24 May 2016 07:00:43
To compete effectively 4 competitions, I think we need 7 central midfielders for the 3 places if we play a midfield 3.
We have Mata, Bastian, Morgan, Fellaini, Herrera, Carrick, Blind and Mensah.
So whos in and whos out?
{Ed025's Note - keep carrick and mensah...bin the rest for me robbo..
24 May 2016 07:05:01
Morgan will thrive under mou.
24 May 2016 07:07:33
Morgan and Herrera don't deserve a fresh start under new management Ed025?
Blinds versatility would be useful. the O shea and Park role if you will.
I would bin Fellaini!
{Ed025's Note - morgan needs to step up to the plate if he wants to stay robbo, for me herrera always flatters to decieve, he looks busy but actually achieves very little very much like blind, not in your face midfielders who will bust a gut for the shirt for me mate and thats the problem..
24 May 2016 07:23:49
Fellaini and mata will leave. Others will stay is my guess.
24 May 2016 07:24:59
I'd be keeping Blind for sure - utility player.
{Ed025's Note - average joe for me..
24 May 2016 08:19:31
Carrick needs to go.
24 May 2016 08:24:20
Surely the mark of a good manager is to take players and make them better? This is the million dollar question are Morgan, Herrera, memphis one or two season wonders from smaller clubs who can't step up or were they held back by LVG s methods?
Will be interesting but I think all 3 deserve another 12 months as does Januzaj - if nothing else one of the things that I noticed in the last 12 months was our bench was often lightweight, if nothing else there is a place for Blind and Herrera on the bench which by default means there will be better players in the starting 11 - and that's got to be a good thing.
24 May 2016 08:42:06
I think Joses midfield 3 will have very clearly defined roles.
I think we will have a DCM whos primary role will be breaking up opposition attacks, protecting the back four and linking play between the defence and midfield.
A box to box midfielder have a lot of energy, be highly mobile, positionally aware and disciplined and able to attack and defend equally well.
A creative player who's primary role is creating scoring opportunities for the forwards but who is mobile and physically strong enough to drop deeper and help out defensively when the opposition has possession.
I think TFM has the potential to develop into a fantastic DCM and already has the physique but for now lacks a little technical ability. He would be a good back up option for the position
If we were to keep Fellaini, which I hope we don't, DCM is the only role that he fits at all. Big and strong, useful for set pieces offensively and defensively but not technically good enough to play higher up the pitch. Still a liability with those elbows which he will be pulled up on more next season by refs
Schneiderlin is seen by many as a DCM but for me is a box to box midfielder who is capable of both defending and attacking. He has struggled a little this season from not playing alongside a DCM like he did with Wanyama at Southampton. He would be my first choice box to box midfielder and I think he would excel with a DCM next to him giving him more freedom to push higher up the pitch.
Herrera has also struggled this season, he hasn't been given a run of games or been played in the same midfield set up consistently. I believe he is at his best as an attacking CM, he's not as creative and doesn't haHe as much vision as Mata but he's much more mobile and defensively able. He is more than capable of arriving late in the box or scoring from outside the area. I think he could improve vastly under Jose
Carrick I don't think fits the system and lacks mobility, may be worth keeping for one more year to provide cover and leadership. I think I'd let him go
Bastian again lacks mobility and its hard to see where he would fit. I think he will stay given his huge wages, hopefully he will provide leadership and mentor the younger players
Blind I don't think is good enough to make any position his own, lacks pace and physicality to be a DCM but is versatile enough to warrant a place in the squad
Mata has been sold by Jose before, fantastic creative number 10 and genuine nice guy. Lacks pace and defensive ability, can't see him staying
Rooney may well be deployed in the advanced midfield role, works hard, flashes of brilliance but Jose would need to get him performing at a high level consistently which Rooney hasn't sustained for a number of years. Is he capable of that anymore?
Januzaj, Lingard and Pereira are all capable of playing the attacking CM role as well but need to prove they are good enough to be first choice.
I expect Carrick, Fellaini, Mata and possibly Januzaj to leave with an experienced DCM being brought in whilst TFM develops.
24 May 2016 08:58:55
Boyfromburrenway.
Spot on mate.
One of the hallmark of a great manager is improving the standard and performance of a seemingly average or just above average players.
Juxtapose to this, a good player can perform badly under bad management.
Point in case the likes of Mike Phelan, o Shea, Phil Neville, Quinton Fortune, Park Ji Sung were important cog in Fergies machine.
Not saying at this time Morgan and Herrera are definite non starters and should just be squad players, just that our squad must have the quantity and quality to challenge.
24 May 2016 09:18:20
Firstly a thank you to LVG, wishing you all the best in your well deserved retirement.
Next on what midfielders we may keep or not.
I actually think MF will be kept and part of the squad and I hope Mata manages to sort out any differences with JM.
Missing from Robbo's list is Rooney, I think he will stay?
The others not too sure but if Basti can reach a decent level of fitness (he is 2 years younger than Carrick) then he should also stay.
Therefore I'm going with Fellaini, Matta, Rooney, TFM and Basti, also (I hope) add Matic to this list.
24 May 2016 11:13:25
Mata, Fellaini, Carrick, Herrera and Bastian all have to go.
Simply not good enough.
24 May 2016 11:18:37
I really think Schweini is done, he looked massive and is now getting injured very frequently, a bad piece of business all round.
Many think Blind is average but he has been one of our best performers this year, a very usful player to have in the squad (he's also very dishy) .
The issue fame is the lack of pace and dynamism I nth middle. Herrera is busy but I've not been overly impressed with him so far. Carrick, Fellaini, Rooney, Mata, and even Schneiderlin don't have much pace. Now if we play 4-4-2, or 3-5-1 then we can try and get pace out wide and hold the middle but I think we should be looking for a powerful box to box player.
24 May 2016 08:52:12
I think mata will stay.