The Manchester United Thread

[Theatre of Dreams83]

As long as it isn't like last summer, I'm okay with it. We really need to strengthen across multiple areas, while renewing players. Getting DDG and Herrera on new contracts is a priority, Mata, not so much. And gah. Sanchez's wages have screwed the entire structure. Should never have paid that much in wages to him. I mean, City balked at it.

Wont be anything like last seasons window. That was mainly down to a standoff with Ed and Mourinho and Ed not wanting to spend huge on 30 yr olds. While potentially losing top youngsters in the process who Mou didn’t fancy.

Ole has made it clear what type of signings he/club wants and I’m 100% sure Ed will provide the funds.

 

[Sherkey]

True. Now, however, there seems to be crazy noise about Pogba wanting to leave. I'm hoping it's just rumour mills doing the rounds.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Yanno, for a lot of the flights of fancy bouncing around here, most of which are complete non-starters without CL football, which is no given as tight as that battle is (and FWIW I’ll lay everything I have Dortmund, after cashing in on Dembele and Pulisic the last few years, resist any offer from any club this summer for Sancho); every time I watxh the Dutch National side a lad who desperatly wants to return to the PL stands out. Yet madly never gets a memtion in the fantasy rumour game.

Memphis Depay has matured into a fantastic player now fulfilling his top potential. He’s been as key as anyone the last months to the Dutch revival after the atrocious Blind was binned and Koeman brought him back into the squad. A Nations Cup semi. And of the 6 qualifying goals the Dutch scored over the past week, he’s bagged three of them with three assists.

Nice turnaround story of someone having it all too early and not being mature enough to deal with it at Utd who’s now grown up, faced his off-field issues, to be one of the brightest talents out there.

 

[lxl Ra lxl]

Yanno, for a lot of the flights of fancy bouncing around here, most of which are complete non-starters without CL football, which is no given as tight as that battle is (and FWIW I’ll lay everything I have Dortmund, after cashing in on Dembele and Pulisic the last few years, resist any offer from any club this summer for Sancho); every time I watxh the Dutch National side a lad who desperatly wants to return to the PL stands out. Yet madly never gets a memtion in the fantasy rumour game.

Memphis Depay has matured into a fantastic player now fulfilling his top potential. He’s been as key as anyone the last months to the Dutch revival after the atrocious Blind was binned and Koeman brought him back into the squad. A Nations Cup semi. And of the 6 qualifying goals the Dutch scored over the past week, he’s bagged three of them with three assists.

Nice turnaround story of someone having it all too early and not being mature enough to deal with it at Utd who’s now grown up, faced his off-field issues, to be one of the brightest talents out there.

In the Dutch NT he has great numbers. But at his club in France he isn't happy at all. Makes you wonder...

 

[Theatre of Dreams83]

True. Now, however, there seems to be crazy noise about Pogba wanting to leave. I'm hoping it's just rumour mills doing the rounds.

Slow news mate. Yep Pogba and Martial to Madrid. Rashford to Barca. Herrera to Arsenal with Smalling. We will start next season with Ole and Phelan starting at this rate. Maybe McKenna and Carrick to

 

[Vanjagl]

Depay is way to one dimensional. Has been, will be. He has a good right peg and that is it. Everything else is average at best.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Depay is way to one dimensional. Has been, will be. He has a good right peg and that is it. Everything else is average at best.

You definately need to watch him more mate.

His game has evolved massively.

 

[Vanjagl]

Playing as a striker suits him better, but he still has the same issues he had in PSV and United, he just polished his strengths a bit. He's a good player, thats for sure, just not good enough for top level.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Completely different evaluation to the one I’d have on him but there you go.

I’d personally be very happy to have him added into our mix with his versatility to cover 3/4 positions without much of a drop off.

 

[brunoh]

Depay has evolved and now plays in a 10 role, where he has freedom to show his abilities and is not burdened by excessive defensive tasks. He had a brilliant 17/18 season with Lyon, and he's having a solid season right now, tho not as productive as the one before.

 

[zzeezzy]

We don't need another makeshift player again, just get a proper RW who can play that role properly. Got to say it pains me to say it but Sane is a City player I'd dearly love, he reminds me a bit of Giggs in many ways. He's obviously more used on the left (I think) but just thought I'd put it out there.

 

[brunoh]

Depay has evolved and now plays in a 10 role, where he has freedom to show his abilities and is not burdened by excessive defensive tasks. He had a brilliant 17/18 season with Lyon, and he's having a solid season right now, tho not as productive as the one before.

You see, people saying he's a Ronaldo kinda player got it wrong. He's not a winger that plays always open, looking to beat his player in a 1x1 situation, nor a striker that thrives making runs to receive the ball behind the defense. He's at his best when he has the ball in his feet and is allowed freedom. He is not a player for positional football (Van Gaal) or highly structured tactics (Mourinho). Tho he's dutch, he is almost a brazilian kinda player.

So, he's very creative, but to bring him to play at his best we need a manager that likes the 10 role.

Mourinho was very astute to insert a buyback clause in the transfer.

 

[brunoh]

Completely different evaluation to the one I’d have on him but there you go.

I’d personally be very happy to have him added into our mix with his versatility to cover 3/4 positions without much of a drop off.

I do believe he'd thrive under Klopp. The only worry is that he plays roughly in the same areas of the pitch as Firmino, who's dropping very deep nowadays.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

I do believe he'd thrive under Klopp. The only worry is that he plays roughly in the same areas of the pitch as Firmino, who's dropping very deep nowadays.

Like I alluded to above, his versatility to cover right across the fromt 3, or as a playmaking 10, would be invaluable to have. (Not into this ‘specific player for a specific role’ notion personally in todays game. Flexibility is key. Not least during games. So the more versatiiity the better for me.). And he’s more than competent with little drop-off right across that. So much you can do with him that he’d be a real fun addition to anyones arsenal IMHO. The stats only tell a part of the story. Lads a constant menance going forward and a ***** to pick up in his floating role.

Terrific talent. His maturity on and off the field has been nice to see blossom the last few years.

 

[brunoh]

Like I alluded to above, his versatility to cover right across the fromt 3, or as a playmaking 10, would be invaluable to have. (Not into this ‘specific player for a specific role’ notion personally in todays game. Flexibility is key. Not least during games. So the more versatiiity the better for me.). And he’s more than competent with little drop-off right across that. So much you can do with him that he’d be a real fun addition to anyones arsenal IMHO. The stats only tell a part of the story. Lads a constant menance going forward and a ***** to pick up in his floating role.

Terrific talent. His maturity on and off the field has been nice to see blossom the last few years.

Interesting argument you make about flexibility. I feel the same. We don't see players that feel confortable all around the pitch anymore. We used to have total attackers like Henry, Bergkamp, Ronaldo. Wich position they played: CF? Winger? False nine? Second striker? Yeah, all of them.

The modern football is too sectorized. That's an ugly side to Guardiola's positional play becoming the dominant footballing culture. Some players require more freedom than the system allows them.

That's the problem with brazilian football right now. Trying to tell young players that they either are a winger, a cf or a 10, and that they should therefore stick to one determined area of the pitch. But our culture is that the best players should be with or near the ball at all times, and sticking to your position waiting for the ball to come (as Guardiola did to Henry, for instance) is extremely unnatural. If Ronaldo was born in this generation, coaches would certainly make him a winger that sticks to the sideline at all times.

 

[brunoh]

Interesting argument you make about flexibility. I feel the same. We don't see players that feel confortable all around the pitch anymore. We used to have total attackers like Henry, Bergkamp, Ronaldo. Wich position they played: CF? Winger? False nine? Second striker? Yeah, all of them.

The modern football is too sectorized. That's an ugly side to Guardiola's positional play becoming the dominant footballing culture. Some players require more freedom than the system allows them.

That's the problem with brazilian football right now. Trying to tell young players that they either are a winger, a cf or a 10, and that they should therefore stick to one determined area of the pitch. But our culture is that the best players should be with or near the ball at all times, and sticking to your position waiting for the ball to come (as Guardiola did to Henry, for instance) is extremely unnatural. If Ronaldo was born in this generation, coaches would certainly make him a winger that sticks to the sideline at all times.

Cantona was a superb all around player.

 

[brunoh]

Watching the (terrible) Brazil's friendlies, i was impressed with four players: Telles (best LB in Europe not in a top side), Allan (pressing powers like Kante but good technique too), David Neres and Everton.

Everton plays mostly as a LW, but he can also play in the right. He's very skilled and a natural dribbler. Lacks finishing. He's been linked to us before. Not a starter right away, but a good option in the bench.

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

..... That's the problem with brazilian football right now. Trying to tell young players that they either are a winger, a cf or a 10, and that they should therefore stick to one determined area of the pitch. .....

Interestingly, a Brazilian journalist made a similar distinction on Firmino (who I don’t think theres a more complete all-round forward anywhere. Better, more consistent goalscorers. But his workrate and all round game is unrivalled) the other day and how the rest of the National side needs to catch up with him:

https://www.thisisanfield.com/2019/...role-proves-why-liverpool-is-the-perfect-fit/

 

[brunoh]

Interestingly, a Brazilian journalist made a similar distinction on Firmino (who I don’t think theres a more complete all-round forward anywhere. Better, more consistent goalscorers. But his workrate and all round game is unrivalled) the other day and how the rest of the National side needs to catch up with him:

https://www.thisisanfield.com/2019/...role-proves-why-liverpool-is-the-perfect-fit/

Firmino likes to drop deep to link-up play with his teammates and to create space. Tite wants him to play as an authentic striker, making runs behind the defense. It kills his football.

 

[ninjaskill]

Like I alluded to above, his versatility to cover right across the fromt 3, or as a playmaking 10, would be invaluable to have. (Not into this ‘specific player for a specific role’ notion personally in todays game. Flexibility is key. Not least during games. So the more versatiiity the better for me.). And he’s more than competent with little drop-off right across that. So much you can do with him that he’d be a real fun addition to anyones arsenal IMHO. The stats only tell a part of the story. Lads a constant menance going forward and a ***** to pick up in his floating role.

Terrific talent. His maturity on and off the field has been nice to see blossom the last few years.

Not sure how much he has matured off the field, there seem to be pretty frequent issues between him and the rest of the squad and the manager in Lyon. He is also playing a lot better for the Dutch National team than he is for Lyon where he isn't really hitting the same level he managed the season before. I think he is clearly a talented footballer but he would still be a very risky signing for anyone to make I think, and Lyon also aren't known for letting players go on the cheap


Also there's this

[video=youtube;PQa4mr2o8Z4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQa4mr2o8Z4[/video]