19 Aug 2022 07:53:05
What's everyone thoughts about Casemiro?

Up there with the best DM's in the world in my opinion, however I do feel he's not a player ETH would have targeted.

No doubt he will improve our midfield, but if the rumours are true that we signed him to appease ronaldo, then that for me is dangerous.

In terms of his age, I don't see the issue, think he's younger than van dijk, de bruyne, koulibaly etc and he's the same age as Mane and heung min son, we'd probably have killed to have any of those this summer. Think if someone like PSG signed Casemiro earlier in the summer, people would say he's improved them.

My only worry is that the board are "panic buying" players that don't suit the managers plan, if that is the case it seems we haven't learned a thing over the past and I'd expect Ten hag won't last here, which for me is a huge shame.

So long story short, in terms of playing ability and improving the team, I'm very happy with Casemiro, but only if ETH has agreed to the deal and he believes he will fit in his plan. Does that make sense?

{Ed001's Note - no one would say Casemiro arriving to Madrid would improve them as they replaced him with a far better player in Camavinga Mac.}

1.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 08:11:19
On a different note Ed001. what's your views on the monday's game. predictions? if you said 7-1 I will not be offended lol.

{Ed001's Note - I don't do predictions, they are bad luck. I don't just mean in terms of results, every time I predict something a player seems to suffer a serious injury! So I steer clear of them now.}

2.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 08:17:42
Appreciate that Ed, but camavinga only started 13 games last season for madrid, so I personally haven’t seen anything to say he’s currently better than Casemiro. In the long run will he be better? Possibly, he looks a great talent but suppose only time will tell.

Casemiro isn’t someone I’d have originally looked at, maybe if Jose was still here then it’s probably his type of signing. But I literally don’t know who else we could of got, think everyone would of loved de jong, think people are still hoping deep down it will happen but I’m not sure it will. Maybe neves? I don’t know, who would be a football manager eh?

{Ed001's Note - Jose wouldn't have touched Casemiro for the Prem, he has no mobility or fitness. I don't get the De Jong thing either, nothing special. Good, but not great. Why the fuss? And Camavinga is a different level to Casemiro, they were just being careful as he is so young and Ancelotti doesn't like using youth unless he has to.}

3.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 08:47:13
There are two ways to view the potential Casemiro transfer.

Firstly in the context of our previous transfer business. Unfortunately this deal does seem like a ill thought-out, rushed, panic buy. Paying a large fee and wages for an aging player, who as a well known player is a statement signing in an attempt to hush up the discontented fans. For that reason many fans will either be unhappy about the deal or at least be very sceltical. This transfer window seems to be an absolute shambles, but without real change could we really have expected anything different. For me a lot of my genuine hope for a better summer in terms of transfers left with Ralf Rangnick. The only experienced football operator at the club.

The second way to view this transfer is what does the player bring. He has vast experience, and has been a player who has anchored a very offensive midfield with Modric and Kroos. Could he do something similar at United with Bruno and Eriksen? He is adept at playing as a single pivot in a three man midfield. If he can carry the same level of performances over to the EPL then we will have a player who will provide good cover in front of the defence with good (often under appreciated) passing range. He at the very least is better than McFred and better than Rabiot.
The big concern is can he go from La Liga as a 30 year old into the EPL and maintain his current level? It's true that younger players have struggled. While Casemiro is not at the same level, Makelele moved to the EPL at the age of 30 and was very successful. I think he has a decent chance to be a success in the EPL, his game isn't about pace and mobility, he's strong enough but relies on his reading of the game to be in the right place at the right time. As such the speed of the game in England is less likely to catch him out.
A key reason United have struggled is because every player we play in that No.6 role has a natural instinct to vacate the space and chase the ball, leaving gapping holes in our midfield. At the very least Casemiro will not do that.

As a player I think he improves us in the short term, and could be a decent player for us. The concern is the cost of the transfer and the long term implications for the team. He does however bring vast experience and professionalism, two things we are short of.

Personally I'd give the transfer a 6 out of 10, he'll be a decent player for us, but he doesn't really solve any issues for us in the long or even medium term.

4.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 08:49:02
Mac

I am on the fence on him. As the pl is very different to laliga. I know what he does at rm is very effective for that team and how they are set up and the supporting cast around him.

th french guy is bigger, better, faster, better range of pasding and that's why they are letting him go.

He comes into a very different league with a supporting cast that is not at rm level. All opinions atm until we see him on the pitch and 20-25 games of playing time.

5.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 08:54:25
Casemiro is a monster of a player and can still do a job for a number of years -he’s only 30 and doesn’t play box to box or on the wings so pace isn’t essential.

He missed the first leg vs city in the champs league and madrid were destroyed. They were desperate to get him fit for the second leg and, Benzema magic aside, was one of the main reasons they qualified.

If he hadn’t of played the second leg the aggregate score would have been extremely lop sided in city’s favour.

Will finally allow us to get rid of the mcfred combo and add some real protection in front of our tragic back line.

6.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 09:02:18
Come on, 6/ 10 Shappy? Even I'd get that.

7.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 09:31:45
Spenno, he is a three time La Liga champion, a 5 time UCL winner and has been a key player in one of Real Madrid's most dominate European periods.

He instantly improves us. If basing the score on how he will impact the team this season he probably gets an 8 our of 10. However, when factoring in the other side of things such as cost and longevity that brings the score down to 6 out of 10 for me.

8.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 10:14:14
I'm sure ten Hag scores him higher than 6/ 10 so I'll go with that thanks!

9.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 10:38:17
Listen. at the end of the day it breaks up Mcfred which can only be a good thing.
At least we have a proper defensive midfielder anchoring that midfield while hopefully Eriksen and Bruno can play a bit more offensive and can start creating chances and scoring goals.

10.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 11:34:58
But you don't know how long will he last, do you Shappy?

Also, we still don't know how he will perform.

So grading him at this moment is silly.

That said, I don't understand what people want. If he can do a job for us for the next 3-4 seasons, it is money well spent. We do need a total reconstruction, but at the same time, we can't allow to sacrifice season just like that. We need quality and we need it now.

Ed, Camavinga wouldn't come to us, would he? So you can't really look at it that way. and he is yet to show that he is better than Casemiro, though I'm not sure they even have the same role.

{Ed002's Note - Camavinga is not an option for MU.}

11.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 11:41:16
He doesn’t solve a problem in the medium term? We have McFred in midfield, he definitely solves a problem.

12.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 11:59:17
Trololo, Just grading it on how I see it currently. Everyone makes these judgements, what would be a good transfer and what wouldn't etc.

Obviously that rating will likely change once we see what sort of impact he has on the team and for how long.

GDS, I suppose that's relative. For me the short term in football is the next two seasons. Medium term is 3-5 years, long term is 5-10 years.

Sign a 30-32 year old and they will likely have an impact in the short term taking them to 32-34. Not many 34 year olds have a key impact for a top side (although there are always exceptions to the rule) .

Sign a 25-28 year old and they will have an impact over the next 5 years or so. Making them both a short and medium term solution.

sign a 18-21 year old and they could be in the team for up to the next 10 years, they are less likely to have an immediate impact (although so do), but they will likely be a key player for between 5-10 years. Making them more of a medium to long term solution.

Casemiro at 30 isn't likely to be a key player beyond 2-3 years, making him a short term solution, unlikely to be a key player in 4-5 years time meaning he isn't a medium term solution.

13.) 19 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 12:19:01
I don't think we only need long-term solutions. A few short/ mid-term are what we need to bridge the gap before we can focus on those.

14.) 20 Aug 2022
19 Aug 2022 20:40:06
Ed02, it was a rhetorical question for Ed01, but thanks anyway! :)

Shappy, I understand, but as I said, we can't afford to just sacrifice a season. And who knows what will happen in 4-5 seasons, but I'm glad to have Casemiro here at the moment.