The Skipper

"Wilshere is overrated" Lol

10/10. Google

It took us 8 games to score 11 goals last season? Incredible.

Not gonna lie... That wouldn't be too bad.

Surprised so many actually fall for his bait... It's magnificent.

It was clearly a joke...

Brilliantly done Choo Choo.

Excellent article.

The number 10 role in our system is unorthodox. If you look at the skill set of the players we play there the most (Oscar and Willian), they aren't the most creative guys in our team or the best goal getters - they are there because they provide balance to the rest of the team. Their main task is not to create or cause havoc in the attacking third like your traditional number 10 does. Their role includes being the link player in the attacking third - i.e. providing the likes of Fabregas and Hazard (or Hazard and Costa/Luis and Hazard once Luis has settled in) the option to create passing triangles, dropping deeper to allow Fabregas to create things without worrying too much about his defensive responsibility (basically cover), whilst also leading the high press with our striker during the first phase of the high press. Creating, scoring etc. is secondary to the main task. They are essentially required to be all over the pitch to help with attacking, defending and pressing, in almost every area on the pitch, and help maintain the shape of our team tactically. Our #10 has to be an all rounder and that's exactly what someone like Oscar is. Hazard's skill set would be wasted there in our current system. He's much more of an attacking threat out wide for us where he'll have more space to operate and do what he's best at - 1 on 1 dribbling, going past his man, creating and occasionally scoring goals. That's his main task, whereas helping out his left back and his defensive work rate is secondary. In the middle he would have to do a lot more of the latter and that would absolutely detract from his brilliance out wide in the current system Mourinho has implemented here.

Because our number 10 is not your traditional number 10. In our system... We require something different from our number 10.

Poldi definitely... Ozil no.

It's not about goals for me... It's about the consistency in his performance. I want Hazard to perform at a very high level over the course of the whole season. I believe he has it in him, he showed a lot of glimpses last year. I.e. his performance against City away last season. If he plays like that on a regular basis without even assisting or scoring I'd be absolutely delighted. The way he tormented Zabaleta was ridiculous. IMO there's nothing wrong with wanting our most talented player to improve on certain aspects of his game so he can elevate his game to the elite of the elite. I have high aspirations for Eden, as do others, and it's unfair to brush those that have those high aspirations as some sort of Hazard haters when we're far from that.

Good post mate, some very valid points but IMO there's nothing wrong with people expecting an extremely high standard from the most talented player in the squad. Yeah, he's 23 but regardless, there are a few aspects of his game that aren't perfect and people are simply just commenting on them. Constructive criticism. No one is saying that Hazard is awful or anything - to me it's pretty clear that many just expect a lot from him, and naturally when you're the most talented player in the team that is to be expected. Is it so wrong that we want Hazard to be one of the best and synonymous with the likes of Ronaldo and Messi? I don't think so. He certainly has the talent to be up there IMO.

Januzaj is not a bad option for them out wide IMO. But sure, for a year or two, before Falcao and Ronaldo start declining into their thirties and they're stuck with older players on massive, massive wages.

I really hope United buy Ronaldo. Unnecessary and 30 year olds galore.

Hazard will never be a scoring machine IMO. Doesn't have that mentality. He's just going to be an assist machine. With one of the most clinical strikers out there in Costa he'll have a lot more joy.

Same, it's a strange one.

Jim, just a suggestion. Whenever media is attached to a tweet, the embedded tweet doesn't seem to expand correctly? I.e.: Is it just me with this problem?

Absolutely, but that has nothing to do with the fact that United might be bigger in stature than us... More to do with the fact that it's another top job.

Tekkers.

I do like him, interesting player. Wouldn't mind this signing at all.

Mercedes would be amazing.

Even if those points are true, are United that big that he'll shun us for them considering he's already done the 'prestige' club thing at Real? The gap truly isn't as big as you're making it seem. As Term said, he's already done it before, and it's already off his to do list IMO. His focus right now is to get us to that Real Madrid, Barcelona, United level. That in itself is much more challenging and intriguing for Mou than the United job IMO.

How much of a step up though? A step up in what way exactly? What would Jose have there that he doesn't have here?You're grossly overestimating United's stature IMO.