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Harry Maguire (possible transfer rumour?)


HorsePills said:
I think we'd be happy to play Ballard alongside someone a bit quicker. If we signed Maguire we'd still need to sign someone a bit quicker. Don't think we'd bother.
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Maguire would raise the bar so much in terms of quality that it would be worth the risk.
 
Be surprised if Man Utd let him go. He’s important cover for them, although they have plenty centre backs, there is only really him and De Ligt seem comfortable playing the central pivot role in his back 3. Think Man Utd would need to replace him and don’t think that’s an option for them this window given it would be a very low fee with 12 months on his contract.
Keeper and midfielder will be bigger priority for them now, don’t see them signing another centre back until next summer.
 
FC United of Manchester said:
Be surprised if Man Utd let him go. He’s important cover for them, although they have plenty centre backs, there is only really him and De Ligt seem comfortable playing the central pivot role in his back 3. Think Man Utd would need to replace him and don’t think that’s an option for them this window given it would be a very low fee with 12 months on his contract.
Keeper and midfielder will be bigger priority for them now, don’t see them signing another centre back until next summer.
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It’s odd if they’re letting him go after announcing he’s part of the leadership team they’ve made.
 
opinion merchant said:
Not alongside Ballard, for me anyway; we'd be alarmingly slow on the half turn. Would have to be instead of and tbh I think I'd rather have Ballard, especially considering wages. He's our big bugger, now we need a fast bugger, in the words of Florent Ghisolfi.
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Did you not see Xhaka vs Betis? He has immediately sped up our transitions. He finds the space to receive the ball brilliantly and knows who he is going to play in before he even gets the ball.

Hopefully the days of slapping the ball across the 4 at the back while figuring out how to get it forward will be resigned to the past.
 
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Windypants said:
If you're playing a narrow, low block (which is what we've done a fair bit), pace is less important in defenders than discipline, organisation and concentration. When you're playing a high press with a high defensive line, having pace at the back is much more important. I don't think We're going to be doing that a lot, this season.

TLDR I agree.
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Whilst I agree, what are your views on Guiu? It looks to me like he's been brought in to lead the press and use his height and physicality as an out ball to help ease the pressure when necessary.

Will he try and win the ball back immediately high up the pitch, or drop into more of a low block and press from deeper? Maybe a bit of both.
 
YorkMackem said:
Did you not see Xhaka vs Betis? He has immediately sped up our transitions. He finds the space to receive the ball brilliantly and knows who is going to play in before he even gets the ball.

Hopefully the days of slapping the ball across the 4 at the back while figuring out how to get it forward will be resigned to the past.
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I don't mean receiving the ball on the half turn, I mean going the other way and having to turn quickly and get up to speed quickly, from a ball over the top or when spun by an agile trickster on the old half turn.
 
Perryqhill said:
He's a much better player than most fans and the mainstream media would have ypu believe. But wages wise its never going to happen.

I don't buy into this obessesion that's developing with pace at the back. Ballard can run over distance and Maguire has enough about him to not get continually exposed in run of the mill games as part of an organised system. Play high (which we absolutely can't and won't do regularly) and ask him to run and chase in one on one defending regularly and it would be an issue. Under Le Bris I expect us to more compact, organised and deep, though some pace would help.
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This, plus with Maguire and Ballard we would genuinely be a goal threat from set pieces.
 
A very good traditional CB, but Man U tried to turn him into a something he's not, and the lad has been rinsed for it ever since.

I'd certainly have him here, if it were possible.
 
I agree about daft money, but you never know what lads are like.

Some might be motivated by a challenge, and not the brass, when do you have enough?.
 
AC Mack said:
Whilst I agree, what are your views on Guiu? It looks to me like he's been brought in to lead the press and use his height and physicality as an out ball to help ease the pressure when necessary.

Will he try and win the ball back immediately high up the pitch, or drop into more of a low block and press from deeper? Maybe a bit of both.
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Out of possession, I can't see us changing much from the narrow, low, block that we spent 6 months practicing, last season. The low block might be more dynamic (due to the attributes of the players we've signed), but, I think it'll remain our preferred defensive set-up. There'll still be opportunities to press high, but, adding Guiu isn't going to change the default of a narrow, low, block, for my money.
I think that Guiu might end up being used as a 'Plan B' option when we're chasing a game, rather than as our starting CF.
 
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