Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip Rumours Thread 2011/2012

VW 1

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

I'll let you know next season - Its difficult to know which of the many world class players we are linked with is coming!

Maybe you should ask your own supporters, cos it looks to me that they are simiarly under whelmed!

Linked doesnt translate to purchases unless the player wants to come

They were similarly underwhelmed at the lack of purchases for midfield last year too and look how that ended up...Sitting on our perch

Vic Vinegar

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Yep, congrats on getting an England 25 yr old sub

Good one.

Iron Hide

flahavaj wrote: »

It'll probably be like last Summer were ye were all jacking off over Schweinsteiger and Aguero and ye got Yossi Benayoun.:pac:

Hahahaha i just spit my coffee all over the keyboard laughin at that!

Kylo Ren

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Yep, congrats on getting an England 25 yr old sub

Congrats on your 6th manager in 4 years.

K-9

This knowing better than SAF is more annoying than transfer muppetry. Unless it's a world class signing he's crap!

SK1979

K-9 wrote: »

This knowing better than SAF is more annoying than transfer muppetry. Unless it's a world class signing he's crap!

In fairness, I dont see that much hostility from United fans towards the signing of Young. It looks about 80/20 in favour of him to me.

Paul Tergat

K-9 wrote: »

This knowing better than SAF is more annoying than transfer muppetry. Unless it's a world class signing he's crap!

I reckon that if we had signed a CM already and then young was confirmed on top of that then the mood would be very different. Im very happy signing Young btw

Mitch Connor

p_larkin99 wrote: »

I reckon that if we had signed a CM already and then young was confirmed on top of that then the mood would be very different. Im very happy signing Young btw

agreed. Given the amount of money spent (including 18million on De Gea) you have to worry how much is left for the central midfield signing we really really need. I think that is where the worry comes from to be honest, the more we spend while not getting a central midfielder, the more we worry that we aren't going to get one - so some focus on how the signings we do make are not going to fix the problems we have.

Sgt Pepper 64

flahavaj wrote: »

The Sarge wants attention again, awww.

No different from your life enhancing comments on our thread

flahavaj

Mitch Connor wrote: »

agreed. Given the amount of money spent (including 18million on De Gea) you have to worry how much is left for the central midfield signing we really really need. I think that is where the worry comes from to be honest, the more we spend while not getting a central midfielder, the more we worry that we aren't going to get one - so some focus on how the signings we do make are not going to fix the problems we have.

If I was to put money on it, I'd say Fergie won't purchase a midfielder. Just a feeling I have - I think if he genuinely believed the midfield needed radical alteration he'd have done so a year or two ago. I think he trusts the CMs at the club a lot more than most fans do - whether you agree or not is another thing of course.

Paul Tergat

Mitch Connor wrote: »

agreed. Given the amount of money spent (including 18million on De Gea) you have to worry how much is left for the central midfield signing we really really need. I think that is where the worry comes from to be honest, the more we spend while not getting a central midfielder, the more we worry that we aren't going to get one - so some focus on how the signings we do make are not going to fix the problems we have.

which imo is fair enough. but again we are just guessing at how much is available to spend, who we are actually in for etc.

This is why I have posted a lot less recently in here, i like to comment on when things happen cause I hate getting excited at being linked with a player when it turns out we are never really in for him.

Of our 3 signings so far De Gea is the one im least happy about - he's not actually confirmed though right?

Jones is going to be fantastic value. Loved watching him and Smalling (I got his signing badly wrong btw) looked great in the U21 defence.

Young I also really like. Gives us 4 really good wingers now and hugely for me set pieces should improve a lot.

Proper judgement should be made when the window slams shut.

Also, please dont sell JOS!

Paul Tergat

flahavaj wrote: »

If I was to put money on it, I'd say Fergie won't purchase a midfielder. Just a feeling I have - I think if he genuinely believed the midfield needed radical alteration he'd have done so a year or two ago. I think he trusts the CMs at the club a lot more than most fans do - whether you agree or not is another thing of course.

Its hard to know what he's thinking which makes him the Lord that he is going to become :pac:

Would love to see Ando step up big time. I think we need a CM not least cause we have seen Scholes and probably Gibson leave which is 2 numbers down and im not sure on Clev in the centre yet. edit - i never really count Hargreaves as an option for us sadly

Mitch Connor

flahavaj wrote: »

If I was to put money on it, I'd say Fergie won't purchase a midfielder. Just a feeling I have - I think if he genuinely believed the midfield needed radical alteration he'd have done so a year or two ago. I think he trusts the CMs at the club a lot more than most fans do - whether you agree or not is another thing of course.

Two years ago we had Scholes, Hargreaves, Gibson. This season we will have none of those. So the need for a midfielder now is different to the need for a midfielder then imo.

We need a solid CM. Someone who can defend and pass well. We don't need a creative CM imo - Rooney, Young, Anderson, Park, Cleverley and Morrison can play AMC, but we only really have Carrick, Fletcher and Anderson to play a classical CM role. We need to add a player there.

Backstreet Moyes

People are underrating the squad. Most of our problems last year was when Chico was unproven, Rooney was well awful and Valencia was injured. Mainly in the 1st half of the season. When everybody was fit in the last few games of the season we were excellent in the league. Next season we will have both Nani and Valencia tearing up both wings.

Goalkeeper
De Gea will have big boots to fill but no matter who we got would be the same.

Defence
Fabio much improved 2nd half of the season was excellent.
Rafa was brilliant 1st half of the season frozen out due to injuries.
Smalling looks potentially world class.
Jones same as Smalling and looking at their partnership in the under 21's is very promising.
Evans if he can get back to his best again could be brilliant.

Wingers
Nani was excellent and can still improve.
Valencia came back the 2nd half of season and was great.
Young i think can link up well with Chico with his speed and improve our set pieces, which we do not score alot from.
Park is park you know what you will get.
CM Anderson promising signs hopefully a pre season will help him.
Fletcher can only get back to his best.

Strikers
Chico and Rooney only seemed to get better and better as a partnership as the season went on.
Wellbeck was very good up until his injury last year and is exciting.
Berba can get back to his best next season just needs a confidence boost.
Owen excellent finisher and usually reliable.

Overall i am vey happy with the signings so far. We could have a potentially great Goalkeeper. Our defence looks sorted for years and their is healthy competition. Cm we are 1 good signing away from having a good midfield. Wingers well the speed and creativity and competition is very refreshing. Striker well i am very excited if Berba goes we might need a new signing though.

Overall i am very pleased with the business so far and 1 good cm signing and i will be delighted and very optimisic for the league next year. But for Champs League i cant see us beating Barca.

smokedeels

Mitch Connor wrote: »

agreed. Given the amount of money spent (including 18million on De Gea) you have to worry how much is left for the central midfield signing we really really need. I think that is where the worry comes from to be honest, the more we spend while not getting a central midfielder, the more we worry that we aren't going to get one - so some focus on how the signings we do make are not going to fix the problems we have.

Is it possible that SAF thinks having Young/Rooney playing behind a striker alleviates the need for a more creative midfielder?

That Carrick/Jones/Anderson/Fletcher/Giggs/Park are good enough options when you’ve got a deeper lying forward playing in-front of them to provide a creative spark. Rooney was a borderline CAM in some of the later games last season (the Chelsea games in particular)

flahavaj

p_larkin99 wrote: »

Its hard to know what he's thinking which makes him the Lord that he is going to become :pac:

Would love to see Ando step up big time. I think we need a CM not least cause we have seen Scholes and probably Gibson leave which is 2 numbers down and im not sure on Clev in the centre yet.

I think Ando will have a better season based on him getting a proper pre-season for the first time in his United career. He has had rotten luck with injuries. I think he might surprise a few this season, the CM situation as it stands leaves his route to the team a little wider open. When he got a good run of games before Christmas last season he was very good - with less competition for places I could see him flourishing next season. Either way its a big season for him. If he stays injury free I think he'll make a big impression.

Mitch Connor

smokedeels wrote: »

Is it possible that SAF thinks having Young/Rooney playing behind a striker alleviates the need for a more creative midfielder?

That Carrick/Jones/Anderson/Fletcher/Giggs/Park are good enough options when you’ve got a deeper lying forward playing in-front of them to provide a creative spark. Rooney was a borderline CAM in some of the later games last season (the Chelsea games in particular)

in terms of AMC yes, as I say above, but I think we need another CM option, a box to box player, capable of defending and passing well. We are weak in central midfield - how could people think we are not having just seen Scholes retire? Fergie has to see that.

flahavaj

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Two years ago we had Scholes, Hargreaves, Gibson. This season we will have none of those. So the need for a midfielder now is different to the need for a midfielder then imo.

We need a solid CM. Someone who can defend and pass well. We don't need a creative CM imo - Rooney, Young, Anderson, Park, Cleverley and Morrison can play AMC, but we only really have Carrick, Fletcher and Anderson to play a classical CM role. We need to add a player there.

I don't necessarily disagree. I just think Fergie does.

Paul Tergat

Mitch Connor wrote: »

We need a solid CM. Someone who can defend and pass well. We don't need a creative CM imo - Rooney, Young, Anderson, Park, Cleverley and Morrison can play AMC, but we only really have Carrick, Fletcher and Anderson to play a classical CM role. We need to add a player there.

Im quite surprised at this from you Mitch.

For me Rooney is the only one we have who can play the off the front role that we need - that is someone to come off the front, be able to play killer balls, link the play effectively and offer a threat himself.

I am not convinced that Young can do this, maybe im just wrong on that.

I think that Ando was probably never going to be the player that we all had it in our heads that he was going to be. Hes a solid CM imo.

Park is not the type of player we want here, he will make the intelligent runs, pick up good positions but he cant run a game.

The jury will be out on Clev and theres no way Morrison is ready.


Basically I want someone in that position who can do what Rooney is capable of I think - big ask.

curry-muff

Heh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FtT3trSliU

keane2097

If Anderson isn't first choice by the end of this season he'll be out the door imo.

Mitch Connor

Even a tough tackling DM who can simply pass short to the more creative players would be very welcome imo. Tiote from Newcastle, for example, would be a solid addition to our midfield - perhaps freeing Carrick/Anderson to create more themselves.

flahavaj

I think what Fergie asks from his midfielders these days is solidity and good positional sense - our real quality comes from wide areas and from our strikers.

Paul Tergat

flahavaj wrote: »

I think Ando will have a better season based on him getting a proper pre-season for the first time in his United career. He has had rotten luck with injuries. I think he might surprise a few this season, the CM situation as it stands leaves his route to the team a little wider open. When he got a good run of games before Christmas last season he was very good - with less competition for places I could see him flourishing next season. Either way its a big season for him. If he stays injury free I think he'll make a big impression.

Agreed on Ando, the potential is there but its as a CM imo.


The main thing I think is that the key for us this season will be great width. We have 4 very good wingers and Full backs who just love to bomb on. This excites me!

u140acro3xs7dm

flahavaj wrote: »

I think Ando will have a better season based on him getting a proper pre-season for the first time in his United career. He has had rotten luck with injuries. I think he might surprise a few this season, the CM situation as it stands leaves his route to the team a little wider open. When he got a good run of games before Christmas last season he was very good - with less competition for places I could see him flourishing next season. Either way its a big season for him. If he stays injury free I think he'll make a big impression.

Hopefully with a full pre-season he will be much fitter and leaner. He seems to have a bit of a weight problem when he is not playing regularly. I agree this is a massive season for him, he has to step up now, no excuses.

Paul Tergat

flahavaj wrote: »

I think what Fergie asks from his midfielders these days is solidity and good positional sense - our real quality comes from wide areas and from our strikers.

This is it on for me. He wants bodies there to get the ball, simple pass to the wingers/Rooney and start the attack there.

VW 1

As is looks quite unlikely that we will get a marquee signing this summer for CM (Sneijder,Nasri,Modric being the 3 touted) I would be quite comfortable with signing a solid decent player of the ilk of Fellaini or perhaps even Rodwell or McCarthy if we are going younger, if for nothing just to add bodies to the CM that will mature to be good solid player based on their potential.

Not bank breaking or demanding huge wages but again adding some bite to the midfield and contributing positively to the level of our squad with a decent resale value. Seems to be in the type of bracket which we are looking this summer.

daveyboy_1ie

Delighted Young is in the bag now, can only see more signings.
There is plenty of time left, and for all we know approaches are being made.


I reckon once the sale of the fringe players is sorted then SAF will know how much he has to spend. The signing of Jones probably put a dent in whatever plans he had money wise, although there was seemingly £27M available for Sanchez which presumably is still available to him. So I reckon this is the reason for the sale rumours, £30M or so won't get the player he wants in midfield. Just a theory of course, but no one can say this summer SAF has not shown his intentions in the market with three relatively high priority signings (well one has yet to sign but all indications are the deal is done). I will admit two of these were signed on potential alone but young is definitely someone I wanted a number of seasons ago and he is still young enough to progress with the right guidance.

Headshot

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Even a tough tackling DM who can simply pass short to the more creative players would be very welcome imo. Tiote from Newcastle, for example, would be a solid addition to our midfield - perhaps freeing Carrick/Anderson to create more themselves.

Lass is the man then

Mitch Connor

p_larkin99 wrote: »

Basically I want someone in that position who can do what Rooney is capable of I think - big ask.

But we have Rooney in that position. We can't get a player capable of playing like that, to that level, without moving Rooney further forward and dropping Hernandez. That is, obvioulsy, an option, but then you are looking for two midfielders instead of one. The AMC in Rooney's role and the CM to aid our midfield in trying to dominate games.

As things stand, we could get away with just buying the solid dominating central midfielder and leaving Rooney to the SS/AMC role - with Young and a few others able to step into that role (but not to the same level) if we are missing Rooney or resting him.

I would be happy if we did get the two midfield signings, but I don't think it likely. Though that may change if we do indeed let Berbatov go.

Paul Tergat

VW 1 wrote: »

As is looks quite unlikely that we will get a marquee signing this summer for CM

daveyboy_1ie wrote: »

There is planty of time left

Not July yet boys. Have a little, patience....

flahavaj

p_larkin99 wrote: »

The main thing I think is that the key for us this season will be great width. We have 4 very good wingers and Full backs who just love to bomb on. This excites me!

I think this is what Fergie has in mind and I think this is why he plans not to significantly invest in the middle of the park - he wants to midfield to be a solid base which we use to attack teams more from the wide areas. I think its no co-incidence he has added some pace to team with Young and Chico in the last two Summers, he wants to back to the days when we hurt teams with our width and pace in the attacking third ( at times in the last few years I felt the team looked a litle ponderous offensively). He sees guys like Carrick, Fletch and Ando as good guys to balance that out in the central area.

Paul Tergat

Headshot wrote: »

Lass is the man then

I dont like Lass at all

Mitch Connor

Headshot wrote: »

Lass is the man then

Yeah - he would be one of the players I would look at for that kind of role. Himself, Tiote, Sissoko (not the former Liverpool one), M'Vila (jezz, the french really specialise here, eh!) would be names I would look at. Felliani too - as with Scholes retiring we are missing a player to get sent off at Anfield.

Lass though, I would have reservations about. I do think he has a lot of quality, and one of the few midfielders that has come out of games vs Barcelona with credit, but I do question his attitude.

Paul Tergat

Mitch Connor wrote: »

But we have Rooney in that position. We can't get a player capable of playing like that, to that level, without moving Rooney further forward and dropping Hernandez. That is, obvioulsy, an option, but then you are looking for two midfielders instead of one. The AMC in Rooney's role and the CM to aid our midfield in trying to dominate games.

As things stand, we could get away with just buying the solid dominating central midfielder and leaving Rooney to the SS/AMC role - with Young and a few others able to step into that role (but not to the same level) if we are missing Rooney or resting him.

I would be happy if we did get the two midfield signings, but I don't think it likely. Though that may change if we do indeed let Berbatov go.

I was more after the AMC signing than a pure CM one i think. Someone to play off Hernandez if Rooney is either out, rested or is moved up top for a few games.

Do you reckon though that we have other options at AMC at the moment. I just really dont mate

Dont want Berba gone either. He can get goals, link play and be another option to the all out pace we have.

flahavaj wrote: »

I think this is what Fergie has in mind and I think this is why he plans not to significantly invest in the middle of the park - he wants to midfield to be a solid base which we use to attack teams more from the wide areas. I think its no co-incidence he has added some pace to team with Young and Chico in the last two Summers, he wants to back to the days when we hurt teams with our width and pace in the attacking third. He sees guys like Carrick, Fletch and Ando as good guys to balance that out in the central area.

Again agreed boi. The attacking with pace is the way I love seeing football played. Loved that Park-Ron-Rooney goal at the Emirates

SK1979

p_larkin99 wrote: »

I dont like Lass at all

I think he's a very good player, and would be ideal for us but I would also think that his wages (and maybe other baggage), plus the size of the fee for him will put us off. Rumours of £18m, which I dont think we'll pay.

As Mitch says, Tiote could do a job, or I'd even have a look at Cattermole to play that destructive role. Its basically a guy who'll protect the back 4, break up play and can play simple passes confidently.

flahavaj

p_larkin99 wrote: »

I dont like Lass at all

I'm not that pushed on him either, he would add another body in midfield, but its worth noting that for all the big clubs he has played for he has never really established himself in any of their first 11's. If the choice was to spend £15-20m on Diarra or stick with what we have I'd happily take the latter.

Paul Tergat

SK1979 wrote: »

I think he's a very good player, and would be ideal for us but I would also think that his wages (and maybe other baggage), plus the size of the fee for him will put us off. Rumours of £18m, which I dont think we'll pay.

As Mitch says, Tiote could do a job, or I'd even have a look at Cattermole to play that destructive role. Its basically a guy who'll protect the back 4, break up play and can play simple passes confidently.

I dunno, I guess I just dont really like these types of players. Im not a fan of the water carriers.

VW 1

p_larkin99 wrote: »

Not July yet boys. Have a little, patience....

Its not that I'm being impatient, I just think that it is highly unlikely considering the circumstances. Modric is either staying at Spurs or will be Chelsea bound IMO, he is my dream player but I just cant see him coming to United. Sneijder is demanding ridiculous wages coupled with a huge fee. Nasri appears to have been using us as leverage in his contract negotiations.

Dont get me wrong, if we land one of the above then great it is a bonus, but I would be happy with getting another solid young player capable of contributing to the first team but with the potential to develop into a key player for us in the middle for years to come. A younger (in form) Carrick if you will, not all style and flair, but solid and reliable.

Paul Tergat

flahavaj wrote: »

I'm not that pushed on him either, he would add another body in midfield, but its worth noting that for all the big clubs he has played for he has never really established himself in any of their first 11's. If the choice was to spend £15-20m on Diarra or stick with what we have I'd happily take the latter.

Even though i dont think hes polished enough yet i would prefer spending a bit more on Rodwell. Prefer his attitude, English means he wont be having his head turned about going abroad, leadership material, younger, fits in with what we are building and most importantly i think he is better on the ball

flahavaj

VW 1 wrote: »

Its not that I'm being impatient, I just think that it is highly unlikely considering the circumstances. Modric is either staying at Spurs or will be Chelsea bound IMO, he is my dream player but I just cant see him coming to United. Sneijder is demanding ridiculous wages coupled with a huge fee. Nasri appears to have been using us as leverage in his contract negotiations.

Dont get me wrong, if we land one of the above then great it is a bonus, but I would be happy with getting another solid young player capable of contributing to the first team but with the potential to develop into a key player for us in the middle for years to come. A younger (in form) Carrick if you will, not all style and flair, but solid and reliable.

p_larkin99 wrote: »

Even though i dont think hes polished enough yet i would prefer spending a bit more on Rodwell. Prefer his attitude, English means he wont be having his head turned about going abroad, leadership material, younger, fits in with what we are building and most importantly i think he is better on the ball

Fellaini please.:)

Rodwell has never impressed me ansd seems very injury prone.

SK1979

p_larkin99 wrote: »

I dunno, I guess I just dont really like these types of players. Im not a fan of the water carriers.

They aren't necessarily my favourite type of players either but I feel someone like these guys mentioned right in the middle would enable us to play Ando alongside them, and allow him to bomb on and support attacks.

The perfect guy would actually probably be Fellaini (who's semi-realistic of course).

Paul Tergat

VW 1 wrote: »

Its not that I'm being impatient, I just think that it is highly unlikely considering the circumstances. Modric is either staying at Spurs or will be Chelsea bound IMO, he is my dream player but I just cant see him coming to United. Sneijder is demanding ridiculous wages coupled with a huge fee. Nasri appears to have been using us as leverage in his contract negotiations.

Aye thats fair enough then. Its just it can only take a day to wrap up a surprise signing and we have 2 months for it. Prob wont happen like you say though

VW 1 wrote: »

Dont get me wrong, if we land one of the above then great it is a bonus, but I would be happy with getting another solid young player capable of contributing to the first team but with the potential to develop into a key player for us in the middle for years to come. A younger (in form) Carrick if you will, not all style and flair, but solid and reliable.

As I said above, Rodwell would fit the Carrick type role. Not a ball winner in the hard man tackling sense but positionally aware, covers the ground well and when he gets it can distribute with the simple ball

VW 1

flahavaj wrote: »

Fellaini please.:)

Rodwell has never impressed me ansd seems very injury prone.

VW 1 wrote: »

As is looks quite unlikely that we will get a marquee signing this summer for CM (Sneijder,Nasri,Modric being the 3 touted) I would be quite comfortable with signing a solid decent player of the ilk of Fellaini or perhaps even Rodwell or McCarthy if we are going younger, if for nothing just to add bodies to the CM that will mature to be good solid player based on their potential.

Not bank breaking or demanding huge wages but again adding some bite to the midfield and contributing positively to the level of our squad with a decent resale value. Seems to be in the type of bracket which we are looking this summer.

Great minds eh...;)

Someone should send Alex a link to this thread, he wouldnt have to stress anymore with us making all of the decisions for him! :pac:

Paul Tergat

flahavaj wrote: »

Fellaini please.:)

Rodwell has never impressed me ansd seems very injury prone.

You are letting a man crush get in the way of things here :pac:

I think Rodwell would thrive if he gets a good run in the team. The fact that he hasnt yet suggest a) injury prone + b) maybe not good enough for Everton yet and so certainly not good enough for us.

SK1979 wrote: »

They aren't necessarily my favourite type of players either but I feel someone like these guys mentioned right in the middle would enable us to play Ando alongside them, and allow him to bomb on and support attacks.

The perfect guy would actually probably be Fellaini (who's semi-realistic of course).

We cant be forgetting Fletch in all this also. Providing he's fully over his illness then he will again be a massive player for us

parker kent

p_larkin99 wrote: »

I dunno, I guess I just dont really like these types of players. Im not a fan of the water carriers.

So called "water carriers" are vital to every team. I still don't understand how people overlook players who are vital to getting and retaining the ball.

TheEscapist

flahavaj wrote: »

Fellaini please.:)

Rodwell has never impressed me ansd seems very injury prone.

Agreed, although Fellaini has had his fair share of injuries too. Would be a great signing for united.

Paul Tergat

parker kent wrote: »

So called "water carriers" are vital to every team. I still don't understand how people overlook players who are vital to getting and retaining the ball.

I agree. But I think that the style of water carrier I would prefer are those better on the ball i.e. Carrick type of holding mid's if you follow?

I think Flecth can do what Lass does, hussle players and get the ball back but do more with it when he has it than say Lass

flahavaj

p_larkin99 wrote: »

You are letting a man crush get in the way of things here :pac:

Its that lustrous hair.:pac:

I think Rodwell would thrive if he gets a good run in the team. The fact that he hasnt yet suggest a) injury prone + b) maybe not good enough for Everton yet and so certainly not good enough for us.

He can fill Fellaini's role when we get him.:pac:

Good chat lads, nice to see people can still discuss the team's prospects for teh future without resorting totally to muppetry and unrealistic expectations.

Our squad looks bloody excellent from what I can see, so many options of different types all over the pitch and the average age is exceptionally low now that the lads have retired. For all the complainig and negativity from some, things look really positive to me.:)

UnitedIrishman

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Even a tough tackling DM who can simply pass short to the more creative players would be very welcome imo. Tiote from Newcastle, for example, would be a solid addition to our midfield - perhaps freeing Carrick/Anderson to create more themselves.

Agree with this most definitely. We need a player like Lass Diara, Mahamadou Diarra (pre-Real), Essien etc, a battler that can break up the play and do everything to get our creative talents on the ball - but also look to come to the defence and be an outlet. Largely what Busquets or Essien would do for their teams.

Fletch does this but he needs help next to him and if we're to move onwards and upwards, that means having someone other than Carrick in there.

Anderson can be that player at times but he seems to have the concentration levels of a fly at other times. He has shown he can battle hard, can provide great passes and has a great drive about him. But it's like he rests on his laurels or tunes out for 20-30 minute periods. I know a lot of people have it in their head that Anderson is an attacking midfielder but players adapt and change; Scholesy went from being a forward, to an attacking midfielder/playmaker to a deep lying playmaker over the course of his career.

I would love to see a midfield of Valencia--Fletcher--Anderson--Young/Nani to start off the season and see how it goes.