Unlike some, the result yesterday was not a surprise and it amazes me that some cannot see the challenges we are currently dealing with. Injuries being one of them but I digress. Like Ole said when he came, it will take about 3 years to challenge at the top again and I agree with him. It is not difficult to draw parallels across the top teams in our league to see this in action.
I have always warned against getting rid of players until we got rid of Jose as I wanted a competent and progressive manager in charge of the squad. I believe we have that in Ole and his vision and 3 year plan need to be implemented at the club. To enjoy the benefits, he has to be given time, resources and has to look within the youth set up for solutions or be astute with signings. As when Utd come calling, we pay extortionate fees.
First things first we need to sort out the spine of the team and establish the type of side we want to be going forward and that means a long hard look at the squad with phased and wholesale changes going forward.
This in my mind means we need to not only get rid of the "deadwood" but also prune some of the "talent" we have to allow other talent grow. For this to work, the club needs to spend the cash and the fans need to be patient as the first 18 months will be a challenge. (i.e. short term pain for long term gain).
Looking at the high press game Ole favours with a 4-3-3 or the diamond, we need to think of players that will work in that system and at the same time, say goodbye to a few faves and loyal servants.
So, this is going to be controversial but it needs to be done and I would be interested in your views as well. Upheaval and change is usually not the best way to go, but we need to look to the future.
So if I was the manager, I would be looking to move these players on;
1. David De Gea
2. Ashley Young
3. Phil Jones
4. Marcos Rojo
5. Romelu Lukaku
6. Ander Herrera
7. Antonio Valencia
8. Alexis Sanchez
9. Matteo Darmian
10. Juan Mata
11. Nemanja Matic (Phased Transition out of the club)
This will leave a huge hole in the side but this has to be done first.
There was promise shown by TFM and I have not seen a lot from Tuanzebe but it is time to find out what we can get out of them.
We should look to make at the very least, 6 new additions to the squad.
We need a striker like Diego Costa and we need to find out if Dalot can play as a RB in the Prem.
We also need creativity and guile in midfield along with alternatives to Rashford and Martial should they not progress as we have hoped.
This obviously means we need to focus on the rebuild next season and take some pain to allow us compete at the top in a couple of years.
I will elaborate a bit further in the comments on some of my thinking.
Controversial 3 Year Plan
posted on 17/4/19
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 10 minutes ago
My issue with Mitrovic is Rashford and Martial. If they were more mature, I would have no issue with him.
Rice, I have not seen enough of and I suspect we would be looking at a fee close to 70 million in the current market place
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Fair comments.
I've not got a lot to go on to be honest other than Mitrovic's goals and Rice's game against United at the weekend.
I hope our scouts know more though!
posted on 17/4/19
Van de Beek on the last two CL rounds has looked out of this world for Ajax.
Forget de Jong he's the real baller.
posted on 17/4/19
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 1 hour, 37 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 6 minutes ago
Actually Smalling and Lindelof can be interchangeable to that side.
As for the nasty striker, and it has been mentioned here before, how about Mitrovic for a cut price fee? Declan Rice has also been mentioned and I thought he played well against us for West Ham the other day as did Anderson (SE85 look away now!)
I'd like Herrera to stay too if possible but it seems he's off. You never know though. I think he could yet stay. Depends on what other business we have in the pipeline. If he does go I'm pretty confident we'll have someone lined up somewhere.
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Mitrovic looks a good option but can he hack it at the highest level? Especially if he is playing with 2 young men learning the game in Rashford and Martial.
It is a shame Zlatan is too old, he would be almost perfect.
Haven't seen enough of Rice to form an opinion but young and English = Big Money. Think we can get a good foreign option
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I'm sure you'll think this is a wum but it's genuinely not. If OGS teams use a focus point to bring in wider players (and I haven't seen enough of Utd to know how he plays) then you could do worse than look at Giroud as a short term fix.
France won the world cup with him acting as pivot for Griezmann and Mbappe to play off; same principle could apply for Rashford and Martial. If that genuinely is how OGS wants to play.
posted on 17/4/19
Pogba needs to join you list of players to leave, he’s been crap recently and lacking in application, but not for that reason: simply I don’t think he wants to be here long term.
posted on 17/4/19
I actually agree regarding De Gea. And this is by no means a knee-jerk reaction to yesterday - made a similar article a couple of years ago.
Brilliant keeper though he is, there are some glaring weaknesses in his game which he has barely improved upon in the last few years. He is still too hesitant off his line, doesn't command the area as well as he should, and distribution is poor.
We actually already have a very capable keeper in Romero who I would have no problems with making our number 1. Although of course not as good as Dave overall, he does trump him in some of those above aspects.
I think you look at the situation overall, if we could get a big fee for De Gea, re-invest the money in an outfield player and promote Romero to first choice, there is a very strong case that it makes us stronger as a whole. It's almost blasphemy to suggest it (some of my friends look at me with absolute disgust when I mention it) but it's an idea I've edged towards for a while.
The only question would be whether anyone would pay big for him this summer. Madrid you'd think have other priorities, which really only leaves PSG.
posted on 17/4/19
Not saying this is easy or achievable but...
The things we need most of all are (without naming names, as I don’t have a clue who would work out for us anymore):
1. Players who actually care about getting this club back on top, so many of our current lot just trot out every week and don’t appear to be putting enough effort in, earn their ridiculous wage and jog off home to play FIFA in their goddam awful Gucci tracksuits
2. We need a leader, or two or three. Don’t know who’s out there but I’m talking a Keane/Vidic type who isn’t afraid to kick the sheite out of his team mates (not literally) in order to get a positive response to a bad situation
3. Players who are technically miles better than what we have, are comfortable in possession and who actually move off the ball!
4. A new number 7 who is finally worthy of the shirt since Ronaldo left. A Hazard type who gets fans off their seat, can beat 2 or 3 men and scores a shed load of goals! Someone who can win a game single handedly when the rest of the team have decided to be useless for yet another game
And finally a bloody philosophy (yes, I used it) and identity. A plan to stick to that should help us progress like Liverpool have done since Klopp came in.
So, not much then
posted on 17/4/19
comment by Naby8 (U6997)
posted 4 hours, 1 minute ago
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 1 hour, 37 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 6 minutes ago
Actually Smalling and Lindelof can be interchangeable to that side.
As for the nasty striker, and it has been mentioned here before, how about Mitrovic for a cut price fee? Declan Rice has also been mentioned and I thought he played well against us for West Ham the other day as did Anderson (SE85 look away now!)
I'd like Herrera to stay too if possible but it seems he's off. You never know though. I think he could yet stay. Depends on what other business we have in the pipeline. If he does go I'm pretty confident we'll have someone lined up somewhere.
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Mitrovic looks a good option but can he hack it at the highest level? Especially if he is playing with 2 young men learning the game in Rashford and Martial.
It is a shame Zlatan is too old, he would be almost perfect.
Haven't seen enough of Rice to form an opinion but young and English = Big Money. Think we can get a good foreign option
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sure you'll think this is a wum but it's genuinely not. If OGS teams use a focus point to bring in wider players (and I haven't seen enough of Utd to know how he plays) then you could do worse than look at Giroud as a short term fix.
France won the world cup with him acting as pivot for Griezmann and Mbappe to play off; same principle could apply for Rashford and Martial. If that genuinely is how OGS wants to play.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I did consider Giroud when I started the thread but his age may be a factor.
It's a fair comment, not a wum comment
posted on 17/4/19
comment by Ole-Dirty-Baz ta’rd (U19119)
posted 3 hours, 39 minutes ago
Pogba needs to join you list of players to leave, he’s been crap recently and lacking in application, but not for that reason: simply I don’t think he wants to be here long term.
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I do not agree about Pogba, personally think he has a big role in our future. He just needs the right players around him
posted on 17/4/19
comment by ManUtdDaredevil (U9612)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Ole-Dirty-Baz ta’rd (U19119)
posted 3 hours, 39 minutes ago
Pogba needs to join you list of players to leave, he’s been crap recently and lacking in application, but not for that reason: simply I don’t think he wants to be here long term.
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I do not agree about Pogba, personally think he has a big role in our future. He just needs the right players around him
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He’s already eyeing an exit. He will be gone this season or next, unless he continues to stutter as much as he has. I agree though, he does need better players around him.
posted on 18/4/19
"De Gea doesn't offer enough as a GK.
"Great shot stopper when he isn't making mistakes but isn't dominant on crosses, organising the defence or sharp enough off his line. Distribution is meh. We'd get more utility from the likes of Kasper Schmikes or Butland never mind the high end options."
Fack my facking life a hundred times over. I've read it all now.