Not with his ability to go box to box - he is destined for midfielder.
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FWIW I think you are correct in the sense that it is where he will probably be played. I personally don't think it is his best position and it would be a mistake to try and mould him into something he isn't.
At his age and experience, he doesn't really have one tbh. Players evolve he may be better as a CB now but could be a lot better as a CM in future for instance.
Scholes best years came as a deeper midfielder, but he started out as an attacker for instance.
EDIT: I think the club needs to also think about what is best for the squad, we seem to have a lot of young talent at CB, but a need for the type of box to box CM that TFM could become
I think Varela will be sold. Would be very surprised if he gets another season, which would be harsh on him, but we probably need to make decisions like that. Darmian could be on his way out as well, especially if we go for Azpilicueta. Long-term Fosu-Mensah could be become that sort of midfielder, but short-term it simply makes more sense for me to play him there. His offensive qualities would be wasted as a centre-back and as a right-back or midfielder he wouldn't need to worry as much about making mistakes. I think we will sign a central midfielder, which makes the position as crowded as the full-back positions. Eventually he will nail down a position, but I don't think his positions needs to be defined currently.
Trouble is, and I'm pretty sure Mourinho will recognize this immediately, is that TFM's entire ability to go forward would be squandered if he was stuck at CB or RB. This is why he would most ideally be developed and deployed as a holding-box to box hybrid. His pace, tackling ability, and ability to go forward are ideally suited for this.
That doesn't make any sense. Mourinho's full-backs are allowed to attack and Fosu-Mensah has shown it under van Gaal.
He'd be relegated to one side of the field when his strengths are in the middle.
Wonderful to see that he is still very down to earth. It might be odd but it was nice to watch him get emotional when his friends were speaking in that video. Stark contrast to how Memphis portrays himself with his glitz and glamour. I really do hope he gets a chance this coming season regardless of where he gets that chance. For me it doesn't matter if he is tested at RB, DM, CB or wherever so long as he gets the opportunity and grasps it. We shouldn't be focused on where he will play positionally so much as how he impacts the team. If that impact comes at RB, CM, DM, or CB then so be it, I for one will be excited and delighted for him anyway.
He has shown last season that it isn't a limitation for him. There's more than enough time to move him to the centre later. I'm not suggesting to do it as long as we did it with Jones or Smalling, but one season there wouldn't hurt.
Can't see it happening - Mourinho will want to buy his own RB which in addition to our current options there will cause a lot of congestion if he attempts to shoehorn TFM in as well.
If it's Azpilicueta and Fosu-Mensah gets enough time elsewhere, it'd be great. I just hope he gets enough games.
Memphis has a video with his childhood friends as well and talking about their friendship and how he motivates him. It doesnt say too much.
Pretty much sums up my view on him.....
MrMujac is Aussie?
I believe he was born in England and lived in Australia for a while. Not sure for how long mind.
Been saying it, but I can't see how people can see what Mensah was doing and want us to sign Kante. There is nothing Kante does that TFM can't do for my money, and it will take him a lot less time than before his 25th to become as good or if not, better player than Kante. Kante isn't particularly graceful, not special for me, he's physically supreme and a great ball winner a d athlete. Mensah can do that role for the first team as early as next season I think.
Im a big fan of both and i would sign Kante at any cost. Kante proved(kind of, performances for France make me think he really is the real deal) his class at the highest level while Timmy is still a youth player and a lot can happen to a youth player we seen it many times, talent alone is not enough. Dont get me wrong, i still think TFM will be a player for us but im just saying we can take that for granted and even if he becames that player he wont reach(if he ever reaches) Kante level in his first or second season + dont think anyone at the club is sure what is his best position and where he will end up. Big possibility that he ends like a centerback.
Hype surrounding him and how it affects our possible lineups/transfers is staggering to me to say the least. Sure, I understand the potential and all the excitement but some stuff is just worrying as it borders delusion. It's not like he's been a regular last season.
Agree with this.
I usually don't get caught up in hyping up teenagers but in this case its well justified imo. Haven't been this enthusiastic about a young player in ages. He has all the tools to become a world class player.
Mourinho will love him.
This.
I'd be surprised if he gets too many games next season. Probably mainly play for the U21's or go out on loan.
I think he may make a breakthrough similar to Kurt Zouma under Mourinho. His versatility should make him useful in the first season but we have a lot of defensive players on the books at the minute. Will be interesting to see if many leave the club.
TFM will be a better player than Pogba in a couple of years. He just needs a manager with a bit of faith in youngsters.
Considering that the new Manager is already under pressure to pull tress in his 1st season I dont think he will get many chances. Probably 10mins cameos that Jose likes to give to youngsters
Considering that the new Manager is already under pressure to pull tress in his 1st season I dont think he will get many chances. Probably 10mins cameos that Jose likes to give to youngsters
Hopefully that happens but we don't lack for numbers as it stands.
I'd naturally love it if he became the best he can and be part of our squad but at no point I think we should claim that we don't need, e.g. Kante, because we have TFM or place him as a starter come next season, seems too much to ask for at the moment imo.
We've had huge hopes for Januzaj and Pereira as well, didn't work too well for them sadly. Hopefully it's not the case with TFM.
They are completely different though? Pogba's technique in striking a ball is absolutely unreal. As for TFM i'd be very happy if he just established himself as a solid defensive option for us.. attacking contributions would be icing on the cake.
We do lack of quantity of quality in our defence.
People are overestimating our options if they think we don't need TFM next season.The likes of Rojo,Jones,Darmian or even Blind doesn't fill me with much confidence.Even further forward there's no guarantee that Morgan/Carrick will step things up.
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TFM and Pogba are different types of player
True - TFM is very strong in defense, ball winning, and starting counters. Pogba is just strong all around, although far more so in attack.
Couldn't have put it any better!
I'm going to say this not because I don't think Fosu Mensah won't be able to do what Kante does and I'm going to say this not because I don't think Mensah won't be able to play in midfield but your comment is ridiculous for criticising anyone who wants Kante. I don't know how you can see Mensah as a player who can do Kante's job when he has never play in midfield for our first team apart from Norwich game when he came on after 85th mins. But 5 minutes performance isn't enough to confirm that Mensah can do Kante's job. He's been playing as a right back, left back, centre back more so it's obvious a lot of people will think he is a defender not a midfielder like Kante. Even in U21 he never played as a midfield. The only times he played as a midfield is when he was in our U18. Play in youth and first team are completely different level and style. So far we know that Mensah is very good defensively but having Kante isn't about his defensive contribution but also his stamina and tireless make him even more special. So it's not surprising why people want Kante in midfield.
I think that is a very linear way to look at it. Despite him rarely playing in midfield for us, he has still been on the football pitch, playing football, and in that time (in my opinion) he has managed to show the qualities I think we would be after in Kante. Football is very fluid, even as a full back, he has shown a number of times that he is a great tackler, and can drive with the ball, and a tireless athlete too. Much of his good work has been done centrally, despite him being listed at full back. If you watch a highlight video of his season, you would think he's played more than 5 mins centrally.
Kante is very good at what he does, but I still feel he is not a midfield great and what he brings to a team can be more easily replicated,mane Mensah has many of the tools to be able to do it. He wins most tackles, is probably as strong as Kante already, if not stronger, faster than him I think. I think he should get a shot, Kante himself has been under the radar for much of his career, and the right exposure and platform allowed him to blossom. We would likely have been dismissive of the idea of signing Kante a year ago. That is because he is no great midfielder in the traditional sense, but he has a certain skill set that can thrive in the right setting. I think Mensah does too.
Negatory.
The kids a midfielder. Mourinho will buy a CB in addition to Bailly and we will be set there. We can't squander TFM's ability to go forward by caging him into a CB or RB role. He is destined to be a box to box enforcer.
Top lad.
this
How can midfield who only played 5 minutes as a midfield is being compared to Kante who has done for a whole season? Being a great tackler and can drive with the ball aren't the only attributes you need to be a midfielder. There are more attributes he needs to show before he qualifies to be one of them, although I do think he can play as a midfielder but at the same I want proof not just bunch of talks. And also the tireless of Mensah when he played as a defenders and Kante as a midfielder in 442 formation are two complete different level.
Either he will become one or no, we shouldn't compare Mensah to Kante based on video, attributes when he plays in defense, and 5 minutes of came on as a midfielder against Norwich. This is not enough for evidence. This is why I disagree with the original poster when he criticised people who want Kante. It makes sense because Mensah hasn't show us enough to be a midfielder and it's fair enough if people want Kante.
Debatable. Scholes had an Indian summer to his football career but young Paul Scholes as a more attacking midfielder were his best years.
He was impressive in a deeper position, but he was exciting when he played a more dynamic role. World Class in both though.
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