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

homerjay2005

intellectual dosser wrote: »

We lost to Swansea at home, not pretty, but its not grounds for a crisis.

nothing has changed since Saturday to be honest. we were in crisis for the last 12 months - the only magnification of the crisis is a growing injury list and a shortening timeframe to deadline day - most peoples optimism was based as much on us signing top class players as much as it was based on us getting LVG.

for me the only things thats changed since last saturday is that our problems still have not been solved and another 5 days have passed, 5 days closer to sept 2nd.

Mitch Connor

intellectual dosser wrote: »

My underlying feeling is that we shouldnt be losing faith. I dont believe LVG would have taken the job had he not been given control and support in transfers. We lost to Swansea at home, not pretty, but its not grounds for a crisis.

My understanding/opinion is that United planned/expected to get deals done in a better manner this summer, it was expected to have stuff done early. LVG would have been assured of support because I genuinely believe the club felt confident we wouldn't repeat the failings of last summer.

That we haven't got deals done is not down to a lack of money, it is down to poor execution in the transfer market again.

I stand by my opinion that we moved (poorly) for Fabregas, Bale and Ronaldo last summer - again, the intent was there, just no good execution.

It is the execution at United that is the proble, not (imo) the intent.

mufc1993

xtal191 wrote: »

80-90m would prob only get Di Maria and Khedira

Only approximate figures. Khedira 25 mil Varane 20 mil Di Maria 45 mil roughly.

bullvine

Was Scholes not saying a few weeks ago that United would be 20-30% better this season with Van Gaal, now after a defeat hes spewing stuff about being scared. Hes as bad as the rest of us, one defeat and we're all panicking!

Mitch Connor

bullvine wrote: »

Was Scholes not saying a few weeks ago that United would be 20-30% better this season with Van Gaal, now after a defeat hes spewing stuff about being scared. Hes as bad as the rest of us, one defeat and we're all panicking!

20% better would still have us stuggling for the CL.

Headshot

bullvine wrote: »

Was Scholes not saying a few weeks ago that United would be 20-30% better this season with Van Gaal, now after a defeat hes spewing stuff about being scared. Hes as bad as the rest of us, one defeat and we're all panicking!

Its not the manner of the defeat even thou it was quite hard to take. Its the debacle of the transfer window again. I think Paul like most of us saw a great summer of transfer business happening but overall its quite disappointing.

bucketybuck

intellectual dosser wrote: »

While there is no way of knowing for sure, maybe the club has returned to being shrewd and getting things done instead of providing water cooler gossip and ending up with egg on face (ie. Fabregas)

I have a very simple way of knowing for sure if they are getting things done. I just look at our midfield options and then ask "What has been done?".

At the minute the answer is "not nearly enough".

kippy

bullvine wrote: »

Was Scholes not saying a few weeks ago that United would be 20-30% better this season with Van Gaal, now after a defeat hes spewing stuff about being scared. Hes as bad as the rest of us, one defeat and we're all panicking!

It's not just the defeat thats had people "panicking" to be fair.
Its the glaring holes and lack of improvement in the squad less than 10 days from the end of the deadline.

TheTownie

Ancelotti says Di Maria wants out.

Sport Witness ‏@Sport_Witness 1m
A glum looking Carlo Ancelotti has said Di Maria wants out but if a deal isn't done by end of window he'll continue as normal.

Whatsisname

Ancelotti just said Di Maria wants to leave

Copper_pipe

Ancelotti: "Di Maria asked to leave and he refused an new contract offer but he's a Real Madrid player till we find a solution" @ManUtd

MagicIRL

QUICK, TO THE PRINTING PRESSES!!

homerjay2005

bullvine wrote: »

Was Scholes not saying a few weeks ago that United would be 20-30% better this season with Van Gaal, now after a defeat hes spewing stuff about being scared. Hes as bad as the rest of us, one defeat and we're all panicking!

i am sure his optimism was based on the promise of new players, like everybody else.

look at it this way, would a win sunday change things as next week progresses? i dont think so. theres wider issues at play here than just one game.

the only thing that can lift this mess is 1 or 2 proper top class signings.

bullvine

kippy wrote: »

It's not just the defeat thats had people "panicking" to be fair.
Its the glaring holes and lack of improvement in the squad less than 10 days from the end of the deadline.

I agree, and when Sept 2nd comes, Woody will deserve all the abuse he gets, last summer can be excused as a settling in period but hes had 12 months to get this right and he appears to have fcked it up still!

twam2008

Yeah, and Di Maria wants to double his salary. Will Van Gaal want to change the system to accommodate Di Maria?

homerjay2005

how long now before we put a bid in? i guess its a straight fight now between us and PSG.

Mitch Connor

Di Maria wants to leave, and LVG specifically named him as the type of quality player we lack... you've got your fecking hint woodward!

IN saying that though, I think we are a backup choice (behind any side offering CL football) for Di Maria, and I exepct it will be PSG who find a 'solution' to his problems at Madrid.

I also don't think Di Maria would solve the two biggest issues with the squad - CM and CB, so I would worry about him being an ineffectual vanity signing.

Jules.Winnfield

Liam O wrote: »

A player who was deemed useful enough to come on at the weekend and actually looked bothered by the fact that United were losing? That alone disproves the fact he's not needed in the squad. Works well with Rooney too who doesn't seem to have a great understanding with a lot of the current crop.

I'll be very interested to see who Sporting get in the CL this season.

One sub appearance does not make him important to the club. Obviously if Van Gaal wanted him to stay and be part of the squad he wouldn't have gone anywhere.

I reckon he got the game down to injuries and a distinct lack of quality in the squad.

Van Gaal has said that our wingers aren't up to scratch and that we don't have the players to play his 4-3-3 so if Nani isn't good enough to be a part of a 4-3-3 he certainly isn't good enough to play as one of a front pair in the 5-3-2, not a wing back and we are deep enough at No.10 - that to me says he isn't needed in the squad.

Also I think most would agree on here that his performances over the last 2 (maybe more) seasons simply haven't been good enough so as for linking up well with Rooney...? hasn't happened in years so that would be an irrelevant point. He can't continually coast around a top club on performances well over 2 years ago.

I too will watch Sporting with some intrigue this season (though Benfica are my Portuguese team ). I wish Nani all the best for the future, but his time in Manchester would seem to be done.

Lord TSC

twam2008 wrote: »

Yeah, and Di Maria wants to double his salary. Will Van Gaal want to change the system to accommodate Di Maria?

If anything, I think it would suit the system he wants to play as opposed to the one he has to play right now....

Mitch Connor

twam2008 wrote: »

Yeah, and Di Maria wants to double his salary. Will Van Gaal want to change the system to accommodate Di Maria?

I suspect he wants to - to revert to his more favoured 433, but we don't have the central midfield to support a change to 433, Di Maria wouldn't solve that.

bullvine

Van Gaal will play 4 at the back eventually, Di Maria would fit into that.

Does anyone think the signing of Roja would be a sweetener for DiMaria?

MagicIRL

Surely Di Maria allows LVG to play his 4-3-3? What does the team line up like for this formation? Wheres Di Maria gonna play?

homerjay2005

twam2008 wrote: »

Yeah, and Di Maria wants to double his salary. Will Van Gaal want to change the system to accommodate Di Maria?

yes...Di Maria is exactly the type of player he needs.

dare we get a little bit excited by this?

Headshot

So anyone going to do a formation that will include Di Maria. Im curious

redbaron_99

MagicIRL wrote: »

Surely Di Maria allows LVG to play his 4-3-3? What does the team line up like for this formation? Wheres Di Maria gonna play?

I would see him playing left side of the midfield three.

Still one midfielder short though. Fletxher and cleverley aren't gonna cut it anymore.

Mitch Connor

MagicIRL wrote: »

Surely Di Maria allows LVG to play his 4-3-3? What does the team line up like for this formation? Wheres Di Maria gonna play?

lines up with a porous central midfield and a backline lacking real quality. Also, with RVP or Rooney on the bench, which would surprise me.

Irish94

Interesting to see that Scholes doubts whether Jones and Smalling are good enough to play CB. Usually when posters here give out about one or the other I wouldn't pass any heed on it because they would not see the player every day, but Scholes has played with these guys and watched them in training for 2/3 years. It is kind of worrying I think.

We are awful in the transfer market, especially when it comes to young English players. Spending the guts of £60 million on Zaha, Young, Jones and Smalling. Was there any big clubs after these players (Europe included)? I know Arsenal were after Jones.

Don't get me wrong, I think Jones and Smalling are fine players and I hope Zaha too can have a fine career. It is do or die though in the next 18 months for these players IMO. But it is worrying when Scholes is doubting there ability.

FutureGuy

homerjay2005 wrote: »

yes...Di Maria is exactly the type of player he needs.

dare we get a little bit excited by this?

Nope. Not even getting the slighted bit excited. He mightn't want to join us or United don't want him.

Player in a shirt. Then I get excited.

Mitch Connor

homerjay2005 wrote: »

yes...Di Maria is exactly the type of player he needs.

dare we get a little bit excited by this?

if you want to be disappointed.

redbaron_99

Mitch Connor wrote: »

lines up with a porous central midfield and a backline lacking real quality. Also, with RVP or Rooney on the bench, which would surprise me.

Explain..?

The_Kew_Tour

We are not signing Di Maria.

bangkok

Headshot wrote: »

So anyone going to do a formation that will include Di Maria. Im curious

4-3-3 diamond

---

de gea

---

Rafael

---

Jones

---

rojo

---

shaw

---

carrick

---

---Herrera

---

di maria----

---

mata

---

---

wazza

---

rvp

---

Cookiemunster

Irish94 wrote: »

Interesting to see that Scholes doubts whether Jones and Smalling are good enough to play CB. Usually when posters here give out about one or the other I wouldn't pass any heed on it because they would not see the player every day, but Scholes has played with these guys and watched them in training for 2/3 years. It is kind of worrying I think.

We are awful in the transfer market, especially when it comes to young English players. Spending the guts of £60 million on Zaha, Young, Jones and Smalling. Was there any big clubs after these players (Europe included)? I know Arsenal were after Jones.

Don't get me wrong, I think Jones and Smalling are fine players and I hope Zaha too can have a fine career. It is do or die though in the next 18 months for these players IMO. But it is worrying when Scholes is doubting there ability.

I think Liverpool were sniffing around Jones at the time and SAF said he bought him a year earlier than he planned because of interest from other clubs.

Mitch Connor

redbaron_99 wrote: »

Explain..?

433 (defensive)

---

DDG
Rafael--CB--CB--Shaw

---

Carrick
---Herrera-Fletch(?)
Januzaj

---

Di Maria

---

Rooney

433 (offensive)

---

DDG
Rafael--CB--CB--Shaw
---Carrick-Herrera

---

Mata
Januzaj

---

Di Maria

---

Rooney

or

---

DDG
Rafael--CB--CB--Shaw
---Carrick-Herrera

---

Rooney
Januzaj

---

Di Maria

---

RVP

Spazdarn

Yeah Di Maria is not happening. I'd love for it to happen but it's not.

xtal191

Woody better get his ass to Madrid get Khedira too while he's at it.

paulbok

TheTownie wrote: »

Ancelotti says Di Maria wants out.

Is that an actual transfer request by Di Maria?

redbaron_99

Mitch Connor wrote: »

433 (defensive)

---

DDG
Rafael--CB--CB--Shaw

---

Carrick
---Herrera-Fletch(?)
Januzaj

---

Di Maria

---

Rooney

433 (offensive)

---

DDG
Rafael--CB--CB--Shaw
---Carrick-Herrera

---

Mata
Januzaj

---

Di Maria

---

Rooney

or

---

DDG
Rafael--CB--CB--Shaw
---Carrick-Herrera

---

Rooney
Januzaj

---

Di Maria

---

RVP

You're only selecting him as a forward. If we were to buy him it would wide midfield.

Herrera--carrick--Di Maria

Headshot

bangkok wrote: »

4-3-3 diamond

---

de gea

---

Rafael

---

Jones

---

rojo

---

shaw

---

carrick

---

---Herrera

---

di maria----

---

mata

---

---

wazza

---

rvp

---

Id love to see that but the gaping hole in CM and the CB's dont fill me with confidence

xtal191

https://twitter.com/FutbolSergi/status/502412106583384065

Get both of them please

redbaron_99

xtal191 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/FutbolSergi/status/502412106583384065

Get both of them please

Yeah that would basically sort out our problems in one swoop

MagicIRL

Throw all the money at Madrid for both Di Maria and Khedira. Oh my god, do it nowwwwwwwwwwwwww!

Headshot

xtal191 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/FutbolSergi/status/502412106583384065

Get both of them please

I dont rate Khedira that highly but I would still take him in the heart beat. It just makes so much sense to get these 2 players. They want out and we supposedly have all this money, ****ing prove it Ed

TheDoc

Khedira needs to be a target there. He's SOO good. A nice steely defensive midfielder with an underestimated/rated drive and engine.

**** Di Maria, Khedira should be the focus of our attention after that now.

And in all honesty, Madrid owe us a decent sale or two after the players we moved onto them, with little fuss.

The_Kew_Tour

Madrid owe us big style.

homerjay2005

Headshot wrote: »

It just makes so much sense to get these 2 players. They want out and we supposedly have all this money, ****ing prove it Ed

we are setting outselves up for a massive fall yet again, arent we?:(:(:(:(

nothing that makes sense works with United.

MagicIRL

FUTUREGUY

Leroy42

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Madrid owe us big style.

Madrid owe us nothing. You'll find the the players we sold them wanted to go and they paid us for them.

TheDoc

Clearly getting ahead of ourselves, but Woodward could really save, and inflate his reputation, by doing good business in the next 7 days.

Khedira and Di Maria would be a massive coup. Massive.

Spazdarn

I think since I've started reading this thread I've become borderline depressed. I wake up go to work, come in here for the latest gossssss and I leave work disappointed and dejected that these football manager-esque mega transfers haven't come good. I'm aware that I will do the same thing tomorrow....

sadness