The race for top 4

comment by Don Draper's dandruff (U20155)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Ole-Dirty-Baztard (U19119)

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Can you not read? I said in a post above pogba’s been good since he came back, but would you rather I said ‘he’s been the best player ever, like platini, keane, pele, messi and Ronaldo (both) rolled into one, never played even a 10th of a second badly in his life’.


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gee, i wonder if we could find a happy middle ground between the above, and you taking constant digs at him all the f@cking time?

we get that you don't like him - trust me, we get it. we get that you are underwhelmed by shaw's attacking play - really, we do get it. we get that you love scottish players, yep, got that too. so, sanchez's contract, the PL and money, all very much got.

so can we leave them for now, and move onto other stuff?
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I’ve mentioned 2 scottish players who would have improved on shaw, and only because we could have got them cheap. One of them is probably the best lb ion the league, and we paid over 3 times that for an inferior player. I like Pogba, I think he’s got enormous talent, and seems a great guy to have in the dressing room, but unlike you, and like many other I can also criticise his underwhelming career here. We get you love him, and cannot take any criticism of your hero, but as you say try and find a middle ground.

Let’s move on then.

Lots of interesting ties near the end of the season that could have big implications on who finishes where in Europe. Spurs vs Leicester in our penultimate game. Leicester vs United in your last game. Chelsea vs Wolves in their last game.

Final day of the season could be a humdinger for the race for top 4.

I must be seeing something different with Shaw.
When we got him and up to the leg break just about everyone on here was singing his praise, including me.
He lost form and confidence, became unfit. But gradually he's got it back and for me he's playing well.
I get that he's not the best going forward, but he's not terrible either
His defence is very good, and despite appearances he's fast.

Shaw has four key passes and four completed crosses in our last three games.

The four completed crosses is a team high.

He’s playing well offensively right now.

I'm struggling with the idea that we need a new left back.

Shaw is playing well and Williams looks a fantastic prospect.

How many better left backs in the league are there?

comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 15 minutes ago
I must be seeing something different with Shaw.
When we got him and up to the leg break just about everyone on here was singing his praise, including me.
He lost form and confidence, became unfit. But gradually he's got it back and for me he's playing well.
I get that he's not the best going forward, but he's not terrible either
His defence is very good, and despite appearances he's fast.
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Never rated him offensively pre leg break, he could get down the wing in headless chicken mode, but usually would send in a poor cross or stop and pass back. Lacks intelligence and quality on that front.

Never been convinced about his attacking ability, he’s a very decent defender (as is awb) and actually prefer seeing him in a defensive 3, he’s been good when used there..

.. would add ii don’t think Lb is anywhere near a priority position to be looking at,. Shaw is good enough for now, but a better attacker in that position would make us better.

The thing is a better LB wou make us better, as would à better R, and CB and RW etc.
It's no good looking at an individual and saying there are better out there. It's how they fit in the team, do they do a job. Every team has positions where another player seems better, but nobody can buy eleven World class players. It's getting eleven to fit together.

comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 11 minutes ago
The thing is a better LB wou make us better, as would à better R, and CB and RW etc.
It's no good looking at an individual and saying there are better out there. It's how they fit in the team, do they do a job. Every team has positions where another player seems better, but nobody can buy eleven World class players. It's getting eleven to fit together.
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Fair point, what I meant was a top attacking fullback would change our attack and make us even more incisive, shaw is ok, He’s a very good defender, but will never be a top attacking fullback.

Shaw's biggest issue is that he is safe and plays the percentage ball too often. he is beginning to get forward more and overlap the left sided attacker, but still too infrequently to be a top attacking fullback. But he is improving and it is clear Ole is coaching both him and AWB to be better flying FBs. Worse case you have Williams there who is better offensively and will no doubt improve defensively. Absolutely no need to splash on a new LB.