Evans would start for us next to Maguire now IMO. Rafael wouldve been useful to have at least as a squad option for a few years after, though I think what Valencia gave us was more than what Rafael would have (as a starter). Nani wouldve been useful for a bit but he also wasnt the same player and had injury problems. Hernandez out for Falcao in was dumb. Those were the main ones, but the only outgoing who I would have kept now would be Evans, and Smalling (to complete a set of CBs with Maguire, Tuanzebe and Bailly).
Idiotic Sales Post Fergie
- Thread starter mariachi-19
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This is the first thought for me also. Why we made the loan to CP a permanent deal is puzzling. He was raw but there was an upside that shouldn't have been ignored. Our right side would have been so much better the past 3 seasons with Zaha. He has 34 goals since 2015 which is a very good return for a winger on a mid-level club.
I'm unsure what many people saw in Evans, he was regularly exposed in the last two years of his playing career here. You put Matip / Lovren next to a VVD and you get what Evans got alongside a Vidic / Rio, being carried by a world class partner.
Hilarious that people are defending that cretin Van Gaal selling Evans after one mediocre season (did anyone at all actually play well that year?) when the reason he did was because he thought Paddy McNair was a better defender.
He and Smalling are the biggest mistakes we've made, in my opinion. Both of them are currently better, mostly by a distance, than any of the two hundred million quid's worth of defenders we currently have at the club, and, not incidentally, both currently play for teams that are better than we are. They could easily have formed a partnership over the last five seasons, and with Evans still here we could have avoided the ignominy of Ashley Young: Manchester United captain.
There are other players who could have stuck around longer and were certainly better than their direct replacements (Nani, Evra, Rafael, Hernandez, Welbeck when he still had knees), but Smalling and Evans are the only ones that should still actually be playing for us in 2020.
He and Smalling are the biggest mistakes we've made, in my opinion. Both of them are currently better, mostly by a distance, than any of the two hundred million quid's worth of defenders we currently have at the club, and, not incidentally, both currently play for teams that are better than we are. They could easily have formed a partnership over the last five seasons, and with Evans still here we could have avoided the ignominy of Ashley Young: Manchester United captain.
There are other players who could have stuck around longer and were certainly better than their direct replacements (Nani, Evra, Rafael, Hernandez, Welbeck when he still had knees), but Smalling and Evans are the only ones that should still actually be playing for us in 2020.
A lot of revisionism going on here. Evans looked clueless whenever he played for us. I remember when he passed back to his own defense under LvG from an attacking corner. Nazi, Hernandez and Rafael had all served their time and it was time to move on.
I think perhaps we should have given Depay a better chance, but he hasn't set the world alight since leaving us. It is true our squad building has been rubbish since Fegrie left, contributes to the feeling of 'idiotic sales' since we did not adequately replace a lot of players.
I think perhaps we should have given Depay a better chance, but he hasn't set the world alight since leaving us. It is true our squad building has been rubbish since Fegrie left, contributes to the feeling of 'idiotic sales' since we did not adequately replace a lot of players.
He played over 150 matches for the greatest manager in the history of the sport before he turned 25. I guess after the 100th clueless-looking appearance Fergie just felt like giving him yet another fifty goes for old times’ sake?
Revisionism, indeed.
He is.
Next to either Rio or Vidic in their prime. Once they left, Evans collapsed under the pressure and spotlight. Smalling has been a better defender for United even if Evans is better technically. He was a liability and while he physically was fine, his mental and emotional state was never good enough. That has shown to be true. If he was as good as some people claiming, he wouldn't have spent a few years at West Brom then moving to Leicester just a couple years ago as a 30 year old or however old he was.
Soyuchu has been the better player for Leicester this year and of course you have N'didi in front of you flanked by Chilwell and Ricardo Perieria, those CBs are protected very well.
32 year old Evans is not better than Manchester United's captain age 27.
Rio was well past his best in Fergie’s last two seasons. Evans carried him half the time.
Yet he was supported by Rio/Vidic/Smalling/Jones when United finished 2nd (11/12) and 1st (12/13). When it was up to him to ascend to that level and assume the mantle left by Rio or Vidic, he complete shit the bed. There are no if's and/or but's.
Jones is somehow still here, while Smalling has been sticking around outperforming Jones (clearly) and Evans (arguably - probably a push).
13/14 he had some good form then was destroyed by injuries the second half of the season. 14/15 started off with injuries again in the first third of the season, played a bit middle part of the season, then was suspended and injured the last couple months. Then he was sold in the summer.
The one sale that stands out as idiotic is Rafael.
The others were understandable for one reason for another. But I never felt we really were settled with a proper RB during the Valencia years, although he did have a few moments. Rafael was born a RB and apart from the sending off against Bayern got it right most of the time. Yes, there was the Vardy penalty but no serious person denies that Vardy fouled Rafael before Rafael barely touched Vardy. Darmian was a flop and we've only now, this season, sorted things out at RB.
The others were understandable for one reason for another. But I never felt we really were settled with a proper RB during the Valencia years, although he did have a few moments. Rafael was born a RB and apart from the sending off against Bayern got it right most of the time. Yes, there was the Vardy penalty but no serious person denies that Vardy fouled Rafael before Rafael barely touched Vardy. Darmian was a flop and we've only now, this season, sorted things out at RB.
Rafael believed it was a purely xenophobic move from LvG https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/6088909/louis-van-gaal-text-rafael-manchester-united/
Either way it was dumb and completely uncalled for.
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Probably Zaha. Never really got to see what he could do. Most others were underperforming and very few, if any have gone onto better pastures post sale.
Inappropriate Content
1. Evans
A decent centre back with ball playing ability. Comfortable with both feet. Best player at WBA and solid at Leicester.
2. Cleverley
An energetic, hard-working midfielder who's also club grown. Could be on a par with Herrera and Fred.
3. di Maria
One of few world class players we've had. A game changer and could play any position in attacking midfield.
Many mention Blind but I think he deserves to be sold. He's not athletic enough and he looks pretty deficient in various positions: he's not quick enough to play as an LB; not tall enough to play as a CB; and not strong enough to play as a DM. I could never forget how he was raped by the QPR's trio on his debut, and how he was bullied by Llorente which costed Ajax the Champions League not long ago.
I know Chicharito has always been a fans favorite but let's face it, he lacked the required quality and more importantly, he was unaware of it. He kept moaning about playing time but with his poacher playstyle, he could hardly become a regular starter anywhere, not even for Mexico nor West Ham. He could be a useful impact sub for us but he wasn't satisfied with it, so I wouldn't call it an idiotic sale.
A decent centre back with ball playing ability. Comfortable with both feet. Best player at WBA and solid at Leicester.
2. Cleverley
An energetic, hard-working midfielder who's also club grown. Could be on a par with Herrera and Fred.
3. di Maria
One of few world class players we've had. A game changer and could play any position in attacking midfield.
Many mention Blind but I think he deserves to be sold. He's not athletic enough and he looks pretty deficient in various positions: he's not quick enough to play as an LB; not tall enough to play as a CB; and not strong enough to play as a DM. I could never forget how he was raped by the QPR's trio on his debut, and how he was bullied by Llorente which costed Ajax the Champions League not long ago.
I know Chicharito has always been a fans favorite but let's face it, he lacked the required quality and more importantly, he was unaware of it. He kept moaning about playing time but with his poacher playstyle, he could hardly become a regular starter anywhere, not even for Mexico nor West Ham. He could be a useful impact sub for us but he wasn't satisfied with it, so I wouldn't call it an idiotic sale.
Letting Ander Herrera go for free was the biggest mistake. All the others mentioned i wasn't really bothered about.
you have a terrible memory as Blind was roundly praised for his debut. Brilliant how you can never forget something that never happened.
I can't think of a single player sold since Fergie left that I think, "we definitely should have kept them".
EDIT: Maybe Zaha, having read some other comments.
EDIT: Maybe Zaha, having read some other comments.