Manchester United Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 11/12

Orando Broom

Mitch Connor wrote: »

irrespective of its validity? Its validity is central to the issue.

Someone says Liverpool were unlucky last season and points to hitting the post so much - fine. I don't agree with them but I can understand their point. I would argue the point and discuss it with them, as their opinion has some validity.

Someone says Liverpool were the best side in Europe last season because they beat Cardiff in the Carling Cup on penalties and I'm going to argue the point as to why they are wrong. They say it again, i'll repeat the arguments against. they continue to say it, without adding to their point or taking on board the counter arguments, I'm going to say they are being moronic and their opinion is stupid and wrong, and that I don't want to listen to them talk about it anymore cause they are just wasting my time.

I don't see why that is an unreasonable position. Why should anyone entertain people arguing the same opinion over and over and over again, with no change in tone or content, when the initial opinion was questionable to begin with.

Even with a valid opinion, if someone you work with harped on at you about the same single point, serveral times a day, every day, a point you had made very clear you didn't agree with several times with reasoned and thoughtout arguments, you would continue to entertain them and their diatribe every single day continuously?

As a related aside, while people are entitled to opinions, it has to be understood that an opinion can be incorrect. If I say my opinion is my partially blind, probably deaf, cat could take on an in-the-prime-of-life Tiger in a fight and win, would you consider that to be a perfectly reasonable and respectable opinion? No, you wouldn't, cause I'd be talking demonstrable crap and, imo, you'd have every right to call me on it.

This is a strawman argumen, Mitch and well you know it. The central point is not about the context but about the way you'd speak to someone. You never addressed the question, the critical element of my post.

Here it is again: Would you speak to a work colleague in the way you said you would? Yes or No?

keane2097

Samich wrote: »

You should read terms and conditions before signing up to sites.

EDIT: Seeing as it's allowed "You should fúcking read terms and fúcking conditions before signing up to sites. GTFO ffs.

keane2097 wrote: »

Google "soapboxing", then check the forum rules, then kindly STFU.

Orando Broom

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Doesn't want to be a manager according to his biography - wants to be an assistant manager. Says he reckons Giggs is destined to be a manager and a top one at that.

Giggs as manager and Neville as No.2? Maybe. Solskjaer as manager with Nev as number 2 - a very decent shout imo.

I'd say at the time perhaps that was his over-riding feeling but surely with his Sky Sports work (I don't know whether he'd envisioned himself doing that) he must realise that he is a decent analyst of the game and now as England assistant he may realise he is a good man manager.

Never say never.

GavRedKing

Samich wrote: »

Re reg accounts are site bannable. Why isn't he sitebanned then?

He wasnt site banned becasue of an over sight on our part. Stooge ban was lifted as a result.

Mitch Connor

Orando Broom wrote: »

This is a strawman argumen, Mitch and well you know it. The central point is not about the context but about the way you'd speak to someone. You never addressed the question, the critical element of my post.

Here it is again: Would you speak to a work colleague in the way you said you would? Yes or No?

Yes, and I have. And they have done the same with me on occassion, and others in the group. Maybe I have a very different work dynamic, and I am not saying I would go up to my boss and say that as my first response to a comment of his. I'm saying I would react this way to people I speak to regularly with about football, in work. Not someone coming into the office on their first day, not someone I have never met before - someone I have had this discussion with many times previous with the exact same result on each occasion.

Also, I disagree with your assesment of what I have said.

I have said I would react the same way to someone repeating, ad-nauseum, the same point which I had made very clear on MANY previous occassions with reasoned and reasonable replies. That is a central point of this issue - people didn't react to Bateman and he wasn't banned for this single post or its content. His previous actions were weighed against him by both the users and the mods. As it would be in the examples i have given. The examples I have given are perfectly reasonable and not a 'straw man argument'.

Schism

What is Neville's exact role at the Euros with England? Advisory?

Felexicon

Coletrickle88 wrote: »

Is that language really necessary ?

What are you on about.
It means Stand Tall For United

Adamcp898

Schism wrote: »

What is Neville's exact role at the Euros with England? Advisory?

He's a coach

markc1184

Getting back to the stage were I think it's time to bow out for a while. Too much bickering back and forth over nothing for my liking. Sooner the better pre season starts so at least there's a bit of ball to talk about.

Mitch Connor

Orando Broom wrote: »

I'd say at the time perhaps that was his over-riding feeling but surely with his Sky Sports work (I don't know whether he'd envisioned himself doing that) he must realise that he is a decent analyst of the game and now as England assistant he may realise he is a good man manager.

Never say never.

The biography only came out last year - not that much time has passed. He said he enjoyed coaching as he did immediately after retirement and I am convinced he talked about working with the media at the end too. I think he already knew what he wanted and wants to do; I don't think his time as coach with England will have changed much - possibly just reinforced the fact that he would prefer to be a coach rather than a manager. It isn't the training ground stuff he doesn't or didn't want to be involved in, it was the fact he didn't want to be Manager (or maybe just United manager) as it is an all consuming job in his view, and he doesn't or didn't want it.

Of course he may change or already have changed his mind, and you can't rule it out - I would just say it is unlikely at this point.

Mitch Connor

markc1184 wrote: »

Getting back to the stage were I think it's time to bow out for a while. Too much bickering back and forth over nothing for my liking. Sooner the better pre season starts so at least there's a bit of ball to talk about.

we just need a good juicy transfer story - modric please.:D

Orando Broom

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Yes, and I have. And they have done the same with me on occassion, and others in the group. Maybe I have a very different work dynamic, and I am not saying I would go up to my boss and say that as my first response to a comment of his. I'm saying I would react this way to people I speak to regularly with about football, in work. Not someone coming into the office on their first day, not someone I have never met before - someone I have had this discussion with many times previous with the exact same result on each occasion.

Also, I disagree with your assesment of what I have said.

I have said I would react the same way to someone repeating, ad-nauseum, the same point which I had made very clear on MANY previous occassions with reasoned and reasonable replies. That is a central point of this issue - people didn't react to Bateman and he wasn't banned for this single post or its content. His previous actions were weighed against him by both the users and the mods. As it would be in the examples i have given. The examples I have given are perfectly reasonable and not a 'straw man argument'.

Fair enough, we could get into semantics, I'd never consider a person I'd refer to as a colleague as a friend so therefore I'd treat him with a degree of formality. My friends I'd tell to f**k off if they had crazy notions but that would be on an informal, familiar level. I don't know anyone on this board. I'd be of the mindset to err on the side of caution. I respect your comments and clarifications above (bolded) and am happy to leave it at that, we are entering the circuitous phase.

To those who claim I've attack poster, let me remind them I've been reproted and infracted and lesson learned, It is a shme the playing field is not so level, eh.;)

bullvine

Speaking of Users! What ever happened to Boggles and flahavj, I once had a disagreement with Boggles because I said United would sell Vidic....

keane2097

bullvine wrote: »

Speaking of Users! What ever happened to Boggles and flahavj, I once had a disagreement with Boggles because I said United would sell Vidic....

Boggles was eradicated by the mighty CHD, Flahavaj closed his own account because he was sick of our stupid bullshit.

Mitch Connor

bullvine wrote: »

Speaking of Users! What ever happened to Boggles and flahavj, I once had a disagreement with Boggles because I said United would sell Vidic....

Boggles bet United would win the league (i think) with CHD (betting Chelsea would), access on the line. Chelsea won it and Boggles left. Might have the bet wrong, but that is the base of it. I think Flahavj just left.

Orando Broom

Mitch Connor wrote: »

we just need a good juicy transfer story - modric please.:D

I'm worried about the Modic links. He is a LOT of money. I think he'd have to be awesome for United and I'd worry about him being a 'Berbatov'. No matter what Berbatov did he was a flop. A flop because of an exhorbitant transfer fee.

I think I'd prefer a player like Strootman. He seems to be less of a passer and more of a high tempo player. I always feel United at heart and a fast dynamic crash, bang wallop team. I think United are and have alwyas been at their best when they play the high intensity, counter attack game. I think I'd prefer a player who was high energy as opposed a schemer.

On Strootman; It was a shame he was never given a minute in the Euros despite those two cloggers rooting round the middle of the field.

kryogen

Samich wrote: »

And how is this worthy of a red card?

Once again, a well known poster says this and nothing happens.

If you have issues with the moderation there is a place to take it, discussing moderation on threads is a no no, it is a breach of charter rules.

bullvine

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Boggles bet United would win the league (i think) with CHD (betting Chelsea would), access on the line. Chelsea won it and Boggles left. Might have the bet wrong, but that is the base of it. I think Flahavj just left.

That is just brilliant about Boggles!

Al Capwned

bullvine wrote: »

That is just brilliant about Boggles!

would doubt he'd agree with you!

Adamcp898

Orando Broom wrote: »

I'm worried about the Modic links. He is a LOT of money. I think he'd have to be awesome for United and I'd worry about him being a 'Berbatov'. No matter what Berbatov did he was a flop. A flop because of an exhorbitant transfer fee.

I think I'd prefer a player like Strootman. He seems to be less of a passer and more of a high tempo player. I always feel United at heart and a fast dynamic crash, bang wallop team. I think United are and have alwyas been at their best when they play the high intensity, counter attack game. I think I'd prefer a player who was high energy as opposed a schemer.

On Strootman; It was a shame he was never given a minute in the Euros despite those two cloggers rooting round the middle of the field.

I think we need a player like Modric for those kind of reasons to be honest. English football has always been largely counter attacking in style and our success at it has given us a lot of success domestically over the years.

But our problem I feel is one in that we simply aren't creative enough with the personel we have in midfield to beat teams who will just sit in front of us and and try to slow the game i.e. not allow counter attacking football to be played or in Europe where football is more possession orientated. That's where we need someone who is very comfortable on the ball with a wide range of passing, someone who is capable of picking a pass that can cut a team open.

Yes he might not offer much defensively speaking but I still would call Modric the ideal solution to what our weakness is at the minute.

kryogen

I kinda miss Boggles, and CHD for that matter, wasnt a bad guy once you got to know him, Boggles was just hilarious at times (not all the time I know)

Anybody else caught the eye for people at the Euros?

Been very impressed with a couple of players

kryogen

Adamcp898 wrote: »

I think we need a player like Modric for those kind of reasons to be honest. English football has always been largely counter attacking in style and our success at it has given us a lot of success domestically over the years.

But our problem I feel is one in that we simply aren't creative enough with the personel we have in midfield to beat teams who will just sit in front of us and and try to slow the game i.e. not allow counter attacking football to be played or in Europe where football is more possession orientated. That's where we need someone who is very comfortable on the ball with a wide range of passing, someone who is capable of picking a pass that can cut a team open.

Yes he might not offer much defensively speaking but I still would call Modric the ideal solution to what our weakness is at the minute.

Beating the weaker teams was not a problem for us last season though, it was the big games that caused problems, teams who pressed us high up the pitch.

IvySlayer

bullvine wrote: »

Speaking of Users! What ever happened to Boggles and flahavj, I once had a disagreement with Boggles because I said United would sell Vidic....

flahavaj closed account. Boggles stopped posting because of a bet with CHD.

Where's Trilla been?

Orando Broom

Adamcp898 wrote: »

I think we need a player like Modric for those kind of reasons to be honest. English football has always been largely counter attacking in style and our success at it has given us a lot of success domestically over the years.

But our problem I feel is one in that we simply aren't creative enough with the personel we have in midfield to beat teams who will just sit in front of us and and try to slow the game i.e. not allow counter attacking football to be played or in Europe where football is more possession orientated. That's where we need someone who is very comfortable on the ball with a wide range of passing, someone who is capable of picking a pass that can cut a team open.

Yes he might not offer much defensively speaking but I still would call Modric the ideal solution to what our weakness is at the minute.

Yep, agree with you there except in this tournament and in the CL we've seen several temas with decent to excellent midfielders get bogged down by doughty defences. France and England immediately spring to mind. The French had oodles of possession but they just walked it up to 30 yards and passed it out wide, back into central positions and back out. I think the 'blitzkreig' style United deployed in the 90's would also be a perfect tonic to that two banks of four camped on the 18 and ten yards outside that is beginning to emerge.

I'd be worried that with Modric United would become very one dimensional where all the play goes through him and then they rely on him being up for every game. I think if United sign Modirc they will have to sign a midfielder to compliment him. Carrick is too cautious and conservative. He'd blend into Modric's style and you could end up with them having acres of possession and no penetration. United need a midfielder that can pick up a ball from inside his own half and drive at defences too.

DM_7

Since he is talked about a lot - Modic has impressed me tbh.

not as a central midfield player but as an attacker. Watching him when he was freed up in the Italy game highlighted how he is wasted at Spurs playing in a withdrawn role. Also the run and cross against Spain that was put on Rakitic's head was fantastic attacking play.

I thought Nani and Welbeck performed well. Nani would be the best United player so far. Get them both signed up to new contracts!

kryogen

IvySlayer wrote: »

flahavaj closed account. Boggles stopped posting because of a bet with CHD.

Where's Trilla been?

Where has SlickRic been come to think of it?

Adamcp898

kryogen wrote: »

Beating the weaker teams was not a problem for us last season though, it was the big games that caused problems, teams who pressed us high up the pitch.

And I don't see how buying players who aren't comfortable in possession in our half or in midfield will solve that either to be honest. When we struggle to break down weak teams or when we struggle to retain the ball against bigger teams, a player who is comfortable enough no matter where he receives the ball to pick a pass would be valuable in both cases.

English football is slowly becoming more of a possession game and will only continue to do so more and more. There were a lot of midfield battles lost in the big games last year like you're saying, ones that could have possibly been won if we had players who were capable of keeping possession, hence why I'd prefer more technically better players in midfield as opposed to an old fashioned box to box workhorse of a player or the likes of Sneijder (which thankfully talk this Summer talk of doesn't seem to be half as bad as the previous 2) who are number 10's not central midfielders.

Schism

On Strootman.

I haven't seen much of him I'll admit but the bits here and there I have seen have been encouraging. He seems to be strong, powerful and well able to run at defences. Has an eye for a pass too.

I've said it before, if we were to go in for him now's the time. He's 22 at the moment and available for a moderate sum it appears. If we were to wait, another good season with PSV will see his price rocket.

kryogen

DM-ICE wrote: »

Since he is talked about a lot - Modic has impressed me tbh.

not as a central midfield player but as an attacker. Watching him when he was freed up in the Italy game highlighted how he is wasted at Spurs playing in a withdrawn role. Also the run and cross against Spain that was put on Rakitic's head was fantastic attacking play.

I thought Nani and Welbeck performed well. Nani would be the best United player so far. Get them both signed up to new contracts!

I agree with that, I think Modric is not a real central midfielder in the traditional sense, I think he does his best work in a slightly more advanced role, with very limited defensive duties.

Adamcp898

Orando Broom wrote: »

Yep, agree with you there except in this tournament and in the CL we've seen several temas with decent to excellent midfielders get bogged down by doughty defences. France and England immediately spring to mind. The French had oodles of possession but they just walked it up to 30 yards and passed it out wide, back into central positions and back out. I think the 'blitzkreig' style United deployed in the 90's would also be a perfect tonic to that two banks of four camped on the 18 and ten yards outside that is beginning to emerge.

I'd be worried that with Modric United would become very one dimensional where all the play goes through him and then they rely on him being up for every game. I think if United sign Modirc they will have to sign a midfielder to compliment him. Carrick is too cautious and conservative. He'd blend into Modric's style and you could end up with them having acres of possession and no penetration. United need a midfielder that can pick up a ball from inside his own half and drive at defences too.

I see what you're saying, there are plenty of good midfields that have struggled to create in games despite having all of the ball (Barca, Spain etc.). But my feeling is one that English football is going to only get more and more like it's played on the continent and for that I feel we need more technically gifted midfielders and not a team built for English 442 counter attacking football. Yes it can look much more exciting and make for better games at times but I just think it's the way football's going and to have more sustained success we're going to have to go with it.

kryogen

Adamcp898 wrote: »

And I don't see how buying players who aren't comfortable in possession in our half or in midfield will solve that either to be honest. When we struggle to break down weak teams or when we struggle to retain the ball against bigger teams, a player who is comfortable enough no matter where he receives the ball to pick a pass would be valuable in both cases.

English football is slowly becoming more of a possession game and will only continue to do so more and more. There were a lot of midfield battles lost in the big games last year like you're saying, ones that could have possibly been won if we had players who were capable of keeping possession, hence why I'd prefer more technically better players in midfield as opposed to an old fashioned box to box workhorse of a player or the likes of Sneijder (which thankfully talk this Summer talk of doesn't seem to be half as bad as the previous 2) who are number 10's not central midfielders.

Strootman is comfortable on the ball too though, and provides more defensive steel then Modric which would be very beneficial to us becasue then maybe we don't have to rely on Carrick to be our best defensive midfielder, which he currently is.

Kagawa is comfortable on the ball, Clev is comfortable on the ball, hell even Ando is comfortable picking the ball up anywhere and playing it, keeping the last two fit is the only issue there. Modric would be a great signing, dont get me wrong, but someone like Strootman ticks more boxes for me, we have more options with him and he would fall into our price bracket also.

He is a good passer, good tackler, is able to pick up the ball and run with it and he is Dutch, ball retention is a natural ability We have our Sneijder in the bag already with Kagawa so for me, if another central midfielder is brought in it is important he can break up play and take a little bit of the load of Carrick's shoulders also.

kryogen

Adamcp898 wrote: »

I see what you're saying, there are plenty of good midfields that have struggled to create in games despite having all of the ball (Barca, Spain etc.). But my feeling is one that English football is going to only get more and more like it's played on the continent and for that I feel we need more technically gifted midfielders and not a team built for English 442 counter attacking football. Yes it can look much more exciting and make for better games at times but I just think it's the way football's going and to have more sustained success we're going to have to go with it.

Fergie is playing with more technically gifted midfielders rather then grafters now though, Nani, Valencia, Young, Kagawa, Clev, Ando etc are all comfortably with the ball.

The assumed formation next season falls very much in line with a continental approach too. But without a Busquets type player (of course I dont mean him) you will never be as effective as you could potentially be.

Fenix

I we were to buy Modric he would be playIng in the same position as he is for Spurs though, the capture if Kagawa would see to that.

Also, on Strootman, am I correct in saying PSV only signed him at the start of last season? After only 1 year I think PSV would be reluctant to sell and possibly the player might want to develop in Holland a while longer. Would be a good signing though.

yomtea98

keane2097 wrote: »

Boggles was eradicated by the mighty CHD, Flahavaj closed his own account because he was sick of our stupid bullshit.

Could you blame him?

GavRedKing

I think ye should leave Modric for us, we are clearly a struggling team, what with finishing 6th and all.

Modric would be the perfect player to drive us towards a top 4 finish. :pac:

In all seriousness though, if Spurs do decide to sell and ourselves and United offer simialr money I can guess where Levy would more likely favour Modric to move to.

Felexicon

Fenix wrote: »

I we were to buy Modric he would be playIng in the same position as he is for Spurs though, the capture if Kagawa would see to that.

Also, on Strootman, am I correct in saying PSV only signed him at the start of last season? After only 1 year I think PSV would be reluctant to sell and possibly the player might want to develop in Holland a while longer. Would be a good signing though.

I would have liked to get a good look at Strootman in the Euros.
Too many teams have had thier fingers burned after buying the next big thing from the Dutch league.

Schism

gavredking wrote: »

I think ye should leave Modric for us, we are clearly a struggling team, what with finishing 6th and all.

Modric would be the perfect player to drive us towards a top 4 finish. :pac:

In all seriousness though, if Spurs do decide to sell and ourselves and United offer simialr money I can guess where Levy would more likely favour Modric to move to.

Word is Levy would prefer Modric left England if he's leaving Spurs at all. If the price tag is somewhat reasonable there wouldn't any shortage of suitors. Otherwise there's always Real :pac:

Adamcp898

kryogen wrote: »

Strootman is comfortable on the ball too though, and provides more defensive steel then Modric which would be very beneficial to us becasue then maybe we don't have to rely on Carrick to be our best defensive midfielder, which he currently is.

Kagawa is comfortable on the ball, Clev is comfortable on the ball, hell even Ando is comfortable picking the ball up anywhere and playing it, keeping the last two fit is the only issue there. Modric would be a great signing, dont get me wrong, but someone like Strootman ticks more boxes for me, we have more options with him and he would fall into our price bracket also.

He is a good passer, good tackler, is able to pick up the ball and run with it and he is Dutch, ball retention is a natural ability We have our Sneijder in the bag already with Kagawa so for me, if another central midfielder is brought in it is important he can break up play and take a little bit of the load of Carrick's shoulders also.

To be honest I don't feel we've seen enough of Clev to say how good he'd be week in week out at it, same with Ando - flashes, nothing else.

My issue is that we need a player who is capable of finding a pass from anywhere and I think Modric is the best option for that. You said above that you feel our Sneijder is in the bag so we need a midfielder who can break up play now. Well my problem with that is something more and more people began to realise as the Sneijder affair went on and on, particularly last Summer - and that was a number 10 won't strictly make your midfield any better. Somebody still has to be there to give him the ball and I would be extremely disappointed if we only bought Kagawa and still ignored our lack of vision in the middle of the pitch.

Having two players who'll break up play behind a number 10 all day still won't win you games no matter how good he is. A decent example of it would be City last season when they would play De Jong and Barry in the middle and they'd struggle to get the ball to their creative players further up the pitch, and this was only remedied by taking one off and putting Toure in there instead as he was then able to provide a supply line. I know you feel Strootman will do this but I don't want another project in there, I think it's time to stump up the cash for someone who is far more likely to be able to do what we need now and not in 2-5 years.

Melion

Just a genuine question after reading something on a friends facebook. Would the majority of United fans be happy with a midfield of Young - Cleverley - Kagawa - Valencia?

I am hoping and praying that Ferguson decides that what he has is enough. That midfield would get over-run constantly by the majority of the teams in the top 10 and United would really struggle as a result.

Schism

I'd say most people would be satisfied with Cleverly if he was to toughen up a bit and stay somewhat injury free.

Adamcp898

kryogen wrote: »

Fergie is playing with more technically gifted midfielders rather then grafters now though, Nani, Valencia, Young, Kagawa, Clev, Ando etc are all comfortably with the ball.

The assumed formation next season falls very much in line with a continental approach too. But without a Busquets type player (of course I dont mean him) you will never be as effective as you could potentially be.

I'm talking strictly in the middle of the pitch though, not about wingers or behind the striker or anywhere else. And I don't feel we've seen enough from Clev or Ando to say what they'd be capable of.

That's what I'm talking about, it's where the game's going, and a midfield pair where neither can pass the ball with a large enough range will only handicap that approach, it's a necessity in that system.

kryogen

Its just not really Fergies way though, never really has been besides a couple of exceptions, he likes to buy players young and develop them the way he wants to rather then bring in someone who is experienced.

I agree with a lot of what you are saying, but my point regarding Clev and Ando is that you can clearly see the technical ability they have, its whether they can progress the way they would need to progress to get to the level of a Modric or someone like that. But the change is being made I feel.

Realistically I don't think we can get Modric so I'm not getting my hopes up, as I said, I think he would be a great signing, but given what we have in the squad and what we lack in the squad I would prefer a slightly different player. I have no doubt Modric would improve the team.

kryogen

Melion wrote: »

Just a genuine question after reading something on a friends facebook. Would the majority of United fans be happy with a midfield of Young - Cleverley - Kagawa - Valencia?

I am hoping and praying that Ferguson decides that what he has is enough. That midfield would get over-run constantly by the majority of the teams in the top 10 and United would really struggle as a result.

No, no way, and no way Fergie will ever send that team on the pitch

kryogen

Adamcp898 wrote: »

I'm talking strictly in the middle of the pitch though, not about wingers or behind the striker or anywhere else. And I don't feel we've seen enough from Clev or Ando to say what they'd be capable of.

That's what I'm talking about, it's where the game's going, and a midfield pair where neither can pass the ball with a large enough range will only handicap that approach, it's a necessity in that system.

I disagree here, we, well I and plenty of people I know have certainly seen enough of Anderson to know what he is capable of, whether or not he fulfills his potential is another thing.

Al Capwned

kryogen wrote: »

I disagree here, we, well I and plenty of people I know have certainly seen enough of Anderson to know what he is capable of, whether or not he fulfills his potential is another thing.

Trouble is, people have been asking if Ando is capable of fulfilling his potential for a long time now.
So spectacularly inconsistent, imo.

Adamcp898

kryogen wrote: »

Its just not really Fergies way though, never really has been besides a couple of exceptions, he likes to buy players young and develop them the way he wants to rather then bring in someone who is experienced.

I agree with a lot of what you are saying, but my point regarding Clev and Ando is that you can clearly see the technical ability they have, its whether they can progress the way they would need to progress to get to the level of a Modric or someone like that. But the change is being made I feel.

Realistically I don't think we can get Modric so I'm not getting my hopes up, as I said, I think he would be a great signing, but given what we have in the squad and what we lack in the squad I would prefer a slightly different player. I have no doubt Modric would improve the team.

Yeah that's a factor too, he's been stung a lot by big money buys for so called established players over the years.

I've gotten to the stage where I've kind of given up hope on Ando turning into the player he could be and regarding Clev, I was as happy as any United fan last August to see him play as well as he did when he came into the team as it had became apparent by that stage that we weren't going to buy anyone else and so it was good to see that the fears a lot of people had over our midfield might not come to happen at all but once he got injured it fell apart and our weakness was there for everyone to see. So I think now that it's a new window we have to buy incase;

1 - it turns out Clev's performances were just the kind of impact a new player has on a team and after a while go away (other teams work him out etc. etc.) or

2 - He is really that injury prone and not just unlucky.

Adamcp898

kryogen wrote: »

I disagree here, we, well I and plenty of people I know have certainly seen enough of Anderson to know what he is capable of, whether or not he fulfills his potential is another thing.

Yeah that was the wrong choice of words from me, it's not so much I don't know what Ando's capable of, more so I don't know how often he's ever going to be able to do it.

DM_7

To consider what United need in midfield you also have to think about the players at United already.

I am still not sure where Kagawa will fit in. Will he be a third midfield player or played high up the field? If he is going to play as a third midfield player (advanced) then Modric would be a great signing to play with him and carrick. But if Kagawa is going to be hanging around high up the field then a more destructive player will be needed to help Carrick.

going by SAF and what he said about Fabregas at Arsenal that great football players with outstanding attacking qualities can be also be great central midfield players, points towards a Modric. This is exactly what Spurs did with him.

it will be interesting to see what happens.

Melion

Its been obvious for years that United need some steel in central midfield, someone like Mascherano when he was at Liverpool. Just in there to break up the play, win the ball and give it to the better "footballer" i.e Alonso.

Kagawa obviously wont provide that kind of player, Anderson, Scholes and Carrick never will so are United just relying on Cleverley. I think signing Modric would be pointless

Al Capwned

Melion wrote: »

Its been obvious for years that United need some steel in central midfield, someone like Mascherano when he was at Liverpool. Just in there to break up the play, win the ball and give it to the better "footballer" i.e Alonso.

Kagawa obviously wont provide that kind of player, Anderson, Scholes and Carrick never will so are United just relying on Cleverley. I think signing Modric would be pointless

Not at all..... He is a quality footballer, and would be a definite positive addition to the squad.