MAN UTD IN AMERICA! Rio & Ste Unpack Transfers & Amorim's Next Moves!

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1:26I've got to say, every time I see your socials and you've got a vest on, what's going on? What's changed? Right. There's a t-shirt right there that I brought to wear for this. We've just been gym and Rio's like, should we just do it like this? I was like, right. I was like, get your guns out. You've got to show it off. You know what I mean? When they appear, you've got to let people know. Rio's just took us through his routine. We've just done 1 ,400 sets of chest. No legs have been touched in the making of today's gym session. 25 years of legs. Do you know what I mean? We've got to make up, we've got to balance it out sometimes.

1:55What's your feelings about the recruitment so far? And if there's anything else you think should be done, what is it? It started off unbelievable. Cunha. First of June, Rio. The windows open, United went, hey. Bish, bash, bosh. Have that. And I was like, oh my God. The next day it was like, we've put a bid in. How do you like them apples? And we're like, oh my God. Then it took six weeks before we got that one over the line. But does it matter how long it takes? It doesn't really. As long as it gets done? It felt like we had momentum and then it felt like we really lost. I don't understand why.

2:23just because it took a little bit longer to do that is actually big it puts a dampener on everything we went for a player well we got him before pre-season yeah so that that is all that matters that's what i don't understand i think it was because we knew we needed to shift about 27 players and we ain't shifted 27 players yeah um so i think it was big it was more the case of it felt like nothing was happening and i know and you know it was it was not a chance that nothing was happening that they would have been busy and also the club has to change its perception of itself like Manchester United are seen as a soft touch in a transfer market you don't pay anything for the players and you absolutely tan their arse when they're trying to sign yours and they have to change that like you can't have all the fans complaining oh we overpaid for him and we never sell our players for correct market value and then being like just pay what they want and get the players in like you kind of have to have that I think that's why it took so long they stood firm Brentford thought United would fold and I thought May United have stood as firm as they can and probably the end result is closer to where May United wanted it I think than where Brentford wanted it which is I think a positive because we've always overpaid the last 13, 14 years, whatever it is.

3:23So that's a bonus. If we start the season now with what we have now, would you be happy? If not, who do you want in? Where do you go? What position? What player? Give me some names. We have improved our forward line, but there is a gaping meteorite-sized hole in the number nine shirt at the moment. So who do you want then? I like Mateta, but I like Ollie Watkins as well. I think if you was like, look, just choose one of them, I'll take your second choice, mate, because I think either of those fix us. And I really like, I don't know if this is deliberate, and I would love to ask Wilcox if it is deliberate, if they've gone, we can't wait for anyone to settle into this league.

4:00We need to hit the ground running, so we're just going to buy Premier League proven. Because you looked at last season's goals, and it was just non-existent, and they've gone 20 Premier League goals, 20 Premier League goals, and if it's Mateta or Ollie Watkins, it's another 20 Premier League goals. And that is like almost moneyballing your way to a higher finish. I reckon we might finish 12th this year, you know. What it does is it negates the risk to a certain extent. You ain't worrying about adaptation to the league and culture, new environment, et cetera. Wait, wait, hang on, actually. You've asked me what I think we need.

4:30Yeah. What do you think we need?

4:35I'm greedy. I think we need a centre-forward. And like I said, I've always said the same thing. There's a misconception out there that I don't rate Goykeres. I think Goykeres is a very good player. I just don't think he was right for what we want right now. We need someone of experience who the other centre forwards can look at and go, that's a bit of me, without any doubts. Olly Watkins says that. Premier League proven. Played in the Champions League last year as well. Has done his thing consistently for a while. International, plays for England as well. Ticks all the boxes. Austin Mill was obviously my first pick.

5:04That's an old broken record that's not going to materialise. But if you're looking at it now, I would go Olly Watkins if you get him at the right price. Because he's 29 years old and there's no selling value. is purely just like to have an impact immediately for the next two or three years, which I think Oli Watkins could have in a good way on the centre forwards that are there. And he'd be great right now as well. That front three, if you'd played Oli Watkins and Buemo. Keep talking. Cunha. Nearly there. Right. And you could mix that in with Ahmad as well. If Gallantio has to stay, Mount or whatever.

5:36That's a hard day's work for any opposing defence on most days. if I'm being greedy and if we was able to shift... Jay-Z as well. I think he'd be nice behind them two, you know, with a better pace in front of him. Who? Joshua Zerkesy. Yeah, Josh Zerkesy's got... He had something different. And that's why that is a nice blend there now, if you do get Watkins. But if I'm being greedy and we are able to shift the other players that have served us to requirements, I'll be going for Belaba in midfield. Beats the press on a regular basis, is confident with the ball, can move, is mobile. He is a Ruben Amorim midfielder.

6:17Well, I'm going to be real with you. I don't think... Wow. I don't think I know enough about how this 3-4-3 system works. And we were in press conference this week. If I get the opportunity, I'm going to ask Ruben Amorim to explain to me the characteristics he's looking for out of those two sixes. Because I think I'm still... Did you not watch his sporting team? Yeah, but there's one thing watching a team and then there's another having someone explain to you what it is that they're trying to do like on the characteristics of that like i think i understand a six and eight and a ten midfield and i think when you play a back three you've kind of covered some of what those players do some of what the six does at least in the back line so when i'm looking at like i think this guy would be a fantastic number six i think i'm framing it by he would be a fantastic number six no and just just as a generic sort of no-named player, he would be a fantastic number six in a 4-3-3.

7:12And I don't know if I'm looking at it through the wrong kind of lens or the wrong kind of attributes. Can you have two more adventurous midfielders in your sixes if you've got a back three? These are the things that I don't understand enough about this formation to be able to sit here and go, that's what we need. If you watch his sporting team, the six can quite easily go into the next phase of the game, into the middle third and then into the final third. But then you also have Ugarte doing that. But then you have one sitting back and it's a balance. When you've got two pivots there that are sitting there, one can be a bit adventurous at times and the other one can sit.

7:42It's about having that balance and that understanding. But who's getting on? Well, you've already said Belaber can do that anyway. But I think we need a player that can take it from that back three, can be on the receiving end of a broken line pass, that can get on the turn and can feed that forward line. But when I look at the characteristics of all of our midfielders, we've got nobody including Ugarte I think to a greater or lesser extent I don't think we've got anybody that naturally fits those two positions I think we've got loads of midfielders we've loads of different characteristics but none of them are natural Yeah Casemiro and Ugarte different different ages different end of the spectrum in terms of career wise but probably do similar they receive the ball okay they're not great they're more about blocking and stopping they're not the people that are going to transfer the ball into the 10 or the attacking players as crisply.

8:34Can Manu do that? That's where I think Manu comes in. Can he do that? Does he want to do that? Is the manager asking him to do that? That's the thing. I would be trying to mould him to do that because I think he could do that easily. And then he can easily, when you're talking about balance, he can easily pivot into the eight at times and then come back as a six. But be the more dominant one who moves into the eight position. And then you've got Bruno who can do that role. You can put Bruno in there and he can do that anywhere in certain games. But I'd rather see Bruno higher up the pitch. I want Bruno higher.

9:01This is my thing, man. You've got all of these midfielders that have got... Some of them are like Casemiro towards the back end of last season was unplayable. And at times, I think Huggard is in that singular kind of just smash things and win the ball and then give it someone else kind of role. I thought he was excellent at times. I think when he starts to overplay is when he kind of unravels a little bit. But I look at all of those midfielders, Bruno, Maynou, Kolya, Casemiro, Huggard, and you're like, none of you quite... No one stands up there and goes, that's my position. And I'll teach you how to play it.

9:32Because even Bruno, you're kind of like, can you do a job a little bit unnatural? Do you know what I think they've lacked, even since our Amarillo has been here? Yes, the players, the right players to suit him and his type of recruitment. But also just really, really nailing down the fundamentals and the bear out of a pattern of play. I don't see enough moments where the ball goes in here and everything's just tick-tock and it goes bang-bang. We see it sporadically. Every now and again you see it where it goes, oh, that's gone through. They've sliced through that team, up, back, through, round the corner, boom, boom.

10:09And it looks like, oh, that's something we've seen and worked on. Not seen that since Oli. I don't see that, yeah. I don't see that enough. That's the one element where I think is a demand for improvement this year in that you can play. How many times the good teams you watch over the years where they play, everything's almost blind. Man United don't play blind yet. And that's, I think, an area for the team where you need, yes, recruitment, and as well as that, that ability to play blind because you've got the patterns nailed down in your head. Well, who's that guy? As I often do, just watch old footage of United just to stay happy.

10:44You watch any videos that you want to find. I mean, you had a pretty good view of this throughout your career. Paul Scholes playing off one touch in the centre of the park, getting nine passes. I was with my character the other day. Did you watch his interview with him with Meats? Sorry, I got for jumping in the middle of it. No, it's good. But that was great. I was like, is it that day? But what was great was, you were training. What was great is that Michael was talking about in the midfield. And this is where the likes of Bruno, Casemiro, Kobe, Ugarte, maybe. Just hearing that little bit from Michael Carrick about me and Sculls used to play 2v2 in midfield.

11:20Yes, it's different now. You can still do it in a different way. Where we'd lend it to each other. five ten yard balls to bring the midfielders on suck the opponents out like playing these little games in and around playing these games in and around the midfield area that's not happening you don't see it yet with these players is it because they're not the right type of player not a Scholes and a Carrick I think they're good enough to do it it's a high bar though isn't it it's a high bar yeah high bar but listen if you said Kobe Maynard and Bruno get on a bit of wavelength in there do you not think that's doable do you not think Casemiro can do that he's done it with Tony Cruz and Modric for years different players different level 1-0 I think Kobi yeah Modric might be the closest you've seen to Scholes in that sense I think Kobi has got the vision and the game intelligence to be able to play that and the touch can I just say something he's hit the range as well you noticed that in the game against Leeds he was hitting a little bit of range can I just say something they're not quite Scholes though are they they take about three weeks he's a better ball carrier better manipulator and shift that under press resistance again

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14:26Can I just say, I heard Amram talking about I'm demanding more from Codby. I'm demanding him to run more and to do this. Build it around Codby Manu, man. I think he's that good. I do. I think he's that good, this kid. He's done an off-season last year, didn't he? He didn't have a pre-season and never got going. And again, what did Carrick say the other day? This happens with young players. they go off the boil a little bit but you've got to stick with them you've got to be patient I think if you build around this kid I think he's that good I saw enough at the top level international level at a tournament to say that this kid you build around him because he's got he's got he's got the cojones the bollocks he's got the bravery he's got the skill set to go and play at Old Trafford I think and and be a dominant player but you've got to give him the the keys he's got to earn them he's got to listen to the manager and do what the manager demanding mining for a little bit before you then do what you want to be and be what you want to be.

15:16You've got to play the game and the role of the manager to once first, secure that. And I just think this kid could be anything. And I think Man Utd, listen, the rumours and the rumour mill was going, oh, we could get rid of him for the mining. That worried me, though. That scared me. Because I thought, we are skint clearly and we definitely need to sell to pay. And we clearly can't sell the ones that we want to sell. If an offer came in for someone like a Man Utd, I don't know if they'd be able to turn it down. No, they've got to. I think he's that good, man. I think you just got to build around him again physically, get him his feet sharper.

15:47Again, I'm going to give you another example. I grew up with Frank Lampard. One of Frank Lampard's worst traits as a kid growing up was his physicality in terms of ability to be able to move and shift. His first five yards was slow. He used to walk in with the spikes in his hands and do sprints most days after training. Well, I'd go around there, me and him would do sprints, doggies here, there. No one ever said in his career, in the belly of his career that Frank Lampard was slow or a slouch weren't sharp. You can build that. These are things that come from within. And I've seen Cobby off-season working.

16:18Just keep that going, man. He looks lean, doesn't he? Yeah, he looks stronger. He looks fitter. Let's go, man. So, yeah. So, you want Olly Watkins? Yeah, Mateta or Watkins, I'd be pretty happy with that. That's a Premier League-proven front line. It's an absolute upgrade on last season. The midfield, I think, still got question marks. We could see the answers. We might have the ingredients there Because I don't fully understand what each person's role is trying to be. This is the manager's job. Yeah. Find it. I'd love to ask him. If I was greedy, I could still want a right wing back. Because Deleuze was awful, I thought, last season.

16:54I think he's got a great attitude. But I thought he just looked like he didn't know how to play that position. Which is weird because he's played that position before. Ahmad could be a little bit adventurous. Anfield and City away, maybe you don't want to go with a load of wingers. Yeah, Deleuze plays there. I'd say Deleuze in the big games against the Liverpools, the City's, the Arsenal's, you might play Deleuze. Defence I'm happy with though. Yeah. I'm a big fan of Matthias Deleuze. I thought he got some real unfair press last year. I thought he was fantastic. I think the jury's still out. I think the jury's still out on the defence in terms of who's the mix, who's the right mix.

17:28Still don't think the manager knows who his best three are yet. Yeah, that's fair. That's the problem. But I think the raw materials there, Maz Raui absolute dual machine just flawless decision making all the time I like him I like Delec Lenny Jorow is a future superstar Aidan Heaven looked real good in his little cameos I want to see Aidan Heaven this season actually a bit more depth Martinez is going to be back that's a big plus Maguire rebuilt himself back we've got options and then obviously the goalkeeper I think they still he would be someone I would look to improve but he's pretty far down the priority list for me I agree Nine is needed.

18:06Yeah, nine. Absolutely. So that's how we finish, guys. We are actually here. Steve Halson, Rio Ferdinand, here in New York. We've got a game tonight. We're going live tonight, guys. Do not miss it. Make sure you turn on your notifications. We are going to be live before and during the game. It's midnight, but stay up, man. Have a beer. Popcorn a lot. You know one thing as well. I ain't bothered about the result, you know that. Because when I played in these preseason games, results meant nothing to me. And I'm sure these guys will be the same. It's about minutes in the bank. Get your minutes in.

18:34performance, getting the patterns going. But the main thing for me, that's different for me probably because we had the patterns nailed down anyway. Fitness was the be all and end all. I was scared of these games, you know that. Especially in Asia. We used to go to Asia. Used to have 11 G's from parts running about. They were all quick, strong, aggressive, great runners, durable. I just think, like, what is this? It was so hard. It's hot here, it's warm. So listen, we'll see you later at the game. What's the name of the stadium? The MetLife. The MetLife Stadium here in New York. Man United versus West Ham my old team my old team by the way Anton's out here we're going to find him we're going to find him so we're going to see West Ham do you know what one thing about people think I don't like West Ham just because I don't talk about him a lot I love West Ham that's my club that's where I grew up the academy don't forget that right see you later let's go I need to get some food man I'm starving thanks guys for listening to this episode of Rio Reacts hope you've enjoyed this show and if you have make sure you leave us a review and follow this Rio Ferdinand Presents feed to make sure you never, ever miss an episode.

19:37If you've got a point you think we should be discussing, I want to put us on the spot with a question you want answering. Get in touch using the fans first at RioFerdinandPresents.com email address or use hashtag RFP on social. See you on the next one.

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