18 Jun 2017 20:06:52
Ed004, interesting reading your posts further down about how you are torn on Ronaldo. As we probably all know, he is my all time favourite player and I personally think he is the greatest.

I'd be intrigued to hear what shape the team would need to be to get the most out of him and who would be most complimentary in the team? For me I think Pogba and he would have a great time, Herrera's fantastic engine is key, Martial or Rashford from the left provides plenty of quality in terms of delivery and movement, Mkhitaryan and Mata right provides good delivery and more good movement. If we were to get him I think a defensive midfielder and potentially a new left back is still required, Matic/ Fabinho and Ghoulam/ Mendy.

{Ed004's Note - A defensive midfielder would be a priority if we signed him. I think a midfield of Mkhitaryan, Herrera, DM, Pogba would be very strong with Ronaldo and one of Martial or Rashford partnering Ronaldo up top/drifting wide to offer width. We could get away with just Lindelof, CDM and Ronaldo however I think we need to improve on our fullbacks as they aren't good enough going forward and they would be a necessity to get the most out of Ronaldo. This is all just theoretical as I can't see him signing. He will cost too much and Madrid won't sell him - they'll sort this issue out}

1.) 18 Jun 2017
18 Jun 2017 20:41:31
That almost sounds like a narrow 4-3-1-2, is that what you would have in mind? Two up top, Pogba behind with Mkhitaryan, Herrera and Carrick/ DM?

{Ed004's Note - More of a narrow 442 with one of the strikers dropping into midfield when we are under serious pressure. Similar to Monacos set up with Pogba playing Silva role and Mkhitaryan playing Lemar role}

2.) 18 Jun 2017
18 Jun 2017 20:54:32
Interesting, I don't think Jose has ever played that before unless he did at Inter? I expect Ronaldo coming in would see us play the 4-3-3 with him swapping with Martial/ Rashford on the left.

{Ed004's Note - It could just as easily be described as a 433 with Mkhitaryan on the right of the front 3 but coming inside more often than not. The width being provided by a fullback}

3.) 18 Jun 2017
18 Jun 2017 21:14:54
Valencia would certainly provide that width, the left would be a problem. Blind and Darmian would be ineffective in this system, Shaw would be capable but is he trusted enough?

{Ed004's Note - Valencia and Shaw would be the only pair that could provide width effectively and efficiently enough however that wouldn't be enough for a whole season. We would want to have options similar to the way Spurs have. Therefore, a right back and left back would be needed in an ideal world (Semedo and Mendy)}

4.) 18 Jun 2017
18 Jun 2017 21:22:11
I think we could get one of them and keep Young as an option. He's more effective than Blind.

{Ed004's Note - I think Young is a cert to leave}

5.) 18 Jun 2017
18 Jun 2017 21:49:34
Can't see anyone paying him what we do.

6.) 18 Jun 2017
18 Jun 2017 22:14:16
Boys, get a room.

7.) 19 Jun 2017
19 Jun 2017 01:02:59
Thank you AJH!

Even Ed004 is getting tempted into picking out Ronaldo's new curtains and a nice Sphynx statue for the top of his stairs.

If everyone says it enough times it will surely happen, right?