08 Aug 2019 22:51:33
So how many players can you have on the pitch at any one time?

It's not a trick question, it's 11.

So based off of pre-season we are looking to play 4231, with Pogba and McTominay as the midfield double pivot.

So which one is it that desperately needs replacing?

Pogba will stay now, I'm sure if it. He is our most talented midfielder. So I'm guessing most would expect him to be a starter.

McTominay has had a great pre-season following on from a very good season last year. He was arguably our best player against both PSG and Barcelona. He is hard working, strong in the tackle, has an improving passing range and is showing true leadership potential.

Is it McTominay that people are desperate to replace?

I agree depth in midfield isn't great. However, we do have and EPL and UCL winner in Matic. His legs look like they might be gone, some might argue he never had them in the first place. Yet his experience is invaluable in a young and inexperienced squad.

Fred had a poor first season, yet few came out of last year looking good. It's tough to acclimatise to the EPL at the best of times. I can't think of a tougher season as a Man United fan for a signing to come in and make an impact. He is still a 50m player.

Andreas Pereira has talent, let's see if he can step up.

We also have Garner and Levitt who could play a few games in the cups, if they impress who knows.

I suppose my point is in an ideal world I'd have loved to see a top class replacement for Pogba. But we didn't get it.

The only way to improve that midfield would be to add an experienced holding midfielder to play alongside Pogba instead of McTominay. But to be honest I'm happy with McSauce.

So is it really as bad as people make out?


1.) 09 Aug 2019
08 Aug 2019 23:19:53
he will play speedy matic most of the season and wonder why things are going wrong. ole talks the talk for the fans but i have not seen anything but a yes man who will soon be back at molde.


2.) 09 Aug 2019
08 Aug 2019 23:32:00
I think most of us are pleased with Pogba and McTominay as the double pivot.

There are two major problems in the midfield though:

1 - Who will be our #10?
A 4-2-3-1 should feature a very dynamic player at that position.
Now we know it won't be Fernandes, Dybala, Eriksen, Maddison .
So it is most likely Lingard (not that good), Mata (talented but slow), and so we have become most hopeful in Angel Gomes, an 18 year old.

2 - Our depth if Pogba or McTominay are out.
Major drop off if either one are out. No creativity without Pogba, and far less defensive steel without McTominay. Matic does not have the legs anymore, Fred has been very erratic so far, Pereira despite a few nice goals is very turnover prone, and the best prospect (after PP and SM) once again is a teenager, James Garner.

We really had hoped to bring in a classy #10 and/ or another solid player like Tielemans, Gueye, Partey, Ndidi. We can be alright if Pogba and McTominay stay healthy and avoid red cards, and if somehow the players at the #10 spot do better than expected.


3.) 09 Aug 2019
08 Aug 2019 23:34:32
Shappy we have

Fred
Mctominay
Matic
Pogba
Garner
Pereria who is more of a number 10

Now we may only be playing 2 of those at any one time but other than pogba the rest are not world class players and even pogba is guilty of half arsed performances and he doesn't even want to be here we should have got rid we have known for over a year he doesn't want to be here.

Fred deserves another chance so I ain't writing him off but anything like last season and he may aswell be left on the bench because like matic we can't he having passengers in the team but I like him as you said he has had it tough

Mctominay for me should be starting along side pogba but he ain't going to perform every week he is young and will need time although he played quite a bit last season he's only 22 he will have a run where he is not quite at it.

Matic is gone he's far to slow and makes far to many bad choices seen as tho he is the more experienced player he is a passenger and we can't have passengers

Pereria is not good enough simple as. he's been on loan and it's not his fault but he ain't at a level good enough for manchester united

Which leaves garner an 18 year old child who you can't expect to have any kind of say in the team.


Now every other top team has more than just 1 player that's capable to create

Other than pogba our midfield is very very poor we should have signed about 1 or 2 cm 1 creative and one experienced defensive player

Then the likes of mctominay and garner can learn and they can get bedded in.


To much is now expected of kids same with the forwards we have an offensive group of players who are all young and don't have the know of how to be that main man


We will struggle and it's down the amateurs who messed players about in the window

We all knew what we needed and we are just fans.



Yeah you can say we sorted the defence out but if bailly didn't get injuired like he did I don't think maguire was getting bought.


4.) 09 Aug 2019
08 Aug 2019 23:38:47
I'm a pogba fan and like him but he has been bad at least as often as he's been good since joining, mctom looks like he's much improved and looking a pretty powerful midfielder but hardly creative, the back ups in my opinion matic Fred and perriera aren't elite footballers .
We will have days when pog and mctom are on song and look fine and no apparent problem but I can see days where we are firmly planted on the backfoot and with an injury or suspension before a top class opponent a pretty big problem .
The midfield was often disappointing last season and many thought Herrera was better than most of them in our midfield, I'm not too sure how being weaker in midfield than last season, when last season wasn't good isn't a problem .
I don't mean to be doom and gloom good keeper, good defense, forward line with bags of potential but surprises me finishing so low last season and starting with a weaker midfield than last season .


5.) 09 Aug 2019
08 Aug 2019 23:57:13
I agree with the 2 shappy and can see them forging a good partnership in there with a run of games.

I think the issue we have is at number 10. I am hoping Gomes gets a run of games but i can see it being Lingard or Mata to start with and neither fill me with confidence.


6.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 00:10:33
Shappy, Pereira is no longer a kid, he just is not good enough at the very top.
Matic was a goner 8 months after he joined us.
Mctominay is a shining light.
Problem is, we can't play 2 in midfield, we'll get overrun every week. In some games, we need 4 in midfield. And apart feom Pogba who doesn't want to be here, there's only Mctominay. The rest are a waste of time and space.
We can gloss it anyway we like, the team looks like a mid table team. Midfield is the engine, Keane, Scholes, Butt compared to the current crop are chalk to cheese.
Would you not agree that standards have dropped quite significantly?


7.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 01:06:44
Hopefully we will see Rashford improve even more this season.


8.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 00:53:59
And the GDS2 award for "positivity in the face of glaring evidence to the contrary" goes to Shappy. Watchout for a trophy in the mail (perhaps the only one you might see as a United fan this season so cherish it) .

Wow where do I even begin. Its just 11 players on the pitch. How many games do we have to play again assuming we make the round of 16 of all competitions? Sure, the same 11 will play every week and miraculously there will be absolutely no fatigue from playing a pressing game.

Who plays the no. 10 role? A Mata whose legs have gone and never had pace or energy to play a pressing style or Lingard who gives decent performances for about a third of the season and everyone would've agreed at the end of last season shouldn't be a shoe in for the starting 11 and is nothing more than a decent squad player?

"Pogba will stay. I'm sure of it. " Well yay! Let's celebrate that we're keeping a player who has wanted to leave for over a year and even in one of his best seasons last year was highly inconsistent. But I am sure he will miraculously stop holding onto the ball too much, losing possession easily when pressed, have a high workrate and be able to play in a 2-man midfield pivot something which he has never been able to do.

"Is it Mctominay that people are desperate to replace? " If you asked anyone at the end of last season if they saw Mctominay as part of our starting 11 after a midfield rebuild they would've said no. I like him, he's decent and could develop into a Darren Fletcher type player but that will be his ceiling. Everyone would've had Herrera in over him and Herrera is gone.

"We have an EPL and UCL winner in Matic. His legs look like they might be gone, some might argue he never had them in the first place. Yet his experience is invaluable in a young and inexperienced squad. "

My response to this would be - "We have an EPL and UCL winner in Carrick. Let's convert him to player coach. His legs look like they might be gone, some might argue he never had them in the first place. Yet his experience is invaluable in a young and inexperienced squad. " The same could apply to Nicky Butt as well. Why not? Its experience that counts.

Fred? Let's believe in him because we were stupid enough to pay 50mil which City wouldn't for him. You argue that it was the worst season he could come into and I would agree. But the midfield this year is EVEN WORSE with Herrera gone and he will be facing better and strengthened opposition. Its not going to get any easier for him.

Let me rephrase that Pereira statement there a little bit. "Pereira has talent. Now I know that we've had two seasons where we has a decent pre season but finds his level again when the real games begin but I am going to ignore that completely and hope he has a good season.

Garner and Levitt are kids. They won't make a significant impact.

So you agree that in an ideal world you would've replaced Pogba which would've kept us at "par", kept hold of Herrera or replaced him when he left, which again would've kept us at "par" so how is that an improvement on last season's miserable midfield performances?

We needed to upgrade on Fred, nobody even had Pereira even in their squad conversation at the end of last season, nobody saw Mctominay as part of a starting 11 and everyone knew Matic needed replacing as his legs have gone which you admit yourself and yet you come to the incredible conclusion that "is it as bad as everyone thinks it is? " Really? How do you go from that entire post to that last line?

Some of this positivity is truly baffling and defies any logic whatsoever. I get being positive about the defensive improvements, I could even get being positive about Greenwood since he is a natural goalscorer and way better on the ball than Lukaku whose first touch just repels the ball and I will even admit that Solskjaer has done incredibly well to make sure the atmosphere doesn't go toxic with all the stuff Pogba and Lukaku with their agents did and him not getting his signings. His handling of that has been genius and as good as it could've been in my view.

But being positive about that midfield made up of the mediocre average duo of Fred and Pereira, a Matic beyond his sell by date, Mctominay who is decent but hasn't even played one full season and the only proven quality player who wants to leave and is inconsistent is nothing short of delusional.

Yes. That midfield really is as bad as everyone thinks.


9.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 03:40:19
Bolger2. Can't really take you seriously I'm afraid.

Calls an 18 year old Gomes our best bet then refers to Garner as an 18 year old child who can't be expected to have any say on the game.

To quote the great Sir Matt Busby: 'if you are old enough, you are good enough. '


10.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 05:35:49
Absolutely agree Redfaith. These people looks like they are running for positivity award. Being positive for just the sake of it does not work.

Lots of ifs and buts are in shappy's post. What if Pereira this? What if fred this? What if our young players this? Jesus. All ifs and buts. No one to whom we can actually count on and say yes he will do this.


11.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 07:02:05
Innate phrases like 'double pivot' - it's a load of modern bollocks that's meant to sound good, just like 'false 9' and 'inverted winger'.

However, if we have to refer to such modernisms then Pogba has proved time and again that he is not the man to play that role. He is just not prepared to do the hard work and the graft. Pogba needs to play further forwards in a more creative role, and needs to have someone else in there the do his dirty work for him.


12.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 08:25:47
I'm requesting Redfaith change their name to something more in line with their view point. As clearly Redfaith has not faith in our players.


13.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 09:59:06
Betty Swollocks and modern bollocks! ha ha.


14.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 10:24:06
Redfaith has been spot on with his post Shappy. I'm afraid even you must have read his post and agreed with it as it made total sense.
So for you to come out despite all his correct analysis and ask to change his name is frankly baffling and a bit rude.
So shall we change your name to BLIND-FAITH?


15.) 09 Aug 2019
09 Aug 2019 10:28:49
when have i said gomes is our best bet?

must be mixing me up with someone else.