News: We're Muppets, and we have a problem: Summer Transfer rumors

The lack of trust in Fred as the 1 in a 3-1 is the problem there IMO. Soton close off the two pivots, the ball goes right, Matic drops to LCB, Maguire gets the ball, and then doesn’t quickly play that pass through to Fred. That’s because we don’t trust him to know what is behind him, and we don’t trust him to immediately sweep the ball to our left and find Shaw.

Too many times we fail to play out of presses or through blocks because we don’t trust the recipient. It’s why I‘ve said before that every single one of our next 3-5 signings needs to be technically adept and tactically intelligent / disciplined. We’ve got an abundance of willing scrappers. But in games like that we get far more defensive benefit from not regularly losing the ball in our own half, than we ever could from frantic recovery effort.

 

Strongest CM in troupe:

Fernandes
Van De Beek
Pogba
Matic
McTominay
Fred

Van De Beek should play DM sell Fred in January about don't buy Saul and sell Pogba about a year.

 

No CM is instructed to “always make forward runs” on build-up, even when playing as #8s. Even for #8s, running up wide blind alleys with no passing lanes is still not a thing. Being mindful of your position on turnovers against pressing teams is still very much a thing - for #8s too.

Besides, especially with Matic so deep - whatever you consider McT role (we have double-pivot - so combo #6/#8 role), he should be aware of the gaping hole is the middle and fill it rather than go where players already are. Like I said, his awareness and positioning are poor whether you consider him a #6 or an #8 at that time.

 

I think we agree - is a chicken & egg what comes first argument. There is good reason not to trust Fred - like I said he has not looked and is not on the half-turn. Informs why players wont pass to him as pivot in a tight space.

We have similar issue with Matic in that while he is more aware / press-resistant than Fred, his passing has slowed as his all-round game has slowed. He cannot maintain the passing tempo required to break the press (in addition to his mobility issues).

 

Varane probably thinking WTF! now he realises he has a pressing trigger in front of him in Fred and one besides him in AWB

 

Nothing about McT is a 6. His positioning is awful. His struggles with the press. Hes not a good tackler, especially for someone with his physical ability. He just doesnt do anything well that a 6 or a DLP needs to do. Hes an energetic 8 that can cover some ground and harass the other team but other than that he doesnt offer much.

 

Saúl Ñíguez remains a possibility for #mufc. He is on a list of targets and a crucial factor is Atlético Madrid being open to an initial loan, so the immediate cost could be manageable without the need to bring in cash from outgoings #mulive [@lauriewhitwell]

— utdreport (@utdreport) August 25, 2021

All well and good for Whitwell to believe that Saul could happen without having to buy (because he would be a loan for this season).
But now there is the small matter of Chelsea to contend with: and they appear to be ahead of us already in terms of negotiations with Atleti...

 

Fair enough, still dont think it was an intelligent run - even with that in mind, but see where you are coming from.

Still think the points stand that our current CM options are truly woeful - all three of them IMO relative to the levels our oppo teams have in their CMs. Truly different levels.

 

This thread and responses make interesting reading

There are unironically quotes of this tweet saying scott is making the right choice by making that run. That is not what a positional rotation looks like https://t.co/6E10dIoh2u

— Kees van Hemmen (@HemmenKees) August 25, 2021

 

I don't have a problem with the idea of making that run. But he made that run in such a way that he made it easy for the defender to cut off the supply line. He needed to stay central and make that run with the passer leaving him into the space. Or he needed to stay central to receive a hard pass from the passer with his first touch taking him towards the space that he actually ran into.

Having said that a more clever fullback would cut hard into the space when Scott made the run and was inaccessible for a pass. Most likely the opponents would collapse on him (the fb) and he would have to be adept enough to slip the ball quickly through to a teammate.

As with most things in soccer, there is no one right answer as the situation is so fluid and dynamic. That is why you teach situational awareness to adapt as opposed to if a happens then do b. Scott's run may not have come off but the fullback was not a wear enough to recognize that and react in a appropriate manner.

 

Don't do it, Ronny... 💔 #MUFC pic.twitter.com/hGF0eF6UJ0

— Man United News (@ManUtdMEN) August 25, 2021

 

If he does, he will win the champions League again with them.

 

If he does, he is dead to me.

 

I spoke to him and he isn't sure he can live with you hating him so he is not going after all

 

Just did an interview with Ole Gunnar Solskjær. His answer on transfers:

“I don’t think much is going to happen. If something happens, it is a bonus. You never know what happens in the world of football. But we’ve had a very good window. I am happy with what we’ve done.” #MUFC pic.twitter.com/1x5GxbW8bW

— Arilas Ould-Saada (@arilasos) August 25, 2021

https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...s/man-united-transfer-news-solskjaer-21400616

Forget the CM ... brace yourself for another year of Fred, McT and Matic in midfield.

 

English pap report on Bild story here, claims Chelsea were told £35m agent fees “plus a separate salary” for Raiola and £820k per week for Haaland.

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-priced-out-haaland-deal-24836577

TRUE ✅ Mino Raiola demanded a wages of €50m/year for Erling Håland from Chelsea this Summer, in addition to agents fees of €40m

Source: SPORT BILD #BVB 🟡⚫️ pic.twitter.com/lEKQ9Koc5P

— Sports Pack⚽️🎾⚾️🏈🏂🏇🏻 (@Sports_Pack1) August 25, 2021

 

1. That's exactly the problem with dealing with that fat twat. Not only are his demands for his client crazy, but he always wants to get paid himself.

2. Nobody will ever meet that salary. Everyone has seen what salaries like that do to teams after what Barca are currently going through.

 

This is each fans expectations we got Donny, Saul, McTominay and Fred at DM still I think Ole to sell Matic in January and Pogba 2021 or 2022 in summer time with Saul in a-team.

 

Though I'm not holding out hope on this, maybe the McT injury will actually force management's hand in buying a new 6 (though it sounds like he's only missing about a month, a week of which is the international break).

 

Espn reporting that Ronaldo-Man City is close.

 

Fuuuuuck

 

It's a pretty gutless move by him, to be honest. Doubt he would go to Atletico Madrid if they offered him the same thing.