What Positions Need Most Strengthening?

I'd be interested to hear United fans views on exactly what positions you feel are a priority this summer, and in what order of importance.

Irrespective of what happens in the title race I feel the squad needs a lot of strengthening if we want to continue competing at the latter stages of the CL and winning domestic competitions. With minimal change we would expect to make the CL spots in the Prem and at least compete for domestic trophies, but United's standards in the last 20yrs have raised expectations and the norm to a level where we are consistently amongst the top 4 or so clubs in European football, favourites in the domestic cups, and finishing ahead of us means winning the league.

I've little doubt the extraordinary qualities of SAF and Scholes have given a warped view this season of our continuing strength, or at least in terms of predicting future success. Our early exit in Europe is arguably more reflective. Many would argue previous lack of investment in key positions has finally caught up with us.

Players like Rooney, Young and Valencia are in the age profile that needs boosting imo i.e. 25/26/27, because the squad's a bit lob-sided at the young & veteren ends (see below). This isn't helped by the long term absence of Fletcher, and Anderson's injuries / consistency. This lob-sided profile is not how United have traditionally been built during SAFs time i.e. ensuring a conveyor belt effect where old players leave and the mid age players step up to the leadership roles, the young players then become the core of the club, and the youth players become the next generation coming through and learning the United way. This has helped bring the continuity and consistency we've achieved.

1 GK David de Gea (21)
2 DF Patrice Evra (30)
4 DF Phil Jones (20)
5 DF Rio Ferdinand (33)
6 DF Jonny Evans (24)
7 FW Michael Owen (32)
8 MF Anderson (24)
9 FW Dimitar Berbatov
10 FW Wayne Rooney
11 MF Ryan Giggs (38)
12 DF Chris Smalling (22)
13 MF Park Ji-Sung (31)
14 FW Javier Hernández (23)
15 DF Nemanja Vidić (30)
16 MF Michael Carrick (30)
17 MF Nani (25)
18 MF Ashley Young (26)
19 FW Danny Welbeck (21)
20 DF Fábio (21)
21 DF Rafael (21)
22 MF Paul Scholes (37)
23 MF Tom Cleverley (22)
24 MF Darren Fletcher (28)
25 MF Antonio Valencia (26)
30 DF Ritchie De Laet (23)
34 GK Anders Lindegaard (28)
40 GK Ben Amos (22)
42 MF Paul Pogba (19)
48 FW Will Keane (19)
51 DF Ezekiel Fryers (19)

The positions I feel we need to strengthen most are:

1. Central midfield, both creatively/attacking and defensively given Scholes age, Giggs age/natural position, Park's legs/natural position, Fletcher's continued absence, Pogba's potential exit, and Anderson fitness/inconsistency/lack of off-field disciple away from the pitch. This means we can only rely on Carrick (30) and young Cleverley in coming seasons. I would put strengthening these two CM positions before all others. I couldn't say one over the other, as we can't strengthen creatively but not add more bite and strength to our midfield, and vice versa.

2. Both full back positions. Evra has played almost every game this season, and considering his style of play, age and United's reliance on the full back position that's some effort. However, if we lost Evra to injury next season or form then who plays there? Where is the competition? Fabio is being sent out on loan to develop, and Fryers may not sign. Even if he does, it's a bit much to expect an inexperienced teenager to be the main covering left back for a club like United.

Next season we will currently only have Rafael as a specialist RB, and if SAF couldn't trust him enough to play in our biggest game this season that's a worry. We can get by with shoe horning young centre backs in there, but should a club like United be satisfied with this, especially as full back is such a key position in the modern game.

IMO all 4 of these players should be in that 25/26/27 age range. The LB may be to cover Evra, ready to become the experienced player for Fabio when the Frenchman leaves, and the RB could perhaps perform that role for Rafael now. Order of importance is very hard, because if everyone is fit Evra is OK for any game, but will has no back up at all which means we are exposed. RB has less current quality, but more back up options even though they aren't ideal. I'd have to go LB just because the risk is greater.

CB can wait another year, and I'm sure some would argue a new CF is necessary considering SAF loves to have 4 top ones, and maybe a left sided attacker to compete with Young, but I couldnt prioritise them over the 4 above, and it would mean too many new players coming at once.

Anyway what are your thoughts on the exact positions / player types that need strengthening this summer, and in what order?

 

where did you cut & paste that from?

 

http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewArticle/113208

 

Hahahahaha.

Whats the point in this, theres articles addressing these issues already on the board.

 

Any normal United fan would know the type of players we need

 

Unbelievable. He even leaves the 'I feel' and 'imo' in it. Come on FFS matth!

 

Closed for obvious reasons. Matth if you are going plagiarise, try and disguise it a little more.