Raul Meireles

jgraham

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Ok, so i'm prepared to be hounded for this but from what i've seen of this guy he seems like a good old fashioned box to box midfielder who dare I say it could possibly do a job at United if SAF saw it fit to bring in another midfielder.

Now I can't say I watch a lot of portuguese football and have only seen him for Portugal and in occasional European games but what are everyones opinions on this chap?

EDIT: I'd actually thought this a few weeks back and had meant to start a thread about it, so it's not just a knee Jerk after todays game!
 
Forgetting this world cup, he's more defensively minded isn't he? In which case I don't think we're desperately in need in that department...maybe Arsenal, but not us.

If we do going for a midfielder then it would have to be one of a more creative spark, an 'Özil mould' if you like...except they'd have to be free.
 
He is box to box. But why would we need yet another box to box midfielder? We've got Fletcher to start, Anderson to come. Carrick when he isnt playing his sitting, defensive role, goes from box to box too.
 
The lad can't shoot though. He had like 5 efforts before he found the back of the net.
 
Cutch said:
First time i've ever seen the words 'carrick' and 'box to box' in the same sentence
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In the past 2 seasons he's got forward and got his shots away from the edge of the box a lot more often, sometimes leading to us scoring goals. He has gone from box to box in this period, no matter how slowly. And not that slowly.
 
i've thought he has been quality for the past year or so. Don't watch him much at club level but whenever he plays for portugal he seems to find the back of the net. he looks like ryan gosling
 
Meireles is a good player, but I don't think he's United quality. He's not better than Fletcher or Anderson, no way.

On his best days he could fight for a place, but he is inconsistent in his performances, this last season he has been terrible in Porto. He always steps up for the National Team though, very good performances on the last couple of years and it's probable that without him we wouldn't even be in the World Cup.

At United he could be a squad player at best, if you're not happy with your current midfield it wouldn't be him to change that fact.
 
Ekeke said:
In the past 2 seasons he's got forward and got his shots away from the edge of the box a lot more often, sometimes leading to us scoring goals. He has gone from box to box in this period, no matter how slowly. And not that slowly.
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carrick is nowhere near dynamic enough to be classed as a box to box midfielder. A box to box midfielder attacks and defends in equal measure, an all action hero. Robson, keane, essien types. Someone with the ability to break up play in their own box to launch a counterattack and be in the opposing box in time to finish the move.

Carrick wouldn't fall in to this category as he spends the vast majority of a game in the same area of a pitch, that of a deep lying playmaker
 
He is united quality. But he isn't what United need.
 
You'd have to be more interested in Portugal's new young LB.

As for Merieles, he was rubbish against us. That's all I know.
 
cesc's_mullet said:
You'd have to be more interested in Portugal's new young LB.

As for Merieles, he was rubbish against us. That's all I know.
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He's a very talented winger, who started playing at left-back in Benfica only midway through this season (Di María in the front and lack of a reliable left-back there provided the oportunity).

I'm curious about how he'll perform defending, because going forward he's obviously very good. The game against Brazil, where he might face the likes of Maicon several times (or Alves) can be interest to judge. Honestly, if he were in my team I'd like to give him some more opportunities in a more advanced role I think he has a bit too much talent to be so deep in the pitch.

Cracking goal here against Porto.

 
ten-favorite-knee-jerks.jpg
 
Cutch said:
carrick is nowhere near dynamic enough to be classed as a box to box midfielder. A box to box midfielder attacks and defends in equal measure, an all action hero. Robson, keane, essien types. Someone with the ability to break up play in their own box to launch a counterattack and be in the opposing box in time to finish the move.

Carrick wouldn't fall in to this category as he spends the vast majority of a game in the same area of a pitch, that of a deep lying playmaker
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A box to box midfielder moves from one box to the other. Thats it.

Not all midfielders do that, but Carrick has been doing it in the past few seasons.

You cannot say that a player who is found dropping deep to help defend his own box and pick the ball up off the defenders, and then often gets forward to the opponent's box and has a shot or two, is not a box to box midfielder. Just because they arent Roy Keane or Bryan Robson.

Besides which, Carrick hasnt been a deep lying playmaker nearly as much this season. Scholes usually plays behind him. Fletcher is the only central midfielder playing in advance of Carrick.
 
Seems like a good midfielder but not worth signing imo. Our current midfielders are all better.
 
Don't get me wrong I know we've got enough cover in the position as it is, but he's a player who I think would do a job if we were looking at that area.

Another player who i've never really took any notice of but looks to have something about him is Toulalan from france. He looks to have that nasty streak about him which would probably serve him well in England.
 
jgraham said:
Don't get me wrong I know we've got enough cover in the position as it is, but he's a player who I think would do a job if we were looking at that area.

Another player who i've never really took any notice of but looks to have something about him is Toulalan from france. He looks to have that nasty streak about him which would probably serve him well in England.
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I'm a big fan of Toulalan. He'd be expensive though. Plus we don't need strengthening in that area.
 
Portuguese press is putting him in Stamford Bridge next season. Don't know how reliable these rumours are.
 
Joao Moutinho is joining Porto it seems, so there might be something in this.
 
So he's moving from Sporting to Porto? Is it a normal occurrence in Portugal for players to move between rivals?
 
Sarni said:
So he's moving from Sporting to Porto? Is it a normal occurrence in Portugal for players to move between rivals?
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No. And he was Sporting's captain. It's kind of epic actually, it's the biggest internal transfer ever in the Portuguese league. Sporting's fans are slightly angered at this... :lol:
 
Arruda said:
No. And he was Sporting's captain. It's kind of epic actually, it's the biggest internal transfer ever in the Portuguese league. Sporting's fans are slightly angered at this... :lol:
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Sporting are quite bad at the moment though, aren't they? Not like Porto set the world alight last season but Sporting were on another level of bad as far as I remember.

Are Porto even in CL for another season? I definitely know that Benfica won the league and Braga came second, don't know if you have any more places.
 
Sarni said:
Sporting are quite bad at the moment though, aren't they? Not like Porto set the world alight last season but Sporting were on another level of bad as far as I remember.

Are Porto even in CL for another season? I definitely know that Benfica won the league and Braga came second, don't know if you have any more places.
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Nah it's Europa League for us next year. And I doubt that Braga can get past two qualifying rounds for the CL so it's probably only Benfica in the CL next year.

Braga and Benfica made two exceptional seasons last year, both teams lost very few points. Porto made an average season, but in a "normal" year, it would be enough to make it at least 2nd.

And yes, Sporting's season last year was Liverpoolesque. They are in a steady decline, less fans care about them each year. I doubt that anytime soon they are able to challenge for the title again, it will all be Benfica and Porto for the next years.
 
Manchester United will go for Porto midfielder Raul Meireles if they fail to land Mesut Ozil.

Sunday Mirror Sport *revealed last week that United were refusing to meet Werder Bremen’s £12million valuation on Germany playmaker Ozil, despite Sir Alex Ferguson making a trip to Fulham to check on the player in a pre-season friendly.

With only one year left on Ozil’s contract, United are willing to pay only £8m – and that has given Chelsea and Real Madrid the edge in the race to sign him.

That has forced Ferguson to cast his net elsewhere - and 27-year-old Meireles is now on United’s radar.

United were quoted £15m when they enquired about the Portuguese international last week. That is more than Ferguson wants to pay, but with United now outsiders to land Ozil they may have to dig deep.

Read more: Transfer news: Manchester United are looking at Raul Meireles as an alternative to Mesut Ozil - News - MirrorFootball.co.uk
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No quotes though, so probably bullshit.
 
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