I think overhaul probably isn't the right word. Starting next season with the same midfield as we have now will straight away be an improvement - Fabinho barely featured in the opening months, we were without Ox for pretty much the entire season and despite a very promising first few weeks, it's taken Keita until March to really settle and find his feet. A midfield of Fabinho, Hendo, Gini, Ox, Keita and Milner isn't too bad. There's definitely room for another creative player though but I suspect whether we sign somebody will depend on shifting Lallana which might not be easy given how little football he's played in the last 2 years. Sturridge and Moreno's contracts are up so they're all but certain to leave. Agree on Milner, his ability to cover both fullback positions has been and will be very useful because without him you're going to need to sign a LB and either a CB or RB.
Summer Transfer Thread 2019
- Thread starter robfosters
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Overhaul was indeed too strong a word. Lets say, tweak instead.
Fabinho I am satisfied with and believe he can really perform for us next season.
Ox I am REALLY REALLY hoping will perform for us next season but I'm nervous to see what toll the injury make have taken upon him.
Hendo, hmm...sometimes I think he is great, sometimes I think he is distinctly average. Tbh, wouldn't be too upset should he be replaced (and I would rather see VVD as Captain either way)
Gini, as above really, sometimes I think he is great, sometimes I think he is very average, and as above would be equally happy to keep or replace.
Keita, looked much better toward the end of the season but jury is still out on him for me. Could be superb for us next season, could equally be meh.
Milner, as much as some hate him, his engine and his versatility are too useful to not have imo.
Would love to see Brewster, Woodburn or in particular Wilson , break into the team but I fear that its sadly unlikely that they will get much chance to and I could see all of them moving on in time. Wilson especially is one I would be sad to lose.
I'm clearly more upbeat about our midfield than you are but your summary of Wijnaldum is particularly shocking to me. Imo he's our best midfielder and one of the most underrated players in the league. Much like our midfield as a whole, some people look too much at what he doesn't do than what he does. Our midfield isn't as attacking or creative as some others and people expect more, especially of Wijnaldum who was signed as an attack minded midfielder but there's tactical reasons why they're not. Without Ox and Keita struggling I think we had to change the set-up of our side slightly and focus our attacks more from fullback positions and that resulted in Trent and Robertson getting 22 assists between them this season. Wijnaldum has been key to how the midfield plays, that allows our fullbacks to get forward so much - he covers every blade of grass, constantly winning 2nd balls, cutting out counter attacks and filling in for TAA or Robertson when they've bombed forward and just as important, he never gives the ball away.
Not that I agree entirely but your assessment of Hendo is more understandable however you're going to struggle to get better cover/competition for Fabinho than him and the fact he can play in a box to box role too helps. Similar with Keita, yes he's not fully convinced us but equally you can't really say with any confidence that a new signing would do better. His struggles this season are fairly understandable too - he looked great in the opening weeks but picked up a couple of niggling injuries and then a change of system to a 4-2-3-1 left him without a position in the side and he really looked like a player lacking confidence. When we switched back to a 4-3-3 and he got a run in the side again his form really picked up and he looked like the player we hoped he would be - touch wood he can really kick on next season. The situation with Ox's fitness is the main reason why I would like an extra attacking or creative midfielder though - if he were to breakdown and be out for a prolonged period then we'd be left short again. As I mentioned, I think Lallana's future could be the key to us signing another midfielder though. If he doesn't leave we'll have 7 senior midfielders on the books, I can't see us going into a season with 8 when we only play a 3 man midfield.
By all accounts Brewster is going to be a full member of the first team squad next season and according to reports, he's going to be in the squad tonight too. Disappointingly I don't see a future for Woodburn with us - I always had my doubts over his lack of physicality at the highest level and he really struggled to kick on out on loan this season. I expect he'll be loaned out again with the hope to sell him on in the future. I think Wilson's approaching the last stage of that cycle too and will probably be sold this summer. Being a very good Championship player or even PL player is a long way short of the levels Salah and Mane are playing at.
Soldato
Apparently Edu is going to be Arsenal's new Sporting director. I hope this means we sign some tricky Brazilian youngsters.
Well its all subjective, its why I am exceptionally careful with my wording when writing and speaking, I always try to make sure that I use terms like "I think" and "for me" and "imo" etc, rather than saying something IS or state something to be a fact.
On Brewster, I am seeing some reports that he is going to play tonight ! Talk about a rough introduction to top flight football lol
Caporegime
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you have one of the best number 10's in the world but your managers have been playing him out wide or not playing him at all.
Mata. You don't go from being the best player at chelsea to a nobody overnight.
As for keeping Shaw that is laughable he's about 2-3 stone overweight and he's had more than enough time to hit the treadmill and hire a personal trainer and nutritionist.
As for usable wingers you have young and valencia with plenty of experience there..... oh wait they are full backs now.
The problem with united is their defenders are all terrible. The system being used isn't the best for the players. Play mata in the hole behind the striker (Rashford / Lukaku) in a 4231. Lingaard can play on the wing as can Martial.
I hate united but it's laughable how they have ruined Mata and still play with that defence. You don't have any defenders which would walk into Celtic's team never mind a top 4 club. I would sell every defender at that club and replace them with 200+ Million spent on 6 quality defenders from Serie A, Ligue 1, La Liga and De Ligt / Militao / Tierney.
I would be surprised though if Tierney would leave Celtic for united in their current state. Which is the problem. Who wants to go to united unless they offer big wages?
Man Utd in the Championship are a bigger draw than Celtic, no offence 
I used to really rate Mata but he's not the player he was. Valencia and Young became poor wingers so got shifted to full back, they would offer very little in attack now.
It's not necessarily just about ability. Martial for example has all of the ability but he doesn't seem bothered about making an effort. Same goes for others too.
I used to really rate Mata but he's not the player he was. Valencia and Young became poor wingers so got shifted to full back, they would offer very little in attack now.
It's not necessarily just about ability. Martial for example has all of the ability but he doesn't seem bothered about making an effort. Same goes for others too.
Caporegime
Man Utd in the Championship are a bigger draw than Celtic, no offence
I used to really rate Mata but he's not the player he was. Valencia and Young became poor wingers so got shifted to full back, they would offer very little in attack now.
It's not necessarily just about ability. Martial for example has all of the ability but he doesn't seem bothered about making an effort. Same goes for others too.
Compare dybala to mata and you see why he needs replacing. Mata is slow, old and more fragile than de gea in a contract negotiation.
Lack of real output. Doesn't fit into a fast attacking team.
We've been linked to a fellah called Gabriel Martinelli. Wonder if that will come to fruition.
Soldato
Yep and Antony of Sao Paulo! I like the mystery buys, you never know what they're gonna be like.
Soldato
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You certainly don't. He was the best player at Chelsea in 2011 and 2012.
Its now 2019.
Soldato
Man Utd in the Championship are a bigger draw than Celtic, no offence
I used to really rate Mata but he's not the player he was. Valencia and Young became poor wingers so got shifted to full back, they would offer very little in attack now.
It's not necessarily just about ability. Martial for example has all of the ability but he doesn't seem bothered about making an effort. Same goes for others too.
regarding Martial
don't know how fair this is but his assists are probably lacking
Soldato
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Its just using stats to cover up what you can see with your own eyes.
Martial has played far more as a striker and has had far more goalscoring responsibility than the others and to be honest you could see the development of the others as players far more over their first four seasons than we have seen with Martial.
There is no doubt he has all the tools to be a player and a half but his attitude is rank.
Martial has played far more as a striker and has had far more goalscoring responsibility than the others and to be honest you could see the development of the others as players far more over their first four seasons than we have seen with Martial.
There is no doubt he has all the tools to be a player and a half but his attitude is rank.
Wouldn't bet on that just yet. Chelsea will appeal to CAS and that almost certainly won't be heard until after the start of the transfer window - the key decision will be whether CAS will rule that the ban be lifted while the appeal is heard. I'd guess that Chelsea will be able to make transfers this summer.
Caporegime
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he's only 31.
so not "old" and he isn't slow either at chelsea he covered more km than any other player on the pitch consistently for several seasons. you can't do that running at 8 km/h in short bursts time to time. he's not fast but he's not slow. not that there is anything wrong with being slow. zidane was slow. being slow doesn't make you a bad footballer. zidance proved you don't need pace to control or dictate a game or to take 3-4 players out of the game.
Soldato
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I didn't say he was old, im just pointing out that 7 years is not "overnight" as you suggested.
And he is slow Im afraid. hes a lovely player on his day and has plenty of talent but he goes missing and he isn't a player that can be automatically relied upon. What Zidane is or was isn't really relevant, 31 year old Mata isn't playing like peak Zidane, if he was there wouldn't be an issue.
Caporegime
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you think he's slow because he's been asked to play as a winger for united.
if you asked zidane to play on the wing for united he would be also play terrible.
deploy mata in his best position and you get the best out of him.
otherwise why don't you start playing Lukaku at CB?
Soldato
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Please don't presume to tell me why I think he's slow. I've watched virtually every game he has played for United.
To be honest your entire assessment of the team is absolutely miles off so I think we had better just leave it there. Your initial statement was that you don't go from being the best player at Chelsea to a nobody overnight was really what I took issue with as 7 years being described as overnight was completely ludicrous.
Caporegime
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well tell me then when you rated mata at united as being as good as when he was at chelsea?
he did overnight become worse because he was being deployed on the wing in a system which doesn't suit the player.
the whole defense is a joke. they all need to go. if they aren't going to play mata in the hole then they need to sell him. i bet the next club he goes to he does well at back in spain most likely. as he will be played in that position and do the same job he did at chelsea.
mourinho is who got rid of him at chelsea he then oversaw his decay at united too. he didn't like him for some reason, because he apaprently didn't work as hard as oscar even though he outran oscar in practically every game at chelsea.