I'd try out Mctominay first before deciding to get Rice. Also shouldn't a Pogba and Bruno combo need more of an energetic destroyer like Kante or Ndidi. Rice doesn't strike me as the type
Which defensive midfielder?
- Thread starter Brightonian
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Rice covers a lot of ground and does well to stick to his position without getting carried away like Fred/Mctominay would as none are pure anchors. Ndidi I`ll give you that mentioned him as the only other DM I`d want but Kante is not an out out DM IMO he`s a hybrid CM/DM. He needs to play next to a sitting DM to get the best out of him like Jorginho/Matic/Drinkwater.
Pogba/Bruno IMO need a disciplined DM able to cover decent ground to get the very best out of their attacking abilities. Rice/Ndidi are the ideal types.
Zakaria would be my first choice.
Heard good things about Roca.
Heard good things about Roca.
Zakaria seems like the perfect choice I think. Would be cheaper than Ndidi and Rice and is also young like them. Can play CB too and box to box. He's been great the few times I watched borrusia Monchengladbach. I also think we are training Mctominay to be a 6
i think Ndidi is class. His stats were better than fernandinhos when city had that stonker of a season. And he was in a lesser team as well. Just likely to be incredibly expensive.
Im personally not a fan of rice. He’s very good parked in front of a back 4 but i dont think he is great at playing the ball out and just haven't been that impressed whenever i have watched him. In my opinion, Absolute quality players stand out even in lesser teams, For example AWB looked incredible in a shite palace team all Last season, A few years ago mahrez looked class even though on paper was a cheap little signing for leicester etc etc.
prepared to be proven wrong but think theres something missing with rice and his price tag would be huge
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In all seriousness, that's probably my only qualm with him, too. Defensively, however, he's very good at what he does.
Meat? I'll get coat!
In all seriousness, that's probably my only qualm with him, too. Defensively, however, he's very good at what he does.
I dont see why we need a passer from CDM when we play Pogba & Bruno Fernandes - arguably it's the last thing we need considering we play 2 ball playing centre backs as well.
Just a straight up anchorman sounds really nice to me because Mctomminay gives us the alternative option of having a more creative or attacking minded CDM already within the squad.
Zakaria isn't too bad either again because he can play deep enough as a CB that I know he can just sit there and anchor rather than just box to box or create or press.
Just a straight up anchorman sounds really nice to me because Mctomminay gives us the alternative option of having a more creative or attacking minded CDM already within the squad.
Zakaria isn't too bad either again because he can play deep enough as a CB that I know he can just sit there and anchor rather than just box to box or create or press.
I wasn't ranking them, but I think I agree, because the RW we buy could probably be our backup 10 and we play James or Greenwood or Rashford out right, or even just play more 4-4-2.
We really should be thinking of an LB. Williams should be Wan-Bissaka's backup at RB and then buy someone young and with attacking potential to challenge Shaw and also provide attacking play when we got 3-5-2 with Shaw as the LCB. Basically it's too bad Dalot isn't left-footed.
Bruno Guimarães or bust.
That's new
Tactics 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-1-2 are too different and you need to have a very large list of players to switch freely between them, do not agree with those who wrote that 3-4-1-2 defensive tactics. We need to finally decide and act on the transfer market based on one of them, and I hope it will be 3-4-1-2, even with such losers as Fred and Matic in the starting lineup it works great, today's match against Tottenham should prove it once again. Besides, we don't have any problems with the selection of players on offense and the defense looks very solid when we use it. Our transfer budget I would focus on buying two central midfielders, one deep lying playmaker and one box-to-box, with all due respect Fred and Matic it is not serious for a team that claims to be top 4, Ndidi (McTominay)-Pogba (van de Beek), in addition, if Bruno is injured then Pogba can always take his place Bruno(Pogba).
From not expensive variants it is really Kalvin Phillips and also I like the captain of AZ Alkmaar - Teun Koopmeiners, I recommend to look at reviews of his game on a Youtube, but nevertheless they do not approach that MU has made a quality bump in a class, and for Fred it will be possible in this window to rescue not bad money on the transfer markets, but to landing it hardly will happen.
From not expensive variants it is really Kalvin Phillips and also I like the captain of AZ Alkmaar - Teun Koopmeiners, I recommend to look at reviews of his game on a Youtube, but nevertheless they do not approach that MU has made a quality bump in a class, and for Fred it will be possible in this window to rescue not bad money on the transfer markets, but to landing it hardly will happen.
Ndidi.
Ndidi will cost too much
Zakaria maybe but I don't see him as an Ole type signing. Same with Partney. Just doesn't seem like an Ole type signing.
I don't think Rice is the longterm answer but I think if Ole could get a good deal for him by sending the likes of Lingard/Pereira the other way plus 45 million then I think he'll snap the hands off the dildo brothers Sullivan and Gold.
Zakaria maybe but I don't see him as an Ole type signing. Same with Partney. Just doesn't seem like an Ole type signing.
I don't think Rice is the longterm answer but I think if Ole could get a good deal for him by sending the likes of Lingard/Pereira the other way plus 45 million then I think he'll snap the hands off the dildo brothers Sullivan and Gold.
Ole has a decision to make Fred or Scott to sit??
Our most important position to look at this summer after our right wing. Partey or Ndidi would be a dream.
From what we saw tonight, & in the recent run of good form... it’s Matic.
Why is Rice a Ole type player but the more talented Zakaria and Partey aren't?
Cause OgS thinks Maguire is an £80mil defender when for that money he could have gotten multiple other CBs last summer.
Rice is English which OgS ranks that up there with quality.
I just think he's looking for players who will integrate into group easily and players who might see Utd as their final destination and not a stepping stone, or players who will make crazy wage demands after 1 good season.
And I think Ole will try and go for players that there's not gonna be bidding wars with with other clubs.
Zakaria and Party could well end up here. I wouldn't doubt it. But no one knows what their true character is like. Only the Utd scouts will have a little info on their character.
We were all obsessed with the likes of Memphis and Lukaku to arrive, and despite being wonderful players, their character as a Utd player was questionable, and I think Ole is being very careful not to bring in players like that.
Any one of Kalvin Phillips, Ruben Neves, Ndidi would be ideal but all unattainable this summer.
That's fair enough..
It’s not that hard to find these things out though. SAF had a pretty good idea about Evra & Vidic’s characters, Vidic was a Serbian playing in Russia, Evra had just played a Champions League final. I don’t see any Rice comparisons in signing Fernandes for instance. I’m also not sure I’d consider Rice attainable unless there’s crazy money involved, or that he’s got a particularly impressive character if I’m being honest.
Matic. On form there are few better DM’s in the world. Prioritise RW, LB & CB in the summer & bring in a DM in 2021
Matic is the calmer player on the ball no doubt about it but then again he's got more experience.
Just a shame he's not 5 years younger. I'd be inclined to with Mctomminey myself as I think he is the better player and also adds height as well to the midfield.
We've got a lot of games though so they will all get opportunities.
Paying 80m for Maguire bought us a captain and our best CB by a fecking mile. Multiple CBs like Lindelof could have been bought yeah I agree. Whether Ole thinks Maguire is an 80m defender is questionable, I don't think he is that naive, but that is the market nowadays, and we have a CEO that gloats how rich we are. On the other hand Bayern bought a CB for the same amount and he rarely plays, so not that easy like you are implying.
Matic can't play a lot, we need someone to rotate with him and get integrated to fully take over. A United youngster won't get the nod, we need a fully experienced and grown out man for that position.
I don't think a LB is more of a priority than DM, since we got Williams to rotate with Shaw for now. RW, DM, CB, ST, LB, in that order for me. Henderson is De Gea's internal replacement.
Ndidi or Partey would be a dream signing, someone like Zakaria or the brazilian lad from Lyon, Bruno something would be good also. I liked Barge and we could have taken our chance with him.
For me, it has to be someone that can pass between the lines from deep.
Just look at the first half last night. Our forwards suffered because there were no passes from deep.
Fred and McTominay are workhorses. Fred has a bit of ability but that's with the ball at his feet, he's not a passer.
Ndidi, Partey and the likes would only exacerbate the problem.
A younger more mobile Matic of we can find one would be ideal.
Just look at the first half last night. Our forwards suffered because there were no passes from deep.
Fred and McTominay are workhorses. Fred has a bit of ability but that's with the ball at his feet, he's not a passer.
Ndidi, Partey and the likes would only exacerbate the problem.
A younger more mobile Matic of we can find one would be ideal.
I said months ago that a summer which we brought in Sancho, Grealish and a defensive CM like Partey or Zakaria, would be a dream.
With Pogba and Fernandes in a CM three, we definitely need a destroyer who's good on the ball to add balance.
With Pogba and Fernandes in a CM three, we definitely need a destroyer who's good on the ball to add balance.
Partey is a good passer. Zakaria and Kalvin Phillips fits your description
All fair points.
Being better than Lindelof, Jones & Bailly is hardly something I’d used to justify the purchase of a defender with such a glaring deficiency in his game though.
You’re right £80million bought us ‘a captain’ but how, when you captain gets spun like a top can he hold DeGea accountable in instances like last night?
I could care less about him threatening to fine the squad for not going on date nights; I judge him purely by his performances on the pitch & whilst he’s far from a mistake a week; you don’t spend £80mil on that player. He’s advertised as a ball playing defender because he marauds to the edge of the the final third only to play a side ways pass.
So yes, he’s our best CB at the club ‘by a fecking mile’ but as my posts from the day he signed will attest I don’t think he’s £80mil better than smalling.
The club should be identifying players in the Maguire mould a few years before a decent international tournament balloons his value.
Obviously identifying players is difficult, no one is implying scouting is easy.
Back to the topic. For the DM position it really should be Ndidi.
Bruno Pogba and Ndidi trio would be wild
Nididi for me. Knows the league already. If not him either Partey or Zakaria
I'd like a player with the energy to cover the pitch like Fred and McTominay, along with the abilities to pass from deep, carry the ball forwards/dribble out of tight spots, and shield the ball under pressure like Matic.
Outside of players already playing at top teams, there are only two players who catch my eye in those departments. Sofyan Amrabat and Leo Sena. Neither of which I can ever see us targeting unfortunately for me.
Outside of players already playing at top teams, there are only two players who catch my eye in those departments. Sofyan Amrabat and Leo Sena. Neither of which I can ever see us targeting unfortunately for me.
Zakaria or Partey for me too. Preferably Zakaria - younger, probably cheaper. One of them behind Pogba and Bruno would be quite the dream. Fred and McT are good workhorses and great for squad depth. A player of Matic quality plus the mobility he has lost easily starts ahead of them two.
I dont think we have many problems in the midfield now, unless Pogba moves on but that talk has died down a lot. Another attempt to improve our defence would be welcome, a CB pairing with Maguire. But to be honest RW is the glaringly obvious place to strengthen.
If I had to choose a new DM I'm not sure who's out there. I've liked Ndidi but no guarantees he could take a step up to United level though. Tough task.
If I had to choose a new DM I'm not sure who's out there. I've liked Ndidi but no guarantees he could take a step up to United level though. Tough task.
I cannot say I have seen a lot of the guy but he must have been really good at his previous club and that is Ndombele.
Maybe we can take advantage of Jose not liking the player and put in a cheeky bid and see if we can bring out the potential he has shown in his homeland. Maybe with the French connection at our club we can get the best out of him and I think Spurs will struggle to get anywhere near the money they paid for him if he is just going to sit on the bench or get lambasted by Jose every time he just gives him a cameo role.
Food for thought?
Maybe we can take advantage of Jose not liking the player and put in a cheeky bid and see if we can bring out the potential he has shown in his homeland. Maybe with the French connection at our club we can get the best out of him and I think Spurs will struggle to get anywhere near the money they paid for him if he is just going to sit on the bench or get lambasted by Jose every time he just gives him a cameo role.
Food for thought?
What the last match showed us is that we are desperate for dlp's. We already have players who can make a tackle or two but when teams park the bus we are useless without Pogba and Matic.
We need creative reinforcements
We need creative reinforcements
We need a DM who isn’t just going to contribute defensively, but would help our build up from the back. A player who can pick out our more advanced CMS.
Teun Koopmeiners, Marc Roca & Mikel Merino are the sort of players we should be looking at.
They’d all be relatively cheaper to get than the names being mentioned on here as well.
Teun Koopmeiners, Marc Roca & Mikel Merino are the sort of players we should be looking at.
They’d all be relatively cheaper to get than the names being mentioned on here as well.
Seems like alot of people now want a deep lying playmaker behind Bruno and Pogba because of the last match. The previous popular opinion was a destroyer behind them.
I think it's a really difficult pick to make with clearly two opposing thoughts.
I've though long and hard about this and I think we need a composed fixed deeper point on the pitch. Capable of being a consistent out ball and capable of being the link between the right and left sides of the pitch. So for example if Bruno and Pogba have to go back from the inside left and right channels you want someone behind who even if pressed will be able to connect that initial pass onto an area of space. Matic is that player currently best suited in our squad although McTominay could develop into it too.
Now if you are inclined to disagree and believe we need 'legs' or a ball winner fair enough options are available in the table.
For me there are clear winners. Those who want a destroyer should advocate the signing of Ndidi. He is top for key defensive actions and already PL proven.
Those who want a deep playmaker Koopmeiners is the clear winner. He's averaging the highest amount of passes, long balls and pass successes. Clearly a great play making option regardless of your league difficulty opinion. He also has 11 goals to his name.
(Stats for current 19/20 season only and all are per 90)
I've though long and hard about this and I think we need a composed fixed deeper point on the pitch. Capable of being a consistent out ball and capable of being the link between the right and left sides of the pitch. So for example if Bruno and Pogba have to go back from the inside left and right channels you want someone behind who even if pressed will be able to connect that initial pass onto an area of space. Matic is that player currently best suited in our squad although McTominay could develop into it too.
Now if you are inclined to disagree and believe we need 'legs' or a ball winner fair enough options are available in the table.
For me there are clear winners. Those who want a destroyer should advocate the signing of Ndidi. He is top for key defensive actions and already PL proven.
Those who want a deep playmaker Koopmeiners is the clear winner. He's averaging the highest amount of passes, long balls and pass successes. Clearly a great play making option regardless of your league difficulty opinion. He also has 11 goals to his name.
(Stats for current 19/20 season only and all are per 90)
Player | Tackles | Interceptions | Aerials Won | Fouls | Dribbled Past | Clearances | Blocks | Assists (Total) | Key Passes | Avg Passes | Pass Success % | Long Balls | Through Balls | Dispossessed | Bad Touches |
| Ndidi | 3.9 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 1 | 0.5 | 50.5 | 83.8 | 2.7 | 0 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| Zakaria | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1 | 0.9 | 1 | 0.5 | 2 | 0.4 | 40.4 | 86.7 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
| Partey | 2.3 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1 | 0.8 | 52.1 | 83.4 | 3.6 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.9 |
| Koopmeiners | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2 | 0.3 | 3 | 1 | 83 | 86.8 | 6.2 | 0 | 0.9 | 1 |
| Rice | 2.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 2 | 0.4 | 44.8 | 85.9 | 3 | 0 | 0.6 | 0.7 |