27 Jun 2022 18:55:04
FDJ looks like its progressed well today according to Fabrizio. Hopefully it can get across the line along with Antony and Eriksen.
I'm not too bothered if we get someone in defence, this team in 2021 only conceded 44 goals, maybe if they are coached to defend as a team then this would improve.
The main issue for me is up front, hopefully the new midfield provide a better platform for the team going forward.
27 Jun 2022 19:29:05
i still don't see us linked with a combative, energetic ball winner -McFred can't do it so who will win the ball for these silky ball players everyone wants in the team?
27 Jun 2022 20:27:25
Sangare was rumoured earlier in the week, would be a shrewd signing. However, I think our interest is elsewhere unfortunately.
27 Jun 2022 20:45:37
Bfbw, I don't think we will sign a combative CDM.
I think the aim will be to play FDJ as a playmaking No.6, much the same way Carrick was.
Then play either Fred or McTominay alongside him to do the pressing to win the ball.
Carrick was never an all action combative No.6, he marked space, read the game and stepped up to intercept the ball when it was there to be won.
He also played along side Scholes who was more forward thinking than defensive, Anderson who was the same, or Hargreaves and Fletcher who were more proactive defensively and would chase the ball down.
So many people have focused on a combative, proactive defensive midfielder like we can't be successful without one. Yet the last time we were truly successful we didn't have that sort of player in the line up.
27 Jun 2022 20:46:45
If we don’t improve our defense, we will struggle next season.
We desperately need new full backs. FBs are key players in the modern game. What we have simply isn’t good enough. Shaw is probably our best FB, and he’s inconsistent at best. Dallot and Telles are squad players, and AWB is just a massive mistake. A new RB is essential this summer.
As for CB, I think there is a need to bring in quality. Lindelof and Maguire are not good enough, and Varane struggled last season.
I don’t understand how supporters can look at this squad and think 3 new players is all that’s needed. If the club don’t back ETH, he will not succeed here.
27 Jun 2022 21:20:41
Football has changed a little bit from 2008 when carrick and scholes were winning trophies.
But I agree there are many ways to skin a cat in midfield, for every Casemiro there is a Rodri who is less confrontational in midfield.
Defence is down to structure and setup, whenever we play 4-2-3-1 it is easy to see the pivot in midfield have way too much space to cover, which is not helped by bruno running around like a headless chicken and our wingers being more wide strikers than midfielders.
27 Jun 2022 21:24:25
Agree with you Danny 100%
Contrary to another opinion, I think a high energy defensive midfielder would be a really shrewd signing. Yes, last time we were successful we didn’t play a defensive minded midfield player, however, we also had a world class centre half pairing!
There’s no coincidence that Maguire’s best form and what got him the move in the first place was with England. And that’s because he had either Phillips or Rice to help him out. Maguire is looking likely to be first choice centre half (go figure! ) so why not get some help for him.
27 Jun 2022 21:32:53
Shappy, yes but football has changed. Maybe the word combative was the wrong choice but let's say a hard working, ball winner and we had that in Keane - Kante, Ferdinhio, fabinho, Ndidi, casemiro are the type of player i mean - now, there are of course different ways to play but I see people excited by a midfield of Erikson, FDJ, Bruno -someone yesterday called that mouth watering. really? it would be steam rollered in the PL- Its all opinions but for me we are missing a trick by not gettign this type of player not only to win the ball in midfield but to also protect the back 4,somethign we haven't had for a while now.
27 Jun 2022 21:37:42
Not sure why people are so obsessed with “Fabrizio” the guy is clueless. You know that when he takes stories from credible journos and seems to be itk on every transfer and all the talks behind the scenes, its an absolute joke and he has a lot of people hook line and sinker.
27 Jun 2022 22:41:13
Millionaire on the back of mugs.
27 Jun 2022 22:47:21
Agree, a less glamorous midfielder quietly doing the dirty work would be fantastic. Someone like Sangare would be incredible or Laimer although that one has gone quiet. I don’t think Erik will get away with De Jong and De Beek playing silky football in the middle in this league.
27 Jun 2022 22:53:39
Danny, I don't think anyone is suggesting that we are three players ways from challenging for titles.
Just that we won't see the 10 new players we probably need in one window.
There will be glaring weaknesses to our side when the season kicks off, weaknesses that probably require bringing in new players to fix.
I'd argue that DDG isn't a natural fit for how EtH has typically played. He might need replacing. The same for the whole back four. McFred aren't anywhere near good enough. While we still have a massive hole in the right hand side of our attack and Ronaldo has one more season at most.
So that's 8 or 9 positions that need greater quality without even considering squad depth and coverage. Easily add another 2-3 players for depth. That's 10-13 players. Considering it's a 25 man squad that still assumes that 12-15 players currently at the club step up to prove themselves as good enough at least as a solid squad option.
We are never going to get that this summer, he'll we probably still won't have all those areas cover by the end of next summer. That's why I say this is a MINIMUM of a three year project to get a squad capable of seriously challenging for a title.
To the other posters (DDG, Fireman and Bfbw), absolutely football changes, there are also difference between teams playing at the same point in time.
In some games we will require a combative player, maybe it will be Fred (top 5 midfielder in the league in terms of winning back possession) or maybe McTominay. Or maybe it's a new player the club needs to bring in next summer. In other games maybe we can play Donny or Eriksen alongside FDJ.
Changing our side slightly in each game to better gain advantages or mitigate weaknesses against opposition.
27 Jun 2022 23:18:42
I believe that if we succeed in bringing in FDJ and Eriksen, we are going some distance to remedy our weakest area. I’m not sure who would accompany them in midfield. None of the current squad has done enough to convince. Both Fernandes and McTominay would likely frustrate the life out of FDJ and Eriksen. Fred can play a bit but he lacks presence and guile. A solution will probably arrive in the next transfer window. Hopefully someone in the mould of Ndidi although there have been issues with his fitness.
28 Jun 2022 08:04:33
Danny, you're spot on. Personally, I think two CBs, RB, defensive midfielder, central midfielder, centre forward. I'll give Garnacho, Pallestri or Diallo a chance at wide spot before paying millions on Antony.
Also, Fernandes is a good young left back and I would like to see him given a chance.
The club need to move players, but they are all on ridiculous wages and who is going to buy Martial, Jones, Bailly, Tuanzebe, Telles, AWB? And unfortunately, until we can sell these players, I'm not sure the club is in a financially viable position to spend and get all the players we need.
I'm not holding my breath on a major influx of incoming players. I am hoping that ETH can improve what we have and bring some young players through.