What's more important for us - a top center back or Sancho?

[Withnail]

A midfield protector is more important. The defense is passable as long as someone can cover the space in front of them.

No defense will ever be impregnable, but you gotta have a guy from midfield with enough energy to help them in that crucial area.

I'd agree with that sentiment but I don't think we have enough cover. We only seem to have two CBs who can stay fit for a wet week.

If Jones/Bailly/Tuanzebe were capable of playing 10 - 15 games per season, if required, it would be a different story.

 

[Lynty]

CB is 4th priority for me.

Yes we do need an upgrade, but our current options are more than good enough to get us where we need to be next season. We go and get the best option available at the end of next season with a view to a title challenge.

 

[Canagel]

RW —> CDM —> CB

I would go even further
RW -> Back up RW/LW -> CDM -> CB

Dan James, Mata and Periera can all go

 

[Smithy89]

I'm actually shocked by the amount of people who don't think a CB is urgent, i mean i don't rate any of our current ones so that is probably why i'd be desperate for one.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

We're Manchester United, why not both?

The fact that all but 2 of our CB's are unreliable and injury prone makes it a big priority. One long term injury to Maguire or Lindelof and we're absolutely fecked.

CB>Sancho>DM>Grealish

 

[Stacks]

I'm actually shocked by the amount of people who don't think a CB is urgent, i mean i don't rate any of our current ones so that is probably why i'd be desperate for one.

Its amazing that since 2015 we have bought 6 CB's despite having Jones and Smalling already, but we still need a CB.

 

[Smithy89]

Its amazing that since 2015 we have bought 6 CB's despite having Jones and Smalling already, but we still need a CB.

I still feel like we need 4-5 top players/starters and i swear i was thinking same thing in 2015/16 also.

 

[SteveW]

I think we need Sancho more because we cant afford to rest any of our front 3 right now. A potent enough attack will beat the weaker teams consistently and keep us towards the top of the league.

But to be a top class team, win the league and threaten in the CL we definitely need a CB. Lindelof whilst better this season is still weak as shit. Jones is done. Bailly is a liability. Axel is never fit. Mengi could be a surprise package but he's barely 18. If Maguire got a bad injury we'd be fecked.

 

[Stacks]

I still feel like we need 4-5 top players/starters and i swear i was thinking same thing in 2015/16 also.

That's why there is the never ending thread about "what we need". Its always one step forward, one step back.

 

[Sambob]

The way i see the Sancho signing is a bit like the season we got Van Persie. We needed to strengthen all over the field that summer and had vulnerabilities in a few key areas but when he joined he added so many goals and so much threat that it changed how teams were able to play against us, took a big burden off the defence and midfield.

If you look at what we offer down the right wing at the moment it's absolutely nothing. Wan bissaka just hadn't got that side to his game yet and when we play James he rarely keeps the ball and almost never attacks into the box, the opposition can just ignore that side of our team, and in fact we have played a few teams this season that have done just that. If we can make the right side a genuine threat alongside rashford or marital down the left then its going to make teams have to think twice about us and will ease a lot of the other areas of the pitch. Add to that Sanchos goals and assists and we will be back to the days of simply outscoring opponents.

 

[Lynty]

I'm actually shocked by the amount of people who don't think a CB is urgent, i mean i don't rate any of our current ones so that is probably why i'd be desperate for one.

We're currently joint 2nd with City for goals conceded.

1. RW - needed it for years. Even with Greenwood performances as a wide forward, as soon as he leaves the pitch that wing loses all danger.
2. Creative depth - if we remove Pogba or Bruno, we need to abandon our style of play. We have no x-factor from the bench. Lingard, Andreas and Mata are too close to the first team.
3. CDM - although this can probably be switched to 4th now that we've given Matic an absurdly long contract extension. I anticipate he's got 1 season of football at a decent level left in him.
4. CB - Everyone would love a new top class center back. But there isn't an obvious upgrade available and what we have is statistically good enough to push top2

 

[Noc-Z]

We definitely need a RW more. It's a position which has been neglected for years. From Valencia running one-footed into dead ends to shoe-horning players like Mata in, we haven't had a proper quality right winger in a long time.

CB is a tricky one, we spent a fortune on Maguire but there doesn't look to be much between him and Lindelof does there? Maguire - 85M and made him captain - can't see him getting dropped but I can't say for sure he's the better of the two CBs.

So, we drop Lindelof? I don't know who a significant, worthwhile upgrade would be.

After addressing RW I think midfield would be a better area to look at. Maybe RW then a CDM would be better.

 

[Toni's Left Foot]

Sancho is a generational talent and this might be our only/best chance to get him.

We can't pass it up.

 

[EasyE]

This is a pretty easy one for me personally. Sancho.

If you look at the table - we have one of the best defensive records in the league (even with the mistakes) and have had quite a few draws that maybe needed that creativity. Mason would still get plenty games. We haven't had a RW for years. He also is a phenomenal talent that we could potentially have a free run at this summer based on everything else.

SAF did say that a sturdy defence was the foundation for all success - and I do get that. The GK position is alarmingly as important for me based on the huge errors within the last 18 months. I haven't forgiven De Gea for just passing it to DCL against Everton, never mind the recent fumbles. He's done. If the CBs have no confidence in what's behind them then that can spread like rot in timber.

Sancho > then GK // CB

 

[Smithy89]

We're currently joint 2nd with City for goals conceded.

1. RW - needed it for years. Even with Greenwood performances as a wide forward, as soon as he leaves the pitch that wing loses all danger.
2. Creative depth - if we remove Pogba or Bruno, we need to abandon our style of play. We have no x-factor from the bench. Lingard, Andreas and Mata are too close to the first team.
3. CDM - although this can probably be switched to 4th now that we've given Matic an absurdly long contract extension. I anticipate he's got 1 season of football at a decent level left in him.
4. CB - Everyone would love a new top class center back. But there isn't an obvious upgrade available and what we have is statistically good enough to push top2

I think there is plenty out there better than Lindelof who could be a better partner for Maguire, i agree on your other points though. I just feel we lack quality and depth at the back because we also have injury prone defenders.

 

[Lynty]

I think there is plenty out there better than Lindelof who could be a better partner for Maguire, i agree on your other points though. I just feel we lack quality and depth at the back because we also have injury prone defenders.

Ye the injury record is concerning.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Speaking of which... what's Nico Gaitán up to these days? He used to fill this slot for about a decade of summers.

Honestly, as weird a rumour as that was, he would have been better than nothing. I do kind of miss the Gaitan rumours, that along with Bale every summer were the mainstays of many a transfer window.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I'm actually shocked by the amount of people who don't think a CB is urgent, i mean i don't rate any of our current ones so that is probably why i'd be desperate for one.

It's because at CB we have some decent players. Maguire, Lindelof, the others when fit...none of them are bad players they're all just 'ok'. Maguire & Lindelof is basically a Gary Cahill + Jonny Evans partnership, neither is ever going to be the best in the league but they're dependably 'ok'. We don't have a single specialist RW in the entire squad.

if the question is what's more important, there's only one answer.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

Well, this isn't really an overrated opinion.

(Also, what?)

If we had to choose to keep one of them in our side and replace one of them I know who I would pick. Makes this a fairly simple choice for me.

 

[DoneDaDa]

You have no competition for Sancho right now so missing out on him will be a big L imo. United have enough funds to bring him in as well as a CB and LB, Lucas Digne is someone I'd say you should be considering at the moment, he's been a revelation at Everton, as far as CB goes, there is a lack of proven CB out there and the ones that are there they most likely aren't available, except for Koulibaly, outside of that there are some quliaty CB but there all young and the ones that are a bit older have 1 or 2 season worth of good season like I. Martinez, Deigo Carlos, De Vrig, outside of that you'd probably have to consider younger ones like Kounde, Upamecano, Konate, Akanji, Skriniar, Romagnoli, etc. Ironically the first 3 youngster I mention are French at the moment France are killing it in the CB department.