Agreed. Won't mind if we sell Young and replace him with a Tom Ince either alongside. Btw, Mentioned Mata, silva on here several times and other boards.... and there were many that argued they were too lightweight, just another Reyes etc... Still don't get why we didn't move for either though, despite being linked and needing a Giggs replacement. Left footers who can play at a high level, in the middle as well as wide and carry the ball. Both were perfect. Edit - And as far as Hazard and Moura are concerned, would have taken Hazard over Moura comfortably from what i have seen. Though, yes both are potentially big big talents.
Ideally in terms, of realistic options would like to see this - Sell : Nani (if he has to be sold), Ashley Young. Buy : James Rodriguez , Isco, Tom Ince. Though, we are looking at at least one more direct running option instead of the False wingers in Isco/J rod.
If we pay the 45 million Euro Release clause he now has (since we didn't pay the 30million one he had before) I will use the Benfica badge as my avatar for a week. Never going to happen.
Ince is a fantastic prospect but he'd be a project... we need someone closer to the finished article. If Fellani's form doesn't prove to be a fluke by the end of the season, would you guys entertain the idea of him in a 3 man midfield? Cleverley, Carrick, and him. Knows the league, 6 league goals and only getting better.
We have a hard enough time keeping a clean sheet with 11 players, how would we do it with Fellaini (and his P=1 chance of getting a red card)
Why are the rags linking us with Sneijder? Surely that is one transfer rumour that should just be retired by now.
Forgot about Shinji Son, but the beautiful thing is that it would provide a variety of alternatives in our formation. Could use Fellani, Carrick and Kagawa or Cleverley, Fellani, and Kagawa, etc, etc. Just an idea. Not hailing him as the man who will cure all of our problems.
i can't help but think fergie's plan was to go full 4231 with kagawa behind rooney this season and then the rvp thing happened and he just couldn't pass it up (rightfully so!). rvp and rooney are the first names on the line up and there is no sustainable tactic that makes sense with kagawa and two strikers unless we make him a left winger. that's not a foreign position for him, that's always where he plays for the NT since honda is in the hole. if we could let these guys have a run of games together (with the forwards having the freedom to drift wide and let the wingers cut inside), i really feel that creating chances will be the least of our concerns. --------carrick-clev-------- nani-----------------kagawa -------rvp-rooney------------
I am not sure Ince is good enough or will be good enough, Zaha looks for a talent if we are looking at CC. Isco and Rodriguez are the same type of players so ideally we get one of those and keep looking for a dribbler (Reus next season please or perhaps Draxler) ball carrier.
Not sure about Fellaini, Everton used him as an SS or AM, mostly as a battering ram, definitely not what we need.
Only recently has he moved there with Cahill gone. Before he used to play deeper for them and did well there too and has even played a holding role in a few matches, so is quite flexible. The thing is though that he will cost 30 million + and not sure he is worth that.
Reus isn't a winger though and neither a dribbling ball carrier. And anyways he'll cost a bomb now like Gotze, who suits that kind of role better if we are looking there.... And as for Ince and Zaha, i'll probably put them on par. Ince i like because he is a left footer, so gives a different option.
We were willing to pay about 30 million pounds + for Lucas and also Hazard. That should get Rodriguez, no ?
Just don't see us paying 45million Euros with Agents fees on top, I don't know what his wage demands would be like though so maybe that'd be in United's favour. SAF also mentioned before the Braga match what a shitstorm it is dealing with Porto and for once I think he's being completely honest, Porto only own 55% of Rodriguez' playing rights, Spurs Moutinho deal was obviously a difficult one hence falling through and they generally get top dollar for everyone they sell. I'd just be impressed if it happened is all.
I can only say, start watching some Dortmund games. Or his previous seasons. Dont think Ince is good enough frankly, Liverpool would have used him if he was, makes me very skeptical about him at the highest level. Zaha has been dominating CC, was good against us too.
Hardly did well, needed a sitter to play him in midfield and Everton flow never went from the centre so he was still someone who was used to get at the end of things rather than instigator.
I was with you up until the bolded bit. We've played Rooney in the hole with 2 strikers ahead of him. No reason we cannot continue to do that with Wayne up top and Kagawa in the hole.
I'm not sure Fellaini would work in our system or for any system that plays fluid, possession football. He is a very average CM that has found a niche as a target SS. He is great as a "battering ram" as Syed put it, but aside from his physicality he lacks too much. Plus he is not better than Rooney or Kagawa who also play best as a SS. If he could play box-to-box CM with his physicality I would be very interested, but I think he lacks too many skills to be viable there. I think we really missed the boat on Dembele as he is similar to Fellaini from a physical standpoint but is superior on the ball. I think Dembele will eventually take over the SS/CAM spot from Dempsey/Sigurdson at Tottenham.
Thats what I meant by "sustainable"... I just cant see Fergie going diamond on a regular basis. Man loves his wingers, even when they're merely decent.
I really hope you lot don't go with a diamond permanently. Wingplay is why I like United, it'd be wrong for any other English team to regularly have better wingers.
I'm a big fan of wingers too, but I really enjoy what we've done this season because we're unpredictable, so I'm happy to see us have 3 formations/styles available to us.
Wingers could still be valuable in a diamond, they just need to be technically able to link up and take on their man.
Nani as a forward in a diamond system could work.... but can't see him as RM/CM working. He just doesn't have the discipline for it and will drift all over the place doing his own thing, and also losing the ball in the middle. Not to forget he'll have to put in a sold defensive shift too and not just lose his man 3/4 times a game like he does on the wings sometimes.