02 Jan 2025 15:26:31
@Shappy, I read your article Manchester United Need Better Players.
While reading the part about our attacking mf and us playing better with Amad on RWB, I was considering, with the current crop of players we have and what you metioned, why not play both Cas and Ugarte and let Mainoo join Bruno as the attacking MF thereby freeing amad for rwb?
Any thoughts on this guys?
02 Jan 2025 15:39:08
Leaving a below average Hojlund as our only source of pace and goals?
For this system to work, considering we are playing with 5 defenders, we need three attackers who can score/ create non penalty goals. Bruno and Mainoo can't really do that.
Rashford/ Garnacho have to either be reintegrated into the team or sold asap so we can get some attackers in the team, not converted midfielders.
People really underestimate the loss of attacking talent we have had over the past few years. Sancho, “He who shall not be named”, Martial, Cavani, Ronaldo, now Rashford. None have been replaced with competent attackers, just incompetence (Antony) and average Serie A players (Hojlund and Zirkzee)
02 Jan 2025 15:53:30
I’ve been wondering this myself, Amad has to move back to RWB, him at RWB and Mazraoui at RCB were our best players in RA’s first few games, I can see why he’s tried them further forward but it’s not worked.
I’m not sure if Casemiro should be playing though really, he’s poor and doesn’t even seem to be trying half the time.
02 Jan 2025 17:32:49
Casemiro is a liability in midfield. The two central mids need to be able to get up and down the pitch all game. Casemiro gets caught upfield far too often. Manioo could actually work as one of the attacking mids, as he is good in tight spaces. Unfortunately, we don’t have anyone to play in the centre instead of him.
02 Jan 2025 18:25:40
NoMidfield no longer posts, but he called it out years ago, we contine to struggle to control games. Ugarte looks promising, and Kainoo has a lot of potential but that's all we have right now.
02 Jan 2025 19:05:05
Mbd, while I'm not against playing Mainoo higher, the problem comes in that Casemiro cannot play two game a week (although if we keep this form up we won't be playing twice a week for much longer) .
From what I've seen there are some players who clearly should be starting and others who shouldn't be. I get that we need to rotate to avoid injuries, but I'm a little surprised that we haven't given more minutes to some of the youth players. Although again the poor form does make it hard to throw a youngster into the firing line.
I think we need to play Amad at RWB, and when he has to be rested I'd try and play Garnacho or Rashford at LWB.
We need attacking thrust in those wingback positions otherwise we just invite too much pressure on ourselves.
I also thought Mazraoui looked like one of our best players at RCB, but has been poorer once moved to RWB.
Given Martinez's struggles I think starting Mazraoui at RCB again then play two of Maguire, MdL and Yoro alongside him would be a good idea. To be fair Mazraoui even looked good at LCB.
I'd like to see Yoro given a run of games, if that's better at RCB then maybe play Mazraoui at LCB for now.
Ugarte and Mainoo probably have to start most games in midfield. Although Casemiro can play some games, and I'm a little surprised Collyer hasn't had more minutes as on paper he looks a good fit for Amorim's system.
Højlund has to start up top, we just don't have anyone else, maybe one of the academy lads could get 10-15 minutes at the end of some games.
LWB is going to be a problem, we have no one for that position. It might be that we have to persist with Dalot unless we can bring someone in during January. Again I'm a little surprised that Amass hasn't been given a few minutes given the lack of options in that position.
Bruno has to start in one of the wide forward positions, it's just who starts alongside.
Neither Rashford or Garnacho are natural fits in that role. Mount on paper would be a great option, but he can't stay fit. Zirkzee has been tried there and been pretty poor. Amad would be good, but needs an attacking wingback to open up space for him. For me I'd probably start Eriksen there with the idea being to replace him in the second half. Either bringing on a Casemiro or Collyer and pushing Mainoo up, or giving Garnacho 15 to 20 minutes to show if he can adapt. The other option would be to look at the academy and bring in someone like Jack Fletcher or Shea Lacey or even Amir Ibragimov.
We absolutely have to bring in a LWB in January. I'd bite the bullet and bring back Alvaro Fernandez. He's available cheaply (unusual for a January signing), he's ideally suited to the role, and he has played in England before and with us so shouldn't take any time to adapt.
He's cheap enough that if he struggles to replicate his form from Portugal in the EPL that we could still look to sign another LWB in the summer. I actually think that unless Amass is ready to play regularly then we will need to sign two LWB's by next season anyway.
Ideally by the end of January I'd like to see a strongest starting line up like this:
Onana, Yoro, MdL, Mazraoui, Amad, Ugarte, Mainoo, A. Fernandez, Bruno, Eriksen, Højlund.
I look at that line up and see solidity in defence, pace and attacking intent out wide, energy in midfield, and creativity behind the striker.
Everything Amorim's system needs. The back up for that starting 11 is very thin, but it's a basis to start building from.
{Ed025's Note - you might see solidity Shappy.... i see a ramshackle team of square pegs in round holes and a few of them over the hill mate...sorry..
02 Jan 2025 19:18:25
I'd instead play Eriksen beside Bruno. Amad at RWB is best for the team right now. It may get Bruno closer to goal. The issue is that we'd lose pressing near the opposition goal but our options are distressingly few.
03 Jan 2025 04:51:36
I look at that team and see same as us now, severe lack of pace, no goal scorers and slow ponderous centre backs, even Ugarte and Mainoo not exactly got pace or legs! but I have to say it’s really hard to make up a decent team with what we have in our squad.
Need 2 or 3 in January minimum otherwise we in big trouble.