Was giving the proposed Dybala transfer some thought and wanted to express a few concerns I have over it
1- Our record with South Americans
I know people are staunchly against there being a connection behind our failures with Argentines down the years and will use the old age argument of 'what you'd turn down Messi/Aguero if you had the choice then?' but lets look at the facts
Argentine's
Veron - lasted 2 years at the club and for a long time labelled the biggest transfer flop in the club's recent history
Heinze - lasted 3 years at the club, had one cult following like first season which lets not forget didn't actually start until 6 weeks or so into the campaign as he preferred to play for Argentina in the Olympics rather than join up with his new team asap. Spent the entirety of the next season injured and was quickly replaced by Evra in his third season once he returned from injury. Kicked up an almighty stink trying to leave United for Liverpool no less
Tevez - lasted 2 years at the club, excellent first season, was replaced (wrongly) by Berbatov in his second season leading with the club opting against turning his 2 year loan into a permanent arrangement. Went to City no less and acted like a total tool towards us afterwards even holding up a banner reading 'RIP Fergie'
Di Maria - lasted 1 year at the club, wanted to go to PSG but they couldn't afford him so had to come here as Real Madrid wanted him gone. Never settled in Manchester, hardly played and when he did he made Ashley Young look good. Got his move to PSG after only 1 year at the club
Rojo - actually a longest serving Argentine currently standing at 5 years. Only 113 appearances in those 5 years though, always injured and when he's not he's looking to kill people on the pitch. Walking Talking Red Card waiting to happen
Brazilians
Kleberson - lasted 2 years at the club, came a big part of the Brazil world cup winning starting XI left a flop never to be heard of again. According to Wiki only actually made another 234 club team appearances after leaving United before retiring
Anderson - best remembered for nutmegging Fabregas, never fit, always overweight and certainly never lived up to the potential that came with a £30m player back then
Da Silva Twins - like Anderson hardly ever fit, suspect defensively, often reckless, not the long term heirs to Gary Neville and Evra we hoped
Fred - yet to convince
Other
Forlan - a man with a cult hero status for being so shit but managing to score twice against Liverpool at Anfield
Valencia - our most successful South American? A winger from Wigan who was to replace the best player in the world and would be turned into a RB
Falcao - completely forgot about this one until I googled who else should be included
Sanchez - the man for many who's taken the crown of biggest transfer flop from the first man in this list
Call it bad luck, call it extenuating circumstances but facts are facts, our record with South Americans is for the most part awful
2- The Destabilising Effect
This is more concerning than the above for me, despite how last season ended after seeing how pre-season has gone I've actually been looking forward to the new season. Having done the fitness work I have hope than unlike last season the players wont hit a wall after 20 odds games and will maintain a good level like they showed under Ole initially. I was excited about the prospect of the likes of Greenwood and Gomes getting a lot of minutes and maybe even becoming first XI regulars by the end of the season.
I have a fear that Dybala coming in will have a similar destabilising effect on the squad that Sanchez did when he came in. Don't forget pre Sanchez we had both Martial and Rashford bang at it pushing one another every single game, whoever started if they didn't score would be subbed for the other who would then come on and score. It was healthy competition which was getting the best out of both of them. Then Sanchez came in, played every single game in their position forcing them both out on the right or both as subs, as a result our season petered out.
If Dybala is forced on Ole like all of Woodwards star players have been on the corresponding manager it could be his (Ole's) downfall. We seemed to have a clear transfer strategy this summer, no big star names who bring big ego's just hard working young hungry players wanting to prove themselves, is Dybala coming with the right attitude or are we getting a player who would prefer to still be in Italy coming off the back of a poor season which in itself followed a World Cup campaign where he barely kicked a ball?
3- Another Square Peg
Another very important question - do we even have a position for Dybala? We've spent all pre-season playing a 4-2-3-1, where in that formation does Dybala play? As a number 10 in the 3? Not sure that really gets the best out of him, as a false 9 as the furthest forward? Not sure that gets the best out of him either. So do we scrap what we've been using all pre-season and revert to what I think was Ole's preferred formation from last season the 4-4-2 diamond? Is scrapping the pre-season formation to accommodate an unplanned signed another example of the destabilising effect this signing may have?
So those are my concerns with this potential transfer
1- Our record with South Americans
I know people are staunchly against there being a connection behind our failures with Argentines down the years and will use the old age argument of 'what you'd turn down Messi/Aguero if you had the choice then?' but lets look at the facts
Argentine's
Veron - lasted 2 years at the club and for a long time labelled the biggest transfer flop in the club's recent history
Heinze - lasted 3 years at the club, had one cult following like first season which lets not forget didn't actually start until 6 weeks or so into the campaign as he preferred to play for Argentina in the Olympics rather than join up with his new team asap. Spent the entirety of the next season injured and was quickly replaced by Evra in his third season once he returned from injury. Kicked up an almighty stink trying to leave United for Liverpool no less
Tevez - lasted 2 years at the club, excellent first season, was replaced (wrongly) by Berbatov in his second season leading with the club opting against turning his 2 year loan into a permanent arrangement. Went to City no less and acted like a total tool towards us afterwards even holding up a banner reading 'RIP Fergie'
Di Maria - lasted 1 year at the club, wanted to go to PSG but they couldn't afford him so had to come here as Real Madrid wanted him gone. Never settled in Manchester, hardly played and when he did he made Ashley Young look good. Got his move to PSG after only 1 year at the club
Rojo - actually a longest serving Argentine currently standing at 5 years. Only 113 appearances in those 5 years though, always injured and when he's not he's looking to kill people on the pitch. Walking Talking Red Card waiting to happen
Brazilians
Kleberson - lasted 2 years at the club, came a big part of the Brazil world cup winning starting XI left a flop never to be heard of again. According to Wiki only actually made another 234 club team appearances after leaving United before retiring
Anderson - best remembered for nutmegging Fabregas, never fit, always overweight and certainly never lived up to the potential that came with a £30m player back then
Da Silva Twins - like Anderson hardly ever fit, suspect defensively, often reckless, not the long term heirs to Gary Neville and Evra we hoped
Fred - yet to convince
Other
Forlan - a man with a cult hero status for being so shit but managing to score twice against Liverpool at Anfield
Valencia - our most successful South American? A winger from Wigan who was to replace the best player in the world and would be turned into a RB
Falcao - completely forgot about this one until I googled who else should be included
Sanchez - the man for many who's taken the crown of biggest transfer flop from the first man in this list
Call it bad luck, call it extenuating circumstances but facts are facts, our record with South Americans is for the most part awful
2- The Destabilising Effect
This is more concerning than the above for me, despite how last season ended after seeing how pre-season has gone I've actually been looking forward to the new season. Having done the fitness work I have hope than unlike last season the players wont hit a wall after 20 odds games and will maintain a good level like they showed under Ole initially. I was excited about the prospect of the likes of Greenwood and Gomes getting a lot of minutes and maybe even becoming first XI regulars by the end of the season.
I have a fear that Dybala coming in will have a similar destabilising effect on the squad that Sanchez did when he came in. Don't forget pre Sanchez we had both Martial and Rashford bang at it pushing one another every single game, whoever started if they didn't score would be subbed for the other who would then come on and score. It was healthy competition which was getting the best out of both of them. Then Sanchez came in, played every single game in their position forcing them both out on the right or both as subs, as a result our season petered out.
If Dybala is forced on Ole like all of Woodwards star players have been on the corresponding manager it could be his (Ole's) downfall. We seemed to have a clear transfer strategy this summer, no big star names who bring big ego's just hard working young hungry players wanting to prove themselves, is Dybala coming with the right attitude or are we getting a player who would prefer to still be in Italy coming off the back of a poor season which in itself followed a World Cup campaign where he barely kicked a ball?
3- Another Square Peg
Another very important question - do we even have a position for Dybala? We've spent all pre-season playing a 4-2-3-1, where in that formation does Dybala play? As a number 10 in the 3? Not sure that really gets the best out of him, as a false 9 as the furthest forward? Not sure that gets the best out of him either. So do we scrap what we've been using all pre-season and revert to what I think was Ole's preferred formation from last season the 4-4-2 diamond? Is scrapping the pre-season formation to accommodate an unplanned signed another example of the destabilising effect this signing may have?
So those are my concerns with this potential transfer
