Fred(Signed for United)

[KCblue]

Fantastic news if true. If we already have a deal in place for him that shouldn't leave a whole lot of work to be done come summer in terms of incoming players.

 

[Delphinho]

I know this will get some flak, but I don't think Dihno plays "about as optimally in our system as anyone can expect." I think he is superior in the air but quite weak under pressure and his passing can be quite wayward at times.

So you f a team chooses to press us hard and often, Dihno is one of the weak points in that press. Thankfully though, the addition of Laporte and Zinchencko has made pressing us that much harder.

Now if we can find a young player with most of Dihno's defensive skills, but more cultured under pressure, such a player will potentially surpass Dihno at the DM position.

I would be happy with any of Fabinho, Can, Diawara, De Jong or Ndidi

 

[Dax777]

I would be happy with any of Fabinho, Can, Diawara, De Jong or Ndidi

Fabihno = status quo ( perhaps slightly better under pressure), Yes

Can = utility player on a free? Sure. But he is probably not a great fit. Conditional yes.

Diawara = if you play in Napoli's system you can pick ours up in weeks. So if it's a Napoli player at any position, the answer is always Yes!

FDJ: Style, composure, temperament, technique, size, vision, skill, movement. He has it in bucket loads. Only downside being current competition. But his style strikes me as competition proof. An absolute Yes for me.

Ndidi: A no for me. An average passer, with average speed, great strength and fantastic tackling. What he is great at will be wasted here, and what he isn't so great at will slow us down. No on Ndidi.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Sounds good but as with all our deals until it's on the OS etc

 

[San Tropez]

FDJ: Style, composure, temperament, technique, size, vision, skill, movement. He has it in bucket loads. Only downside being current competition. But his style strikes me as competition proof. An absolute Yes for me.

Hasn't FDJ said he is not ready to play for City first team, or do they all just say such things?

Barca might be having designs on him too.

Ndidi? No way.

 

[Delphinho]

Fabihno = status quo ( perhaps slightly better under pressure), Yes

Can = utility player on a free? Sure. But he is probably not a great fit. Conditional yes.

Diawara = if you play in Napoli's system you can pick ours up in weeks. So if it's a Napoli player at any position, the answer is always Yes!

FDJ: Style, composure, temperament, technique, size, vision, skill, movement. He has it in bucket loads. Only downside being current competition. But his style strikes me as competition proof. An absolute Yes for me.

Ndidi: A no for me. An average passer, with average speed, great strength and fantastic tackling. What he is great at will be wasted here, and what he isn't so great at will slow us down. No on Ndidi.

I prefer Fabinho, Diawara or De Jong, but Can for free would be great. Ndidi is great defensively and he more than an average passer, but not my first choice. Could be their next Kante

 

[ganganvince]

And Fred?

 

[ADegenerate]

I know this will get some flak, but I don't think Dihno plays "about as optimally in our system as anyone can expect." I think he is superior in the air but quite weak under pressure and his passing can be quite wayward at times.

So you f a team chooses to press us hard and often, Dihno is one of the weak points in that press. Thankfully though, the addition of Laporte and Zinchencko has made pressing us that much harder.

Now if we can find a young player with most of Dihno's defensive skills, but more cultured under pressure, such a player will potentially surpass Dihno at the DM position.

I understand why you'd disagree and your observation is correct but I'm going to disagree back at you. It depends on what's most important to your interpretation of a Pep DM.

Remember when Pep first signed for us and the popular buzzwords that EVERYONE was using were 'pivot' and 'quarterback'? It was supposedly the whole key to the system and what makes everything in the system work. That's obviously not true. Press resistance, buildup play, passing, and play making aren't the focal point of this DM. It's all about winning duals, decent pace, breaking up counters (BEFORE they can get the ball anywhere near midfield), tackling to a degree and most importantly do all of this without getting injured.

I hate the idea of having anyone like Gundogan back there and I think Pep does too. Getting wrecked on the counter with poor defenders like Yaya probably scarred him for life and I don't think Gundogan has the grit for it.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Back on topic please.There is an appropriate thread for chatting about midfielders we aren't even looking at.

 

[tshirtman]

Don' have stats for the Ukrainian league but in the last 5 seasons in Europe he's won 1 header.