winger or else there's nobody stretching the defence.
It's about balance and making sure all channels are exploited. Playing a defensive fullback with no winger narrows the play (and your options) and we spent all season doing that as we had nobody with the right attributes to fix it.
Making the right flank more defensively disciplined makes little sense IMO because the Valencia provides the most consistent attacking impetus out of all of our fullbacks with his driving runs from the deep - even though it's not always reflected in the raw final statistics. Given his ability to single-handedly dominate a flank and run for 90 mins, you can then put an inverted winger or inside forward ahead of him - a bit like Eto'o ahead of Maicon where he would link up with Milito as the second striker. Having a proper winger on the left flank also plays to Pogba's strength because he likes to drive through the inside left channel - so putting someone who will encroach upon his zone of influence as a forward could be counterproductive for both players. The ideal setup for what we have (and could potentially get as symbiotic fits) would be something like this IMO:
Nincompoop graphic edit, but you kind of get the idea of the zone of influence of each player, and a vague picture of their attacking/defensive remit. The left could sort of mirror what Madrid had in Di María and Arbeloa (more restricted than Marcelo - who opened up the flank on the outside with his probing runs for Cristiano to drive inwards).
Thread title reads like it was written by Charlie Kelly.
Give me money. Money me. Money now. Me a money needing a lot now.
Give me money. Money me. Money now. Me a money needing a lot now.
I feel, strongly, that nincompoop graphic edits should be a daily diet in here. That's not sarcastic by the way, Invictus did a great job.
We're not going to be a top 5 in Europe next year. We need to be building long-term. Sign talented players in their early 20s who have proven they can produce at good side and who fit Mourinho's style. We have tons of money, are a historically massive club, have a big manager and have Champions League football. Now is the time to find 3-4 starters for the next 5 year and the next great United team.
The template should be players who can perform now but also grow with Pogba, hopefully De Gea, Bailly, Rashford, Martial and Shaw. We have some talented veterans in Mata, Mkhitaryan, Valencia and Herrera to represent the experienced part of the team over the next 3-4 seasons.
Players likely to be looking for a big move like Mbappe, Morata, Brandt, Lemar, Tolisso, Saul, Kovacic, Bakayako, Llorente, Goretzka, Weigl, Keita, Fabinho, Theo Hernandez, Mendy, Romanogli, Gimenez, Laporte, Lindelof, Van Dijk.
I'm not saying those players are all going to make it, because that's not how it works, but that's the sort of profile we should be looking at. If we go 3 for 4, that would be good. Maybe a couple of those names will turn us down, but if we spend big on guys like Perisic or even Bale we're going to have to replace them by the time we even get to the level of a team like Juve or Atletico, never mind a Barca, Real or Bayern. And if we sign those players at 23 and they struggle for a year or two, we'll be able to sell them and recoup over half the fee anyways.
I know people want a British core, but unless Spurs players want to leave, I'm not sure there's a lot of safe young talent for us.
The template should be players who can perform now but also grow with Pogba, hopefully De Gea, Bailly, Rashford, Martial and Shaw. We have some talented veterans in Mata, Mkhitaryan, Valencia and Herrera to represent the experienced part of the team over the next 3-4 seasons.
Players likely to be looking for a big move like Mbappe, Morata, Brandt, Lemar, Tolisso, Saul, Kovacic, Bakayako, Llorente, Goretzka, Weigl, Keita, Fabinho, Theo Hernandez, Mendy, Romanogli, Gimenez, Laporte, Lindelof, Van Dijk.
I'm not saying those players are all going to make it, because that's not how it works, but that's the sort of profile we should be looking at. If we go 3 for 4, that would be good. Maybe a couple of those names will turn us down, but if we spend big on guys like Perisic or even Bale we're going to have to replace them by the time we even get to the level of a team like Juve or Atletico, never mind a Barca, Real or Bayern. And if we sign those players at 23 and they struggle for a year or two, we'll be able to sell them and recoup over half the fee anyways.
I know people want a British core, but unless Spurs players want to leave, I'm not sure there's a lot of safe young talent for us.
oh dear
Yep, this is exactly right. One guy Valencia reminds me of - who I also think he can be better than - is James Milner at Liverpool. Milner plays on the left, while Valencia on the right, but they are both attacking defensive backs. I've attacked heat maps of the two of them from the January 15 match as well as Mkhitaryan and Lallana (who were both playing as the forward wing on the same side).Making the right flank more defensively disciplined makes little sense IMO because the Valencia provides the most consistent attacking impetus out of all of our fullbacks with his driving runs from the deep - even though it's not always reflected in the raw final statistics. Given his ability to single-handedly dominate a flank and run for 90 mins, you can then put an inverted winger or inside forward ahead of him - a bit like Eto'o ahead of Maicon where he would link up with Milito as the second striker. Having a proper winger on the left flank also plays to Pogba's strength because he likes to drive through the inside left channel - so putting someone who will encroach upon his zone of influence as a forward could be counterproductive for both players. The ideal setup for what we have (and could potentially get as symbiotic fits) would be something like this IMO:
Nincompoop graphic edit, but you kind of get the idea of the zone of influence of each player, and a vague picture of their attacking/defensive remit. The left could sort of mirror what Madrid had in Di María and Arbeloa (more restricted than Marcelo - who opened up the flank on the outside with his probing runs for Cristiano to drive inwards).
As you can see, Valencia and Milner essentially cover the entire right/left side of the pitch, and not much else. What this means is that the winger at that position plays all over the pitch, but especially on the inside behind the striker. What that means is we do not need a true right sided wing. We need a proper attacking left wing, which will aid Pogba, and then we can play Rashford/Martial//Mkhitaryan/new add on the right side as an inverted wing or secondary inside forward.
A new global rice partner is probably our priority, followed by another 3-4 number 10s to be played out of position.
Pogba isn't a traditional #10 but he can easily line out there and drop deeper to the left hand side (ie the left of a midfield 3 with a licence to bust forward) He showed some very promising signs against Celta Vigo there as well.
State of the caf:
-------------------------------De Gea
---------------Valencia----Bailly----New CB----Shaw
-------------------------------New DM
--------------------------Herrera----Pogba
-------New Attacker-----New Striker----Martial
Imo we need a new CB, DM, wide attacker and ST. Off the top of my head, id like to see Van Dijk, ***Fabinho, Sanchez and Lukaku/Morata or Mbappe.
***I think we may need a Carrick type of a DM though. Someone who is very comfortable on the ball and can link defense and attack and save Pogba from having to do that job. I haven't seen a lot of Fabinho but he seems to be a popular choice on the caf and most likely attainable.
Also, I'm aware a lot wouldn't be too keen on Martial being in our starting 11 but I think he could be dangerous this season again after a tough second season.
---------------Valencia----Bailly----New CB----Shaw
-------------------------------New DM
--------------------------Herrera----Pogba
-------New Attacker-----New Striker----Martial
Imo we need a new CB, DM, wide attacker and ST. Off the top of my head, id like to see Van Dijk, ***Fabinho, Sanchez and Lukaku/Morata or Mbappe.
***I think we may need a Carrick type of a DM though. Someone who is very comfortable on the ball and can link defense and attack and save Pogba from having to do that job. I haven't seen a lot of Fabinho but he seems to be a popular choice on the caf and most likely attainable.
Also, I'm aware a lot wouldn't be too keen on Martial being in our starting 11 but I think he could be dangerous this season again after a tough second season.
Did we change manager? why so many with shaw in the line up for our best XI....and after no holds barred signings?
He might be good on Fifa or FM
Your thread reminds me a song
"I Want It All"
Adventure seeker on an empty street,
Just an alley creeper, light on his feet
A young fighter screaming, with no time for doubt
With the pain and anger can't see a way out,
It ain't much I'm asking, I heard him say,
Gotta find me a future move out of my way,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
Listen all you people, come gather round
I gotta get me a game plan, gotta shake you to the ground
Just give me what I know is mine,
People do you hear me, just give me the sign,
It ain't much I'm asking, if you want the truth
Here's to the future for the dreams of youth,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I'm a man with a one track mind,
So much to do in one life time (people do you hear me)
Not a man for compromise and where's and why's and living lies
So I'm living it all, yes I'm living it all,
And I'm giving it all, and I'm giving it all,
It ain't much I'm asking, if you want the truth,
Here's to the future, hear the cry of youth,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
I want it all, I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now,
[etc.]
Queen
Awesome, but your username sums up the window for me.
Every top player we have been linked with slams the door on us, this window has been so underwhelming so far.
We actually have no real muppet thread left to stalk, something needs to happen soon,or this muppet is going to whither away to nothing!
I know it's still early in the transfer window,but normally by now we would have something awesome to speculate ....not this shite at the moment.
Sundays used be great ... remember all the breaking news last year?
Sorry so bored with this right now.
The first question is who will leave this summer and bear in mind we offloaded 3 players on high salaries this winter in Scheinderlin,Depay and Schweini. Who out of these players will leave this summer? De Gea,Ibra,Rooney,Fellaini,either Jones/Smalling,Young,Darmian,Januzaj,Martial,Shaw ? Could we be looking at close to 7 to 10 players leaving since January? Many of them the highest earners in the squad.
Second question is who should we sign? I would like to see players like Dembele(Dortmund),Lukaku,Mbappe,Fabianho,Sigurdsson(Swansea),Lindelof,Tierney(Celtic) and play attacking football with speed and proper wing play.
Second question is who should we sign? I would like to see players like Dembele(Dortmund),Lukaku,Mbappe,Fabianho,Sigurdsson(Swansea),Lindelof,Tierney(Celtic) and play attacking football with speed and proper wing play.
Funny, I remember this song as a child and liked the rhythm.
Thanks God, I'm in a better frame of mind.Last year, there were more rumours and speculations because:
1. Last year, we had the Euro 2016 so there were clubs and players aiming at executing deals before the start of the competition
2. A new coach always generate more speculations as he is more likely to recruit a lot of players: quantity+quality last year VS. quality this summer. In other words, I expect Mourinho to target a max of 4 targets, the top priority being the offensive star.
The Champions League edition 16/17 is over and the game of musical chairs will probably start end June/start July
Yeah,you probably right,but it seems strange we have no real links to any other really good players of quality,the Griezman saga has really broken me,but I will remain optimistic that everything will fall into place as we go on.Funny, I remember this song as a child and liked the rhythm.
Last year, there were more rumours and speculations because:
1. Last year, we had the Euro 2016 so there were clubs and players aiming at executing deals before the start of the competition
2. A new coach always generate more speculations as he is more likely to recruit a lot of players: quantity+quality last year VS. quality this summer. In other words, I expect Mourinho to target a max of 4 targets, the top priority being the offensive star.
The Champions League edition 16/17 is over and the game of musical chairs will probably start end June/start July
Patience is a virtue they say
Just a Leipzig double scoop would do for me. Keita and Werner.
............................De Gea...............
Valencia.......Bailly......Blind/Rojo......Darmian............
......Keita.............Herrera.........Pogba...........
....Mkhitaryan.....Werner......Martial...................
............................De Gea...............
Valencia.......Bailly......Blind/Rojo......Darmian............
......Keita.............Herrera.........Pogba...........
....Mkhitaryan.....Werner......Martial...................
The issue is not United but the scarcity of available world-class offensive players. A ranking of scorers below
http://www.maxifoot.fr/classement-buteur-europe.htm
Aubameyang, Mbappé, Alexis sanchez? Who else is potentially available and interesting?
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You have a point. That's why they are the most valuable commodity in football. You can have as many world class defenders, midfielders, GKs and whatever but nothing like a top class offensive player. They are extremely rare though which is probably why Juventus despite being a brilliant team overall couldn't win the CL twice for the simple crime of having merely good offensive players instead of great ones.
We have a philosopher here, who thinks he knows better, but doesn't feel we are worthy of his wisdom.
Regarding this thread: if you had a money-no-object, realistic team, you would include Herrera (he is midfield engine) and you would not include Shaw (who has been consistently poor for 3 years, under different managers). Rojo would also need to be included.
Telling me
Herrera Fabinho Pogba
Bale --------------------Martial
-----------Rashford---------
Wouldn't be an immediate different team to what we saw last season?
Keep in mind the bench would include Mhiki and Mata
Our problem was we were not sharp enough in attack and had no spread of goals through the team....this changes it.
I'm not suggesting that's all we need (we clearly need a striker) but just those two signings would make a huge difference, not the wholesale changes you are implying, a team constantly changing rarely performs wells.
You are absolutely right. I think the view that we or a number of other teams need wholesale changes stems from the view that each position functions independent of the rest. When a team is not doing well, more often than not, all positions look weak or at least improvable. The reality is you can sometimes improves in just one or two areas and it will lift benefit everything. That's obviously not always the case. It's also weird how people underestimate the importance of a top, top offensive player. On the one hand, they are acknowledged to be some of the best of all of times and we all know they cost the most money, and yet people fail to see that adding just one of them will transform a team. If any PL team had a fit Bale this year, they would be champions. If they had the front three of Barcelona in 2015, they probably would have won a treble as well. Unfortunately players of that calibre are extremely rare and are hogged by two teams. If we can add just one or two of that ilk, yes we actually need nothing else (unless it is a problem of numbers like in midfield). If we cannot, well we will be somewhere between decent and good regardless of how many "good" players we get.
I thought the same. I don't think Shaw's future with us is too bright.
I'm also surprised to see so many teams without Mkhitaryan.