Lack of pace on the wings

[Saddleworth2]

He is still a superb player, but he can't play 3 games in a week anymore, and if he does he has to have a free role and that's when he becomes a problem.

His fitness / condition is the issue, not his ability.

so he isn't a luxury player now. He's superb. ;-)

He looked fit enough the first two games after the WC given he was chasing down balls and pressing to the end. He looked tired towards the Everton game and three intensive games in little more than a week would tax most, never mind the over thirties. He is a player with a successful pass ratio of 80%, much lower than others because of the nature of him. When his radar isn't quite at it then he gives the ball away but that is what you get for his sublime assists. I hope he is at his peak for another couple of years because we cannot replace his genius.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I disagree with it being about Kev's fitness. I think Kev is forcing it because at the moment he's the only person creating consistent chances. Our wide players aren't doing enough with the quality of positions they find themselves in. Our fullbacks are playing very narrow. It feels like Kev is the only creative spark at the moment

His fitness is a yard gone, rather than something he can recover.

Whilst I agree he is now our only creative spark, his passing is increasingly over longer distances, and he is occupying the highest end of the pitch, rather than having the juice to drop deeper and collect.

When he is blowing out of his arse, you see his passing percentages also decline.

Whilst a wonderful servant, I would have preferred to have let him run down his final two years and wave him off into the sunset at 33, thanking him for his brilliant service.

Kev is someone who would still tear it up in Italy in his later years, but I don't think we can afford to carry any luxury player into their mid thirties, certainly one who has been one of the best midfielders in Europe.

United made the same mistakes thinking the likes of family man, Wio, Keane and Scholes would go on for ever, and buried their heads in the sand until it was too late.

Kev isn't finished and will continue to produce WOW moments because you never lose technique, but we have perhaps already lost him as the first name on the team sheet he was.

 

[Keeper!]

so he isn't a luxury player now. He's superb. ;-)

He looked fit enough the first two games after the WC given he was chasing down balls and pressing to the end. He looked tired towards the Everton game and three intensive games in little more than a week would tax most, never mind the over thirties. He is a player with a successful pass ratio of 80%, much lower than others because of the nature of him. When his radar isn't quite at it then he gives the ball away but that is what you get for his sublime assists. I hope he is at his peak for another couple of years because we cannot replace his genius.

Physicality he has struggled since the centurion season, those serious injuries took there toll.

He needs a team building around him, that's the issue with his age and at this present moment in time we have an ageing midfield and it often shows.

In many games we are looking slow and ponderous, this team needs some pace and legs adding to it.

 

[Keeper!]

so he isn't a luxury player now. He's superb. ;-)

He looked fit enough the first two games after the WC given he was chasing down balls and pressing to the end. He looked tired towards the Everton game and three intensive games in little more than a week would tax most, never mind the over thirties. He is a player with a successful pass ratio of 80%, much lower than others because of the nature of him. When his radar isn't quite at it then he gives the ball away but that is what you get for his sublime assists. I hope he is at his peak for another couple of years because we cannot replace his genius.

He looked fit after the WC because that was a glorified holiday for him, KDB simply can't play 3 games a week, against the dippers superb but against Everton he looked a tired player.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

I think people are overreacting with the whole 'boring' thing here tbh. I know it's not been incredible free-flowing football, but fuck me it's not that bad and we've absolutely seen some great football at times this season. Why are people acting like we're watching Atletico Madrid park the bus?

There isn’t just one form of boring football though. Saying we’re quite boring to watch isn’t the same as saying we park everyone behind the ball. Intentionally playing wingers that don’t take any risks and having everyone bar KDB constantly favouring backwards passes over anything adventurous is quite boring to watch imo. In most games it will get us a win, it can definitely be effective. But is it exciting? Not really, in my opinion.

 

[Keeper!]

His fitness is a yard gone, rather than something he can recover.

Whilst I agree he is now our only creative spark, his passing is increasingly over longer distances, and he is occupying the highest end of the pitch, rather than having the juice to drop deeper and collect.

When he is blowing out of his arse, you see his passing percentages also decline.

Whilst a wonderful servant, I would have preferred to have let him run down his final two years and wave him off into the sunset at 33, thanking him for his brilliant service.

Kev is someone who would still tear it up in Italy in his later years, but I don't think we can afford to carry any luxury player into their mid thirties, certainly one who has been one of the best midfielders in Europe.

United made the same mistakes thinking the likes of family man, Wio, Keane and Scholes would go on for ever, and buried their heads in the sand until it was too late.

Kev isn't finished and will continue to produce WOW moments because you never lose technique, but we have perhaps already lost him as the first name on the team sheet he was.

Things change quickly in football, and we have/are letting several of our top players get to the veteran stage and some have gone way past their best (Mahrez).

Gundo, Mahrez and Bernardo will all have to be replaced in the coming summer window..

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Things change quickly in football, and we have/are letting several of our top players get to the veteran stage and some have gone way past their best (Mahrez).

Gundo, Mahrez and Bernardo will all have to be replaced in the coming summer window..

All those players are positions the club have forced upon ourselves.

Mahrez a new deal despite entering his thirties, same went for Kev, although the latter at least justified one.

Gundo now in his final six months and at an age where it would be foolish to commit to his wages for more years.

Bernie wanting out for two seasons. All this should be headed off at the pass, we shouldn't be doing anyone favours.

Haaland was a move in the right direction and why I think Bellingham's energy and potential is worth the risk.

Throw in talents like McAllister or players with an ability on the ball, and we won't be far off.

Different perhaps, but still competing for all the trophies.

 

[Keeper!]

All those players are positions the club have forced upon ourselves.

Mahrez a new deal despite entering his thirties, same went for Kev, although the latter at least justified one.

Gundo now in his final six months and at an age where it would be foolish to commit to his wages for more years.

Bernie wanting out for two seasons. All this should be headed off at the pass, we shouldn't be doing anyone favours.

Haaland was a move in the right direction and why I think Bellingham's energy and potential is worth the risk.

Throw in talents like McAllister or players with an ability on the ball, and we won't be far off.

Different perhaps, but still competing for all the trophies.

100% agree but some big transfer decisions coming up one's we have to get right, Bellingham is a huge talent but that fee is going to put him under huge pressure and that's the worry with that one.

I never got the Mahrez extension, that was a strange decision from the club and we have all seen a big drop off in his form since that deal was signed.

And please let's get this left back sorted once and for all, there has got to be one out there somewhere!

 

[Tricky_Trev]

All those players are positions the club have forced upon ourselves.

Mahrez a new deal despite entering his thirties, same went for Kev, although the latter at least justified one.

Gundo now in his final six months and at an age where it would be foolish to commit to his wages for more years.

Bernie wanting out for two seasons. All this should be headed off at the pass, we shouldn't be doing anyone favours.

Haaland was a move in the right direction and why I think Bellingham's energy and potential is worth the risk.

Throw in talents like McAllister or players with an ability on the ball, and we won't be far off.

Different perhaps, but still competing for all the trophies.

If anything, is Bellingham the eventual KDB replacement? With Gundo & Bernardo leaving soon, it’s easy to think Jude would be replacing one of them, but considering how few risky players Pep is happy to field at once, plus the declining energy of KDB, signing and energetic midfielder that doesn’t really offer control like Gundo or Bernardo kind of feels like Kevin’s replacement. Just with a handover period of a few years.

 

[Keeper!]

If anything, is Bellingham the eventual KDB replacement? With Gundo & Bernardo leaving soon, it’s easy to think Jude would be replacing one of them, but considering how few risky players Pep is happy to field at once, plus the declining energy of KDB, signing and energetic midfielder that doesn’t really offer control like Gundo or Bernardo kind of feels like Kevin’s replacement. Just with a handover period of a few years.

Bellingham does KDB's hard work for him for a couple of seasons and learns off the master, perfect solution.

 

[CityBluez]

Very much the elephant in the room and very much something that needs discussing.

KDB is now a player that has wonderful moments but as you say has some shocking games, he is a luxury player , nothing wrong with that but we are starting to collect those type of players, Mahrez and Grealish are similar, but can we afford to have them in the team at the same time?

I agree . We can afford only one luxury player in the team . We need to put players on the pitch who take strain off KDB not add to his strain.
Next summer will be challenging. Some hard decisions have to be made.
Imo, grealish, mahrez, Bernardo need to go. I can only hope we don't just go and sign big English names just because we can.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

100% agree but some big transfer decisions coming up one's we have to get right, Bellingham is a huge talent but that fee is going to put him under huge pressure and that's the worry with that one.

I never got the Mahrez extension, that was a strange decision from the club and we have all seen a big drop off in his form since that deal was signed.

And please let's get this left back sorted once and for all, there has got to be one out there somewhere!

Agreed. I also think the Club are making a decision on Laporte.

I do like Henry at Brentford. He always seems to have a decent game?

If we are not careful, we will get caught dozing at the wheel if Arsenal can add to their young mix and the likes of Chelsea going balls out on Nkuku and Fernandez?

Irony, the way we play, Rice would be more suited alongside Rodri than Bellingham?

 

[blueju]

Someone mentioned it in an earlier post, when Pep arrived his mantra was that we have all this skill in the squad so I want them to follow my direction until they arrive in the final third then they are free to attack how they see fit…and it worked. Now it seems all that freedom has been banned. An example is Zin in the Villa title game, he’d been doing the same as Jack all season pulling the ball back instead of flying past on the overlap then come the last game Pep told him to run at them and look at the result, and the same goes for Sterling on the right.

 

[Keeper!]

I agree to this. We can afford only one luxury player in the team . We need to put players on the pitch who take strain off KDB not add to his strain.
Next summer will be challenging. Some hard decisions have to be made.
Imo, grealish, mahrez, Bernardo need to go. I can only hope we don't just go and sign big English names just because we can.

We also need some more creativity to take even more pressure off KDB, taking him out of this present team we seem to create very little, Grealish, Mahreaz, Bernardo have to step up and the likes of Cancelo get his head out of his arse and get back to playing like we know he can.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I agree . We can afford only one luxury player in the team . We need to put players on the pitch who take strain off KDB not add to his strain.
Next summer will be challenging. Some hard decisions have to be made.
Imo, grealish, mahrez, Bernardo need to go. I can only hope we don't just go and sign big English names just because we can.

Bernardo is the only one going from that trio, the best player at that.

Grealish and Mahrez know they are on a good thing, on long-term, incredible money.

Mahrez will be here longer than anyone!

 

[Keeper!]

Agreed. I also think the Club are making a decision on Laporte.

I do like Henry at Brentford. He always seems to have a decent game?

If we are not careful, we will get caught dozing at the wheel if Arsenal can add to their young mix and the likes of Chelsea going balls out on Nkuku and Fernandez?

Irony, the we play, Rice would be more suited alongside Rodri than Bellingham?

I can see a couple of our CB's moving on this summer, any idea on the Big Croatian or is that pure media induced?

 

[g180aj]

All those players are positions the club have forced upon ourselves.

Mahrez a new deal despite entering his thirties, same went for Kev, although the latter at least justified one.

Gundo now in his final six months and at an age where it would be foolish to commit to his wages for more years.

Bernie wanting out for two seasons. All this should be headed off at the pass, we shouldn't be doing anyone favours.

Haaland was a move in the right direction and why I think Bellingham's energy and potential is worth the risk.

Throw in talents like McAllister or players with an ability on the ball, and we won't be far off.

Different perhaps, but still competing for all the trophies.

Hindsight’s a wonderful thing but we should have let Bernie go when he first highlighted it and brought in Odegard.

In the summer we should be looking at Bellingham, Lucas Hernandez and a 2 footed paces winger who can play both sides.

selling Laporte and Bernardo and waving goodbye to Gundo to make space.

 

[applejuice]

Agreed. I also think the Club are making a decision on Laporte.

I do like Henry at Brentford. He always seems to have a decent game?

If we are not careful, we will get caught dozing at the wheel if Arsenal can add to their young mix and the likes of Chelsea going balls out on Nkuku and Fernandez?

Irony, the way we play, Rice would be more suited alongside Rodri than Bellingham?

Laporte? It is sensible to let him go to have his juicy big contract at Spain. But I still rate his passing skill. Best of all CBs. Unless we buy another excellent left CB or a good LB I don't see how Pep will let him go.

I have a different view of Ake unlike most of the BM here. Although he is defensively good, his passing and attacking output cannot meet Pep system requirement. A good back up option. You can notice how slow the ball moving in the left hand side backline if Ake starts. Oh I miss Zinny. How long since we saw a good ball coming from that corner of the pitch!

I will pick Dias if we really need to sell one CB.

 

[CityBluez]

Bernardo is the only one going from that trio, the best player at that.

Yeah but Bernardo doesn't want to stay.

 

[Rammy Blue]

100% agree but some big transfer decisions coming up one's we have to get right, Bellingham is a huge talent but that fee is going to put him under huge pressure and that's the worry with that one.

I never got the Mahrez extension, that was a strange decision from the club and we have all seen a big drop off in his form since that deal was signed.

And please let's get this left back sorted once and for all, there has got to be one out there somewhere!

The only reason we gave Mahrez an extension was due to letting both Raz and Jesus leave in the same window, we should have had the balls to let all 3 go, but we shit out and handed him a contract he didn’t deserve.