alekaras
The ITK of IDK
True. Especially at the start of the season where training sprinkled with the odd friendly is the only thing the manager has to go by.A player can earn his place in the team on training field
True. Especially at the start of the season where training sprinkled with the odd friendly is the only thing the manager has to go by.A player can earn his place in the team on training field
I'd be very surprised if Alderweireld doesn't start the season. Other than that I think you're mostly right... though I wonder if Dier has done enough in midfield to displace Mason in Pochettino's eyes. With Mason coming back from injury, he's likely to be a week or two behind the rest of the team in terms of preparation for the season, which may well give Dier the edge.Poch only introduces new players gradually when they earn their place. I'm fairly confident (injuries allowing), we'll start the season as we finished it:
------------------Lloris
Walker----Dier-------Verts-----Rose
-----------Mason-----Bentaleb
--Lamela------Eriksen----Chadli
-----------------Kane
I'd be very surprised if Alderweireld doesn't start the season. Other than that I think you're mostly right... though I wonder if Dier has done enough in midfield to displace Mason in Pochettino's eyes. With Mason coming back from injury, he's likely to be a week or two behind the rest of the team in terms of preparation for the season, which may well give Dier the edge.
The other wild card, of course, is whether we make a big signing before the start of the season. Kane is nailed on to start up top whoever we bring in as competition / back-up; but a major signing in midfield could well be in the first team at Old Trafford depending on who it is.
Yeah, good point. I'm really just going by the team we've been playing in the pre-season games. Those short vids on the OS don't give any real indication of how Dier is doing in that role, but when I think about it, he does actually have all the right qualities to be a defensive midfielder, so it might make sense.If Mason isn't fully fit - or even if he is - I would have thought that Dembele is far more likely than Dier to partner Bentaleb in CM.
Yeah, good point. I'm really just going by the team we've been playing in the pre-season games. Those short vids on the OS don't give any real indication of how Dier is doing in that role, but when I think about it, he does actually have all the right qualities to be a defensive midfielder, so it might make sense.
Yes he has, but we don't know about the most important attributies in that position which is position awarness, when to press and when to stand, all of which won't discover until we see him playing.Yeah, good point. I'm really just going by the team we've been playing in the pre-season games. Those short vids on the OS don't give any real indication of how Dier is doing in that role, but when I think about it, he does actually have all the right qualities to be a defensive midfielder, so it might make sense.
I'm quite confident that we'll bring in a first-choice midfielder ahead of Mason before the end of the window. Whether it happens in time for Old Trafford though? Not so confident about that.If it is a choice between Dier or Mason it would be Dier for me, I know there is still a month of the window to go but I am beginning to worry about not bringing another player in for CM. I really hope Poch has a plan because Mason is not theplayer for that position.
If it is a choice between Dier or Mason it would be Dier for me, I know there is still a month of the window to go but I am beginning to worry about not bringing another player in for CM. I really hope Poch has a plan because Mason is not theplayer for that position.
I'm quite confident that we'll bring in a first-choice midfielder ahead of Mason before the end of the window. Whether it happens in time for Old Trafford though? Not so confident about that.
Like yourself, I'm very much in the sceptical camp when it comes to Mason (happy to keep him around for the Europa League and see if he progresses though - maybe play him further forward and give Eriksen Thursday nights off) but the fact that Schneiderlin did appear to be Pochettino's primary target (albeit un-gettable thanks to Man Utd's interest) suggests the manager is aware we need a major upgrade in that position.
Though maybe Dier is turning out to be a beast in the role and we already have a ready-made upgrade? We can always hope.
Mason was the heart of the 5th best midfield in the league last season, and you want to play a jobbing CB there?!
Poch only introduces new players gradually when they earn their place. I'm fairly confident (injuries allowing), we'll start the season as we finished it:
------------------Lloris
Walker----Dier-------Verts-----Rose
-----------Mason-----Bentaleb
--Lamela------Eriksen----Chadli
-----------------Kane
Mason was the heart of the 5th best midfield in the league last season, and you want to play a jobbing CB there?!
We could've got 4th without him!!
Mason was the heart of the 5th best midfield in the league last season, and you want to play a jobbing CB there?![/QUOTE?
You can't split out the midfield and claim we had the 5th best midfield. We finished 5th, from a squad of used players.
I actually like Mason, buy we need to upgrade in that function, overall.
We could've got 4th without him!!
He missed seven league games last season the results of which were W3 D1 L3 with him in the team our results were W16 D6 L9. Which is 1.4 points per game when he was not playing and 1.7 when he did.
Because that means anything... Stats like this are so misleading. What were those teams, what was the rest of our team, also, I bet one of his starts was Chel53a. We were losing, he got injured, dembele came on, dominated and the game was turned.
I k ow what I saw all season. A man who tried hard, but with awful technical ability and no real qualities, I saw our defence get no predigestion whatsoever, I saw our right back get no support like left did from bentaleb, I saw bentsleb handcuffed to sit back, I saw someone who offered virtually nothing creatively, in assists, in goals, in really protecting us. I saw a headless chicken with loads of passion and energy completely out of his depth.
Because that means anything... Stats like this are so misleading. What were those teams, what was the rest of our team, also, I bet one of his starts was Chel53a. We were losing, he got injured, dembele came on, dominated and the game was turned.
I k ow what I saw all season. A man who tried hard, but with awful technical ability and no real qualities, I saw our defence get no predigestion whatsoever, I saw our right back get no support like left did from bentaleb, I saw bentsleb handcuffed to sit back, I saw someone who offered virtually nothing creatively, in assists, in goals, in really protecting us. I saw a headless chicken with loads of passion and energy completely out of his depth.