The Manchester United Club Thread **Sponsored by Comedy Central**

[adam cool dude]

Surprisingly Chong has signed a new contract. It seemed for certain that he was leaving in the summer but for some reason that has flipped. Can't say I've been impressed with him but he's still young and clearly people are seeing something in him.

He needs to be put on loan to prove his worth. He is not good enough at the moment. Think he just tries too hard and needs to wet his feet in the championship.

I really hope we can get some decent money for Pogba in the summer. Would much rather have Sancho and Grealish in the team. I think we need to take a leaf out of Liverpools book and have a team of decent players that work together rather than "Galactico's".

 

[Mekrel]

I don’t see any future for Chong, he’s another Nick Powell in my opinion. Whilst he’s young, he hasn’t showed anywhere near the quality of other young talent in the squad such as Brandon Williams or Mason Greenwood.

He shouldn’t be getting into the squad based on current performances, definitely should be loaned out if he has signed.

 

[MeGaMaN]

I still think your biggest problem is the lack of a top class out and out striker.


Martial is a decent inside forward & Rashford has bags of potential but neither seem to have the killer instinct to sniff out tap ins in & around the 6 yard box and you wouldn't put money on either to convert in a 1on1 situation.

Going back through the years you've had Ibra, Van Persie, Berbatov, Van Nistelrooy etc. guys who will get you 20 - 30 goals a season just on instinct and who will get the best of out the creativity of players like Fernandes (who looks an outstanding buy btw).

Appreciate they are remarkably difficult to find and cost big money but got to be a priority in the summer, if you can afford one given your bloated wage bill which won't be helped by the return of Alexis Sanchez after a shocking spell in Italy and you'll do well to offload him with his outrageous contract!

Going through the team I do think you still have a great squad with bags of potential:

De Gea - world class
Mcguire - champions league lvl centre half & will prove to be a great acquisition
Lindelof - looks a lot better alongside Mcguire, United's 2nd best centre half
Smalling - good defender but poor distribution, that said is probably the 3rd best DC at united (better than Jones, Bailly, Rojo)
Shaw - will never be a world beater but steady away and better than the media perception (his stats back this up)
Wan-Bissaka - big potential, very good defensively, needs to improve going forwards to be an attacking threat but surely Englands 2nd best right back after TAA
Dalot - young, not seen enough of him
Williams - another youngster, works hard and is quick, lot to learn defensively but has potential
Fernandes - already looks like your best player, hopefully proves to be consistent
Pogba - divides opinion but has the ability to win games single handedly. I really hope he stays and proves the doubters wrong. Do think his attitude / mindset needs to change for him to achieve his massive potential
Fred - has improved recently but still not convinced he's anything better than a squad player
McTominay - dependable & high work rate, decent squad player and still young
Perreira - doesn't look anywhere near good enough to be a united player for me, cash him in
James - fantastic first half of the season, great pace & work rate, great signing
Greenwood - bags of potential
Martial - not consistent enough for me - not enough goals or assists to ever be a top top player but decent impact sub
Rashford - has all of the attributes to be a world class player, again just needs to work on finishing & decision making in the final third but plenty of time to develop

Surplus to requirements:
Sanchez
Mata
Matic
Jones
Bailly
Rojo
Lingaard

If Man U can get rid of the above, who should they try to bring in?

1) World class striker. Haaland? Still early days but he does look the real deal & has history with Solskjaer plus is young & has a sensible release clause.
2) Top centre back. Mcguire, Lindelof +1
3) Creative wide player - Sancho? Not an inside forward like Rashford/Martial but an actual wide midfielder / winger who can pick the ball up out wide in midfield and create chances.

Thoughts?

 

[Shamikebab]

You realise both Martial and Rashford (before injury) are on track to hit 20-30 goals this season?

 

[BaZ87]

He did also call De Gea world class so he must still be in 2017.

 

[adam cool dude]

Also Fred nothing more than a squad player!? He is my number 1 player for me this season and was instrumental to our victory over the weekend. Same with Mctominay he is shaping up to be a monster and he is only 23.

My surplus to requirement is Paul Pogba. The money we can get selling him I would love to see Sancho + Grealish who should be cheap if Villa get relegated.

Ighalo has looked sharp since he has come and has already scored 3 times. That ball he brought down against City was just magical. If he can push on and do well I think we can at least have him for one more season then buy in the next transfer window.

Also i really wouldn't go anywhere near Haaland simply due to the fact of who is agent is.

 

[BaZ87]

Sancho will cost far more than what you'll get for Pogba, let alone Grealish too.

 

[adam cool dude]

Sancho will cost far more than what you'll get for Pogba, let alone Grealish too.

I know that but will offset what we will have to pay. From what I have read we will have around 100-150 million to spend depending on where we finish in the league and cups. If we can muster 200 million I think that would be enough for Grealish and Sancho.

Also Roma are interested in Smalling who i think is valued at 25 million, plus you never know we might get 10-15 for J Lingz.

 

[MeGaMaN]

You realise both Martial and Rashford (before injury) are on track to hit 20-30 goals this season?

Martial has 64 goals in 208 apps for Man U (0.31 goals per game) and Rashford 64 in 201 including penalties & free kicks (0.32 gpg). Better this season but one swallow does not a summer make! Still stand by what I said about neither being a predatory striker who will sniff out tap ins in and around the 6 yard box.

He did also call De Gea world class so he must still be in 2017.

Not been at his best this season but he's hardly the only one who has underperformed Surely been the most consistent player for Man U since the halcyon days of Fergie.

Oh and I'm a neutral - not a Man U fan (nor a fan of any of their rivals!) so unbiased opinions.

 

[Shamikebab]

Martial has 64 goals in 208 apps for Man U (0.31 goals per game) and Rashford 64 in 201 including penalties & free kicks (0.32 gpg). Better this season but one swallow does not a summer make! Still stand by what I said about neither being a predatory striker who will sniff out tap ins in and around the 6 yard box.

Right but you have to take into account that this is Martial's first season at striker and Rashford is a young player. I'm pretty sure if you look at Kane/Aguero etc rate at that age they'd be much worse. Also playing under different managers.

 

[MeGaMaN]

Agreed but you have to take into account if Martial was good enough to lead Man Utd's line as their leading striker, they would have played him in that position before now. They haven't (unless they are desperate) because he doesn't offer enough and every manager will have seen this in training - his game is all about receiving the ball on the edge of the box then beating a man / creating enough space to get a shot off.

Agreed Rashford is young and I really hope he does fulfil his potential (for the benefit of England if nothing else!) and I said that in my original post - "Rashford - has all of the attributes to be a world class player, again just needs to work on finishing & decision making in the final third but plenty of time to develop"

 

[chroniclard]

Right but you have to take into account that this is Martial's first season at striker and Rashford is a young player. I'm pretty sure if you look at Kane/Aguero etc rate at that age they'd be much worse. Also playing under different managers.

Aguero had 100 goals at about 21 I think.

 

[Thekwango]

Going back through the years you've had Ibra, Van Persie, Berbatov, Van Nistelrooy etc. guys who will get you 20 - 30 goals a season just on instinct

not sure your post stands up to scrutiny when you have Berbatov mentioned in there as a 20-30 goal a season player - he managed 21 goals in all competitions in only 1 season while with UTD. Likewise with Van Persie - VP had a stellar first season, the last 2 were not so prolific in terms of goals.

 

[MeGaMaN]

Berba 48 in 108 league games (0.44 GPG), RVP 48 in 86 league games (0.56 GPG) - both considerably better than Rashford & Martial and they were a big part of why Man Utd won titles with those two as the main man up front.

Irrespective of the stats (which IMO do stand up to scrutiny) you can't escape the fact Berba & Van Persie were both pivotal strikers who were trusted to lead the front line for Man Utd and offered a lot more than goals - they were focal points in the final third who crucially were trusted by the manager to bring home League titles.

Pulled the below together from statbunker (G PG = goals per game, A PG = assists per game, G+A PG = Goals + Assists per game) for those that are interested

Player Played Goals Assists G PG A PG G+A PG
Van Nistelrooy 211 147 27 0.70 0.13 0.82
Zlatan 53 29 9 0.55 0.17 0.72
RVP 105 58 16 0.55 0.15 0.70
Rooney 552 251 137 0.45 0.25 0.70
Berba 149 56 24 0.38 0.16 0.54
Yorke 143 62 13 0.43 0.09 0.52
Cole 251 112 16 0.45 0.06 0.51
Martial 206 63 31 0.31 0.15 0.46
Rashy 198 63 26 0.32 0.13 0.45

 

[MeGaMaN]

Apologies in advance for the grotesque formatting of the above table

 

[Thekwango]

snip

not disputing they added more than their goals alone. but your initial claim was that they were 20-30 goals a season players - but apart from on 1 occasion each neither Berba nor RvP were the goal scoring machines you suggest they were. both were also playing in far superior UTD teams.

 

[MeGaMaN]

Both on a different level to Martial / Rashford.

Still 100% stand by my initial statement - more than any other position, Man Utd need a top striker to compete with the Liverpool's & Man City's of the league

 

[Shamikebab]

Berba 48 in 108 league games (0.44 GPG), RVP 48 in 86 league games (0.56 GPG) - both considerably better than Rashford & Martial and they were a big part of why Man Utd won titles with those two as the main man up front.

You're comparing two players that played exclusively as strikers to two players who have mostly played as wingers. This is just proof that stats are only as good as the people analysing them.

 

[MeGaMaN]

You're comparing two players that played exclusively as strikers to two players who have mostly played as wingers. This is just proof that stats are only as good as the people analysing them.

I think I've stated a number of times, quite clearly, that in my opinion neither Rashford nor Martial are out and out strikers thus Man Utd's woes up front...

Rashford & Martial are both inside forwards, like Sterling at City, Mane / Salah at Liverpool, Son at Spurs etc. Players who tend to play on the opposite wing to their strongest foot, allowing them receive the ball out wide with a view to cut inside and get shots off on goal.

Again, Rashford has bags of potential and has finally looked like a top player this season before his unfortunate injury & I hope he recovers his top form & develops into a top player as he clearly has the potential. Just needs to add more end product which should come with age and good coaching.

Martial I'm not so sure

 

[Shamikebab]

I think I've stated a number of times, quite clearly, that in my opinion neither Rashford nor Martial are out and out strikers thus Man Utd's woes up front...

What woes up front? Rashford has played about 6 games up front this season, so why are you comparing him to strikers? He's our first choice left winger. Martial has played up front with Greenwood occasionally and Ighalo since he joined.