Modric

[Deleted]

We played some scintillating Football 07/08 playing 4231 with CQ as assistant.I think, as mentioned, our lack of pressing in midfield has disappeared from that and it has seen us revert to a soley counter attacking team who are happy to sit off and wait for mistakes to take advantage of.That for me is down to personnel and a lack of imagination/application on the training pitch.We have become shit to watch and I blame Phelan almost as much as the Glazers,

[Ole's Red Whiteknight03 Army]

Jun 8, 2012 8:25:03 GMT ginger18legend said:

Jun 8, 2012 6:30:23 GMT @reddub said:

Modric is overrated?

Are you kidding me?

Precisely. I've said it before - this board gives nowhere near enough credit to players from other Premiership sides.

While that attitude exists on here, it is well countered by the "so-and-so did something good with a football. I'll start a thread saying we should sign him" mentality. Case in point, the Scott Parker, Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam talk last summer.

Overrated doesn't mean rubbish. It means I think Modric is not the best midfielder in the world as people are making out. I don't think he's worth anything over £25m, and certainly nowhere near the £40m being talked about last summer, but like i said earlier, he's a good midfielder so I won't complain if it came off.

[ginger18legend]

Jun 9, 2012 16:45:46 GMT Ole's Red Whiteknight03 Army said:

Overrated doesn't mean rubbish. It means I think Modric is not the best midfielder in the world as people are making out. I don't think he's worth anything over £25m, and certainly nowhere near the £40m being talked about last summer, but like i said earlier, he's a good midfielder so I won't complain if it came off.

Ah. Misinterpreted your statement then. Concur with the rest of it. Although I'd be willing to pay 30 if we're gonna go up to 25 anyway. 40 is a stretch, agreed. But its Daniel Levy and you just know he'll fleece us. We paid 10 million more than we should have for Berba. Likewise Liverpool overpaid for Keane.

[Deleted]

Quite a few stories have been circulating in the past couple of days, suggesting that Manchester United hold a very real interest in Luka Modric, and that a bid of around £25 million has been tabled.

I sincerely hope that isn’t true.

In total, this season, Modric played 41 games for Tottenham, scoring 5 goals and making 4 assists.

For a supposedly gifted playmaker, that isn’t really very good.

Shinji Kagawa, on the other hand, played 31 games for Borussia Dortmund, scored 13 goals, and made 8 assists.

Now, United have reached a deal to sign Kagawa for a fee that could rise to as much as £18 million. That’s around £7 million less than what Modric would, apparently, cost.

For me, Kagawa is the more exciting prospect.

Blessed with blistering acceleration, sensational close control and a spectacular eye for goal, the Japanese international could already be as good as Tottenham’s little Croatian, and he’s 3 years younger.

Now that, for me, is the most telling statistic of all.

Modric is 26 years old, while Kagawa is 23. Therefore, Kagawa has time on his side, and he has all the attributes to be truly world class, while Modric has only, realistically, another season to truly live up to his original potential.

When Spurs signed him he was a largely unknown quantity, and he has quickly blossomed into the fulcrum of Tottenham’s attack.

While that may work for Spurs, I cannot see it working for United.

With Kagawa signed, the formation that United is likely to line up with is 4-2-3-1, with Carrick and Scholes the deep lying midfielders, Valencia on the right, Young on the left and Kagawa just behind Wayne Rooney.

Where would that leave Modric? As a replacement for Scholes?

While many United fans are likely to scream in the affirmative, the main player needed to play in Scholes’ position would be a defensive minded midfielder, especially in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Cheick Tiote has been linked to United, and he’d be a sensational signing.

Sir Alex Ferguson has apparently been quoted £20 million for the big Ivorian, and if that is the case, he has to spend the money.

Why, I hear you cry?

Because Tiote is the exact player the Red Devils have been missing.

Ask any United fan about what player they’d love to bring back, and most of them would say Roy Keane.

His ability didn’t just lie in his leadership skills, as he was phenomenal at breaking up play.

Kagawa won’t do that, he hasn’t been signed to do that, and nor would Modric.

What Tiote would do would bring steel to an apparently soft-centred midfield.

His record for Newcastle since his bargain £3.5 million signing in terms of scoring and assisting goals has been relatively poor – after all, he’s only scored once for the Toon (in that amazing 4-4 draw against Arsenal.)

But that isn’t what Tiote is about. Oh no, what Tiote is about is tackling, breaking up play and simple distribution. And that is exactly what United need.

Imagine a line up, on the opening day, of David De Gea in goal, Chris Smalling, Nemanja Vidic, Phil Jones and Patrice Evra in defence, Cheick Tiote and Michael Carrick as the deep lying midfielders, Antonio Valencia on the right wing, Ashley Young on the left and Shinji Kagawa just behind Wayne Rooney up front.

If that team took to the field at Old Trafford on the opening day, I would expect United to majorly challenge for the title. Not just that, as a United fan, I’d expect the Red Devils to win the league.

Do we need Modric? No, but we do need Tiote.

Took this from another website but feel it has a lot of relevance, Very good reason not to sign Modric and go for another type of Mid.

[ginger18legend]

Jun 9, 2012 17:32:56 GMT @cavelly2k said:

In total, this season, Modric played 41 games for Tottenham, scoring 5 goals and making 4 assists.

For a supposedly gifted playmaker, that isn’t really very good.

Modric's greatest strength is increasing the tempo of the game and laying the ball into the path of the player who will make the assist. This was something Berba used to do extremely well in the Berba-Valencia-Rooney goals. You can't compare Kagawa's stats to Modric's. They play in different positions.

[Deleted]

Im aware of that, but if they do play a 4-2-3-1 then where would he play? Theres no point playing him in the back. Id much rather Tiote beside Scholes or Carrick behind Valencia, Kagawa and Nani or Young. Spending upwards of 30m+ for a player that wont fit into the formation is a massive cost.

Either way to sign Modric we wont get him for less than 35m and im sorry I dont think hes good enough to warrant that price tag. Id rather spend 15m on Tiote and put the rest towards a decent RB or LB.

[ginger18legend]

I'd happily play a midfield 3 of Carrick with Modric as the two and Kagawa ahead of them. Besides, that is where he plays for Spurs - next to Parker with VdV ahead of them. There also seems to be a strong misconception that Modric can't tackle.

[mightyez]

If we get modric for 25 million I would not complain. Can the money be spent better, yes.
I believe Carrick and Scholes with their fantastic passing abilities can do deep lying playmaking, next to them I agree a tiote type would be perfect.
I keep mentioning this name but diarra will do a job, then asamoah or tiote will be fab.
On tiote he can be bought for less than 20 million. That price is there to help talked down to probably 17/18 million

[mightyez]

Ginger I agree I have seen modric get stuck in. He is a top midfielder no doubt and I would welcome him but if I were talking to fergie I know where I would spend 25 million the names I mentioned would cost less in total

[Deleted]

Jun 9, 2012 17:58:24 GMT ginger18legend said:

I'd happily play a midfield 3 of Carrick with Modric as the two and Kagawa ahead of them. Besides, that is where he plays for Spurs - next to Parker with VdV ahead of them. There also seems to be a strong misconception that Modric can't tackle.

Im not saying he cant tackle but we have our attacking option in midfield now we need a player that can hold the ball up and be a Keano-esque player. For me if this line up was to begin the season Id be very happy.

- - - - - - - - -De Gea
Smalling - Vidic - Jones/Evans - Evra
- - - - Carrick - - - - Scholes/Tiote- - -
Valencia - - -Kagawa - - Young/Nani
- - - - - - - - - -Rooney - - - - - - -

[ginger18legend]

We seem to have a differing opinion as to the type of player Modric is. I don't see him as an ''attacking'' option per se. More as a Scholes type player who retains posession and lays it off quickly. Keeps the play ticking over and sets the tempo. (Note - I'm note saying he is as good as Scholes!)

[Deleted]

Jun 9, 2012 18:17:59 GMT ginger18legend said:

We seem to have a differing opinion as to the type of player Modric is. I don't see him as an ''attacking'' option per se. More as a Scholes type player who retains posession and lays it off quickly. Keeps the play ticking over and sets the tempo. (Note - I'm note saying he is as good as Scholes!)

Aye ano what your saying, Im not saying Modric is useless or owt like that and I know what sort of player and how good he is, I just feel we need a different type of player to add to the mix.

But everyone's going to have a different opinion on the subject as im sure they will on a lot of other players, but ultimately the opinion everyone should agree on is that as long as it improves the side and gets our trophy back then thats all that matters. I shan't complain if we sign Modric, Tiote, Diarra, Strootman. As long as a player is brought in to strengthen our team. For me thats all that matters.

[ginger18legend]

Jun 9, 2012 18:33:04 GMT @cavelly2k said:

But everyone's going to have a different opinion on the subject as im sure they will on a lot of other players, but ultimately the opinion everyone should agree on is that as long as it improves the side and gets our trophy back then thats all that matters. I shan't complain if we sign Modric, Tiote, Diarra, Strootman. As long as a player is brought in to strengthen our team. For me thats all that matters.

Touche!

[Deleted]

no to modric

[Deleted]

Jun 9, 2012 18:48:36 GMT Carbon said:

no to modric

theres always one