25 Jun 2021 11:52:18
Hi Ed002,
Have United moved on from Grealish as a target after signing Van de Beek?

And also, is it true City are close to signing him?

{Ed002's Note - (a) DvdB could leave after MU wasting the last year of his career and it is unrealted to Grealish. (b) Manchester City are keen on Grealish but I have no way to determine what the word "close" means to you.}

1.) 25 Jun 2021
25 Jun 2021 13:05:38
hes also wasted the minutes he's had on the pitch. all be very few minutes, he must be terrible in training.

2.) 25 Jun 2021
25 Jun 2021 13:36:54
I'd love to say that's a bit harsh Bolger as I'd love Donny to succeed with us, but I have lost a little faith in him and he seems to have lost his own confidence. With us at least. In the last game v Wolves he looked like exactly what we need as he got involved with the playing out from the back and worked the ball through the midfield, whereas Fred is a disaster waiting to happen when he gets on those balls. But that was a fairly meaningless game, and he was playing a little deeper than where he we normally use him

He just doesn't seem to fit the current style of play. He doesn't look for anything beyond a 6 yard pass. Would fit in really well at Barcelona style, but we're all cross field balls and through balls for the runners.

3.) 25 Jun 2021
25 Jun 2021 13:56:19
JohnyKills just out of curiosity, what is the "current style of play"?

DvDB is a wonderful and an intelligent footballer and is obviously wasted under the current manager who prefers brawns over brains on the pitch.

4.) 25 Jun 2021
25 Jun 2021 13:58:26
It was always an odd signing if you just compared the style of play between us and Ajax.

Ajax play a methodical possession based game with the system taking priority over individual brilliance, where as we play a much less coherent style of play which is heavily reliant on individuals doing something out of the blue.

5.) 25 Jun 2021
25 Jun 2021 18:00:05
He is a really good player. He has imo been treated shabbily.
I hope he hangs in there in the hope he out lasts the manager.
I agree he is not cut out for playing oleball but pogba is proving to be a decent midfielder but even he can't get into an oleball midfield he has to play left wing.
Oleball requires destructive players concentrating on stopping the other team playing rather than getting our team playing.
First thing ole has to do pre season is ditch oleball.

6.) 25 Jun 2021
25 Jun 2021 18:52:53
If City sign Grealish we might as well not even play football next season. Tell them to just keep the EPL trophy and be done with it😉.

7.) 25 Jun 2021
25 Jun 2021 19:06:37
If City got both Kane and Grealish for 150 millions plus the wages I don't think that's a great business. I am not saying they are not good or talented players because of course they are. But City will do what we used to do, overpaying for good but not great players (especially with Grealish) . I don't see Grealish fitting on Peps style of play, not pressing, not passing fast enough. I maybe be wrong but that's my opinion.

8.) 25 Jun 2021
25 Jun 2021 21:58:12
I am amused by the constant “he’s been treated poorly” brigade.

A. If he was doing the business in training, he’d get selected more often.
B. He hasn’t looked anywhere near the standard required when he’s been given chances to show what he can do on the pitch.
C. He gets paid very well and in the one year he’s been with us has probably earned more than most on here will earn in their lifetime.

Treated poorly my.

9.) 25 Jun 2021
25 Jun 2021 22:31:17
If we sell DVB and Pogba does not sign a new contract then come next season our midfield options are McFred and an even older Matic. Is the manager and our board really that stupid…. I would say yes. Haha.

You say the Wolves game was meaningless. It may have been to us but Wolves we’re at home in front of their fans and I am sure they would have wanted to put in a great performance for them and the departing manager…. And VDB was MOM.

We sign a DM, and then we will see a better VDB and Pogba if he stays. It won’t happen but NcFred should go first.

10.) 26 Jun 2021
26 Jun 2021 03:24:47
CristianoSolskjaer,

I am just as amused as how Ole is still in the job.

Talking about VDB, his playing time has been managed poorly by our incompetent manager and he just doesn't know how to use him effectively.

A. "Doing the business in training" - just look at both Tuanzebe and Williams who did very well on the pitch and they are overlooked.
B. "He hasn’t looked anywhere near the standard required when he’s been given chances" - well he's certainly beyond Ole's standards for sure. Talking about giving chances, well we all know how poorly he was utilized when there were opportunities to give him and others a lot more game time.
C. "He gets paid very well" - good for him but the limited amount of game time shows how inept Ole is to not utilize a well paid player.

Any player coming in from another league needs time to settle in but still with the experience and technical ability that VDB has, his game time should have been managed more sensibly. It was insulting at times to see him come in the final few minutes of games and sort of undermined his talent.

{Ed077's Note - how is a player supposed to "take his chances" when he gets subbed on 88th minute more often then not?}

11.) 26 Jun 2021
26 Jun 2021 03:34:02
Ed077, that's the point. I mean VDB is not some young academy player that you bring on in the final minutes to give a taste of first team football. He needs a run of games but still feel he would be wasted under Ole with the way he sets up the team.

{Ed077's Note - I too think that our general setup and approach to the games mean the likes of VdB and Pogba cant flourish as a CM/CDM}

12.) 26 Jun 2021
26 Jun 2021 04:34:55
Ed077, I think VDB would flourish under a more tactical manager with a progressive style of play where he is further up the pitch tasked to break down the opposition.

As far as Pogba, the only way I see him flourish is if he is given sort of a free role without too much defensive duties. He also needs that extra bit of time and space on the ball which he is not afforded in the PL. Also, he needs players around him constantly probing and dragging the opposition to get the best out of him. The main concern though is he mentally lacks the dedication and focus to be a top player on the pitch for us.

{Ed077's Note - I dont think Pogba will actually ever be a consistent performer no matter the system or the manager.

Who knows about Donny? He's not had a run...

13.) 26 Jun 2021
26 Jun 2021 14:16:32
Sign a DM who can pass at least reasonably well, or even better, a Deep lying Playmaker who can defend, and I think we'll see a whole new side to Donny. Pogba would benefit a lot too, but I don't think he'll ever be consistent for us. McTominey would also flourish with the extra freedom from playing alongside such a DM.

14.) 26 Jun 2021
26 Jun 2021 16:00:14
It is better that Pogba leaves one way or the other as he is inconsistent as you say Ed077.

Thorne, I agree but unfortunately our priorities are elsewhere at the moment. But even with a DM I am not sure Ole is going to ditch playing 2 CMs to guard his defense.