New centre backs are no longer a priority for United?

So it begins.

If we don't address the problems in the defence this summer we will be scrapping for top 4 next season not challenging for titles of the top 6 we have the worst defensive record in the league and PSG showed how easily top sides can create chances against us luckily for us they wasted them. This record has been achieved playing a defensive counter attack style under 2 different managers this season but we have still conceded twice the number of goals as the top 2.

Those new contracts for Smalling & Jones to me suggests that we are doing it on the cheap again and we won't get the top centre back we need in the summer.
 
Well, you only need to read the LVG article about how the board see spending money.
 
I think they'll spend money but they don't know how to spend it smart which has been the problem.

Fortunes are being spent on the squad in transfer fees, agent fees and wages every year under Woodward but it's not being spent wisely this is what LVG was pointing out two bankers are making football decisions interestingly listening to a podcast earlier Utd hired a headhunting firm to look for a technical director. That firm has suggested that Utd came to them with no idea of what they actually wanted which made it hard for them to take the job as they didn't know what to look for from a technical director and as a result seem to have put things on the back burner.

As a club we are paying premium prices for B list players and paying them to much money which means the whole wage structure is screwed. Until Utd sort it out at the very top nothing will improve if our board think the current defenders are good enough to win titles then we will be miles behind for another decade because they just aren't good enough. If we put our entire defence up for sale tomorrow not one of them is getting sold to the top level clubs.
 
Absolute rubbish. Sure all of our CBs have improved under Ole but they are still not good enough at the very top level. Lindelof is and he'll be an important part going forwards. Smalling is a good squad player and I like Bailly though he's too rash. But Rojo and Jones need to go this summer.
 
For me Rojo & Bailly need to be moved out this summer with a new guy coming in to be our first choice centre back, next summer we have to move Jones on as like those two he can't be relied on with his injuries and you then up the quality again.

This crop have had 5 years post Fergie and post Rio/Vidic to prove they're of the necessary quality and so far none of them have.

Lindelöf looks like he's got something but still not 100% convinced by him but with the right partner he might be good enough to form a title winning partnership.
 
I'm not sure we need a CB for next year, but looking term, if we want to challenge for the prem and CL we will need to address this position. Possibly season after. Maybe this close season is for other positions.

But if the Varane rumours are true, I'd be all over that this season.
 
Mr C said:
I'm not sure we need a CB for next year, but looking term, if we want to challenge for the prem and CL we will need to address this position. Possibly season after. Maybe this close season is for other positions.

But if the Varane rumours are true, I'd be all over that this season.
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Why don't you think a CB is needed for next year? Surely the focus has got to be on getting back up there with City and Liverpool? At least challenging to some extent. CB is absolutely a priority to do that.
 
I don't think you can do it all in one season. A more secure top 4 is the next step I guess.

I don't like bringing in 4/5 players in one go.

So for me this summer is midfield, centre and right. with a RB. I see these as more critical.

Season after CB and forward.

Unless pure class like Varane become available.
 
I agree you can't change to much in one go but that's what is so frustrating about last summer we didn't buy from a position of strength finishing 2nd to City wasn't terrible it was a decent season but we did nothing.

All the work that needed doing last summer still needs doing this summer because all we did was replace Carrick who retired with Fred.

I don't expect Utd to win the title next season but I expect us to go all out to close the gap and given the overhaul required I'd rather we try and sort stuff this summer have a year to mould it all together.

I actually think the defence is more important to solve than the attack at this point we've got to stop shipping goals and I think the attack has proven recently that there's enough quality there if used properly, the defence I think will remain a sh*t show until new faces come in and the quality improves as none of them are anything like world class.
 
I don't think we've conceded too many since Ole arrived.

It's the control in the middle we are lacking for me. So that's where I'd start. Then do the CB.

A RB this summer is a must. I think everyone knows that.
 
Mr C said:
I don't think we've conceded too many since Ole arrived.

It's the control in the middle we are lacking for me. So that's where I'd start. Then do the CB.

A RB this summer is a must. I think everyone knows that.
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I think the concern is the number of chances being created against us is still quite high and we are very easy to play against and dominate it's hard to tell sometimes if this is by design because we want to counter or because we don't have the players to do it. It's not so much a problem when you play the top sides but the mid table sides are doing it as well.

I do think it's a bit of both a better holding midfield player might help us retain possession a little bit better but better defenders will help us push high up and also retain possession I don't think we've ever found the right balance between centre backs and holding midfielder since Rio/Vidic/Carrick those 3 made it look so easy. To get through the middle against Utd back then was near impossible.

I don't think it's an either/or situation it's a both these two areas need sorting out as I think we've had quite a few years of bad spending which has set us back. All the defenders and midfielders signed over the last 5 years I think only 2 look like they might justify their hefty price tags which are Lindelöf & Shaw I don't think any of the others have lived up to the hype.
 
yeah, we definitely need all of them. I just don't like dumping 4 or 5 new players (starters) into a team. So that's why for me, staggering it is better. And although the CB isn't great, we at least have the numbers there, CM/RM and RB are more needy for me.
 
For me CB is one of the most important positions to sort this summer. A starting world class CB is more important than a RB. I’m happy to let Dalot play and see if he comes good.

I’d say RW, CB, DM, CM, RB in that order is where I’d be looking to strengthen on the pitch. Players that come in and go in to the side. Not prospects or squad players but actually ready made to play right now.

Losing Herrera means we have to buy a CM to start. Unless Fred is suddenly coming alive in this 4-3-3. And Matic is done his legs are gone.
 
IDFD said:
For me CB is one of the most important positions to sort this summer. A starting world class CB is more important than a RB. I’m happy to let Dalot play and see if he comes good.

I’d say RW, CB, DM, CM, RB in that order is where I’d be looking to strengthen on the pitch. Players that come in and go in to the side. Not prospects or squad players but actually ready made to play right now.

Losing Herrera means we have to buy a CM to start. Unless Fred is suddenly coming alive in this 4-3-3. And Matic is done his legs are gone.
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I regretted Matic the minute we signed him, He hasnt been terrible the entire time he has been here, but he was well and truly the wrong player to buy at the time.
 
I see little point in signing a defender like Alderweireld, even at £25m. He would make minimal difference to the team. If the club is to sign a defender then the player has to be in the world class bracket.
 
Mr C said:
yeah, we definitely need all of them. I just don't like dumping 4 or 5 new players (starters) into a team. So that's why for me, staggering it is better. And although the CB isn't great, we at least have the numbers there, CM/RM and RB are more needy for me.
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Yeah I think that's fair but I'd say CB, RB, CM are the 3 to sort this summer I think the attacking positions can wait another year if they have to.

I think a more dominant defence and midfield may improve the current attackers.
 

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