It's not like we are playing the top 4 every week. We should have more than enough versus the Stokes of this world. Plus I have faith in LVG against the top teams. I'd imagine we won't be far away.
Manchester United Summer Transfer Window 2015: What do we still need?
- Thread starter Devil may care
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
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I'm not worried about the top teams either, but we haven't added anything up top that alters the fact we struggled to break down the Swansea's, Villa's, Stokes and West Broms last season, those bread and butter games are how Fergie amassed titles.
Yep I agree but we have a far better midfield and the full backs should add much more variety to our attack more this season. If we get good momentum I can see us coming very very close.
We've added defensive strength to our midfield, but we don't have a truly creative CM and in the 4-2-3-1 it's the front that have to break teams down. I just don't see a quartet of Rooney/Memphis/Young/Mata having enough. I think we'll be hard to beat if we can get another CB in as our midfield shield is much improved, but I can see plenty of draws.
Schweinsteiger will add creativity although granted he's not an all action playmaker. But what we have got is the best midfield and potentially full backs in the league. The best GK if he stays and one of the top forwards in Rooney. Plus the squad depth (forwards apart) is frightening. If we gain some momentum early on I can see us taking some stopping.
Agreed - Can't underestimate the importance of getting three points from the opening game against Spurs - that should set the tone nicely.
Is it possible we wont buy a new CB at all?
I respect your opinion mate but I actually feel Rooney is an Achilles heel rather than a plus and we lack a top CB, maybe Woody can rectify things with a couple of strong additions, one at either end of the pitch, in the next couple of weeks, but as it stands I'd say 3rd is our ceiling.
That would be utter suicidal if we don't. Would anybody sane expect us to mount a serious title challenge with Smalling and Jones as our main CBs?
I think Mata (quality player albeit) playing right of the 3 is our potential weakness in slowing the attacks down and making us to predictable. I don't think the centre of defence is great but with the protection they now have I think we'll concede very few. I just think the standard of the league is poor compared to previous seasons and we are more than capable of a challenge. LVG is 100% correct in that we don't have a Bobby Dazzler to win games on his own. Chelsea and City do and that could prove the difference in not playing well and winning. But I do think we can go toe to toe with any the top 4 and beat them now rather than hoping for a result. Do I expect us to win the league (no) but I don't think we will be far away given the quality we have.
True. But somehow I get the feeling we're not into CB at all. I mean we were in for Ramos but that was a part of DDG story. I hope now Ramos deal seems dead in the water we're gonna sign another CB.
This is where Woody ans Van Gaal have to make a swift move so we can get someone like Otamendi or Stones in order to add the required quality among our CBs.
True but there's a difference between the two. Will we go with experienced one like Otamendi or young talented defender like Stones, and we already have those in our ranks.
I rather have Otamendi than Stones.
Forgive me my English friends, but once again I think that this player is overated and is not worth that money as long as we seek instant impact.
Otamendi is not Ramos in terms of experience and trophies, but he's the only top target we can lure. he was great with Valencia last year and played like a boss for Argentina this summer. He's not the ball playing leader we're looking for, but he's actually better than Stones.
So what do we still need ?
Forgive me my English friends, but once again I think that this player is overated and is not worth that money as long as we seek instant impact.
Otamendi is not Ramos in terms of experience and trophies, but he's the only top target we can lure. he was great with Valencia last year and played like a boss for Argentina this summer. He's not the ball playing leader we're looking for, but he's actually better than Stones.
So what do we still need ?
- Keep De Gea or solve the issue as soon as possible
- Buy Otamendi and play Jones or Smalling next to him, not Blind
- Stop playing 4-4-1-1, and revert to 4-1-4-1 like last year with Herrera as a starter
- Replace Di Maria with a real winger (Pedro/Reus) and play Depay wide left
- Have a good sub for Wazza upfront
I agree on Mata, he is the never ending square peg in a round hole in our team IMO, and I also don't think the league is filled with great teams right now, but I look at Chelsea and then I look at our forward line and the state of the central defense and I can't see any legitimate title challenge happening.
But look at last years squad vs Chelsea in regard to the attackers we had.
I'm not sure what you mean? We had Falcao and he was crap yes, but I'm not talking about just one game, I think we needed a genuine injection in attack after removing the 2 past it strikers, so far we have added a young guy from a poor league and will still be starting Young and Mata. I think Memphis will do well for us but realistically he'll need time, we simply haven't caught up IMO when I look at Hazard/Costa and Silva/Aguero in attack for the top 2.
Whilst I'd agree with Hazard and Silva part I'd say Rooney is on level with both Augero and Costa.
Really? Fair enough, I think he is well behind Aguero at this point and a notch below Costa.
Rooney is nowhere near Aguero's level. Not even close
Utter crap. Rooney has been United's best player ever since Ronaldo left and he's got far more game than Aguero.
Cant work out what LVG plans are re signing anymore players. Seems like Ramos was stringing us along to strengthen his position at the RM negotiating table, I still think DDG will be allowed to leave as well as Di Maria when on paper they are our best two players (You dont see RM selling CR7 or Bale or indeed Barca selling Messi or Neymar in the same summer) it just doesnt make sense that its happening. There has been no contact about Pedro so I just cant work out who (if anyone) we will add. At this stage I would take a decent No9 like Higuain or Kane but cant see either happening.
Rooney just keeps producing season in season out. I really like both Augero and Costa they can be monster players but they do spend a lot of time on the treatment table. I wouldn't be swapping Rooney for either in a hurry.
Producing what ? I think he's been pretty ordinary the last few years.
No chance both DDG and ADM will leave.
We need a CF and a CB, they should be our priority.
We will also need to replace AdM as the PSG move edges closer.
Hope to god DDG stays for this season as we'll need him in the CL.
If it was me I'd go for Otamendi, Kane and Pedro. Think that'll give us the depth required to fire on all fronts.
We will also need to replace AdM as the PSG move edges closer.
Hope to god DDG stays for this season as we'll need him in the CL.
If it was me I'd go for Otamendi, Kane and Pedro. Think that'll give us the depth required to fire on all fronts.
- In Otamendi it gives us a tough CB which we lacked last season after losing Vidic.
- Kane is young, a proven goal scorer and a decent target man.
- Pedro will give us much required pace up front, his and Depays pace will open up a whole new world of goalscoring opportunities for our front men, also he has been brought up on possession based football which is what we're all about these days.
I think we need to sign another pacey wide forward and a backup striker. Centre half would be icing on the cake for me but I genuinely believe we need to ensure we score more goals as a priority.
If we sign say Griezmann then Mata will have pacey players to stretch defences and give him some room to operate. Something he doesn't get enough of now on the right.
Backup striker? Bear with me but Charlie Austin...I know he's not a world-beater but if he can score goals for QPR he could do so for us.
If we sign say Griezmann then Mata will have pacey players to stretch defences and give him some room to operate. Something he doesn't get enough of now on the right.
Backup striker? Bear with me but Charlie Austin...I know he's not a world-beater but if he can score goals for QPR he could do so for us.
Wide right forward in case DiMaria leaves and back up to Rooney.
Yet still be one of our best players.
I think we're going to surprise a few people by completing this squad in a very grandiose fashion.
I remember about a month ago having arguments with people that said our transfer activity was shocking and we were supposed to be doing our business early this season and there was no way we were going to get it done in time to take players on the tour.
Lo and behold we signed 4 players before preseason, addressing key weak areas and it made the moaning look a bit daft.
I think similar is likely to happen, I'm not saying we will definitely push transfers through before the Spurs game, big transfers can be complex and it all comes down to the selling club in the end but I bet we finish this window with a top class centre back and a proven goalscorer as well as possibly getting Pedro.
I remember about a month ago having arguments with people that said our transfer activity was shocking and we were supposed to be doing our business early this season and there was no way we were going to get it done in time to take players on the tour.
Lo and behold we signed 4 players before preseason, addressing key weak areas and it made the moaning look a bit daft.
I think similar is likely to happen, I'm not saying we will definitely push transfers through before the Spurs game, big transfers can be complex and it all comes down to the selling club in the end but I bet we finish this window with a top class centre back and a proven goalscorer as well as possibly getting Pedro.
Well, that's not good enough for where we want to be. In the last three seasons he has never scored as many as Charlie Austin scored in the Premier League last year. Charlie Austin! For a relegated team!
And, if you say "well, he's been playing in midfield" - well he's not very effective there either
According to our very own manager he's very good, and not just in one position but in many, that's why he played in midfield and as a striker. Because our midfield needed Rooney's influence more than our attack.
I would.
For feck sake don't let sense get in the way of a Rooney bashing!
Maybe last night's game has convinced LVG that a CB signing might not be a bad idea, even if we can't get Real Madrid's captain.
Van gaal could well be waiting if/when the di maria move materialises so he knows how much money he has to play with.
We need a new CB. Some might disagree but I think Rojo-Smalling pair has the most potential. But Jones, Evans and Blind as cover is not enough quality wise. If we loose DDG even worse.
Keeper
Cb
Striker
End of
Cb
Striker
End of
What does an "end of" do? Get on the end of crosses?
Actually, I agree with you. The spine of the team is too weak - we need at least one top class CB and Rooney won't score 25 goals because he spends too much time drifting into other areas.
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