Lining Raiola's Pockets - The 2017 Summer Transfer Thread

It's not bad to move into the middle if fullbacks make runs. I'm telling you right now, you have only 3 creative players, who can create for Lukaku. Miki, Mata, Pogba and Herrera once in a while. You want a winger who goes to the touch line and does the crossing, while Lukaku is not good in the air. That is why 4-3-3 at best would be able to contain stronger teams in the middle, but not much going forward in creative ways. You need a 10, Miki, Mata whatever to create cool setups for a Lukaku. The only reason you want 4-3-3 is for Pogba, but other systems would suit you better, even 3-5-2.

Btw, Rashford is better than Perisic on the left wing.

 

Nobody wants a crossing winger, who on this board even wants Perisic.
We need a better ball carrier than either Mata, Lingard or Mkhi who are limited players. Neither of these 3 are good enough in their elite skills to be starting for a title winning side.
Clogging the middle serves no purpose in a 433, all you do is take the game away from your 8/10 which in this case is our best player.

 

You just coviniently left Martial out. Miki and Mata are fine.

That is why, 4-3-3 won't get you titles.

 

Martial is a far more skilled and talented player than both, he matched Mkhi numbers in his bad 2nd season. He is also 8 years younger.
If Jose gives him playtime he will be a difference maker for us and we need one more.

 

Lukaku is good in the air. Not getting into the rest of this debate, but Lukaku is very strong in the air, no doubt.

 

ok.

 

He is good, but I think his shot placements are not that great.

 

Ugh, what?

 

I think you're confusing ball carrier with dribbler. Miki is an excellent ball carrier, but not a great dribbler. We need a winger who can dribble. The only one we have currently is Martial and he is inconsistent and often out of favor.

 

Are you saying he is very good with his headers?

 

A Mourinho 4-3-3 the getting to the line and crossing is meant to come from the overlapping full-backs rather than the wing-forwards. Mou likes his wing-forwards inverted so they can offer a passing / shooting threat and get closer to the #9.

As Mou has said our biggest issue in attack is balance. In a Mou 4-3-3 Mata is our only leftie wing-forward, it always feels a compromise playing Mikhi, Lingard etc. out there. Mikhi and in particular Lingard come too narrow too soon. Then there is the physicallity and defending Jose expects, which he clearly doesn't rate so much in Mata (though it has improved) which is why he sold him and why he always gets the hook when we are protecting a lead.

There aren't many leftie attacking players around / available, especially ones that meet Mou other criteria. Even fewer who are available. A dribbler would be ideal but I think we will have to make best of what can be had.

I agree with Dave46 that a Mou defensive 4-3-3 may not get us the Prem title. It genuinely looked like Mou was liking the back three earlier this year before CB injuries put an end to it. I am pretty sure we will see it more this season, though 4-3-3 will still be the goto system.

 

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Tied for 3rd most headed goals in the league last season with 6.

The only forwards better in the air in the league are Giroud and Antonio probably. Maybe throw Llorente in there as well.

 

His success in that regard at Everton was probably also down to the full-backs - Coleman and Baines

 

Eh, I don't expect it to change much. He might get less quality of service because our fullbacks/wingers can't cross for shit. But we'll create more chances for him so it should balance it out.

 

Agree - he should get more assists from Rash, Martial, Mikhi, Pogs, Mata etc. than from Mirallas, Barkley, Bollassie, Schneiderlin etc.

Not so much from Valencia, Darmian and Blind (maybe Shaw when he gets fit and hits some form). If we could create a hybrid LB of Darmian in our half / Blind in oppo half it would help ...

 

Especially with Valencia as the starting RB. He doesn't hit crosses...they're more like shin high lasers across the box. Or directly into a defender and never make it into the box. Either way, he ain't scoring many headers from Valencia crosses.

 

Manchester United are preparing a £44.6m offer for RB Leipzig's Emil Forsberg. (Source: Daily Star) pic.twitter.com/zBfWvYMpom

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) July 27, 2017

 

Transfermarkt.de reporting Anderlecht have put a £34m valuation on Dendonker and that United will have a scout at their match tomorrow.

 

I like him, do not how high his ceiling is but he is a very composed all round midfielder.

 

So......

 

Forsberg is a good player but not a good fit. I'm not sure what he would add that we don't already have. There are other players at Arab I'd take before him.

 

There are reports in Italy suggesting that Juve's pursuit of Matic is all but over and they'll be turning their attention towards Matuidi instead...
Still hoping there is something to the Dendoncker rumors, long term a clearly much better target than Matic (especially if the latter end up costing £50mil).

 

Man City might teach Man United the value of spending big, spending early

http://www.espn.in/football/english...er-united-the-value-of-spending-big-and-early

 

I honestly don't believe our business is done or that we are after Perisic. We'd have a deal done by now for him if we wanted. Just like we did with Lindelof. He was a mid-tier player at a selling club who didn't really want to lose their guy. But there's no way we pay more than 40 or 45 for him. We would have that deal done by now.

My guess is that we are stuck waiting for other dominoes to fall to free up our targets but at the same time, possibly lining up secondary targets too. No point rushing once we didn't get our guys immediately as they'd have missed the tour anyway.

I expect another couple signings by mid august.

 

United are given "encouragement" over Bale by Real...

www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/07/27/man-utd-given-encouragement-real-madrid-gareth-bale-transfer/

... despite his agent vigorously rubbishing any reports about him.

www.bbc.com/sport/football/40750214