Manchester United Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 11/12

Kylo Ren

De Gea is captain of Spain for the Olympics.

LostBoy101

Lostboy101 wrote:

Looks like Nani is staying with us and a contract is yet to be finalised.

Source - http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...appy-at-United

MagicMarker wrote: »

It says nothing there about Nani staying.

Sorry I should of said 'good chance of staying'

dahat

Kagawa's squeeze.......

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/shinji-kagawa-pornstar-girlfriend-ameri-1136810?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Samich

I don't find Nani frustrating. Very consistent for me.

It's something people who remember his early days would describe him as.

Kylo Ren

dahat wrote: »

Kagawa's squeeze.......

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/shinji-kagawa-pornstar-girlfriend-ameri-1136810?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I'll review her work later...

Samich

dahat wrote: »

Kagawa's squeeze.......

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/shinji-kagawa-pornstar-girlfriend-ameri-1136810?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

She's seen all 3 of Kagawas japs eyes so :P

It's probably too early in the transfer window to be speculating about who will play and what formation we'll have but the amount of games Welbeck was getting suggest that he is unlikely to be dropped much by SAF. This in turn suggests that Rooney and Welbeck are likely to play at the same time. This also suggests that 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 will be persisted with....

With Kagawa signed I can see Fergie attempting to play him in CM and I really think this is just wrong. We should be moving to 4-2-3-1 IMO but the more I think about it, the less likely it seems. I know I've mentioned it a few times but what do you guys think about my Welbeck & Rooney affecting the formation we will play point?

kryogen

Kags lack is alright, I checked her out when I heard he was signing for us and heard his missus was a pornstar @)

Red Crow

With the squad now what is everybody's first XI:

De Gea
Rafael Smalling Vidic Evra(:mad:)
Valencia Carrick Scholes Nani
Kagawa
Rooney

I think, bar the center of the park, we have an excellent first XI. The squad is strong with good competetion everywhere except in the middle and at full back. Ideally, we should be looking to add a LB and a CM. But, as of now, there doesn't appear to be anything happening.

I wrote off Moutinho earlier in this thread and I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon over a good Euro Championships but he did indeed have some fine games. I'm still not convinced by him and you would hope that we are aiming to bring in a player slightly above his level. I don't think he would suit our style and Porto play a mirror system to Portugal which most of the time consists of three central midfielders. But his passing impressed me and I think he would do a good job here but I don't think he's the 'saviour of our midfield'.

I'd love to see Sahin in a red jersey if Real Madrid get Modric.

tupac_healy

Sacramento wrote: »

It's probably too early in the transfer window to be speculating about who will play and what formation we'll have but the amount of games Welbeck was getting suggest that he is unlikely to be dropped much by SAF. This in turn suggests that Rooney and Welbeck are likely to play at the same time. This also suggests that 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 will be persisted with....

With Kagawa signed I can see Fergie attempting to play him in CM and I really think this is just wrong. We should be moving to 4-2-3-1 IMO but the more I think about it, the less likely it seems. I know I've mentioned it a few times but what do you guys think about my Welbeck & Rooney affecting the formation we will play point?

Totally agree with this, especially the part about welbeck not being dropped, hence why I also feared kagawa is the CM we are all waitin on...


My guess at our formation for next year:

De Gea

Raf - vidic - ferdy - evra

Valencia - carrick - kagawa - nani

Rooney

Welbeck

Kylo Ren

We could of had Sean Connery play for us!

Connery was a keen footballer, having played for Bonnyrigg Rose in his younger days. He was offered a trial with East Fife. While on tour with South Pacific, Connery played in a football match against a local team that Matt Busby, manager of Manchester United, happened to be scouting. According to reports, Busby was impressed with his physical prowess and offered Connery a contract worth £25 a week immediately after the game. Connery admits that he was tempted to accept, but he recalls, "I realised that a top-class footballer could be over the hill by the age of 30, and I was already 23. I decided to become an actor and it turned out to be one of my more intelligent moves."

tupac_healy

Giggsy11 wrote: »

tupac_healy wrote: »

Any chance you would email that on to SAF!!!

Yep, for sure. While we are at it please put everything you posted on boards in a notepad and send it to me. I will forward that as well.

Not sure if that is a dig or banter?

Jax Teller

Keno 92 wrote: »

De Gea is captain of Spain for the Olympics.

Heard that but It doesn't make sense to me . Martinez captained the u21s last year and it's a similar squad to that .

Giggsy11

tupac_healy wrote: »

Not sure if that is a dig or banter?

Neither :pac:

Nothing post really.

supersean1999

with pre season started, i would of thought utd would of signed one two more players by now, modric and baines would make me a happy man, no risks with baines or modric, both would be even better in utds team, but i still like the idea of a big center forward, the pole whos name i cant spell from dortmund,

Eli Manning

Eli Manning wrote: »

With the squad now what is everybody's first XI:

---

De Gea

---

---

----Rafael

---

Smalling

---

Vidic

---

Evra

---

---

---

Anderson

---

Cleverley

---

---

----Valencia

---

Kagawa

---

Nani

---

---

---

Rooney

---

I'm going with Cleverley and Anderson in the centre as I believe they are the future of our midfield as things stand (injury permitting). Carrick, while coming off the back of a good season and good performances is too limited for me. Anderson has a good passing range and can chase the ball down well when we don't have it. While Cleverley has great potential as a playmaker, he really can play excellent one touch football coupled with accurate long balls. I saw glimpses of scholes-esque qualities in him, especially against Tottenham last season.

This is what I'd like to see, at least formation wise. Though what we're going to do with Welbeck and Chico is beyond me. This is why I think Fergie will stick to 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 and stick Kagawa next to Carrick, which would be so wrong.

killwill

dahat wrote: »

Kagawa's squeeze.......

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/shinji-kagawa-pornstar-girlfriend-ameri-1136810?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Giggiddy

killwill

Sacramento wrote: »

---

De Gea

---

---

----Rafael

---

Smalling

---

Vidic

---

Evra

---

---

---

Anderson

---

Cleverley

---

---

----Valencia

---

Kagawa

---

Nani

---

---

---

Rooney

---

I'm going with Cleverley and Anderson in the centre as I believe they are the future of our midfield as things stand (injury permitting). Carrick, while coming off the back of a good season and good performances is too limited for me. Anderson has a good passing range and can chase the ball down well when we don't have it. While Cleverley has great potential as a playmaker, he really can play excellent one touch football coupled with accurate long balls. I saw glimpses of scholes-esque qualities in him, especially against Tottenham last season.

This is what I'd like to see, at least formation wise. Though what we're going to do with Welbeck and Chico is beyond me. This is why I think Fergie will stick to 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 and stick Kagawa next to Carrick, which would be so wrong.

We started with Anderson and Cleverley last season and whilst it was exciting football they were defensively shocking. Carrick has to start unless a new CM is brought in and even then it will probably be Carrick with him

Kylo Ren

---

De Gea

---

---

----Rafael

---

Ferdinand

---

Vidic

---

Evra

---

---

---

Carrick

---

Cleverley/Scholes

---

---

----Valencia

---

Kagawa

---

Nani

---

---

---

Rooney

---

kryogen

DDG
Raf Smalling Vidic Evra
Carrick Ando
Val Kag Nani
Rooney

Giggsy11

kryogen wrote: »

DDG
Raf Smalling Vidic Evra
Carrick Ando
Val Kag Nani
Rooney

I would go with this team, Cleverley or Anderson to play alongside Carrick. Not sure whom to select.

kryogen

Giggsy11 wrote: »

I would go with this team, Cleverley or Anderson to play alongside Carrick. Not sure whom to select.

Yeah, thats the only position I would not have a set preference for, would be ok with either beside him, maybe leaving Evans out is harsh, I just think Smalling is going to be a superstar and is too good to be on the bench, with an experienced defender beside him he should come on leaps and bounds also

Giggsy11

kryogen wrote: »

Yeah, thats the only position I would not have a set preference for, would be ok with either beside him, maybe leaving Evans out is harsh, I just think Smalling is going to be a superstar and is too good to be on the bench, with an experienced defender beside him he should come on leaps and bounds also

Yeah it will be very harsh on Evans, he needs run of games to get it going and with fully fit Vidic and Smalling he won't get.

I'm excited about Vidic - Smalling partnership though, they have everything. Can pass, aerially very dominant, Smalling has the pace, physically beasts.

Mitch Connor

given the current squad and especially where Kagawa plays best - I don't see how anyone can go anything other than 4231 with Rooney up top. Carrick has to be one of the midfield two, Cleverley would be my long term pick for the other spot.

Do hope Moutinho, Modric or Fellaini come in to take that spot though.

tupac_healy

Mitch Connor wrote: »

given the current squad and especially where Kagawa plays best - I don't see how anyone can go anything other than 4231 with Rooney up top. Carrick has to be one of the midfield two, Cleverley would be my long term pick for the other spot.

Do hope Moutinho, Modric or Fellaini come in to take that spot though.

Whilst I think that in the modern game 4-4-2 is outdated and 4-2-3-1 is the way forward I just don't see Fergie changing his tactics (maybe in the champions league) in the premiership, 4-4-2 has served us well week in, week out against the teams we really should be beating anyhow so I don't see him shifting from this...

Also, going down the road of Rooney up top would damage the progress of welbeck and limit chico's oppertunities.

kryogen

United generally have not played a standard 442 for a long time though.

so the transition from the 4411 we usually line up in to a 4231 will not be that hard to bring about

Liam O

I think I'll cry if Anderson is first choice when the season starts. He's been an abomination for probably over 70% of his games the past 2 seasons when not out injured. Tries to play a killer ball everytime he gets the ball, doesn't understand playing it simple. There was one or two games I remember he was playing simple and I thought he'd turned a corner but he just went back to normal the next week.

kryogen

He was excellent at the start of last season, performing better then Cleverley in fact, of course Clev had a lot of hype about him at the time so he was noticed more. If Ando comes back and plays like he did at the start of last season, great! If not, who will be surprised? Nobody really.

ADarkKnight88

kryogen wrote: »

He was excellent at the start of last season, performing better then Cleverley in fact, of course Clev had a lot of hype about him at the time so he was noticed more. If Ando comes back and plays like he did at the start of last season, great! If not, who will be surprised? Nobody really.

How many times have we said that? Once he shows promise he just seems to get injured for months

TheTownie

Enjoyed this article on Powell.

Especially the last five paragraphs which were penned by Jon Birchall, a self proclaimed Crewe enthusiast. Quote below is his contribution;

Clenched within the considerable wingspan of David Gill, Nick Powell held a pose of quiet formidability as United announced his signing. Pursed lips, dead eyes and an overwhelming sense of self. He looked ready.

You can tell a lot from such pictures. On the day he joined United, Dimitar Berbatov had one too many buttons undone with his hair greased back, an arm around Sir Alex Ferguson like a mafioso shepherding him to the private area of a Sofia strip club. Chicharito smiled with boundless, childlike enthusiasm. Bebe looked confused.

But Powell held himself in high regard, and so have I and everyone else that follows Crewe since he first started playing regularly for The Alex 18 months ago. The truth is, he really is that good. Coupled with a more pragmatic approach to League Two football, Powell carried a side that could quite easily have become relegation fodder to the playoff final against Cheltenham … and you know what happened there.

As for what happens next is tricky. A character-building loan in the Football League is frankly unnecessary. He’s had his fair share of elbows from fat League Two defenders that simply didn’t know what to do with him. As such, a spell with the Reserves seems like the most obvious option. Powell needs to play with good footballers that are going to challenge him, speed him up and have him pushing for the first team. I genuinely see no reason why it can’t happen within a season or so, and I’d imagine he feels the same way.

After all, for every pair of sensible Denis Irwin jeans, you occasionally need the leather-trousered bravado of a Cristiano Ronaldo. Fran Lebowitz was right; humility is no substitute for a good personality. The youngster will learn the former among more talented players at United but the latter is already there in abundance. Powell knows just how brilliant he is, and soon, so will everyone else.

Professional Griefer

The 19th winning season is on Premier League Years on SS4 at 12, just so ye know.

Hunter Mahan

Moutinho is due in England next week apparently. I imagine he'll end up at Spurs, because I can't see United getting involved with third party ownership.
Also AVB is a previous manager of his.

The_Kew_Tour

Hunter Mahan wrote: »

Moutinho is due in England next week apparently. I imagine he'll end up at Spurs, because I can't see United getting involved with third party ownership.
Also AVB is a previous manager of his.

If true it will be funny reading people on twitter saying they see him or their friends see him on flight from Lisbon(or where ever) to London and others to Manchester.

Let the fun times roll.

Liam O

I think it's possible that Fergie sees Powell, Scholes, Clev, Giggs and possibly Ando as being enough options for Carrick's partner, the problem there is if Fletcher isn't able to come back this season any injury to Carrick and there is a huge hole and nobody who can really be relied on in defense. More of an all rounder is needed more than a creative player at the moment imo.

Anyone know if Powell is in anyway decent at defending? A year under the tutelage of Giggs and Scholes and hopefully he'll be at a good enough level to be pushing for first choice.

supersean1999

Liam O wrote: »

I think it's possible that Fergie sees Powell, Scholes, Clev, Giggs and possibly Ando as being enough options for Carrick's partner, the problem there is if Fletcher isn't able to come back this season any injury to Carrick and there is a huge hole and nobody who can really be relied on in defense. More of an all rounder is needed more than a creative player at the moment imo.

Anyone know if Powell is in anyway decent at defending? A year under the tutelage of Giggs and Scholes and hopefully he'll be at a good enough level to be pushing for first choice.

how many games are they going to get each then if carrick will be the main man? the prob as i see it is carrick is the first choice, ill do a hanson rant, you CANT win a league with carrick as the main center mid player, scholes has carried him for 5 yrs,

The_Kew_Tour

If we do buy CM then I think we be selling one too. Anderson maybe. Might be wrong. Time will tell.

Just hunch.

kryogen

Ando has been leaving for about 3 years now, at some stage if he doesnt nail down a starting spot it will happen.

Carrick was the main man in midfield last season, United not winning the league was nothing to do with him.

SirDelboy18

supersean1999 wrote: »

the prob as i see it is carrick is the first choice, ill do a hanson rant, you CANT win a league with carrick as the main center mid player, scholes has carried him for 5 yrs,

Were you doing a "Hansen rant" for the purposes of making yourself look stupid like he did? Because you definitely succeeded.

Pro. F

kryogen wrote: »

Carrick was the main man in midfield last season, United not winning the league was nothing to do with him.

It really was something to do with him imo. The fact that Carrick was the main man in the midfield last season was a large contributing factor to the team's problems. The central midfield in general was poor to awful and we were ridiculously reliant on Scholes in the second half of the season for getting passing moves going. Carrick often failed completely at that side of the game.

The biggest problem though, I think nearly everybody agrees on, was the defence being plagued by injuries and Evra's form.

kryogen

Pro. F wrote: »

It really was something to do with him imo. The fact that Carrick was the main man in the midfield last season was a large contributing factor to the team's problems. The central midfield in general was poor to awful and we were ridiculously reliant on Scholes in the second half of the season for getting passing moves going. Carrick often failed completely at that side of the game.

The biggest problem though, I think nearly everybody agrees on, was the defence being plagued by injuries and Evra's form.

Carrick had probably his best season last season, put someone other then him next to Scholes and Scholes would not have been able to play his game. I don't want to get into a Carrick debate as I'm pretty sure we all know where we stand on that

Surely we can agree though that if Fergie had taken for example, Scholes off when his legs were clearly gone and we were 2 goals up against Everton and put on some fresh legs in the middle of the park we might have been able to hold on?

Or if Vidic being out for the whole season had not happened we would have been so much better defensively?

Or if Fergie had not made some baffling team selections in certain games we would have got more points on the board?

There are loads and loads of other things you should look at first before apportioning blame to Carrick for the league failure last season.

IvySlayer

Just imagine if Fergie didn't **** up vs in the Blackburn match at Old Trafford

Liam O

IvySlayer wrote: »

Just imagine if Fergie didn't **** up vs in the Blackburn match at Old Trafford

That wouldn't have made too much of a difference as it would have butterfly effected the entire rest of the season. We know a point against Wigan(ffs :mad:) or a win against Everton would have all but won the league for United.

kryogen

All I would say is that there were many mistakes made last season, from the manager, from individual players, and focusing on one player in particular, who actually performed well overall, is foolish.

Overall the season was a failure, but to get that close to City in the circumstances is nothing to be ashamed of. This season, if we don't have another injury crisis and make one or two more signings there is no reason that number 20 is not on its way in May

Pro. F

kryogen wrote: »

Carrick had probably his best season last season, put someone other then him next to Scholes and Scholes would not have been able to play his game. I don't want to get into a Carrick debate as I'm pretty sure we all know where we stand on that

Scholes would of course have been able to play his game alongside other central midfielders. Carrick is very far away from being anything special and Scholes would do a good job alongside any defensively sound central midfielder. The team though would benefit greatly from having Scholes (or Cleverly, Anderson, Powell or whoever) playing alongside a central midfielder who offers more than just defensive soundness, which is all that Carrick offers.

kryogen wrote: »

Surely we can agree though that if Fergie had taken for example, Scholes off when his legs were clearly gone and we were 2 goals up against Everton and put on some fresh legs in the middle of the park we might have been able to hold on?

Or if Vidic being out for the whole season had not happened we would have been so much better defensively?

Or if Fergie had not made some baffling team selections in certain games we would have got more points on the board?

There are loads and loads of other things you should look at first before apportioning blame to Carrick for the league failure last season.

They are all just excuses to not look at Carrick though.

Yes Fergie could have made better team selections in some cases and better substitutions in others. Yes all the defensive injuries were a huge problem, I mentioned that. Plus Evra's form. None of that changes the fact that Carrick is a poor central midfielder for this level and should be replaced in the first team.

kryogen

Liam O wrote: »

That wouldn't have made too much of a difference as it would have butterfly effected the entire rest of the season. We know a point against Wigan(ffs :mad:) or a win against Everton would have all but won the league for United.

I can actually accept the Wigan game, they were fighting for their lives, had been playing some good football/were at home, and every team is entitled to an off day now and then.

The Everton game sticks in my throat to this day, I have never been more disgusted with how a game was lost (yeah I know we drew) then I was that day. No United team for the last 20 years would have let that position slip away.

kryogen

Pro. F wrote: »

Scholes would of course have been able to play his game alongside other central midfielders. Carrick is very far away from being anything special and Scholes would do a good job alongside any defensively sound central midfielder. The team though would benefit greatly from having Scholes (or Cleverly, Anderson, Powell or whoever) playing alongside a central midfielder who offers more than just defensive soundness, which is all that Carrick offers.



They are all just excuses to not look at Carrick though.

Yes Fergie could have made better team selections in some cases and better substitutions in others. Yes all the defensive injuries were a huge problem, I mentioned that. Plus Evra's form. None of that changes the fact that Carrick is a poor central midfielder for this level and should be replaced in the first team.

Your missing the point, whether Carrick is a poor central midfielder at this level and should be replaced is not what I am talking about, and there is no way in hell if you had put Giggs/Clev (when he was fit toward the end) Pogba or Park, did we have any other options? That Scholes would have been as free to pick his passes and make forward runs as he was next to Carrick.

Rightly or wrongly Carrick is the best defensive minded midfielder in the team, who would you think would have played better beside Scholes?

I am not offering excuses not to look at Carrick, but to suggest looking at Carrick first and foremost is wrong, and I would stick by that.

SirDelboy18

kryogen wrote: »

Your missing the point, whether Carrick is a poor central midfielder at this level and should be replaced is not what I am talking about, and there is no way in hell if you had put Giggs/Clev (when he was fit toward the end) Pogba or Park, did we have any other options? That Scholes would have been as free to pick his passes as he was next to Carrick.

Rightly or wrongly Carrick is the best defensive minded midfielder in the team, who would you think would have played better beside Scholes?

I am not offering excuses not to look at Carrick, but to suggest looking at Carrick first and foremost is wrong, and I would stick by that.

On form probably the best English centre mid in the PL last year, people never fail to amuse me though by somehow claiming he was poor when every shred of evidence points in the opposite direction,

killwill

IvySlayer wrote: »

Just imagine if Fergie didn't **** up vs in the Blackburn match at Old Trafford

Imagine if United didn't conced 3 goals in ijury time at Old Trafford against City whilst chasing a game they had already lost.

Kylo Ren

Imagine if it was punishable by death to score against United.

Liam O

Pro. F wrote: »

Scholes would of course have been able to play his game alongside other central midfielders. Carrick is very far away from being anything special and Scholes would do a good job alongside any defensively sound central midfielder. The team though would benefit greatly from having Scholes (or Cleverly, Anderson, Powell or whoever) playing alongside a central midfielder who offers more than just defensive soundness, which is all that Carrick offers.

They are all just excuses to not look at Carrick though.

Tbh, even if I did think that all Carrick offers is defensive soundness which in no way do I, surely you see the importance of that in the team with Scholes not having the legs and Carrick taking all the defensive responsibility. Carrick has very good technical ability, especially when compared to his English peers. He plays the same style as Xabi Alonso though not as well obviously, Alonso is more imposing and has a better first touch/vision but Carrick is better defensively and does a good job at keeping possession. He does a much needed job in the United team.