Rate the window out of 10.

Crimson King said:
Yeah but you're scaling that up to happen in every game now. We won plenty of matches against better teams than Ipswich with Shaw at LB last season. He'll have good moments and bad moments, just like every player.
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He has never managed to play 2 games a week throughout a season. The issue isnt that he'll always play badly, its precisely that he'll occasionally play badly, occasionally play well, and occasionally not be available to play at all because he's a 31 year old injury prone fullback who we have no direct positional cover for.

Crimson King said:
You're also showing your hand by looking past the fact we won that match very comfortably in the end. So what if it took a mistake from an Ipswich player to equalise? The handball was well within the rules, and Cunha was through on goal for that penalty.

Some of you just choose to be miserable.
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Mate...
OverratedOpinion said:
We've conceded 4 goals in 2 games against Newly promoted sides.
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There's 'choosing to not be miserable' and chosing to ignore to theres a problem, and one we couldve easily done at least something about


And this is just about LB...we also have a somewhat similar situation at CF and potentially RW.
 
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6/10

All hinges on Baleba to go any higher or lower at the moment.
No LB will turn out to be a huge blunder in my opinon.
I worry massively about the aerial threat aspect too, considering it looks like nothing has actually changed on set pieces from a reffing perspective.
 
Before this window :

Avg net spending in CL seasons : 100M
Avg net spend in non CL seasons : 170M

Once again we qualify for CL, and have a net 100M spend. Tells you all really.
 
Mockney said:
He has never managed to play 2 games a week throughout a season. The issue isnt that he'll always play badly, its precisely that he'll occasionally play badly, occasionally play well, and occasionally not be available to play at all because he's a 31 year old injury prone fullback who we have no direct positional cover for.



Mate...


There's 'choosing to not be miserable' and chosing to ignore to theres a problem, and one we couldve easily done at least something about


And this is just about LB...we also have a somewhat similar situation at CF and potentially RW.
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Mate what? We didn't concede 4 goals because of Shaw alone.

I'm not sure just getting anybody in would have made a difference, which is what they seemed to have decided in the end.

Anyway, we'll have to wait and see. We need better fullbacks and defenders full stop, so until that's sorted there's always going to be a limit to what this team can achieve this season.
 
I'd say 6/10.

Yes, I really wanted an LB, and relying on Maz to be 2nd LB is pretty dangerous, so that's a huge black mark.
ST... when Zirkzee & Rashford are staying, there's not much choice. (even outwith finances, an extra ST means we simply have too many attackers).
CB... maybe if we sold one of Maguire/De Ligt/Martinez, otherwise there's no way we're getting a CB (we've got 5 already..... regardless of whether you think they're sicknotes or not, again there would just be too many).

So, I'd say disappointing altogether, an LB was really quite important, and a new ST would have been great.

BUT!!! I definitely disagree with the meltdown from most posters. Esp. if you compare the other top teams transfer window:

- City - definite winners of the transfer window out of the "top 7". I'd say they pretty much got everyone they wanted.

- Chelsea: looked great until the final day, but after selling Enzo and failing with Camara, they're really short on CMs. (I really rate Lavia, and I think James is also good at CM and will probably be moved there. But they're more injury prone than Martinez + Maguire, and if they're injured, they'll need to start playing Henderson......).

- Spurs - spent an absolute fortune, must surely improve on last year. But so many question marks over their purchases (I'd think most new signings are Europa level as opposed to CL level...), and they still lack a good ST!

- Arsenal - I think they may be short upfront. The new boy Tzolis looks good but will have poor games, and they've sold Martinelli, Trossard and Jesus. I guess their solution is Eze as a winger and Bruno to add the no. in midfield. But regardless, I think they're good enough to win the league, don't think they've improved though.

- Liverpool - great LW options, fewer RW options, and no new CMs and suspect fullbacks and CBs (Jacquet looks good, but will he be consistent enough?). Really can't believe they didn't buy any fullbacks or CMs....

- Villa - squad's been decimated. Emery will need to perform a minor miracle to get them challenging for CL places this season.

So yes, only 6/10. Really disappointed in not having a new LB, and wished circumstances played out where we've got a new ST.....
BUT apart from City, can anyone confidently say the other top clubs had a better transfer window than us? Chelsea's no CMs, Liverpool's fullback & CM problems, Arsenal weakening their attack (at least in numbers), Spurs spending on a fortune on a load of players who don't look great, Villa.......
 
7/10

We fixed the gaping problem with the squad in reinforcement of the midfield.

Would have liked another striker and a couple of full backs but not essential.

Also think we've found some really good value in a market where there is little to none.

I'm really positive in the way we've conducted our business this summer.
 
4/10 at a push.

Underwhelming would be the word to describe the midfield overhaul.

A lot of hit and hope there , a back up player bought from one our direct rivals who has a lot to prove that he can be a regular starter , a player who has had one stand out season the season before last but is coming off a very poor season. And a 29 year old on a buy out clause , who can alter quickly between sublime and a liability. No other big clubs showed any interest in the players we bought. Low cost seemed to be our ambition above all.

There is potential there and if it comes off it will look like a stroke of genus but we also have to acknowledge there is potential for this to go very wrong as well and be back here against next year talking about a need to rebuild MF again.

No attempt to address the defense or striker issues.

It is certainly not the trans-formative window some of us had hoped for to push us from a top 4 team to a title contender , I think we will struggle to maintain our top 4 status this season.



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I'm still fuming we didn't go for Welbeck. The most obvious signing of all time. Would've been a cheap backup to Sesko for a couple of years and and the fans would've loved it. Easy win and yet we didn't go for him.
 
5/10. Midfield overhaul and I like the profile of players we brought in but santos and Baleba are still risks given their age. Mainoo firmly remains the best option out of our new signings, which is somewhat alarming but also indicative of his massive talent. Hopefully Baleba will step up to be the perfect complement to Mainoo.

The rest is fairly obvious. The fact we have essentially the same back 4 as we did under ten Hag is pathetic and INEOS have let Carrick down on that front. Shaw will eventually get injured and that will compound the issue not only at LB but with Rashford as well who will be left isolated with a right footed LB in Maz or Dalot. The club better hope that one of Heaven or Amass can fill in at LB.
 
4/10 at best.

Needed at least 5 players and only got 3, and the 3 we did get are underwhelming.
 
7. We came into the window with midfield being the priority and we addressed it. Some sales and a new lb would have made it a 10 for me.
 
And to all those "We only got our option B and Cs"

Well:
Arsenal missed out on Alvarez, Vinicius and Rogers
Liverpool missed out on Sarr and Minteh
Spurs missed out on Gakpo and Ndiaye

Hell, even City lost out on Gakpo and Chelsea missed out on Camara!
 
Chungy said:
And to all those "We only got our option B and Cs"

Well:
Arsenal missed out on Alvarez, Vinicius and Rogers
Liverpool missed out on Sarr and Minteh
Spurs missed out on Gakpo and Ndiaye

Hell, even City lost out on Gakpo and Chelsea missed out on Camara!
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Why does it matter what others done , even though we don't act like it these days , we are still Man Utd.

After a much improved season last season now was the time to push the boat out and go from just a top 4 team to a title contender again.

We did not do that , getting 'value' in the market was seemingly more important.

And consoling ourselves that others have not done what they wanted to is real mid table team mentality stuff.

In fact it just highlights how much a missed chance this summer was.
 
Snap rating is a 6, if the midfield signings turn out great it's much better, if they're crap it's much worse.

These days we more or less act like a club trying to get top 6 rather than win titles. Maybe that's a needed reset after a lot of money wasted on gross and some awful seasons, I don't know, but it is what it is.
 
3.

Because there were enough options available to really improve the team. Too passive and honestly I don’t think any other big team - e.g. PSG, Barca, Bayern, City or Real - would have interest in the players we bought. They are active in a market which currently seems out of our reach…
 
Betson said:
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Why does it matter what others done , even though we don't act like it these days , we are still Man Utd.

After a much improved season last season now was the time to push the boat out and go from just a top 4 team to a title contender again.

We did not do that , getting 'value' in the market was seemingly more important.

And consoling ourselves that others have not done what they wanted to is real mid table team mentality stuff.

In fact it just highlights how much a missed chance this summer was.
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I said earlier that I'm really disappointed in not getting a LB, and a new ST would have been great too.

But maybe my message just highlights realism? That everyone misses out on targets? That instead of harping on about "options Bs and Cs", we can actually have a more realistic assessment of the transfer window? That a move away from the bankrupting Woodward era (and the current Spurs insanity) may not be a bad idea?

And all very well saying "We're Man Utd!!!!!". Well, we haven't won the league in over 10 years, maybe instead of imagining we're top dogs 4eva!!!, we can actually be more realistic to build the club back up again?

And like I said in another thread a while ago. Yes, hate the owners all you want, I agree! They've saddled us with debt, put in very little, and our current circumstances is all down to them. But until we get new owners, maybe the best way to build ourselves back up is to build our squad prudently instead of the "We're Man Utd!!! Let's pay 160+ on Tonali and Fernandes!!!" - who subsequently lost their first 2 games......
 
6/10

Serious reality check for us that shows just how risk averse we need to be now, praying it all goes right in the long run so they can justify further spend

Maybe all our signings come good and develop perfectly, then we can splurge next window and the financial prudence looks brilliant.

But odds are that's hopeful and/or deranged thinking. Sad state that we can't afford to take a punt on a £10-15m LB option while other teams are hoarding £75m bench players
 
4/10 for me.
DM - We needed a starting and a backup but instead bought 2 hopeful signings in Santos and Baleba.
CM - Tielemans decent buy, great price
LB - Failed to sign or even loan
ST - Failed to sign due to lack of sales

Sales - Massive failure here as we still struggle to sell players.

This window has now turned out to be a hopeful one where we hope Santos or Baleba come good. Hope Shaw can play 40 games at a decent level.
 
6/10, mental they haven't brought in a LB. To me, Dorgu is not a left back in a back 4, but I guess he has to prove he is. Which is a shame because I much prefer him over Rashford on the wing.
 
5.5/10 - Slightly better than average.

We should be expecting more from certain players that were already here, I abhor the "like a new signing" attitude that is sometimes taken to injured players coming back in but Martinez and de Ligt being fit is a huge boost, it should push Maguire back to 5th choice also which is no bad thing.

LB would have been nice, but I am also kinda happy that we are forced to use Dorgu or Amass in there as i think between them the long term solution is already at the club, if they get minutes in the role we will know for sure whether they are up to it or not long term. I suspect Amass gets around 10 games and I hope he shows enough in those that we can forego a big fee on Lewis Hall.

I think what Carrick wants to do means that an out and out DM was not the profile being looked at and I am happy with the 3 mids brought in.

Another veteran striker would have been ideal, Welbeck seemed a tap in but I can also understand not going back, from both perspectives. Sesko, Zirkzee, Rashford, Mbuemo and Cunha can fill those minutes adequately over the course of a season.
 
I'd say at a guess 6/10 right now. It could very easily go as low as 3 or 4, or equally very easily go as high as 8 or 9 dependent on performances.

The fact that it's a 6/10 window for me is based on the fact that we've brought in three good midfielders for £150m, which doesn't seem too bad considering that you're not paying much less than that for some a single player in some cases this summer. I think a lot will hinge on whether Baleba can rediscover his 2024/25 form. If he does, that 6/10 will most likely go higher because £65m for a player of that calibre is great business in the current market. Equally, if he doesn't the 6/10 could drop.

No new left back is the big disappointment for me. I do think there was a fairly considerable need to strengthen that position this summer. The reason I'm not quite as angry as some about us not making a signing here is that I don't think our options were that great, besides Lewis Hall.
 
I’d say a 7. Got in 3 midfielders that all offer something different with 2 having the potential to be here for 5 years at least. This for the price of close to what some others are spending for 1 player.

Cleared out some squad players while getting a good young English prospect and a steady back up keeper which I think is part of creating a stable squad and settled foundations.

Hoping Rashford can continue his bright return to the side and contribute with goals and assists, could be what some fans were falling for out wide. Also think Zirkee might surprise some people as I think the 1/2 touch football we are looking to play will suit his style.

If missing out on a left back means Amass might have a break out season im willing to give it until Christmas to see what might change.

Hopefully it’s a strategy of buying where we feel “ sure” rather than just for numbers as 8th seen mentioned. Could mean less Malacia and Ugartes in the long run.
 
Given the total failure to improve the defence, I can't give more than 4/10. This will come back to haunt us - and in the long run probably cost Carrick his job. Pathetic from INEOS
 
Honestly, I expected this. Financial dicipline and dependence on our academy. I won't rate it because ratings are nonsense at this moment. Let's talk about this class in 2 or 3 years to see how Carrick has developed these young men.

This offseason does mark a change and gives us an indication of our future direction. This club isn't the splash spender. It's not going to be financially mismanaged (IMO) and it's going to depend on the academy to produce talent. I'd bet these signings are decent if not good over a 3-5 year period. For us to vault to the top, we'll need Amad, Gabriel, Dorgu, Fletchers, and academy players to begin to mature and play a role, to add vaule, to provide depth to compete in several competitions. This IS our DNA and we do have a top manager IMO. I'm happy with what we have.

Here's my critique of this approach and the pain we'll have to endure; we will likely need to play Dorgu at LB a good bit this year and even other players that shouldn't be at LB. Yoro, Dalot, Maz.

But, such is life. If our midfield play is elevated, i'm excited about the way we counterpunch and attack (Bruno is brilliant). But, to be fair, I'm a homer. I was on here years ago saying that Jones and Smalling could be a world class pairing. So take this with a grain of salt.
 
Would agree with those who think a lot will hinge on Beleba.

I think Santos will be adequate , he will do a job in certain games for us but not a game changer and I suspect just like at Chelsea he will spend a a good portion of his time on the bench.

A break out season for him would be a big bonus.

But I think we need Beleba to work out , we need to see the 24/25 version of Beleba here , given his profile in comparison to the other options in Midfield he should play a lot of games , an injury to him or poor form and we could really struggle.
 
tough to rate really. Finally addressed midfield a bit, but then did literally nothing else ha. If de ligt doesnt come back healthy and sesko has a long term injury or anything or season can go down pretty quick based on what we have seen so far.
 
I'm trying to be positive but if you had told me in May that we wouldn't have signed a LB or a striker, then that automatically caps the window at a 6/10 at the highest. Then when you look at the players we did sign, I think it's no higher than a 5/10 window.

The midfield signings look okay on paper, but we've gone for the affordable options over our main targets in Mateus Fernandes and Elliot Anderson. I understand why we pullled out of those transfers once the asking price was too high, but the alternatives are a little underwhelming. I wasn't keen on signing Baleba off the back of a poor season. Having done some reading on the circumstances around his poor season, I am inclined to be positive about the signing. Even with that positive outlook, I still think it's a 5/10 window at best.
 
4/10
We probably have enough players to cover every match we play without resorting to the academy. As long as gambles on Shaw, De Ligt and Martinez work out which seems a stupid thing to gamble on.
Competing for top 4 at best and it'll be a battle.
 
4/10. We addressed our needs in midfield, but IMO all three come with big question marks. If we're unlucky, they'll end up no better than Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, and Blind - but they could also turn out good.

Very disappointing that we haven't signed a left-back, and I think we'll regret not buying a real back-up striker
 
6/10

We accomplished what we set out to do and reinforced the Midfield.
Would have been higher if we had another striker and cover and younger defence especially LB/RB.

NOT happy but content so far
 
4/10... and that's being generous.

Three centre midfielders signed, with our hand probably being pushed by the Ugarte injury. Where as in reality, a centre midfielder really should have been signed 12 months ago.

The Tielemans signing for the fee is a very welcomed signing with his experience. Baleba and Santos, the jury is out and will no doubt be for a couple of seasons. Neither would have been in my top 3 choices, and they clearly weren't in United's. By a law of averages, one of our 3 midfield signings this summer will be a flop.

Rashford remaining and being unable to shift the likes of Zirkzee is just as bad as the recruitment. Although it's clear that we're still hampered by past financial decisions, such as Rashford's contract.

No new left-back or striker, alongside midfielders that were no where near are first choices make this summer transfer window dreadful in my book. We're in for some difficult times as the season goes on and we better prey our medical department only has Mount to deal with.
 
Crimson King said:
Mate what? We didn't concede 4 goals because of Shaw alone.

I'm not sure just getting anybody in would have made a difference, which is what they seemed to have decided in the end.

Anyway, we'll have to wait and see. We need better fullbacks and defenders full stop, so until that's sorted there's always going to be a limit to what this team can achieve this season.
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This makes no sense. Think Noods said it a few lines up. The issue is that we have literally nobody else who can play left back.
Brentford signed Diouf for 35 million. That should have easily been a deal we looked at.

Luke Shaw is going to get injured soon enough or tired. And once he does we have no left back, that’s a glaring problem.

To be a sporting director of an entity like Manchester United and not be able to figure out that issue is scary.
But then it’s Jason Wilcox. A no mark winger from the 90’s who spent ten years with city’a under 18’s with little pull in the footballing world, a non existent network courtesy of basically having absolutely no experience in the scouting, directorial role . Yet this guy was meant to change our fortunes. But it’s not his fault, just look at the imbeciles who hired him.
 
Looking at the players who were available and who moved this summer its a 3 at best. We bumped up our midfield numbers and went for "shrewd" deals that the jury will be out on but who could be great for us.

But we didnt move the needle from the team we had last year in terms of quality.

Big questions at fullback quality , forward depth, and even CB with our injuries. I just dont think we have the squad to challenge on all fronts in a European season, i dont think the manager has been backed. We have a pre covid level net spend.
 
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