KaKa

Very interesting to hear this from a staunch Man City fan, who has been privy to watching some seriously good midfields in recent times. I posed the question earlier today in a different thread, if we had the best midfield in the Prem. Not surprised to see others are thinking along the same lines too. Think it will become more of a discussion over the next few months. It's just such a robust three with a nice variety of elements that compliment each other so well. Very exciting indeed. Funny how flabbergasted he is that we aren't further up the league already. We were just waiting for that final Tonali piece!

That makes him even more evil and cruel! Peddling that nonsense because of his goofy baseball caps man. Hope he's enjoying the Ratcliffe era.

Yeah, I think there is talent there for sure. Pretty tough to nurture it as the lead man at Man United though, especially when the team isn't firing on all cylinders. I think for it to work at your club he needed to come in behind a more experienced striker already doing the business, that he'd eventually take over from in a couple of seasons. Would have been less pressure. Think you could still pull that off to be fair, if you go for that more experienced striker in the upcoming windows.

That's the whole point though, you went way too soon for Hojlund. He hadn't even established himself as a starter in a top league yet and you spent that fee on him! To come in as your starting striker! Isak had already played at least three full seasons at Sociedad by the time we went for him as our starting striker. And had shown a lot more at that level, to then make a reasonable assessment on. It's really not comparable at all.

Rio was so cruel when we were suffering under Mike Ashley man. Just talking complete nonsense. It's unbelievable how things have flipped and they are now the ones stuck in a rotten situation. Makes me so incredibly happy. It's good and healthy for other fans bases to suffer a similar fate. Too many of them think they are invincible and speak so recklessly.

Wow. Missed this yesterday. Think Concecaio is going to do really well there. Sad for Fonseca. Just wasn't doing a good enough job.

It's a strange thing just looking at a players numbers/output. Isak's size, speed, athleticism and technique have always stood out and he was really starting to have some significant showings for Sweden about a year or so before we bought him, in the Euros I think it was. He was clearly going to be far more dangerous in a more open and faster paced league than he was in Spain, and I imagine we recognised that. It's a similar story with Cunha at Wolves. At Atletico he wasn't even a consistent starter, and really didn't have much to show as far as numbers go. In the Prem he looks like a star, because of how well suited he is to the higher tempo and more open style. And now every fan base is thirsting after both Cunha and Isak!

Totally agree. It's really great having such a good set of players and characters that make up the team. I really think it's going to culminate with them winning things at some point too. It's coming.

Amazing. I totally get it The trophies are coming for this current lot though, and it's going to feel special.

Was catching up on the highlights of their game last night. He is an all action wrecking ball of a striker man. Proper talisman for Ipswich already. Glad he missed our game against them. He looks like he is going to be a top top striker.

Yeah, it was a great deal. You'll likely get most of it back from a club in Italy I imagine, he was that good there. You really needed a more seasoned striker ahead of Hojlund that he can rotate in for as he's still so young, and wasn't even starting at Atalanta when you got him. Going to be interesting to see who you go for.

He's more of a Firmino type of striker. He was class for Bologna last season and contributed massively to them getting Champions League. I was very surprised that Man Utd signed him. It really didn't make sense as a fit. It's since been mentioned that Ashworth recommended him based on the scouting report we had for him at Newcastle. He also had a low release clause.

Wrong answer! Be assured. The trophies are coming for this team. If not this season, for sure next season, once we sort that right wing out.

Think they will figure something out. The situation is quite bad, I just can't see them not doing anything.

Yeah, going to need to make some key moves in January in those positions.

The trophies thing is interesting in these circumstances. Here's a question ... Would anyone take those two Man Utd trophies under ten Hag, if it meant we had the current Man Utd squad and league position, while they had the current Newcastle squad and league position instead?

The thing about Antony is he has a great shot on him, and Amad overlapping might open up space for him to get that off? I don't know man. It seems very difficult making these players work in Amorim's setup. Too many headaches.

Yeah, I know. That's fair. I just think it's great that it's a legitimate discussion we can have without being completely off the mark. Our 3 have only just got going too, so watch this space!

Has he tried Anthony in that 10 spot instead? With Amad at wing back? Anthony doesn't seem able to take people on which he can probably get away with more in the 10 with Amad overlapping? I feel like he needs to try some different combinations in those positions as that appears to be the main issue. Even Garnacho in the wing back spots I don't think he has tried yet. Could he really be much worse than Dalot has been there?

I agree he wasn't, but it was under ridiculous circumstances, when the whole team was already floundering and a raft of changes had disrupted the shape. It was really annoying seeing that used as a reason he wasn't doing enough to get in the team. Thankfully that whole awful period is over.

Fair enough. I think that's reasonable. One thing I have noticed. Early on Amorim was playing Amad at wing back, and I think you looked more dangerous then. I'm surprised he hasn't gone back to that. Playing both Dalot and Mazaroui at the wing back spots seems to be stifling your play going forward.

Starting 11 midfield. Not including subs and depth. I'm really not certain I'm taking any over our current 3. Mainoo started with Ugarte against both Wolves and Bournemouth and we saw the result. I almost wish those two had started yesterday again because that is the cope I keep hearing from Man Utd fans after the match. Hopefully for the home game they both come ready to play, then we will see.

He has exceptional awareness of who is around him. Both team mates and opposition. It's actually very hard for the opposition to press him, because he moves the ball so quickly and then moves into space to receive it again. Just so happy he's now in the team and showing what he can do. I remember when he was getting thrown on when we were chasing games, when Longstaff was starting and we kept falling behind, and some were saying he wasn't doing or showing enough to usurp Longstaff! Was so frustrating man!

Mainoo started alongside Ugarte against both Bournemouth and Wolves though, and it didn't make a difference. I think we had taken our foot of the gas by the time Mainoo came on. He really wasn't some sort of game changer.