Man Utd would be stupid to let rising star join City; jury out on Higuain

Oli Fisher

Liverpool fans discuss their ideal January additions, while the jury is still out on Higuain and our Man Utd readers want to steal a defender from under Man City’s noses – all in Your Says of the Day.

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Season-defining 10 days

Not to be a drama queen or anything but the next week and a half ‘could’ define our season.

Dropped points v Leicester and no insurance policy purchased in the January window. Ouch.

Personally, I think we will be beat Leicester and not sign anyone. Is that bad? No, not really, but I would like to see us get someone, a winger/attacker just in case one of our front three goes down.

Our system is heavily reliant and finely tuned around Mo, Mane and Firmino (we hardly get any goals from midfield) and if one of those three goes down, yes, Shaq can come in certainly for Mo or as a 10 (has to be a 4231 tho), Sturridge for Bobby (not the same player) and Mo can play as a 9 (again in a 4231), Mane can always switch from the 11 to 7 position but if he goes down who goes on the left? Keita? No. Bobby, maybe, but not half as effective, Salah, I guess, he’s a lefty but that could starve his goal contribution.

Jurgen has the option to go for a 442 if one of the front three gets injured (I’d actually like to see that sometime with Keita as the 7 or 10 and let him loose).

Keita’s situation is a kick in the nuts. It is just not happening for him and a full firing Naby could have compensated for Ox but he doesn’t look anywhere near Premiership level.

I’d like to see us go balls to the wall (won’t happen) and stump up mega cash and either get the Fekir deal done or test Palace’s resolve for Zaha (wtf is he doing at Palace?).

Your thoughts.

Rob Fort Worth TX

Zaha would be a dream signing. He has matured loads over the last season and half. And has the capacity to be a real klopp star. Would cost upwards of 50mill

HairyHarry

Zaha

In my humble opinion, that’s actually one of the problems with our inability sometimes to break down the parked bus. We lack a playmaker type in midfield. At its worst, we get the trio of Heno, Milner, and Gini all playing together who appear to deliver constipated attacking performances.

Fabinho has been a small light recently but you can’t rely on a DM to be the creative type that we really need.

Shaqiri seems like a really good player but apart from his great performance against Southampton when he started, his best performances seem to come from the subs bench.

Keita obviously has the talent but again like Fabinho, we are putting our playmaking hopes on a DM.

Lallana seems like he is being phased out and not fully trusted to start games – I’m waiting for his end of season goodbye wave to the fans.

Ox isn’t fit yet and even when he does how many games will he actually be able to play?

Do we have anyone else? Woodburn / Curtis Jones?

I personally think its a shame Klopp was/is a little narrow-minded about Trent Alexander. I would have played him at the top of the midfield. This way he gets a direct Ox replacement. He has a lot of similarities to Ox as a player with regard to his tenacity and ability to attack and defend, it is the position he played as a kid, his natural position? But that’s NOT going to happen because we don’t have a proper backup for Trent at right back even.

I don’t think we will sign anyone in this area, the only person that it would make sense to sign would be Ryan Sessegnon but I feel the club may think its better to wait financially till the summer when his price may drop after Fulham get relegated (?)

mwake

Zaha would cost an arm and a leg but his end product is limited.

I’m sure there’s better value elsewhere.

mwake

Inaki Williams: Borussia Dortmund interest

Zaha has pace but not the game intelligence for us, plus he doesn’t work at getting back. He gave Milner a torrid time with his pace but Milner had acres of space because Zaha didn’t help his full back.

Would like a player that can play both 9 and inside forward, Werner being the obvious choice and think someone on here mentioned Inaki Williams. If we are to play 4231 more from now on.

threeps

Seem to remember we went warm weather training a few years ago, then lost to Leicester on our return. I hope the players don’t relax too much.

On Keita, it is a big blow. A big part of me believing we could do it this year was based on Keita hitting the ground running and scoring a good number of goals. That, and us losing to City recently are going to make it a hell of a challenge for the rest of the season.

mikus

When Firmino plays as the 10 he works very hard when the opposition have the ball, something Shaq doesn’t. I think he hasn’t played in the middle since? Only on the right.

I agree with Mwake that we need more variety in our midfield but disagree we need a Coutinho type. We have Ox and Keita that I think supplement our style better than Coutinho although Keita has not hit the heights we all expected from him.

If we continue with the 4231, and personally I hope we will, then I can see us getting a winger that can play up top too (or vise versa!), cover for LB and RB and maybe someone that can cover Firmino.

threeps

 

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The ideal solution?

What do you guys think of Marcelo as a signing? He’s lost his place at Real Madrid recently and seems to be interested in moving to Juventus to reunite with Ronaldo however I honestly think that having him (as an established, top level player even at the age of 30) competing with Shaw for that spot would be great – might teach him how to attack too.

Wonder how much Real Madrid would ask for him though. Still probably the best left back in the world on his day.

Sympathy for the Devils

The gossip in Holland is that City is closing in for De ligt. United would be very stupid to let this rising star pass to City!! We need a great young central defender and he has all the tools to be that player!!

Loney_striker

We need to go for him, they already have too many defenders.

Scholesy

Kompany is on his last legs so Pep is no doubt looking for a long term replacement. Stones is erratic at best so I can easily see City wanting this kid. We should go all out for him imho. He’s a beast of a young fella.

KillyBoye

Given there’s only a week till the window closes and not even press speculation of impending signings, it’s fair to assume we won’t be getting anybody.

I have no problem with that, it wouldn’t make sense to spend serious money on a player the next manager may not like.

MacGuffin

De Jong to Barca for £86m,Allan close to PSG for £80m! What are we doing? I thought: we can do things others cant dream about it?

Redblood

I wouldn’t mind getting Verratti from PSG if he wants away after they sign Allan

N1xer

First things first. We spend over 50 million on Fred last summer. He needs a run of games to show what he can do. Against lesser teams especially at home we should be able to start him instead of one if Matic/Herrera

Homerjay540

Verratti’s a top call N1xer no doubt. A bit of an injury worry but worth the risk. Stick him next to Pogba and Ndombele and you’re starting to talk title winning midfield, because we won’t win the major prizes with Mstic and Herrera. Control midfield, control the game. Trouble is, there’s more chance of em signing me than either of those two. I wonder who’ll end up getting Joao Felix by the way, the next new kid on the block.

jm1502

 

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Jury out on Higuain

Welcome to Chelsea Higuain ! I hope that he will be a good addition for us and will score a lot of goals. Am I sure, of course no. Not a fan before, but probably he can prove me wrong by adapting quickly and scoring goals for us. Don’t like neither that he took shirt no 9. But if he succeeds, he will break the hoodoo and restore the glory of that number. Last successful player with that 9 was Hasselbaink. Since then, cursed, including Boulahrouz and Sidwell. I have a good feeling this time that Higuain will break that curse.

Sarri got his man. Good to see that him and the board are on the same wavelength. Now bring Elseid Hysaj this window. And probably a CM to replace Cesc. Seems that Paredes was seen in Paris today to sign for PSG. Why don’t we go for Rabiot?

aindro

Welcome gonzo… said to a mate yesterday, I don’t care if his knees have gone, is overweight so long as he’s a lump up front the ball sticks to and he can spank it into the net.

He’s been a top end striker throughout his career and scored goals wherever he’s been.

Rather think hazard is going to enjoy playing with him. Let’s hope he has a galvanising effect on the team like Vialli (who is ill and has my best wishes) gullit and Lord Zola.

We landed our number one target too. Do I put him in my fantasy side?!?!?

Romansdirtypants

Sarri deinitely in a last chance saloon and risking everything thinking Higuain is some spiritual figure who walks on water that’s going solve our goals drought.On his head be it but hand on heart I really hope the situation can be turned around to save us going on another managerial merry-go-round

I do not want to see another managerial change after just 6 months,I’m hoping Sarri can change things around but for me the acquisition of Higuain does not look like an substantial enough improvement to score more goals imo but I beg and hope to be proved wrong!.No a bright idea Sarri slating the players in media either which could compound our difficulties even further,things not looking good.Haven’t really given it any thought who could come in if it goes boobs up and Sarri walks.

mtal61

Welcome Higuain. Very pleased to see that the board listened to Sarri and went all out to make this happen. I really hope that the faith that Sarri has in Higuain, and vice versa I assume, is well founded and that Higuain will resolve our lack of goals

My only concern would be how long he will take to get match fit but to be fair the game this weekend is ideal for him to find his feet and get a feel for how long he can last in terms of minutes on the pitch

Reading that we appear to have lost out on Paredes to PSG but must admit not totally convinced as I thought they still were under a cloud re the FFP rules (but not certain on that one). If that is the case then we still need a replacement for Fabregas…?

Moses looks as though he is gone and I read Cahill still mulling over a loan to Fulham. Not read a single article on Drinkwater at all….?

Last issue seems to be Hudson Odoi as all reports indicate he still wants to leave. Starting him tonight might help to sway his mind…? KTBFFH

CFC1905

For Higauin to score goals he needs chances and we never really had enough of definite chances, so the midfield needs to produce as well. The players he selects on either side one of which will probably be Hazard are going to be critical.

Blue owner

A very important part of the Higuain signing is that he was Sarri’s choice and Marina went all out to get him.

Like all signings who knows how it will work out but the first positive in this signing is that it will restore Hazard to his most effective position and hopefully he can load the bullets for Higuain.

As 1905 points out above it’s win win for Chelsea if it works out we can keep Higuain if it doesn’t we make other plans in the Summer.

We were crying out for a striker that gets into the box and takes chances and they are very difficult to get and even more difficult to get in January given everything inc how well Sarri knows him Higuain fits the bill. Fingers crossed he scores the goals to take us back to the CL.

nine nine nine

 

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