2 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

No back 4.

Because the back 5 is working so well  .... 🙂 

6 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

I don't understand people who still defend Tuchel regarding our offensive woes. It is quite clear that is because of Tuchel. 

But at the same time. People who kept saying that we should played back 4 and play more offensive football is just crazier.  Just watched what happens to our defense once we switched to back 4. It was hilarious. 

It's a mixture, keeping faith in donkeys like Havertz and Mount while implementing a poor attacking system.

Havertz needs to be dropped 

5 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I'd like to see us try 4-2-3-1 with Chalobah restored to RCB, and Hudson-Odoi instead of Mount at RW. Sterling at LW, and one more try for Havertz in false #9, with either Mount or Gallagher behind him.

Move Silva to left centre back and play Ampadu alongside Jorginho in the pivot.

James at right back, and Chilwell at left back. 

 

 

There's a reason only relegation threatened Italian teams want Ampadu and that's because he's not good enough

3 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Because the back 5 is working so well  .... 🙂 

If we could actually pass the ball forward it would have been fine 

1 minute ago, timetowaste said:

There's a reason only relegation threatened Italian teams want Ampadu and that's because he's not good enough

Ampadu has inherited the Loftus Cheek trait of being absolutely useless on his loans then people want him to just come back straight into the team.

5 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

It's a mixture, keeping faith in donkeys like Havertz and Mount while implementing a poor attacking system.

Nope, we could have easily played a more offensive system if we have real midfielder. Sadly all of them are injured. 

4 minutes ago, HazardousChoice said:

They've not.

Pulisic and Ziyech have always been dross.  One was terrible at his previous club the other played in the Dutch league.

There is no point as you are only here for Pulisic, and now, already warming another player up in case Pulisic goes.

6 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Oh come on ... LOL

A large transfer fee and a huge wage doth not world class maketh !

My reference to World Class was more implying that most play for their national teams, as opposed to more Ballon d'or (which is a farce anyway) players.

Maybe I should have worded it different, but the overall point still stands imo.

2 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

There's a reason only relegation threatened Italian teams want Ampadu and that's because he's not good enough

I'm putting him in there because I feel we need a bit of steel in the pivot to support Jorginho, and with Kante and Kovacic out we are down to bare bones in midfield.

What would you do ?

The only other midfield options in the squad are Barkley and Gilmour ... I think Billy would get eaten alive next to Jorginho, and Barkley is probably another option for the CAM role more than he is for DM.

4 minutes ago, HazardousChoice said:

Ampadu has inherited the Loftus Cheek trait of being absolutely useless on his loans then people want him to just come back straight into the team.

So what formation and team would you play ?

 

2 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

So what formation and team would you play ?

 

It doesn't really matter.  No formation or team could fix the lack of talent we have up front.  The current squad couldn't challenge for 4th under any manager.

Signing a new winger is essential providing we do that.

4-3-3

Sterling - Havertz - New winger 

Kovacic - Jorginho - Mount

Cucurella - Koulibaly - Fofana/Silva - Reece

God help us

The problem we have is that any system requires at least 3 competent attacking players and only Sterling and Mount have shown anything to suggest they can play at premier league level in their entire careers.

 

 

Edited August 21, 20223 yr by HazardousChoice

3 minutes ago, Mod said:

My reference to World Class was more implying that most play for their national teams, as opposed to more Ballon d'or (which is a farce anyway) players.

Maybe I should have worded it different, but the overall point still stands imo.

Ah OK ... "International players" then ... which is a fair point, albeit the standard of many international games these days is well below that of the PL ... 

4 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

Nope, we could have easily played a more offensive system if we have real midfielder. Sadly all of them are injured. 

Any idea how long Kovacic is out? Also we just signed 2 young midfielders in the last few weeks, at no small cost either. What was the point of buying them if we are not considering them for the first team? We have a week to try them out in training before the next game too.

3 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

5 defensive players and not even one 6 footer amongst them ?

Chilwell 180cm, Cucurella, 175cm, Silva 181cm, Azpilicueta 178cm, James 179cm.

If I'm the opposition forwards I'm going to love that LOL. And if I'm the opposition manager I'm licking my lips at the thought of corners and set pieces, especially with that 5 in front of a keeper who is looking a bit dodgy recently ...  

I mean we conceded after crosses in 2/3 matches now, from a free kick and a corner. T.Silva and Koulibaly lose their marking man despite their height.

Technically our back 3 has the average age of 34 (Koulibaly, T.Silva, Azpilicueta), which is why James is playing there as he has the pace. So not signing Kounde is a huge blow and it looks like Fofana isn't coming either.

Still, the old saying that attack wins you games but defense wins you titles might be true, but at some point you need to score goals and we clearly don't know how to do that. Let alone that, our forward 3 can't keep the ball in the final third, there is no more Giroud that could switch the play in the final third, Mount and Sterling are always in a 1v2 situation and so is Havertz so naturally the only place the ball can go is to the full-back or all the way back to T.Silva/Mendy.

Just now, HazardousChoice said:

It doesn't really matter.  No formation or team could fix the lack of talent we have up front.  The current squad couldn't challenge for 4th under any manager.

Signing a new winger is essential providing we do that.

4-3-3

Sterling - Havertz - New winger 

Kovacic - Jorginho - Mount

Cucurella - Koulibaly - Fofana/Silva - Reece

God help us

 

 

I meant for our next game ... Koulibaly suspended, Fofana not yet signed ... Kovacic still unfit, and no new winger on board ... 🙂 

1 minute ago, forbzy said:

Any idea how long Kovacic is out? Also we just signed 2 young midfielders in the last few weeks, at no small cost either. What was the point of buying them if we are not considering them for the first team? We have a week to try them out in training before the next game too.

I am not sure but we need kova back asap. I think for next week we probably will play ruben in midfield. 

I have never watched any of them play so I can't give you any opinion. 

7 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I'm putting him in there because I feel we need a bit of steel in the pivot to support Jorginho, and with Kante and Kovacic out we are down to bare bones in midfield.

What would you do ?

The only other midfield options in the squad are Barkley and Gilmour ... I think Billy would get eaten alive next to Jorginho, and Barkley is probably another option for the CAM role more than he is for DM.

Then how do you plan to fix our ball progression problem? 

10 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

Nope, we could have easily played a more offensive system if we have real midfielder. Sadly all of them are injured. 

Mate why are these forwards so blameless to you? It's crazy 

4 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I meant for our next game ... Koulibaly suspended, Fofana not yet signed ... Kovacic still unfit, and no new winger on board ... 🙂 

Perhaps I'm the optimist but I'm hopeful we'll have signed at least 1 player by next week.  Either Auba or Fofana but at this point I'd take Maguire for the swap that's been rumoured.

It's not worth thinking about we've massively failed Tuchel in this window the squad is riddled with so many holes I'm amazed he's still so positive talking about it.

We've lost 3 of our best 11 in Werner /Rudiger and Christensen and simply replaced them if we play cucurella in the back 3.

 

Edited August 21, 20223 yr by HazardousChoice

16 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

It's a mixture, keeping faith in donkeys like Havertz and Mount while implementing a poor attacking system.

That is extremely harsh on Mount. Havertz yes but Mount is levels above him.

Not saying Mount is top class because I don't think he is at this point but there should be no comparison with Havertz. I hope Mounts future lies in midfield though as i've never been fully convinced about him as an attacker. The odd fantastic game here and there but he's actually never consistently performed over time for us as an attacker in my opinion.

7 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I meant for our next game ... Koulibaly suspended, Fofana not yet signed ... Kovacic still unfit, and no new winger on board ... 🙂 

I would suggest that we sign a fella called Covid pretty quickly and try to get the leicester game postponed until after the window closes

Just now, timetowaste said:

Mate why are these forwards so blameless to you? It's crazy 

Blameless? 

I have criticized all of them but it is not important. As long as Tuchel setup the team like this unless we sign 3 all around superstar we will keep talking about them as if they are trash. 

4 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

Then how do you plan to fix our ball progression problem? 

By having four attacking players to pass to ahead of the pivot, and encouraging them to be extremely mobile, and supported by the full backs.

6 minutes ago, HazardousChoice said:

Perhaps I'm the optimist but I'm hopeful we'll have signed at least 1 player by next week.  Either Auba or Fofana but at this point I'd take Maguire for the swap that's been rumoured.

It's not worth thinking about we've massively failed Tuchel in this window the squad is riddled with so many holes I'm amazed he's still so positive talking about it.

We've lost 3 of our best 11 in Werner /Rudiger and Christensen and simply replaced them if we play cucurella in the back 3.

 

Seriously Maguire, bad state of affairs if we are considering him as an upgrade. He's been an absolute horror show for United. 

2 minutes ago, Dr Gonzo said:

Seriously Maguire, bad state of affairs if we are considering him as an upgrade. He's been an absolute horror show for United. 

I agree.  I wouldn't consider buying Maguire.

But the rumour is a swap for Pulisic.

And between the 2 of them Maguire is only one with some actual strengths that could benefit the team even if he's got a number of weaknesses.

You can bring him on late to defend a set piece help shut down a game.  As opposed to all our attacking play shutting down naturally when Pulisic comes on.

And I have a very hard time seeing any of our current centre backs aside from Koulibaly performing in a back 4.

People actually say they want to see a back 4 instead of the 5 but never which of our centre backs they think could actually perform in a 4.