19 Aug 2022 10:18:48
The Casemiro signing is an odd one imo.

Not because he's not one of the better players in his position, 1,000,000 times better than McTominay and we've been crying out for a holding midfielder.

But i struggle to see how after chasing FDJ for over 3 months Ten Hag sees Casemiro as a viable alternative, i mean they are completely different players.

Also for all of Casemiro's strengths picking the ball off the back and dictating play is not one of them, most of his positive contributions are defensive.

Maybe Ten Hag has been so shocked by the level of the premier league after two games that he's had to radically rethink his approach and be more pragmatic, if so that is quite concerning.

1.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 10:44:47
Or perhaps Casemiro is one of 2 midfielders that the club are looking to sign.

2.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 10:58:09
De Jong is quite a unique player. Probably perfect for how Ten Hag wants to set up. A player who can drop deep and receive the ball, never loses it in that situation, incredible at dribbling past players.

There's not many Frenkie alternatives and going down the list was probably not what Ten Hag wants to do. So you move the goal posts. Maybe having expressive players like Bruno and Eriksen, a player that could compliment them is a straight up world class defensive midfielder.

He'll improve the defence, he'll improve the midfielders in front of him. He's such an upgrade on McTominay they might as well play different sports. We have not had a world class defensive midfielder at our club since the position became integral.

I'm a bit disappointed with everyone chucking in the towel with this signing. People think 30 year olds should be sent to the retirement home. The transfer may or may not work for a multitude of reasons but I'm incredibly excited with this one.

3.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 11:10:37
The wages being reported are ridiculous for a 30 year old.
Up there just behind Ronaldo.

We have already seen how difficult it is to shift players out on these outrageous wages.

4.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 11:09:09
Maybe De Jong is still in the pipeline?

5.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 11:09:19
Could be one of two new midfielders, or maybe having spent a bit more time with the players and seeing the EPL first hand he has decided to go with a different tact.

Rabiot was nothing like FDJ either. Maybe Casemiro is the pragmatic signing to shore things up for the next couple of years while EtH develops and imprints his ideas on the squad.

We all want him to come in and wipe the slate clean and rebuild from the ground up. But the reality is if the club doesn't get top four this season, then from both a financial and prospects position it will be harder to get the right players in next summer to continue our development under EtH.

6.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 11:30:42
Mumbles, I do find it funny that the people complaining that Casemiro's age (30) will be a problem are the same ones who think a 37 year old Ronaldo should start every game.

His game isn't built around being quick, dynamic or extremely mobile. He sits in front the back four, defends the space and moves the ball quickly and accurately to more expansive players.

The things that decline with age are not central part of his game. He will be first choice for the next 2 maybe 3 seasons, with a final season as a solid squad player. Probably leaving the club as a 34 year old on a free transfer to go back to Brazil for a year or two before retiring. Doing so while still TWO YEARS younger than Ronaldo was when he re-joined the club.

Currently I'd say he is one of the top 5 best CDM's in the world, next season that'll probably slide to top 10, with a further slide each year.

It's typical of United fans to spend 2 years or more complaining about the lack of a true CDM to then also complain when the club signs one of the best CDM's in the world.

7.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 11:37:05
Shappy,

I think you might be right, more than one way to skin a cat, what ETH has tried so far with this bunch of moronic players hasn’t worked, he needs to change something and maybe bringing in an extremely experienced top player in the middle of the park will help everyone around him settle down.

8.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 11:58:23
Agreed Shappy. He still has a a lot left in the tank to give. I was reading about him last night. Apparently he's one of these players who eats, sleeps, drinks football.

Does his homework on players before games, applied himself right. This can only be good for a dressing room lacking internal structure and character. He's a proper footballer who's won everything.

9.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 12:03:41
Ralf did say we needed 10 new players, this takes us to 4, only 6 more to go.

Bids flying about for for wingers, right backs, goalies, strikers anything is possible, the only signing I care about though is the one that the Glazers put on an agreement of sale.