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

Adamocovic

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I see few papers have Pedro in United Jersey tomorrow.

Hopefully true.

Doubtful, he wears Nike boots so don't see Adidas allowing him to be our big name signing with the kit deal so soon.

(Note: I am only joking don't take it seriously :P)

Giggsy11

Pro. F wrote: »

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

I don't think Young was "brilliant" but he was good for his level considering everyone though for sure he will be sold just like Fellaini.

But he didn't play as winger whole season. He played first half of the season as LWB with no support from anyone.

IMO he was good tactically and worked very hard at both end of pitch which was good to see.

Pro. F

Your Airbag wrote: »

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.

I didn't say that you mentioned his game time, I brought it up. He hasn't been getting regular game time over the last season, this is a fact which would obviously affect a player's form.

Pro. F

Giggsy11 wrote: »

I don't think Young was "brilliant" but he was good for his level considering everyone though for sure he will be sold just like Fellaini.

But he didn't play as winger whole season. He played first half of the season as LWB with no support from anyone.

IMO he was good tactically and worked very hard at both end of pitch which was good to see.

Those are his chances created in league games and he only played two league games as a full-back/wing-back, according to football-lineups.com and whoscored.com. They might only be based on where he started games, so you could add one or two more occasions of him switching during games. But even when he did play as a wing-back the the team was set up to get the wing-backs forward and crossing, so he still should have been creating at a better rate imo.

He did all right for what he is, I wouldn't disagree with anybody saying that.

bangkok

ScummyMan wrote: »

We're signing Luis Figo?? :P

that's pedro!!

Liam O

Giggsy11 wrote: »

I don't think Young was "brilliant" but he was good for his level considering everyone though for sure he will be sold just like Fellaini.

But he didn't play as winger whole season. He played first half of the season as LWB with no support from anyone.

IMO he was good tactically and worked very hard at both end of pitch which was good to see.

While playing LWB he was given a lot of freedom and was crossing a lot, without success. The LCB was basically playing as a defensive LB behind him, that's the point of the system. He was wasting plenty of good positions no matter where he played.

homerjay2005

i think we have hit a bit of a wall now in terms of transfers and looks like things will take a while to sort - it is very plausible now that some things wont be resolved until the end of the window, something i think that nobody on here expected given the previous two summers.

the way i see it is that United wont sell Di maria unless PSG stump up serious cash. until Di Maria is sold, we wont replace him.

we appear to be no nearer signing a striker either and/or a center half. its all very strange at the moment, we really should have all this sorted by now especially with the Spurs game and more importantly the CL qualifiers, approaching fast.

Pro. F

Adamocovic wrote: »

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.

I agree with this idea except for one important thing, the injuries. It becomes really hard to pick a good combination when two of the most senior players, Jones and Smalling, are so injury prone. Van Gaal most likely will have a restricted and disrupted choice to try and build his CB combination from the players you list there.

That's the reason - far more than age, experience, leadership and those sorts of things - that we should buy another CB imo.

Giggsy11

Pro. F wrote: »

Those are his chances created in league games and he only played two league games as a full-back/wing-back, according to football-lineups.com and whoscored.com. They might only be based on where he started games, so you could add one or two more occasions of him switching during games. But even when he did play as a wing-back the the team was set up to get the wing-backs forward and crossing, so he still should have been creating at a better rate imo.

He did all right for what he is, I wouldn't disagree with anybody saying that.

He played 14 games as wingback and as a wingback he won't have anyone making overlapping runs or help him out. I would say playing wingback is very hard and especially for a winger who is more used to playing with overlapping fullbacks.

v3ttel

duffman13 wrote: »

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

If that's true (and I think it's very unlikely), Ed should just fax this back:



With the message "£59.7m or stop boring the hole off me"

Giggsy11

Liam O wrote: »

While playing LWB he was given a lot of freedom and was crossing a lot, without success. The LCB was basically playing as a defensive LB behind him, that's the point of the system. He was wasting plenty of good positions no matter where he played.

No. He wasn't given freedom and playing as wingback is much harder role than as LB.

Cantona's Collars

Well played Tesco,well played.

Pro. F

Giggsy11 wrote: »

He played 14 games as wingback and as a wingback he won't have anyone making overlapping runs or help him out. I would say playing wingback is very hard and especially for a winger who is more used to playing with overlapping fullbacks.

I just went through the league campaign on the United page on football-lineups there and you're right. I don't know what the fùck they and whoscored were on about on Young's summary page saying he only played two games in that position (well I assume they are calling wing-back left midfield, which is dumb). So the chances created discussion was a waste of time as we've got nobody to compare him to (as a winger spending half his season at full-back/wing-back).

Sticking with the eyeball test then he hasn't done nearly enough imo to be called genuinely excellent, which is what started this discussion. He's done an important job helping out and being flexible and disciplined, but that's the height of it.

TheDoc

What was that post about restricted quotes due for release that was good news for fans?

homerjay2005

Athletico Madrid have put in a bid for Daley Blind but we have rejected it.

DM_7

homerjay2005 wrote: »

i think we have hit a bit of a wall now in terms of transfers and looks like things will take a while to sort - it is very plausible now that some things wont be resolved until the end of the window, something i think that nobody on here expected given the previous two summers.

the way i see it is that United wont sell Di maria unless PSG stump up serious cash. until Di Maria is sold, we wont replace him.

we appear to be no nearer signing a striker either and/or a center half. its all very strange at the moment, we really should have all this sorted by now especially with the Spurs game and more importantly the CL qualifiers, approaching fast.

Speak for yourself on the nobody expected part. 4 important signings were made in time for the pre season tour is the type of thing I was hoping for.

If United are looking at bringing in more players is it really surprising that would take longer?

Any more signings won't feature heavily in the early part of the season. The players that have already played in pre season will be the ones Van Gaal will select from. If United bring in more players over the next few weeks great, they will be important as the season goes on but not the first couple of weeks of August. I think that is okay considering the work already done.

Cantona's Collars

bangkok

homerjay2005 wrote: »

Athletico Madrid have put in a bid for Daley Blind but we have rejected it.

source?

bucketybuck

Giggsy11 wrote: »

No. He wasn't given freedom and playing as wingback is much harder role than as LB.

Thats just making excuses for him. The simple fact is that Ashley Young doesn't score goals or provide assists because his final ball simply isn't good enough for the level we are supposed to be at.

You just have to look at Nani or Di Maria, every time they were on the field it was immediately apparent that they offered more creativity than Ashley Young, for all their own faults they did show what was possible from a winger at Manchester United.

There is little point in searching for tenuous justifications for Young's poor goals/assists return, he just doesn't have the quality needed.

TheDoc

homerjay2005 wrote: »

Athletico Madrid have put in a bid for Daley Blind but we have rejected it.

There are stories going around this morning, but I think they are intentional spins or misinterprets of Blinds interview yesterday, where he said he was offered to join Athletico Madrid last summer, before choosing United.

Black_Knight

astradave wrote: »

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

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

Where's de Gea?

RayCun

DM_7 wrote: »

Speak for yourself on the nobody expected part. 4 important signings were made in time for the pre season tour is the type of thing I was hoping for.

It looks like all the essential signings - Memphis, Darmian, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger - were made early so they could go on the tour and settle in.
Anyone added after this is a 'nice to have'. If Van Gaal thought we needed a new CB, he'd have bought one a month ago.

The mistake two years ago was for the club to set their sights on players who could never be more than 50/50. Yeah, you might be able to get Bale, or Ronaldo, or Ramos (or Muller, Vidal, Pogba...) but their clubs might just refuse to sell. If you're trying to get one of those players to improve your team, that's fine. If you need one of those players to plug a hole, and the transfer window closes without you getting him, you're screwed

v3ttel

homerjay2005 wrote: »

it is very plausible now that some things wont be resolved until the end of the window, something i think that nobody on here expected given the previous two summers.

Again, we've signed 5 players. If anybody thought that we would sign 7 or 8 players before the start of the season, they were always very, very likely to be disappointed.

Signing #6 before the season starts is still a possibility, which is a positive surprise to me, at least.

homerjay2005 wrote: »

we appear to be no nearer signing a striker either and/or a center half

This is complete speculation.

homerjay2005 wrote: »

until Di Maria is sold, we wont replace him.

Again, this is complete speculation. Let me do the same: I would guess that if he is sold, we will replace him with a player with "speed and creativity"

homerjay2005 wrote: »

i think we have hit a bit of a wall now in terms of transfers and looks like things will take a while to sort

It's been 48 hours signed we've signed a player.

We spent about £40m about 2-3 weeks ago.

Hardly "hitting a wall" unless you expect us to spend that kind of money pretty much every other week.

Your Airbag

People are starting to get restless again. Its amazing how entitled people get during the transfer window.

We have upgraded our midfield significantly. This means Blind can play CB if needed. Last year we were ravaged by injuries. Hopefully we won't be as injury struck this season so it would free up Rojo to play CB also.

That leaves us Blind, Rojo, Smalling, Jones and Evans as CB options without tapping into the academy. Not too bad. Blind and Rojo will have a years EPL experience under their belts too.

If we managed to keep DDG and ADM and the window ended right now it will have been a very good window. If DDG goes and Ciliessen comes we will be a bit weaker but hopefully with more stable CB pairings and better cover from the bolstered midfield any new keeper will not be called into action as much.

Hurler85

I would expect to see movement on Di Maria after the PSG match. It is entirely plausible that there is an agreement in place for the transfer but they are just waiting to get the friendly out of the way before announcing it.

Giggsy11

Pro. F wrote: »

I just went through the league campaign on the United page on football-lineups there and you're right. I don't know what the fùck they and whoscored were on about on Young's summary page saying he only played two games in that position (well I assume they are calling wing-back left midfield, which is dumb). So the chances created discussion was a waste of time as we've got nobody to compare him to (as a winger spending half his season at full-back/wing-back).

Sticking with the eyeball test then he hasn't done nearly enough imo to be called genuinely excellent, which is what started this discussion. He's done an important job helping out and being flexible and disciplined, but that's the height of it.

I agree. He wasn't excellent but he was good squad player and offered lot of tactical flexibility. I'm happy with him as a squad player.

bucketybuck wrote: »

Thats just making excuses for him. The simple fact is that Ashley Young doesn't score goals or provide assists because his final ball simply isn't good enough for the level we are supposed to be at.

You just have to look at Nani or Di Maria, every time they were on the field it was immediately apparent that they offered more creativity than Ashley Young, for all their own faults they did show what was possible from a winger at Manchester United.

There is little point in searching for tenuous justifications for Young's poor goals/assists return, he just doesn't have the quality needed.

Yeah, he isn't as good as Nani and Di Maria. No one is arguing he is and making excuses.

Mitch Connor

Your Airbag wrote: »

People are starting to get restless again. Its amazing how entitled people get during the transfer window.

We have upgraded our midfield significantly. This means Blind can play CB if needed. Last year we were ravaged by injuries. Hopefully we won't be as injury struck this season so it would free up Rojo to play CB also.

That leaves us Blind, Rojo, Smalling, Jones and Evans as CB options without tapping into the academy. Not too bad. Blind and Rojo will have a years EPL experience under their belts too.

If we managed to keep DDG and ADM and the window ended right now it will have been a very good window. If DDG goes and Ciliessen comes we will be a bit weaker but hopefully with more stable CB pairings and better cover from the bolstered midfield any new keeper will not be called into action as much.

The Ajax fans wanted shot of Blind when he was being played in defence, then he was moved to midfield and he prospered and they loved him. MOving him back into defence is a poor idea imo. He lacks pace, strength in the air and a physical pressence. I can't see how he makes a good CB at all. Much like Blackett, I reckon if he was right footed we wouldn't be seeing him there, because he (like Blackett imo) isn't a good enough CB.

IMO, only three of the options you have listed (Rojo, Smalling and Jones) are worth considering as proper options for the full season and even with that three there are big question marks over ability, leadership and ability to stay fit.

I feel 'entitled' to be restless on this point as I feel a CB was a priority requirement this summer as far back as last summer - so getting to this point of the current window with nothing done on a top CB and it looking like nothing will be done (current briefings from United) is extremely worrying.

As I said yesterday - I do like Rojo, Jones and Smalling individually, but none inspire confidence as a unit because they are all too headless.

If we don't sign a top CB my opinion is that we will finish 3rd at best and win no cups. Our defence will falter without a top class leader when it matters.

ericzeking

I think we're more likely to sign a forward than a CB at the moment...if Evans was sold and say Blackett went on loan I'd reckon a CB would be imminent but as it stands I'd say there won't be one coming.

Our defense was good last season once everything settled down and Carrick was fit. That will continue to improve and we've added some bad as$ holding midfielders.

Hey.... LVG and his staff had us talking about signing Ron feckin Vlaar this time last year after his Dutch performances...they will make fine jobs of what we have. I expect Jones, Smalling et al to be excellent in the coming season.

Good Times

pmasterson95

Pro. F wrote: »

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.

So do you think we should break the bank to try and sign Tadic? Or try to get the unwanted Lamela on the cheap?

Discodog

Just a thought but if the Di Maria deal doesn't go through what's going to be his frame of mind & will he reestablish himself?

I would trust De Gea to be professional but I wouldn't be so sure with Di Maria

Pro. F

pmasterson95 wrote: »

So do you think we should break the bank to try and sign Tadic? Or try to get the unwanted Lamela on the cheap?

I'd have Tadic and Lamela ahead of Young easily, but I wouldn't break the bank for either of them.

Pro. F

If Di Maria were to stay then this front six would make a load of sense:

Carrick Schneiderlin
Mata Memphis Di Maria
Rooney

There's a great balance of pace, crossing, goal threat, off the ball movement and trickery from the four attackers and Carrick and Schneiderlin would provide a good defensive foil for the slightly inconsistent tracking back we might expect from Mata and Di Maria.

I'd be of the opinion that Carrick and Schneiderlin aren't good enough when pressed and together they'd cause the team to struggle playing it out from the back against top opposition. But then you have Darmian/Valencia and Shaw who are excellent at carrying the ball forward from full-back and a GK who is comfortable with the ball at his feet (if DDG stays or a suitable replacement is brought in) so he can help pick out longer passes to bypass an opposition press. It wouldn't be my choice for how to set up a team, but it's nice to see a clear logic to Van Gaal's thinking and I can see it being fairly effective.

I think a huge amount will depend on the quality of DDG's replacement. It's not a position you want to comrpomise on, but that might have to happen. Di Maria's replacement would be more straight forward imo.

Alf Veedersane

Pro. F wrote: »

If Di Maria were to stay then this front six would make a load of sense:

Carrick Schneiderlin
Mata Memphis Di Maria
Rooney

There's a great balance of pace, crossing, goal threat, off the ball movement and trickery from the four attackers and Carrick and Schneiderlin would provide a good defensive foil for the slightly inconsistent tracking back we might expect from Mata and Di Maria.

I'd be of the opinion that Carrick and Schneiderlin aren't good enough when pressed and together they'd cause the team to struggle playing it out from the back against top opposition. But then you have Darmian/Valencia and Shaw who are excellent at carrying the ball forward from full-back and a GK who is comfortable with the ball at his feet (if DDG stays or a suitable replacement is brought in) so he can help pick out longer passes to bypass an opposition press. It wouldn't be my choice for how to set up a team, but it's nice to see a clear logic to Van Gaal's thinking and I can see it being fairly effective.

I think a huge amount will depend on the quality of DDG's replacement. It's not a position you want to comrpomise on, but that might have to happen. Di Maria's replacement would be more straight forward imo.

I'd swap Depay and Di Maria in that line-up.

RobertKK

SportBild say United are still after Thomas Muller. That United could face competition from Real Madrid and Liverpool for him. I doubt Liverpool...
United they say are prepared to pay whatever is required and a they give a possible fee for Muller to be €100 million.

Thomas Muller, Pedro and a defender and we are champions...There would be a lot of copetiiton everywhere on the field for a place in the team, though Darmian looks safe if he continues to play like has so far...

Pro. F

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I'd swap Depay and Di Maria in that line-up.

Di Maria isn't much of a goal threat and is better at crossing. So that's why I have it that way around.

Cantona's Collars

https://twitter.com/Manu_Sainz/status/626364395216576512

Translated:
https://twitter.com/thcoast/status/626366329369591808

And deciphered:
https://twitter.com/thcoast/status/626366727836839936


For the lols:
https://twitter.com/Sport_Witness/status/626368771347869696

Adamocovic

RobertKK wrote: »

SportBild say United are still after Thomas Muller. That United could face competition from Real Madrid and Liverpool for him. I doubt Liverpool...
United they say are prepared to pay whatever is required and a they give a possible fee for Muller to be €100 million.

Thomas Muller, Pedro and a defender and we are champions...There would be a lot of copetiiton everywhere on the field for a place in the team, though Darmian looks safe if he continues to play like has so far...

No way we'll get that. I'm perhaps over optimistic at times but can't see us getting Muller, Pedro and a world class defender. If we get one of those three it's happy days in my eyes. (Would take Pedro/Muller over a defender)

Rossi IRL

Pro. F wrote: »

If Di Maria were to stay then this front six would make a load of sense:

Carrick Schneiderlin
Mata Memphis Di Maria
Rooney

There's a great balance of pace, crossing, goal threat, off the ball movement and trickery from the four attackers and Carrick and Schneiderlin would provide a good defensive foil for the slightly inconsistent tracking back we might expect from Mata and Di Maria.

I'd be of the opinion that Carrick and Schneiderlin aren't good enough when pressed and together they'd cause the team to struggle playing it out from the back against top opposition. But then you have Darmian/Valencia and Shaw who are excellent at carrying the ball forward from full-back and a GK who is comfortable with the ball at his feet (if DDG stays or a suitable replacement is brought in) so he can help pick out longer passes to bypass an opposition press. It wouldn't be my choice for how to set up a team, but it's nice to see a clear logic to Van Gaal's thinking and I can see it being fairly effective.

I think a huge amount will depend on the quality of DDG's replacement. It's not a position you want to comrpomise on, but that might have to happen. Di Maria's replacement would be more straight forward imo.

And our best center mid from last season gets dropped? Do people who leave out Herrera not watch games or something?

Alf Veedersane

Pro. F wrote: »

Di Maria isn't much of a goal threat and is better at crossing. So that's why I have it that way around.

He did a lot of his damage from central positions last season.

Anyway, it's a moot point. A schematic of starting points doesn't illustrate movement. If he started in the middle, I'd see him making diagonal runs out left to either get in crosses or make space in the middle for Depay who would have come inside.

RobertKK

Adamocovic wrote: »

No way we'll get that. I'm perhaps over optimistic at times but can't see us getting Muller, Pedro and a world class defender. If we get one of those three it's happy days in my eyes. (Would take Pedro/Muller over a defender)

I agree, apart from the fact I do think we need a world class central defender.
I think I have a better chance of winning the €6 million lottery tonight than United getting Muller, and I am not buying a lotto ticket...

RobertKK

Rossi IRL wrote: »

And our best center mid from last season gets dropped? Do people who leave out Herrera not watch games or something?

People only drop him in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but include him in a 4-3-3 formation.

Vertigo100

Would people not prefer to have mata as the "10" and di Maria and Memphis either side?

duffman13

Vertigo100 wrote: »

Would people not prefer to have mata as the "10" and di Maria and Memphis either side?

I'll probably be shot for this but I'd prefer Herrera in the 10 role with Depay and Di Maria/Pedro/Muller either side.

Alf Veedersane

Vertigo100 wrote: »

Would people not prefer to have mata as the "10" and di Maria and Memphis either side?

I don't think it will ultimately be that important where they are lined up relative to each other. I would have thought there would be a certain amount of rotation between those 3 positions during a game rather than being too rigid.

I might be wrong but I think there could be untold damage done to opposition teams that way.

bangkok

Pro. F wrote: »

If Di Maria were to stay then this front six would make a load of sense:

Carrick Schneiderlin
Mata Memphis Di Maria
Rooney

There's a great balance of pace, crossing, goal threat, off the ball movement and trickery from the four attackers and Carrick and Schneiderlin would provide a good defensive foil for the slightly inconsistent tracking back we might expect from Mata and Di Maria.

I'd be of the opinion that Carrick and Schneiderlin aren't good enough when pressed and together they'd cause the team to struggle playing it out from the back against top opposition. But then you have Darmian/Valencia and Shaw who are excellent at carrying the ball forward from full-back and a GK who is comfortable with the ball at his feet (if DDG stays or a suitable replacement is brought in) so he can help pick out longer passes to bypass an opposition press. It wouldn't be my choice for how to set up a team, but it's nice to see a clear logic to Van Gaal's thinking and I can see it being fairly effective.

I think a huge amount will depend on the quality of DDG's replacement. It's not a position you want to comrpomise on, but that might have to happen. Di Maria's replacement would be more straight forward imo.

no Schweinsteiger??

TheDoc

Ramos and Muller are two sagas the club really didn't need this summer, knowingly having one with De Gea (who plenty of people think will still go ) and now Di Maria.

The goodwill bought with Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlan didn't last long it appears.

If Ramos does end up being a big contract quango, Ed needs to have a word with his team to put **** in place to stop this happening. Club cant keep being led astray by greedy ****ers using these tactics for their own self profit.

TheDoc

Pro. F wrote: »

If Di Maria were to stay then this front six would make a load of sense:

Carrick Schneiderlin
Mata Memphis Di Maria
Rooney

There's a great balance of pace, crossing, goal threat, off the ball movement and trickery from the four attackers and Carrick and Schneiderlin would provide a good defensive foil for the slightly inconsistent tracking back we might expect from Mata and Di Maria.

I'd be of the opinion that Carrick and Schneiderlin aren't good enough when pressed and together they'd cause the team to struggle playing it out from the back against top opposition. But then you have Darmian/Valencia and Shaw who are excellent at carrying the ball forward from full-back and a GK who is comfortable with the ball at his feet (if DDG stays or a suitable replacement is brought in) so he can help pick out longer passes to bypass an opposition press. It wouldn't be my choice for how to set up a team, but it's nice to see a clear logic to Van Gaal's thinking and I can see it being fairly effective.

I think a huge amount will depend on the quality of DDG's replacement. It's not a position you want to comrpomise on, but that might have to happen. Di Maria's replacement would be more straight forward imo.

I like that. I'd probably move Depay out wide left, and run with Mata through the middle.

I think Di Maria doesnt have a place in the starting 11 if he stays, without hard work and earning the trust of the manager and team again, and putting in some performances. Then I'd probably put him back in the team, and look at the formation you have.

don't think it works playing two inverted wingers, so I like how you have Di Maria as an out and out, and Mata being able to cut in. that also assumes Mata continues that nice development from the right hand side,

Little feeling something is happening there with him.

"If" Pedro came in, I'd have Pedro on the right, Mata in the middle and Depay left, with Di Maria dropped again.

Basically if he does stay, he has his work cut out to show everyone why he deserves to be in the team, and needs to get over his little sulk pretty quickly.

but by all accounts, he looks gonzo.

Rayne Wooney

I have been banging the Mata, previously Kagawa, at 10 drum for years but Van Gaal, Moyes, Mourinho and whoever his manager was in Spain have all played him wide so I don't see it happening

RayCun

TheDoc wrote: »

If Ramos does end up being a big contract quango, Ed needs to have a word with his team to put **** in place to stop this happening. Club cant keep being led astray by greedy ****ers using these tactics for their own self profit.

But if the Ramos saga has the effect of keeping De Gea - if the club said "you want De Gea? Well, we want Ramos. If you won't deal then neither will we" - I don't care if it ends in Ramos getting a better contract.

And it doesn't look like Van Gaal decided he needed a CB and will be screwed if Ramos doesn't move. Ramos was someone who would improve the team if we got him, not someone who would make or break the team

Liam O

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

I have been banging the Mata, previously Kagawa, at 10 drum for years but Van Gaal, Moyes, Mourinho and whoever his manager was in Spain have all played him wide so I don't see it happening

Mata is good out wide, that's where he came through for Valencia. In the middle I don't think he takes up the best positions and plays quite deep most of the time.