Sagnol for Manchester United?
The Sun is at it again today. After - correctly - predicting that Martin Jol will be sacked since (and you better hold on to something here) he was not included on the team’s monopoly board, they have now made up found out that Sir Alex will move for Willy Sagnol in the January transfer window. I do not want to discuss the (in)validity of the story, but, to their credit, it would make a lot of sense for Manchester United to buy the French right back.
My reasoning is simple: Man Utd does not have adequate cover in the position that I think is their weakest. Do not get me wrong, Gary Neville is a marvellous player and I fully admire him. Being the a good captain of the team and providing quality in his own half as well as the opponent’s cannot be easy, but he does all three with great success. Problems arise when he is not fit (which has been the case too often recently) since there is not one player in the team who can take over the defensive and offensive duties with half as much success.
So far, Wes Brown has been the preferred choice of Sir Alex to fill in for the absent captain and it is not hard to see why. He is a quality defender and does a pretty good job against opposition wingers, but the reality is that he is a central defender and that is not good for the team. Brown lacks the speed needed by full-backs to keep wingers in check or to provide much needed support to Ronaldo or Giggs further up the field. Even when he does get forward he is usually inept. Again, I respect Brown and I want him to stay, but if that means playing him at right-back then we have a problem: he is not that type of player.
The second most popular choice with the gaffer for that position has been John O’Shea. Although he rarely played there this season, he has shown that he is also the wrong player. Being a winger, he looks more natural as a right-back and perhaps defends a little better then Brown, but where he makes up in defence, he loses in offence. He is worse than Brown either at providing crosses or support to his wingers, which are qualities that Manchester United have to have if they want to play the kind of free flowing football we have been used to. Again, good player, bad position.
There have been two other players who have played there this season, but for so little that they cannot be considered part of the solution - for now. Danny Simpson looks to have a bright future, but Sir Alex will not do a Wenger, and Pique is just another central defender. It now becomes clear that Man Utd desperately need another traditional right-back to cover for the ageing Neville with the same success, and Sagnol is one of the names which pops up.
Though he may be old, the Frenchman is as good as pure gold to Bayern. Defensively he is a rock. Offensively, he is as good as a winger. Speed and stamina are both qualities which he possesses in abundance and, in my opinion, he ranks among the top right-backs in the world currently. In fewer words: he is the right choice if Man Utd wants to buy a right-back in the near future. Whether he could adapt to the Premier League is anyone’s guess, but if he does, he will challenge Neville for that spot.
Therein lies the problem. Neville is the captain of that team and a legend in the making. Not even Sir Alex would have the guts to eliminate him like he did with Keane, so if both are fit (supposing Sagnol does make the unlikely move) then there is a real issue on the gaffer’s hands. Do you play the older captain who is a symbol of the team and keep the World Cup finalist and arguably France’s finest player during that campaign on the bench? Or do you upset a large portion of the fans, bench Neville, and play the better and slightly younger player?
It would not be an easy choice for anyone and that is the main obstacle in front of Sagnol’s arrival to Old Trafford: what happens when they are both fit?
Well, what will happen? Is he a viable solution? If not, then who would? There is no doubt that Man Utd need another right-back but because of Neville’s status I do not see a good one coming in for the next couple of years.
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Discussion - 17 Responses
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Trabelsi is free, why not him?
because trabelsi is utter crap
Yes, because Trabelsi really is utter tosh.
And Wesley Brown has done quite alright with his crossing thank you very much, 2 assists I make it already. Not the ideal situation to have him playing Right Back but he has proved more than worth his place in the team. Call me a fickle Wes Brown fan, I am, and on merit- look at his recent performances for us. Nuff Said. And yes, the rightback position is a tricky one that needs addressing. I’d alternate between Simpson and Brown until Gary comes back, and let’s face it, Neveille’s been ‘2-3 weeks away’ since when? Sagnol’s a quality player, an ideal January signing bringing in experience and a football brain- if it happens it’s a nice selection headache, gives the squad a depth we’ve lacked at times and all that.
And yes, Trabelsi is crap all over again.
Why not Alves? Don’t tell because the scum want him. It’s interesting that Utd have never been linked with him. Although my preferred choice would be Miguel, such a great player. But, yeah, I know, both suck defensivelly. Maybe Feguson should “do a Wenger” with Simpson. How else will we know if he’s good?
ttts, it is pretty simple: he would cost aroun 35 million euros and he is cocky and dirty. Not the kind of player Ferguson will ever bring to Old Trafford - although he has tremendous quality.
Never happen. Why would Sagnol leave a place where he’s happy in the twilight of his career? And especially with his buddy Franck Ribery now on board. He won’t leave Munich, period.
Dont’ forget trabelsi what he did before with ajax, it’s a great player,i think it’s impossible to buy sagnol because he loves his club and trabelsi it’s a good bossman, he started well with city last year he was the player of november,some problems with pearce and the player convince him to leaves city, actually the borussia dortmund is in talks with him but he refused and he waits for a good proposition why not man utd or munich if sagnol comes but i don’t think so for him
maybe it is time for fergie to buy a “crap” player - like trabelsi - to keep quiet on the bench and put in a half-decent performance once in a while
I actually see this as a possibility.
Firstly, I think SAF maybe realises he cannot afford to rely on Neville much longer with reagrds to fitness issues.
Secondly Sagnol is a perfect and adequate replacement / competition for the right back spot for a few years when hopefully the right back and left back berths will be filled by the 2 young Brazilian twins Rafael and Fabio.
Also it would make sense getting him in January as Bayern are not in the Champions league this season and even if he does play in the UEFA Cup - the new rule enforced whereby each team is allowed 1 player that may have played in Europe in another competition to be fielded. Mascherano of Liverpool last year is an example of this.
Sal!
rafael is not considered to be as even half as good as fabio!… rafael is a right back n fabio a left… both of them are right footed! fabio is a sensation! and i only think SAF bought rafael as well was to keep fabio happy! so that yet leaves a future problem at right back IF simpson doesn’t make the cut… which i think he should! he looks like a quality player! but having willy sagnol would be a dream come true! also a dream which i don’t see SAF fulfilling!
it amazes me how we are linked with a right back and not a left back brown, hargreaves, simpson, pique, fletcher o’shea can fill in at right back. cover is needed at left back having said that. browns contract is up soon and Sagnol is a quality right back and i think its clear indication that neville will struggle for fitness this season
sign micah richards or sagnol, pazzini and veloso! cool…what say u guys?
i like this castro guy from bremen i think
that would be the most pointless buy of the century
Smins, from Bremen the only player you should like is Diego. That guy is class, but would not fit in the team. Too bad. Still Sagnol or Richard are the only viable options in my eyes, but if Richards is the verdict then Fergie should wait until Neville turns 34-35.
Yo, redevil, are you sure about that fabio and rafael stuff? I honestly thought they were pretty much the same…
i think man utd should go for a long term right-back.sagnol is going to retire after 2-3 years.and he is not a world class right back.i personally don’t like him.man utd should by any of this-daniel alves,michael richards,pablo zabaleta,maicon.they r good.