We actually don't need a midfielder! | Post your starting XI and bench with potential positions you think we'll sign! CHECK OP!

passing-wind

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If Pogba goes we could do with a box to box or a number 8 of quality. If he stays then we should focus on a pure defensive mid. Bruno, Pogba, Fred and McTominay is a good mix but there needs to be an anchor. I'd even take Rice in this regard.
 

Fosu-Mens

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If Pogba goes we could do with a box to box or a number 8 of quality. If he stays then we should focus on a pure defensive mid. Bruno, Pogba, Fred and McTominay is a good mix but there needs to be an anchor. I'd even take Rice in this regard.
Partey, Tonali or Zakaria. Think we still need a defensive-oriented midfielder even if PP stays, which he should not. Ability wise he is our best player, but not really a good fit with our current set up and the "gritty" mentality OGS seems to want. And with Bruno, we already have a good (not as good as PP at his best) attacking minded midfielder.
 

mu4c_20le

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Partey, Tonali or Zakaria. Think we still need a defensive-oriented midfielder even if PP stays, which he should not. Ability wise he is our best player, but not really a good fit with our current set up and the "gritty" mentality OGS seems to want. And with Bruno, we already have a good (not as good as PP at his best) attacking minded midfielder.
We're not trying to become Stoke ffs :lol: having grit is fine but we desperately need creativity and offensive spark if we are to move away from tumescent football into a more attractive one. If Pogba goes he must be replaced with someone like Havertz, maybe even Coutinho.
 

Mcking

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If Pogba stays then it's not a priority. Fred/Mctominay can be upgraded but only if we are ready to challenge the league and go far in the CL.. i'd say a right forward is more important, because James isn't a starter.
If Pogba stays then he will most likely have a starting place alongside Bruno. Who would be the third midfielder though?
 

Fosu-Mens

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We're not trying to become Stoke ffs :lol: having grit is fine but we desperately need creativity and offensive spark if we are to move away from tumescent football into a more attractive one. If Pogba goes he must be replaced with someone like Havertz, maybe even Coutinho.
How would you define the likes of Brandon Williams, McT and AWB? Gritty players will always do their job to the best of their abilities, not throw in the towel if things are not ideal. A player can be gritty while still be able to perform on other occasions than a rainy day in Stoke.
Havertz has become more a finisher than a creator over the last season. And we already have Bruno as the main attacking option among our midfielders. If we(and by the deities I hope we do) get Sancho, then we would have two creators. What we lack are midfielders that can help in the build-up and bring the ball into the final third for Bruno (and Sancho).
 

UpWithRivers

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Pogba stays + Sancho - Easy fourth/Pushing third/second
Pogba stays + Sancho + Party/Ndidi - challenging for most of season then end up 2nd
Pogba stays + Sancho + Partey/Ndidi + striker Werner/Aubamayang - Think we would win it

Pogba goes + only Sancho - 4th
Pogba goes + Sancho + Grealish/Maddison - 3rd
Pogba goes + Sancho + Party/Ndidi - 3rd
Pogba goes + Sancho + Grealish/Maddison + striker Werner/Aubamayang - 2nd

Obviously this depends on how other teams around us do especially how City rebuild and if Liverpool keep up their relentless pace. If they drop off then we could win it with just Sancho if he has a blinder of a season and the rest of the team does
 

Zlatattack

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I made a thread a couple of weeks back asking whether fans feel we need an attacking midfielder or defensive midfielder. Now, a lot of us, including myself, talk about bringing in X amount of players, but don't really think about the week to week matchday squad and the players that would be potentially left out of that.

Currently, in midfield (defensive and attacking midfield position) we have:

Matic
Pogba
McTominay
Fred
Bruno
Lingard
Pereira
Mata

This means, because Ole favours a 4231, more often than not, only 5 players from the above list will be actually be in the match day squad. Normally three defensive midfielders and two attacking midfielders. More recently, it has been Bruno, Fred and Matic starting, with McTominay and Mata on the bench.

That leaves three out of the matchday squad. Now, because two of those players have recently been Pereira and Lingard, people won't bat an eyelid, as most would say they aren't good enough to make our matchday squad. However, Pogba when he returns will be in the matchday squad, so who out of that list above drops out.

This is why I say I don't think we need another midfielder. Obviously if players leave the situation changes, but as it stands, we have too many players, in my opinion.

Yes, we will possibly have injuries, but that's when the fringe/youth players come in. Give Pereira and Lingard's spot to Gomes and Garner. See how they fare.

EDIT:

To make this clearer, I want people to put their starting XI, subs and back up players, highlighting the midfielders. Add any potential signings you feel we'll make.

For example,

Martial
Rashford Bruno Winger
Fred Pogba
Shaw Maguire Lindelof Wan-Bissaka
De Gea

Romero Bailly Williams McTominay James Greenwood Ighalo

Standby: Matic, Mata

Youth players: Gomes, Garner

We could possibly get an attacking midfielder to put on the bench for James/Greenwood.
As a club we have the ambition to play in Europe, domestically and in the Cup competitions. This means for the majority of the season we're playing 2 games a week. Our current midfield cannot do that on a high level.

Matic - cannot play every week. Needs breaks, rotating to get the best out of him.

Pogba - an excellent player, but inconsistent. Will he stay? Will he sow up every week?

McTominay and Fred - both good box to box midfielders. Can do a job going back and forwards.

Bruno - a revelation.

Lingard and Pereira - both terrible and need to be replaced ASAP.

MATA - quick mind, slow legs. Works really well with Bruno, but not as good without.

If we think of 4231 our central midfield is...

Fred Pogba
Bruno

Or

McT Matic
Mata

You can swap them around maybe, but 2 of these 6 are part time now. With injuries and the need for competition. We need a CDM and an AM.
 

Champagne Football

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Partey, Ndidi and Tonali are not realistic targets. Kalvin Phillips too is probably not realistic if Leeds go up as expected.

Rice, Zakaria and Soumare would be realistic targets. I think Ole will pounce for another defensive midfielder as Matic doesn't have the legs to play every game next season.
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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As a club we have the ambition to play in Europe, domestically and in the Cup competitions. This means for the majority of the season we're playing 2 games a week. Our current midfield cannot do that on a high level.

Matic - cannot play every week. Needs breaks, rotating to get the best out of him.

Pogba - an excellent player, but inconsistent. Will he stay? Will he sow up every week?

McTominay and Fred - both good box to box midfielders. Can do a job going back and forwards.

Bruno - a revelation.

Lingard and Pereira - both terrible and need to be replaced ASAP.

MATA - quick mind, slow legs. Works really well with Bruno, but not as good without.

If we think of 4231 our central midfield is...

Fred Pogba
Bruno

Or

McT Matic
Mata

You can swap them around maybe, but 2 of these 6 are part time now. With injuries and the need for competition. We need a CDM and an AM.
Put a CDM and AM in the squad and show me your starting XI and bench for next season, please.
 

lex talionis

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We need a holding mid to supplement, or supplant, Matic. Matic has been in fine form of late, but we can't count on him for an entire 9 month season. Garner might be the man for the job, but I have no idea if he's ready yet. Probably not.

I had high hopes for Pereira but his future at OT is not a sure thing. Lingard is a disaster and should be offloaded, if possible.
 

RkkMan

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With talk of Pogba staying at least another season and the COVID-19 giving clubs a financial hit the club won't prioritize a midfielder this summer IMO more likely Sancho and Ighalo and that's that. Plus if Ole goes back to 4-2-3-1 when everyone is fit, our CM options will be Pogba, McTominay, Matic and Fred with Garner/Levitt as extra options and Bruno, Mata and Andreas as no10 options(Lingard will leave) so while midfield can be improved options there are solid and can get us a solid top 3/4 finish
 

cyril C

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If Pogba goes we could do with a box to box or a number 8 of quality. If he stays then we should focus on a pure defensive mid. Bruno, Pogba, Fred and McTominay is a good mix but there needs to be an anchor. I'd even take Rice in this regard.
Put yourself in Rice' shoe. Would you join United to be a 3rd choice MF? Bruno probably starts 80%. Fred & Pogba fight for or share the 50 games slot. Matic is currently the 1st choice DMF with McTom as backup. This isn't just a problem to Rice, but to any youngish MF as well. If I stay at wherever I can play 40 games a season, joining Utd I will probably get 10.
 

davidmichael

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Even if Pogba signs a new deal and stays we’ll still need an out and out defensive midfielder as Matic is our only one and despite having a recent resurgence he's in need of upgrading on and replacing long term, neither McTominay or Fred are defensive midfielders in the same vein as Matic.

If Pogba leaves then we need an attacking midfielder and a defensive midfielder otherwise we’re an injury to Fernandes away from Lingard and Pereira filling the role of main creative source, we don’t need much but depending on Pogba midfield is somewhere we do need to strengthen as well as right wing.
 

Devil may care

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If Pogba stays it doubles the need for a proper DM, him in a 2 with Fred isn't going to work, I wish people would realize that he only works in that system for France because international football is much slower than the PL, and most importantly they sacrifice the LW with Matuidi who tucks in to essentially make a midfield 3 with Pogba and Kante.

Matic will be 32 by the time we start playing a game, we need to be looking beyond him, if he's not satisifed with not making some match day squads then he can bounce, same goes for Mata, but I don't expect any fuss from the latter as I can see him on the coaching staff here as the longer term plan.
 

jamesjimmybyrondean

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If Pogba stays it doubles the need for a proper DM, him in a 2 with Fred isn't going to work, I wish people would realize that he only works in that system for France because international football is much slower than the PL, and most importantly they sacrifice the LW with Matuidi who tucks in to essentially make a midfield 3 with Pogba and Kante.

Matic will be 32 by the time we start playing a game, we need to be looking beyond him, if he's not satisifed with not making some match day squads then he can bounce, same goes for Mata, but I don't expect any fuss from the latter as I can see him on the coaching staff here as the longer term plan.
It's imbalanced but we've played this season with Pogba and Mctominay in a two. How did that work out?
 

jamesjimmybyrondean

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Even if Pogba signs a new deal and stays we’ll still need an out and out defensive midfielder as Matic is our only one and despite having a recent resurgence he's in need of upgrading on and replacing long term, neither McTominay or Fred are defensive midfielders in the same vein as Matic.

If Pogba leaves then we need an attacking midfielder and a defensive midfielder otherwise we’re an injury to Fernandes away from Lingard and Pereira filling the role of main creative source, we don’t need much but depending on Pogba midfield is somewhere we do need to strengthen as well as right wing.
Very correct. We've been having a maximum of 3 incomings in the summer. If we keep Pogba, DM ST and RW should be the priority. If the plan is to get Sancho as RW then we better have a big budget because we also need a DM and ST
 

wolvored

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It's not good enough in terms of quality. Lingard and Pereira haven't been good for a while and shouldn't even be considered as options. Matic and Mata have improved lately, but I think we should know by now not to put our trust in them going into a new season. Pogba, Bruno, Fred and McTominay are the ones we really have now.
Our options are not very good in terms of balance too. We don't have a specialist holding midfielder that would be able to play every game. Pogba and Bruno are our best options, and has to play. We need a holding midfielder to play with them regardless of the numbers we have.
Well said and even Pogba is no guarantee of being here whenever the next season starts
 

Devil may care

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It's imbalanced but we've played this season with Pogba and Mctominay in a two. How did that work out?
I don't know the exact stats or the context of those stats but we looked a lot more solid to the eye with Fred and McTominay as a pairing, I mean Pogba has barely played this season and when used deeper he's always a liability defensively as it's just not his natural game.
 

Devil may care

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Very correct. We've been having a maximum of 3 incomings in the summer. If we keep Pogba, DM ST and RW should be the priority. If the plan is to get Sancho as RW then we better have a big budget because we also need a DM and ST
Well the striker is likely to either be Igalho or we seem to be interested in Cavani on a free, so it seems clear Ole is looking purely for a older squad striker that isn't going to cost a big fee.
 

cyril C

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I don't know the exact stats or the context of those stats but we looked a lot more solid to the eye with Fred and McTominay as a pairing, I mean Pogba has barely played this season and when used deeper he's always a liability defensively as it's just not his natural game.
Pogba + McTom was the pairing last season, and beginning of this season, didn't work out much, right?

Pogba is a liability in deep, but he can make it if he wants to, as he is a competent box2box MF for France. His biggest liability is himself, show up when he likes if he likes.
 

Nikelesh Reddy

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I made a thread a couple of weeks back asking whether fans feel we need an attacking midfielder or defensive midfielder. Now, a lot of us, including myself, talk about bringing in X amount of players, but don't really think about the week to week matchday squad and the players that would be potentially left out of that.

Currently, in midfield (defensive and attacking midfield position) we have:

Matic
Pogba
McTominay
Fred
Bruno
Lingard
Pereira
Mata

This means, because Ole favours a 4231, more often than not, only 5 players from the above list will be actually be in the match day squad. Normally three defensive midfielders and two attacking midfielders. More recently, it has been Bruno, Fred and Matic starting, with McTominay and Mata on the bench.

That leaves three out of the matchday squad. Now, because two of those players have recently been Pereira and Lingard, people won't bat an eyelid, as most would say they aren't good enough to make our matchday squad. However, Pogba when he returns will be in the matchday squad, so who out of that list above drops out.

This is why I say I don't think we need another midfielder. Obviously if players leave the situation changes, but as it stands, we have too many players, in my opinion.

Yes, we will possibly have injuries, but that's when the fringe/youth players come in. Give Pereira and Lingard's spot to Gomes and Garner. See how they fare.

EDIT:

To make this clearer, I want people to put their starting XI, subs and back up players, highlighting the midfielders. Add any potential signings you feel we'll make.

For example,

Martial
Rashford Bruno Winger
Fred Pogba
Shaw Maguire Lindelof Wan-Bissaka
De Gea

Romero Bailly Williams McTominay James Greenwood Ighalo

Standby: Matic, Mata

Youth players: Gomes, Garner

We could possibly get an attacking midfielder to put on the bench for James/Greenwood.
It’s not about number and it’s not about how these lads have performed for a short period of time,we unquestionably need more quality in midfield.We desperately need a deep lying playmaker,someone in the Michael Carrick/Tony Kroos mould.We don’t need a holding midfielder in the middle,and we don’t need a box to box midfielder if Pogba stays.But we certainly need a deep lying playmaker who can help set the tempo of a game...Someone who can just sit in front of the back four and confidently pass the ball forward...
 

Champagne Football

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Donny Van de Beek is a name we will absolutely go for if Madrid opt against signing him. He'd be ideal as our deep-lying midfielder next to Fred/Scott and Bruno.

Van de Beek and Sancho would be an outstanding summer.
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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It’s not about number and it’s not about how these lads have performed for a short period of time,we unquestionably need more quality in midfield.We desperately need a deep lying playmaker,someone in the Michael Carrick/Tony Kroos mould.We don’t need a holding midfielder in the middle,and we don’t need a box to box midfielder if Pogba stays.But we certainly need a deep lying playmaker who can help set the tempo of a game...Someone who can just sit in front of the back four and confidently pass the ball forward...
I agree its not about the numbers, and in an ideal world, it'd be nice to have a player like Carrick/Kroos, but you have to be realistic, in that, even without Mata, Pereira, Lingard and Matic, we have four midfielders in Bruno, Pogba, McTominay and Fred, who, if they are here next season, you'd expect they'd make the matchday squad every week, providing they're fit. Bruno and Pogba are arguably world class, and Fred and McTominay have had excellent seasons to date. Highly unlikely that Ole is thinking about upgrading those four for now. That possibly leaves space for one midfielder if Ole will look to phase Matic out next season, giving the choice of, what I would say, 5 very good midfielders.

Question is, what type of midfielder would Ole want to add to our current squad?

Attacking Midfielder

Someone who will be a good back up to Bruno. Currently, if Bruno was to get injured, we'd have to go back to Pereira or Lingard, which most would agree they're not at the required level.

Holding midfielder/Deep Lying Playmaker


Someone who will sit in front of the back four and allow Pogba/Fred/McTominay to play the box to box role.

Versatile midfielder

A playmaker who can play both as a 10 and 6, meaning they can come in and cover for Bruno and Pogba.


Now from the options, if we are to add to our midfield list, then I would lean towards getting a versatile midfielder. Someone who can play as an attacking and deep midfielder.

That would leave us with a starting XI and bench of something like:

Martial
Rashford Bruno Winger
Fred Pogba
Shaw Maguire Lindelof Wan-Bissaka
De Gea

Romero Bailly Williams McTominay New Midfielder James/Greenwood Striker (Ighalo?)


 

Walters_19_MuFc

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Pogba + McTom was the pairing last season, and beginning of this season, didn't work out much, right?

Pogba is a liability in deep, but he can make it if he wants to, as he is a competent box2box MF for France. His biggest liability is himself, show up when he likes if he likes.
That's incorrect. Ole only started playing a 4231 this season. When he first joined, more often than not, we played a 433, with Pogba as the most advanced midfielder.

This season, we started the season with Pogba and McTominay. Won 4-0 against Chelsea. We then went on to play Wolves, Palace and Soton, respectively, drawing two and losing one. Not great reading, but the problem was far from the pivot of Pogba and McTominay, but more so because of inability to break teams down. Had we had Bruno back then, I doubt this would have been a problem.
 

eltigreFalcao

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Matic - wouldn't mind him leaving, need upgrade anyways
Pogba - ideal scenario he stays and put all the sh*tshow behind
McTominay - good for rotation
Fred - if consistent, a starter
Bruno - hopefully grow into the great performance he has had
Lingard - rid
Pereira - rid, no mercy

Mata - wouldn't mind him staying for te year and half he still have on his contract, can rotate with Fernandes and nurture Gomes, whom I expect to take this role sooner rather than later

So,
Pogba - Fred - Bruno > best starters
McT - Mata > backup
Gomes - Garner > promotion, they deserve the chance.

If Pogba goes there's no argument, we need at least his replacement, hopefully not a downgrade on him. Nevertheless, I believe we could benefit a lot in reinforcing the midfield, with a holding midfielder to compete with Fred the one more needed, should definitely be better than McT if we're ambitious.

Options: Partey, Neves, V de Beek, Fabian Ruiz, D Zakaria, Saul, Ndidi
 

jamesjimmybyrondean

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Matic - wouldn't mind him leaving, need upgrade anyways
Pogba - ideal scenario he stays and put all the sh*tshow behind
McTominay - good for rotation
Fred - if consistent, a starter
Bruno - hopefully grow into the great performance he has had
Lingard - rid
Pereira - rid, no mercy

Mata - wouldn't mind him staying for te year and half he still have on his contract, can rotate with Fernandes and nurture Gomes, whom I expect to take this role sooner rather than later

So,
Pogba - Fred - Bruno > best starters
McT - Mata > backup
Gomes - Garner > promotion, they deserve the chance.

If Pogba goes there's no argument, we need at least his replacement, hopefully not a downgrade on him. Nevertheless, I believe we could benefit a lot in reinforcing the midfield, with a holding midfielder to compete with Fred the one more needed, should definitely be better than McT if we're ambitious.

Options: Partey, Neves, V de Beek, Fabian Ruiz, D Zakaria, Saul, Ndidi
Our most consistent player this that became consistent when he started playing consistently
 

jamesjimmybyrondean

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Bruno Fred and Pogba are definitely starters. Mctominay is solid as a bench player and rotational option. Matic should be used like Mata and should play in the easy cup games or come during injury crisis. Pereira and Lingard should be binned.

So that means Bruno Fred and Pogba are the definite starters. And only Mctominay is a solid back up. So we need another midfielder for rotation.

Id say who we should get depends on how Ole sees Pogba. If Ole seed Pogba as a deep lying playmaker behind the AM then we should get an AM that can rotate with Bruno. If Ole sees Pogba as a versatile midfielder that can play attacking and defensive midfield then we should get a DM
 

Devil may care

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Pogba + McTom was the pairing last season, and beginning of this season, didn't work out much, right?

Pogba is a liability in deep, but he can make it if he wants to, as he is a competent box2box MF for France. His biggest liability is himself, show up when he likes if he likes.
Didn't work at all IMO, McTominay had way too much to do off the ball, Pogba tried IMO but it just isn't a natural part of his game and I don't see that changing at this point in his career, if he stays we will have to buy accordingly.
 

cyril C

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That's incorrect. Ole only started playing a 4231 this season. When he first joined, more often than not, we played a 433, with Pogba as the most advanced midfielder.

This season, we started the season with Pogba and McTominay. Won 4-0 against Chelsea. We then went on to play Wolves, Palace and Soton, respectively, drawing two and losing one. Not great reading, but the problem was far from the pivot of Pogba and McTominay, but more so because of inability to break teams down. Had we had Bruno back then, I doubt this would have been a problem.
What happened during initial part of the season
Wolves - we scored first, but conceded later
Crystal Palace - we conceded first, equalised but then couldn't defend at extra time
Southampton - scored 1st, conceded later
West Ham - couldn't defend at all
Arsenal - scored first, conceded later
Newcastle - couldn't score, conceded late
Liverpool - scored 1st, conceded late

Unable to break down a team is 1 problem, but inability to defend is a bigger problem. So the obvious deficiency is lack of balance in the team - while we tried to score we over-exposed, we failed on set pieces, we couldn't break down a bus, and even if we did, we failed to kill the game.

Having both Pogba and Bruno doesn't address any of these problems. Having Bruno addressing the Bus problem, return of Matic address the balance and defense (part of it) problem. I am afraid to say that Pogba and Bruno is complementary of each other, that unless we are chasing a game, we can't afford BOTH of them at the same time.

Matic - McTom - Fred, we need minimum 1 preferably 2 of them, and Bruno must start most of the time. Pogba, if he wants to leave, his agent should work harder instead of empty talk.
 

James Ward

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United currently have five midfielders:

Pogba
Bruno,
Fred
Scott
Matic.

If Pogba leaves we need minimun two midfielders - Replacement for Pogba and some to help/replace/takeover from Matic.

If Pogba stays then just a proper defensive midfielder.

That leaves us with six midfielders.

Andreas and Jesse are finished and I hate saying it but Mata is as well.
 
Last edited:

JJ12

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Love to see Pogba, Lingard and Pereira gone and replaced with Tonali and Grealish.

Highly unlikely but I like to dream.

On De Beek - what position is he playing. I remember him starting off deeper in his career but then moving further forward when he 'burst on to the scene'
 

SoCross

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We need to get a better version of Mata and if Pogba goes, then let’s talk about getting a central midfielder in.

Pogba, Bruno, Mata 2.0 - that’s enough creativity in the starting eleven.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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We do still need a midfielder but it is and was not as much as priority as no 10 (signed Bruno), a backup striker (signed Ighalo on loan) & a right side forward/winger.

However, if Pogba leaves then the idea of signing midfield is becoming as important as signing right side forward/winger.
 

Inter Yer Nan

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Partey, Ndidi and Tonali are not realistic targets. Kalvin Phillips too is probably not realistic if Leeds go up as expected.

Rice, Zakaria and Soumare would be realistic targets. I think Ole will pounce for another defensive midfielder as Matic doesn't have the legs to play every game next season.
Partey is realistic. He gave some quotes which suggest he doesn't think he's getting a great offer or reason to extend from Atletico. He has a low release clause. The only ways it isn't realistic is if we are not in for him at all or if Atletico give him a lot otherwise if we want him and Atletico aren't paying him what he is demanding then we've as good a chance as anyone of getting him.
 

Dve

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I´d like so see United altering between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 next season. But do we have anyone that could play DM alone in a 4-3-3?

My thought is that we may not need to buy a new DM if we sign Koulibaly. He´s a DC, I know, but if we had Maguire + Koulibaly in defence, we could perhaps do with either Matic or McTominay as a single DM in front of them.

Something like:

------------------De Gea

Bissaka - Koulibaly - Maguire - Shaw

---------- McTominay (Matic)

Fernandes (Fred) ---- Pogba (Grealish)

----Sancho - Martial - Rashford
(Greenwood - Ighalo - James)
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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I´d like so see United altering between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 next season. But do we have anyone that could play DM alone in a 4-3-3?

My thought is that we may not need to buy a new DM if we sign Koulibaly. He´s a DC, I know, but if we had Maguire + Koulibaly in defence, we could perhaps do with either Matic or McTominay as a single DM in front of them.

Something like:

------------------De Gea

Bissaka - Koulibaly - Maguire - Shaw

---------- McTominay (Matic)

Fernandes (Fred) ---- Pogba (Grealish)

----Sancho - Martial - Rashford
(Greenwood - Ighalo - James)
If you expect us to have money to sign Koulibaly, Grealish & Sancho while keeping Pogba in one window for next season then you are in delusional. Very unrealistic.
 

Dve

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If you expect us to have money to sign Koulibaly, Grealish & Sancho while keeping Pogba in one window for next season then you are in delusional. Very unrealistic.
Perhaps. That would cost us around 250m (Ighalo included). Could get some money in, though (going by the valuation at Transfermarkt):

Smalling: 20m
Lingard: 22m
Pereira: 20m
Jones: 9m
Rojo: 10m

= 81m

250 - 81 = 169m spent

A lot of ifs in this of course, but maybe not impossible.
 
Last edited:

MalcolmTucker

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Jul 14, 2014
Messages
1,810
I´d like so see United altering between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 next season. But do we have anyone that could play DM alone in a 4-3-3?

My thought is that we may not need to buy a new DM if we sign Koulibaly. He´s a DC, I know, but if we had Maguire + Koulibaly in defence, we could perhaps do with either Matic or McTominay as a single DM in front of them.

Something like:

------------------De Gea

Bissaka - Koulibaly - Maguire - Shaw

---------- McTominay (Matic)

Fernandes (Fred) ---- Pogba (Grealish)

----Sancho - Martial - Rashford
(Greenwood - Ighalo - James)
As great as that teams looks there is absolutely no chance that happens
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Erik ten Hag
Perhaps. That would cost us around 250m (Ighalo included). Could get some money inn, though (going by the valuation at Transfermarkt):

Smalling: 20m
Lingard: 22m
Pereira: 20m
Jones: 9m
Rojo: 10m

= 81m

250 - 81 = 169m spent

A lot of ifs in this of course, but maybe not impossible.
Every year, people in here are keep making it sounds easy.

If it was that easy selling players, why it took us 3 years to finally sell Darmian? How come we couldn't sell Rojo & Smalling that both of them had to leave on loan? Who in the world want to spend 20m each for Lingard & Pereira?