Manchester United Banter Archive March 03 2018

03 Mar 2018 22:40:30
With all this talk of us needing to sign a midfielder to compliment Pogba and Matic, I was just wondering whether Andrea Pereira might be able to do a job there? Admittedly I haven’t seen him play that much since his loan to valencia (which has largely been spent out wide I believe? ) for those that have seen him play - would he suit that role or is he too forward thinking? Certainly strikes me as a player that can control a game, given a run of games and some confidence.

03 Mar 2018 22:55:40
I’ve always thought he was wrong to go on loan as he would have played a lot this season with the problems we have in midfield. Something he does have is quality from dead balls and crossing and that would have helped go a long way this season, especially for Lukaku. I think he could play that midfield role well as I don’t think he quite has the pace to play on the wing and would be wasted out there. I remember in pre season he was quite tenacious in the tackle. I look forward to him coming back as I think he has a lot to offer next year.

04 Mar 2018 06:27:45
I agree. I’ve always liked the look of him and it was a shame to see him go on loan, though I understand why he did it and it could work out for the best in the long run. If I remember rightly Jose didn’t want him to leave either so hopefully he’s in his plans for next year. I’d love to see him push for a starting spot next year, the boy is certainly talented and has something a little different from our other options in midfield.

04 Mar 2018 09:50:52
I would buy asensio for the role.

04 Mar 2018 14:23:30
Asensio would be a great signing - every time I see him play he excites me. Not sure Real would listen to offers though surely?

03 Mar 2018 18:07:46
Crystal palace should be a very handy, as the boys on here says the table never lies.
No excuses then.

03 Mar 2018 19:13:52
United are a far better team than palace . I guarantee we finish higher than them in the league .

03 Mar 2018 19:37:04
Well if we are a far better team, do you see us beating them 3-0.

03 Mar 2018 19:41:23
I think we will win but any team can have a bad day .

03 Mar 2018 20:07:19
Ha ha, the league doesn’t lie over the entirety of a season. Anyone can beat anyone on a given day. We will win two nil I reckon/ hope!

03 Mar 2018 20:08:23
Lol jred. Will you come of that fence.
I'm doing United 2-0 lukkaku to score first.

03 Mar 2018 20:14:05
Leahy
I think we will win I've said that above.

03 Mar 2018 17:43:31
I wonder how much worse our team will be by the end of the Liverpool match.

Interesting read down the page about the city and utd managers and teams. Very clear to me that the utd platers are not playing well in combinations as a team. City, Liv and Tot all seem to have cracked that, utd, Chel and Arse.

03 Mar 2018 12:45:47
Thank to all the eds for the greatest site in Internett history. this site is absolutely hillarious :D.

03 Mar 2018 05:54:22
{Ed's Note - Tris Burke has posted a new article entitled, Premier League Match Preview Saturday 3rd March 2018

03 Mar 2018 08:07:23
I'm so relieved haha. So the issue now is how does a team that contains Sanchez Rashford martial lukaku mata Lingard pogba create so little and struggle to score or even look like scoring? Maybe Mr Mourinho can enlighten us.

03 Mar 2018 08:54:21
Attack
It a good point that you would of though a team with them players could offer a bit more of a threat .

03 Mar 2018 11:50:53
Its an 11 a side game. The team is unbalanced and the foundation behind the forwards is no right imo. Unless each player is complimenting each of the others elements of the team break down or are less likely to be show their best.
Its no coincedence that citys defence improved with the addidtion of ederson. All of a sudden ottimendi looks much better. How much better is sterling for the addidtion of walker or sane with dannilo mendy or delph.
Pep saw that there were areas needed fixing 2 full backs a centre back and a keeper. He got the foundation behind the front players and midfield correct and all those front players improved.
Martial sanchez mata rash when playing wide get slow service and get little or no support from full backs getting passed them, making runs taking defenders away to allow our creative players time and space.
They can't cut inside enough because our full backs don't get past them to occupy their full backs.
For me 2 full backs and a cm should be the priority signings this summer with a cb and a rw if funds allow depending on exits.
Looking at our team the lack of pace width and movement in wide areas nakes everthing easy to defend against. Get the right support around coming from behind martial sanchez and co and you will see a huge improvement in tjeir play just like walker has brought more out of sterling and eferson more out of ottemendi or danillo sane.
Not quite got the mix right to allow are creative players to flourish.
Im backing jose to get it right.

{Ed004's Note - Fully agree. I think City are further along in their rebuilding but we will catch up}

03 Mar 2018 12:18:53
Our defence has a decent record and decent defenders but they add nothing and don't support the attack.
There are big gaps between our defence and midfield and then midfield and attack. 2 proper full backs and a ball playing midfielder will fix those links and improve every other players game around them. its not rocket science imo its just the fact that we don't have the right players behind the our most creative players to get the best from them.
Arsenal have a much much deeper but simialar issue. They have some really good players but those behind them don't provide a platform for them to achieve.
We are close imo but we need 3 or 4 starters still imo and they will need to hit the ground running next season.

{Ed004's Note - We badly need two new full backs. Let Shaw and Valencia compete to earn their place and another midfielder to partner Pogba and Matic. 3 signings that would elevate our team up another level}

03 Mar 2018 12:33:42
Totally agree.

03 Mar 2018 12:38:07
I agree with your posts ken and the changes u mention will make us stronger . I'd have to say though with the attackers we already have it really shouldn't be as poor going forward as we often see . good points though about sterling and otamendi benefiting from others and hopefully a few of ours would get the same kickstart from the arrivals u suggest.

03 Mar 2018 13:05:16
Good post's Ken and Ed 4.

I wasn't really sold on the full back debate to be honest but I'm starting to understand now. I totally agree that we need another midfielder to complement Pogba and Matic.

{Ed004's Note - I've no idea what type of midfielder would be best to partner them two. Ed1 rates Milinkovic-Savic very highly and he seems to be our first choice but not sure he's mobile enough. I'm leaning more towards a Modric/Thiago type to help out}

03 Mar 2018 13:11:47
We are doing well and 2nd is about par . But few would argue the team is playing to it's potential which probably tells you how good a squad it is .

Interesting comment on otamendi and sterling . Been saying the same myself players look good in a good team .
That said every one wants rid of half our players.

03 Mar 2018 13:52:34
Proper order.

03 Mar 2018 13:48:31
I'm not sure Ed. Nobody particularly jumps out in the Premier League.

Modric is still an excellent player but would be more short term.

Vidal might be worth a punt but again he's ageing and his injury record is questionable.

I like Kroos but would he complement Pogba and Matic?

I don't know anything about Milinkovic-Savic to be honest.

I like Thiago but maybe that ship has sailed it would be difficult to get him out of Bayern.

I've always liked Pjanic at Juventus whenever I've seen him play but is he attainable and would he complement Pogba and Matic I'm not sure.

I read the other day that Rakitic may be available in the summer?

Maybe some other posters can give us some more ideas? What kind of player could best compliment Matic and Pogba?

I'd be tempted to take a punt on Vidal if he became available!

{Ed004's Note - I agree with everything again here. I feel we lack a more mobile engine and someone to control the game. Modric too old, Kroos too lazy and I'm thinking the same with Vidal. He could be a cheap stop gap until someone special comes along. A midfield 3 of Matic, Pogba and Milinkovic-Savic would be very powerful and all 3 are good on the ball. Just looks a bit slow or something. Think we would need to replace Matic with someone like Weigl or Jorginho}

03 Mar 2018 14:11:04
Jean michel seri is also excellent. Lots of the attributes we are missing. Very busy and aggressive. Jorghino is a lovely player too. I don't fear kroos being lazy he is top class imo. Savic i like the look of him very classy player. Kovecic is also a really good player. Not seen enough of weigl. Lots of options.
Vidal is well past his best should have signed him after the last world cup. i'm against him now.

{Ed004's Note - If Weigl was to sign it would be to cover for Matic and eventually replace him. I think he would be a top signing but a hard one to complete. Seri I've never seen play, Jorginho looks very impressive, Kovavic hasn't impressed me on my limited viewings of him and I'd still worry Kroos wouldn't put the work rate in. Poor Matic would be left doing two peoples job defensively}

03 Mar 2018 14:16:29
I think your right Ed! It's not easy this football management lark! 😂

Anyway really enjoyed the debate today and reading everybody's views. Enjoy your weekend and roll on Monday night.

{Ed004's Note - Really hate Monday night fixtures lol. Hate having to wait all weekend for the game}

03 Mar 2018 14:48:42
I think the midfield signing needs to have legs and passing ability. I love Kroos and there are not many better passers of the ball than him in world football but for me it would not be the right balance with pogba and matic. We are already slow in that area and having a player not much quicker than matic would not really solve the problem.

Milinkovic Savic is an outstanding player who combines physical attributes with ball playing ability. He is very similar to pogba so it is seen whether they could function together. Personally I think they can and it would be a potentially frightening midfield but one of them would have fulfil more defensive duties than the other. At this moment in time I think MS is a better player and offers more of a goal threat so that would be wasted if he is asked to play a more conservative game.

I think we need a bit of an engine in midfielder. Vidal would be worth taking a punt on as he would add that bite we are missing. Reminds me a bit of Keane. Seri is another who can do that and I would not be against signing him. But the player I would make priority is Jorginho. The guy has an amazing passing range, a nimble dribbler and can provide that energy in midfield. I have read liverpool also hold interest and if we lose him to liverpool i think they will have a player who will take them to that next level where they will be challenging. they will have a player who can dictate the game and feed their front 3. I think we need to get him and then perhaps Weigl the following summer to replace matic eventually.

{Ed004's Note - Surely it would be a case of Jorginho or Weigl? or you would have them both standing on each other's heals. Both seem to prefer sitting deep and initiating play}

03 Mar 2018 15:41:58
I think you could play them together ed. Although Jorginho is a deep lying playmaker I think his qualities are wasted sitting deep. Defensively he’s not the most physical and against city in the champions league I thought struggled. Weigl has more of a presence about him and if you play him at the base of a midfield three I think that would allow you to play Jorginho a little further forward on the right of a midfield 3. Both players have great vision and that would allow us to control and dictate the tempo of the game in the big games. We need to be signing players with ball playing ability instead of athletes if we want to close the gap on the top teams. At times we cannot strong 3 passes together so signing these two midfielders would be a start.

03 Mar 2018 19:56:48
Ken is right and as I've mentioned before, we're lacking in the wide areas at fullback. But in my opinion, our midfield is very weak and very lethargic. If we're to improve, we need two dynamic midfielders who can up the pace and quicken our link to attack. These same players will also improve our team defending.