What would be your transfer / personnel strategy in the coming transfer windows?

the chameleon

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May 20, 2012
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Goalkeepers
- That's sorted. If De Gea goes we should just promote from within and give Romero a run. He's a decent keeper and I'm all for chances. Let him compete with Henderson, who I think is outstanding and almost De Geaesque in shot stopping. Plus I love how he's not happy to stay and be no 2 at such a young age.

Central defence
- Keep Lindelof, Bailly and Smalling. Bring back Tuanzebe.
- Sell Jones and Rojo.
- Bring in Koulibaly, Skiriniar or De Ligt.

Fullbacks
- Give Luke Shaw and Dalot full runs.
- Keep either Young (we need to keep someone with experience). -
- Use Ethan Laird as competition for Dalot on the right.
- Sell Valencia.
- Buy Tierney to compete with Shaw.

Central Midfield
- Sell Pogba. Sell Matic.
Herrera, Fred, Mata and Pereira should be the only remaining midfielders. We give both Fred and Pereira a proper chance.
- We should also Garner and Gomes from the youth team. Let's run with this set up until January 2020.
- I would go all out for De Jong if possible.
Attackers / Wing
We need a high work-rate attack.
- Sell Lukaku.
- Find a way to get rid of Sanchez.
- Keep Martial, Rashford and Lingard.
- Promote Greenwood to play interchangeably between right and centrally.
- Start working towards a summer 2020 bid for Sancho to fill right wing attacking spot.
- Buy one experienced forward / winger in the summer. Someone like Lozano etc.

The buying would be
- Skiriniar
- Koulibaly
- Tierney
- De Jong (if possible)
- An attacker like Lozana.
- But then going all out for Jadon Sancho for the summer 2020 transfer window
 
DoF: Appoint one. Luis Campos(Monaco team and now at highflying Lille, and known for finding talented players). The most important element is that we get one with experience from the field, unless Woodward reinstates himself as a DoF and hires a new CEO(previously a DoF) as the person to take care of the commercialside of things.
Manager: Eddie Howe/Pochettino: Both young managers, knows the Premier League, plays attacking football/not defensive at least, both are good with the players and seems able to build trust with the players trough more modern approaches, not afraid to play youngsters. Most importantly they have shown that they are able to improve their team through coaching and training.

Transfers: Would like to offload the deadwood(either in the form of a player simply not being good enough, or a player earning a lot more than he deserves.). The team will not be good enough to challenge for the title next season unless we buy Man City or Liverpool. Better to build for the future, but at the same time strengthen the squad.
GK:
As it is. Keep DDG. Enough backup. If Romeo wants to go, he can.

Fullbacks:
Keep: Young(as a backup for a season), If Dalot continues to perform for the remainder of the season he can have the spoy, TFM/Laird can be additional backups on both sides if needed.
In: Tierney(LB sorted, unless injury), a RB.
Out: Darmian(Wants to go to Italy, let him go home), Valencia(Unless he will accept a low paid contract.), Shaw is overrated and overpaid(overeaten also?) and if clubs are interested then let him go.

CB:
Keep: Lindelof, Smalling and Bailly. In case we want to play 3 at the back during some games it is good to have some numbers.
In: Akanji/Ake and Alderweireld(for £25m he is relatively cheap, never been physically dominant so age will not be the biggest issue).
Out: Rojo and Jones.

CDM/CM:
Keep: Herrera(Rotation), Pogba(Let us see how he does under a new manager before judging him), Fred(See Pogba reasoning), Fellaini(in case we play against a team full of c**ts, also backup). Gomes and Garner partially promoted and given gametime.
In: Aouar(Better than Frenkie), Raboit(Dependet on contract demands), someone defensive minded that can do his job.
Out: Matic(If we can flip him), Pereira(will get a decent amount of £££).

Wingers/Inside forwards/Attacking midfielders/Strikers
Keep: Mata(If he accept a substantial lower wage), Lingard(perfect squad player), Martial(FC), Rashford.Chong and Greenwood partially promoted and given gametime.
In: Suso(£35m clause, don't care that he played for Pool), Sancho, Jovic.
Out: Sanchez(Hopefully someone will take him and the wages he is on for free. The decline started his last season at Arsenal), Lukaku(Hopefully someone will give us a decent amount for him.).

Summary:
In:
Tierney
RB.
Akanji/Ake
Alderweireld
Aouar
Someone defensive minded(Probably the "flavour of the month" player in L1)
Suso
Sancho
Jovic.

Out:
Darmian
Valencia
Shaw
Jones
Rojo
Matic
Pereira
Sanchez
Lukaku
 
I just think we need to have a little more conviction in our strategy.

Clearly Woodward's idea - like most other clubs - is to spend big on the best of the best and then build talented developing players around those rocks, but executes this strategy in an inexpert, ponderous, indecisive manner. He also confuses the best of the best with the best of the best branded players and ignores actual transfer expertise.

For example Varane is his first choice centre-back that he'd pay the silly money for (for good reason), but places the likes of van Djik, Skriniar, Koulibaly as "oh my goodness too expensive" on the rank below that, completely failing to factor in attainability and how much value they themselves would add to the squad despite their lesser profile.

A club like Liverpool on the other hand trust their manager and scouting department and just pay the silly money for Alisson, van Djik etc and make the shrewd supplementary acquisitions such as Robertson and Oxlade-Chamberlain (Lindelof/Fred) around this to reap the rewards.
 
Appoint DoF

Appoint Zidane as Manager

Outs:
Jones
Rojo
Darmian
Pereira
Sanchez
Lukaku.

Ins:
Icardi,
Dembele / Memphis
Kante / Ndombele
Nikola Milenković / Milan Škriniar
Benjamin Pavard.
 
(1st)
Football Manager
- Manager have the biggest direct influence to the squad and thus the football.
- replace the current one with a more positive candidate.
+ Try Pochettino, he's wasted at Spurs, can't take them any more higher. Or Howe. Or Zidane. Or Blanc.
+ need fresh new ideas and better football identity, hopefully a more positive football too.
- just replace Mourinho first, try someone else.

(2nd)
Football Director
- Second priority.
- we sort of already 'have one' at the club, 2-4 employees made up a personnel that acts like how a DOF is.
- If manager is fine, a terrible DOF can hide behind and safe.
- Turns out our manager is not, thus the personnel are criticized heavily.
+ Get a competitive one who knows more about football and the United way to join that DOF personnel, would help the Football team a lot backstage.

(3rd)
Football Squad
- third priority.
- overall our squad is not bad, but there are ongoing concern there.

Goalkeepers
- After this season, just one more season De Gea will be here, contract.
- So a fresh new manager to convince him to stay a bit more is important.
- Same strategy to this season,
  • 1st choice De Gea
  • 2nd choice Romero
  • 3rd choice Grant
  • Loans to improve with games -- Henderson and Joel P.
- If De Gea is leaving still not convinced, try Henderson as temporal 1st choice, with Romero and Grant to back him up if he falters until Dean finds his feet.
- If Dean fails to convince after enough many games eg. like the case of Foster, go get a new one.

Center-backs
- Get rid of Rojo, and Jones.
- Bailly, Lindelof, Smalling and Tuanzebe are enough, how many CBs do a team really need, 4 fit CBs are enough. We need 5 CBs now because of RoJones.
- Let them fight for the 2 slots.

Fullbacks
- Mitchel and TFM joined squad, there done, solved.
- Keep Young.
- Sell Valencia and Darmian, it's time to go.
- Tuanzebe to cover both.

Midfielders
- Don't get anyone new, we have plenty already.
- Sell Fellaini, time to go, thanks.
- Matic should only be used in the big games.
- Herrera should be the key starter, his injury record seems to be getting worser so use him selectively with good timings and rests.
- Pogba another.
- the other slot to be compete by Fred vs Pereira.
- McTominay as important cover, the role he should have.
- 6 midfielders for 3 slots, is enough, with two oldest (Herrera and Matic) used sparingly, and the 4 young 'uns play more games.

Attackers
R Rashford right wing
L Martial left wing
- That's the only two wingers we have, Rashford 2nd choice left wing, while Pereira and Sanchez* to cover both.
- change the formation/system if we don't have R & M eg. 4-3-3 to 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-2-1, no wingers formation.
CAM
1 Sanchez*
2 Fred
3 Lingard
4 Mata
- in that order, Fred to cover.
- Gomes and Chong to join in bit by bit more and more.

//Alexis Sanchez
* = depends whether we should keep him or sell him.
- the problem is his contract, imo it have some bad effects on the team.
- if he's willing to renegotiate and reduce his wages, keep him.
- if not, sell the merc.

Strikers
1 Martial
2 Rashford
3 Sanchez*
4 Lukaku, super sub.
- In that order with youth eg. Greenwood coming in bit by bit.

---

Summary:
  1. New Manager
  2. New strong right employee to join our 'DOF' personnel.
  3. Football Squad,
GK: De Gea, Romero, Grant, (+Henderson)
CB: Smalling, Bailly, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, (+TFM)
RB: Dalot, TFM, Young (+Tuanzebe)
LB: Shaw, Mitchell, Young (+Tuanzebe)
CDM: Herrera, Matic, McTominay, (+Pereira)
CM: Pogba, Fred, Pereira (+McTominay)
RW: Rashford (+Pereira)
LW: Martial, Rashford (+Pereira)
CAM: Sanchez*, Lingard, Mata (+Fred)
ST: Martial, Rashford
Super Sub: Lukaku

4. Youths coming in bit by bit: Gomes, Chong, Greenwood, etc.​
 
New manager and dof goes without saying.. my preference would be poch/jardim and andrea berta,.. the squad is weak in key areas.

Inn:
Cb :Alderweireld
CB: Akanji,
Cdm: Ruben neves
Rw: Leon bailey.

Out:
Phil Jones,
Darmian,
Valencia,
Rojo,
 
Out:
Jose, it has to start with Mr. Big Ego
Rojo
Jones
Darmian
Valencia

In:
Manager: Nagelsmann, Rose or an british version of them
The new manager has to be the start of something new, no old too often used and sacked manager. He should be young and an inspiration for the fans and the players.
RB/LB like Hysaj
CB: de Ligt
 
out :
lindelof
jones
rojo
young
shaw
valencia
matic
mata
darmian
herrera
pereira
sanchez
lukaku

mourinho
woodward
and maybe pogba

:devil::lol:
 
Above all, a new DOF and manager that prioritises attacking football and giving youth a chance. Feck Woodward the Weasel off from footballing decisions and leave him to gather sponsorship deals.

Goalkeepers
De Gea, Romero
If De Gea leaves, start Romero and promote Henderson as backup and slowly give him first team appearances to see if he has what it takes. If not, buy another.

Defence
Fullbacks: Dalot, Shaw, Young, Fosu-Mensah, new LB backup
CB: Smalling, Bailly, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, if one of Bailly/Lindelof still can't prove themselves under a new manager then bring in a top class CB

Midfield
Pogba, Herrera, Fred, Fellaini, Mata, Lingard, Pereira, new DM
Have Pogba, Herrera, Fred, Mata and the new DM play the majority of games.

Attack
RW: New RW, Lingard/Chong backup
LW: Martial, Rashford backup
ST: New ST, Rashford/Martial/Greenwood backup

Positions needed: LB (backup), DM, RW, ST (potentially another CB and GK)
Sell: Jones, Rojo, Darmian, Valencia, Matic, Lukaku, Sanchez
Loan: McTominay
 
If we were starting on Monday...

1. Hire a DoF.
2. Sack Mourinho
3. Hire a progressive manager
4. Then look at the squad

GK
This position is perfect.

DF
OUT: Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Darmian
IN: Tierney (to compete with Shaw), Koulibaly, Meunier
Future: Smalling out, De Ligt in (assuming he's still at Ajax at the end of Summer 2020)

MF
OUT: Fellaini, Matic, Mctomminay (loan for a couple of seasons), Periera (running down his contract, not shown much when he has played), Mata (good as a 10, but ineffective otherwise)
IN: Neves or DeJong, Ndombele, Fekir (effective as both a 10 and inside right forward)

AT
OUT: This season and next season, leave it as it is. I expect Lukaku and Sanchez to contribute a lot more under an attacking manager where we press high.
Future: Ship out Sanchez Jan 2020 if he's not performing, evaluate Lukaku in the summer.
IN: A Rw in order of preference, Dembele (unlikely), Sancho (a little less unlikely), Hirving Lazano or Pulisic (most realistic targets).
 
I don’t blame Mourinho for this situation completely. We have a shite squad but his signings have not been good enough.

We need drastic change.

New manager.

Absolutely mammoth budget. The sort of money in one window that we haven’t even seen before in football.

Won’t happen, of course. But £500m spent well in 2019 wouldn’t bring our squad close to City’s.
 
1. Bring in director of football. Personal preference Luis Campos as he did well at Monaco and his Lille team are comopeting towards the top of Ligue 1.

2. Change of manager, would take Pochettino although I think he is unattainable. Would go with Jardim as he has previously had success working wit Luis Campos.

3. Overhaul the squad.

Goal Keepers:

Try hardest to keep De Gea and I think Sergio Romero is a worthy back up.

Right Back:
Keep Dalot, may be bring in another right back for rotation/understudy (not sure who). Get rid of Valencia Sell Darmian

Centre back: In Koulibaly and Milenkovic. Keep Lindelof, Smalling and Bailly. Sell Jones and Rojo.

Left back: Luke Shaw, keep Young for rotation. In Kieran Tiernay for competion. .

Centre mid: Sign Ndombelle, by stroke of luck get Perreira to sign new contract. Get Herrera to sign new contract. Keep Pogba and Fred.

Attack: Keep Martial, Rashford, Lingard/although some may count him as midfielder. Get rid of Sanches and Lukaku )although not sure who to replace him with). Sign Persisc for the right to get a few years out of him until chong is ready to fill the role.
 
1) DOF: Ed has shown that he’s not good enough to run a football club. Our chief executive won’t be fired by the Glazer so best thing is hire someone/director of football, someome who can set up a plan of step, direction & aim of the club (which winning major trophies long term) & set rule and philosophy in the club. The philosophy needs to be playing attractive football and develop young players and at the same time being realistic that we also need some of top players to play alongside the young players.

2) New manager, a young, hunger, & exciting manager that can meet United’s philosophy and also good for long term aim of success. Pochettino or a gamble one Howe. A young manager needs to be given time, probably 3 years before we can actually winning major trophy.

3) Centre Back, whoever the new manager or whatever the system we are playing is we needs an improvement in our centre back option. We need to get a leader and top class centre back. We shouldn’t be afraid to spend for this role.

4) New full backs are probably necessary for rotation.

5) Midfield & Attackers are probably depends on what new system are we going to use. We might need a new striker or another attacker, and new no 6.
 
Depending on whether or not we sack Mourinho.

Ed Woodward graciously steps aside from the footballing operations.
Announces that the root+branch Academy project now extends to footballing matters and all footballing infrastructure.
The new footballing infrastructure will now extend to youth at all levels, as well as scouting and recruiting for the first team under a DOF that works with the manager to acquire targets.
The footballing operation separates form the commercial operation.

Ed Woodward places transfer funds into a trust for which the DOF draws from, through the aid of the manager/scouting network to acquire the players we wish to purchase at request of each manager at each level.

Whether or not it is with Mourinho (if we finish top four), I do not care. But the footballing infrastructure of the club needs to be re-built and ASAP. Essentially the root and branch review of the academy structure should have extended through onto the first team and general footballing area of the club. But of course, I understand that Ed Woodward as the by-proxy director of football while overseeing the general commercial side of the business is a position that would not be given up lightly.

I expect none of that to happen and for us to continue fumbling around until something like this does. Interesting times ahead.

edit; Oops I completely misinterpreted this thread.
 
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Spend very wisely, and remember we need numbers now,and need to start catching up on other top teams. The next few windows could change us for the better. Think we could get Alderweireld and Milenkovic for the 80million + Koulibaly would cost. You have experience mixed with one of the best young CB's around.

We have cover now for FB positions. I would like a top playmaker and right winger, but we may have to wait until the summer. Could be a big summer for us with a lot of changes including a new manager.
 
I don't think it's a case of simply the manager, the chairman or one or two players. I think there is a rot deeply embedded throughout the club.

It starts and ends with the structure behind the scenes. Because we don't have a director of football or a footballing board with ultimate power over footballing matters, there is a huge lack of direction and strategy.

The team leaks, the "injury rumours", the fitness of some players, the stories about the poor reaction to Van Gaals training ground cameras and methods, the semi-regular totally abject performances and the bitching about training at Christmas is all just too much smoke not to have some fire behind it. There is a rotten core to our playing squad and it's been there for a long time.

We don't have footballing decision makers who outrank the manager and chairman when it comes to contract and recruitment policy so when you hire 3 poor manager choices in a row, and those new managers want to give time to the existing players, by the time they have identified the bad apples, they're getting sacked and the new fella is coming in to start the cycle again. The very players we urgently need to ship out end up getting new contracts and leading us further down the path of mediocrity.

There is just no direction to any of our decision making. We dont have a clearly defined way we want to play the game so we don't hire managers, players, coaches or scouts who will help meet that style. The club desperately needs to appoint a director of football with experience in setting up a modern footballing environment at a major club. The City of 6-7 years ago we're able to identify and recruit just such an operator and saw the benefits 3 or 4 years later. There is no reason the United of now can't do likewise.

Until we do, any manager coming in is unlikely to achieve much unless he's a once in a generation Fergie type capable of shaping a club from top to bottom. Even if such a manager existed, I'm not sure he'd be given the time and free reign needed in today's climate.
 
Step 1 - sell everyone bar De Gea while sacking Mourinho and Woodward

Step 2- ??

Step 3 - buy whole new team
 
diarm said:
I don't think it's a case of simply the manager, the chairman or one or two players. I think there is a rot deeply embedded throughout the club.

It starts and ends with the structure behind the scenes. Because we don't have a director of football or a footballing board with ultimate power over footballing matters, there is a huge lack of direction and strategy.

The team leaks, the "injury rumours", the fitness of some players, the stories about the poor reaction to Van Gaals training ground cameras and methods, the semi-regular totally abject performances and the bitching about training at Christmas is all just too much smoke not to have some fire behind it. There is a rotten core to our playing squad and it's been there for a long time.

We don't have footballing decision makers who outrank the manager and chairman when it comes to contract and recruitment policy so when you hire 3 poor manager choices in a row, and those new managers want to give time to the existing players, by the time they have identified the bad apples, they're getting sacked and the new fella is coming in to start the cycle again. The very players we urgently need to ship out end up getting new contracts and leading us further down the path of mediocrity.

There is just no direction to any of our decision making. We dont have a clearly defined way we want to play the game so we don't hire managers, players, coaches or scouts who will help meet that style. The club desperately needs to appoint a director of football with experience in setting up a modern footballing environment at a major club. The City of 6-7 years ago we're able to identify and recruit just such an operator and saw the benefits 3 or 4 years later. There is no reason the United of now can't do likewise.

Until we do, any manager coming in is unlikely to achieve much unless he's a once in a generation Fergie type capable of shaping a club from top to bottom. Even if such a manager existed, I'm not sure he'd be given the time and free reign needed in today's climate.
Click to expand...


Good post. Agreed,I'm fed up of "the new manager needing time to assess the squad." Anyone with a set of eyes knows which players don't "deserve a chance under the new manager".

Its this attitude that's putting us up shit creek. The new manager wastes a season "assessing" players who clearly need shipping out.

A DOF would sort that side of things. But a DoF and his suggestions to refresh the squad every couple of summers will be expensive for you know who.....

Which is why we have no intention of getting one.
 
I'd be opening dialogue with a new sporting director/scouting team/coaching staff and establishing a strategy and long term plan and agreeing on a style of play before identifying anybody, seems a lot of the more successful team builders/sporting directors use rball stats type databases I know Monaco and Sevilla have used them to great effect so instead of shiny new toys like Sanchez that don’t fit a system, sign players who’s stats attitudes and styles compliment the system agreed on.

All that said and done I’d like to see meunièr for the rightback role with Dalot covering right back and left back.

An all rounder for the base of the midfield who’s not just a one dimensional defensive disruptor, somebody who can break up play but also distribute, who has good mobility
I think Fred and another creative midfielder in front of the previously described player would let us play with a lot more attacking freedom and creativity think the two silvas in front of Fernandinho as an example. Would fekir fit the role possibly
A good strong right winger in the perisic role shame he plays on the left, as for me rashford should be playing every week on the left.

Definitely need a better quality striker I’d be breaking the bank for one pay what it needs for top quality here, quick strong mobile striker with great finishing and first touch. Werner from Leipzig possibly.

Not a lot of names dropped in your probably thinking , this is where the sporting director unearths gems.
 
I didn't realise that players signed in this January transfer window are not cup tied in Europe. This makes it a very interesting window. With the right approach we could have a real go in the Champions league this season. But the question is, what is the right approach?
Sack Mourhino, get a Zidane or Conte in and start the rebuild next month, or back Mourhino and give him the 200m to say, no excuses now, go and win us the European Cup.
It's all gloom at the moment, but with the new rules coming into place in Jan, why wait until the summer, when we can get the very best in a few weeks. There Is light at the end of the tunnel sooner than expected.....but reality is we will feck it up again!
 
The bottom line is that we have average players across the squad that need replacing with better players, and in defence in particular. Jones, Darmian, Rojo and Valencia all need to go. They all need to be replaced with quality players regardless of the total cost. If it's done over the next 1-2 transfer windows then that's ideal as we need to catch up with the top teams around Europe and quick.

Smalling should stay in my opinion. He's still better than the others mentioned. Kalidou Koulibaly and Toby Alderweireld should be the ones to replace Jones and Rojo. Which would leave Bailly smalling and Lindelof as backups. That's a good mix of players for rotating through the season. I would be happy with Axel Tuenzebe being given a chance over one of the others also. He's having a great season at Villa.

Darmian and Valencia just aren't good enough at fullback either. With reports that city are looking at Ben Chilwell from Leicester to back up Mendy at left back, it shows the depth in quality needed for the top teams these days. Shaw, Young Dalot and another left back to add to our depth is needed. My choice would be getting Demi Mitchell back from Hearts. He's been superb up there yet seems to not get spoken of too much on here and his talent is clear to see.

The rest of our squad is good. Just not playing to there level or the level expected of a Manchester United team. I'm of the opinion that we have midfielders capable of a high tempo and quality passing midfield (excluding Matic), and a good mix of attacking players (excluding Lukaku). I would like to see Fekir or another attacking midfielder come in to the #10 position with Sanchez, Martial and Rashford rotating in a 2 up top, so a 3412 formation.

We're only talking about 3 players coming in and a couple of academy products filling the gaps. Its not a squad overhaul, it's not going to cost £300m like some think we need.

In an attacking setup, this team looks dreamy to me and full of quality.

De Gea
Bailly Toby Koulibali
Dalot Herrera Pogba Shaw
Fekir
Rashford Martial

With Romero, Mata, Lingard, Andreas, Fred, Smalling, Lindelof, Young, Sanchez, Mitchell, Matic, Fellaini, Tuenzebe all being good squad options .

I'm alot more positive than most. I dont think we are that far off competing. I see our current players are playing well below their level because of Jose and the mess he has us in. A better man manager and a new attacking identity would do wonders for our players!
 
Goal Keepers:

De Gea, Romero, Grant,

Full-backs:

Rafael, Dalot, Shaw, Tierney, Young.

Centre-backs:

Koulibaly, Milenkovic, Bailly, Lindelof, Smalling.

Midfield:
Pereira, Tanguy, N'Didi, Fred, Pogba, Herrera, Fellaini (if in need of goal with 10 minutes to go).

Wingers/Forwards:
Perisic, Mata, Lingard, Martial, Rashford, Piatek.

Chong, Grenwood and Gomes for Cup Games/ Dead Rubbers.
 
Out
GK: Grant
DEF: Jones, Smalling, Valencia, Young, Darmian
MID: Matic, Fellaini, Fred
ATT: Mata, Sanchez, Lingard

In/Squad
GK: De Gea, Romero, J.pereira/Henderson
DEF: Rojo, Bailly, Victor, Rudiger, Tuanzebe, Shaw, Mitchel, Dalot, RB
MID: Herrera, Pogba, Fabinho, Pereira, Mensah, Scott
ATT: Lukaku, Martial, Sane, Rashford, Sancho, Chong, Gomes

We should already have these players at the club as they were attainable, we should have bought Sané rather than Miki/Sanchez in mourinho 1st year, Fabinho and Rudiger rather than Matic and Victor in the 2nd and should have been focusing on bringing a top RB replacement for Valencia and Young talented attacker in the 3rd.
 
DoF - The most important appointment, personally I don't know who to go for, however I would like to see an almost 2 person, a main DoF and someone acting alongside them, aka Paul Mitchell, that we are rumoured to be seeking out anyway (hopefully) as we know from his track record what he is like with good player recruitment.

Manager - Mourinho gone in a flash for me, considering options out there, I would be happy with any of Pochettino, Jardim, Tuchel, Rangnick or Favre. Personal favourites would be Pochettino or Tuchel, I like Tuchel, I feel like he may be more attainable than Pochettino due to having only one year left on his contract after this season.

Squad

GK - I'm going to work under the pretense that De Gea is staying, in which case I would probably get rid of either Romero or Lee Grant and give Pereira a spot on the team.

Defense
Keep - Lindelof, Bailly, Tuanzebe, TFM
Out - Jones, Rojo, Smalling, Valencia, Young, Darmian
In (1 or 2 of) - Koulibaly, De Ligt, Romangnoli, Milenkovic, Skriniar

Midfield
Keep - Pogba, Fred, Herrera, Pereira
Out - Matic, Fellaini, Mata, McTominay, Lingard
In (1 or 2 of) - Ruben Neves, Hojbjerg, De Jong, Weigl, Rabiot

Attack
Keep - Martial, Rashford
Out - Sanchez, Lukaku
In - Werner, Pulisic.. perhaps other but I'm tired now
 
Millions spent on Pogba, Fred and Lukaku, Bailly, Lindelof, Sanchez. Mourinho instead of moaning about a defender should be trying to get performances out of those. Why on earth would the club give Mourinho millions more to waste on players he'll criticise after a few months of ridding the talent and desire out of them?
 
A football person to run the Football club. Then back them to the hilt.

I just don’t see Woodward being shifted aside whilst the Glazers are there.
 
Reduce the number of incoming transfers.

Only buy when we don't have a suitable player coming through the youth system.

Stop buying out-field players over the age of 27.

Majority of new signings aged 24 or younger.

No more high profile older signings (Sanchez, Di Maria, Schweignsteiger, Falcao, RVP, etc)

Stop buying players that only come for the money. Don't offer wages above the market rate. Instead offer high bonuses for success.

Be very cautious about signing players who have been a success at teams with a totally different style to us.

Buy fewer stars, more team players.

Promote Greenwood, Gomes, Chong and perhaps one other, to be subs in PL. Bring back Tuanzebe from loan. Not sure about TFM. Get rid of all the out-field players in their 30s. Let anyone who wants to leave, go if there is a suitable offer.
 
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Sultan said:
Millions spent on Pogba, Fred and Lukaku, Bailly, Lindelof, Sanchez. Mourinho instead of moaning about a defender should be trying to get performances out of those. Why on earth would the club give Mourinho millions more to waste on players he'll criticise after a few months of ridding the talent and desire out of them?
Click to expand...

It's not just about the defense anymore. The new spin is that we do not have any "physical players" to play with any sort of intensity. He comes out with truly mind-boggling stuff in his press conferences.
 
New manager: Poch. Then sell/ release/loan every player who is not good enough for top club.
Gk- extend contract with DDG
Defence- sell Young, Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Darmian. Maybe even Lindelof and Shaw but for big money. Then we should buy new central defensive pair plus Sandro for left back.
Midfield: sell Matic, Fellaini, Lingard. Buy Brozovic
Attack- sell Lukaku. Buy Icardi. Poch would play Alexis on rw and promote Chong so no need for new right winger.

Squad for winning PL.
 
I certainly wouldnt buy anyone if Jose remains in charge until the end of the season so a lot depends on whether Jose stays or not.
 
Jibbs said:
Appoint DoF

Appoint Zidane as Manager

Outs:
Jones
Rojo
Darmian
Pereira
Sanchez
Lukaku.

Ins:
Icardi,
Dembele / Memphis
Kante / Ndombele
Nikola Milenković / Milan Škriniar
Benjamin Pavard.
Click to expand...

Just to point out the obvious.
If you are so confident about Zidane then should you not be saying who should go and who should stay....
 
Bring in a DOF
Bring in a manager that believes in the United way
Sign players players 24 and under (unless they’re too good to turn down Cantona, RVP, Yorke etc)
Bring through at least 1 youth player a season

Over the next 18 months
OUT
Fellaini
Sanchez
Matic
Mata
Jones
Rojo
Young
Valencia
Lukaku

IN
De Ligt
Rice
Tierney
Neves
Aouar
Pulisic
Jack Clarke
Cutrone

GK
DDG, Romero, Pereira

FB’s
Dalot, TFM, Shaw, Tierney

CB’s
Smalling, Lindelof, Bailly, De Ligt, Rice, Tuanzebe

CM’s
Herrera, Pereira, Pogba, Fred, Neves, Lingard, Aouar

WF
Clarke, Chong, Martial, Pulisic

FW
Rashford, Cutrone, Greenwood
 
DDG
Dalot Milenkovic Koulibaly Shaw
Neves
Fred Pogba
Sanchez Icardi Martial


Expensive but we've been tight arses aplenty outside of wages and it's needed if we want to compete.

Hope a new manager gets a tune out of Sanchez and look at a right winger and another fullback the season after.
 
1-See the positions we have problems in like wingers, full backs and center backs and don't buy anyone in them.

2-Sign over the hill big names to use for marketing for 1-2 years before they feck off.
 
In the siplest terms I would like:

a) Appoint an attacking young manager. Worryingly there isnt a Klopp or Nagelsann out there, Pochettino is the only real contender I can see currently

b) Clear out the deadwood. There are players been here a long time that are either not good enough or dont suit the way we should be playing that have been here ages like Jones, Mata, Fellaini for example shouldnt still be here. There have also been some awful signings recently in y opinion like Lukaku and Lindelof. We need to have some balls and clear out a LOT of players that just are not United players in y opinion

c) Sign quality that is a good fit, doesnt have to be big names but they have to have talent and the right attitude. I think of all the numerous signings we have made since Fergie retired and all the money we spent, I could count on one hand those I was genuinely excited about

Regarding all of the above, importantly the manager should have control over this, not Woodward, not the owners, give the manager full responsibility, we dont need a DOF in my opinion.

Since Ferguson retired we havent done "a" at all, we havent done "b" as forcefully as we should have Van Gaal was the only one allowed to and in a couple of instances wrongly too with players he released. As for "c", we have been diabolical, which added to the other two is exactly why we are where we are now.
 
Mitchell for DOF. In my opinion the outstanding candidate for the job. He’s from Manchester and has shown himself to be very shrewd in the market. He may turn out to be the best signing Woodward ever makes. Hopefully he can target the best young players around as we build for the future. There are some cracking talents out there up for grabs and we are still loaded. I’d love for us get Tierney, De Ligt, De jong neves or pellegrini, ndombele, Sancho is a must, Some really technically gifted young striker. Our attackers currently aren’t good enough so get some competition in. We need people that are dedicated to football more than celebrity and that are coming here for the right reasons, get some real serious character back in the squad. Our scouts really need to step it up from now on. We signed so many mentally weaker players post Fergie. Second best should never be ok for united players let alone 8th

We probably can’t sell many of the players as things stand as they are all on stupid wages. I fear a lot of the dross will probably be here for a while yet running their mega deals down. Our wage bill being what it is is disgraceful in a business sense given our return. Hopefully pogba can kick on again but if he falls out with the next manager or undermines him then sell him.
I’m looking forward to seeing us play again. Ole is a very interesting appointment but I really don’t think our current squad are going anywhere fast. Let’s get a great coach and get some quality attacking play going. I think youth and new ideas are what’s needed to get our swagger back.
 
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MANAGER:
Pochettino - only because I don’t have much free time to watch European football any more so I don’t know about European managers

FOOTBALL SQUAD

GOALKEEPER:
De Gea
Romero

RIGHT BACK:
Dalot
Valencia

CENTRAL DEFENCE:
Smalling
Lindelof

- get shot of Bailly (he’s a liability. Good for blocking but his ball distribution is non-existant)
- Jones, Rojo decent/good but so injury-prone

we need at least ONE truly world-class central defender

LEFT BACK:
Shaw
Young

MIDFIELD:
Herrera
Matic
Fellaini
Lingard
McTominay

- get shot of Pogba, he only plays when he wants too and can’t handle high intensity games
- Give Fred a chance

WINGERS:
Valencia
Young
Rashford
Martial

- Sanchez. Why would an outstanding player for Arsenal become so bad for United? He needs to be given another season under a new manager

STRIKERS:
Lukaku
Rashford
Martial
Sanchez

- We need another top striker


I still believe we have the same problems the last three managers have not been able to solve:

- weak midfield
- poor wingers who cannot supply strikers
- now add to that, a weak central defence

we need to stop playing football in first/second gear. Its not the style thats succeeding in top football.
 
James Rodriguez is available.

Sanchez can't play on the wing anymore given his age. He should only play as striker.
 
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