Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - See Mod Warning in OP, 09/11

RobertKK

Lots of talk from Ducker and Jackson about United planning going on another large spending spree.
Van Gaal told not to worry about the money. United to copy Real Madrid's Galactico policy and United to have an elite player for every position.
Talk of Strootman, hummels, maybe Diego Godin, dani Alves, a winger with Reus a possibility and a striker if Falcao isn't fit enough.
Evans viewed as the best defender out of the trio that includes Jones and Smalling.
Anderson and maybe Fletcher leaving, maybe Reece James too, Cleverley, nani, and Hernandez too.

Van Gaal told he can break the bank in terms of a new transfer record if needed. Potential spend including the signings from Fellaini to the signings in the next 9 months could reach £350 million.

kryogen

Heinze was a great player for us till his injury, he never got back to the same level, the legs went a bit and he didn't respond to the challenge of Evra coming in.

RobertKK

Mark Ogden also going with same story as above, forgot to include Clyne from Southampton too.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/11274476/Manchester-United-manager-Louis-van-Gaal-given-100m-plus-for-top-targets-in-the-summer.html

Will I Amnt

RobertKK wrote: »

Mark Ogden also going with same story as above, forgot to include Clyne from Southampton too.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/11274476/Manchester-United-manager-Louis-van-Gaal-given-100m-plus-for-top-targets-in-the-summer.html

Clyne has the potential to be up there with the very best in the world in that position in a few years time IMO. A big 'yes please' from me.

UnitedIrishman

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

I loved heinze. Hated silvestre

Agree with that one. Silvestre had all the attributes to be an excellent defender but he just did some of the dumbest things I've seen from a United player. Also had this thing in his head where he had to hoof it out of defence towards our strikers, despite a 5 yard pass being available in front of him. Hated seeing him in the lineup most weeks.

Heinze was a mercenary in the end but he put in a shift for us when he played. He may have been always bordering on a red card but his distribution was good and his commitment on the field was unreal. Shame he was an absolute dick to the club by all accounts off the field.

Cantona's Collars

RobertKK wrote: »

Mark Ogden also going with same story as above, forgot to include Clyne from Southampton too.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/11274476/Manchester-United-manager-Louis-van-Gaal-given-100m-plus-for-top-targets-in-the-summer.html

Reus and Cavani in January to add to the list: http://www.squawka.com/news/man-united-looking-at-cavani-and-reus-in-double-transfer/238796

J. Marston

Another warchest?

We go again.

Cantona's Collars

Cantona's Collars

The Mail going with this:

Rayne Wooney

Did anyone else take a second glance thinking Robben was Howard Webb?

Vic Vinegar

I wouldn't want Alves or Robben at the club. They are very good players, I just don't like them.

I would prefer Clyne instead of Alves and Depay instead of Robben.

bucketybuck

Trilla wrote: »

Hated Silvestre? The man was a bit dodge at times but had some great seasons at LB and oddly one really good season at CB.

The problem was that he never had a full season of being good, every run of good form would invariably be followed by a rash of mistakes, which is why he could never nail down a guaranteed place in the team.

KH25

I'm actually finding it hard to think of a player I really hated. Over the last few years Valencia has really irritated me with his ineptness but I wouldn't say I outright hate the guy.

I can't even say I hate Tevez for going to city. I think United were just as responsible for that. He was a smashing player for us. His antics at City were what changed my opinion of him.

RVD420

Rio Ferdinand, while he was a great player for the majority of his time at United, his stupid hairstyles, Twitter nonsense, #5 hats, and general muppetry always got on my nerves. :mad:

SpuddMurphy

I'd rather stick with what me have at the moment rather than over pay in Janruary, unless a top quality player is available in a position we need for a decent price of course. Don't want to turn into a Madrid, city, Chelsea type team that just spend loads of money every window..

Will I Amnt

SpuddMurphy wrote: »

I'd rather stick with what me have at the moment rather than over pay in Janruary, unless a top quality player is available in a position we need for a decent price of course. Don't want to turn into a Madrid, city, Chelsea type team that just spend loads of money every window..

Yeah, no point in spending like the European champions, Premier League champions or the Premier League champions elect...

SpuddMurphy

Will I Amnt wrote: »

Yeah, no point in spending like the European champions, Premier League champions or the Premier League champions elect...

United fans for years have criticised these teams for "ruining football" so after Fergie goes it's ok to do the same thing those teams are doing? I'm just saying I'd rather buy a player or two in certain positions but for the most part promote youth

fatherted1969

Heinze was a lot of things, but warrior he was not. Was made out to be a hard man and put in a few tackles but hard men dont fall over the second their touched and brandish an imaginary card to referee. I went right off Heinze when he started that crack.

brinty

Hummels, Reus, Cavani, Laporte, Godin, Alves, Clyne, Depay...wooohoooooo
Falcao and Valdes might be signed permanently
There must be a transfer window opening soon.
I find it more interesting these days to see who's going out the door.
Looks like Nani, Andowson, Fletcher, Lindegaard, Clevelrly, Zaha will all be gone. Powell barely getting game time at Leicster will be sold too.

Ok i'm saying it now.....
where's our sneijder and vidal... thats who we really want
let recommence these window long saga's

The Moldy Gowl

SpuddMurphy wrote: »

United fans for years have criticised these teams for "ruining football" so after Fergie goes it's ok to do the same thing those teams are doing? I'm just saying I'd rather buy a player or two in certain positions but for the most part promote youth

Then we will end up like Liverpool and arsenal, languishing in the upper middle bit of the table.

This romance of promote youth and play for the fans was all well and good 10 years ago, it's pretty much dead now. If you want to win trophies and stay the best, you need to spend on big players.

You can't hope a youth player becomes good when you can buy a player 2/3 years older who ha become good, or hope your players grow to be the best, when you can buy the best.

Will I Amnt

SpuddMurphy wrote: »

United fans for years have criticised these teams for "ruining football" so after Fergie goes it's ok to do the same thing those teams are doing? I'm just saying I'd rather buy a player or two in certain positions but for the most part promote youth

United have spent massively with Fergie at the helm before the oligarchs and sheikhs came along. What United fans complained about was a mediocre club getting their fortunes turned around overnight by the swipe of a pen on a blank cheque after watching their own club take years to build their position as a financial powerhouse.

The Moldy Gowl

Utd have been spending bigger than anyone else for the last 20 years. There was no magic involved. We bought players.

You could almost say we started to ruin football.

SpuddMurphy

I see United fans saying we need 2 top quality Centre backs, in my opinion we need 1, if we get any more players like McNair won't get the chance to turn into 1st team players.
People saying we need to sign Cavani, who I think is a sloppy player who scores goals but isn't who I'd like to see us sign, and if he came Wilson wouldn't get his chance either?
My point is basically we should wait for Summer and buy players that we actually need instead of just saying "Ye we need Hummels, Reus, Cavani etc" just because we're not top of the league.. Also Ed Woodward said we wouldn't be spending in January unless summer targets became available

fatherted1969

SpuddMurphy wrote: »

United fans for years have criticised these teams for "ruining football" so after Fergie goes it's ok to do the same thing those teams are doing? I'm just saying I'd rather buy a player or two in certain positions but for the most part promote youth

United broke transfer record after transfer record in my time following them. Birtles, Robson in early eighties right through Keane, Pallister in nineties and Veron and Ferdinand in noughties. People used to trot out that line fergie included but aside from the 5 lads brought through in 92 united were pretty similar to every club identifying players and buying them only ye know better :-)

Montroseee

SpuddMurphy wrote: »

I see United fans saying we need 2 top quality Centre backs, in my opinion we need 1, if we get any more players like McNair won't get the chance to turn into 1st team players.
People saying we need to sign Cavani, who I think is a sloppy player who scores goals but isn't who I'd like to see us sign, and if he came Wilson wouldn't get his chance either?
My point is basically we should wait for Summer and buy players that we actually need instead of just saying "Ye we need Hummels, Reus, Cavani etc" just because we're not top of the league.. Also Ed Woodward said we wouldn't be spending in January unless summer targets became available

Wilson and McNair are only 19, they'll both probably be loaned out next year with the hope of becoming squad players the next season. I always find this attitude of waiting for youth strange, in all likelihood both players will not make it at UTD. If you wanted the club to promote youth in such a way, really you'd have to say goodbye to competing for the league and CL, it doesn't happen like that and none of the other big clubs do it. If you look at things objectively, if even two of Wilson, Powell, Blackett, McNair, Lingard, Keane, James, Thorpe etc. make it long-term at Utd., we'd being doing very well.

The Moldy Gowl

I for one would prefer cavani and hummels to Wilson and McNair.

If those 2 lads are as good as people think, they will take get there first team spots that is the caliber we should be playing in the team.

SpuddMurphy

SpuddMurphy wrote: »

I see United fans saying we need 2 top quality Centre backs, in my opinion we need 1, if we get any more players like McNair won't get the chance to turn into 1st team players.
People saying we need to sign Cavani, who I think is a sloppy player who scores goals but isn't who I'd like to see us sign, and if he came Wilson wouldn't get his chance either?
My point is basically we should wait for Summer and buy players that we actually need instead of just saying "Ye we need Hummels, Reus, Cavani etc" just because we're not top of the league.. Also Ed Woodward said we wouldn't be spending in January unless summer targets became available

Some of us not all. One CB would do.
We have enough there IMO, the problem is keeping them fit and to have stability in the selection.
Smalling should always start.

The other CB is a coin toss at the moment;
Rojo (Starting to impress me), Jones (constant fitness issues), a selection of youth with both Blackett & McNair, (I'm not sure if LVG has complete faith in these two or that he's just using them forcefully because of injuries) Evans and the potential for Blind when he returns (Carrick seems to have regained form since his return as a holding midfielder-ish and I'm not sure how Blind would fit in with Fellaini / Carrick rubber stamping midfield).

SpuddMurphy

I can see why people would want Hummels and all but he is so injury prone, may be one of the best defenders but we need a commanding centre back who will play nearly all season

Billy86

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

Utd have been spending bigger than anyone else for the last 20 years. There was no magic involved. We bought players.

You could almost say we started to ruin football.

Which I agree we need to spend because of the squad deteriorating so much in the last 4-5 years until this summer, an interesting bit of trivia is that the first year under Ferguson that we ever had the biggest First Division /Premiership spend in the transfer market in any one season was leading into 98/99!

Your Airbag

You'll barely get 3 players for 100m. No chance of getting 5 for 100m in this day and age.

The_Kew_Tour

Juventus got some very good quality few seasons ago for far less then 100m.

We just like to throw the money around these days sadly.

Your Airbag

It does say 100+ so who knows.

Reus I think is gone. He's an injury magnet now and that will only increase if he plays in the BPL.

A season or two out of Robben if we get him cheap would not be a bad idea.

Hummels, yes please. Godin or Coleman, yes please. Another top CB or even Vidic back in January too.

I have a problem with Strootman be constantly linked with us. He just doesn't have that x-factor, he's not a bad player but he is in the mould of Carrick and Blind. Safe reliable but nothing explosive ala Toure or Fabregas. I've watched him play a bit and he's been neat and tidy but I was left with a "meh" feeling overall.

Herrera is a different type of player but right now he is doing the basic stuff well and roaming forward a bit but its not really clicked yet with him, there is potential but right now he's in Carrick/Blind territory.

I'm not slating our midfeild, its solid and safe right now, just not dynamic and aggressive.

I don't think Strootman is a bad player or anything like it but we would have three very similar players in there when what I want to see is a world class MF player. Right now it looks like Fellaini is our star midfielder. He breaks things up, can get a great pass off and gets forward a lot.

I'd rather put faith in him becoming our MF star instead of spending a high amount on Strootman. Thats only if we are not going for a Vidal type player.

Then Strengthen the defence correctly and a class winger or two and even another striker maybe and we will be fearsome.

J. Marston

Your Airbag wrote: »

You'll barely get 3 players for 100m. No chance of getting 5 for 100m in this day and age.

God be with the days where £50 million could get you a Van Nistlerooy and a Veron with change left for a Mr. Freeze and a pack of Monster Munch.

duffman13

Your Airbag wrote: »

It does say 100+ so who knows.

Reus I think is gone. He's an injury magnet now and that will only increase if he plays in the BPL.

A season or two out of Robben if we get him cheap would not be a bad idea.

Hummels, yes please. Godin or Coleman, yes please. Another top CB or even Vidic back in January too.

I have a problem with Strootman be constantly linked with us. He just doesn't have that x-factor, he's not a bad player but he is in the mould of Carrick and Blind. Safe reliable but nothing explosive ala Toure or Fabregas. I've watched him play a bit and he's been neat and tidy but I was left with a "meh" feeling overall.

Herrera is a different type of player but right now he is doing the basic stuff well and roaming forward a bit but its not really clicked yet with him, there is potential but right now he's in Carrick/Blind territory.

I'm not slating our midfeild, its solid and safe right now, just not dynamic and aggressive.

I don't think Strootman is a bad player or anything like it but we would have three very similar players in there when what I want to see is a world class MF player. Right now it looks like Fellaini is our star midfielder. He breaks things up, can get a great pass off and gets forward a lot.

I'd rather put faith in him becoming our MF star instead of spending a high amount on Strootman. Thats only if we are not going for a Vidal type player.

Then Strengthen the defence correctly and a class winger or two and even another striker maybe and we will be fearsome.

If you think Rues is an injury magnet then Hummels is in the same category. Vidic in January should be a definite no, great servant to the club but he's been toxic at Inter. Vidal seems to have either had a lot of niggling injuries or is being managed closely as he has missed a good few games this year. Strootman is class but I'd rather wait 6 months and see if he stays fit. In fairness if your looking for bite Strootman or Vidal can help deliver that but both have fitness issues!

Cantona's Collars

What's the craic with all the talk of Di Maria wanting to leave,the only one with a modicum of sense on this topic is The Star (yes The Star) who say his only problem at the club is his lack of English & that he loves the pace of the game in the EPL which suits his style - doesn't sound like a player wanting out to me.

Your Airbag

duffman13 wrote: »

If you think Rues is an injury magnet then Hummels is in the same category. Vidic in January should be a definite no, great servant to the club but he's been toxic at Inter. Vidal seems to have either had a lot of niggling injuries or is being managed closely as he has missed a good few games this year. Strootman is class but I'd rather wait 6 months and see if he stays fit. In fairness if your looking for bite Strootman or Vidal can help deliver that but both have fitness issues!

Your right on all of that. Each of them have injury concerns. Strootman does offer more bite than Carrick/Blind thats correct too but for me he is just not at a high enough level as the likes of Toure, Kroos, Alonso, Fabregas etc

Fellaini looks like our most complete MF player right now. Very physical, a good aerial threat in both defense and attack, decent pace for someone his size, versatile (he was a winger for large parts of the game on tuesday), quality passing ability although he can be a little sloppy under pressure and good goal scoring ability plus he works hard for the defense.

If its down to taking a risk on Strootman I'd rather Fellaini become the centre piece and build around him. I'd like to see him as a no. 10 a bit more but Rooney is hard to dislodge, if that happens then there is room for Strootman behind him.

Reus and Hummels would be two real world class additions if they stay healthy. Risky though. If only we could get them on loan?

Vidic does looks unsettled an Inter but he is playing in a bad defense in a league thats new to him. He could be rock solid again for a season or two back here.

Cantona's Collars

https://twitter.com/howardnurse/status/540797260292841472

Lord TSC

Certainly seems to have been a briefing this morning which is awesome.

I hate Robben as a person but I'd be quite happy to have him as OUR bad person. :P

Liam O

Robben and Alves would turn United into the football retirement home. These players are approaching MLS age. Shaqiri, Depay, heck even Nani would be better than Robben purely due to age factors and Alves isn't good enough defensively to play right back for United.

I'd risk Reus for 25m though even though he has injury trouble. A lot of players struggle with injuries around his age and get past them later.

Cantona's Collars

Lord TSC wrote: »

Certainly seems to have been a briefing this morning which is awesome.

I hate Robben as a person but I'd be quite happy to have him as OUR bad person. :P

“I am 30 now, it is not like I want to go to a new league,” Robben said. “I have been in England, I have been in Spain, so I don’t have that desire, but that is all to do with the club I am with now. I am 100 per cent convinced I will stay here for a very long time.”

Your Airbag

Liam O wrote: »

Robben and Alves would turn United into the football retirement home. These players are approaching MLS age. Shaqiri, Depay, heck even Nani would be better than Robben purely due to age factors and Alves isn't good enough defensively to play right back for United.

I'd risk Reus for 25m though even though he has injury trouble. A lot of players struggle with injuries around his age and get past them later.

Robben is arguably top five in the world material. He's playing at such a high level and is 30yrs old. He's not MLS material just yet. There is a lot of threat left in him.

Agree on Alves though. Would much prefer Coleman.

Your Airbag

Christ, Giggs looks like he's about to rub one out at the Christmas party and those pants on Rooney. Someone stole Di Maria's missus shoes?

Kerrydude1981

In my best Ron Managers accent

Di Maria down the left
Robben down the right
Rooney through the middle

Marvellous

TheDoc

WAY too early for me to get remotely involved in transfer speculation for NEXT summer .

But if Hummels is being touted as a target, and Godin, that spells the end for Phil Jones I'm afraid. If Smalling keeps up his performance levels hard to justify selling him, Rojo looks like he could be a quality CB. McNair has been impressive as has Blackett and would be good backup for the next 2 seasons.

Jones and Evans are looking in big trouble unless they shake their injuries and get decent spells in the side.

Cantona's Collars

Your Airbag wrote: »

Christ, Giggs looks like he's about to rub one out at the Christmas party and those pants on Rooney. Someone stole Di Maria's missus shoes?

http://i.imgur.com/Cuv5Y7P.jp

Errm..

bucketybuck

bucketybuck wrote: »

We both know he would just freeze in a situation like that.

Trust in LVG, I think he can bring the best out of him. Same goes for Young IMO

Both players already look much improved from last season.

bucketybuck

TheDoc wrote: »

McNair has been impressive as has Blackett and would be good backup for the next 2 seasons.

I'm happy of course that these two lads came in and gave solid performances when they were needed, but did they really show anything to suggest that they will be good enough to be regular starters for us in years to come?

Backstreet Moyes

Liam O wrote: »

Robben and Alves would turn United into the football retirement home. These players are approaching MLS age. Shaqiri, Depay, heck even Nani would be better than Robben purely due to age factors and Alves isn't good enough defensively to play right back for United.

I'd risk Reus for 25m though even though he has injury trouble. A lot of players struggle with injuries around his age and get past them later.

Robben is the best winger in the world and it's not even close what a bizarre statement.

GK1001

M!Ck^ wrote: »

I remember silvestre having a few howlers though, he never liked defending cornor kicks the poor lad

He had a 50p coin for a head...that boy never new where the ball was going to go when he stuck his noggin on it...he was infuriating in his last couple of years but I liked him...good song too

Liam O

Nuts102 wrote: »

Robben is the best winger in the world and it's not even close what a bizarre statement.

With a history of injuries and into his 30s now...would probably cost 25 odd million too. Would be a good signing for Fifa but I'd rather sign the next Robben while LVG is there to coach him than go all out for 1 or 2 seasons.