United need a natural left sided option of the highest quality and to balance the central midfield area to get the best out of Pogba. So far it's looking like playing Pogba from the left wing is going to be the way to go.

I wouldn't surprise me if the club make a real push for Griezmann and try to line up like this;

------------------ De Gea ------------------
Tony V. - Smalling - E. Bailly - L. Shaw
------------ Carrick - Herrera ------------
Griezma. -------- Mata -------- P. Pogba
--------------- Ibrahimovic ---------------

Romero Jones Blind Schneiderlin Rooney Martial Rashford

Add in Lingard, Fellaini, Mkhitaryan and all the other options Jose has at his disposal and his options are better than anyones.

Valencia at RB won't be good enough when it comes to the big boys.
Darmian is certainly not the answer so I think Jose must be in the market for one.

A winger, CB, a replacement for Carrick and another top striker are needed before they will seriously challenge for the League again in my opinion.

comment by Nicky Law's bald coot (U6025)
posted 5 minutes ago
Valencia at RB won't be good enough when it comes to the big boys.
Darmian is certainly not the answer so I think Jose must be in the market for one.

A winger, CB, a replacement for Carrick and another top striker are needed before they will seriously challenge for the League again in my opinion.
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Fosu-Mensah could be an option next season at right back, but I don't think he'll be a right back long term. Could be a good o'Shea type player for us.

Wouldn't shock me if he tried to go French and see if he can tempt Kante to leave Chelsea as Carrick's replacement. Nothing could be better for N'golo's international career than to be the player trying to get the best out of Pogba every week.

For Arsenal there are still a few weaknesses.

With Bellerin out we have Jenkinson at RB. He is an Arsenal fan but Im not sure we would get anyone better as back up to nailed on starter Bellerin. I think we will need to accept him as our back up.

In midfield we lack the control Santi gives. Ramsey has had one start there so maybe as he settles back into the role he can find his best form again. Xhaka has not done enough to nail down the first choice slot.

Striker. Alexis is doing a good job there and always makes the defence work hard. Far better than Giroud who should only ever be used as a sub imo. But with Alexis central we are weaker on the wing. I still think spending the money in the summer on a top striker and having Sanchez wide would have made us formidable, but Wenger wanted £17m Perez and Xhaka instead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vMWFPmR37g

If you've spent £300m and your team still isn't doing well, there's only one way to improve them, spend more money. Do not focus on other areas, like tactics and good management

comment by Nicky Law's bald coot (U6025)
posted 37 minutes ago
Valencia at RB won't be good enough when it comes to the big boys.
Darmian is certainly not the answer so I think Jose must be in the market for one.

A winger, CB, a replacement for Carrick and another top striker are needed before they will seriously challenge for the League again in my opinion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You're underrating Valencia. He's arguably been the best RB in the league this season and his defending is getting better all the time.

I also think you're underestimating Smalling and Blind. Both players are more than capable of the required level to compete in the PL and CL.

Do you think our squad is as good as Leicester's was last season? If so, it is capable of winning the league. Maybe another three of four signings over the next two windows are required. But eleven?!

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

I think Manchester United's squad is as good as Leicester's no doubt but the difference in cohesion is night and day. I also don't think Leicester could win the league again though. They do in my opinion need to spend serious money again over the next couple of windows to bring them back up to Fergie level.

Looking at the Chelsea squad, it does look thin in places especially at LWB and RWB. But with the limited number of games they will be right up there in my opinion with City and maybe Liverpool.

As for Arsenal, it seems to be history repeating itself again with Wenger albeit he spent more than usual this time.

A fresh start post Wenger and with a new Manager they would be right in the mix with one or two signings for the Premier League and Champions League.

For instance bring in someone like Ancelotti (Who could well end up out of a job) sign 2 players in the bracket of Verratti for CM and Aubameyang up top it would surely bring them onto that next level.

Focus needs to be on targets who will improve the first 11 only. Break the bank.

comment by Nicky Law's bald coot (U6025)
posted 11 minutes ago
As for Arsenal, it seems to be history repeating itself again with Wenger albeit he spent more than usual this time.

A fresh start post Wenger and with a new Manager they would be right in the mix with one or two signings for the Premier League and Champions League.

For instance bring in someone like Ancelotti (Who could well end up out of a job) sign 2 players in the bracket of Verratti for CM and Aubameyang up top it would surely bring them onto that next level.

Focus needs to be on targets who will improve the first 11 only. Break the bank.
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Sorry why is it history repeating itself? Are you basing this purely on the fact that we are 4th at the moment? We could easily be top by Sunday night so would you then say that we had improved? if so, then you'd be basing your whole view on a home game against Bournemouth.

It is pretty clear that Arsenal are much improved. The defence is looking solid with an excellent goalie and potentially one of the finest RBs in Europe. The midfield is much stronger and after several years bemoaning the fact that we were lacking a decent DM we now have at least 3 who can play well in that position. Upfront we now have options as Sanchez can play there, as can Walcott and we can play it longer and from the wing with Giroud if required.

The team has also shown greater resilience proven by only 1 defeat (v Liverpool in 29 games).

Please therefore explain how 'history is repeating itself' ?

Oh and with the addition of a faster CB to partner Kos we are now able to play a higher line so are pushing teams back.

It's repeating itself because I don't work on could be top by whenever the fact is you are 4th, second in your champions league group and failed to make the signings that the majority could see was required in the summer. a top striker.

Manchester City

There's no City fans so lets skip them.


How rude

comment by Nicky Law's bald coot (U6025)
posted 10 minutes ago
It's repeating itself because I don't work on could be top by whenever the fact is you are 4th, second in your champions league group and failed to make the signings that the majority could see was required in the summer. a top striker.


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So clearly no depth at all to your post then. We haven't progressed because we are 4th at this precise moment but on Sunday night when/if we are top or 2nd or whatever we would have.

How insightful.

Xhaka and Elneny were brought in as replacements for Arteta, Rosicky and Flamini. Im not convinced yet that they are an improvement other than being fit, but give them time and Wenger can sort that out.

So our only strengthening of the team was the signing of Mustafi and Holding. Perez is imo cover for Welbeck and not really an improvement.

It's hard to say if Arsenal have actually improved or not. Everything still to prove for this side.