What's needed for next year?

Keano's Magic Hat (U10101)

Do Barcelona really have ball-winners in their team? Yaya Toure and Mascherano were the main shouts, but Toure got sold to City and Mascherano gets fobbed off in defence somewhere. Busquets seems to generally roam around, and fall around so it's a little hard to see where the hard-tackling ball winner is in their squad.

They defend in packs to get the ball and don't rely on one player to do it for them. Sir Alex has said today he's never signed a defensive midfielder during his time there and has no reason to do so. Seems to be he might be looking at a midfielder who's comfortably holding on to the ball like Carrick and Scholes have, but have a lot more energy to get up and down the pitch.

Darkphoenix (U11503)

Yep, and that to me would be Martinez. We are crying out for players who can press for 90 minutes, yet who is also technically good and comfortable on the ball. Carrick and Scholes are great at what they do but offer pretty much zero pressing. Modric is another player I like although can't see him going cheap.

I would like to think Ferguson want's a team full of speed, energy and technical ability, not brutes who foul for most of the game (like Tiote) but players who are positionally very good (like Carrick) but with more energy. Also with a fluid front 4 who can all interchange.

manutd1982 (U6633)

Martinez is my main candidate too, and apart from him I really can't think of anyone else. Personally, I don't see what's so great about Modric, I have watched him many times, but my opinion is that he's not going to change or bring anything refreshing into our team. He's a little more mobile than our current CMs, but he's not going to change a game, and he goes missing far to many times. You barely even know he's on the pitch. However, that's my opinion, but I know Sir Alex rates him highly. We'll get all our signings done by mid-July as we always do, and get them ready for pre-season.

Hummels
Baines
Kagawa
Lewandowski

Darkphoenix (U11503)

Comparing us to barcelona is foolish mate. We play COMPLETELY different formations, and COMPLETELY different styles of football.

It is far easier for them to win the ball back as they play 3 CM's all the time, sometimes 4 when they play with three at the back, so their CM is much more crowded.

The reason they don't need a ball winner is because the team is the ball winner, the way they press is unique. I feel whilst we are playing midfield 2, we need a combative midfielder, or at least a defensively cabable box-to-box midfielder. Athletic and able to press down the ball for 90 minutes. We had that with Keane.

None our CM's are this except Ando who has completley lost his way and Flech is ill.

Keano's Magic Hat (U10101)

But we are saying there's no point in getting just a DM, it's such a limited role and hinders our possibilities.

Keane was far more than just a defensive midfielder, his passing was very good and he got forward a lot, like Darkphoenix I believe a player like Martinez would be ideal.

Just because Barca's style is different doesn't mean we can't learn things from them, look at all the major clubs in Europe, they pretty much all try and play a very similar style/fprmation to Barca, continuing playing a rigid 442 will not work, 4231 although similar to 442 is far more flexible and able to compete in the middle whilst still giving us areas to attack through our wing play.

All those wanting tiote really don't understand the united way. He can't pass or be creative and in my opinion is a step up from palacios. It's like when Brian kid recommended hartson to the boss and was laughed out the office. United have a certain way of playing and certain players just don't fit it. Tiote definitely being one of them.

Keane was far more than just a defensive midfielder

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I never said he was a DM. If you read my post it says he is a 'a combative midfielder, or at least a defensively cabable box-to-box midfielder. Athletic and able to press down the ball for 90 minutes'.

As for your formation ideas. In most games we play 4-2-3-1 anyway with our two CM's sitting back, wayne dropping deep and our wingers pushing right up.

Keano's Magic Hat (U10101)

But Rooney's play from deep has been pretty poor this season, I personally feel he needs to play up top as a false no 9.

I think we kind of want the same thing however I think a player like Tiote will no doubt give us a lot of energy but we would lose a hell of a lot of technique in the middle which I think is equally vital. I personally think right now Carrick and Scholes technically are perfect but they lack any kind of athleticism, getting a player like Tiote wouldn't really solve things, instead the player we need needs to be both athletic, physical and technically good and comfortable on the ball which Martinez fits perfectly.

How would you feel a player like Tiote would play and who with?

In my ideal world a midfield would be

Carric/Scholes Martinez

Nani Kagawa Welbeck/Young

That central 3 would all be technically good but also each offering something different.