22 Jun 2020 16:10:04
Looking at the signings that Chelsea have made, and Liverpool's lack of squad depth, along with the fact they will lose Salah and Mane for at least a month due to the African Cup of Nations, can anyone else see Chelsea potentially finishing higher than Liverpool next season? Chelsea are possibly only 1 or 2 signings away from being as strong as City in terms of their squad depth, and if they sign Chilwell and perhaps Ake then I don't think there would be very much between them at all. Especially given that City will likely lose Leroy Sane and David Silva this summer, and probably need to sign two centre backs as a priority before they replace either, and in any case, I can't see them replacing either Sane or Silva with anyone better.

Essentially I think both City and Liverpool might be weaker next season, so with 2 or 3 really good signings, and a new contract for Pogba provided he performs over the next two months, and we could really compete at the very top of the table next season. I certainly think we should comfortably finish top 4 next season, as I don't think Spurs or Arsenal are near competing, and I doubt Leicester will maintain their form from this season.

Wishful thinking perhaps, but it is fast approaching that time of the year when football fans start to dream of what might be in the new season, so hopefully my optimism can be excused.

1.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 16:52:00
Chelsea still have issue relating to their defence and no one knows how Ziyech and Werner will adapt to the PL. Also I think African nation most likely will be moved to next summer as qualifiers still haven't been completed.

2.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 17:19:04
Gilly, I think that a lot can change between now and next season. There are rumours that the Afcon could be moved, while City, Chelsea and Liverpool will all likely sign at least a couple of new players. While several of their key younger players will be a year older and more experienced. They don't have too many "key" older players who we might see a decline from next season.

I think it's best to just focus on ourselves.

3.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 17:23:49
Good post Gilly. Agree Chelsea look to be on the up whereas Liverpool look to be stagnating at the top with seemingly no money for new faces and City needing some key positions replaced. I think a world class RW transforms us. I still remain to be convinced by Martial tbh but with the creativity of Bruno and Pogba behind and the wing/ forward play of Rashford and either Sancho or Chiesa as new RW and he’d definitely have no excuses. Especially with Greenwood waiting in the wings and Ighalo providing some experienced back up and greater physical threat when needed.

We look miles behind Liverpool and City now but agree the Top 4 next season should include those 2, ourselves and Chelsea. The order we finish, depending if we buy a class RW, is anyone’s guess.

Interesting to see how City react to next season given their obvious need to invest but FFP problems in the past.

4.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 17:34:29
The way I see it is we can buy what players we want but if the back 4 isn't solid we will win nothing.
And Harry mcguire doesn't fill me with confidence and it's not because of the spurs game. i remember lacazette turning him a few times when we played arsenal and I said to myself this boy is going to get us in trouble. I've seen him getting caught with the offside line a few times. Getting turned inside out.
The other cbs we have aren't anything better.
So for me next season will be pretty much the same a fight for top 4.

5.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 18:04:40
Maguire didn't have a great game against Spurs, but it was the first game back.

For me all players have weaknesses to their game, however defenders weaknesses are often exploited so are more obvious.

For example if a winger doesn't track back, or has poor off the ball movement it's much harder to spot, especially when watching on TV. Yet if a defender is slow on the turn you will see it probably most times your team concede a goal.

Vidic wasn't the quickest and could be had on toast by quick players, Torres for example used to cause him nightmares.

Rio often lost concentration, while until he was 28/ 29 his positioning was suspect, often relying on his pace to cover himself.

Maguire can be a very good defender for us, but he needs the right partner. A great defence is always greater than the sum of its parts and by working as a unit they over come the players individual weaknesses.

You can have a slow defender play in a high pressing side. Hummels was a key defender along side Subotic for Klopps Dortmund side, neither were quick defenders. If you're well organised, and everyone knows their role then there shouldn't be any problems.

6.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 18:09:43
That’s very true that they might struggle to adapt, but they are both fantastically talented players and I think they will both perform well at Chelsea. I think Chelsea will also address their defensive issues this summer, with Ake, and either Chilwell or Tagliafico the likely options. Even with the Africa CoN moved, Liverpool have a thin squad, in pretty much every position. An injury to Van Dijk, Salah, Mane, or Firmino would seriously hamper them, and I think even with 2 or 3 signings, they would still have a thinner squad than United, City, and Chelsea. City will obviously make signings but I can’t see them improving greatly without spending greatly, and they might not be able to do that, especially with their potential champions league ban, as presumably that will affect their spending power for one or two seasons if it stands. If United can make the right signings this summer, perhaps Sancho and either Partey or Ndidi, and keep Pogba provides he wants to stay, I think we will be very strong next season.

7.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 18:22:43
I think you can be a very good CB with or without the right partner. Maguire has been poor enough at times and continues to get caught out time and time again.

Maguire will look better with a world class CB beside him as any of our centre halves.

I hope he improves because he has not filled me with great confidence since his move.

8.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 18:35:02
Interesting reading the above, we have the 4th best defensive record in the EPL this season.

9.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 18:52:52
4th jred that's top class.

10.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 18:56:07
I think maguire has done ok. Sure he had been exposed a few times but that is an occupational hazard. He is no rio or stam but its his 1st season and he has been ok and he does appear to galvanise others.
Im not sure who his best partner is. Lindelof is more vulnerable than maguire in many ways. Bailly i dunno he looks great then awful then great then gets injured. Tuanzebe is a long way off jones and rojo are simply not an option and smalling looks to be off.
Bailly i still hold out hope for but he is not one to depend on. Maybe axel will stand up but its been 12 months since he played really and never at epl level so i don't see it being him next season.

11.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 19:01:47
Leahy the negativity is impressive .
4th not bad 2 of the tesms ahead of us have conceded 2 and 3 goals less over 30 games not z big difference strsnge when you read all the post on here about maguire lindelif shaw and DDG.

12.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 19:33:46
I wouldn't call it negativity jred.
We have the 4th best defence and the 5th or 6th best attack.
So we sit 5th so just on where we deserve to be.
I don't think that's very good. Its not good enough to compete to win a league.
We have not competed to win a league for 7 years. that's not very good.
We struggle to qualify for CL through league position consistently for 7 years. that's not very good.
Its not being negative. You may be happy not competing. You may be happy being 4th 5th or 6th best and not even competing . Its not being negative to say being 4th 5th 6th is poor if you set higher standards.
I don't think being 4th or 5th best in the league is anything to be happy about. Particularly when we have not watched goods football in any of the last 7 years.
Yes we are building a new team but we still should be remaining competitive. We have no divine right that's for sure but the players and coaches have not earned the right either.
Top be fair the issue for me is scoring goals not letting them in.

13.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 19:35:45
Probably the reason why are where we are. Not enough quality throughout our team. Maguire is good but be is not in that top bracket which is what we need if we ever want to be winning titles again. But I mean you can be happy with 5th and 4th best defensive record.

14.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 19:40:31
Everyone has their own standards ken and that's okay.

15.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 19:42:39
Yes as I said. Imo our big problem going forward is defence. Cbs for me.
I'm on about winning leagues. And I'm not negative. I think Bruno is top class.
Now look at it from another side. Look what happened to Liverpool when the got vvd. Top class defender then their keeper. Then the 2 wing backs top class players. The game they played against Everton. People say they missed salah. For me Robertson was the one they missed. Coleman got motm cause he kept mane quite. Would have been different if Robertson had played. So yes for me a title winning side needs a top back 4 or 5 whatever. We don't have that.
I say what I see.

16.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 20:07:33
I agree angel and leahy.
Jred you watch the football the fans being there are not makes no difference to you. Your happy enough plodding along at 4th 5th 6th as long as you can watch football on your telly that suits you. Good on you everybody gets what they want from being a football supporter.
I prefer the competitive edge, being in the hunt for honours, i never mind losing because nobody wins all the time. Some enjoy the atmosphere coming through some enjoy the build up to big games some enjoy analysing formations.
Being critical of being 4th 5th or 6th is not being negative people comment on what they see.

17.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 20:32:03
Actual i think the issue has been attack .
Out of the top 6 only Leicester with 2 less and Liverpool have conceded less than us .
Yet all of them have scored more with the exception of Wolves who are obvious below us . both City and the scouse have scored 20 odd goals more .
So i'm not sure
1. Its why we are where we are
2. Its a big problem going forward.
The last 5 teams to win the league have conceded on average 31 goals I don't think we will be far away from that .

That said pogba rash and martial have all missed big parts of the season and bruno only come in in Jan.
Them 4 will imo make a big difference, scoring goals, creating and keeping possession all of which will help the defence.

So looking at the bigger having the 4th best defensive record isn't as bad as some would like to make out imo.

You defend as a team, and as the physical aspect has been more and more removed from the game defending through possession and restricting the opposing teams ball time has be come more important.
Simply by controlling the ball in CM which I believe we will with pogba and bruno plus a fully fit martial rash will allow us to defend better as a team .

You need to look at the bigger picture, and in my opinion having the 4th best defensive record when you look at the bigger picture isn't as bad or as simple as many would like to make out.

At no point have I ever said I am happy plodding along in 4 5 or 6.

18.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 20:46:14
I would half agree with you jred if we had at the other end of the pitch a proper number 9.martial another who won't win you a league. Bags of talent but frustrates me cause no consistency. Rash for me again better coming in from the left.
Me I would have bought werner and sold martial. Haaland another who we should have went all out for. Don't know what went on there. I don't think he wanted to come to us in the end. But what will he cost next season.

19.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 20:54:37
Leahy
Imo martial needs to stay fit and get a run of games but while discussing the supposed issue with our back 4 I think he is only a small part of it .
If he can stay fit I personally don't think he will be an issue .

20.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 21:05:22
I'd sell him in the morning. I'd have more faith in greenwood. But right now I'd start greenwood on the right ahead of James all day long.

21.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 21:07:28
I'm going to go and watch the second half of the city match but I have just looked at the dreaded stats .
City have a similar degensive record to us this season .
3.0 up at half time against Burnley who haven't had a shot .
I don't think the city back 4 tonight is anything special player wise.
But as a team they have scored 3 and had 65 % of the ball . Restricting Burnley to 0 shots.

22.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 21:16:52
Leahy
Each to there own, and that's maybe a slightly different convo to the back 4 holding us back .
Or what having the 4th best defensive record really means .
Now hopefully city's back 4 have a mare and they conced 4.

23.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 21:41:29
I'm with you there jred. c'mon burnley.

24.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 22:38:54
Attack is the problem for sure.
We have spent 130m on our defence and uts letting inn more goals than previously.
But as jred says our defence is solid enough but when your not scoring and concede soft goals at times it hurts more. City have conceded just as many and probably even more soft goals by bad defending but that's ok when your scoring as many as they do.

Martial would be suited to a different style of play perhaps but i don't see him as an epl no9.
Ighalo would get more chances i think. He is not as good a player technically but would be more effective in this team imo.
Bruno is a big plus he was set to come in the summer but it got delayed. He is having a good impact as will pogba to seasons end.
I think we will win the EL we have the strongest squad in that comp if its played over 10 days.

25.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 23:04:32
130 mil I'm not sure why people get so obsessed with the price of a player? So many variables why a player cost what he does .
54 gosls conceded last season 31 so far this season .

But its a team game not as simple as plodding around in 4th what ever that means. Because 3 teams have conceded less only tells part of the story .

26.) 22 Jun 2020
22 Jun 2020 23:38:57
80 mil. You expect a lot for that.
Now if we went back at Leicester for the Turkish cb. Can't spell his name.
Would we get a good deal off them. Because he is going to be one of the best around imo.

27.) 23 Jun 2020
23 Jun 2020 00:11:28
When the whistle goes it doesn't matter how much they cost.
Lot of different factors in whst a player cost.
And the price of any thing is relevant to the amount you have.

28.) 23 Jun 2020
23 Jun 2020 00:43:45
Bobby Moore wasn't the quickest in terms of physicality and nor was Teddy Sheringham but they were half a yard ahead of other players mentally. So much of the game is about positional awareness which is why Klopp and especially Pep drill their teams so that they are always aware of where team mates and opposing players are on the pitch and can react accordingly both with and without the ball.

That said both the above managers as did Sir Alex recognise how difficult it is to defend against fast attacking players. A fast attacker should always have the advantage over a defender purely because of the attacker is fouled anywhere near the penalty area the consequent free kick can be very damaging to the defenders team.

29.) 23 Jun 2020
23 Jun 2020 08:13:20
Personally I would try AWB at CB alongside Maguire and put Dalot at RB if there is an opportunity to try it before the end of the season.

30.) 23 Jun 2020
23 Jun 2020 09:17:50
Agree with Ken on the debate on 4th, 5th,6th best attack an defence, that's not what any United fan should be happy with tbh, we should be aiming to be the best amd winning the top honours. We are a work in progress tho but frustratingly have been since Fergie however something feels a bit different atm but we need a few more signings of the quality of Bruno.
We need a top class centre back alongside Maguire to make up for Maguires shortcomings, we need a real roght sided forward, Dan James works hard but we need bettwr quality in the starting XI, James would be a real threat coming off the bench when the game is stretched and then I guess it depends on Pogba staying or going.

31.) 23 Jun 2020
23 Jun 2020 09:47:06
We are on a 13 game unbeating run .
During that time we have conceded 3 goals.

32.) 23 Jun 2020
23 Jun 2020 10:53:57
I don't think anyone is happy with the club being where it is at the moment, and suggesting people are is just a deflection tactic.

Could our defence be better? Yes of course, but I don't think our defence is a million miles away from where we need it to be. In AWB, Dalot, Laird, Shaw and Williams we have hugely talented full backs. I feel the issue is finding the right balance with our centre backs, Maguire isn't the CB I would have chosen to bring in last summer, but he is the one we got and on balance is probably our CB. We need to find the right partner for him, whether that's someone at the club or someone we need to bring in.

I've often wondered with Maguire whether it would be good to switch him from LCB to RCB, normally I wouldn't switch a player from the side they are most comfortable, I just feel that having AWB along side Maguire to cover him would be better than having Shaw or Williams.

I think jred is right in that the real issue is our attack and not our defence. We have drawn too many games because we couldn't break teams down. Only twice this season have we conceded 3 goals or more, once was the 3-1 loss to City in the league cup, the other was the 3-3 draw with Sheffield United in the league. The issue is we don't score enough. If we can add 20-30 more goals to our team then we would be challenging up in second place this season. Spurs in 8th place have scored more goals than we have this season.

If we can bring in someone who is a genuine threat on the RW such as Sancho or Chiesa along with a whole season of Bruno and Pogba then I think we can easily score a further 20-30 goals next season which will put us right in the mix.

The fact is we have conceded 10 goal more than the best defence in the league, but we have scored 31 goals fewer than the best attack. Simply put 25 goals more would probably have a greater effect on our position than conceding 10 goals less.

33.) 24 Jun 2020
24 Jun 2020 10:02:48
We don't have a partner for Maguire of the quality that is needed and Shaw seems to get in the team ahead of Williams why I don't know so we do have issues in defence, we have conceded only 10 less than the least but we look shaky when under attack, that's because we have 2 positions needs strengthening, left back is already at the club thankfully it just needs Shaw out, Brandon in permanently and a top class centre back bought.
Right wing is our other issue as stated above, James for all hos endeavour is not first team material but could wreak havoc off the bench, Chiesa pr Sancho I've not seen play but its nice to see we are looking at that position.
As I said if we add 2 or 3 more of the quality of Bruno we will be cooking.