09 Dec 2020 22:33:35
All great teams have the string core or saline down the centre, goal keeper, CB, Defensive midfielder and CF. Having played at a very low level, the basics at the back are a keeper who's vocal and organises and comes for crosses, a CB who organises the defence, CB who dictates the pace of the game and a CF who can hold the ball, make clever runs and take their chances. Henderson in goals, good vocally and good at crosses, l would play Axel and Lindelof at CB, faster and better together, we are lacking in the middle for a player to help Bruno and we have options at CF, Cavani or Greenwood.

1.) 10 Dec 2020
10 Dec 2020 08:32:51
This is probably the problem, what is the core of our side?

Currently its DDG, Maguire, Matic, Martial.

If we are honest DDG is declining and it may well be sensible if we look to move him on as soon as possible as we could end up with a very expensive No.2 if not. Maguire is good at half the things needed to be a modern CB, but poor at the other half. Matic is declining and Martial's mentality doesn't look up to being a CF at the elite level.

We need to replace that entire core, we need a goalkeeper on the rise (we have that fortunately in Henderson), we need a dominant CB (could Tuanzebe or Mengi be that player in 2-3 years time? ) . We need to replace Matic, Saul or Rice could be good options. While we need that line leading striker who you can rely on to score 25-30 goals every season.

While we say about the improvements in our squad over the past couple of seasons, it is clear we will likely need to spend 150-200m on a CB, CDM and a ST in the next couple of windows, and that doesn't even take into account that we still don't have a first team standard RW, or that in spite of spending over 100m on fullbacks (AWB, Dalot, Shaw and Telles), none look fully suited to how we are trying to play.

2.) 10 Dec 2020
10 Dec 2020 09:33:49
Henderson, Blank, Bruno, Rashford and Greenwood. Not a bad spine for me, obviously need to be patient with hendo and mason as they are inexperienced.

Maguire and Pogba should have been crucial players in the spine of our team, what with them being the most expensive players in their position.

Reality is when your two major recruits in the centre of your team have been failures, you aren't going to have much of a spine lol.

This is where the club should just cut their losses on maguire especially, will still be desireable for mid table teams at a cut price fee and will allow us to get a non-hgv mobility centre back to play for us.

3.) 10 Dec 2020
10 Dec 2020 11:22:48
We are over protecting our 2 Center backs due to their lack of pace.

Wan Bissaka is covering a lot for Lindelof. He is staying too close to the Center back than as a right back.
It's another reason we are playing 2 defensive midfielders.

None of other Center backs can defend one vs one.

Therefore, our focus should be to get 2 mobile CB's and a top class CDM.
Pau Torres and Upamecano would be my choice at CB.
Declan Rice or Saul for CDM. In such a case, we would not need to offer much protection to our defense and play both Bruno and VDM in the starting line up.

4.) 10 Dec 2020
10 Dec 2020 11:38:33
Is that Laurent Blank?

5.) 10 Dec 2020
10 Dec 2020 11:45:52
DDG, for me the issue though is that you want some experience in your spine.

Henderson is 23 and has one year of football at the highest level. Bruno at 26 is the right sort of age/ experience and has the required quality. Rashford and Greenwood are young still 23 and 19.

In an ideal world you want experience and leaders through you core, people who can knit the side together and guide the less experienced players over the line on the tight games.

I think in Henderson, Mengi/ Tuanzebe, Garner, and Greenwood we have a great potential future spine. But we need top quality players now.

It's not coincidence that Liverpool's record breaking title last year saw a spine of Alisson (26), VvD (29), Henderson (29), Fabinho (26), Wijnaldum (29), and Firmino (29) through the spine of the team.

A spine of the side have quality and experience at their peak. Its one of the reasons why City have dropped a level or two since their last title win. They have moved to a younger CB pairing (Dias and Laporte), they are replacing Fernandinho with Rodri, Silva with Foden and Aguero with Jesus. Losing that experience as they start to decline and replacing them with younger players.

The age of the players we bring in will dictate how soon we can mount a serious title challenge as much as the quality of the players will.