Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - Mod Note in OP, 25/08

super_furry

Did United ever make any real efforts to sign Fabregas? Watching the Chelsea game and he looks exactly like what they need.

jimmytwotimes 2013

Adamocovic wrote: »

I never said I was happy with the lack of transfers but to start predicting a terrible season after 90 minutes of football and the transfer window still open seems a bit over the top in my eyes.

Too much was made of preseason anyway. Any poster who pointed that out was called a Moaning Michael.

The Madrid game was good, but Madrid are two weeks behind United in preparation as their season starts later. Others did point out that the United CBs struggled when Liverpool pressed in the first half and couldn't make the needed passes to get past it, Liverpool obviously couldn't keep pressing to that extent as they weren't fit enough.

There were signs in preseason that issues were still there, but posters who pointed it out were branded kill-joys.

United have serious issues, top four looks a right battle, every poster on here hopes united manage to sort it out. Pointing to these issues is not a crime however.

How Soon Is Now

super_furry wrote: »

Did United ever make any real efforts to sign Fabregas? Watching the Chelsea game and he looks exactly like what they need.

One person will tell u we never bid the other will tell you he didnt want to play for us. The same could be said about Kroos i guess.

bullvine

The 120m on four players in 12 months worries me, I cant help but be underwhelmed by any of these signings it will be the same if roja comes in.

MagicIRL

Has something happened re: Rojo?

Adamocovic

jimmytwotimes 2013 wrote: »

Too much was made of preseason anyway. Any poster who pointed that out was called a Moaning Michael.

The Madrid game was good, but Madrid are two weeks behind United in preparation as their season starts later. Others did point out that the United CBs struggled when Liverpool pressed in the first half and couldn't make the needed passes to get past it, Liverpool obviously couldn't keep pressing to that extent as they weren't fit enough.

There were signs in preseason that issues were still there, but posters who pointed it out were branded kill-joys.

United have serious issues, top four looks a right battle, every poster on here hopes united manage to sort it out. Pointing to these issues is not a crime however.

As much as people are questioning the CB, I would rank the need for wing backs and a solid centre midfielder like Strootman ahead of a CB.

Think we need players at wing back who can attack but also defend, I don't rate Ashley Young and Valencia in terms of defending.

Also after all the talk about our defence being vulnerable (which will be tested far more against the bigger teams) it seemed a lack of creativity was a bigger problem on Saturday. Very flat and can't remember many times where Fabianski was truly tested.

And I haven't said that pointing our issues is a crime, I just feel some of the reactions have been over the top, something I think I'm entitled to say.

DM_7

Pro. F wrote: »

Can somebody tell me what van Gaal's record on scouting and buying players has been like over his managerial career.

This might help but not a great indicator of how he made decisions on players or if it was him who made the decisions.

http://www.redcafe.net/threads/van-gaals-transfer-history.389695/#post-15566690

Rayne Wooney

I can't think of a better reason to sign Di Maria than the potential for a song to the tune of Shaggy's greatest hit

PhlegmyMoses

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

I can't think of a better reason to sign Di Maria than the potential for a song to the tune of Shaggy's greatest hit

It wasn't me or Mr. Boombastic?

Schwiiing

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

I can't think of a better reason to sign Di Maria than the potential for a song to the tune of Shaggy's greatest hit

Oh Carolina?

On another note, Dortmund got Hummels for 4m. :eek:

Rayne Wooney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWJrPzAUzAs

I know it's pronounced a little differently, but we can worry about the details later

I want a rough draft by the morning

Cookiemunster

Schwiiing wrote: »

Oh Carolina?

On another note, Dortmund got Hummels for 4m. :eek:

When he was 19.

keane2097

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

I can't think of a better reason to sign Di Maria than the potential for a song to the tune of Shaggy's greatest hit

Shaggy's greatest hit!? Angel!? If you were a dog I'd drown you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC_mV1IpjWA

Adamocovic

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

I can't think of a better reason to sign Di Maria than the potential for a song to the tune of Shaggy's greatest hit

When I read that at first I was thinking of this guy, and hadn't a clue what you meant ha!

PhlegmyMoses

Ah heyor, Angel is not Shaggy's greatest ever song.

The_Kew_Tour

Stone Roses FTW!!

Things are awful depressing at the minute.

It would not surprise me if Ed was in Saipan checking out Hotels for next years Pre Season Tour.

RobbingBandit

Best Shaggy Song.

Mr.Crinklewood

Adamocovic wrote: »

When I read that at first I was thinking of this guy, and hadn't a clue what you meant ha!

Better value here:-



( pity he has two left feet )

sky88

I think you know the season started bad when we discussing shaggys greatest song

Its angel

Will I Amnt

F*cking hell, this thread moves fast. There'll be a new one in 2 weeks at this rate.

jimmytwotimes 2013

Adamocovic wrote: »

As much as people are questioning the CB, I would rank the need for wing backs and a solid centre midfielder like Strootman ahead of a CB.

Think we need players at wing back who can attack but also defend, I don't rate Ashley Young and Valencia in terms of defending.

Also after all the talk about our defence being vulnerable (which will be tested far more against the bigger teams) it seemed a lack of creativity was a bigger problem on Saturday. Very flat and can't remember many times where Fabianski was truly tested.

And I haven't said that pointing our issues is a crime, I just feel some of the reactions have been over the top, something I think I'm entitled to say.

Was pointing out other posters had said it, not you.

I think our needs in this window depend on what LVG intends to do formation wise.

If he is going to mainly play 352, then I think united need two ball playing CBs, ideally one right, the other left footed. They could hopefully cover if Rafa or Shaw are injured cos cover for them is non-existent. I agree with you that Young, Valencia, Januzaj etc are not suited to these positions as their defending would not be up to it, as was clear from Swansea's second goal as Young got caught under the ball. Add to those a DM, like Vidal and the first 11 wouldn't be bad.

If LVG is going 433 then our needs change. I think then you're, being realistic, looking at a CB, DM, like Vidal and a third midfielder who offers something going forward, especially pace so somebody like Di Maria.

Just to say again, my post was addressing the mood round here during preseason where people made a bit much of it and castigated those who advised caution when assessing United's apparent renaissance.

Three stellar signings will help steady the ship, and put us in the mix for the top 4, but I think Chelsea and City will still be out of reach. That's fine, but we need to move to make us competitive for top 4.

ericzeking

So LVG once sold Hummels...did not know that

We're doomed

LVGout!!

onemorechance

Likely it has been posted already, and taken from Neville's Sky Sports interview:

Highest net spenders in Europe (last 5 transfer windows)

PSG (£165m)
Man Utd (£165m)
Barcelona (£155m)
Chelsea (£137m)
Real Madrid (£126m)
Man City (£126m)

Man Utd signings

Ander Herrera (£29m)
Luke Shaw (£27m)
Juan Mata (£37m)
Marouane Fellaini (£27.5m)
Wilfried Zaha (£15m)
Total: £135.5m

Neville's alternative signings

Gareth Bale (£86m)
Toni Kroos (£24m)
Cesc Fabregas (£30m)
Filipe Luis (£20m)
Total: £160m

Sky Sports

I'm pretty sure that most of Neville's alternative signings chose clubs they preferred to United, but the prices paid for Kroos and Fabregas shows that there really is value in the market.

onemorechance

...
“I have never thought of losing Juan,” Montella told La Nazione. “He’s been here in the past, he is here now and he will be here in the future. I don’t think about how his story might finish. A player like him can play in every position in midfield.”
...

Guardian

£50+ million will be offered to Madrid for Di Maria I reckon! :pac:

Larry Wildman

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/1991460/manchester-uniteds-transfer-window-travails-under-louis-van-gaal-and-ed-woodward

A tremendous article.

If that's what happened with Vermalen, Jesus H Christ

homerjay2005

Montroseee wrote: »

If it is I actually have no problem with it, City paid a fcking stupid amount of Money for him.

ive always been on the side of not wasting money, but i think its gone too far now and we are in too much s*it for that anymore. we need to spend, we need top class players and i dont care how much we spend now....

Rooney would be the only player from our team on Saturday that would make the Chelsea team tonight and we would struggle to have many more fitting into the other top 4 teams - its gone that bad.

Will I Amnt

The net spend is high because United hang on to players too long until they're worth f*ck all.

Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra combined came to under 2m. Most other clubs would have made decent money on those players.

Schwiiing

Will I Amnt wrote: »

The net spend is high because United hang on to players too long until they're worth f*ck all.

Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra combined came to under 2m. Most other clubs would have made decent money on those players.

When you consider what we won with those players in defence I'll forgive not recouping much of their cost.

Larry Wildman

Per Delaney, we missed out on a signing because we nickel and dimed over £2m

homerjay2005

Larry Wildman wrote: »

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/1991460/manchester-uniteds-transfer-window-travails-under-louis-van-gaal-and-ed-woodward

A tremendous article.

If that's what happened with Vermalen, Jesus H Christ

just read that...no doubt theres people reading through it saying that miquel is full of s*it and knows nothing and its all lies.l

hopefully however so much s*it has hit the fans around old trafford in the last few days that Woodward has no choice but to sign those 4 deals that he appegidly is trying to do.

and personally i am glad we missed out on Vermaelen and i wont slag the club for missing out, though it is pityful how pathetic we are.

the problem is now though, is it too late and does anybody actually have faith in Woodward and the club to get the deals done? its time for him to deliver....13 days to make up for 13 months of mediocrity.

aligator_am

What happens when a thread reaches 10,000 posts? I'm assuming it's like a glitch in the matrix or something?

ETA: question is regarding how the previous thread got closed off.

homerjay2005

Will I Amnt wrote: »

The net spend is high because United hang on to players too long until they're worth f*ck all.

Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra combined came to under 2m. Most other clubs would have made decent money on those players.

or maybe other clubs are able to plan their transfers better and buy players who actually have a resell value?

we left the contract of those 3 players run down though rio is 35 of course so worth feck all anyway.

if it makes you feel any better, we saved almost £23million in wages so far this summer, so thats a positive.

Will I Amnt

homerjay2005 wrote: »

or maybe other clubs are able to plan their transfers better and buy players who actually have a resell value?

That's the point I was making. Another club would have replaced them earlier while they still had some value.

I could understand Vidic being kept on though.

RobbingBandit

homerjay2005 wrote: »

or maybe other clubs are able to plan their transfers better and buy players who actually have a resell value?

we left the contract of those 3 players run down though rio is 35 of course so worth feck all anyway.

if it makes you feel any better, we saved almost £23million in wages so far this summer, so thats a positive.

Spent on Shaw who is out injured so no positive really.:(:(

Cantstandsya

aligator_am wrote: »

What happens when a thread reaches 10,000 posts? I'm assuming it's like a glitch in the matrix or something?

ETA: question is regarding how the previous thread got closed off.

It's a Liverpool conspiracy. If the Man U thread reaches 10,001 posts a buzzer goes off in Ed Woodward's brain and he has to sign a player. They call this 10,001st post, "the one". In order to avoid the appearance of "the one" they have concocted a system whereby all Man U threads are shut down (with the use of an army of sentinels and agents known as "Mods") before the one can make its appearance and save Manchester United.

Larry Wildman

The whole thing is utterly insane.

We need to do more business than any other big club and we've done sweet FA.

It's incredibly depressing.

Van Gaal is the type of guy that could walk.

bangkok

zaha cost 10m, the rest were all add ons that we will probably never pay now

homerjay2005

this part of Delaneys article sums up my feelings in one paragraph about this summer.

Although this window is still not expected to be as bad as last year -- and there is a possibility United will pull off the purchase of one major name, most likely Real Madrid's Angel Di Maria -- it simply remains remarkable that a badly needed overhaul that had been planned since January comes down to the frantic final fortnight.

Either way, it is simply stunning that one of the biggest and wealthiest clubs in the world has endured such a confusing difficulty in actually signing players.

aligator_am

Cantstandsya wrote: »

It's a Liverpool conspiracy. If the Man U thread reaches 10,001 posts a buzzer goes off in Ed Woodward's brain and he has to sign a player. They call this 10,001st post, "the one". In order to avoid the appearance of "the one" they have concocted a system whereby all Man U threads are shut down (with the use of an army of sentinels and agents known as "Mods") before the one can make its appearance and save Manchester United.

We may need to contact Joe Duffy or Alex Jones about this, I'm sure the Illuminati are involved somehow

adox

bullvine wrote: »

The 120m on four players in 12 months worries me, I cant help but be underwhelmed by any of these signings it will be the same if roja comes in.

I completely agree with this and may have raised something similar in the past on here or on twitter.


It's a huge amount for any four players. I don't really think Utds problem has being spending money but spending it on the right players, in the right positions.

For such big sums, the only proven top class player that was signed was Mata and he's the only one where we didn't need a player in that position.


While the lack of any more signings since June is beyond a joke at this stage, it's nearly as depressing that a huge investment has already been made in the squad already, yet it still looks lacking in quality and quantity in the key positions.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that money(whatever the exact amount is) could have been spent much better.

The_Kew_Tour

Our Wage structure is a joke too.

Larry Wildman

If there's a "Manchester United tax" levied by selling clubs, the rate will go up in the next fortnight.

It's clear that we're desperate and Woodward in his wisdom has told the world that we have buckets of cash to spend.

The next fortnight could define the next four years.

KH25

homerjay2005 wrote: »

this part of Delaneys article sums up my feelings in one paragraph about this summer.

I think this much is obvious: a massive change is needed at the club, be that personnel-wise or approach wise. There is a difference between overpaying for quality and getting ripped off. Fellaini was a rip-off. Paying 40mill for Fabregas last year would have been a bargain even if it would have been overpaying.

The club drastically need to do away with this odd penny-pinching attitude. We have no problem paying too much for mediocre players, yet when proven quality is an option we try to be smart and haggle. It's an absolute disgrace. If things continue this way the club will experience a drastic turn in fortunes.

homerjay2005

With United, one player deal that was at a tentative stage this summer is said to have never got off the ground because of a difference of about 2 million pounds

any idea who this is? somebody has suggest it was Sanchez, but honestly ive no idea who this could be...its defo not Vermaelen.

kippy

adox wrote: »

I completely agree with this and may have raised something similar in the past on here or on twitter.


It's a huge amount for any four players. I don't really think Utds problem has being spending money but spending it on the right players, in the right positions.

For such big sums, the only proven top class player that was signed was Mata and he's the only one where we didn't need a player in that position.


While the lack of any more signings since June is beyond a joke at this stage, it's nearly as depressing that a huge investment has already been made in the squad already, yet it still looks lacking in quality and quantity in the key positions.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that money(whatever the exact amount is) could have been spent much better.

United haven't been spending money though......
They are behind City and Chelsea in the past 5 seasons, I put the figures up earlier, Apparantly it's not relevant, its all about the net spend.

Net spend it nonsense when you want to look at "investment" in a team.

adox

Also, and I think I made this point at the time, I thought it was a big mistake for Utd to allow Ferguson and Gill to go at the same time. It was such a huge upheaval to lose Ferguson, the last thing the club needed was to lose Gill as well.

It was too much upheaval.

Larry Wildman

It's pretty clear that Ed Woodward's role needs to be split.

The Glazers MUST appoint a "Director of Transfers"...someone with an extensive network of connections who can get deals done. A David Dein type.

Let Woodward do what he does best...the commercial stuff.

adox

kippy wrote: »

United haven't been spending money though......
They are behind City and Chelsea in the past 5 seasons, I put the figures up earlier, Apparantly it's not relevant, its all about the net spend.

Net spend it nonsense when you want to look at "investment" in a team.

I'm talking about the last 12 months or so.

homerjay2005

Woodward expects to seal this deal tomorrow.

How Soon Is Now

If this transfer window comes and goes and things dont change Woodward should be sacked or moved into a position hes able for.

We ****ed up last year and as it stands where already after making pretty much a balls out of the last couple of weeks/months.

I just dont know really we can all sit here and moan and figure out how to fix it or even be positive but none of us know the issues and whats causing them.

All we know is for a club this size with the money we have and the power and brand we have in world football we have become a total joke when it comes to buying and selling players.