Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2015 - Mod Post in OP 23/07

IamtheWalrus

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Disappointing that it looks like we are going to get into August without buying the centre back and forward player we need.

I wounder if it is because LVG has an opinion that we are ok (deluded imo) or United have simply failed to get the signings he has wanted so far.

Most likely. LVG isn't the settling type. If his time at the helm is short, he'll be desperate for a PL medal.

Roquentin

tbh if we dont get a CB, i wouldnt be too worried. i think with the guys in front of us we can still excel. if di maria goes though, i think we need a replacement unless we use adnan

Manutd_4life

utdreport.com ‏@UtdReport

There are currently no ongoing talks for Pedro between #mufc and Barcelona. [tv3]


Well all the reports today on Utd and transfer targets seem to be that we are no longer pursuing these targets. No Ramos, Otamendi, Pedro etc

dahat

Came across this on Twatter...

@UtdReport: Embargoed quotes from Louis van Gaal will be released at 22:30 BST. Media say they are 'encouraging'. #mulive

Mitch Connor

v3ttel wrote: »

LVG isn't "deluded". Woodward hasn't "failed" to get the players LVG wants. That's just the way of the world. More signings are on the way IMHO.

But this places your argument on the basis your opinion is more signings are on the way.

The noises out of OT at the moment indicate it was Ramos or nothing at CB, and we aren't getting Ramos - so based on that he considers CB fine. Noises also suggest he isnt looking for a central striker but a wide/pacey/creative player- so of the three positions you mention the current train of thought is United aren't even looking at two of them. Spanish papers saying we haven't spoken to Barca at all about Pedro.

Obviously it could be that United are simply keeping it quiet a bit like Darmian - but we did have solid links to Schneiderlin (though the announcement took media by surprise) Schweinsteiger and Romero prior to their signing. there were links in Italy for Darmian a little bit before his signing.

My opinion is that United should be after a top class winger and a top class CB; but it sounds like we are only even trying for the winger, and thats it.

If Di Maria leaves and we are done with signings as current mutterings suggest, it will turn out to be a bad summer imo.

Manutd_4life

dahat wrote: »

Came across this on Twatter...

@UtdReport: Embargoed quotes from Louis van Gaal will be released at 22:30 BST. Media say they are 'encouraging'. #mulive

Hopefully it is Di Maria related

Lord TSC

Manutd_4life wrote: »

Well all the reports today on Utd and transfer targets seem to be that we are no longer pursuing these targets. No Ramos, Otamendi, Pedro etc

Tbh, it strikes me the media have nothing, but can't not print stories, so are trying to spin that ignorance into "United are doing nothing".

Mitch Connor

Lord TSC wrote: »

Tbh, it strikes me the media have nothing, but can't not print stories, so are trying to spin that ignorance into "United are doing nothing".

From what I've read on the fanzines (from people with links to media and the club) it is United who have briefed that we are not in for Otamendi and are happy with the CB options - not the media making that up. The club could be lying, but its what they are saying.

Adamcp898

Mitch Connor wrote: »

From what I've read on the fanzines (from people with links to media and the club) it is United who have briefed that we are not in for Otamendi and are happy with the CB options - not the media making that up. The club could be lying, but its what they are saying.

Hopefully it's just Ed using the press as a mouthpiece to try and drive down the price because there's reports that Valencia are already looking to offload Negredo over money issues so presumably if they're already being prudent they'd be open to any "competitive" offer for Otamendi.

Pro. F

Jayop wrote: »

Last season he played 26 games in the league, had an average whoscored rating of 7.23 (I know ratings are subjective but that's fair imo), had 5 assists, 2 goals and 4 MOTM awards. That's a very decent return.

Most of his main attacking play was in the build up to goals and not as the direct assist maker so he doesn't get the awards there. His link up play after Christmas on the left with Blind and Fellaini was pivotal, especially int eh City game where he was amazing.

Whoscored ratings and MOTM awards are really bad ways to judge a performance. And assists aren't nearly as good as chances created because they don't account for chances missed by teammates. Young only had 1.48 chances created per 90 minutes in the league (according to squawka), which is pretty poor for a winger. And he only played two league games as a wing-back/full-back, so that wouldn't explain it either.

I don't see this build up play that you say he's been doing. He hasn't been coming in field to play like a CM which could lead to that type of play.

I think these descriptions of "pivotal", "amazing in the City game" and "genuinely excellent for a year now" are all vast exaggerations.

Sand

The reality is that nobody outside the club knows what LVG and Woodward are up to or what their schedule is. They've signed 5 players so far, and most people were caught completely by surprise on practically all of them except maybe Memphis. If there was an order of priority on what the team needed at the start of the summer it was CM-CM-RB-LW-CB-ST.

I think a CB should be signed to replace Evans if nothing else, a ST is a lesser priority if Hernandez is sticking around. But I wouldn't consider the transfer window a failure if it finished today. Luckily it remains opens for more than a month.

Manutd_4life

Big season for Luke Shaw

Van Gaal: "I think that it shall be the season of Luke Shaw. I believe in him and he has to feel that and I hope he shall show it." [men]

Van Gaal: "Luke Shaw is a big talent. He’s very young so it’s not so easy for him to come from Southampton to as big a club as #mufc." [men]

adox

https://twitter.com/jamesrobsonmen/status/626143790055747584

markc91

sofireland wrote: »

Buffalo wild wings will probably show it - failing that the Lucky Leprechaun, in fact there are a couple of English / Irish bars on the Wet n Wild end of IDrive

Lord TSC wrote: »

I Drive is absolutely littered with sports and Irish bars, so I can't imagine you'll have much trouble finding it

Cheers guys!

Adamcp898

Mark Ogden wrote:

Pedro, 28, has told friends that he is set to move to Old Trafford and an outline agreement is already in place, with United prepared to trigger the player’s £22m escape clause.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/11769360/Man-Utd-news-Adnan-Januzaj-set-for-central-role.html

Manutd_4life

Hope it is true but English journalists are the most unreliable out of them all.

MythicalMadMan

Pro. F wrote: »

Whoscored ratings and MOTM awards are really bad ways to judge a performance. And assists aren't nearly as good as chances created because they don't account for chances missed by teammates. Young only had 1.48 chances created per 90 minutes in the league (according to squawka), which is pretty poor for a winger. And he only played two league games as a wing-back/full-back, so that wouldn't explain it either.

I don't see this build up play that you say he's been doing. He hasn't been coming in field to play like a CM which could lead to that type of play.

I think these descriptions of "pivotal", "amazing in the City game" and "genuinely excellent for a year now" are all vast exaggerations.

What are chances created exactly, is it an assisted shot or is it more than that.

One thing I've noticed about Young but haven't followed in depth, when we are on a counter attack he runs in a straight line, which means he doesnt draw any defenders or make good angles for a pass.

I'll be watching out for it in the coming season if he plays because I could just be noticing the minority.

MythicalMadMan

I've asked before but what striker could we possibly sign that is of a high enough standard that would be happy to sit on the bench?

Rayne Wooney

Does Van Gaal think Jones, Smalling, Rojo Blind and Evans are good enough options to challenge for the league? Even if we were guaranteed a miraculous injury free season for those 5 I'd still have my doubts

Jayop

Pro. F wrote: »

Whoscored ratings and MOTM awards are really bad ways to judge a performance. And assists aren't nearly as good as chances created because they don't account for chances missed by teammates. Young only had 1.48 chances created per 90 minutes in the league (according to squawka), which is pretty poor for a winger. And he only played two league games as a wing-back/full-back, so that wouldn't explain it either.

I don't see this build up play that you say he's been doing. He hasn't been coming in field to play like a CM which could lead to that type of play.

I think these descriptions of "pivotal", "amazing in the City game" and "genuinely excellent for a year now" are all vast exaggerations.

Are you for real?

He got a goal, 2 assists and MOTM against City in a huge game for us. If you don't think our set up play down the left with him, Blind and Fellaini was pivotal for the wins against Liverpool, Spurs and City then you're blind or didn't watch the games.

I said that his whoscored rating was subjective, but over the course of the season I'd say he was well worth it.

As for his chance creation, 1.5 per game is decent actually given how stale we were all over the pitch and the job of work he did defensively.

Mata played 33 games with 50 chances so his was 1.51, very similar without half as much defending being done.

DiMaria created 1.88 per game.

Rooney 1.36 per game

Herrera 1 per game



Stats are useless without the full picture.

Hazard was 2.63

Oscar 0.88 per game

Sterling 2.14

Hazard 3.00


The only players significantly better than him at chance creation last year int he entire league are out and out forwards with little defensive work to do in more settled sides.

Sand

Jayop wrote: »

As for his chance creation, 1.5 per game is decent actually given how stale we were all over the pitch and the job of work he did defensively.

Relying on Young as one of our forward players had quite a bit to do with how stale we were all over the pitch. He just isn't that good. The defensive work is admirable, but its not what is truly prized in an attacking player.

Jayop

FFS, so we're stale because of young yet his stats in chance creation are second best in our team.

This is a pointless argument because your minds are made up and no amount of good performances from him or good stats to back them up are going to change your minds.

Pro. F

Your Airbag wrote: »

Thats the ponit, people would not have been critical of him when he was playing well. Why would they?

They criticise him when his form goes to a low level. Its simple really

If anybody is changing there opinion on Evans from thinking he is good enough for United to being delighted that he would be sold based on a bit of poor form when he hasn't been getting regular game time then obviously that would be fairly daft too.

Your Airbag wrote: »

Yes you can, if your using that as a come back to my relaible player post you missed the point entirely.

No I got your point, I just think it's wrong. It's not foolhardy to start Darmian ahead of Valencia, because Darmian is a much better full-back than Valencia and he will have had a full preseason to get ready. If he does struggle when the competitive games come around then Valencia can be brought back in. Darmian has to be put into the team at some stage and there's no need to be so cautious as to delay from the start of the season.

UnitedIrishman

Mitch Connor wrote: »

But this places your argument on the basis your opinion is more signings are on the way.

The noises out of OT at the moment indicate it was Ramos or nothing at CB, and we aren't getting Ramos - so based on that he considers CB fine. Noises also suggest he isnt looking for a central striker but a wide/pacey/creative player- so of the three positions you mention the current train of thought is United aren't even looking at two of them. Spanish papers saying we haven't spoken to Barca at all about Pedro.

Obviously it could be that United are simply keeping it quiet a bit like Darmian - but we did have solid links to Schneiderlin (though the announcement took media by surprise) Schweinsteiger and Romero prior to their signing. there were links in Italy for Darmian a little bit before his signing.

My opinion is that United should be after a top class winger and a top class CB; but it sounds like we are only even trying for the winger, and thats it.

If Di Maria leaves and we are done with signings as current mutterings suggest, it will turn out to be a bad summer imo.

Do you not think it's a case that you're willing to believe all the negative press about United not signing players and then willing to discard any links to other players that we could sign. How can it be a 'bad summer' if we have a 'formidable midfield' as you put it before, solved the RB issue, sign a winger (one of your two requisites above) whilst keeping De Gea? (remains to be seen.. just like the fact that the signings have finished remains to be seen)

Also saying there were solid links before the signings we'd done, there was weeks of work done before the press even got a sniff about those players. It's revisionist to say that there were links to these players - most of our business was out of the blue. Schneiderlin was joining according to the press, then going to Arsenal, then we'd abandoned plans to get him because we got Schweinsteiger and suddenly he was signed.

MythicalMadMan

Jayop I stood up for Young a bit last year, as I felt he was the best person on form to play the his position, but I also feel If we are to be winning legaues and Champions leagues he isnt the quality to be starting IMO.

Most people will commend him on doing a great job last year. I think watching him his decision making or quality of diliverence just isnt up to a top level.

Like stats can say a lot without telling the true or full story.

What % of our attacks happened down the left side compared to middle and right last season out of curiosity?

Jayop

MythicalMadMan wrote: »

Jayop I stood up for Young a bit last year, as I felt he was the best person on form to play the his position, but I also feel If we are to be winning legaues and Champions leagues he isnt the quality to be starting IMO.

Most people will commend him on doing a great job last year. I think watching him his decision making or quality of diliverence just isnt up to a top level.

Like stats can say a lot without telling the true or full story.

What % of our attacks happened down the left side compared to middle and right last season out of curiosity?

Like I've said all along I've got a front three of Depay, Rooney and Mata in my team for the Spurs match with Young on the bench. I know he's not a worldie, but he's not the bum some are making out and he absofukinglutly wasn't the cause of our turgid attacking play last year.

As for the stats of where our goals came from I don't know where I'd find that. I'm not actually a stat obsessive normally.

Sand

Jayop wrote: »

Like I've said all along I've got a front three of Depay, Rooney and Mata in my team for the Spurs match with Young on the bench. I know he's not a worldie, but he's not the bum some are making out and he absofukinglutly wasn't the cause of our turgid attacking play last year.

As for the stats of where our goals came from I don't know where I'd find that. I'm not actually a stat obsessive normally.

He wasn't *the* cause. But relying on an attacking player who scored so few goals, and laid on so few assists has quite a bit to do with it.

I get the sense we're basically agreeing. Young did okay last season but he's not good enough for where United want to be and how United want to play. What more is there to say?

Jayop

MythicalMadMan wrote: »

Jayop I stood up for Young a bit last year, as I felt he was the best person on form to play the his position, but I also feel If we are to be winning legaues and Champions leagues he isnt the quality to be starting IMO.

Most people will commend him on doing a great job last year. I think watching him his decision making or quality of diliverence just isnt up to a top level.

Like stats can say a lot without telling the true or full story.

What % of our attacks happened down the left side compared to middle and right last season out of curiosity?

Here's the 4th part of all the goals last season. I'm not going though all 4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbV7yIPfto0

In that video by quick count there was....

16 goals
9 from the left (including the pen Vs Palace because iicr it was a handball from the left)
6 directly involving Young at least. (several set pieces that didn't show who won them)

So in the last part of the season including all the massive games Vs top 4 rivals...

56% of goals from left
37.5% directly involved Young

MythicalMadMan

Jayop wrote: »

Like I've said all along I've got a front three of Depay, Rooney and Mata in my team for the Spurs match with Young on the bench. I know he's not a worldie, but he's not the bum some are making out and he absofukinglutly wasn't the cause of our turgid attacking play last year.

As for the stats of where our goals came from I don't know where I'd find that. I'm not actually a stat obsessive normally.

TBH then I dont think many are disagreeing with you, young is a perfectly viable squad option in most peoples eyes

I guess your phraseology made you seen more on board with him then most here feel but I agree he is a perfectly viable squad option and I hope he is that over being a starter.

MythicalMadMan

Jayop wrote: »

Here's the 4th part of all the goals last season. I'm not going though all 4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbV7yIPfto0

In that video by quick count there was....

16 goals
9 from the left (including the pen Vs Palace because iicr it was a handball from the left)
6 directly involving Young at least. (several set pieces that didn't show who won them)

So in the last part of the season including all the massive games Vs top 4 rivals...

56% of goals from left
37.5% directly involved Young

Cheers ty for that, I didnt even end up making a point for that when I asked for the stat and I'm not having a go but I would think in a high possesion based team when your right hand side doesnt do enough in an attacking sense and I'd blame Valencia mostly :pac:

A lot of the attacking end product mainly crosses into the box, pull backs etc would come from the left hand side and would maybe give young a higher % chance creation than he would if the team was better balanced.

Thats just merely conjecture for discussion purposes on my part though.

Jayop

MythicalMadMan wrote: »

TBH then I dont think many are disagreeing with you, young is a perfectly viable squad option in most peoples eyes

I guess your phraseology made you seen more on board with him then most here feel but I agree he is a perfectly viable squad option and I hope he is that over being a starter.

Nah, I said all along that in my ideal side he's not starting but I was feeling guilty for that. That's how we got onto this big discussion.

MythicalMadMan wrote: »

Cheers ty for that, I didnt even end up making a point for that when I asked for the stat and I'm not having a go but I would think in a high possesion based team when your right hand side doesnt do enough in an attacking sense and I'd blame Valencia mostly :pac:

A lot of the attacking end product mainly crosses into the box, pull backs etc would come from the left hand side and would maybe give young a higher % chance creation than he would if the team was better balanced.

Thats just merely conjecture for discussion purposes on my part though.

Anything that did come from the right was from Mata so you're probably correct in that. I think Darmian will provide much better overlaps so hopefully we should see an increase in chances from that part of the pitch.

We were actually also pretty productive though the middle in that video if you watch it. Some sexy goals.

DM_7

With the four outfield signings already made I can understand no CB signing if van Gaal believes in the players already there. Only willing to but a top class player as bringing in another defender takes chances away from others makes sense to me in some ways.

I can understand him giving a chance to someone like Januzai as a striker if he believes that the qualities are there. Hernandez returning has actually improved one of the options based on what Falcao was last season (could argue about Hernandez v RvP). Both players and Memphis add pace to attack as well ad their own skill variety.

That reinforced midfield provides a better platform for the existing players (at end of last season) to take the chances offered to them.

Its also based on van Gaal's record, how he helped other teams by utilising players in different ways, Blind as a left back for national side, freedom offered to Robben, Alaba to full back, Schweinsteiger to cm etc.

Pro. F

Jayop wrote: »

Are you for real?

He got a goal, 2 assists and MOTM against City in a huge game for us. If you don't think our set up play down the left with him, Blind and Fellaini was pivotal for the wins against Liverpool, Spurs and City then you're blind or didn't watch the games.

I said that his whoscored rating was subjective, but over the course of the season I'd say he was well worth it.

As for his chance creation, 1.5 per game is decent actually given how stale we were all over the pitch and the job of work he did defensively.

Mata played 33 games with 50 chances so his was 1.51, very similar without half as much defending being done.

DiMaria created 1.88 per game.

Rooney 1.36 per game

Herrera 1 per game



Stats are useless without the full picture.

Hazard was 2.63

Oscar 0.88 per game

Sterling 2.14

Hazard 3.00


The only players significantly better than him at chance creation last year int he entire league are out and out forwards with little defensive work to do in more settled sides.

He played well against City. "Amazing" is an exaggeration, just like saying that he was genuinely excellent for the last year was.

The link-up play amongst the groups of three down the left and right was important when the season eventually got going, but calling Young pivotal as if he was doing more than a passable job in a team that had started to play well is again an exaggeration. And those team performances still had serious issues to do with a lack of cutting edge and creativity.

You might think Young was worth his whoscored rating, but since it's an awful way to judge a player anyway then it's an utterly irrelevant fact to bring up.

None of the players you mention there were playing as out-and-out forwards and you have Hazard down with two different numbers.

Mata had 1.95 chances created per 90 minutes according to Squawka (just dividing by the number of games as you did is less accurate), compared to Young's 1.48. So Mata was significantly better at creating chances than Young plus he scored a lot more goals and completed a lot more passes, and I wouldn't even say that Mata was genuinely excellent. Di Maria, bad and all as he was struggling, still pissed all over Young's number with 2.80. Rooney played half the season in CM and still got 1.41.

Chances created per 90 minutes in the EPL in 14/15 from a good spread of players:
Hazard 2.67
Sterling 2.22
James Milner 2.66
Tadic 2.98
Alexis Sanchez 2.42
Victor Moses 1.99
Chadli 1.53
Lamela 2.35
Chris Brunt 1.56
And even these two LBs:
Baines 2.27
Robbie Braddy 1.78

So yeah, Young's 1.48 chances created per 90 minutes is pretty poor from a winger.

Pro. F

Jayop wrote: »

Nah, I said all along that in my ideal side he's not starting but I was feeling guilty for that. That's how we got onto this big discussion.

Didn't you say that he has been genuinely excellent for a year now? I wouldn't have disagreed with you if you'd only been saying you were feeling guilty for not picking him in your best 11.

The_Kew_Tour

I see few papers have Pedro in United Jersey tomorrow.

Hopefully true.

Pro. F

MythicalMadMan wrote: »

What are chances created exactly, is it an assisted shot or is it more than that.

One thing I've noticed about Young but haven't followed in depth, when we are on a counter attack he runs in a straight line, which means he doesnt draw any defenders or make good angles for a pass.

I'll be watching out for it in the coming season if he plays because I could just be noticing the minority.

Chances created is assists plus key passes. Key passes are like any pass that puts the receiver in a good situation to score. Iirc assists can also come from a shot that the keeper spills, if it's a good shot. There are a few lads making a call to judge these things For each game, but the end result is usually fairly sensible.

Interesting point about Young running in straight lines. I think it can be okay in some situations, but it's worth looking out for as you say.

duffman13

The guardian running with PSG offering £29m for Di Maria. They and he can **** off, if that is the offer I'd say Eds given it the deserved treatment

Pro. F

TheDoc wrote: »

Something not sitting right with me about the way we have lined up this pre-season. He can't go through another massive tactical shift, unless he is just adding some depth to the shapes the team can play. Possible he want sto go the 4-2-3-1 route against Totenham, a tricky away game ,and why its featuring so much.

but I expect in most games for him to be playing his regular 4-3-3. I would have interpreted our good stuff towards the back end of last season, to have been a 4-3-3 also.

If 4-2-3-1, or what we are seeing in pre-season (which is different) is the new default and reliable, then yeah its a big shift and Hererra is a bit in trouble. But part of me thinks it's maybe something he might be looking at for some of the tough away fixtures, and his 4-3-3 will be the norm throughout next season.

All speculative I guess on my part, be something to keep an eye out for alright. I think Hererra was too good for large portions of the second half f the season for him not to fit into Van Gaals plans. He took his medicine, went off and learned what LVG wanted, and came back as one of our best players for large portions.

I think you give Van Gaal too much credit. I'd describe what happened as Van Gaal trying Herrera because nothing else had worked up to that point, Herrera continuing to be the player he'd always been (ie not the ultra disciplined type Van Gaal favours) and Van Gaal putting up with it because Herrera was helping the team to play better.

MythicalMadMan

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I see few papers have Pedro in United Jersey tomorrow.

Hopefully true.

Not startig tonight via Chelsea but taking that Pique, Iniesta, Rafinha, Alba are leaving too

It would peak my interest though if he doesnt come on and the rest do

MythicalMadMan

Having watched all the pre season games, it will make me dissapointed when (i think) or if Herrea doesnt start, he seems to be trying to organise people to get into positions they should be.

But in fairness you cant tell much from TV, I remember playing with a fella who tried to do exactly what the manager said.

One season we had to be more vocal for calling for the ball, this dude took it to heart roaring for the ball at any given opportunity, he could be the other end of the pitch and you'd here him bellowing.

One game when I was on the sidline I encouraged him to shoot anytime he got the ball (SHOOOOOT). He must have taken 5 pot shots from the half way line untill I was told to shut up or go home.

Oops sidetracked am point sometimes u can try too hard

Cantona's Collars

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I see few papers have Pedro in United Jersey tomorrow.

Hopefully true.

https://twitter.com/sport/status/626171060279484417

Maximus Alexander

zerks wrote: »

https://twitter.com/sport/status/626171060279484417

What idiots - no matter what happens he'll never wear that jersey. :pac:

irishchris

Wasn't van gaal due to have press conference tonight?

RobertKK

Mark Ogden is reporting that Ajax will not play Jasper Cillessen in the CL games so he is not cup tied. It indicates De Gea is still likely to be sold.

Also both Shaw and Januzaj went on holidays together as most know earlier in the summer and took a fitness trainer from United with them.
They were not asked to, but both players felt they needed things to change for this season, LVG seems to be impressed with both and their commitment.
I do think both players have looked a lot stronger and more developed in their bodies, a bit like how De Gea transformed his physique.
Januzaj is expected to get a lot more game time this season, easier too with more matches.

Trigger

Oh Memphis. Don't you tease me like that...

https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/626218987542544385

irishchris

RobertKK wrote: »

Mark Ogden is reporting that Ajax will not play Jasper Cillessen in the CL games so he is not cup tied. It indicates De Gea is still likely to be sold.

Yet de boer quoted this morning as saying he will not sell cillessen. In fairness if he is he is probably trying to hurry up the transfer in order to get replacement in

ScummyMan

zerks wrote: »

https://twitter.com/sport/status/626171060279484417

We're signing Luis Figo?? :P

Your Airbag

Pro. F wrote: »

If anybody is changing there opinion on Evans from thinking he is good enough for United to being delighted that he would be sold based on a bit of poor form when he hasn't been getting regular game time then obviously that would be fairly daft too.

I never mentioned his game time, only his form. I know your constant need to get the last word in but don't go putting words in my mouth please.

Adamocovic

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Does Van Gaal think Jones, Smalling, Rojo Blind and Evans are good enough options to challenge for the league? Even if we were guaranteed a miraculous injury free season for those 5 I'd still have my doubts

Considering the highlighted 3 have all challenged, and won the league before in CB I'd imagine it isn't a crazy notion for VG to think they are good enough options

I know people want a new CB but the way people seem to go on about our CBs you'd swear our options were zig and zag or something.

I don't think it's too crazy to think we could pick a good CB combination from Jones, Smalling, Evans, Rojo, Blackett, McNair and Blind.

Would a world class CB improve us? Yes, without doubt. If we fail to get one will we be doomed to a terrible season? Not at all. The way people are so adamant on how good they feel our CBs our I can imagine next season even when they are not to blame for defeats they will still get it from a large amount of people.

Adamocovic

Pro. F wrote: »

Chances created per 90 minutes in the EPL in 14/15 from a good spread of players:
Hazard 2.67
Sterling 2.22
James Milner 2.66
Tadic 2.98
Alexis Sanchez 2.42
Victor Moses 1.99
Chadli 1.53
Lamela 2.35
Chris Brunt 1.56
And even these two LBs:
Baines 2.27
Robbie Brady 1.78

Still gutted we let Brady go...perhaps the world class signing VG speaks of?? :pac: