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

Your Airbag

Lord TSC wrote: »

It was a fair few weeks before we got word that we had bid (and been rejected) for Reus. There was talks of Muller briefly, but its only recent comments that let us know a contract was supposedly offered of some sort. If Rojo hadn't used his instrgram to start following people, it's likely that our pursuit of him would have taken far longer to come to light (the contract saga wouldn't have been as big a story, and no mention of United was made offically till the day or two before he signed).

I think it's perfectly logical to presume that inquiry letters, at the least, were sent out, asking if players were available, and when a firm No was sent back, we moved on. It won't always get to bids or whatever, since it's at the stage now where an official bid is the near-final step of the process, but I'd be 100% confident in saying we made approaches for players this summer and they weren't leaked to the press.

Didn't UTD deny they were in for Reus and Muller?

Enquiry letters? I doubt that happens. Maybe an enquiry call ended with a "hes not for sale" but bids can still be made. Agents contacted directly

edit: saw your letters comment above

Mitch Connor

Zico wrote: »

If the Chief Executive of the club was doing his job well most people wouldn't know what his name was.

Good chance vermaelen and Vidal would be, IMO.

DM_7

United probably never spoke to Bayern about Kroos. They would have people talking to his people. I find it impossible to think Van Gaal said do not buy Kroos. Pay 1.5 times that for Herrera. The thing that changes would be contact from Madrid people to Kroos that killed of any United deal. Going there with promise of first choice and wads of cash was a no brainer.

Not wanting Cesc I could see but I reckon when it went to the crunch a London club in Champions League with a chance of winning it would have won out there as well.

United position this season is a major issue for getting players in where serious competition exists from a major club. If Di Maria happened, it will be for the same reasons Mata happened, United could pay, player gets well rewarded and they consider playing for United acceptable or a big deal. But it won't be their ideal destination.

homerjay2005

i wonder what happened this week that changed Van Gaals stance from.

"it takes 24 hours to complete a transfer"

to

“It’s not so easy to buy and sell in the football market,”

DM_7

homerjay2005 wrote: »

i wonder what happened this week that changed Van Gaals stance from.

"it takes 24 hours to complete a transfer"

to

“It’s not so easy to buy and sell in the football market,”

Reading between the lines. First one was talking about a player like Blind (example) second one is talking about the type of player he knows people are baying for (Hummels, Kroos etc).

Kerrydude1981

U21's playing the Pool tonight on BT Sport 2 programme starting at 6.45.

Might take the mind off the transfer business for a few hours.

TheTownie

Utd U21 XI: J. Pereira; McNair, Thorpe, Varela; Janko, Pearson, Rothwell, Evans; Harrop, A. Pereira; Lawrence

Subs: Weir, O’Hara, Grimshaw, Goss, Willock

Liverpool U21 XI: Ward; McLaughlin, Williams, Jones, Stewart; Rossiter, Lussey; Wilson, Brannagan, Ojo; Peterson

Subs: McGuire, Vigouroux, Canos, Pelosi, Yesil

IrishIrish

Zico wrote: »

If the Chief Executive of the club was doing his job well most people wouldn't know what his name was.

Like Peter Kenyon and David Gill?

I'd say I could name 75% of CEOs in the premier league without having an interest in any of them.

homerjay2005

TheTownie wrote: »

Utd U21 XI: J. Pereira; McNair, Thorpe, Varela; Janko, Pearson, Rothwell, Evans; Harrop, A. Pereira; Lawrence

Subs: Weir, O’Hara, Grimshaw, Goss, Willock

assume that means Wilson is in the squad for sunday then.

does anybody fully expect us to win Sunday?

Mitch Connor

Wilson not in the squad tonight having trained all week with the first team. Interesting.

Painful news on Herrera ffs

TheTownie

homerjay2005 wrote: »

assume that means Wilson is in the squad for sunday then.

does anybody fully expect us to win Sunday?

Hes in with a shout anyway. Not sure is he back to full fitness. Himself, Will & Mike Keane, Nick Powell were training with the 1st team this week.

Its hard to be confident of any result at the moment. Especially with the injuries in CM.

homerjay2005

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Wilson not in the squad tonight having trained all week with the first team. Interesting.

id be delighted to see him in the first 11. we need something new, something fresh.

ElChe32

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Painful news on Herrera ffs

???

*Edit* Ahhh balls just reading now -_-

TheTownie

All credit tooo Roy

https://vine.co/v/MLgUDVAmEtt

adox

IrishIrish wrote: »

I'd say I could name 75% of CEOs in the premier league without having an interest in any of them.

That's just weird.

adox

It's gas. When Carrick got injured a few weeks ago and I thought "well at least that will force Utds hand and they will have to bring some midfielders in".

Since then we have also lost Fellaini and now Herrera and I have no faith that anyone else will be brought in.

The one thing I am clinging to is that it's LVG in charge, not Moyes. I'm still delighted he's at the helm.

Numbers in midfield and at the back are going to cost us big time though aren't they?

Remember the talk of the easy start? 18 points from 18?

Headshot

Your Airbag wrote: »

What evidence from this window have you got to support your belief? For me its down to LVG not Woodward.

If we bid on a player and failed you would have heard about it in the press like last summer.

Woodward will only bid on players LVG instructed him to. Do you think he is going to pop his head into LVGs office and say "hey Louis, you'll never guess who I just signed, I didnt bother to check with you first because i like this player so much"

Players Woodward bid for last summer are or were easier to get this summer, yet no bid. Because LVG hasnt shown interest.

I beleive Woodward would love to spend a load of cash just like he said on top players and be a fan hero but he cant make a move without LVGs nod and right now it looks like LVG is letting very good players slip away.

Iv said in the past that I wouldnt lay all the blame at Woodward but its his job to get the players LVG wants. LVG is one of the best managers around and I just cant see him being one bit happy with this team. I believe LVG is craving for the likes of Di Maria but either Woodward isnt matching LVG's wishes or the board is stopping this spending.

Woodward to me is not a closer, looking from outside it seems he takes an age to close the transfers. I cant prove who is right or wrong but I look at their C.V. LVG a football man and Woodward a specialist in selling the brand. Who would you trust?

That debacle with Felliani last season didnt help Woodward tbh

Nalz

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Painful news on Herrera ffs

how long is he out?

Christy Browne

Saw this on Red Cafe, to the tune of Angels by Robbie Williams :pac::pac::pac:

DM_7

adox wrote: »

It's gas. When Carrick got injured a few weeks ago and I thought "well at least that will force Utds hand and they will have to bring some midfielders in".

Since then we have also lost Fellaini and now Herrera and I have no faith that anyone else will be brought in.

The one thing I am clinging to is that it's LVG in charge, not Moyes. I'm still delighted he's at the helm.

Numbers in midfield and at the back are going to cost us big time though aren't they?

Remember the talk of the easy start? 18 points from 18?

Strootman, he is waiting for him. He has to be. No other reason he wouldn't buy a partner for Herrera.

He is mad and probably thinks the players at United with Herrera added will be plenty. I am praying for a cm that will protect the back three or top class player to bring 4-3-3 into play.

Hococop

So are juventus playing tonight? I know he won't sign but a man can hope ha

statto25

Trilla wrote: »

how long is he out?

At least two weeks. Ankle injury.

Pro. F

Your Airbag wrote: »

1. Fair enough.

2. Thats a lot of trust . The team picked up where they left of last season with poor football but yes it would be too early to freak out but its too early for no.3 especially the quickly as possible part.

Have Kroos, Cesc and CBs in against Swansea would be "turning the team around and heading back towards success as quickly as possible"

Do you believe he passed on them? and have faith they were good calls?

Also you have expressed your own reservations about the 3-5-2 system. My other gripe about that system needing 3 CBs and us only have 3 CBs with first team experience and LVG needing three weeks to assess when its glaringly obvious defenders were needed right away. Not to mention LB cover

If you have trust here thats your call, lets hope its not blind faith. When you match our defens to our rivals it looks like we are very vunerable. Do you turst LVG there also?

It is no way too early to trust that LvG is doing a first class job. He has over 20 years of management experience and a glittering CV on which I can base that trust. You are confusing me saying that he is doing a first class job (which I am not saying, because nobody can know at this stage) with me saying that I am willing to trust that he is.

Asking me whether I believe Van Gaal passed on Kroos and Cesc is a ridiculous question. I have no fúcking clue whether or not he passed on them and neither do you. If he did pass on those two players then yes I am willing to trust that he made the best decision for his project. He has a long history of defying expectations and building successful teams his own way.

Buying Kroos, Fabregas and whatever CBs you want is not the only way of of turning the team around and heading back towards success as quickly as possible while also laying solid foundations for medium and long term success. Maybe it's the way you would do it, I wouldn't be willing to trust you. I'm willing to trust that LvG is doing it in an appropriate way.

I'm sure Van Gaal will make plenty of decisions that I will disagree with. I will criticise those things that I think aren't working and express when I think I see a poor decision being made. But complaining about Van Gaal saying mad shít in public (which he has done all his career) and criticising decisions that we can't even know that he made (Kroos and Cesc), is nonsense that I'm not going to participate in.

Of course it's my call whether I trust Van Gaal.

Blind faith would be a defence like that of Moyes that went right to the death last season. If LvG performs to a similarly poor level then I will be calling for his head too.

I don't think we look very vulnerable when you compare our defensive players to those of our rivals. If I trust that LvG can take us to success as soon as possible then of course I trust that he will be able to manage the defence properly too.

The Big Easy

I think the criticism of Woodward separate and removed from the Glazers is ridiculous. As I said previously he is only doing the job exactly how they want him to.

He is their man in the club, their main point of contact, they don't speak to LvG, they speak to Ed and I'd say they are very happy with his performance.

It is not necessary to say the things he said about breaking transfer records if you are going to do them. It is only necessary to make such statements if you've no intention of doing them but want the fan base and commercial world to believe you can.

It is pretty funny that some people think Woodward is running around putting forward his own agenda. He is doing exactly what the Glazers want him to do otherwise he would not be in the position he is.

Blaming Woodward while absolving the Glazers is mind boggling in my opinion.

adox

Trilla wrote: »

how long is he out?

Initial reports said 6 weeks but I think it was ESPN who later said 2 weeks.

DM_7

And when I say Van Gaal is mad I mean it in a good way, he sees thing we may never see, I called him a head wrecker before as he will make you wonder what the hell he is at and then make you wonder why you doubted him

Robson99

Pro. F wrote: »

If Moyes was still in charge then he would have a full season of awful football and results behind him. LvG has had one competitive game in charge. I don't know about other posters, but I was certainly more patient with Moyes than you are being with LvG.

You know that LvG has a habit of saying weird shít. If you are going to be getting on his back after everything that he says that you find weird or incorrect then you are going to be doing that every weak and that is certainly not supporting the manager. Foolish choice to make.

Who said I'm jumping on his back after everything he says. I was responding to his comments today. He said the other day we can sign a player in 24 hrs. Today its not that simple. He needed time on tour to assess his squad. Now he needs 3 months. I'm not turning again him. Just his spoof today is not what most utd fans were expecting to hear.
Finally there is no need to be continuously looking down on other peoples opinion just because its not in you bible

homerjay2005

The Big Easy wrote: »

I think the criticism of Woodward separate and removed from the Glazers is ridiculous. As I said previously he is only doing the job exactly how they want him to.


Blaming Woodward while absolving the Glazers is mind boggling in my opinion.

hmmm i dunno, we have spent £137m in a year on transfers and in the same time spent £180m on wages.

money isnt the a problem, its who is spending it or more to the point, who we are spending it on.

The Big Easy

And you think Woodward picked any of those players?

I know you think he picked Mata as a vanity signing but at United the manager has always picked the players?

Edit: meant to quote Homer

Pro. F

Robson99 wrote: »

Who said I'm jumping on his back after everything he says. I was responding to his comments today. He said the other day we can sign a player in 24 hrs. Today its not that simple. He needed time on tour to assess his squad. Now he needs 3 months. I'm not turning again him. Just his spoof today is not what most utd fans were expecting to hear.
Finally there is no need to be continuously looking down on other peoples opinion just because its not in you bible

I said you are jumping on his back after everything he says. Well, I actually said "If you are going to...", but now after reading this post, I see that you are turning that way.

Any United fans who weren't expecting spoofing talk out of Van Gaal are idiots. It's not like there wasn't ample evidence of what he is like made available when he took the job.

Headshot

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2731859/Manchester-United-approach-Cruzeiro-transfer-Brazilian-midfielder-Lucas-Silva.html

Ill have to start watching Brazilian football again. Anyone know much about it?

RayCun

Robson99 wrote: »

. He needed time on tour to assess his squad. Now he needs 3 months.

He said weeks ago that he would have a slow start at the club, because it would take months for the players to become proficient in his system

J. Marston

adox wrote: »

It's gas. When Carrick got injured a few weeks ago and I thought "well at least that will force Utds hand and they will have to bring some midfielders in".

Since then we have also lost Fellaini and now Herrera and I have no faith that anyone else will be brought in.

The one thing I am clinging to is that it's LVG in charge, not Moyes. I'm still delighted he's at the helm.

Numbers in midfield and at the back are going to cost us big time though aren't they?

Remember the talk of the easy start? 18 points from 18?

He's a very good manager, not a miracle worker.

And miracles are what we need if we're getting top four with Jones and Smalling at centre back and Fletcher and Cleverley in midfield.

We're screwed.

Kerrydude1981

Is Varela injured lads?

Lucas Hood

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Is Varela injured lads?

Isn't he starting for the u21s tonight?

billyhead

I can see Sunderland beating us on Sunday to be honest. United lost their fear factor months ago (last season) and teams now have a good go at us when their playing us. If we don't make a proper CM signing next week I fear we will finish outside the top 4

DM_7

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Is Varela injured lads?

On his way out soon I imagine (possibly on loan at home), very unsettled in England, he went home for a while last season.

Can't see Van Gaal using him right now.

The Big Easy

homerjay2005 wrote: »

hmmm i dunno, we have spent £137m in a year on transfers and in the same time spent £180m on wages.

money isnt the a problem, its who is spending it or more to the point, who we are spending it on.

I know you keep saying money isn't the problem but did you read my previous post on the different considerations United put into a deal when it comes to deciding how much we spend.

I'm pretty sure you'd love us to sign Vidal but I really believe the main reason we haven't or won't is the raw cost of the deal. Would you not agree with this?

redbaron_99

Lucas Hood wrote: »

Isn't he starting for the u21s tonight?

Story doing the rounds earlier that Madrid are taking him. Odd I know

Kerrydude1981

Lucas Hood wrote: »

Isn't he starting for the u21s tonight?

They must have got him and Vermijl mixed up as Vermijl started the game

ShoulderChip

Can someone give a best guess lineup for sunday please

Blatter

The Telegraph are releasing an Interview between Gary Neville and van Gaal at 11pm.

Nalz

ShoulderChip wrote: »

Can someone give a best guess lineup for sunday please

DDG

Blackett
Smalling
Evans

Young
Valencia

Jones \ Cleverley
Fletcher

Mata

Rooney
RVP

Robson99

Pro. F wrote: »

1. Any United fans who weren't expecting spoofing talk out of Van Gaal are idiots.2. It's not like there wasn't ample evidence of what he is like made available when he took the job.

1. Classy response
2. So when can we expect some serious talk from him???

homerjay2005

ShoulderChip wrote: »

Can someone give a best guess lineup for sunday please

the team he will probably pick -

---

DDG

---

---Jones----Smalling

---

Evans

---

Ravael

---

Young

---

Cleverly

---

Fletcher

---

---

Mata

---

---

Rooney

---

RVP

---

Manutd_4life

Blatter wrote: »

The Telegraph are releasing an Interview between Gary Neville and van Gaal at 11pm.

Oh S**t. Its about to go down

Kirby

ShoulderChip wrote: »

Can someone give a best guess lineup for sunday please

---

DDG

---

---

Not Vidic----Not Rio

---

Not Rafael

---

Not Shaw

---

Not Herrera

---

Not Carrick

---

---

Not Vidal

---

Not Nani

---

Not Di Maria

---

Not RVP

---

redbaron_99

Kirby wrote: »

---

DDG

---

---

Not Vidic----Not Rio

---

Not Rafael

---

Not Shaw

---

Not Herrera

---

Not Carrick

---

---

Not Vidal

---

Not Nani

---

Not Di Maria

---

Not RVP

---

Shut up.

Mitch Connor

For anyone saying Woodward hasn't failed to sign any targets based on there being no talk of failed moves, can you let me know when vermaelen, hummels, muller and Vidal are due to make their debuts?