He'll be better suited to Mourinho's system than ours.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

He's a strange one Pique, clearly a great talent and was brilliant in his first 2/3 seasons at Barca but recently he's been rubbish. Any time I've seen him he is a mistake waiting to happen.

I want a more vocal leader in defence brought in, not Terry, but someone in that mould although I have no idea who that could be. We need leaders.

Pique has been awful over the last few years, we really could do better.

Can we do better? How many realistic top centre backs are there? Hummels has been poor this year and has an injury record that matches our other centre backs. Varane is unlikely to leave Real so that leaves who? Garay?

How is Garay doing in Russia, he has actually pretty much always impressed me when I've seen him play, gets stuck in, is big and imposing. Was surprised he went relatively cheap.

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It would bring Shakira a little closer to my web of sexual menace.... I'm all for it

82,

he wasnt as cheap as you think

I thought he was like 6 mil?

Garay was 12m I think.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

If Masc is considered a better CB than Pique by the manager then you should avoid him at all costs.

Pique, like Cesc, is in need of a change of scenery, a new challenge.

In terms of his calmness and ball playing ability, he is exactly what we need. I think he needs a leader beside him, a "proper" defender s perhaps he and Hummels would suit, although I wouldn't fancy their pace in a high line, perhaps he and Jones/ Rojo could strike a patnership.

€15m is fairly cheap isn't it?

Greatteamswinit4times

Most games I've seen him play were for Benfica where he was very impressive. Maybe he improved, it does happen.

(Kash) Mario Balle Balle Balotelli

But Mascherano is actually really good in defence, he reads the game brilliantly and can tackle. He was one of the main reasons Argentina reached the final. He isn't even the one keeping Pique out of the team either.

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I have never rated Pique that high, I don't think he's any better than what we have (when fit)

Avoid like the plague. He's never been a leader in defence, and is often accused of being lazy. Not what we need, and yet another luxury signing.

Greatteamswinit4times

You were actually watching Benfica's league games? I saw him in Europe and he always impressed me, and in the WC.

comment by Maestro. (U8867)
posted 1 minute ago
I have never rated Pique that high, I don't think he's any better than what we have (when fit)
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It isn't all about being "better" though is it?

We know in the right system, Pique can be very effective, we've all seen him when Barca were in their peak and he was very good.

Now as a team we really lack the ability to pass out from the back, McNair has been our best cb on the ball imo and is the only one willing to run into the space with the ball. I believe LVG wants his defence to be able to play the ball out, Pique would help that.

It's also worth noting Pique doesn't appear to have got on with the management staff, he's won everything there is to win at Barca so he does probably need a fresh scene.

I'm not saying he is a world class defender, but he has attributes we lack and we all know what a difference the right manager can make to a player.

comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 2 minutes ago
Greatteamswinit4times

You were actually watching Benfica's league games? I saw him in Europe and he always impressed me, and in the WC.
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I used to think he was a clumsy so and so, but having kept a closer eye during the 12/18 months we were linked, he looked very solid.

Out of interest does anyone think Rojo could become a commanding leader at the back once his English has improved? He can be quite physically imposing and have seen him be quite vocal.
Just a thought

comment by Reach (U19382)
posted 1 minute ago
Out of interest does anyone think Rojo could become a commanding leader at the back once his English has improved? He can be quite physically imposing and have seen him be quite vocal.
Just a thought
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I do, but it feels like we have signed a 19/20 year old cb atm, not a 24 year old.

In fairness he isn't naturally a centre half.

ive been quite impressed with Rojo to be fair.
once his English improves and he has better communication then i think he'll be a very good CB for us.

its not all about skill and grace on the ball, he's the type of player who'll lift the crowd and in turn lift the game.

thats an important part of a performance which is massively underated