Sir Alex Ferguson has always been tough to predict in the transfer market, he’s capable of securing transfer deals that seemed incredibly unlikely, unexpected, genius, or sometimes, baffling. From Henrik Larsson to Chicharito to Gabriel Obertan and Bébé, there’s usually something from way out in left field. Yet, centre midfield has long since been viewed by fans and pundits alike as an area that since 2007 has been overwhelmingly under-invested in by Sir Alex.
All Manchester United fans no doubt remember a phrase from last season that has almost become one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most famous phrases – “there’s no value in the transfer market”. It’s just as hard to understand it then as it is now, there has never really been any value in the transfer market. It’s unpredictable and prone to ballooning at anytime.
It’s also hard to take it too seriously when you consider some of the transfers in football that United have missed out on. Shinji Kagawa moved to Dortmund for what was an incredible bargain. As well as that in the past 4 or 5 years the transfer fees of Rafael van der Vaart, João Moutinho, Mesut Özil, Javier Pastore, Nuri Şahin, and even Wesley Sneidjer. All centre midfielders, all of which are arguably Manchester United quality, and of which went for under £15,000,000.
Since the signings of Owen Hargreaves and Anderson in the early summer of 2007, there has been little in the way of central midfield reinforcements. In January 2008, Rodrigo Possebon signed for the club and looked promising but seemed to lack confidence after his injury and his disastrous loan spell in Braga. Possebon was sold to Santos in August 2009. Darron Gibson made his league debut for the club in November 2008, and it’s now looking likely he will be on the way out to Sunderland. In October 2009, there was the signing of Paul Pogba, which may be an inspired signing, should he develop like many expect him too.
Those are the only central midfield signings since and it is a massive lack of investment when you consider the money spent on other areas of the pitch. So, despite Manchester United now looking likely to invest heavily this summer after a transition season, it’s fortunate that unlike other teams, United are able to win the league whilst reinventing again.
It’s not then, beyond the realm of impossibility, that perhaps the midfield is missed out completely again this summer. Even with the obvious reinvestment of Phil Jones, and very probably David de Gea and Ashley Young. The manager did say back in May that there would be 3 new signings; perhaps that’s our fill of transfer activity then? It’s unlikely, as there is looking like there will still be plenty of cash to spend with players that maybe on their way out, there’s Darron Gibson, Wes Brown, John O’Shea, Nani, and Dimitar Berbatov – depending on what you read.
Should United fail to secure a new midfielder (and presumably don’t sell any) then the only options available would be: Anderson, Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Darron Gibson, Ryan Tunnicliffe, and Paul Pogba.
A virus ruined Darren Fletcher’s 2010-2011 campaign, and it was apparent that when he did recover that he had lost a lot of weight, which limited his opportunities. Even before his mystery virus, Fletcher had not replicated the kind of form he displayed from 2008-2010 that made him indispensible to the team, and a huge loss in the 2009 Champions League final. Given he recovers back to his former self, Fletcher can still be an important part of United’s midfield.
Ryan Giggs will be 38 in November, which is frankly, ridiculous – in a good way. Although it has been said for the past 4 years or so, this time it may actually be his last season. Of course, Giggs will be getting attention off the fans next year, after becoming a Daily Star selling machine – with apparent sex stories become more bizarre and abstract. The entire thing is tedious for real football fans, but it will be ammunition for opposition fans. I’d wager that someone as professional as Giggs would remain entirely unaffected by all the extra attention. We can perhaps hope for more of the same from Giggsy next year.
Anderson is a strange one, he is undoubtedly talented but there is still the sense that he could become so much more. When he does pick up good form, he usually been stopped by another injury or falling out of favour of the squad rotation system. Nani’s found himself since 2010, maybe now it’s time for Anderson to do so. There are signs of his improvement; he’s even begun scoring goals now.
Michael Carrick and Darron Gibson have the special ability to divide opinion. Carrick’s first two seasons showed the kind of player he was (and can be), and many said he lost his confidence after the Rome final, but at times he has showed entirely what he is capable of. Darron Gibson has come under a lot of stick, some would say rightly so – and other’s wouldn’t. With Gibson to turn 24 this year, it’s certain that if (and that’s a big if) he stays with United it will be his very last chance to impress Sir Alex.
Ryan Tunnicliffe and Paul Pogba are two of the gems from what looks like a very talented bunch of youngsters coming through. Of course, Ravel Morrison is deserving of mention, but his talents are better deployed in more attacking roles than what we are focusing on here. Tunnicliffe has the bite and the desire that have had many compare him with Roy Keane, which is a huge ask. If he manages to be half the player that Roy Keane was then we know we have a special lad on our hands.
Paul Pogba has looked a lot more than the “next Patrick Viera” that many writers, who are looking for an easy comparison, have said. Paul Pogba is more dynamic than Viera ever was, and he’s shown that he is worth every bit of legal disputes with Le Havre so far. Although in the end, the disputes were much more straightforward deal than Le Havre’s president, Jean-Pierre Louvel would have you believe.
Pogba and Tunnicliffe look like immensely talented prospects, but to throw them in at the deep end next season would be irresponsible. It’s likely that both will make their senior debuts at some stage during the season (probably in the League Cup), but we can’t expect Pogba to come in and score wonder goals for the first season straight away, like he does with the reserves.
A central midfield composed of the likes of Carrick, Fletcher and Giggs could be likely to bring about a similar season to the one just passed – and the team may will even end up with a twentieth title if luck is on United’s side, but it would not be able to conquer Europe. The midfield of Barcelona will once again be the best in the world. Perhaps Pogba or Tunnicliffe will emerge, but it is a good few years until they will be able to carry a side like Manchester United. If only Paul Scholes could turn 18 again on his next birthday.
Whether it be Luka Modrić, Wesley Sneidjer or perhaps someone, once again, a bit further left-field. It’s time for a new transformation of Manchester United to build on last year – let’s just hope it will be this season.
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Fergie will do something in the end
nice article! hopefully Fergie will grab a “marquee” central midfielder.
Its good to give the young guns a chance……
hmmm. i had a belief that SAF wont be signing any mid fielders this season. He may add Pogba and others to give weight to the mid-field. But i didnt see Phil jones making in the transfer list. We were strong in defence with Evans n smalling. And another winger. He may have plans, but giggs, park,valencia, nani all trying to get the first team action, but ashley young makes things more doubtful. And when Sanchez rumor got more thick, I thought SAF is on to something. So If SAF sees differently this season, then sure there will be a signing.
You forgot Cleverly Scott.
You left out Cleverley? Excited to see him getting his chance! Just hope we don’t loan him out yet again.
Good article, enjoyed reading that!
It wasn’t Scott that wrote the article!
I don’t mind if we skip out on Schneijder (or whatever), I want us to sign another Chicharito in midfield! Hell, i wish all our signings could be Chicharitos!
But seriously, Mario Goetze makes my heart soft. Such a powerful, fast and creative player!
As things stand, if we don’t strenghthen in CM I doubt we will win the league, our major rivals (Shitty and the Rentboys) will undoubtedly reinforce their squads.
I wouldnt be too concerned should we fail to get a new CM. Not this season anyway. As you say, if Fletcher regains form he will be valuable to us, and might rekindle his partnership with Carrick. I still havent given up on Anderson and Cleverly will get chances. With Pogba and Tunnicliffe to fill in the gaps, we aren’t in too bad shape. We could also throw Jones into the midfield. From what I’ve seen at the U-21′s and in last season he looks assured on the ball and would be nice to have to break up play.
From my point of view, whats happening now is a 2-4 year rebuild that will make us competative in Europe, while still holding a good chance of winning domestic titles. Our defence is as strong as any in the PL, stronger even. Our strike force is immense, and with Valencia and Nani firing we should be good. Also having Welbeck back, to pair up with Chicharito, Berbatov, Rooney and Owen. It’s not looking too bleak.
Good read Rich. Can’t wait to see Tunnicliffe and Pogba get a go.
I just don’t beleive that we will sign a big name (Modric, Sneidjer) if we do make a signing.
@garylyons_ on Twitter BTW.
Great post.
Well, I enjoyed reading that. Very good article. Lets hope indeed that Fergie does bring in someone.
Bring back Djemba-Djemba!!!
Cleverley’s been spending a lot of time out wide it seems, that’s why I’ve left him out.
Cheers, everyone!
i agree with with catotraa,mario goetze fill naturally fill the gap,ganzo,the jong in ajax,hamsik,pastore,there in a lot cm in the world and dont tell me,a manager of class like sir alex ferguson cant bring a cm or two,we’re just fans and we see everywhere,fergie cant.
Great piece Richard
And the majority of fans have the same oppinion but i think if we dont get a world class midfielder this summer number 20 will be out of our reach were gona strugle away from home again. we were the best of a bad bunch last season ( which should not take anything away from the achivement) but chelsea, city and dare i say it even the rat munchers will be stronger.
I hope someone has Fergies e-mail address to get this article to him
Marvin Martin. That is all.
If there is no Sneijder….
Then Rooney should be played in attacking midfielder, leaving Berba and Chica upfront. Or leave Rooney upfront and give Anderson and Cleverley opportunities to progress as players, rather than sit on the bench and not develop. Anderson has so much quality, he should be playing regularly for this club. Last season our central midfield may have seemed lightweight at times because Ando has had some horrid injuries. The other midfield slot will be Fletcherinho or Carrickinho. Giggs should be used sparingly.
That being said, I would LOVE Wesley Sneijder at our club, no matter how much he costs. But a deal doesn’t seem to be on the horizon.
Good article chap.
One MASSIVE omission though, so huge/massive/gargantuan/colossal/over-sized it might have originated in the Eastlands municipal council dump:
Tom Cleverley???????????????
Stick him straight in the team, no fear
If we don’t purchase a new central midfielder it may point to a change in the formation.
What about Tom Cleverley?
If no investment is made to the central midfield area this summer then I fear a repeat of our disastrous away form. I doubt Cheaski will have a slump as they did last year and thus opening the door for us and The Bitters will no doubt invest heavily again.
We can’t rely on Carrick and Giggs in the middle for another season as it was all so obvious in the away games how exposed this area was. Don’t get me started on the Champions League final either.
1st. Wat about cleverly scott??
Good debut article Richard.
It’s a weird situation because if Pogba and Tunni are going to come good, then we don’t need a top class recruit right now. But we do need someone to give us more depth because we only have Carrick, Fletch and Ando. Cleverley is the other option, but like Danny, I am a bit cautious about him.
Tom Cleverley will hopefully be one for our midfield this season
Just though of something else…
Fergie may just pull out one we all were not expecting and shift Valencia to centre midfield, allow Nani to blossom on the right and play either Park or Young on the left.
We have our solution!!
If Modric & Sneijder seem expensive why don’t look at players like Javi Martinez & Ever Banega. Both young but experienced and should be relatively cheaper.
Won’t have to rely on Carrick and Giggs will we. Think it through.
And even if we played our reserves, our away form won’t be as piss poor as last year. Most important thing next season is that Rooney isn’t going to spend the first 6 months acting like a twat, playing like a twat and shagging prozzies like a twat. He’ll be the fucking superstar he was for the last 3-4 months. Unplayable. If Rooney is playing to his best standard, there is not a player that comes close to his footballing ability. Rooney next year with a whole season with Chicharito, imagine the amount of goals.
Can’t wait now. Get pre-season started right now. CHAMP19NS.
Agree on most points, but why is there no mention of Tom Cleverley? Surely he will be in contention?
What about Cleverley?
Scott… Very good read. But no mention of Tom Cleverley?
it’s not written by scott
we WILL be screwed if we dont get a CM – for me we need 2!!!
No use crying about what could have been! But the money wasted on Bebe when the likes of Mesut Ozil could have been had for less than 20M is worth crying about. Now we are talking about likes of Sjnieder for probably over 35m and 200 00 per week!!!
Summer is loooong. We’ll buy a midfielder. (I hope)
Pogba and Tunni has what it takes, they just need chances to prove it.
I say let them come as late subs in PL and start carling cup games.
Much that I hate wilshere and sergio busquets, you can’t disagree that they’re good players and become what they are by playing with the first team week in week out.
Hell, I should mention Scholesy, he and the class of 92′ break into first XI after won the youth FA cup right?
2011 youth have proved that they got the winning mentality and deserved their little chances.
But I’ll be very happy if we sign any established CM this summer as I don’t expect any current United CM to transform into world beater next season. This is the truth that I hate to admit.
Gutted we missed on Henderson though… Sir Alex should have bid 35 million for him
It’s a good read. I have felt for some time that the biggest “problem” with our midfield transition was one of timing: how long would the “old stagers” be able to continue, and how quickly would the “young guns” mature to the point where they could take over? It’s an impossible question, really, in the sense that there are too many factors beyond the control of any manager to influence — even Sir Alex, the best there has ever been, cannot wave a wand to make old bodies young, or young minds mature.
It now seems apparent that the timing isn’t quite working out. Given that, it was my thought (and my hope) that SAF would “plug the gap” by buying in a recognized, A-list midfielder, one already in his prime (even though it’s not our policy). My reasoning is that:
(a) such a player would hit the ground running, and would be as close to a “sure thing” as it’s possible to be;
(b) such a player would be able to mentor the young guns through their introduction to the elite level. I recognize that the club has done a smart and wonderful thing in keeping many of our retired legends involved with the club. However, experienced leadership is also needed out on the park. We will still have Giggs to play that role, and Fletcher, but given our rotation policy, that doesn’t cover the bases.
(c) a player already in his prime would be decline by the time the young guns are ready to grab the reins. Thus, he would not stand in their way. Whereas if we get someone in his early 20s, he would be reaching his prime when those guys come through. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, except that it could result in someone leaving through lack of opportunity.
Having said all that, I am also convinced that SAF won’t buy someone just to make up the numbers. If he can’t get what he wants, he may buy younger players (for less money) for their potential, but I can’t see him paying big bucks for someone unless he’s convinced that person is going to make a major difference. If he has his sights set on (say) a Modric, a Sneijder or a de Rossi, and can’t get one of those (for whatever reason), then he may just bite the bullet and focus on bringing the young guns through over the next 2-3 years, while focusing on cementing our domestic dominance.
Nice Article!!.However, we can’t rely on luck to win us the 20th!. This teams midfield lacks Finesse and style, we would only be deceiving ourselves by saying that “we won the 19th through excellent play”. We won because the opposition was weak and lacked the winning mentality our team seems to have in abundance!.A. Solid midfield is the only way we can compete in europe and challenge Barcelona!. We need to. Sign a quality midfielder in the mold of Scholes, the fans obvious delusion of thinking Tom cleverly is gonna replace Scholes is a wide pipe dream!. I trust the Gaffer, but sometimes waiting to see what he’s up to eends in disappointment!.
You forgot Tom Cleverley
With so many strikers, I can see Fergie playing Rooney in midfield, either in a 4-3-3 alongside Carrick and Anderson, or in a 4-2-3-1, playing alongside Valencia and Young in the attacking 3, leaving Fletch and Carrick as the 2 midfielders
Hope we sign Sneijder though
Could this be another 95/96 “you’ll never win anything with kids” scenario?
As we all know, Fergie has done it before – shown the door to 3 or 4 senior players, and then seemingly not replaced them, choosing to bring through the youth heavily and give them a massive chance and plenty of match time in one swoop.
Could he be planning on doing the same again this coming season – with the likes of Cleverly, Welbeck, Tunnicliffe, Pogba, Macheda (if Berbatov goes), the Da Silva twins, Smalling, Jones being given the responsibility of coming into the senior picture and stepping up to become the new squad members?
I could see it happening.
For some reason the comments section was blank when I posted. You’ve already pointed out why you omitted Cleverley.
Apparently Jones can play as a defensive midfielder.
I have a strong feeling there won’t be any superstar arrivals in midfield.
i totally agree with what has been written, but to say we can’t throw the young lads in..well didn’t hansen say that in a different way when scholes etc broke into the 1st team, if they are good enough we should know Fergie will do just that!!
Fergie is definately playing his midfield transfer cards close to his chest..whether that has soemthing to do with shitty and their billions who knows. But then if some rumours are true we now have billions too from Qatar.. wouldn’t that be funny and put the bitters in their place again, still better and richer again!!
Whatever the reason is why we haven’t signed a midfielder is we just have to trust SAF. I’m sure he’ll get it sorted when the timing is right.
I’d go for this team next season
———-De Gea
Rafeal Rio Vidic Fabio
Anderon Carrick Rooney
Valencia Chicho Young
if we dont sign a mi fielder or two. We will meet barca in the final and get whooped again.
PLS FERGIE SIGN THAT MIDFIELDER OR FORGET ABOUT THE CL
I think you forgot Tom Cleverley. At the moment IMO they are above Ryan Tunnicliffe and Paul Pogba.
in pecking order
Phil Jones is naturally a defensive midfielder. Blackburn were forced to play him at centre back for the end of the season due to Ryan Nelson getting a serious injury (ligaments if I recall correctly)
If we cant get a Chicarito for CM I’d rather wait for Pogba while giving likes of Anderson a run all these media inflated prices are ridiculous. And I wander why the player who won the Golden boot is being quoted at 10M while the likes of Henderson are valued at 20M and another I just saw now Fellini 25M sh**t!!!
Norwood impressed me with the reserves this year, he may get opportuities ahead of the likes of pogba and tunicliffe
I fear Anderson may never become what he could – he doesn’t look to have improved a great deal in all his time at OT, bar the odd run of decent games. I’m a big fan of Fletcher, but he’d be best deployed as a spoiler alongside someone of guile and class. Carrick displays this on occasion but often looks too languid and relaxed in possession, though he came good again towards the end of the season.
I don’t think we have any right to expect Giggs to have much of a role in the coming season, and to be honest I find it worrying that he’s still needed for the biggest games. I think Gibson is best moving on and I haven’t seen enough of Pogba or Tunnicliffe to make a call.
All in all I think Fergie could do with bringing in two midfielders – one in the Hargreaves mould (L Diarra? though i have a feeling Jones might make a few appearances in this role) and a clever, quick footed creative player we’ve been missing since Scholes stopped appearing regularly. Going into the season with what we’ve got wouldn’t be a disaster but I’m astounded CM wasn’t SAF’s first priority after a keeper.
i would not go for Modric or Sneider . i’d go for Newcastle’s Tiote. i reckon we should get him for about 20 mill, maybe 25.
We need a midfielder badly, I don’t believe we will go for Sneidjer as he is very expensive and his wages are very high, yes he would have bought the superstar status to the club which we have lacked since Ronaldo’s departure but we need someone in midfield badly. I understand why SAF may be keeping his cards close to his chest as other teams mainly Manchester City and sometimes Real Madrid will go after those players not because they need them or wanted them but because they don’t want United to get them eg Benzema and Milner.
I also wouldn’t be suprosed if he sits Rooney in that position of slightly forward playmaker, keep berba as the target man alongside chicarito and let fletch and carrick be the stoppers, then evrything goes through rooney just like it used to with scholes, maybe over the past couple of seasons he’s been groomed for that role and why he threw a hissy ft at the start of last season?? Fergie talked him orund saying he’ll be classed as a far better player in that role than just being a forward. He’s certainly capable of running games a la scholesy
No mention of Tom cleverley in the article who is surely ahead of pogba and tunnicliffe in the pecking order
SAF said 3 signings. We made our move for De Gea, Young and Jones really early and If we bring someone else in then it will almost surely be a kid for the future. Wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.
The transfer market does not open till the 1st of July, dont panic captain Mannering. If not play Rooney in the center simples.
Yeah, Ollie Norwood and Davide Petrucci impress me for the Reserves whenever I watch them, unsure if they’ll get a chance though.
Very good article and I agree 100%. United are set 100% in defense and attack (right wing) but are lacking talent in the engine room. We have too many good/serviceable players but lack the special players.
Yes it’s good to bring up our own talent, but unlike past years, this years crop will be included into a mediocre group. No Scholes and no Keane (to mention some).
I feel that SAF really needs to make changes and I feel that he should hold on to United guys and let the rest go. Meaning keep Fletcher (and ofc Giggs and Park) sell Carrick and Anderson. Carrick is solid but nothing more and Anderson has been underperforming for 5 years – United need players that deliver every time/every game. The 2 sold need to be replaced by better payers (much better players) and this will also secure that our young guns learn from the best.
I’ll most likely get stick and that’s fine, but we cannot rely on SAF’s genius every game to pull off wins, we need players with better ability than the opposition to win as well.
I won’t mention names here – but like I said 100% agree Scott -something needs to be done!
i was reading an article on theunitedreligion and an interesting point was raised, what if rooney started playing in the centre of the park? he can pass and finish from various distances, has an enormous workrate and might just relish the challenge/freedom of the role. that would open up a space up fron or just behind the main striker and we seem to be linked with a lot of attacking midfielders who could fit the role of a 2nd striker. what do you think?
Why not gamble on a preseason-primed Ronaldinho?
As much as I would love Pogba and Tunnicliffe to be given a chance, I think it is just a bit too soon to be pinning our hopes and lumping them with massive pressure. One player I hope will get a chance is Oliver Norwood. I watched the reserves a lot last season and he really impressed me. His ball retention is superb, he willfully dictates play, and he can start counter attacks with some special balls. Oh, he doesn’t shy from meaty challenges too. I think and hope we get to see him on the Old Trafford pitch.
um so we need a CM i guess is the take home message there then ,
well i wonder what will be seen to transpire in the fullness of time
I think the problem lays with SAF. He hasn’t bought anything near the quality needed in midfield for years. Instead have tried to create a new Paul Scholes, ie turnng a striker into an attack midfielder, Smith, Bebe are examples. SAF is trying to recreate players, eg Wenger turning Henry from winger to striker.
We have even seen and heard comments about Rooney being an attacking MF ! what non sense. Why play someone who is so talented out of position? I can understand if its for 1 game or due to an injury,but not as a semi permanent place.
I really think its about time SAF pressures the Glazers to hand over the money to buy quality players. The E80m MU got for Ronaldo, all that came back was Obatan and Bebe!!! The Glazers took out loans for their family on the security of MU.
The last big signing was Berba, £30m….
I mentioned it before and will mention it again…Oliver Norwood should be given a chance from the reserves. He is a genius with free kicks and can play some sumptuous through balls…he needs to beef up a bit though
I feel that United are not the best team in the world. They are becoming another team that will take 5years to conquer Europe. We cant beat anyone in Europe of qualities like Barcelona if we dont invent in the squad. We are biggest club in the world? Then lets spend and bring players in to conquer Europe! Dont mention we cant find value in the market!
I would prefer Modric to Sneijder, age is in favour of Modric as well as his Premier League experience.
@Saeed
Smith was never itended to be an attacking midfielder pal, he was thought of as a defensive midfield or someone in the Keane role.
@rewind123
That ain’t bad thinking, I was thinking how Young would fit in to our team and you sir may have found the solution! I think Valencia plays central midfield for his country so it’s not impossible!
If we were to start the season with a midfield of Carrick, Fletch and Giggs look forward to another season of inconsistent performances, poor away form and uninspiring football like last season. I would love to see some of our youngsters given a chance but as others have pointed out it would be unfair to drop them in the deep end.
I sincerely hope that the penny has dropped with Fergie with his policy of solid in the middle and creativity down the wings because as the CL final showed if you don’t play creative players on the wings then we never look like scoring! That and its such an easy tactic to nullify we will be lucky to win anything should he pursue it, 4-4-2 is dead and we need to move with the times and get players who are more flexible.
I would be quite happy to see the back of Carrick (squad player at best nowadays, or at least should be), Anderson (unfortunately hasn’t progressed at all in his time with the club but not helped by not being played regularly) and promote the likes of Pogba and Tunnicliffe then buy in a genuine world class talent to build the midfield around.
kel – What are you talking about? 5 years to conquer Europe? Nothing to say Barca wont get knocked out early doors. We are capable of beating the rest.
As good a player Ollie Norwood is he isnt ready for the first team IMO.
If we don’t, we’re in for a rough ride.
Simple as.
Did we skip the rest of June and July lads? Seriously now, whats all the pannicking about? It’s not the last week of August ffs. Furthermore, it don’t have to be a Modric, or Snejider. Fergie is known for springing a surprise in the transfer market. Not worried at all. We’ll sign a CM.
An excellant article, all too rare at this time of the year. Unfortunately Utd wont be making any marquee midfield signings this tranfer window. The Glazers simply will not allow the purchase of an overpriced player ( which all marquee midfielders are). Its fucking frustrating when you look back on both CL finals with Barcelona. We need to spend big in the midefield, end of fucking story.
chicharito rooney
fabio varane jones valencia
evra smalling vidic rafael
2 powerhouse dm and we were conquer barca, just break all their legs. sell carrick anderson bench fletcher cleverly park giggs
We should dispell the myth that the reason we haven’t added any marquee signings to our midfield for last couple of years is due to lack of funding from the owners. Change the record already.
In recent years SAF looked at the options open to him and decided to stick with the established players he had plus blooding some up and coming players. This strategy has clearly backfired as we seem to be picking up far too many domestic titles and progressing to the final of the Champions League far too often!! I mean, talk about miserable failure.
As a supporter, during this close season I do feel the need for an established renowned playmaker in the middle of the park, but I won’t be panicking (and I certainly won’t be on here criticising him, like others) if SAF surveys the options and does something else instead.
That said, I am quietly confident we’ll have a central midfield signing to get excited about in the next few weeks. And I will sleep a lot easier once the ink is dry on De Gea’s contract. Recent reports suggest he could yet opt to stay in Madrid.
We ocassionally have people like Rucien who are into smoking crack and pot and spouting gibberish…
Sorry but the only real central midfielder you mentioned is Sahin. The rest is always playing right behind the striker with 2 central midfielder to protect.
That’s why we didn’t sign anyone of them. Sahin would have been great, but his mind was set on Real.
There’s a long way to go yet and it’s not like they’re not trying to make signings. We all know clubs like the bitters and rentboys go out of their way to make noise about potential signings just to make themselves look bigger than they are (hence all the bitters with tattoos of players before a deal is done). United aren’t like that and don’t need to be.
Contracts for big name players also take longer to negotiate because we have to match/improve their current deal, meet their demands, negotiate with clubs who obviously dont want to lose their star players etc. It’s not like signing an unknown from a ‘smaller’ club.
Then you have guys that just waste our time because they are using the club’s name and ‘interest’ to negotiate themselves the best wage or a move elsewhere. You can put the likes of Nasri and probably Sneijder in there.
Finally there are the transfer attempts that just dont work out and the small foolish group of players that just dont want to play for Manchester United.
It all takes time, so lets just be patient and get on with it. Besides, you should never believe the media rumours, they are all controlled by the ABUnati. They are everywhere.
Beginning to think you are right Richard. To add a bit of balance to this I do think Fergie has tried to sign CMs since 2007 – I think he did have a run at Ozil for example – but for what ever reason and no doubt down to financials we haven’t gotten these players and he has had to peddle the line of “..no value”. The other problem is there isn’t a deep market of players you would want United to sign anyway and all the big clubs many of whom who are sadly much better financed than us are in that mix as well. Lets hope for a suprise signing who makes the same impact as Chicharito
Oh, also, I absolutely detest Mesut Ozil and I’m glad we didn’t sign him. He’s looks like Admiral Ackbar
http://www.ackbar.org/images/ackbar.jpg
The force is strong with Ozil.
couple of things,we lost the title by 1 point 2 yrs ago because of bent refs and won the title last year going away so has our midfield been that bad?its getting back to in sir alex we trust,utd paid 18mill for anderson,does sir alex intend to give him a run at central midfield,with him he has to start playing and given a chance otherwise whats the point of keeping him as a bit player.
its still early in the transfer market hasn’t been much business done by any of the big teams yet.if sir alex really feels the youngsters are not ready and we need a cm he’ll go and get one.its beginning to look like it wasn’t his priority assuming the reports are correct,young and de gea will come and by all accounts young was the player utd wanted in january,young has been sir alex’s priority signing along with a goalie,all the goalie rumors have ceased so we have to figure the de gea deal is done.
in regards to the 3 players don’t think jones was one of them utd had to move because other teams were interested utd signed him a year early.so although alot of us think utd need a cm doesn’t appear to be a worry for sir alex otherwise that would have been utds goal at the start of the transfer market,sir alex understands personnel and what he wants more than any other manager,he’s always made the right decisions in the past why all of a sudden are we doubting him now
buy juan mata, play berbatov and we will win the champions league next season
You don’t seem to think much of Cleverly! Not getting picked by Psycho is not a bad sign for a footballer!
( . )( . )
i can see De Gea changing his mind and us starting with PIG+Lindegaard for GK, with Young and Jones coming in and nothing else happening transfer wise, i hope i’m wrong but in SAF we trust
it’s not a lack of funds, just people dont all want to come to MUFC as we expect they would, for their own reasons (Wages ,Sunshine , or the more glamorous citys of the world for their model wivess shopping and their own nightlife options etc etc etc)
also SAF knows that media rumours about interest in players just helps keep the competition spending top dollar, he knows he fights on a financial front also,that’s management
De Gea won’t change his mind.
Thanks Richard, for a good article well written. We hope to hear more from you!
Richard says: “It’s not then, beyond the realm of impossibility, that perhaps the midfield is missed out completely again this summer”, and of course we know this to be true. If that does happen, anyone who is disappointed is ungrateful and very forgetful. Sir Alex is more than all of us put together, AND has proved himself over and over to us. Do not be dismissive or dismayed.
Having said that, it is my firm belief that we have already identified and arranged a top midfielder in his mid-to-late 20′s. He will be announced on Friday the 1st of July.
SAF has remade players many times before. If we buy Sneider we need to rejig the whole formation. Same with Modric – could see Nasri or Fabregas coming straight in though.
Can also see Rooney dropping deeper and the option exists for Nani to move more more central – the fact is SAF knows what he has and how to use it. All else is speculation.
The UCL final showed that a new system is needed but not necesssarily new players – I reckon we have the players already.
Bring on the new season.
UNITED 20/4/12 – 2012
@mmbuh
lemme tell ya son there’s fk all wrong with manchester other than that tin pot fking club down the road
I wouldn’t rule out Fergie buying another Spanish player this summer. Cloughy used to say, if you buy a foreigner, buy him a friend as well.
Great article with insightful comments and analysis.
The Left Bank
willierednut – we could say Hernandez is spanish.
Otherwise we should sign Javi Martinez, but then we would’ve to spend silly money.
@ shmoo
i agree but in the mind of some of those ‘stars’ it’s not like that, values have really changed over the years
Scott I see u’ve over looked Cleverly, but I agree with ur points though…I just think with what we have now, we just need that extra bit of class in the middle, that little bit of genius to turn a game on its head at any time….
looks like udinese is going to get what they wanted,last night apparantly sanchez was going to barca for 32mill,now this morning city are coming in with a late bid of 35mill,city is desperate to become a big club with bucketfuls of money doesn’t matter who you are really hard to compete against that.
@Cyril, LOL! I am sitting here in my office smiling wildly at that picture. In a weird way, it makes complete sense.
Richard, really thought out and well presented article. Nicely done.
I agree with StatesideAussie. I cannot imagine Sir Alex paying bucketloads of cash on one player no matter how good he is. It is just too much of a risk in my opinion. He will never pay 35 or 40 million all on one player no matter how “world class” he is. The only reason it happened in the case of Berbatov was because Sir Alex had made up his mind and the filthy cunt Levy held us to ransom on the last day of the window.
I don’t think we will have any last day shenanigans this time around. My guess is Sir Alex has already planned a few options in his mind and will get David Gill into action once the window officially opens on July 1st. Unlike our other proposed signings like De Gea, Jones and Young, all of which should be signed, sealed and delivered within the first week of July, the central mid-field category is filled with European youngsters who want to choose Spain over England for a number of reasons or over-valued players in their prime (Modric, Sneijder) who because of our policies, we won’t be able to get.
One of the option that seems like a long shot but is worth fantasizing over is Xabi Alonso. As someone already said, has the experienced and talent to play in the League. More importantly, as FletchTheMan said, it would allow our youngsters the few years required to mature and really get embedded into the first team. I don’t think it will happen, but hey, the crazy season is precisely for fantasizing over such options, isn’t it?
I thought Steven Defour was a closely done deal when Sir Alex sent him good will messages and I think Martin Ferguson even visited him in the summer. But it would seem he is on his way to Russia right now if we are to believe internet rumors. Many people who’ve seen him would think he is the missing piece of the puzzle we require. That is another long shot option that should be considered in these discussions.
And, for the last time, our lack of mid-field signings is not because of the Glazers. It is only because, as I said, Sir Alex doesn’t believe in splashing the cash for a single player. He is about as old fashioned as it gets and he won’t be able to get himself to spend over the odds for one quality player. I swear the next time I hear someone say that the Glazers should just give the cash, I will break a little kitten’s neck.
Scott’s opinion reflects our changing targets. We need to shift to targetting Europe more often.
SURELY Fergie will give us that midfielder we want so badly. He knows more than all of us that the midfield needs some work.
It’s not Scotts article!!
I still say De Rossi would be perfect for our midfield. In his prime and one on the best in what he does, when he’s on form. That guy will need a change and afaik he rejected the new contract so roma have to sell.
And for possible 15m you can’t do much wrong.
Honestly had fletcher not suffered from Injuries and viruses i believe that we could have still managed the midfield this year because when Fletch is on form he is very very brilliant. He drives forward, drives back. He is a ball of energy HOWEVER, due to the lack of games it’s gonna take a while before fletch becomes fletch again on the pitch. If i were you i wouldn’t worry it’s only June we will get our midfielder.
I not worried at all, but some people are already summoning mass hysteria
effin hell I would be happy if the window would end at July 1st. All these rumours till August 31 will drive me nuts!
Ohh atlast this blog has something interesting to offer.It had become a social networking site.
A very good article with some good views given by the people of ROM.
I don’t comment that much but i read this blog many times and sorry to say it has become likea facebook.If someone has a different opinion then he is said to be a non united fan.
Please Bring back the old ROM
@Balaji
There was a rumour the other day linking us with Alonso, not sure about that one because he just strikes me as being a slightly better ‘Carrick’…
Did STR write this article?
Interesting article and some good points. Personally I think a defensive or box to box midfielder is the biggest need, as our wingers create alot of goals because of their quality, so a creative midfielder isn’t essential. Rooney and Anderson can both play in that role anyway.
In other news, it seems that we’ve missed out on Varane who is heading to madrid. If you want to know about our other transfer targets go here now, I really appreciate it:
http://mufcthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/06/transfer-targets-detailed-breakdown.html
willie – Spot on mate, I said exactly the same to my mate last night. I wouldnt be surprised if Fergie brings in someone Spanish to help De Gea settle in.
I think anyway we could have a young Hargreaves in our midst with Phil Jones. A real tough little cunt, good on the ball, snaps into tackles, reads the game , pacey and can play in the middle of the park or at the back. Looking forward to seeing this kid progress at United.
We should have got Silva – we missed out big time there!
I also think Juan Mata is a class act!
How does everyone know or think D Gea has or is Defo signing???
red – Well considering Forlan his team mate said he is coming over with his girlfriend and family I think it looks a good possibility.
How is Tom Cleverley be the main man in midfeild and replace Paul Schole while he cant even hold a spot in England Under 21′s? I think Anderson should be the main man with Carrick and Fletcher as dm.
Indeed Willie. The transfers of De Gea and Young will be confirmed in the next 10 days or so.
Did you write this Scott? What about Tom Cleverley?
SAF KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO DO……..SO MATES, DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY, WE HAVE LORD FERGUSSON AS OUR COUCH.
@bchilds
Thanks mate. I have also been thinking about a possible change in formation that Fergie may be considering as follows…
De Gea
ignore the above mistake!
@bchilds
Thanks mate. I have also been thinking about a possible change in formation that Fergie may be considering as follows…
De Gea
Rafael–Ferdinand–Vidic–Evra
Valencia-Carrick-Anderson
Rooney
Nani Young
Chicharito
Remember!! you heard it here first
argh!!! Just forget it, It seems my tactics incorporate 12 players. I need some sleep :0
This comment of mine is a waste of your time, don’t read it.
It is addressed to those who are too lazy to read the article to the end, where it clearly states the author’s name.
It is also addressed to those who are to lazy to read the comments before diving in with their unwarranted criticism. Richard has explained why he did not include Tom Cleverley. If you disagree with his logic, explain why. Chances are you were so excited to be able to blurt out that the author was remiss, when actually it is you who were remiss. You did no research before attacking his piece, and brusquely dismissed all the contributors opinions in your haste.
Read the article and the comments before submitting unfair criticism.
If you don’t have the time or the inclination to do so, then keep your comment clear of critical complaint.
Some of the lads have been debating a formation change. Old news.
Quick question to eerbody, since the sneijder and moderic deals are looking increasingly unlikely does anyone think it would be worth breaking bank for Javier pastore. I mean he’s very young and tho unproven in the epl he is very suited it. Perhaps if united show genuine interest he may start doing the “only god knows my future” and piss off palermo s very young and tho unproven in the epl he is very suited it. Perhaps if united show genuine interest he may start doing the “only god knows my future” and piss off palermo
SNIEJDER………………..bye
not being funny with anyone who thinks rooney can become a cm seems a bit potty to me,not just the fact his skill set doesn’t fit a cm role but also the fact it’ll be taking him out of his best position.
don’t get to many italians,spanish,portuguese,argies even brazilians for that matter settling in the prem for too long,alot don’t even make the grade because of the style of play,i know some do but to fork out a ton of money for the player to be unhappy in a couple of years not sure if its worth it.
torontored @ 12:01: “Can also see Rooney dropping deeper and the option exists for Nani to move more more central – the fact is SAF knows what he has and how to use it. ”
You’re thinking along my lines. What you’re implicitly suggesting is a kind of 5-4-1 formation in which MIchael Carrick is part of the defence with a midfield diamond behind Chicharito. Of course, if DarrenFletcherinho or Anderson are played instead of Michael Carrick then the formation would be somewhat different but there would only be one “striker” playing ahead of a fluid midfield. It works for me.
Who would be better in that withdrawn attacker/attacking midfielder role than WayneBoy -alongside DarrenFletcherinho or ahead of Michael Carrick or paired with Anderson ?
If Nani loses something from his game by being played on the left then SAF has to find a way to keep him on the field – as a “withdrawn striker” ? Would he be as good as Alexis Sanchez in that role ? possibly – but probably not – HOWEVER there wouldn’t be a big difference.
What your suggestion implies is that SAF is thinking outside the box of traditional formations after going-to-school in the two matches v. Barcelona in which they play the same kind of fluid, interchanging midfield/attack.
Most EPL opponents are nowadays reasonably “organized” in their defence so it’s not a matter of battering them so much as getting them off-balance/out-of-position and then striking quickly in a rapier-like fashion. To me, this seems like the classic description of Japanese knife-work – long periods of contemplation and then a sudden, violent moment of attack.
I’ve not been a big fan of Ashley Young BUT if he is signed to free up Nani to play centrally then his acquisition makes sense. It would make even more sense if Young was a natural left-footer.
The headline for this thread is intriguing – “no new midfield signing”. It would confound everyone except the OldFootieKnight who is often a few steps ahead of the field. Torontored’s suggestion that SAF is ready to re-deploy his assets makes perfect sense in that context.
@ Balaji – I rest my case….
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/864/mesutackbar.jpg/
I don’t mind the club bringing in a young foreign player. If like ronaldo, we get some league titles and another champions league, then why not. Sure, they want to leave after a while, but if they make it at United, we get a huge fee in return. If you look at the young English talent at the under 21s, we’ve already got the best 2 performers, in Jones and Smalling.
Wayne @ 13:34: “not being funny with anyone who thinks rooney can become a cm seems a bit potty to me,not just the fact his skill set doesn’t fit a cm role but also the fact it’ll be taking him out of his best position.”
I’ve got to disagree with both of your points – first, who knows what WayneBoy’s “best position” is because he’s been played all over; second, his ability to spray that long, diagonal pass was clearly apparent in a number of matches at the end of last season – does that remind you of anyone who just retired ?
As for WayneBoy’s “skill set” – refer back to my first point; he’s a footballer, not a mechanical part and, as such, he can play anywhere to great effect. It’s that ability to “play anywhere” which was why SAF was willing to go-to-the-wall in October/November to keep him after he publicly disrespected the OldFootieKnight.
SAF wanted WayneBoy when he was 12 and finally got him five/six years later; he regards WayneBoy as the finest footballer that England has produced since Georgie Best (except, of course, Georgie was a Belfast Boy).
Moving to lead-the-line-striker two years ago, WayneBoy led the EPL in scoring for most of the season; last year, he was moved back into a withdrawn striker role and fed Dimmy and Chicharito so well that UTD scored the most goals in the EPL. Three years ago, he was on the left wing to accommodate CR7; before that he was part of a “whirligig” attack; before that, in 2005/6, WayneBoy was paired with LouisLouisHaHa to devastating effect. The guy’s “skill set” is flexible and multi-dimensional.
IF – and we really don’t know the answer – SAF wants WayneBoy to be the “attacking midfielder” then you’d have to ignore a long series of examples of Rooney’s versatility in the interest of a team concept to make the claim that he’s not suited to being that guy.
Still and all, I’d like to see SAF splash-the-cash for Daniele De Rossi and Alexis Sanchez but, alas, that seems unlikely. BUT I won’t give up the dream – just yet.
torontored said:
‘The UCL final showed that a new system is needed but not necesssarily new players – I reckon we have the players already.’
Good point. I reckon we’ve got the players already including those either coming through the ranks or getting fit (Fletcher). I don’t think we need a ‘new system’ though as a much as a better one off ‘gameplan’ to beat Barca if we meet again – it might be a bit unwise to splash millions to pursue that aim. As long as the world class element of our front line stays – Rooney, Berba and Chico -I’m happy that title no 20 is within reach and that we’ll do well in Europe too.
It’s sometimes strange we can spend money on the likes of Obertan, Bebe and almost on Varane to have them in the reserves. If we let other teams sign them we can save more than 25m. Add a few mils and a big signing CM doesn’t really cost that much in total.
Of course I strongly support giving the youths a chance to shine. That’s the biggest difference why we are more successful than other teams in the EPL.
@denton davey to put wayne rooney in the same sentence as george best is a piss take,i don’t think rooneys first touch or left foot is good enough for him to be a cm so we’ll agree to disagree
@willie its ok getting them young and making money i’m talking forking over 40mill+ then the player not cutting it in the prem or wanting out because of the weather then the club’s probably looking at a loss.also remember the misery we had to suffer over ronnie speculation that was no fun as a fan at all
more mexicans please
wayne!
Looks like you were wound up pretty tight there. I’ve not seen 2 comments in a row from you.
Welcome back to the land of the living, my friend!
@smartalex hi mate lol its weird like the shackles have been taken off
@wayne sorry to barge in but i think that when wayne rooney is on form, his first touch is stunning. He probably has the best control in the entire lge when he is on form. Also wayne’s left foot is pretty strong. but i do agree that we should not put him in CM don’t waste a goalscorer in CM leave him upfront where he does his business best.
@ SmartAlex 13:25
Fair comment, people need to learn to read!
But Cleverley cannot be considered as a winger in our team. Sure he done a good job there for Wigan and the under 21′s, however Stuart Pearce again showed how clueless he was tactically, ie Mancienne centre mid!? and Martinez played him there because it allowed him more freedom in the system he played.
y buy a CM when carsick can puke on opponent and ping pong the ball outta them
@dannysoya hi mate has a tendency to favour his right side,last year for long periods his first touch was awful but he was out of form most of the year that’s true, berba has the best first touch of anyone in football as far as i’m concerned.we both agree to take a goalscorer and put him into cm doesn’t make alot of sense.
rewind123
I agree, Tom Cleverley seems suited to a central role, although I wonder how he will cope as part of a 2 man midfield, knowing that United (under Sir Alex) prefer to play with 2 wingers, if not 3!
@dannysoya-On the contrary we don’t score from c m we use to with Scholes and Keane but that’s gone. If Rooney was in mid field you would have another goal scoring threat and an other forward on the field . More goals and a good place to make Roonehero be the captain for the future
New midfielder or not, it doesn’t matter. The league is Chelsea’s next season, IMO
Wayne – It doesn’t have to be 40 million player, not that I think we would ever spend that type of money on any player. No, if we can get a young lad at between 15 and 25 million and they become a success, we get a tidy profit back. On the speculation, that always gonna be the case mate. We’re Man United after all. We sell papers by the truck load!
The idiot from Leeds has studied our midfield and all the available options: and has then analysed our chances in the Premiership.
Sounds besotted! Try focussing on your own club, moron!
I think it’s funny a leeds fan is on a Man United blog. Trying to recapture the good old days, but in reality, no one gives a fuck about that club anymore lol. Sad indeed.
LUFCWhite.
Care to have a wager on that?Here’s the offer if Chelsea are within Three points of United on New Years Day 2012. The loser refrains from posting on this site for the rest of the season,
SmartAlex
Good point, it will be interesting to see how sir Alex fits him in.
LUFCWhite – Could be….but this discussion has nothing to do with that. One thing we can say for sure is it will be a long time before Leeds even get to the premier league, let alone win it. So, keep your comments on topic or GTFO!
On the other hand, this article made my day: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/jun/21/andre-villas-boas-chelsea-manager-transfer
So, how much is the Old Footie Knight worth in reality in this ridiculously overpriced market full of inflated egos?
If we don’t sign a cm and that’s a big if, I think we have enough to retain the pl, because I think in pettrucci and norwood we have two decent options, if gibson was getting into our team then these two must be able to get a chance and not to mention our best reserve player who didn’t even get a sniff before being sold when he was light year’s ahead of gibson. But looking at the current midfield I thing that anderson is our most potent treat and should be given key to run the show, with a proper pre season and with the manager’s backing just as in the case of nani he will blossom to is full potential
Oh I see that fucking scum cunt LUFCWhite has reared his ugly head. Fucking do one you obsessed bastard.
Talking of cunts raising their nappers I also see Car Bang Rick is on again. Have you anything constructive to say please? Bore off.
Also what is this obsession with Pastore? Havent you been burnt enough already by Argentinian players? Cannot say I have even seen him. I am also pretty sure most desperate for him havent either. Much like the other flavour of the months like Goetze?, Benaga? and so on.
Oh and for me Rooney is a striker, not a Midfielder.
The reserve player which in failed to mention was Magnus Eikrem
nani4ever – Best midfielder that was sold. I take it you mean Eikrem? Yeah a great foot on him but he was like a fucking cocktail stick , even at 21 years old nearly.
I think Mata would be a great signing actually, young, scores goals, quick and has decent crosses, I doubt he’d cost more than £20mil either…….
King Eric @
I see u haven’t been watching football lately, in which the trend is not physicality but how brilliant your technique is and his was great better than gibson by miles and even better than flecther. This is the problem with england to much emphasis on strenght and physicality and not enough on touch and flair
Wayne @ 14:47: ” to take a goalscorer and put him into cm doesn’t make alot of sense.”
Yeah, sure, BUT isn’t that what SAF did with the GingerNinja ?
Sorry for being not not into it
Can someone remind me where Leeds United Football Club are at the moment and could someone explain to me where Manchester United are?
Please explain it to me like I were a four year old – as simple as possible
With the Best of Regards
MG
It is high time to invest in the central midfield cos in our last final against barca we looked very ordinary . Fergie must do something to redeem our image
And car bang prick
If you support Manchester United then honour your team – if you don’t fuck off – if you want to be taught a lesson feel free to carry on being an arrogant fucking bastard but do that with the rest of your arrogant fucking bastards – because it will save me some time – if not then so be it.
Afternoon all true REDS
Very good read, thanks for that Richard…… I have stated my own opinion regarding our midfield during a recent enjoyable debate here with some posters. My opinion is that we will not sign a midfield player, or at least not a star name that some here keep drooling over. I also fully agree with King Eric regarding Jones, the kid might very well be played in the middle and with out stretching it too far he could very well be our new Keane….
smartalex
Well said at 13:25 my friend
Do you wait to buy THE nice comfy bench that fits the tiny space you have in your well designed backyard which “completes” the backyard as you planned it 5 years ago, or shuffle your whole backyard in order to accommodate the huge swing with built-in Altec Lansing speakers, USB playback capability made from apparently next generation future alloy that exudes age-prolonging atoms, heavily touted by marketing agents, papers and forums all over the Internet that is available right now if you just splash the cash?
What do you make of this:
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1424386_battle-for-manchester-uniteds-dimitar-berbatov?page=2&page_size=25#comments
Smoke ? Fire ? A new dawn ?
“Replacing” Dimmy with Ashley Young would seem to be the plan – younger, faster, more direct, and not much of an outlay. Is this how SAF is going to squeeze value from the market ?
Let’s hope that LUFCWhite takes parryheid’s wager at 15:17.
It sounds like a win:win for the rest of us!
Just kidding parryheid!
I think it’s all agreed if we need something it’s in midfield… I’m just not sure how easy it is in reality to get a sneijder or modric to sign. Difficult Market and lots of negotiating and time so I’m not necessarily worried we haven’t signed anyone yet. However I’m not convinced that a) we will necessarily get the man we want and b) that it’s def a creative midfielder we need. One thing is for sure if SAF can’t get sneijder or modric at right price he won’t bother spending ridiculous amounts and will more like look at getting upcoming player or youth from inside. Also we are not shy of scoring goals in this team. Add in young and we have more threat and pace. So maybe a defensive player is required someone who will break up play and give to pacy creative players. Jones springs to mind already but there are others out there. I wouldn’t be suprised if we pull someone out of the blue unexpected during summer window. Against Barcelona our creative pacy players who offer most threat were too busy thinking about stopping them as opposed to creating in the other end… I.e Valencia and Giggs spring to mind. Just a thought.
YorYor
Nicely put
Thanks CedarsDevil.
How are you, my friend? No injections for you now?
Are you suffering from the DTs [Delirium tremens (Latin for "shaking frenzy")]?
Where is my interrogation lamp!?!
We can’t have a season like the last, yes we won the league and reached the final of the CL (we actually looked a better team in CL) but I think people are forgetting the fact that Chelski, Arseholes and Shitty gave us a massive hand with their inability to beat smaller teams in the PL and put a good run together!! We were by no means a great side last year and it was in no part down to the fact our midfield was at times (and far too many) unable to produce a pass for an assist or even score a goal themselves!! it was no surprise we started looking better when Rooney was playing off Chico coz we actually had a player who could create chances, if we fail to sign a truly top class midfielder this year then I only see more frustration or Rooney being used as a more creative midfielder!!
Oh and I think Morrison might well be the player to make a massive difference in that sense, yes we need a general but if you have a player that attacks like that lad does he will inspire and generate confidence in your Carricks and Fletchers, and if Fletch gets back to form why sign a general?? we need a creative force, its not difficult to see really!!
I’m not concerned about the lack of activity as Zelh gave me the significance of the 1st of July.
smartalex
I am very well my friend….. Not suffering from and frenzies for now lol….. I am still on medication for the next few days so I still get my fix in a way
Gee
Fair comments mate, although I would not mind a season like the last one to be honest!
Meant to say ‘any’ not ‘and’ Damn typos
So, you’re not suffering from ‘and frenzies?
:megreen: No, meant
lol
There are news that varane may join real and snub us.I won’t be too disappointed if that happens but varane would be stupid to go to real.Another talent that would go in drain.
I realy hope barca continue to dominate real madrid.I want real madrid to be trophyless.I feel astonished that how today’s player say playing for madrid is our dream.Dream my foot.They just go there for money.Yeah they are 9 times european champion but they won their first 5 in 50′s when the competition had just started.I hate them very much and the people who say they are the best.
They are just best at one thing and that is in buying players.
Here’s the link
http://www.cleansheetsallround.co.uk/2011/06/manchester-united-set-to-lose-out-on-ligue-1-defender-to-real-madrid
Oh no!
Bloody hell!
Just wanted to clarify that my comment at 13.08 was in fact a joke. Not a corset splitter i’ll grant you but Frankie Boyle I ain’t.
I’m Susan.
I heard Young is in Manchester having a medical. Rumors he he. Would think this is true, for once.
Whiteside – I got it mate!
Willie
Neil Young?
Whiteside
Not to worry, it came across as a joke! Your comments are always considered, and usually comical (in a good way!)
Robin Day’s got a hedgehog called Frank.
We are anything but skint in the this department, Giggs, Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher and Park, supported by Cleverley and with occasional outtings for Pogba and possibly Obertan. Also see WR10 as our new WR7, as his natural role could be to follow in Scholes footsteps of striker molded into attacking and creative mid. But this discussion shows why we don’t want Park or Carrick to leave. Lot of talk of Park going which is just crazy. He is such a good player, and much better in center midfield than on the wing. But we havn’t given him much chance in that part of the park. Also, Cleverley should be given the chance to show. Na mates. I don’t think we are missing much in mid if we had to. Wayne Rooney could continue his progress toward a creative attacking midfielder and that would really do it for me.
Still think one more would be nice. But I hope it isn’t the midget from the Virus. Just sayin!
LOL @ Whiteside, ya I got that one too buddy…..
Burt Young.
FletchTHEMAN
We share the same view my friend, which in turn makes you a genius as well! Said in all modesty of course!
Thank God for that, could have been James Young
Those Young rumors gathering pace now. Over to Sky sports news reporter, Mick Fleetwood…
Even if we miss out on Varane our defense is sorted. And with the likes of Gill and Thorpe coming through we don’t have to spend 10m on another CB talent.
Ha what a lot of clued-up japesters you are.
Ashley Young then eh? Good luck to ya you little eared / massive earphone wearing oik you! Feel free to change my perceptions of you.
Fuck Varane already. He’ll be getting sitting on the bench at Madrid.
*He’ll be sitting on the bench at Madrid* Damn!
Any news on Parker though? Cedars promised me we would sign him!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3653199/Ashley-Young-arrives-at-Bridgewater-Hospital-for-Manchester-United-medical.html
ASHLEY YOUNG has arrived at Bridgewater Hospital for his Manchester United medical.
The Aston Villa winger will undergo two hours worth of tests before sealing his £20million switch to Old Trafford.
Our exclusive picture shows the 25-year-old arriving for his checks dressed in a red Muhammed Ali hoodie and blue jeans.
Young is expected to finalise terms on a four-year deal worth £100,000 a week with the Premier League champions.
To Whiteside, Norman Whiteside that is, I will never forget ‘that’ goal in the FA cup final against Everton.
To Whiteside the poster, I fully understand why you changed your user name buddy
Willie
You are losing your mind buddy…..
Zelh
He will come, worry not mate!
With recent Man Utd signings the defensive line will be very competitive which is good, the flanks too will be competitive which is good, the strikers are also having competition with Michael Owen’s knee in good shape, Berbatov willing to prove his worth and also the in form partnership of Rooney and Hernendez. But Man Utd midfield options lack creativity due to their (midfielders) style of play, they are mostly defensive minded which also good. But the question remains “how to bulster the attacking midfield options?” We(Man Utd) have youngstars who could step up the chase, but… We can’t risk any match because every match is important so buying an already made creative midfielder would be profitable so as to improve our performance and chances of competing with other big clubs and also avoid the kind of humiliation we experienced in 2009 and 2011 Champions League Finals respectively, but still they (Anderson, Tom Cleverly, Morrison, Turncliff) need time and chances to prove themselves as every other coveted midfieder was given time and chance to showcase himself so they can come on into some matches like some 15-20 minutes to go in already won matches. So no matter how much it is I think Man Utd should pay and bring in something creative as a midfielder, lads like Sniedjer, Modric, Nasri, Mario Goetze, Pastore, Eriksen
Was just gonna say, there’s a picture doing the rounds about young having his medical.
Cedars – Losing my mind? It’s long gone mate lol.
Thank you for the link, Ted.
Welcome to United, Ashley.
Some reds probably still don’t believe we’re signing him, in spite of this picture. 
Hey, hold on a minute; I just looked at the picture and skimmed over the article. A £20m transfer fee and wages of £100,000 a week? Hopefully both those figures are complete bollocks! Thankfully it’s The Sun reporting them, so chances are good that they are indeed bollocks.
willierednut is right, Young does look exactly like Marlo Stanfield in that red hoody in the Sun!
Ah Cedars, what a sweet goal that was, back in the days when success was pretty rare and you had to enjoy it while it lasted. We are so spoilt thesedays man, it’s why I take a back seat when others are chewing out Gibbo or Berba or Carrick, whoever it may be, they ain’t as bad as the old days and we have an awesome, winning glorious club so best to just appreciate it.
Yeah. Really great read Rich!
I posted a couple of comments on twitter @androidsummer about this exact conundrum just yesterday afternoon. I am excited about the new transfers don’t get me wrong. I am, however, worried that if United don’t sign a central midfielder. Preferably one who can hold on to the ball on his feet and manipulate defense with his skills and dribbling. Then string together a series of passes and interplay with the forwards/wingers it will be all for not. Ashley young give us definite pace down the wing. However, their service this last year was terrible. Granted I feel we owe valencia a bit of time given his horrific injury this season. But to be honest. Nani has the talent again like anderson to be so much more even more than he is now. He really needs to assert himself his goals this season were great but there were many times too when he wasted passes by either over hitting them or going for net from 30 odd yards out and punching it over. When a quick 1/2 exchange with a play making central attacking midfielder might provide that penetration against staunch defending.
cheers
20 Millions for young would be too much.I feel the deal would be worth somewhere around 16 -18 millions.I hope young’s deal is done in next 2 days.
I hope we give chance to our youth defenders like gill,reece brown,Fornaiser and tom thorpe rather than spend 10 millions on varane.
Interesting comments with direct quotes from a real source, not the cousin of someone’s friend:
“Tevez has long been linked with a summer move away from City, but Internazionale’s sporting director, Marco Branca, said his club has no plans to start the bidding.
Branca told the BBC: “Tevez is a great player, a great character, but absolutely no. His salary means it is out of the question. The market is crazy at the moment and it is hard to compete.
“We have to organise our finances for the financial fair play rules in the next two years. We don’t have the same revenues from merchandise and match day as the English sides. We are looking for younger players now with great talent, who we can develop.”
Branca said the club had also missed out on other targets due to finances.
“Take [Udinese winger] Alexis Sánchez, a player we liked. Manchester City raised their bid for him to €35m [£31m] plus a bonus, which ruled us out of the race. In the end, the player preferred to go to Barcelona and they got him for €28m and a €10m bonus. Not many clubs can afford that.”
Fred – fee will be around 20m. there were rumours about even higher wages around 130k a week.
@Ash – I broke the Varane to Madrid news yesterday, but I don’t thnik anyone cared/believed me. You have to be philosophical about these things. Good luck to the lad, I say. I hope he likes runners-up medals.
carBANGprick (nice one MG) is obviously the answer to our midfield problem. He will put every rival midfielder to sleep with his boring and nonstop Carrick hatred.
See? Even trolls are useful.
@Zelh –
smartalex – Chris and snoop went with him to conclude the deal!
Fred – that’s what I heard, but nothing else than rumours. We might never know.
Whiteside
I hear you my friend, I have posted many times about the agony of watching Liverpool dominate for years during the 70′s and 80′s….. Like you I have a laugh at them posters coming on here just to have a go at the players you mentioned among others….
Would not mind a new Kevin Moran mind you! What a bloody nut case he was!
It will be interesting if Young’s wages are that high because I remember a recent debate about Berbatov and how we shouldn’t keep a player with his wages since he won’t be a regular starter. I do welcome Young to the club, but I don’t believe he can take Valencia or Nani’s place at the moment.
I think the fee will be 15 million, with add ons included.
@denton davey – Interesting quotes from Sig. Branca there. Nice to hear of another club in a similar predicament to us. I’ve always liked Inter as well. They and Juventus have always been my favourite Italian teams, I never much was one for Mee-lan and their ridiculous club anthem – although at least it’s not as cringe-inducing as that ridiculously gay Barcelona anthem.
But I digress…
Fred
The reports say that zidane influenced his transfer to madrid.I don’t know how much true is that but Varane would have to play like a world class player if he has to be successful there.
The problem with virus is that they don’t have any kind of patience.Hinguain and benzema are good strikers and when in form both can be lethal but still they want new strikers.
Let them buy who ever they want to.The only decent buys they have made in few years are ozil and khedira.I have to say ozil has been playing superly at madrid.His first season with them has been great.
Frankly speaking I would have loved ozil to play for united.But I hope we get someone better than him.
who the fuck is this varane guy? :p
I only knows Bebe…
De gea at fault for that goal? Sell him!
Ash – Özil is a great player but where should he play at United? Behind the striker? Where to put rooney then?
Wait. Varane is off to Madrid? Oh well. We’ve got John O’Shea…
Sell him he is shit
Doc: Does Ashley deserve to play for United?
Snoop: Deserve got nuthin’ to do with it. Man fuck a medical, this here is gun powder activated, twenty seven caliber, full auto, no kick-back, nail throwing mayhem!
We should sign 2 more strikers….4 defenders….and 3 wingers.
WHO NEEDS MIDFIELDERS?
The Varane situation with Real,just retaliation they find out we are after Varane and nip in to hijack it after all didn’t we do it to them when we were told they were after Bebe we will see in a couple of years who got the better deal.
smartalex – Lol.
If Madrid is really going for Kun, I could see Fergie trying to get Higuain or Benzema and sell berba.
But that’s just my thought.
I hear Young is doing a medical for us. is it true? if it is then Good news. good player and he can play in multiple positions so good signing all in all for 15 million and he’s MILES better than henderson.
Tongue in cheek.
Thank God!
nani4ever – Patronising wanker. Of course I watch football you cunt but you need to have a little bit of strength. Eikrem was a weakling despite the talent. Seems you know better than Fergie if you would have kept him.
@ Cedars
Me neither mate lol, reading that back it seems like I didnt enjoy enjoy the season!! I just mean that we had a lot of things go our way, which won’t always be the case, unfortunately lol.
Sushi
parryheid – You didn’t need the tongue in cheek comment, we got it!
Ben Zeema. I wanted Mr. Zeema so bad a couple of summers ago!
He probably would have been a great striker for us. It turns out we dodged a major bullet there though, judging by some of his extra-curricular activities! 
Sushi Perry!
Yes, I realise it is pronounced BEN-zer-MAHHH, but I will NEVER pronounce it that way.
Katy Perry
Oh and Eikrem is better than Fletcher? What a load of fucking shite pal. Fletcher till his poor season last year was bossing all the big games. Cannot imagine for one second Eikrem doing that. It annoys me actually that alot of folk here seem to forget about Darren in their prospective line ups. On his day he is one of the best around. A huge player for United.
Gee
I got your point buddy from you original post!
Who the fuck has upset our resident King now?
Sashimi
Benzema – twat
Hinguain – doesn’t exist
Higuain – Argentine
No chance of us signing any of that trio.
A blind man walks passed the fish market and says, hello ladies?
King Eric
You need to get to grips with reality mate…. United are a club in decline, we have a shit squad and a manager who has lost the plot….. No use getting angry about it, its a fact
Willie
I have had ones that smelled like beef mind you!
King Eric,
Agree, a fit Fletcher is a key ingredient to midfield success. How we have missed Hargo and a fit Fletcher. Still, on those odds, the entirety of england and half the weak mined trolls pipped us for 4th or worse last year. Without a major signing, they will likely doing it again this year.
Just one comment….. 19 na na na na 19!
Where’s Fergie getting this money from? Conveniently forgetting United are the best part of £1 Billion in debt. You know why there’s no value in the market? Because United have no money to spend and he’s riding the Glazer dildo by making excuses for them. Everyone at that club is a Glazer rent boy and happy to play by their rules. United are essentially fucked without a new midfield. Who in their right frame of mind really thought they had a chance against Barca? Fucking Giggs, Park, and Carrick against Xavi, Iniesta and Busquez. Lambs to the slaughter.
Fletcher – Carrick – Anderson
on paper it’s very tasty. Remember the 3-1 Champions League semi-final win at the Emirates? Liquid football!
Tony V could definitely do a job on the right of a midfield three as well, imho. Food for thought, Sir Alex.
(Anyone who disagrees should be aware that I advocated playing Park in central midfield and the Da Silvas on the wings long before Fergie actually did these things, so don’t doubt me!)
Who you beefing with Cedars? Hope you got the roast, kind…
Did anyone just read that piss-poor WUM?
Please don’t respond to it, fellas. It’s the quickest way to get rid of these mental deficients. 
Smell like pork by the time I’m done with them.
020luke190
Riding the Glazer dildo? Is that how you were raised up? Some fucked up family you come from son
Villas-Boas gone within two years YFHIHF.
Fred – that cunt made my day
020luke190 Lol. Batteries not included?
Fred
Too right, just trigger happy here….. Now for some of that beef that smartalex turned into pork….
AntoV25
THANK YOU TO MY GOD AND MANCHESTER fOR GIVE ME THIS HAPPINESS.
WayneRooney
“@AntoV25: THANK YOU TO MY GOD AND MANCHESTER fOR GIVE ME THIS HAPPINESS. Valencia a true legend.
AntoV25
@WayneRooney thank you my friend you are the true Legend.
I missed this Twitter exchange at the time. I presume it was posted on here? Good stuff.
Someone should tell the virus that Varane ain’t turkish and not playing in Germany
JJ and dildo in the same sentence: win.
Glazers and dildo in the same sentence: puke worthy.
So i’ll prepare to be slated for this suggestion, but with Cleverley, Tunnicliffe, Pogba needing to be slowly brought into the team, could Scott Parker be an option so cushion the experience load in central midfield? It could be simply a 1-2 year option, possibly a (dare I say it) loan? Parker has PL experience, is a tough tackler, and has solid passing ability. By no means is he an equivalent to Sneijder or Schweini, but is certainly reliable and at 30 and in the championship could be very cheap.
Why oh why, are we paying a reported fee of between 15-20 million for a player that will be a free agent at the end of next season? Value in the market?
I could understand it if we were talking about a central midfielder – a player who we thought we had to snaffle up before any other club could acquire them – in a crucial position, that very much needs strengthening. But a right footed wide player, when we already have an abundance of them?
Our glorious leader seems to have developed a right winger and centre half fetish.
I can’t help but think we have been playing for time on the Young transfer, in the off-chance we could do a deal for Sanchez – looks now like we are ending up with the thick-man’s Sanchez.
Zelh, you’re our man in Germany. Who are the next Turkish-German superstars we should look out for?
Jill dilldo?
Red Neville – your appraisal of Young is franky outrageous and I look forward to him making you eat your words.
I’ll be frank here, I meant “frankly”
Who have brought all the trolls here?
Instead of Nani Young can play on the left without being a completey different player. Not to mention that we can play him in front, behind the striker, on the right and even in the centre if needed.
But yeah we should rather invest 50m in Sanchez.
Fucking hell it’s not even July 1st and people are already starting hysteria.
I’m getting so pissed off.
Ryan7, you had better get your flak jacket on. That’s an appalling suggestion. Maybe we could bring in Heskey to plug the gap while we wait for Will Keane and John Cofie to develop too.
Ashely Young. Welcome to Unted lad. Hope you make a good impression and knock in a pile of goals. Should be interesting seeing how he does playing for a team that isn’t in defensive mode for 80+ minutes. Hope he is the new Yorke, 29 goals in his first season. What a player! Who would have guess that one eh!
@Ryan7 That talk just makes me think the Dementors have landed on ROM…….”all the happiness just went out of the world”. Please don’t talk about lads who give away more fouls than Scholes on this site, with none of the value added talent. With a lad like that giving away free kicks all day long, we would never get out of the group stages. Gawd help us, now my bunion is acting up and yuv given me a heart murmmer. Jaysus wept…… again!
De Gea needs time to settle too. Nigel Martyn could be the man to plug the gap until he’s ready for the big time.
Well Fergy has been playing ball with them hasn’t he? Got his lucrative contract. How’s it trolling if its the truth. Him and Gill are in the same boat, except Gill declared his hatred for debt. Glazer rentboys. That is why united don’t have a midfielder.
50 million now? Is it Sanchez, or Ronaldo?
Looks like the Young deal will be officially done in the next 24 hours..
FFS I’m joking about this but it’s no different to the situation with Michael Owen on our books.
Players that play in several positions usually end up being a ‘jack of several positions and masters of none’. My appraisal of Young is simply to intimate that Sanchez is a better player – I think we can all agree on that.
Zelh, what has the time of year got to do with anything? Sanchez would be a better player than Young even if it was Septober.
I say again, Young is a free agent next summer! capiche?
Fred – Atm there would be Gündogan who’s going to Dortmund to from Nürnberg to fill the gap of Sahin. But can’t see him play in the same position. He normally plays off the striker.
In the U17 is Can who plays for Bayern’s Youth and is compared to Schweinsteiger, but he’s way more technically. Or Samed Yesil who scored 15 goals in 15 games for Germany’s U17. Looks like a hybrid out of Kiko and Özil
http://www.dfb.de/bios/xml/u17m/yesil_samed.jpg
I’m pretty confident we’ll be getting a central midfielder this summer. People talk about how Fergie promised 3 signings……you’ve gotta remember that Jones wasn’t a planned purchase, our hand was forced early.
Carrick, Fletcher, Anderson + the new signing will most likely be the main 4 (go back to 08, our main 4 centre mids were Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves, Anderson). In addition, Giggs and Cleverley will probably get 30+ games between them
As for some of the names mentioned in the blog- Van Der Vaart a midfielder? Nope, anyone who’s watched him for Spurs knows he’s been playing in the hole. Hasn’t got the mobility or discipline to play in a 2 man midfield, as cheap as he was, he wouldn’t have fitted into our team, so I’m glad we never got him. Exact same argument applies to Ozil and Pastore- people are too quick to look at names rather than whether they’d fit into our side.
Bayern Munich are signing 18-year old Dale Jennings from Tranmere Rovers. Imagine we made that signing, there’d be mass transfer muppet suicide.
Here’s a thought:
Like the article suggests, we don’t buy a “marquee” CM (no Sneijder, no Modric, no De Rossi, no Schweinsteiger, ect). Instead, we go out and buy somebody like young Stephen Defour as our one and only CM purchase.
Can you imagine the weight of expectations that will be placed on that young kid’s shoulders? He will be expected to be Scholes in his prime, and then some.
Ah ffs! Spain scored. We’ll never get this De gea deal done!
@CedarsDevil
As far as I’m concerned, everyone working at United is riding the Glazer dildo. They’re all under his employment and essentially declaring their love for the club. All these protests haven’t worked. You know, the one’s that were planned to show the world how serious “Green and Gold” you all are. Convenient how the eternal satisfactory 19th title swept the debt under carpet for another year.
Red Neville @
I kinda agree with u because its so coincendental that young’s deal is being finalize just as the sanchez as decided to go to barca, when we were reported to agree a deal with young about two and a half weeks ago.
Yes, Sanchez is a better player than Young.
But Young is cheaper, ALREADY PROVEN in the Premier League, and WANTS to come to Utd only.
I don’t understand the stick he’s getting. Look at his record over the last few years. Gets a high number of assists- and he hasn’t had the likes of Rooney, Chicha and Berba to supply. He’s generally had Heskey, Carew, Agbonlahor etc! Put him with better players and he’ll flourish (a la Dwight Yorke)
On top of that, he’ll help us regain some of the flexibility we’ve been missing for about 3 years. Him, Nani and Rooney in the same team can all interchange and play in each other’s positions. That unpredictability was part of the reason we were so successful in 08 (Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez all interchanging), hopefully we’ll see that again.
Definitely adds a lot of flair and variety to our attack IMO
Zelh – thank you and LOL @ Kiko Ozil. What about the German scene in general? Which players do you think could do a good job for United? I keep hearing about this great Borussia Dortmund side. I have hated that club ever since they beat United in the Champions League semi-finals of 1997. The names of Kohler, Sammer, Moeller and Ricken still bring back very bad memories.
I really hoped Juventus would win the final that year, but they were put to the sword as well. Anyway, apparently these boys play some great football these days. 
Red Neville – Of course Sanchez is the more talented, but is that worth up to 50m€? And we don’t know how he would settle into the english league and so on. Despite that he was average on the wing and had his best games off the striker. In the same position rooney played.
Young can’t be that bad if he had almost 10 goals and 10 assists at a side like villa.
And I say it’s June cause people are already screaming out loud and starting hysteria before the market is OFFICIALLY OPEN!
and forget that we already made 3 signings.
I think there will be more. 1 at laest.
The Young deal was held up because he was on holiday and Villa didn’t have a manager. Now that’s all sorted, it’s being concluded. Simples!
@fred and fletchtheman. lol wow ok I get your point. The Michael Owen bit especially. Personally I don’t think we need anyone in central mid unless they are going to go straight into a starting role like Sneijder. There seems to be an obsession with finding both a creative AM or a tough tackling DM. I was just brainstorming off the wall DM types.
Red Neville and Nani4ever, your theory is simply ludicrous. United would not behave in such an outrageous manner. Young has just returned from holiday, end of story.
Willierednut- That explanation’s a bit too simple for the conspiracy theorists!
I’m interested in the players we have, not the players we don’t. For this reason, Ashley Young is infinitely more interesting to me than Alexis Sanchez.
020luke190
SAF as a Glazer rentboy?
You are a sick twisted piece of shit – SAF pre dates the Glazers – no one here likes the Glazers – some hate the Glazers more than others – others have the ability to understand that it’s too late for them to asset strip the club because of the money the club now generates – maybe just maybe they never wanted too anyway – the PIKS have gone and so what if the Qataris have bought them for a future deal?
But this is not the case – the club was alive after the Busby Babes it was alive before SAF before the Glazers and will be alive after they have all gone
You haven’t got a fucking clue what it means to support Manchester United. The fact that you include such a powerful and respected man as Sir Bobby Charlton in their as one of Glazers apparent dildos makes you a fucking idiot of the highest order – feel free to reply to me fuck head – what a fucking disgrace you are.
Fuck Sanchez
how shit is england u21? even belarus can score against spain…
by the way javi martinez (more defensive) looks good so did mata (playmaker), they’re both CM, at good age, wasn’t too much fuss about them at the moment, probably cost between 18 to 26 million.
I’m sure their price will skyrocket after euro 21.
we have de gea (?) so persuading his team mates will be easier…
If this is indeed true, welcome to United Ashley Young!
Can’t wait to see him bend in a free kick and score in front of the Stretford End. Either of those first 3 home matches would do nicely.
Sparkz – I have to try mate lol.
Fred – Oh boy Dortmund played a tremendous season. Almost everyhing worked for them and they put bayern to the sword twice.
Mh hard to say cause most of the players that impressed me a lot were playing off the striker and that’s where I see Rooney for the next few years.
Of course it’s Kagawa and Götze who could become worldbeater.
At the current rate I would say a player who could help us right now would be Vidal. Defensivly absolute top-notch and always good for a goal.
Apart from that the usual names like Schweinsteiger or Neuer.
MG on fire!!!!
Is the belarus U-21 side that good? or have spain played badly?
Why are folk even bringing Sanchez into the equation? Big difference is Young wants to play for United, a concept some cannot get their swede around. That fat headed little cunt says he is a fan of United then proceeds to create an auction. Fuck that little prick. Hope it goes well on Barca’s bench you mug.
Luke – I notice you dont tell us your team. Obsessed fucking cunt. Do one. Ha. Its quite clear what his beef is. All these ABU’s were hoping United wouldnt be able to spend. The only stick they had to beat us with. Now we are spending, and more than any club at present in Ingerlund they fucking hate it. Bitter little man. Oh and one billion in debt? Go on son you just make the figures up.
aimanunited – No way Martinez will leave Bilbao for a cent less than the 40m€ release clause and in spain players have to pay the release-clause on their own. That means that you have to pay 40m + taxes. So he would cost around 70m if Bilbao doesn’t let him go.
Sparkz – Spot on pal.
zelh – shit i don’t know it’s that much, how much is mata’s then? 100 million?
football transfer is so fucking ridiculous…
40 million for Martinez. Javi not Roberto. Why? Seriously . Why? Where do you get these figures from? Its a fucking piss take.
Even MUST aren’t claiming United are 1 billion in debt lol.
willie – Ha. Nice one mate.
Sparkz, so you think it is feasible that we might have bought Young *and* Sanchez?
Errrr… I really don’t think so. Unless we have won on the Euromillions.
Ashley Young has passed his medical, will be signed in the next 24 hours.
I can feel Bill Knob’s presence…
Sparkz @
I’m not into conspicery theory’s but that’s just the way it looked, but what bothers me thou is a growing disturbing trend of not being able to sign foreign targets, (da gea) aside and that’s a if but we seem to be missing out a lot of players for varying circumstances ie. silva, essisen, benzema, ozil, snachez. Its seem as thou our world wide appeal as diminish a bit with our seeming lack of financial power. but its good to see that were are still considered cream of the crop in england thou, but isn’t anyone else curious why chelski and shitty weren’t bidding for young? because they seem to be after every player we target.
aimanunited – dunno if Mata has one. I think he would be around 20m, but I see him more as a winger.
King Eric – just google it. Bilbao did that to prevend that the virus and barca come and take him. that’s why they put that ridiculous clause in his contract, cause neither of them will pay that amount of money.
Basques are a bit silly.
shouldn’t we be thrilled that Varane is going to join Madrid?? If its true we placed a 9.7mil bid for him hopefully we can transfer that money into a midfielder. The last thing we need is another central defender between Rio, Vidic, Evans, Smalling, and Jones…we are set for the next 10 years IMO
Varane to Madrid might be a huge blessing in disguise for United!
Well, it seems you folks have it covered back here. I am just going to go back to watching movies then.
One note though, the mental image of Sir Alex Ferguson riding Malcolm Glazer’s dildo has scarred me for life. I can never unsee it I am afraid. I can never look at both men the same way again.
Ok, Young is in! I have just been watching our goalie to be… or wasn’t I? The boy misses the courage to come off his line! No Prem stuff really!
Don’t forget that the Glazers have £25m set aside for a “marquee signing”.
Don’t know what the fuck we need a marquee for, especially at that cost. Would much rather see that money spent on squad reinforcements than fucking giant tents.
He misses the courage to come off the line?
I saw him a few mins ago clearing the ball just outside the box.
spain will dominate world football for quite sometime, although some of their players are prick…
their u-21 looks good, england should learn smth from then…
back to the club football, we keep talking about CM but who would have thought that Sir Alex already signed one.
His name is David De Gea and he’s spanish.
Expect him to be as good as Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso and Fabregas.
Lindegard or Amos for No. 1
De gea is one dimensional, never comes off his line.
He’s also a one-line genius!
haha, cause all of you after watching the Euro 21′s clearly have a better read on De Gea than SAF and the scout teams who have been watching him the past 2 years or so… you are all idiots!
Would much rather we were signing 3-D players. Get rid.
I want Fergie to sign a 4-d player. He could travel through time!
King Eric = Spot on pal……like we’ve said many times on various threads, there is one thing you can’t put a price on and that’s having a player that TRULY wants to be a red! Fuck Modric who wants to move to Chelsea! Fuck Sanchez who wants to play for Barca! Fuck Varrane, who want’s to play for Real!! Welcome Young and Jones. Wanting to come to United is worth £50m+ to me!!
Could he travel through Fergie time? And could we a4d him?
Wanting to come to United is worth £50m? 99.9% of the players in the world would give their right bollock to play for United.
If we buy Young, thatll mean more games for Park and Giggs in midfield according to our rotation system. Just saying.
Just in: Super Jonny Stead wants to play for United. Get a £50m bid in for him. Thank you Jon!!!
I’m hearing from a reliable source that Young passed his medical, and that transfer will be finalised by lunch-time tomorrow.
Heinz?
Get in there Marlo!
BREAKING NEWS: According to my top ITK source, Young HAS passed the medical and WILL sign for us TOMORROW. More to follow as it comes in…
My ITN guy said, the news starts at 10!
Vidìc house up for sale ?
Scholes was 19 when he broke into our first team. Jack Wilshire was 18 years of age at the beginning of last season. Cesc Fagregas was only 18 when he had his first full season for Aresnal having not made a single league appearance the previous season. Steven Gerard was only 18 when he broke into the Liverpool first team.
If Pogba and Tynnicliffe both 18 are promoted to the 1st team next season and we don’t sign any midfielders well I for one will have one hundred per cent faith in Ferguson’s decision. It continues to baffle me why a lot of us piss and moan about who we should sign, are most of the time way off the mark, we keep winning anyways and end up and the end of the season praising Sir Alex for being a genius.
Signing a Modric or a Sneijder (not that I’d be objecting to signing one of them) doesn’t necessarily guarantee you success.
There’s is no better feeling as a football fan than to watch youth flourish.
Years ago a man named Mourinho was signed as manager of chelsea. Everyone thot it was a brilliant signing,myself included , that is until he opened his mouth.
Portugese, Porto manager,excellent cv, bitchy mouth.
He wins things with chelsea until the politics and egos at that club take over.Since it is a club that does not have a proper culture or management, it was coming, he left.
The only manager since then, hiddink ,was able to really run the team,cos he was closer and intelligient enough to handle roman. The player power cud not overstep him.
the other manager who won something, ancelloti, ran things for a while till it all went downhill,the sacking of wilkins helped ruin what cud have been a good season.
Today , they sign , portugese- porto manager-brilliant cv- worked with mourinho and chelsea.
And guess what he does not open his mouth and say the stupid things,instead he is the complete opposite to mourinho ,,, so far.
This is going to be interesting, How Fergie and this guy battle it out next season.
I think it wud have been tougher with hiddink.
Still beleive if the club is not run properly,the right culture and the club suffering the same bitchy player power, at some point it will end either with boas out or senior players out.
And me thinks this is a boa constrictor ,he will play defence first and everything else next.
he will choke the opponent,squeeze him and sent little boas up the other end to finish the game.
Check his record , u will understand.
Tis is goin to be an interesting season. Haary houdini,keeny ‘no one fucks with keeny’, boa constrictor, arse, mankini .
We didn’t buy Ron in 1970 … just kidding.
Excellent comment Byron, please ignore my flippant remark.
Imo I believe unless sir Alex gets a bargain ov a cm he won’t buy one coz I believe he sees giggs not as a winger anymore but more as a cm and that’s y I believe ashley young is coming that way we have 4 wingers cms ov giggs carrick fletcher ando cleverly and the young lads getting game time in carling cup so I see a tough season coming up but I believe its the most important one for years hopefully he has someone in mind for January if we need or it will b next summer
@Dave, I still think he has a lot to learn to tactically battle it out with the best in the business like Sir Alex and Arsene Wenger. Don’t forget that Mourinho had already had these battles in the Champions League whereas Boa Constructor hasn’t.
Still, it is going to be a really interesting season for sure. New challengers for Sir Alex is always a good thing. We wouldn’t want him to be bored, would we?
Fred – Is that your Manchester Evening News source? When I said wanting to play for Manchester United was worth £50m I meant I’d rather sign Young for £50m wanting to play for United than pay £30m for Sanchez who would have rather signed elsewhere. It also referred to players that weren’t a total bag of shite ; )
Dazbomber – I haven’t got the money for vidic’s house. Marlo could buy it? He’s got the lingo
@byron, I completely agree with you but that isn’t going to stop anyone from being cynical isn’t it. Especially with the kind of loss we’ve suffered at the hands of Barcelona twice, people are always going to be skeptical about our chances of success when we don’t strengthen the area that needs it most.
I have always said that Sir Alex is ahead of the curve. And not by one or two steps, but by a million steps. The transfer talk I find interesting more than anything else. It is curious way to pass some time during this crazy-season without football, but is of little value. Fact of the matter is, Sir Alex is our manager and I couldn’t give a goddamn fuck about who we sign as long as he remains at the helm.
Mike Kelly –
I refuse to reveal my source. It’s his neck on the line here, not mine. All I can say is that he’s a real “smart alec”…
I swear the last time I checked this page (not so long ago) there were 100 less posts lol. Bit annoyed abt the Under-21 game. Not only did I not get to watch de Gea channeling VDS by saving some penalties, but now de Gea will probably join the squad late.
@willierednut-I am sure you have some change in your back pocket lol, i heard this from my Salford taxi source
@ Red Neville & Nani4Ever
Sorry for the late-ish reply, but yeah I do believe Fergie wantied them both. Both players he’s had his eye on for a while. Young will be playing the majority of his games on the wing. Sanchez was shite on the wing for Udinese….it was when they moved him up front that he blew up.
Who knows, Fergie may have wanted a fluid front 4 of Nani-Sanchez-Rooney-Young. Hernandez, like Valencia is great at what he does, but is also kinda rigid in that he can only play 1 position. Considering how much we rotate, those 2 would definitely get a bucketload of games anyway (esp as Sanchez wouldn’t be expected to play week in week out when he’s new to the country)
All of that is besides the point, coz Sanchez decided he didn’t wanna come to us. Fair enough. But if you guys honestly think that we’d bid for Young….then go and have a crack at Sanchez in the hope that he comes…..then go and tell Young that the deal’s off….load of conspiracy rubbish IMO. Fergie wouldn’t do that in a million years.
Tiote from Newcastle could be a great signing. And we could probably get him for about £10m
I’m sticking my neck out here and boldly predicting that if we get Barcelona before the final next season, we will put them to the sword.
Dazbomber – I wish lol.
DAMMIT i wanted De Gea to end his tournament today.
Good signing Fergie by Bringing in Young very very versatile and when he , rooney , nani switch wings it’s gonna be confusing for opposition defenders. i think fergie is designing another fluid front 4 like the one we had in 2008 where you didn’t know who was going to start where. LOL those were the days. Superb Signing in my opinion.
I’m not one of the supporters, partly because I’m not sure he offers the same range and accuracy like Scholes does, but some of the non-supporters saying Rooney’s talent would be wasted in midfield is a bit strange. If he is that talented, and can provide on a platter 20 assists for Hernandez+Berbatov combined, what kind of a waste is that? Can he refresh our memories of his thunderous volley against Newcastle, if he plays the midfield role? Can he still roam up during corners to take some midair scissors kick like against City? Can he not join in the counter-attack when Berbatov is up holding the ball?
Personally, I’m not so sure he would excel there, but I’d rather say that there’s nothing against trying him there. Putting aside Giggs and Carrick who still seems to be wrongly maligned for whatever he does, we have Fletcher, Anderson, Cleverley and probably Tunnicliffe trying for a spot in midfield. Throw Rooney into the mix and we have more room to experiment, more room to accommodate Welbeck, Macheda and Berbatov.
End of the day, to be honest, I’m not too bothered if we don’t get someone in. Cause it means we’ll have more opportunities to play those who’ve waited long enough, and the promising ones like Tunnicliffe and Pogba won’t get disappointed by another insertion into the queue.
We are probably one of the few clubs remaining who are still churning out quality players off our Academy. Let’s cherish that and continue to give other talented young ones hope and belief that in coming to United, that’s where the pinnacle of footballing education is.
Fred – I understand pal and admire your integrity in keeping his identity a closely guarded secret.
Byron – Couldn’t agree more pal.
wow 300+ post to read, no time for all of it now. But hello to all that are RED!!
@smartalex, I saw my lady late last night, after a glass of wine I thanked her for all her help in the last year teaching an old dog new tricks on the computer and could she teach me how to upload pictures. It took her all of 30 seconds to figure out why, I said how about just a picture of her. She was flattered that I still thinks shes hot, and she is. But no pictures to share.
@Sparkz, Spot on mate. I’ve always said this – Ashley Young – Option on the left.
Sir Alex would’ve looked at his versatility and dynamism as obvious positives but he has been signed with the main goal to give us a steady option on the left wing.
I also really liked denton’s post a few threads back. With the signing of Young, it gives us a lot more options for dynamically altering our playstyle as the match progresses which will keep opposition managers guessing. Kind of like the style we used so well in 2008 and 2009. With Young, Nani and Rooney – We have three players who can play across the front 3, although the latter will probably be played off the striker always, and can switch around at the blink of an eye. Add to that is the fact that Valencia can play on the right or in the centre also.
This gives Sir Alex lots of options for switching play as the match is going on and really disrupting the opposition setup. Just adding it as another food for thought into this whole debate.
@Zibbie-Your a gentleman
willierednut
Mate throw some water over if I’m on fire.
MG – I’ll get the hose!
@Balaji’camel’ Sivaraman: He was part of the mourinho tact team. He is experience that way,plus the Europa league is a good stepping stone.
Let the battle commence,we need our mongoosess to be ready to pounce!!!!
http://www.teluglobe.com/funtertainment/videos/the-fight-i-always-wanted-to-see-cobra-vs-mongoose
Balaji Sivaraman – I certainly don’t deny that transfer talk is interesting but I’m sure you know as well as I do about the many know it all fans that think they have the solution to success. I read and listen to comments all the time about fans being upset about who we have or haven’t signed but yet we just keep on winning. That’s really the point I was trying to make. I enjoy a bit of transfer speculation as much as the next guy.
On the Barcelona thing I’m afraid we are just one of many teams who have been well and truely outplayed by them. That’s not to say we don’t try everything in our power to catch them but whether that’s through strengthening through the transfer market or through promoting youth I like you will be perfectly happy once Sir Alex is at the helm.
Talk is cheap, the midfield needs sorting end of story, no matter how dynamic the front players are if they don’t get the ball the dynamism counts for Fuck all. Its simple the midfield needs looking into. Whether that be transfer or promotion of younger players something has to be done
young might be a poor man’s sanchez but its a deal infinitely better for us than if we had signed sanchez..
sanchez would be the marquee signing.. the jazz included.. the big game player..
man utd are not always a one man team.. they very rarely are..
club is always greater than the player.. hence i feel young will settle in better and will perform for us.
also i agree with whats been said above TonyV might be pushed into a midfield three
about the midfielder.. we will get a young obscure and upcoming mid.. its been long overdue.
i’d fancy defour.. not rossi.. he’s a poor man’s fletcher in my opinion..
@balaji : great posts on most threads.. Keep ‘em coming.. great read
Balaji- Definitely, think we’ve become a bit rigid last couple of years in that sense.
09/10 we generally played a front 3 of Valencia-Rooney-Nani. SAF decided Rooney was ONLY gonna be used at centre forward. Valencia could ONLY be used on the right- we became a bit fixed.
This season, it was a bit better when we moved Rooney into the hole. He alternated with whoever the left winger was (Nani/Park), plus Giggsy constantly got ahead of Rooney whenever he played centre mid (see the Schalke first leg as a prime example).
If Young comes, gives us a lot of options and makes us very fluid I think.
If u trust Ferguson than most worries wud vanish. He has his plans that the management team wud have been workin gonfor months to finalise.
Now they CEO and his team wud be busy making it happen.
Lets be have da patience ,drink aaaa bottle of the finessst rum, rum ,rum ,rum!
The do zee jiggle ,to the right , to da left ,shake yr booty at da da women,plenty of women!
slap nigellas boob o your face ,be happi!
willierednut
Make it quick mate I’m burning
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Manchester-United-Ashley-Young-passes-medical-Aston-Villa-winger-will-move-in-next-24-hours-article751594.html
looks like ‘ll be waking up india to see the deal done…
u want da big boobies,
like nigellas boobies,
so big and da juicy,
like da hayley mcqueens,
if u see a zulu or aa camel,
run for yr lifes ,
grab yoour woman ,
and run run run.
@Dave
Lay off Hayley she’s mine
me so sleepy,go to sleeping now,wake up in da morning ,go out da early to make da money,to buy da rum, and sing in da nude,with nigella and hayley.
Fred- my honest opinion is that over 2 legs, we’ll have Barca, and I genuinely believe that.
3 finals in 4 years tells you that we’re the masters at negotiating 2 legged affairs. Fergie’s not afraid to play cautiously in 2 legged games as well…..whereas in a final, coz of the history of our club, and the stature of the match- he’ll wanna attack. Put it this way- if we played Barca in the semis, I think he’d have gone 5 in midfield and Hernandez on the bench.
Look at Arsenal- they got battered for majority of the 2 legs, yet were one scuffed chance by Bendtner away from going through! That’s the beauty of the away goals rule!
Over 2 legs, you can set yourself up in a certain way, you don’t even necessarily need to win both games. In fact, the only 2 legged affair we’ve lost in the last 4 seasons was vs Bayern- surely that game proved what I’m saying. We’re 3-0 up and cruising, we actually won the game 3-2…yet still Bayern went through. If that was a final, we’d have cruised to victory even after Rafael got sent off.
@MG: My lawyer would like to refer you the the Michael Jackson song,’ The girl is mine’ .
now i bid u adieu ,,as i crawl to my bed, now where did i put zee bed…………..
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/annie-eaves/Annie-Eaves-football-funny-column-The-Seven-Creatures-of-the-Transfer-Window-which-one-are-you-article751221.html
BEST ARTICLE EVAR!!!! On English Football fans during the window. – Annie is quite something, isn’t she?
We can safely say we’ve had every creature imaginable on ROM in the past month.
I don’t know what the manager will do next season with the formation. Personally, I’d like us to revert to a 4231, or maybe even a 433. As has been said, the 442 is far too predictable. More than that, a formation to get the best out of Anderson. I think next season, could be Andersons time to shine. Not before time either…
@Dave, I am due in Borders book store in two weeks for picking up my copy of Keane. I swear to God I am going to end up purchasing two or three of Nigella’s cook books and you and Cedars are going to be getting big fat bills that you are going to owe me for.
On the other hand, more of Nigella can only be a good thing, right?
And as King Eric said, a fit fletcher as well. He was running on empty last year, even before the virus struck him down.
@willie, Great minds, I was about to say we could go something like a 4-2-1-3,
Rafael – Rio – Vidic – Evra
Carrick/Fletcher – Anderson/Giggs
Rooney
Valencia/Nani – Chicharito/Berbatov – Young/Nani
I think this could be the most likely formation with Young, Nani, Rooney and Valencia all switching positions as the game demands it.
Boy, I’m intrigued by that to say the least. Let pre-season begin!
Why are we signing another winger ffs THE MIDFIELD NEEDS REBUILDING was fergie at wembley 3 weeks ago did he see what i saw the midfield was a joke and totally outclassed.
@Dave Malaysia my good mate in tropical Malaysia
I refer you to the Michael Jackson song Liberian girl and I bid you goodnight my good man
Wait just before you close you eyes know that Hayley is In the closet
like a few others on here i feel theres nothing wrong with the quality of personnel in our midfield its just 2 many of our current crop are to similar in style
there is not enough creativty now without the ginger prince giggsy is 2 me the only real creative midfielder and thats not enough
we have good youngsters coming through put i feel it is the one area we need a real proven name to come in and try and move us up a level
all the best 2 ashley young i think hes a good player great delivery and great pace can beat a man n all good addition
@DM
That’s my closet not yours
Say what’s the name of this Nation?
Zulus!
Zulus!
And who’s gonna get on down?
Bambaataa!
Bambaataa!
Say what’s the name of this Nation?
Zulus!
Zulus!
And whatya gonna get down on?
Nigellas!
boobies!
MG, Hayley’s a lesbian????
When’s she coming out?
I’m thrilled that we’ve nearly signed Ashley young,no one will ever replace giggs,that’s impossible you won’t see another player like him,but young was brought to replace him!
Mufc is attacking,exciting football,& that’s what I believe we’ve brought!
Ashley young…..welcome to manchester
Some people really need to chill the fuck out..No MF sigining??What are we going to do??Chelsea have signed the next special one..Barca are buying players left, right and centre..Sneijder keeps playing cat and mouse with us..Modric wants to play for Chelsea..BUT wtf are we doing?? Christ, some people need to get a life..Its still june ffs..The transfer window officially opens on july 1st and goes on till august 31st..So there’s still lot of time to get that CM player..And I’m positive that SAF has either identified that player and we will sign him before the pre-season begins or he will promote some of the youth players to the 1st team….Either way, I’m happy with the signings we have made so far and can’t wait to see these players in action..Get a good pre- season and hit the ground running from day 1..
Balaji – Yeah mate, a more fluid formation, which allows our attacking players to interchange positions. I’ve had a feeling for a while now, that Fergie will tinker with the formation.
Balaji
You’ve got the wrong interpretation mate
Annie Eaves article linked by Balaji Sivaraman at 20:49 is excellent, and a must-read!
It should be repeated as a thread on RoM, so we can refer to it!
MG, She just said that to get you off her mate! Ha ha ha ha ha. Now, for the refined OT faithful, there might still be a chance! Just saying, a man needs to have some dreams.
smartalex – I second that
I think though with fan number 7 she could have just saved herself the hassle and wrote:
7) The Sufferer of Premature Elation
Manchester City fan
@byron, LOL! The same thought passed my mind as I read that. Especially with the mention of tattoo parlours. There is only one set of fans with a low enough IQ to do stuff like that.
And, with that, I bid Good Night to ROM! I’ve had enough of Nigella courtesy Dave to keep me dreaming for tonight.
Fletch
With you all the way their buddy
Dreams are good
Sparkz – brilliantly said. I agree 100%
Shy city fans
King Eric @ 19:10: “That fat headed little cunt says he is a fan of United then proceeds to create an auction. Fuck that little prick. Hope it goes well on Barca’s bench you mug.”
How do you know that it was Sanchez who created “an auction” ? It seems more likely to have been Pozzo, the Udinese owner. It’s a three-way deal – buyer, seller, player – and all three have to be on the same page.
Sparkz oh most definitely. If we got Barca over two legs we can definitely beat them. If Arsenal can give them a fright over two legs then God knows what we;ll give them over two legs. Especially if the second leg is at Old Trafford. You can forget that one messi.
WillieRedNut @ 20:51: “a formation to get the best out of Anderson. I think next season, could be Andersons time to shine.”
Something we can agree on – hallelujah !!!
byron1970 – I’m sure Annie was thinking of some of the city supporters we’ve been laughing at!
As we encounter wums etc, we might be referring to them by her titles.
Even adding a few categories!
Scott I do disagree partly with your article, fergie has spent plenty of cash in the midfield area,
carrick 16 million, hargreaves 17 million, anderson 18 million, nani 17 million, valencia 17 million. The boss has invested more money in the midfield area than any other area of the squad since 2006. It is just a couple of the buys have not worked out, how he would have liked.
I knew an Annie once, she lived beside a hall, just passed the woods…
fitb
Which article of Scott’s do you disagree with? Please post a link. Thanks.
knew an Annie once, she lived in an oak lea.
am the invisible man.
Is it just me or does Andre Villas-Boas look a lot like Messi?
Damn, I am away for a couple of hours and boom, 200 more posts…Gotta love this place….
Any more talk of dildo riding? Stupid fuck
MG
I see you addressed the issue very well my friend
smartalex – this one when scott says its been the one area where its been under-invested since 2007. The exact words of part of this article
( centre midfield has long since been viewed by fans and pundits alike as an area that since 2007 has been overwhelmingly under-invested in by Sir Alex.)
Maybe scott does not share these views, but no way can anyone say the midfield has been under – invested
I see BOFA being as articulate as ever…….. I love this fellow red
FITB
Was not Scott who wrote the article buddy… read through till the end
fergie is the boss – This thread is headed by an article written by Richard.
Anyway, is he not write?
FITB. Spot on mate.
“carrick 16 million, hargreaves 17 million, anderson 18 million, nani 17 million, valencia 17 million. ”
What a midfield we have if Carrick, Anderson, Fletcher and Park, all healthy and firing, Cleaverly brought into the side, and Nani, Valencia, Obertan, Giggs do the business on the flanks, with the twins as able alternates as well.
We havn’t had the best of luck with injuries to the central midfield core. We could do with some.
Really most disappointed about Hargo, what a player. Just bad timing
BOFA
Pull away buddy, for me
Theres no write or wrong in this case. King Richard, was dicking around with ya’ll!
Hey CedarsDevil!
Have you read the article linked by Balaji Sivaraman at 20:49? Well worth a look!
CedarsDevil – It is hints from scott he is frustrated the club has not gone ahead and brought in fresh blood into the engine room, has am I. For me we do need to start getting a new linch pin to replace carrick, in the future for next season. I have no idea who is out there, but I will be disappointed if next season, we only have 3 natural CM players, in carrick fletcher and Anderson, has I do expect united to move gibson on. But it is a head scratcher why fergie has not signed a new CM since 2007.
Hi smartalex
Ya been reading it in parts as I was catching up with this thread, brilliant stuff!
fergie is the boss
You quote Richard:
(centre midfield has long since been viewed by fans and pundits alike as an area that since 2007 has been overwhelmingly under-invested in by Sir Alex.)
Then you include Carrick (2006), Anderson (2007), Hargreaves (2007), Nani (not CM) and Valencia (not CM) in your list of purchases.
When you take those 5 off your list, the total outlay drops from 85 million to zero.
I was having a walk a few years ago when money was too tight to mention, I looked up at the stars and something got me started
People here throw about names that they dont know !
Have they seen 90 mins of them on 10 occasions at minimum?
Do they know their value?
Do they even know what position they play? I have heard guys like pastore, Nasri, kaka etc being mentioned? But these fuckers can’t fit into our system of 2 strikers and 2 wingers which we will always have with Lord Fergie.
Clueless people throw about names they read in Match Magazine So Im going to give it a go aswell know.
I think we should sign Pablo Piatti, saw him against Barcelona, put in a spirited fight despite being battered, his Team Almeria has been relegated, Everton & Wigan wanted him this year but was priced out, Left footed, 5’4 Plays Left winger and Support Striker. Being tipped to replace either Fabio Coentrao or Alexis Sanchez at Benfica or Udinese for around £7 Million. This guy could be our Messi !
Dare I say it with this guy signed, De gea, young, Charlie Adam & Phil Jones. We Can be Barca B Team & defeat them in Rocky’s Home Town of Philadelphia.
A Conventional Underdog Story It Could be
Who the fudge is Scott The Red?
Hasn’t Richard The Red always been the writer/author of this Blog?
Melody Hossaini
THE JOURNALISTS MUST HAVE CUT AND PASTE TOOL FOR THE SUMMER:
Manchester United will lodge a *ADD PRICE* bid for *ADD TEAM NAME playmaker *ADD NAME*, according to sources close to the club. Ferguson sees the *ADD AGE* old as the ideal replacement for the retired Paul Scholes.
Papii
Superb post, although like Willie and me I think you are losing your mind….. Welcome to the club
smartalex – I think fergie should be given praise that the cash he spent on carrick anderson hargreaves valencia and nani he has got so much out of his buys, that he has used well over 4 to 5 years on these players, which clubs should do when they spend 85 million. Unlike clubs like chelsea madrid barca shitty, who throw money away on players, when it does not work out after one year they throw another 60 million, barca are lucky they have xavi iniesta and messi or their buys would be highlighted even more, that allot of them flopped, even villa has struggled.
Am afraid that this looming feeling is true…………………
But still hoping it wont.
But…………………………
*sighs*
So our new central midfield for 11/12 will be Parker-Barton!
fergie is the boss – I see, yes.
So, do you think we’ve under-invested in centre-midfield since Carrick, Anderson and Hargreaves, as we’ve spent nothing?
Zelh
WHAT? No Nolan? Really shows how much you know!
Cedars – Nolan is overrated. Barton is twice the player he is!
willierednut, the one-line genius (among other talents) says at 18:47 -
Ah ffs! Spain scored. We’ll never get this De gea deal done!
BOFA is not only that, he also brings a light that makes reading RoM the more enjoyable
United to the core he is
SCOTT
“It’s also hard to take it too seriously when you consider some of the transfers in football that United have missed out on. Shinji Kagawa moved to Dortmund for what was an incredible bargain. As well as that in the past 4 or 5 years the transfer fees of Rafael van der Vaart, João Moutinho, Mesut Özil, Javier Pastore, Nuri Şahin, and even Wesley Sneidjer. All centre midfielders, all of which are arguably Manchester United quality, and of which went for under £15,000,000.”
THIS IS EXCACTLY what i m talking about. When i last time said that, everybody attacked me! SAF has great signing s but also missed a great players for peace of cake…I WOULD SAY MODRIC ALSO…he could buy him instead of Tottenham. LIke i said once, football players are mostly stupid people…they all want to play for Real, they go there for lot of money, then they dont play, they are disappointed, and Real sell them for cheap money. Why we dont buy then, i dont understand! Van der Vaart cost 8 mills…he is better aqusition then Bebe. We need someone fresh and young in the middle, even if shows he is not for us, we can sell him for same money. But how we will sell Berba or Bebe for same money? Maybe in our dreams.
We miss lot of good players. Why? Maybe we dont have money or SAF missed them. What is wrong with Nasri, Wilshire, some of good young Middlfield players from Arsenal. They didnt grow up in Arsenal, they bought them. Bale also, 10 mills was to much…and 7 for Bebe is not…
smartalex – The term ‘one line genius’ credited to Willie is trade marked to me, every time you use it I expect some sort of a payment
Zelh – Really? Give me a Nolan or a Pastore (King Eric’s favorite player) any day of the week…. What about Henderson? Seems like a bomb shell
Oh dear, another one who did not read the article properly….. I bet my friend smartalex is pissed off now and rightly so
What the fuckin ‘eck is going on here? Lol it’s a madhouse. Think everyone’s getting Utd withdrawals and going cuckoo. Have a feeling if Scott doesn’t put up something tomorrow, this may very well reach over a thousand posts like the other one.
Park and Tony V will play more in midfield this season, and we may get some kid but I think that’s it. Actually now I really think the Modric dream has died and we may get a kid and it’ll be exciting as hell if he’s a new Chicharito….in midfield. Lol.
CM is the only area we are lacking in top top quality, it would be strange if SAF sees scholes retire and doesn’t sign anyone to strengthen.
CedarsDevil – It is trademarked to you, that’s right. I well remember you coining it, possibly even before I started posting. The payment terms, if I may be so bold as to suggest, should be one Grey Goose, per utterance. Paid at the closest venue when we do finally meet in person.
See ya 2marra, marra!
mara – Go back to the beginning. Do not pass, Go. Do not collect 200 players.
Cedars – Barton will eat your Pastore – sounds like italian food – to lunch.
Cedars
He must not be Luke of the Skywalker kind because the bastard hasn’t come back along with that other one car bang prick
I’m all for opinions and banter but sometimes it’s fucking like constipation and diarrhea rolled out at the same time
Well done MG I do believe you have created a new medical problem without a specific terminology.
And on that note Gdnight Manchester United.
smartalex – One Grey Goose should do it, chilled please… Thanks very much
jellybean – Join the club, its a bloody nut house here and loads of fun…. By the time the season starts I think we all be locked away!
Come on people, we’ve been down this road before. How anybody on here or anywhere else for that matter think its all gravy in the MF. Its far from it and we all fucking know it. I’m a long time reader of this blog; i simply love it and its posters are fun and insightful but on this MF issue i strongly disagree with the general consensus.
@FlITB- “carrick 16 million, hargreaves 17 million, anderson 18 million, nani 17 million, valencia 17 million. ”
First of 2 of those players are wingers NOT midfielders. Second, one of them was permanently crooked, Ando has NOT given us a return on the investment and time we’ve given him. He’s a young lad no doubt but he hasn’t performed up to the standard. Showing good form in bursts isn’t all well and good at United. We’ve seen it before with past players. Veron, Kleberson, Forlan.
I don’t get the sudden feeling around that Ando will suddenly begin to shine, i mean what is that assumption based on. The boy hasn’t shown ANY improvement whatsoever, first touch is shitty for a MF player, shotting is woeful, fitness is most definitely an issue with him. Let me retierate again, i’m not on a bashing spree because i want to fancy new name to join our ranks, i’m only calling it as i see it.
I’m going to be brutally honest and it’s probably the first time i’ve aired this view on here. In my opinion, we’ve got only 2 midfileders we can count on. Carrick and flecther.
I heard some one rooting for defour and calling De Rossi a poor man version of flecther. What utter Fucking bollocks. defour a crooked player for the last 2-4 years playing in a sub standard league is a better option than Roma captain?!!(if i’m not mistaken) an Italian International who has played World Cups and Champions League regularly. It beggars belief. Its a shame its at the back in defense SAF is shipping out the players. It should be in the middle because thats where we’re lacking and thats where the problem is.We simply don’t have the goods in the middle.
. Our attack and defense have been outstanding the past 5-6 years in fact way longer than that, the midfield however has been a disappointment no matter which way you want to sugar coat it.
At the back we have the rolls royce and the rock on either side of those 2 we have the twins.
Up front Wazza and Chico put fear into everyone in the league, flanking them we had Tony V and Nani, throw in park and it looks very very good.
In the middle, what do we have? Not much. I’ll say again, i’m not bashing anyone but i’m with Keano on this. Fletcher ain’t good enough to be a starter at United. A good player to have in the squad yes, but not a starter.He’s similar to Phil neville or Nicky Butt when they played MF for us. Coming of the bench or starting when suspensions or tiredness came into play.
We can’t rely on pace everytime, we’re using it to good effect and winning but we’re not getting better and we should. This squad has done fucking marvelous but we all know they could be Epic. I can accept if we don’t get any transfers but to think its all gravy with the current personnel is delusional. Again thats just my opinion anyone who doesn’t like it can, well disagree
Am i suggesting we clear out these guys? No, i love those mugs to bits and if we were man shitty or chelsea with a bucket load of cash i’d say yeah why not. But we’re not, a gradual introduction into the first team of our best youth players and an investment or two in the market. It doesn’t matter if its a fancy name or not just someone we know will definitely do a job. We’v hardly got it wrong in the transfer department for a while now ala Tony V, Chicarito, Evra, Vidic. The same can and should be done in the middle of the park. At the end of it, my personal opinion is the current crop we’ve got in there are not going to improve the team. Bad luck or injuries, or other factors is stacked against these guys.
one more thing. A formation to get the best out of Ando will remove wing play form our game. It will have to be a formation where he sits behind the strike force and play going through him. With past and recent investment and United tradition, that’s just not going to happen. 4-3-2-1, no wingers. 4-2-3-1 , the same. Unless SAF really does want to shift emphasis away from wing play the boy had better adapt his game or it won’t work out
“The former Watford player’s capture represents a second victory in the transfer market for Ferguson over his old foe Kenny Dalglish. The Liverpool manager, who lost out to United in the race for Blackburn defender Phil Jones, had identified Young as one of a number of targets this summer, but the 25-year-old is believed to have always preferred a switch to the Premier League champions.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8592719/Manchester-United-close-to-signing-Aston-Villa-winger-Ashley-Young.html
Cedars – My Footballing Mind is Melting as quick as the Plastic on Pamela Anderson’s Face,tits & booty on a hot summers day.
I repeat this is like purgatory, a timeless period where nothingness is in existance
I dont care who we sign, where the hell is Manchester United & why are the yanks first to see them?
Tennis is making me delirious, I catch myself saying
“C’Mon Murray You Scotsman” In hope that hes Lord Fergie’s illegitimate child.
” You Lovely Serbian Joke-a-vic” In Hope he is Vidic’s distant relative.
MG & Cyril –
Buy a Can of Red Bulls, fly about for a while lads, settle down together & Collaborate to
Make the Greatest Plot Imaginable.
-In you Two .The midichlorine count is strong.-
May the Force be with You
Papii –
Blah Blah Blah
You just wait, it will be like Nani all over again with Anderson, and all will seek forgiveness! Like Cantona, we can never replace Scholes, EVER, so instead we have to adapt. Maybe the transfer hype on here and else where changed my mind, but the very first impression I had when I heard we signed Young was this:
Rooney
Young
Nani Ando Valencia
Carrick
Or, after seeing JellyBeans post about NANI putting the most Tackles in (WTF???)
Rooney
Nani
Young Ando Valencia
Carrick
Eitherway, I have no problems with a 4-5-1, its served us brilliantly for two seasons now, and we always rotate anyway so formations and pickign starting 11′s is pointless. The BIGGER point is, we played some top top football last season with Giggs assisting some amazing goals, and Carrick sitting deep and keeping it tidy. If our midfield can do that, and now we’ve just bought the BEST English midfielder in Young, who plays brilliantly in the middle, and better on the Left than Nani thus far, I think we’ve got all the ingredients to adapt to losing Scholes. Personally I couldn’t give a fuck about Barca, its all about the League and running a steady ship with United players who understand the Club, thats why I often don’t want us to sign big name players in the market, I’d rather see another Welbeck, or another set of Twins.
So whats all this about WE NEED A NEW MIDFIELDER?
Scholes has gone and we’ve bought another English midfielder, the best one in England no less.
End of story! Any other players in addition to the three we’ve got, and the couple coming back on loan, and the couple coming up from the reserves? We’d be spoilt rotten!
Aaaah Cedars. You guys should all be like me. Smoking up and eating chips and watching Utd clips on youtube.
Slim – i feel ur pain as we all wanted a signing in midfield and we felt this was the summer for it to happen. But it wont be the end of the world if we didn’t. With Young now we have more options esp because Park and Tony V could also do a job in midfield along with Ando. I disagree with you about Ando, he’s had made improvements and looked good when he played. If he stays fit, I’ll wager he’ll have a Nani type coming out season. Certain games Ando came on and the team became a lot more dynamic with him making his runs from midfield. And the season before when we lost at Stamford Bridge, Ando was running rings around them. Lol it’s nice that he’s scored a few times as well now, but probably best if the Stretford End aren’t always egging him on to shoot. Haha remember this one time that happened and the ball ended up hitting the corner flag, anyone? Lol even he had a chuckle. And I also disagree w/ you about Fletch. It’s easy to have a short memory but he was immense for 2 years before this and was clearly burnt out. Not to mention that screamer vs Everton plus 2 MASSIVE goals against the Bitters. Everyone remembers Owen’s goal, but Fletch was the 1 who equalised and put us 3-2 up. He also had a good game vs AC Milan, doing a job in midfield and putting in a great cross. Let’s not to be too pessimistic, mate. We just won 19 with our shitty midfield
Damnit I hate when i hit refresh and my post is the last one.
Btw Cedars I was only joking when I said that. Way more fun around here. Took me forever to read the posts though lol
Bugger! I mean….
____ Rooney
_____Young
Nani__Ando__Valencia
____ Carrick
Or
____ Rooney
______Nani
Young Ando Valencia
____ Carrick
Both 4-5-1 set ups are stronger than anything else in the League, and Barca shouldn’t have us planning any further then that. We needed strengthening and we’ve already done it with Young. We are stronger than last year. Thats called progress!
jellybean
Instead of smokes and beers I have been having a nice alternative in medications! Just for the time being my friend, soon to be playing kings again!
Yes its all doom and gloom, For all the years that I have followed our beloved club I strongly believe that now is the start of our decline, not signing Sanchez or Nasri has doomed us…. Here is to another relegation battle and of course forget about beating Barca…… I hope we get a new manager soon, the guy from Lille seems great
Paul Parker
You ok buddy? You seem edgy this evening…..
(Great post by the way mate)
Lol which reminds me, the other day I asked Scott whether all people who follow United are alcoholics. He said it’s very likely. All the fingernail biting, fought out last minute winners drive us all to drink I guess.
Also I just remembered I walked in on my bf reading RoM the other day LOL! when i asked him why he doesn’t post, he said “people are really mean to some people! I dont want them to be mean to me cause I support Barca” LOL. highly amusing.
King Eric sleeps early doesnt he? I never see him posting around this time. hello good sir, if you’re reading this. The other day I wrote an angry post about Nasri and someone told me to chill
I thought to myself “King Eric would’ve approved” lol.
I need to stop typing “lol”. i sound like a dingbat. I don’t say it in real life, i swear.
@Cedars
Easy mate, Lol, nah im having a laugh Pal, thats a lighthearted post and a humorous “Bugger” if there is such a thing? < – Joke
Just getting my dose of RoM before crashing
Cool as a Cucumber mate, just having a laugh.
@Jellybean –
well it would sound a bit odd saying “laughing out loud” instead of just.. u know? laughing out loud?
Otherwise you’d have people walking around saying semi-colon bracket
IM PRAYING ASHLEY YOUNG WASN’T OUR MARQUE SIGNING OF THE SUMMER! If it was, wecan expect more of the same next season. Hardly any creativity in the middle of the park and always hoping our strikers and wingers can create something! We need Pastore or Sneijder!!!
Something to consider assuming we don’t sign a central midfielder and Berbatov does indeed stay at the club: It’s not a terrible idea for a line up and could be deadly if all play to their potential.
I always thought rooney should play more as a CAM then a loan striker anyhow. He can provide the service that we’ve lacked and he has an excellent shot from range that United have lacked of late. If berbatov leaves stick chicha in there or wellbeck or owen for that matter.
Subs: Chicharito, Machaeda, Wellbeck, Owen Striker: Berbatov
Subs: Park, Valencia, Obertan, Cleverly Midfield Attack: Nani Rooney Young
Subs: Anderson Giggs Pogba Tuncliffe Midfield Defensive: Fletcher Carrick
Defense: Evra Vidic Ferdinand Da Silva
Subs: O’Shea (if he stays), Jones, Smalling, Evans, Da Silva
And of course any variations as well wellbeck sliding into the wing in place of young or w/e the gaffer comes up with.
jellybean
Tell your boy friend if he posts here as a Barca fan than he will be well greeted and welcomed with all the abuse and words that even the English language has not invented yet! hahahaha
I remember that post of yours on Nasri, I for one loved it, King Eric has not been posting too often these days, all this transfer rumor crap gets under his skin and rightly so…..
United fans are alcoholics you say? Fair point I guess, I can testify to that! hahahaha
@ WHAT??? – the other day I said “Be Gary Neville” to my boyfriend. He didn’t think it was funny
sniff sniff
smartalex – well what makes fergie so special and why his teams have began to grow up every time he gives players the time to develop, is having faith in the players he signs. He was hoping till the very last hargreaves would start to play games, carrick and anderson fergie always thought they would be a pairing that could be the heartbeat of the engine room for many years to come, esp knowing hargreaves will play limited games.
Slim – you never know with anderson, esp his tail end of the season performances. The 2 downsides of anderson, consistency and fitness levels. Do not forget he has started to smash the back of the net, maybe 4 goals but that is improvement by anderson’s standards. If united fail to sign a CM, and let gibson go, we could actually see a more consistent team selection. And the boss like 99, builds the side around 3 CM, carrick fletcher and anderson. but if fletcher and anderson return to form next season we may not need to worry in midfield for next season, well at least for the premiership has the current side has the quality to retain title no 20. Getting past barca is another story
Paul Parker
I knew that buddy, read right through it my friend!
jellybean
Dump him or if you want it done Italian style, I know people who know people! If you know what I mean
Android Summer – are all those Subs to go?
Slim – A touch negative there mate? I don’t think we’re at panic stations yet, in terms of a CM coming in. I believe we’ll sign someone, but not necessarily a “marquee name”. To be honest also, we don’t know what the managers thinking is in that aspect. It could be a well known player, or a surprise, which some of us suspect, it could well be. On the formations, I was just thinking out loud. It’s just a hunch I have. It might well be BS, but who knows, eh? On Anderson, I understand your frustrations with him. I was like you, not convinced about him. I did see an improvement in his game. He even scored a few goals at the tail end of the season! I’m looking at our CM and thinking he is the one that could provide the drive and energy from midfield. IMO, this season is Andersons biggest since he joined the club. He has to step up to the plate. He can come out of Scholesy shadow and stake a claim to that CM. This might sound folly to some, but I still have faith in the lad. It’s like, he’s a young kid anymore. He has real talent, but we must find a way to bring that talent onto the pitch, on a regular basis.
WHAT???
Change back to Paul Parker already mate……. Will never forget that little man’s goal against Spurs on New Years day
Slim. Disagree about Fletcher mate. Keano made those comments years ago when fletch wasn’t everyones cup of tea but since then has proven everyone wrong. Of course he is a starter and let’s not forget the lad has bossed just about every top five clash he has had. Absolutely bossed it. Infact a lot on here in the two thousand and eight nine season said he was probably the first name on the teamsheet. I honestly think some people are letting last years performances cloud their judgement. Come on then Slim who would you like to see in his place?
Cedars, I will only if you promise we can run away to Manchester together
down Sir Matt Busby way to the Theatre of Dreams. Can’t promise that I’ll be very attentive to you then though lol. Although you may not care then either haha.
Although he did tell me I’ve pretty much brainwashed him into making Utd his second team lol. Which used to be Liverpool btw LOL. Good thing he isnt as fickle with me as he is with his football teams.
Is “What??? ” Paul Parker then? Why’d he change his name? Anyway the real Paul Parker is one of the pundits on tv here. I’m always worried his eyes will pop out.
@smartalex no. They’re all our subs or would be subs assuming things stay as they are right now.
King Eric! I was just saying I missed you! And I said the same thing about Fletch. Short-term memory loss is debilitating millions, it seems.
@willierednut
its been that kind of week mate. i think you hit the nail on the head. at this point its all up to SAF and how he wants to move forward. The thing i have with Ando is he had a really good chance last season, scholes was out of the first team a lot. the way i saw it was a lack of options on who to partner carrick and then a master stroke from the gaffer saw Giggsy playing in there and it worked wonders,. Can’t remember what game it was but SAF tried it with Ando and it didn’t quite work. You’re right he did score a couple towards the end but for me a midfielder isn’t judged by the number of goals he scores – thats a bonus. We live in hope, i guess we all have to wait and see what the gaffer comes up with. I’d love left field solution,something unknown,
King Eric
Give jellybean the attention she needs from you buddy! Bloody hell!
jellybean
Liverpool his second team you say? And he is still alive? I guess miracles do happen after all!
@King Eric
he hasn’t proven me wrong. i guess it sort of sounds harsh my stance on the fella, but thats just how i feel. Who would i like to see in his place? Honestly i don’t know. I’m sure you know i don’t go spouting players names that we should get and buy at all cost, its not as if i’m championing some flavor of the month but the way i see it its him or Carrick that gets the defensive duties in the MF, not so sure they can both start, because if thats the case then i see no reason why we’re calling out for investment in that area. the 2 of them start most games with Ando as the back up on the bench along with Giggsy. Doesn’t sound right does it? It doesn’t to me
Slim – He has to make a noise now at United. If he stays fit next season, I think he’ll get a signifcant amount games to impress. He MUST take his chance with both hands. as i said before, it’s about time we saw some of that Brazillian flair. He is Brazillian after all? Go out and prove it lad.
I wont mind too much if we’re still running away together Cedars
off topic just read Wilshere’s having a kid. Wonder if he’ll name if after himself if it’s a boy like Ronaldo. gosh these people have kids really young dont they?
King Eric – I was also in the negative fletcher camp that I always thought had no chance making it, 2006/07 season WOW I was proved wrong
@Cedars, I was wondering mate, im a caller rather than a texter myself, always get the wrong flipping point across or leave out a smiley face or something stupid. Im just as bad online sometimes.
Lol @ BE GARY NEVILLE, he should of told you to put on a Fascist shirt!
@FITB, Easy mate, forgot all about Fletcher I didn’t even mention him, thats Carrick, Fletcher, Park… and Giggs, who had the best season out of all four imo. Then theres Ando and Young, full of talent and with a lot to prove…. then theirs Nani and Valencia, nuff fucking said, and now Cleverley off loan with it all to prove, so thats NINE quality midfielders without mentioning the Reserves. I know some people are a bit sore after Barca but for me its all about the League. Form and a bit of luck can wins Cups in Europe. I’d be happy being in form in the League at Crimbo never mind flipping CL finals Lol. Once we get out of our Group, thats when we think about Barca, and with the right players any team can beat anybody. Fuck Barca, we’ll beat them on our day no matter who we got, Scholes already showed us that. Just adding these new players we look very good as well, if we wanted Van Der Sar as a young player we’ve potentially signed him now. More than half our team are gonna play better in August… just because they’re a year older… thats how smart Alex is in the markets! Flipping Genius
On that note! Night Reds.
I thought all kids were really young. Especially those that have just been had.
@fergie is the boss – “Getting past barca is another story”
For me the focus shouldn’t be on those divas. it should be getting better than we were last season. Barca will be handled no doubt. Their time will come. From United’s perspective that “time” won’t come however until we see a significant improvement in our side. The question i’m scratching my head with is, can this current crop raise it up a notch or two? i don’t know and i’m not trying to be negative for the sake of it but i’m not sure that as its stands they can just that
Funny how few years ago everyone was saying Fletcher and Carrick are 2 of the best midfielders around, and 11 pesky Catalans showed up and now it’s all doom and gloom. Also I hate when people say “so and so team are better than United on paper”. Who cares about what’s on paper? It’s what’s on the pitch that matters. We won the Premier League and got to the CL final. Full stop. If we didn’t knock out ur stupid team on the way, that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t have if we actually played you!
jellybean – Packing my bags as we speak
Paul Parker – I hear you buddy, I for one get your posts without the need to use smileys etc….
Goodnight fellow REDS, Cedars signing out ……. Love you all
Yeah, you must see me in the markets!
smartalex is being a smart….err alec? haha you know what I mean. They;re like around my age and are popping out babies like no tomorrow. Ok maybe they’re not literally popping out anything cept sperm, but you get my point.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Manchester-United-Barcelona-Alexis-Sanchez-refuses-to-board-plane-to-Manchester-for-City-talks-article751595.html
irregardless of whether he signs for us now if this is true it put a smile on my face
A cooze comes on and the lads lose their minds! Horny
It’s time for a new “this is how it feels to be citeh.”
Sanchez refused to fly to Manchester to talk to Citeh
jellybean @ 22:49: “What the fuckin ‘eck is going on here? Lol it’s a madhouse.”
That’s why they call it “silly season” – ya gotta love, or go nuts.
If that articles true, ha ha. wee city lol.
willie! teach me how to do the horny devil please! that’s amazing
Jellybean – You do this,
And the other one, 
@jellybean
whats up girl. every time i see your user name it reminds me of skittles. lol i love skittles. Not usually this pessimistic but like you said we all want the MF sorted and like most i think i’m the one the one that wants it the most.we’ll see what the gaffer comes up with. TBH i’m more interested in who can make the step up from the youth set up
@ denton davey – i’m expecting to wake up tomorrow and read we’ve signed Usain Bolt after Fergie decided to give him a trial after he said he’d be good enough for United. Tis the season to be silly tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
good on sanchez, i don’t know why the Fuck he want to waste his time going over there. It may be a bit premature but anyone get the feeling shitty will do fuck all this transfer season. All that money and no one wants to play for them
jellybean – If Ronnie was your man I’m sure you would be ready to have kids with him!
You would be doing the horny devil all night long.
http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Smilies
Jellybean – Try this link. Has all the smiliey faces.
willierednut has released the demon!
Murderdeathkill!
John sparton, must die!
Yay willie!
did that work?
@slim i don’t think i’d want to have kids with Ronnie. Too vain and male stripper-like for my preferences. Now if it were Vida I wouldn’t mind at all
alright then, I blame you all for my insomnia. RoM = crack. Goodnight all you Devils! Horny or otherwise
Aw shit, they let anybody into this century! What the hell you doing here?
is this meant to be Rooney?
Old Mr Green!
oooops sorry meant smartalex!
I’m not green!
It puts me right off my stride when she gets my name wrong!
I’m sorry
you 2 had consecutive posts and I’m all bleary eyed. AND STILL NOT IN BED. Gah!
oh i get it now. DAMNIT
No need to apologise ever jellybean!
Sad to hear you never made it to bed, better luck tomorrow night!
For tonight, you could write 4 comments, spread them on the floor, and sleep in a four-poster.
When I think of jellybeans I’ve known … every one a sweetheart!
@smatalex she said no.
Gottalovethepea @ 0:23: From the link to the Mirror article:
“However the exciting attacking star has now decided to have his say in the transfer tug-of-war and his action leaves United and Barca trying to persuade Udinese to take less money.
Barca only want to commit £22 million to the deal and have offered a selection of swaps, but their fringe men like Bjoan Krkic, Thiago Alcantara and Jeffren have said ‘no thanks’ to Udinese.
United are sitting comfortably in the background, still confident that their straight-cash deal will win the day – although time is also a factor in the race.”
LIKE THEY SAY, “IT AIN’T OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER”. The last paragraph/sentence just made my day.
What I think we need to wonder about is the logic of going after two forwards and no midfielders – what if UTD sign BOTH Sanchez AND Young ? What would that mean ? In my opinion, Dimmy would be sold and WayneBoy would become the “ScholesReplacement”.
The formation would evolve again into something like a whirligig 4-1-4-1 with lots of movement, speed, interchanging, and flexibility.
In my dreams ? I sure hope so.
Stay tuned – this “silly season” could get really exciting.
Hey Zibbie, that was to be expected! I was just fooling with you anyway!
WHAT ??? – we can buy CR7 it wont make a world of difference, because its all down to the heart of the engine room. Nani valencia young park are great to have for balance in giving the side speed and creativity, but at the end of the day the engine room will decide if we win or lose, especially if united meet barca yet again, either quarters semi’s or the finals, the engine room decides united’s fate. The side has everything to retain the league, but if carrick and especially fletcher and anderson all return to form, we wont have many complaints about the engine room
Well I just saw the BBC about young, cool great asset. He chose Man Utd, has a desire for greatness. With better training and better players to train with. Will interchange well with the interchangeable players on the club. He can play the in the hole role and have Rooney experiment with a true cm position. Straight LW 2 nd striker and CM. Is a rt footed player as well so RW also. That makes Jones as well who I love the way he plays, he to chose Man Utd for glory glory, just can’t type that word once. Now for July 1 st and De Gea. A bid in for Varane who has been wooed by Ze Zu, a wait and see on him. SAF had said 2 to 3 players in, some 2 months ago. Young makes two. Maybe more then 3? Still waiting for tearful departures………..
Trust Fergie!!
He knows what he is doing.
smartalex I know, I still asked though. I have an ego as well as all men do. Wanted to show off a bit. I have no baby pictures like Cedars or I would share those’s.
We could get Sam Wynne and Vin Diesel to keep the engine ticking over until we get Heinze back in the can to give us gas.
FITB Does Jones have a future at cdm? And Varane who the Boss has a bid in for. With Pogba in CC games and Tunni as well if one of those two show early on the US tour with Fletch, Carrick and Andro at times further back? Hum I dream of an Alonso type to transition and tooter Pogba and Tunni but only the Shadow and SAF know for sure.
GO US !!!!!!!!!!!! GOAL !!!!! GO DEMPSEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1-0 OVER PANAMA !!!
Zibbie – I hope our youth players are the long term answer, but what united need its guile and the ability to keep the ball. I still say we should be looking for replacing carrick, has preparation for the future maybe 2012/13 season
@smartalex
get over it pal, she’s calling out my name lol
Most of the US team plays overseas now. As the better young athletes see the $ in football, the BEPL should have some good players coming in the near future. I like the foot print of Man Utd here. Lil Pea is huge wait for the North American tour he is becoming an Icon in Mexico and the Latinos are Americas biggest minority now.
US win. Probable opponent is Mexico..
slim – a smartalex by any other name is still a smartalex.
Smarts, doesn’t it!
Jellybean. Hello there. Many thanks for the mention. I would have posted sooner but fell alseep literally after posting the last one and just woke up. More fantastic posts from you. I love reading them. Yeah I just read the posts after Slims fletcher one and saw you had typed almost the same thing! Two great minds and all that.
Did anyone see the U17 england goalkeeper?
Must be the goal of the tournament he conceded.
the canadian U17 goalkeeper scored out of his own half
How the hell wasn’t that a penalty on that take down of Chicharito… wow that boy has an amazing ability to put himself in the perfect position.
Also Dossantos is f’n terrible, Pea just sent him through on a beautiful pass 1 on 0 with the keeper and he dragged it well wide. I want a Mex/US final damnit, wanna see a little more Chicharito on Saturday against Donovan, Dempsey and Howard.
I think Varane would be going to Real Madrid. Apparently Lens said that Real is in talks with Varane. Looks like we lost out on the deal again unless SAF does something special. Why do they want to go to Real Madrid? Haven’t they learn the lessons from Drenthe, Robinho – starlets who goes to Real and end up unused and degressing in their career……..
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Manchester-United-Barcelona-Alexis-Sanchez-refuses-to-board-plane-to-Manchester-for-City-talks-article751595.html
We are united we do what we want….
Have we bought anyone yet…
i think this one is close to be done now
whether he ends up joining us or not.. im a fan of ALEXIS SANCHEZ now…
CHICHARITO!!!! 2-0 now in extra time!
He’s got 7 now so far in the Gold Cup, what a stud. And he’s had quite a few opportunities to put headers home that have just missed or found the bar. One of the best, glad he’s one of ours.
Has anybody seen this video??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FtT3trSliU&feature=related
LMFAO..Poor poor Dippers..
So its Mexico-US in the final..Should be a cracker of a match..
☆☆goal chicharo next u.s ☆☆
@Utd4life
His freekicks are worth 10mil.
Sanchez refused to board the plane to meet City.
“Can’t buy me love”!
Well lads, it’s rapidly approaching beer o’clock out here on the sunny Gold Coast and I have a little under two weeks before I have to return to miserable Sacramento, where my wife tells me it is blazing bloody hot. Anyway, just a quick thought, while reading all this news & gossip about Young and (possibly) Sanchez…
For as long as I can remember (which, depending on how many beers I’ve had, is sometimes not very long!) United have played a structured way — typically with wingers outside one (or two) strong midfield “generals”, like Robson, Keane or Scholes, but anyway, quite structured. I think the closest we came to a more fluid approach was in CR’s last year or so, or maybe when Cantona was weaving his magic.
But now, with all this chatter about wingers-cum-strikers — fast, mobile, versatile players like Young and Sanchez, plus players we’ve already got like Park, Nani, Tony V and WR — I am wondering if maybe the plan is to adopt a much more fluid approach, the like of which we have never seen before. An approach where the “formation” may be stated in traditional terms on the team sheet, but in practice is more of “front/midfield six”, with constant, rapid interchanging, a game that relies on pace and movement and energy and is more of a collective approach, than one that relies on one or two “dominant” players in the middle.
“However Sanchez rocked his club Udinese by telling them he would not go as he does not consider City to be his favoured option – he would rather join United or speak to Barca to find out their plans.”
I hope he does not do a fucking Silva!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
regards
i see a lot of people crying for Sanchez here. while he is a brilliant player, he wasnt what we needed. we need a set piece specialist, and that is why we’ve been linked with Sneidjer, Nasri, Modric and Young – who can take free kicks and cross.
Since the departure of Beckham, we are not as dangerous as we were at Free KIck. and since then, a lot of people trying to be like Ronaldo, like Sanchez , Bale and Nani. we dont need another Ronaldo guys, we simply need a creative force in midfielder and a set piece taker. If Young is coming, which i hope he does, he will get better chance to play than Nani. im sick of seeing players trying to be like Ronaldo. Bringing Sanchez would just add up another “Nani” or “ronaldo-wannabe” player on the pitch.
p/s: rather have Charlie Adams.
LMFAO!!!!
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Manchester-United-Barcelona-Alexis-Sanchez-refuses-to-board-plane-to-Manchester-for-City-talks-article751595.html
What about Michael Bradley for CM? He always puts in work for his national team, and I bet Aston Villa would let him go for a decent price.
@danny, Pardon my ignorance, but are we really sure Sir Alex is interested in Sanchez. I have no idea because I’ve not followed the saga. I knew SAF wanted Ashley Young, Phil Jones and David De Gea because there was a clear intention from both him and David Gill regarding these names. I heard that Gill had been on a plane to talk with Sanchez but I was never really sure about it. I just want to know whether there is an actual 27mil offer from us tabled with Udinese or is it just newspaper bollox to raise the player’s value?
Either way, not boarding a plane to talk to the Bitters shows some semblance of class which I am happy for no matter who he ends up joining.
@balaji. I don’t think SAF is interested in Sanchez cuz like you said i haven’t seen any reported statement of intention from Gill or Fergie or at least SOME indication that Fergie might fancy sanchez in the team. It might be true it might not be true but whether we get him or not i could not be too bothered.
@dannysoya
mate , we probably are intrested in sanchez .nearly every paper reported gill is in spain.
but the player has his heart on barca . so we move on . ASHLEY YOUNG
Sanchez would probably end up in City or Barca. We should sign players who really wants to play for us and not this guy who is waiting for a better deal from these clubs. By the way Ashley Young is a good signing. it will make the squad more stronger than we already are.
I’m hearing on a lot of forums that Bayern is bidding 30 mil for Nani, with Inter and Juventus also interested, and apparently United are holding out for 40+. God, how I hope this is all a load of bollocks….
@Slim 20:35
Best comment on this page, somebody who gets it IMO!
@Robbinhood Savage
The Mirrors reporting that Sanchez refused to get on a plane to even talk to City so I think the blue half (or 2/3 they lead us to believe) actually have something to be bitter about. Oh yeah hang on we can fill a stadium, we win stuff. Nope scrub that last comment, its ANOTHER thing for them to be bitter about.
@StatesideAussie
Shame that we don’t have a midfield general or anybody even resembling one at the moment, de Rossi would have been a fantastic signing in that respect and who knows, it might still happen…
I like whats happening at United and unlike alot of you here Im not that bothered about marquee signings costing us an arm and a leg. I for one dont actually think much is broken and Im happy with 3 champions league finals in 4 years and No19. Looking at what we have I wonder if Fergie isnt going back to the past and bringing up old ideas to tackle the new. Imagine this team in view of containing another team whilst allowing for blistering counter attacking (remember the United of the early late 80′s early 90′s, counter attack kings.
Not to dictate formations as United are very fluid depending on when we attack and when we defend.
1st
DeGea
Vidic – Ferdinand
Fabio – Carrick – Evra
Young – Rooney – Valencia
Owen – Chica
Now this team has pace in abundance. Ive put Evra Fabio and Carrick in the same line just to show their main roles, that is stop the ball getting into central area and link up play with Rooney or the wingers. Rooney in a come and get the ball role.
This “formation” can very quickly revert to a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 It allows any player to be subbed with 1 single player allowing for continuity of formation as well as allowing a change of formation.
It looks like Ive put Rooney in midfield but realistically Ive put a squad together that has width and support wide in abundance without utilising the full backs. Chica and Owen are happy supporting the wide players. allowing Rooneyy to do a Robson and break through regularly. If Rooney was to be caught upfield and the opposition break we would still have, chasing back by Chica and Owen, Young and Valencia. Carrick Fabio and Evra controlling the line. If it doesnt work it is no bother giving a breather to one of the strikers and slotting in either Anderson or Fletcher in midfield. i dont see a need for heavy spending and Im excited at the prospect of United killing off the opposition with what weve got.
Goat
Morning buddy……. Ya that myth they have about Manchester being blue always gives me the giggles…When I lived there during the 70′s and 80′s OT was always packed and that during a time when we did not have the ‘prawn sandwich brigade’ or thousands of tourists flooding in just to take some photos and visit the gift shop. If you dared arrive late back then you could forget about getting in, regardless of the opposition or the competition……. As for shitty, well I had a mate at Uni who was a blue and I went to Main Road a few times with him (I am man enough to admit that!!!) and whilst always restraining myself from cheering when the opposition scored, the stadium was never ever full….
Goat @ 10:09
Very well written buddy, you are the master tactician…. I fully agree with you regarding the marquee signing, I have been saying that all along, I highly doubt Sir Alex will sign any of those players that some on here keep drooling over…
My only concern with your proposed set up would be Owen, Its unlikely that he would feature very regularly and when the boss thinks of his best first 11 I doubt that Owen would be one of them
for the last time NANI IS GOING NOWHERE!!!!
Morning Cedars mate.
Just to rub salt in the bitters wounds Uniteds record home attendance was incidentally at Maine road when we borrowed it after the war and OT was being rebuilt. So its not as though the stadium cant take people. lol
@Goat at 10:09 and StatesideAussie @ 7:50, Well said both of you. We’ve been discussing the same thing for the majority of this thread. What happens if we don’t sign a new mid-fielder? And we came to the same conclusion you did, in that the formation will be something like a 4-2-1-3 or a 4-2-3-1 with more fluidity and dynamism while still maintaining the width favored by Sir Alex.
Have been going through the posts that were posted while I was asleep and in response to slim,
I simply cannot agree with you that Darren Fletcher is only good enough to be a squad player. IMO, Fletcher is second only to Michael Essien in playing the destructor role. Essien has a lot more going for him in that he can move better with the ball at his feet and has a slightly better pass on him than Darren does. But apart from that, when it comes to simply stopping the play, and making a nuisance out of yourself, I think Fletcher is as good as it gets in the Premier League.
Don’t forget that this is the same Fletcher that Sir Alex himself said would’ve made a difference in the 2009 Champions League Final. Another point to note is that this is the same Fletcher we again missed in 2011 although he would’ve been off-form even if he was fit. The fact that he has been missed in both games that we were overrun by Barcelona shows something, doesn’t it?
Simply put, a lot of people are underestimating Darren’s ability at the role he does to perfection. Even in terms of technical ability, he has demonstrated a tremendous level of skill like his goal against Everton highlighted. He has also shown to have the vision to thread a nice pass through to Rooney in certain scenarios as well as being in the right place at the right time to score a well taken goal.
I simply cannot agree when people say that Fletcher is simply a squad player. Maybe Darren Gibson, but Fletcher, come on.
I ain’t getting on no plane! FOOL
Morning mates.
Anyone signed yet?
@Cedars
The team I put out wasnt exactly my 1st 11 rather what is possible should we face a team with Pique and Mascherano or even poyet (whatever the hairy fuckers called) in defence. I thought when we engaged Barca we didnt really take head to the fact they are slow and donkey like in defence. They possition themselves well but what was needed was bravery and speed. It keeps the defenders back, cuts out support from their faster defenders i.e Abidal and the brazilian and creating a big gap in midfield between the scared defence and the overly attacking minded Xavi and Iniesta. What a space for Rooney to work in. Im of the belief that midfield was not the problem in the champions league final rather we allowed them to play their game in midfield. had we have stretched the team in width and forced Xavi and Iniesta to retrieve the ball from wide possitions ythen the danger would have been minimal. But instead we gave the ball and tried to soak up the pressure from only 35 yards out.
Wellbeck can be groomed into Owens possition giving a little more width on the left but generally keeping the idea of width support from the strikers Firstly rather than support from the full backs, overlapping runs etc. Ala Barcelona and David Villa. You keep the option open obviously to allow the full backs to overlap but you mix things up rather than become readable.
P.S after visiting Maine Road I do hope you went home and washed yourself thoroughly as if you had been date raped.
Balaji
Morning my friend…. Well said regarding Fletch however in my opinion he is not second to Essien but miles ahead when on form. I say that with no bias whatsoever. Our Fletch had a poor season last year mainly due to some weird illness, Essien on the other hand has been missing for 2 seasons…
Goat
Nice bit of history their mate, ya I remember reading about that a few years ago, if I am not mistaken it was just over 80,000….?
Goat. good post but no way owen starts ahead of Berbatov. and Valencia is only good on the right hand side if he isn’t going to play on the right wing then he isn’t going to play at all. I’d rather you put nani on the left. but still an awesome line- up.
Goat @ 10:45
Well written, again! I see where you are coming from buddy, using width and speed to unsettle the opposition, I agree….. By the way, that hairy fucker is Puyol….lol
Not only did I wash my self as if I had been raped mate, I needed therapy!
The answer to the question is that we rely on everyone else in the league to be crap again if we want to win number 20. We need to strengthen midfield, no qdoubt.
@dazbomber, I don’t know how many people caught that reference but I did. And it gave me the biggest LOLS!
@Cedars, Yeah mate. In terms of their capability to stop opposition attacks, I would rank them as equal. But Essien can also lead the team forward like Keano used to do, which unfortunately is not one of Fletcher’s strongest points. That is arguable the main place where I would say Essien is ahead of Fletch in terms of their ability.
But, yeah, I would agree that Fletch has had one bad season due to a virus whereas Essien hasn’t performed to his best for a couple of years now.
@dannysoya
United is a pretty fluid team and no formation is written in stone, nor can any player assume his possition is given. Depending on the opposition and what had happened in games previous dictates who would be made available for a given clash and what the opposition can do to you. Like all best 11′s they very rarely play together. If you remember the video Fergusson best 11, he picked players that were with him and done well and as it turned out had only played as a team 3 times together despite the time they had the oppertunity to play together.
The reason why Berbatov has fallen out of favour with fans and in regards to the championsleague final has nothing to do with his ability but rather he doesnt harry the defence like Chica has been willing to do. Like Fergie I believe the first line of defence is in attack whether we have the ball or not. Berba does run and is very fit and mobile but he only seems to be willing when the attacking play is taking part, he is not naturally wired to defend from an attacking possition. For some games obviously Berba would play instead of Owen, he may even grow (as fitness and age catch up) to help out with Rooneys possition, as Ive put it untill the time Cleverley or another youngster can take on the supporting role. As for Nani its much the same again. alencia is more willing to defend from the front than Nani is. I am generally of the opinion that only 1 of Berbatov, Nani and Rooney should be in the same team unless it is a game where 1, the opposition is naff and needs to be put to the sword quickly to maintain fitness and lessen the chance of fatigue in up and coming champions league matches and 2. Where NO motivation in playing your top game is needed because the game in itself begs for a star to make the spotlight shine on him, i.e Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool. However tackling back is something that has got on my goat with both Nani and Berbatov. To me its vital.
@Balaji Sivaraman … I know what you’re saying about Fletcher being better than a “squad player”, but in another way, nearly all our players are in fact “squad” players — in the sense that very few of them are “guaranteed first-team starters”. Apart from VDS/de Gea, Vidic, Rio, Evra and Rooney, I can’t name any player who is virtually assured to start any given match. It is a very small core of players, and in effect, everyone else is a “squad player”. The difference is that in any other club, “squad player” usually describes someone who isn’t quite up to scratch. At United, I would argue we have “core players”, “squad players” and “fringe players”. Fletcher isn’t a fringe player (Gibson is/was). H
Did I read some retard saying, he’d have Adam(teletubby cunt) over Sanchez? I’m assuming, that was a joke, because if not, fuck right off!
@Dazbomber 10.42
@Balaji Sivaraman … I know what you’re saying about Fletcher being better than a “squad player”, but in another way, nearly all our players are in fact “squad” players — in the sense that very few of them are “guaranteed first-team starters”. Apart from VDS/de Gea, Vidic, Rio, Evra and Rooney, I can’t name any player who is virtually assured to start. It is a very small core of players, and in effect, everyone else is a “squad player”. The difference is that in any other club, “squad player” usually describes someone who isn’t quite up to scratch. At United, I would argue we have “core players”, “squad players” and “fringe players”. Fletcher isn’t a fringe player (Gibson is/was). He is not a core player either — because we have so few of them. So he is a squad player — but in the United squad, that’s by no means an insult. The way it works at United, with our heavy and constant rotation policy, Berbatov, Hernandez, Carrick, Nani, Tony V, Park, the da Silvas, Giggs and Anderson are all squad players too!
oops, sorry for the double post. I have no idea how the first (unfinished) post got here!
Balaji – Morning mate. Spot on about Fletcher. Only a squad player my arse. No cunt gets the better of him 99 per cent of the time and like you say he isnt just a stopper. He can actually pass the ball. Long and short. Much better technical ability than some give him credit for. Not sure I agree about Essien mate. The lad looks a shadow the last two seasons since all his nasty injuries.
Goat … that’s a good post (and I’m a huge fan of the Berb). To give him his due, though, Berb does defend well at corners. Also, to a certain extent, he and the other forwards are on a bit of a hiding to nothing with tracking back: if they do track back, there are some who slag them off for moving out of position and not staying forward, and if they don’t, well then they’re lazy. I actually think Nani and Berb work well together — I think that Nani’s lateral runs across the box from wide, suit Berbatov for some reason, and they worked well together in the first half of last season, until both fell out of favor a little (though I would argue they didn’t so much fall out of favor, but were simply eclipsed by the rise of Hernandez and the return of TonyV … which is a different thing). By the same token, Rooney/Hernandez/TonyV seem to work well together. I guess it is a chemistry and style thing.
Cedars – Morning my friend. Spot on too about Fletcher. Infact you beat me to it!
@Willie – Adam can help us win the trophy that keeps eluding us: the northern counties pie-eating divisional championship.
Kudos to Landan Donovan who has said that Hernandez is the best striker in the world at the minute.
I saw a link to us after Fellani. Its bollcoks but I would take him.
Also why the fuck are the star linking us with fucking Di Maria? Fuck off.
Oh and dont these fucking clowns learn? Varane has picked the fascists. Silly child.
June 23, 2011 at 5:21
JC says:
He’s got 7 now so far in the Gold Cup, what a stud.
—
I hope JC is female or this is going too far now, imho…
King Eric
Morning buddy…. Its a pity that some shallow so called fans only look out for the result as opposed to the actual performance…. Our Fletch can spring some fantastic passes when on form and as you say short or long…… People need to actually watch the bloody match and closely monitor the effort players put on the pitch
http://newsthump.com/2011/06/23/abramovic-getting-impatient-as-villas-boas-enters-second-trophyless-day/
OH DEAR LMFAO!!!!!
As for fletch i still maintain that after scholesy he is our best midfielder. He is just a MASSIVE ball of energy and he gets a significant amount of goals from midfield too.
@StatesideAussie, That I can completely agree with. Though some would argue that the Fletcher of 2009 was second only behind Rooney and Vidic as being a definite starter in the team. However, I completely agree with you in that the names you mentioned are the core of the team. The rest are squad players who will contribute in their own way during a season. And the rest are fringe players who could make way if they don’t make their mark (Gibson, Kieran Richardson before him etc).
However, I think slim meant it more in a way that Fletcher is not good enough to be a regular starter at United whereas someone like De Rossi is. Hence, my argument on why Fletcher is such a good player. If that is not the case, I think we have a misunderstanding.
Anyways, great post on the types of players in our overall squad and how Sir Alex uses them. I think not many can argue with that assessment.
@King Eric, Cheers mate. Yeah, as I said Fletcher can do almost all things any other mid-fielder can do. The only thing that he can’t do is drive the team forward but he hasn’t been required to do that because we’ve had Rooney doing that and still do. Apart from that, I agree in that Fletcher has a lot more to his game. Reg the comparison with Essien, as I said in my reply to Cedars, it was more a comparison of their attributes. In terms of the here and now, Fletcher is ahead because Essien has been ravaged by injuries in the past couple of years.
Also, I agree with you on Varane. How many more youngster should join Madrid and become benchwarmers and throw their careers down the drain before realizing that they are not focused on developing youth? More people should follow suit with Ronaldo. Join United where we actually provide opportunities for youngsters and develop to become one of the world’s best footballer. Then go join Madrid as an established footballer. Joining Madrid as a youngster clearly shows a lack for foresight on the player and his family’s part.
@dannysoya, PMSL! Abramovich is the biggest cunt to enter the footballing world. How he became one of the world’s richest men will remain life’s greatest mystery for me?
YAWN – Chicharito scored again. He’s so unpredictable in the box – this time he scored with a “hippy hippy shake” !
I also watched the Copa Libertadores final last night in which Santos (Pele’s former team) beat Penarol of Montevideo, Uruguay, in an open, testy second-leg, 2-1.
I’ve noticed that the press reports of the match highlight Neymar for his goal. Neymar’s game is very, very reminiscent of CR7 in 2005 – lots of flash, lots of dash, but not quite enough results YET ! The kid is very, very fast; very, very tricky; two-footed; brave; and a kind of “human highlight reel”.
BUT THE REAL STAR was Ganso, the # 10. What a player ! A real playmaker, in the Latin mould. Ganso is truly special – an “orchestrator” who is calm and two-footed with great vision and a very delicate touch. What a combination – and they’re both just 19/20.
@denton, You should also post those opinions at the Man Utd forums or somewhere. I’ve seen them highlight scouting by fans before. Although I assume if we have seen them, then the actual scouts should have also. But it is worth it given the way you mentioned, both of them seem like nice prospects.
@Fred, LMAO!
@StatesideAussie, I agree on the chemistry thing. On those combinations, Nani and Berbatov are technically better players who rely on short passes and trickery to get the results. Valencia/Rooney/Hernandez are more straightforward, brute force players who rely on simplicity, accuracy and efficiency to get the same results. Although some would say that given the amount of times we’ve seen Berbatov and Nani have a go at each other, it seems they don’t get along too well. Although Nani did state that Berba should stay, so it could be a case of a love-hate relationship between them.
@denton davey
mate, we were linked with paul henrique ganso last year.
both him and neymar will leave this summer
neymar to real and ganso, no idea
@Balaji Sivaraman … oh, I know that’s what Slim meant
I was just turning it around.
Had to have a chuckle at this … would love to find the video…
MELBOURNE, June 23: An amateur soccer player fell foul of the referee, and could incur the wrath of his mother, after failing to prove he had removed a piece of jewelry from an intimate body piercing during a match in Melbourne.
Aaron Eccleston, who turned out for Old Hill Wanderers against Swinburne University reserves, was handed a second yellow card for the offense in the first half of last Sunday’s match.
“During the first half, our player was struck in the groin by the ball, and left the field to receive attention,” said a statement on the club website (www.oldhillwanderers.com).
“At this point the referee became aware that he had a body piercing.
“He subsequently received two yellow cards, firstly for re-entering the field of play without the referee’s permission, and secondly for privacy reasons being unable to prove that he had removed the piercing.”
The latter end of the incident was captured on amateur video and posted on the Internet.
Eccleston, who describes himself on his Twitter page as a “disillusioned Mansfield Town fan, down under”, was shocked at how quickly the story had spread.
“I don’t think my mum’s going to be particularly happy!” he tweeted.
morning lads youngs stats very impressive
Last season Young scored on nine occasions in 39 games for Aston Villa, furthermore he made 14 assists. This is certainly no shabby record. What’s more interesting is the rather surprising stat that since the beginning of the 2006-07 season only Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas has made more Premier League assists (60) than Ashley Young (44). And perhaps even more shockingly Young is 7th on the all time Premier League assist rate with 0.46 assists per match. Only Ryan Giggs, Dennis Bergkamp, Eric Cantona, Cesc Fabregas, Thierry Henry and David Beckham are ahead of him. Make no mistake, Ashley Young is a creator – maybe he isn’t such a bad signing afterall!
Oh ffs, not another player in the mix! Ganso? Or Ganzo? Big nosed cunt!
@wayne
great post mate .
dont forget he has been playing with heskey agbonlahor carew etc.
now he gets rooney hernandez nani .
so he should improve.
that was a cut and paste by the way,his assists per match stood out for a 25yr old playing for a ave club
@sachu can’t take credit for it but his stats are very impressive had no idea
@wayne, Halle-fucking-lujah! Ex-fucking-actly, what I’ve (FITB to be included) been saying since the moment we were linked to Young. Those stats are pretty impressive given that he plays in a very poor Villa team with strikers whose conversion rates are pathetic.
Those stats do not include the amount of times Young has passed the ball but his strikers have squandered the opportunities. If it did, I am sure those stats would look even more impressive than they are. As it is, they are fucking good and if you include those (StatsideAussie, is this possible?), then I am sure they’ll be amazing even when compared to someone like Nani.
Make no mistake about it, Young is a great signing by any standard. As for the “ultimate challenge” which denton likes to talk about, as I said, let’s see how Young adapts to the CL and how much his game improves playing for United before making too much noise.
LMFAO stateside. i heard about that body piercing incident LOLL. too funny. is that even legal?
I feel the pre season will be very important for Sir alex to decide which formation will suit for us.
Players like cleverley,welbeck,macheda and the academy players will have to prove their worth.
I agree with yor yor when he said it would be nice to see pogba,tunni and morrison become starters for us.
I can clearly see interesting future for us.Ashley young is a good signing.He could be a better signing than valencia.Valencia has also been a hit for us but i feel ashley would offer more to us than valencia.
Young is a proven player in the league and has loads of assists and goals.
Honestly speaking both of our signings have been great.Now lets buy de gea and then try to buy a mf.
And I Also happy we didn’t spend another 10 odd millions on a defender in varane.Now we could see players like reece brown ,gill,fornaiser and tom thorpe.
FUTURE IS BRIGHT FUTURE IS RED
Alright lads, off to watch Cars 2 in 3D. I know by the time I’m back, this thread would’ve doubled. So, keep them coming.
@ash
mate, any idea wen preseason training starts?
is it july 1?
4th July. Pre season training starts.
Neymar looks like a fucking idiot. Also some pictures in the paper today of him laying the boot into someone on the deck. Then a head high kick. Yeah he will fit right in at Chelsea or Madrid.
@willie
thanks mate
less than wo weeks away .
well talksport have been saying for a while now that we are leading the race foe diarra.
willie – Spot on at 12.39 mate.
@king eric
yeah, you are right mate
and santos want 40 million for an 18 year old. so perfect for real.
Disagree about Ganso and Neymar – both are bloody brilliant players in my opinion. whether their clubs are asking for exorbitant fees, whether they could be right for United (IMO Ganso could be really good for us), the size of their nosest (lol) are different issues. As for high kicks, and stamps, remember Ronnie and the wink? Bottomline is irrespective of where they end up, they are still brilliant players.
I believe it is time to promote the young ones, Morrison and Pogba, get them accustomed to the PL, and kick the ass of the opponents, we need to play like Barcelona, with a DMF like Carrick and Fletcher, but keeping an AMF as well, like Morrison, with pace and skills to bring the ball forward, and added to that 2 good wingers (Nani, RWM and Young LWF), this can may be roll back the days Utd used to tear apart teams à la Beckham and Giggs on the wings, with Rooney given a more holding role and keep the Chicha upfront to kill off the moves
anyone else having trouble getting onto the forum?
King Eric – Ganso wants to play in Italy. He’s learning Italian apparently. Just another fucking name, to break the impasse…
jayrannasaurus
I am having difficulty too. If you select a thread from your recent history and reload, it works. Then you can navigate from there.
i belive if mufc played the following team in champions league final against barca they could have had a chance
nani—rooney—valencia
anderson–scholes–park
fabio–vidic–ferdinand–rafael
Berba, please don’t go
*noses – apologies for the typo
By the way, I never mentioned that Ganso/Ganzo wanted his “dream move” to UTD. I just noted that the kid is a fantastic player, whose talent is extraordinary.
Also, the “revisionism” about A$hley Young is amusing – NOW, some people (“some people” !) are reviewing statistics and suggesting that he’s better than Nani and/or Valencia !
Anyone see the big punch up in the Brazillian game? Fucking crazy bastards over there..
As we probably all know Young can play in the center as well. If we ain’t signing anyone i think it could well be another strange season for us. Hopefully with the 20th title in England but we are due a bit of the vintage attacking attractive United side.
A lot depends on the progress Anderson makes. Hope it’s his year. We were extremely unlucky with Hargo but what can you do. With him around we would have been much better equipped and could have handled the lack of center mid transfer activity this term.
Perhaps we can still go for the semi-nurtured player like Kagawa or another.
@denton: My opinion is about Young is rather simple – I think he is a great buy, and will help us extend our dominance in the PL. Whether he will be an asset for us in the latter stages of the Cl, is where I have my doubts.
Further proof that it’s called “silly season” for a reason – Steve Bruce is supposedly “lining up” a bid for Wesley Brown for 4 million (about a million quid per appearance !). This will gazzump Aston Villa’s offer of 3 million and completely overshadows Everton’s bid of a large bag of old balls.
Jeet – I’m not sure yet, were Fergie sees Young best position. Is it, on the left, or a more central position? Whay say you?
Begs the question whether we can afford to use Nani as a makeweight for the Snejider deal ? With signing of Ashley Young of course. I don’t consider Nani as one of my favorite players but he was absolutely pivotal in the first part of last season. But if the swap is possible i wouldn’t say no. Even though Snejider is not the top of my priorities.
We will have Wellbeck and Cleverly back so it should be a very interesting season.
Jeet @ 13:52 – right, A$hley Young will no doubt extend our dominance in the CL but, in my opinion, that would probably happen without him.
I share your doubts about his value in the “ultimate challenge” UNLESS there is a major re-think about team shape/formation/strategy. Perhaps in that context, Young’s versatility might be more-than-useful. That remains to be seen.
Does the Young-transfer mean that Alexis Sanchez is no longer considered to be a transfer-target ? Or, much more interestingly, would the intake of Young AND Sanchez signal a radical departure in the shape of the first-team ? That, too, remains to be seen.
I’m also in agreement with Corea (@ 13:51 [and others] ) that Anderson might be SAF’s secret weapon – and the reason why no new-midfield-signing has been indicated. Although when the international transfer-window opens on July 1st there is still a possibility of a surprise – let’s not forget that SAF has been mute about his dealings and, so far as I know, he’s on holiday in southern France getting plonked every afternoon.
Corea @ 13:59: “we can afford to use Nani as a makeweight for the Snejider deal ? ”
NO !
@willie: Honest to God, dont know. Depends on whether and who Fergie plans to bring in in central midfield, the future of Nani, how fergie sees the style and formation evolving, etc. Too many ifs and buts, in my opinion. However, a few alternative secnarios:
1. Young is first choice for LW and Nani and Valencia rotate on the left.
2. Nani’s future is in doubt, and Young plays LW. By the way, I connected with some locals who claim to be ITK and heard that there’s not a peep out of OT about Nani moving. So I’m mighty relieved!
3. Rooney plays deeper than usual (Scholesy role) and Young plays between him and Chicharito. Something like:
Usual back 5
Carrick/Ando/Fletch Rooney
Valencia Young Nani
Chicharito
…And not to forget that the deal isnt officially done yet – I have speculated in the past that Young could be a smokescreen.
In a nutshell, just like evryone else, I dont have a fucking clue!!!
I think this season is make or break for Anderson tbh. His 5th season, it’s now or never IMO. For the first time, he’s gonna have a full, injury free pre-season under his belt so no excuses. I’ve gotta say, I don’t think SAF necessarily helps with the constant chopping and changing- for a young player in midfield that’s gotta be difficult. But next season he should get more chances, and he needs to grab them.
I do think another midfielder is required, for numbers as well as quality. With Scholesy and Gibson going (plus Giggsy about to be 38!)- just bringing Cleverley back isn’t gonna do it.
Young deal confirmed by United. Welcome Ashley young!
Breaking News; Manchester United Sign a Young Player
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2011/Jun/ashley-young-joins-manchester-united.aspx
Welcome Ashley Young!
I sincerely hope you make all the people eat their own words and perfom a Yorke!
Hurrah, willie!!! That puts paid to one of my speculative points, thank heavens! The jigsaw has started settling. Sanchez coming or not would make the picture significantly clearer.
Jeet – Agree mate. Along with denton, What??? and a few others, I would be loathe to see Nani leave United. The lads coming into his prime. I firmly believe, we’ll see an even better Nani next season.
any idea of young’s squad number?
No smokescreen about it- Young’s just signed a 5 year deal!
I still can’t get over some people on here last night suggesting that we’re only getting Young coz we ain’t getting Sanchez. Like we’d agree a deal with him and Aston Villa before he goes on holiday, then try and sign Sanchez, and then tell Young the deal’s off? Give over!
Fergie’s had his eye on BOTH of them for a while. Sanchez looks like he probably doesn’t wanna come. Young does. Welcome to Old Trafford Ashley.
Sanchez won’t come.
We didn’t even bid for him.
we have signed young never saw that one coming…
MUTV will show an exclusive interview with Ashley Young from 18:30 BST today (Thursday).
so who has got MUTV?
gerkeo – I believe its either number 7,10,11 ,17,18 or the likeliest 33 of bebe’s.
Papii – If Ravel is promoted into the first team I can see him getting No 7. And Young getting 10? can’t see rooney with another number.
Maybe Gibson’s or Bebe’s.
@King Eric
No “Cunt” got the ball better than Nicky Butt. And he was a very very very good player to bring on form the bench.The guy was simply awesome, for me he was a mini version of scholes – maybe mini not the right word but he that how i rated him however he wasn’t a regular starter simply because Keano had that extra bit about him
@Balaji Sivaraman
you said it your self, Essien probably edges him out a bit more in the ball playing department. What you shouldn’t do is undersestimate how significant that “little” improvement can make on a team. I’ve followed fletchers career, i’ve seen him boss games, set up players. This does not change my opinion however that he’s a squad player and nothing you’ve said has conviced me. I asked the question can or do these paleyrs have what it takes to significantly improve the midfield? If your answer is yes then why may i ask are we asking for investment in the area, just another player to sit on the bench?
United do play the squad game very well but there are always squad players and core players – VDS, Vidic, Rio, Evra,Valencia, Rooney and to an extent Carrick . Every squad has them and United is no different.
utd having been tracking young for years as i mentioned yesterday along with a goalie he was sir alexs priority signing and utd wanted him in the january window,the link to anything to do with sanchez is nonsense.
i like most don’t want to see nani or berba go anywhere,these are the 2 players being linked with a move away on a daily basis,latest bayern are going to make a bid for nani,it seems there’s 4 or 5 teams interested in both.at times like this if the rumors aren’t true wish the club would come out and say both are going nowhere untill that happens the rumors will persist all summer.
@Clint-IamYourPapii: its hardly 10,11 or 17, already taken by major 1st teamers while i’d say 7 is being kept for sneijder or other playmaker midfielder
@CedarsDevil 11:44
No need to call me shallow mate, without sounding like “trolls” who come here i’m only expressing my opinion and at least putting my arguments out there, i haven’t bashed any player or poster, no need for you to go there
wayne – United never comment on transfer rumours. And why should we sell Nani now that he settled and shows his class.
Im glad sarcasm is not a universal language
I reckon he’ll get the 18 not that it matters because even if he was number 68, I wouldn’t give two shits.
@Zelh when it concerns our players just wish the club would quash rumors and shut the press up,since the cl final we’ve heard the rumors nani wasn’t happy about being a sub for the last part of the season and would be open to a move and the rumors have been constant,just want a end to them.
@Clint: And if he was number 69?
Can’t we give a player the Number 19:18?
Zelh – If United never comment on rumors, how do you know, we never bid for Sanchez?
willierednut – cause we get what we want
Welcome to success Ashley Young!
Welcome Ashley Young! Welcome!
Prepare a cabinet for all the medals that will be winging their way to you!
Hello fellow ROMerati.
I dont see the fuss created about us signing a CM. Since ’07, weve pretty much EVERY season been up there or there abouts. Weve got to CL finals, weve won the prem and only it shouldve been 5 in a row but we only lost out because we got shafted at the Bridge.
A CM signing would be nice, but IS IT NECESSARY??? Lets please not turn into Chelski or Shitty and make spur of the moment signings. Weve managed to do OK with what weve got and personally with the current crop of players we have in the team and in the youth set up, were not looking too bad.
Rooney i think will start to play a deeper role now. TonyV can if needed come into CM, albeit he doesnt have that creativity but he is a work horse and if nothing else, can help us keep / win the ball in that area.
Heres a team id like to see for next season at OT….
De Gea
Rafael Rio Vidic Evra- Fabio
TonyV Jones Nani
Chicarito Rooney Young
If a team lines up like that for a game, ill have a big smile on my face. a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 diamond type formation with Jones deep and Rooney at the top of the diamond would work well imo.
i can see Rooney dropping deep and helping Jones (if Jones were to play in DM) but with Rooney u have the added bonus that he has bags of energy and can then counter attack with blistering pace while we have arguably the best defence in the prem to hold back if needed.
Also with that line up Rooney can be given a free role to terrorise defences by floating where ever he wants, and with 3 of our forwards all able to switch up positions as they feel to, they will cause no end of grief to defenders.
We could have the kinda of pace and counter attack play we used to have with Ronaldo, Tevez et al. Correct me if im wrong, but that football we played was immense!
A marquee signing in CM would be nice, but i dont want a big name to suddently come in to our team and think the team is suddenly buitl around them as they will be the creative player in MF.
Despite being touted as one of the worst Utd teams in recent years, i think as an actual TEAM we have played brilliantly. There was no single outstanding player who took all the glory e.g. Ronaldo (although he was a fantastic player). The whole team chipped in goals and attacking. Berba and nani both found their shooting boots (lost them relatively easily as well, but hey thats another topic altogether), Rooney started firing goals, as did Giggs and even the Twins and Anderson!!!
too many cooks n all that…..
Zelh – I think we were interested, but baulked at his price tag. I’m sure Fergie will reveal all, in the next few weeks…
denton davey – i can only trust your judgment sir. even though still prefer him on the right wing. whether he develops to at least 80% as good of a player as he is on the right then we will do just fine.
Interesting to see how we use Tony, Nani and Young. Can’t wait. Cleverly as well.
WELCOME ASHLEY YOUNG!!!!!
@wilie
you are right mate.
but why would fergie want both young and sanchez?
any way young is a player i wanted us to sign for some time .
young jones and degea are players i have watched a lot so im excited to say the least.
i remember being slaughtered on this blog a two years ago wen i suggested we should sign young
Welcome to Ashley Young. I am looking forward to seeing him running up and down our wings…
Now That YoungChez is Our Player….The red tinted Spec are On !
Young is the english equivalent of Lionel Messi but on the left wing. Cuts in with really good crosses, really good shots, decent goal scoring record, age on his side & can go on to rip apart europe for us.
He is also a great set piece taker that can score free kicks and assists from corners. This guy is a blend of Beckham & Ronnie/Nani & will shine under Lord Fergie’s eye.
This guy will improve our depth in the team and will surely strengthen our attack & add the right balance to our left wing that has only ever had giggs occupying the role for the last 18 years.
Good buy I Rate him higher than sanchez because of PL experience & more reliable.
(Takes off Red SPECS)
Yay we have Joe Cole 7 years ago
I can’t see Cleverley being used as a wide man tbh. Not when we have more natural wingers ahead of him. I expect him to play centre mid, perhaps off the front man occasionally.
Having 4 wingers is no problem with Fergie’s rotation system. Go back to when we won the Double- we had 4 wingers there- Ronaldo, Giggsy, Park, Nani. All got ample game time, and that was when Ronaldo had his place nailed on!
Giggsy’s more of a centre mid now anyway. So we’ve got – Nani, Valencia, Young, Park . All should get plenty of game time, no doubt about that. Park’s role may be reduced though, but I see him as a squad player who can come in for the big games if call upon.
OMG the level of retardation by some of our “fans” is shocking.
now check this
http://community.manutd.com/forums/p/180655/1621255.aspx#1621255
I not terribly happy with us signing Young.
Here is why.
I dont think he will improve the quality of the squad in anyway.
Nani is outrlight better than him in taking on defenders and creating chances.
Valencia is far better than him as a winger…
and Park has the experience and tactical nous that Young cant bring in.
Now I know Fergie likes to have 4 of everyhting. 4 strikers, 4 centre backs, 4 centre midfielders etc,
But Id rather give Ravel Morrison get the 4th winger slot.
Very disappointed wiht this signing.
Now that we have signed Young what is next. United better not even entertain the thought of selling Nani, I know he dives and he has his theatrics but he is one of our best players and I even think he has a lot more potential that he has not reached.
now that young & jones are tied up, De Gea Close to being posted & packaged to us.
Time for United To concentrate on signing Charlie Adam or Wesley Sneijder, Diego Forlan & Dermot O’leary.
@dannysoya
dont go there, i gave it up years ago
many morons
Cool second transfer. Versatile and interchangeable as well. And he wants to be at Old Trafford.
@dannysoya
That place will eventually drive you completely mad.
AnomanderRake – Shit, someone phone Sir Alex up quickly and tell him he’s fucked up big time. He’s obviously bought Young as a direct replacement for Nani, Valencia and Park!! That means these 3 players will never play for United again and Young just won’t be able to cover all 3 of them!……I give up!!
Welcome to United Ashley.
Welcome to ManUtd, Ashley Young..
Welcome to United Ashley. Cheers lad, here is the opportunity to grab greatness. Learn well, practice and play hard and smart. Play like a champion.
Ashley Young on move, ” I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world” Now now Ashley, thee biggest club lad!
Not disappointed about the Young signing. Am disappointed in how much we forked out if the rumours of £17 million are true. Am amazed at the hypocrisy of some of the comments from people who’s opinion I respect, have changed from a few months ago. They’ve gone from bashing him to bashing those who criticise the signing. He’ll do well for us, and surprise a lot of people a la Valencia and Carrick before him. He can also use his left foot, take note Tony V.
NotoriousRedDevil – I think it’s more around 15m pounds.
Welcome to Manchester united Ash young.A great signing.He can score 10 goals every season and will reach his peak with us.Great signing.
UNITED 20/4
@NotoriousRedDevil I do not assume mine is an opinion you respect. When Young’s name first came up I had knee jerk reaction of why not ” Better Players” not thinking how disrespectful it was to Young’s talents and most of all questioning SAF in retrospection. .
I think young would play more as an attacking mid fielder than as a winger.
We can easily get 4 great years from young.Hope for the best.
Welcome to United Ashley young. No doubt you will make us a better team with your pace and versatility not to mention your knack for goals and bagload of assists as well.
This one is for Fergie. PLEASE SIR DO NOT SELL NANI PLEASE!!!! Too good to leave United and he doesn’t even want to go please let us keep him. Fergie’s rotation will do wonders with Nani , valencia and Young in the ranks. valencia might be benched sometimes , nani might be benched sometimes.
@mikekelly12
Hmmmm…. you dont seem to get what I was trying to say.
So let me try again.
Wingers we have: Nani, Tony V, Park.
Winger we just signed : Young
That makes 4 wingers.
Which leaves little place in the squad for Cleverly.
Which leaves no place in the squad for Morrison.
Also, I didnt say that Fergie was making a mistake. Even if he was, how would I ever now.
I said I was disappointed that Cleverly and Morrison will have their chances limited this season.
Far from it being my place to tell Scott how to run a blog but are you getting opaid on number of hits per thread? Still no upload of Hernandez’s goal. Furthermore No confirmation of Young signing?
Great signing and he cheap in todays market. Proven premiership quality and established england international.
Willie – Exactly mate. Just another name. Yawn.
Jeet – How is Ronnie winking comparable to that peacock haired flavour of the month poncey little cunt Neymar’s cowardice act of kicking someone while they are injured on the floor? Horrible bastard.
dannysoya – nani’s future was only in doubt pending if united signed sanchez, but now united have added young to breath new depth in the united wide positions, there is no way nani will be sold. That rumour should be put to bed, hopefully berbatov’s contract is sorted out, because if its not we do not want a drained berbatov, who’s future will drive him mental if he has not had his contract sorted out
Mixed thoughts on Young’s signing. I think it will improve our set pieces and he is another weapon in our arsenal. I believe he can grow in a better team as United and he can be a great asset. The downside is that I think we already have two other wingers better than him and the biggest of all we had another major area that need improvement.
In any event. Welcome Young and in SAF I trust.
AnomanderRake- Young plays in a different position.
Cleverley will be used in the middle of the park, the wing is not the place for him, the world and his dog knows that. He’ll get his chances next season, us signing a winger doesn’t harm him IMO.
Same applies to Morrison, although I don’t think he’s gonna play many games anyway. He’ll be eased in gradually, cup games and so forth. I doubt he’ll even get 10 appearances in the League tbh.
SAF will give chances to the players that earn chances. Taking your chance is up to the player, as Lil Pea, Smalling and the Twins have done. Cleverly to me is not a winger, yes he can play there but how well. The US tour is around the corner, who will take advantage of this and step up then SAF will assess again and the window is open until Sept 1 st. If Pogba or Tunni take a leep in development from last year to this?
I hope i am wrong but i feel we may sell either one of berba,park and nani.I really hope Nani stays.He is just 24 and can be a star player for us in coming seasons.
I am a big berba admirer and I think he is not going anywhere.Park was never going to leave but with the rumor going around for last few days and I feel his time at united may be over.I love park and I really hope he retires here but he may become surplus to our plans.
Its all upto Sir alex to decide.
Sparkz – Spot on pal about the smokescreen. I have never heard such tosh, and I have heard alot on here. Would Fergie REALLY have made eyes at Young only to tell him to hang about a week or two while that meathead makes his fucking mind up over in Serie A? Would he fuck. That would be the most unprofessional thing he could do.
Welcome to the club Ashley Young.
Now lets keep O’Shea and go for a midfielder.
Hello King Eric! How are you sir? Good to see a few comments from you.
I’m pleased with the business done by Sir Alex, and also that it has been done early.
I’m looking forward to confirmation of de Gea, which should happen in about 10 days time.
I do think there’s another signing on the cards, possibly even 2, that will happen at the same time as de Gea. Either way, I’m sure that we will be a force to be reckoned with this season, despite the loss of the ‘old guard.’
Slim – I loved Nicky Butt pal. Whats with the word cunt in hyphens? A sly dig ?
wayne – Hello mate. Oh come on. Why should United quash any rumours? They would be quashing a rumour every ten minutes!!
AnomanderRake – what the hell are you talking about, firstly he will improve united’s squad. 11 goals 17 assists a season is something to die for especially for a midfielder
look through united’s midfielders and the goals they have scored
carrick 0 goals
fletcher 1 goal,
anderson 4 goals
scholes 1 goal
valencia 2 goals
nani 11 goals,
park 5 goals
obertan 1 goal
So really he will get us double figures in goals to go along side nani. Park is a squad player, Morrison no offence has got to get his head out of his asst, and cleverly will get playing time the boss knows best
smartalex – Thanks alot my friend. Hope you are well.
Slim – Meant to say as well that Keano loved playing with Butty. Especially at Anfield.
Oh yes forgot about giggs yet again
ryan giggs 3 goals
Nani will play the start of the season as a starter because tony is at the copa.
King Eric – alright mun, what if like I said the past few days, there is no one out there that fergie sees that will improve the engine room. I hope to hell we sign that quality CM, but if there is no one out there what can fergie do. He is just going to have to build his team around carrick fletcher and anderson, when these 3 are together they are brilliant trio in midfield, and in a 3 , esp with a possible front 3 of young rooney and hernandez in some games we could see a possible brilliant side in the making
NRD – I don’t know if I was one of the hypocrites, you were talking about. I’m not the biggest Young fan on here, everyone knows that. Bottom line is, we’ve signed the him now and I’m prepared to give the lad a chance. What the fuck else, I’m I gonna do? Good to see you back on here again, by the way.
As folk on here know I have been championing the signing of Young for ages!! Not. No I am actually quite happy we have him for his versatility across the front. A decent player and will get better at United. And he can take corners and free kicks!
As for Morrison. Come off it. He may get some chances next year but he wont be a starter at all. He needs to get his head down for a while first. Now Ryan Tunnicliffe is a different matter altogther.
#19 on Spain U21 – that’s our Scholes replacement.
@fergie is the boss
The 11 goals he scored by mostly playing in the hole, behind the striker at Villa. Not as an out and out midfielder.
That is Rooneys position going forward.
Young could be played in that position as cover for Rooney. But then his playing time will be limited.
We will see Young most often as a left winger. I am sure he will create chances for our strikers from there but I think the goals he scores will dry up.
He will not outscore Nani.
I admit my views on him are very biased. I personally dont like him because of his tendency to dive everytime I watch him play. I have thought of him as a cheating **** all this while.
I realize I have to get behind because he is going to wear our shirt. Will be tough for me.
Tunnicliffe could get many chances in our midfield. Great worker against the ball, not shy to put in a tackle and his drives forward are really impressive.
reminds me a lot of an irish boy who snubbed dogleash
Agreed with Notorious about the hypocrisy. It tends to happen. Like when Henderson’s tranfer fee was ridiculed, but Phil Jones’ wasn’t by the same people.
Anyway, the Young transfer is rumored to be around 20 mil. Imo too much for someone we could have bought for free next summer.
Costas – sun, fail and mirror saying 20, guardian saying 15. I stay with 15. Better for my mind.
@vilhelm
who is that?
King Eric @ 16:12: “Would Fergie REALLY have made eyes at Young only to tell him to hang about a week or two while that meathead makes his fucking mind up over in Serie A? Would he fuck. That would be the most unprofessional thing he could do.”
No one has suggested that he has been talking in the media or making eyes at Young – in fact, isn’t SAF on holiday in the the South of France getting plonked on red wine ?
AnomanderRake – nani dives a hell of allot, ronaldo at times was pathetic at this esp his last season, and his first few seasons. United have had their fair share of divers, so its nothing new there. I wont be surprised, if young is used in a 442 to play alongside rooney, but on the left I see him used 70% of games
@costas
mate , iam sure dogleash would have made a bid just to increase the price
maybe city also
Jones > Henderson
@Zelh
15 sounds a bit more reasonable. I hope that’s accurate, although I doubt we will ever know for sure. Either way, I guess at some point we had to conduct our business within the enflated market.
FWIW – I’d still like to see SAF/David Gill sign Alexis Sanchez so that WayneBoy can be moved to the “ScholesRole”.
FWIW – again ! – it seems that the protracted nature of the Sanchez-transfer is connected to the fact that it takes three to make a transfer: buyer/seller/player. Barca are trying to low-ball Udinese; Udinese are trying to use ManShitty to raise the price; Sanchez doesn’t want to go to the Wastelands; UTD are lying in the weeds. It ain’t over ’til it’s over. AND it ain’t over, yet.
You went a bit Rocky Balboa there, denton? Seriously though, it is over.
@denton davey
mate , young deal was wrapped up before he went to vegas.
even if we had signed sanchez we would have got young.
no doubt.
if we had signed sanchez and told young to get lost then it would hve been awful.
Jones-16.5 millions
Young- 17 millions
De gea -17-18millions
So We have spend 51 millions on 3 players which is not bad.
Players that will leave 99%
Gibson-6millions
Brown-3millions
PIG-4 millions
We would get atleast 13 millions
So the net spend would be 38 millions.We will spend another 25 million atleast if SAF wants to.So we will buy a mid fielder.
I think of all the youngsters it will be tunnicliffe who will be featuring more next season.He is a strong lad.I am eager to see him in action.
fitb @ 16:40: “nani dives a hell of allot”
Actually, when you see his “dives” in slow motion re=play then you see he’s getting clattered, kicked, and mauled with alarming frequency. Some people – some people, eh ? – have even claimed that he “dived” when Jamie Carragher attempted to break his leg in two, at the knee.
His so-called reputation-for-diving doesn’t stand up to close examination and, besides, when a player “dives” outside the penalty area there is no benefit to his team as the opposition are able to re-organize themselves and even get a breather.
15-16M is not a bargain or extortionate, I Rather think its bang on the Dot, for a player on his last year of contract & how much he’s worth to Villa (doubled profit ).
Good deal for Villa
GREAT Deal for United
Fabulocious Deal for Ashley Young
Fellas This Boy will need a song !
@denton
you are right about sanchez.
but surely barca have won that race .
i know they stole ronaldinho from under our noses.
so it would be nice to sign him from under there nose.
anyway he wll go somewhere before copa.
denton davey – nani does go down far to easy for my liking sometimes, yes I agree on pubg players like carragher almost breaking his legs, but it still does not change that on allot of occasions he has the habit of going down to easy
I’d like links to videos of Nani diving, as I can’t remember it happening.
Emotional, yes; theatrical, yes; cheat, NO!
If you answer me, be polite, or I will have at you.
@fergie is the boss
Agreed about Nani and Ronaldo. Even Rooney dives blatantly once or twice a season.
However, they are United players for a long time and have done so much for the team that I am able to look past the diving.
In time, if Young puts years of service, I will grow to like him even if he is a diver.
But instatnly liking a player I used to hate for so long because we signed him is not something I can do.
442 with Rooney and Young?? Do you mean instead of Chicharito?
I dont think that will happen.
I dont think Fergie is going to move Rooney from his position in the hole.
Essentially, I see young becoming a squad player. Park will be used in the big games as always instead of him. He will be fighting with Nani for a starting place otherwise. I expect Nani to win that argument hands down.
For a squad player role, I would prefer if someone from our record-breaking youth team was promoted.
On the other hand, Fergie might have signed him just to piss off Dogleash and the scum.
That I can wholeheartedly agree with
I saw diving, at the local swimming pool. He divinf off the board, while his girlfriend was doing the breast stroke.
No worries willierednut & Zibbie. At least you guys have the intestinal fortitude to own up about it. Theres people on here who behave more like sycophants than believers about our manager when it comes to signing talent. I’ll be kind at the moment as its silly season hence my leave of absence come August the gloves are off. We’ll have De Gea this time next week and that leaves a centre midfielder. We have till the end of August so no need to panic just yet. Don’t want Modric he’s far too overpriced. As someone said the other day I’m not going to throw out names of people who I havent seen play 90 minutes on 10 occasions. Ashley Young WILL improve the team, he started off at a small club and has the hunger to succeed. He’s only got worse in terms of playacting at Villa due to the chairman vs manager politics at the club. Him and Agbonlahor were level in terms of ability but one wants to play football and become a success, whilst the other wants to have 5 birds on the go and pop pills.
sachu @ 16:47: “if we had signed sanchez and told young to get lost then it would hve been awful.”
Yeah, THAT would have been “unprofessional” as King Eric said (@ 16:12) BUT my point was that SAF has said nothing these past three weeks because he’s on holiday.
Transfer dealings are not decided on the spur of the moment, on the back of an envelope. “Targets” are identified, discussions are held within the UTD hierarchy, lists are drawn up – and then some discrete “tapping up” no doubt takes place – well before the end of the season.
SAF goes on holiday for the month of June; David Gill goes on holiday at the end of June/beginning of July; pre-season starts on July 4. Does anybody really believe that during this between-season time-period these professional managers are making up their lists – and checking them twice ?
So, my point has been that SAF/David Gill (and their cronies) knew what they were going to try to accomplish before the beginning of June. The issue of a “smokescreen” has more to do with erroneous public perceptions – fed by lousy, lazy journalists who know sweet-fuck-all about these matters. UTD don’t comment on rumours. So, there was no “unprofessional” double-dealing – and no attempt to do so by the club’s managers. Suggesting that is an incorrect inference.
And, signing A$hley Young – dammit, my keyboard doesn’t do the pound sign or else I’d irritate a lot of you and all him AshLey Young ! – doesn’t necessarily preclude going after Alexis Sanchez if the master-plan is to continue WayneBoy’s evolution into the ScholesRole.
SmartAlex @ 16:54: “Emotional, yes; theatrical, yes; cheat, NO!”
I completely agree – I’d also like to see the “evidence” that led to this reputation.
So Young’s getting Scholesy’s number? Not sure what I think about that…
have we signed any body ?
other than jones and young and degea
my TSO levels are reaching fever pitch.
sign sylvester stallone and cameron diaz in midfield.
that will add the necessary bite to our midfield .
beauty and the beast.
NRD – No worries mate.
AnomanderRake – Wekk I could see young used along side rooney if united rest hernandez, it wont surprise me if united play 433 it could be nani/valencia rooney and young in a 3. Yes Rooney dives quiet a bit but he does stay on his feet for allot of the time. But I do expect young to be a starter for most of the games on the left, while nani and valencia will fight it out on the right. Young is to good of a player to be seen has a squad player
hurr – I was hoping young got owens number, has the number 7 is wasted on owen
Winning the 20th title will clearly be a milestone and can be achieved with the playing staff currently in place. However, a mix of Carrick, Giggs, Fletcher, Gibson, and Anderson in central midfield does not meet the standard we have wide in midfield nor up front and at the back. Most importantly, it removes United from the list of clubs likely to win the Champions League. SAF’s moves in this area are being keenly followed.
Water off a duck’s back, willierednut! And tell me, who’s breast was she stroking?
Richard’s first thread and it has over 700 comments already! Way to go Rich!
will it reach 1,000 again
Has it been confirmed that Young will wear #18? Where did you guys see that?
I’m back. Cars 2 was awesome BTW. I think we should totally sign Tow Mater. Will be our best signing by a mile.
On the other hand, Welcome to Manchester, Ashley. I’ve been running his cause on ROM for a long time, so I need not tell you guys how glad I am that this has been officially announced. Glad he’s signed and think he’s going to be darn great player for us.
FITB, Most people mis-use the term “diving” a lot. For proper diving, you should see someone like Busquets or Alves. They dive as in go down when there is no fucking contact at all. Nani has dived on a few rare occassions but what he does is theatrical. I fucking hate it to tell the truth but it is not as bad as diving. At least, he gets caught and tries to make the most out of it. It is not as bad as going down like you’ve been shot when there is no contact at all.
And nobody answered my question from before, Have United actually placed a 27 million bid for Sanchez or is it all newspaper bollocks?
smartalex – Vera Duckworth!
“Gary Neville tells a story about the time Manchester United signed Jesper Blomqvist in 1998 and the senior players saw it as an opportunity to wind up Ryan Giggs, telling him the writing was on the wall and that, if the club wanted another left-winger, it was only logic they must want rid of him. Giggs took it in good humour, hid any insecurity he might have secretly allowed to infest his mind and, at the end of it all, he looked Neville in the eye and said matter-of-factly: ‘He’d better be good.’ ”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/jun/23/ashley-young-manchester-united
V- ‘alo ducky!
S- Aloe Vera! Is that a rubber vest?
V- No love, it’s a rub a breast.
@costas it might seem like too much but if we did not put in a bid for him he’d have gone to liverpool or city who offered an even bigger deal for him.
HAVE WE SIGNED ANYONE YET ?
Assuming we generally play with 2 centre mids- there’s 4 places up for grabs in the forward line. There might be games when we play 3 centre mids and one less forward, but I doubt it’ll be that often. I expect it generally to be a 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1
The way I see it, Rooney is pretty much nailed on. So you’ve got 5 players- Nani, Valencia, Young, Chicharito and Welbeck (yes I do think he’ll be our 3rd choice centre forward) fighting for those 3 positions around him. A healthy situation to be in IMO, gives us fantastic options, and gives us chances to rest Rooney as well.
Park and Owen can also operate in those forward positions, but I don’t expect many appearances from them next season tbh, I think they’ll be squad players. Still important to have, will definitely have a role to play- but won’t be as prominent as the players mentioned above.
As for the centre mids- Carrick, Fletcher, Anderson and * new signing * will be the main 4 I think. (Remember back in 08 we had 4 main centre mids-Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves, Anderson)
Then you’ve got Cleverley and Giggs who can play in centre mid as well as in the forward line- I expect them to play squad roles as well, for different reasons. Giggs coz he’s coming towards the end, Cleverley coz he’ll be eased into our set up, he’s still young.
That’s how I see it panning out anyway, I could be wrong I suppose!
We lost from Real again…this time is Varane from Lens…why everybody wants to go to RM or Barca?????????????????????????????????? I m sick of that.
We are in all competition in last few years in top of the list…and most of players have to think do they want to come in Manchester United. I just dont understand
BUT PEOPLE….it would not suprise me that SAF BUY FABREGAS…hahahahahhaa
Our middle is good, but can t compete with Barca. We can win the PL, but with Barca we have no chance. That is our problem. We need Modric and Nasri together…than we would have chance. Or someone in that level. Not one playmaker, but two.
i m so frustrated when i see that we can t buy any young promising player becuase RM or Barca goes there and get those players from us. We always lose wtih players. why? why is that happening?
@mara, Because those players have no brain. Simple.
Balaji, according to Max Evangalista it is a two horse race for him, with Shitty still with a real chance of signing him.
Maybe we were never in for him in the first place. You know what Sports Journalism is like – if you predict every eventuality you can never be wrong.
http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/kickoff/blog/2011-06-22/evangelista-sanchez-has-cancelled-his-trip-barcelona-and-may-consider-move-man-city
Balaji Sivaraman – I hate all forms of diving, alves busquetes are the tip of the iceberg. No clue on sanchez, always thought it was certain he was off to barcadivers
Playmaking is not why we lost vs Barca. We lost coz we were overrun, if anything we missed ball winners and energy i.e Fletcher and Anderson.
My honest opinion is that even with the players we already have, we could’ve caused Barca problems. Just think we got our approach/system wrong, and on top of that we just came up against a bloody brilliant side.
In any case- why do people insist on saying stuff like “if we sign Player X we can compete with Barca”. WE DON’T NEED TO COMPETE WITH THEM!
That’s for a team like Real Madrid who are in direct competition with Barca week in week out! We might not even play Barca next season, if we do it’ll be a maximum of 2 times. So all this talk about signing players coz they’ll help us beat Barca is folly and needs to stop.
@mara
its not just the young players
players like villa benzema ozil have prffered spain.
maybe its the weather, tax . i got no fucking idea.
HAVE WE SIGNED ANYONE
mara – we always get some of the best youth players, da silva twins, anderson, hernandez, macheda, jones. Why bother with players who have no plans moving to united, we always get our fair share of brilliant youth players. Only players like benzema find out what life at the virus fascist is all about
TALKSPORT TALKSHIT
Sparkz – it would not matter who was played, barca were that damn good
@ FITB-
Yeah I did say that we came up against a brilliant side. Said it after the game as well. Do feel that we could’ve caused them problems with a different approach, but I would agree- sometimes you’ve gotta hold your hands up and admit you’ve come up against a great side
Sachu – not sure about his name – just seen all of spains 4 u21 games and that fellow #19 has nice movements, very good vision and good passing skills, even moves like Scholes… but all I know. To lazy to check the web for his name
June 23, 2011 at 17:03
hurr says:
So Young’s getting Scholesy’s number? Not sure what I think about that…
—
Come back and let us know when you do know what you think about it.
SIGN CAMERON DIAZ AND CHARLIZE THERON
Sparkz – obvious with a better midfield it would have been a closer contest
Charlize Therong? Bong!
mara – Relax bud, we just won a 19th title and finished runner up in the champions league final. So we lost out on an 18 year old French kid, who gives a fuck. Let him off and good luck to the lad if he doesn’t want to join United. We don’t always lose out in spite of what you may think, we’ve just taken Jones and Young out from under the noses of Liverpool and we got Rooney over Newcastle. The last time I moaned about a player we didn’t get it was Benzema and after seeing how he turned out I swore never again. Who knows if we got Villa or Benzema we might not of got Hernandez and I wouldn’t trade him for either. Same goes for Ozil and whoever else. We’re also about to sign one of the most promising goal keepers in Europe. Don’t worry about who we haven’t signed buddy, we only want players who want to play for our great club. As much as we’d like it to be true, not every player in the World wants to play for us, well let them off then, it’s their loss. Welcome Ashley Young, and who cares about Sanchez.
morrison is going on the first team tour to america this pre season and if it goes well he will be in the first team this coming season. i imagine hell play in cm, behind carrick anderson and fletch. giggs will and hopefully be used rather sparingly. as much as i like tunicliffe and pogba i think its a year or so early.
I don’t want Diaz anywhere near United. What the fuck is wrong with you people?
On the other hand, Charlize Theron for the win! Although, I wonder our very own zulu smartalex may have something to say about that given they both are from the same continent.
our marquee signing should be Alba or Fox
check this tool out, thinking he could do a better job managing united
http://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/sir-alex-fergusons-transfer-policy-is-off-the-chart
No, I won’t give him the attention he wants.
mara – Modric and that ponce Nasri wouldnt make any difference against Barca.Above all else they are fucking chokers, not least the latter.
NRD – Hello mate. Good to see you. Hows tricks?
Unsurprisingly, not a word about Chicharito in that article.
hahaha now scousers are saying downing is a better deal than young.
love those bitters
Some people should really get a grip.
The virus is the best example that money and big names does NOT buy you success over Barca.
byron – Great post pal as usual.
King Eric – Cheers bud, appreciate it
11am – Disagree pal. Tunnicliffe is closer a first team appearance than Morrison at present.
Byron – Spot on mate, if Varane doesn’t want to play for United then we don’t want him! Same with Sanchez or any other player. We don’t want to unearth a star who after 2 or 3 seasons starts whining and saying “It has always been my dream to play for *INSERT NAME*!! Little Pea came to United because he wanted to play for the greatest CLUB in world football, as did Jones, as did Young. Give me these players everyday of the week.
FITB – Hello mate. Ha. That has to be the worst article I have seen since that Smythes on United’s decline in 2005. Silly bastard.
Any chance of a new topic Scott. Struggling to fuck to load nigh on 800 comments. Nowt on Young or Hernandez’s goal? Cheers.
Yeah StR, get the Young transfer up ther man! The masses need a thread, you provide the needle?
Ashley Young – Welcome To Liverpool FC 2011 – 4 minutes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FtT3trSliU&feature=related
FITB & King Eric
No idea what that twat was getting at? He could have written the same article about Dogleash, Mourinho, Mankini, Redknapp, Ancelotti etc etc etc etc………what a fucking tool!
@sachu
SIGN CAMERON DIAZ AND CHARLIZE THERON !
I’m all for long lean athletic women, we should also consider full figure women with large natural breast for their wiggle and jiggle effect, like the cupcake lady on the UK Food Chanel. I can not believe I can not think of the Sky Sport Babes name, shit Haley ????? Brian cramp.
@Vilhelm – Spain U21 – #19 – MF – Thiago Alcântara – 11 April 1991 (age 20)
slim
I do recall calling someone shallow but in no way would I have referred to you…. If I did then I do apologize my friend, my wires were probably crossed
Lost on Translation?
if De gea needs a mate to come over that lad thiago would do nicely looks superb in the u21′s
welcome to ashley young wish the lad all the best think he will do well for us
Balaji Sivaraman- hello there mate!
Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos would be a formidable midfield destroyer, and she’d win a few penalties/free kicks with her acting ability. I reckon sign her up!
Wow I’m starting back to work again, hundreds of post to read late tonight. To all RoM reader’s that bleed Red, Glory Glory for every day we awake as Red’s fanatical for Man Utd and SAF and all that the club stands for. For me this gives me a belief in self others will never know.
With modern medical science the MRI has shown through clinical studies that when people are in love, we are crazy high in love. A study of people were shown while in a MRI pictures of many things. All study participants were in love in an early stage of a relationship, with in 6 months of professing mutual love for each other. When shown a picture of their new love their brain in the MRI machine showed they fired immediately like they shot up cocaine a huge does, and there are 8 types of manic depression and 3 to 5 of those fired up as well. Brain chemistry when we are in love shows we are Crazy High in love and I think it must transfer to some point for are love of this great club.GLORY GLORY MAN UTD !!
slim
Just saw the post in question buddy, trust me it was in no way a dig at you, I enjoy your posts and opinions…. It was merely a comment to highlight some modern day fans who know fuck all about the game and spout shit…………. In my opinion you are certainly not one of them buddy
@smartalex, That video made my day. Thank you so much.
thank u Ashley Young,
a certain CedarDevil cant tell have we signed anyone yet anymore
its official, young is a red, welcome home buddy, get ready for the best years of your life, on and off the field
Lost on Translation? perfect wiggaley willie type of giggle uuuummmmmm….
LOL at the comments in that video.
Man Utd 2 – 0 Liverpool (Phil Jones and Ashley Young)
Welcome to the Champions League 2011 – 12.
We do like to rub it in to those bitter and dipper fuckers, don’t we?
sandeep1878
Have we signed anyone yet?
Jello Zibbie! I’ve some wiggle room left!
Wille –
BREAKING NEWS: Manchester United Line up Scholes Replacement.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_7001492,00.html
Suprise name thrown into the Hat.
Diego is old hat!
Whoever he’ll play for he’ll make the dippers cry
I hope he throws them out of a cup or something like that
@CedarsDevil
all good mate, heading over to the next post to read youngs comments about number 20. See you there. Wait a minute i’m probably the only one here anyway.lol
King Eric – dont think so, heard it from a utd coach this week.
@ Cedars – Cheers mate! Probably change my screen name back to Paul Parker next season.
@ JellyBean – long story love
got a new laptop from work but its monitored, so I got my friend to put some software on it to un-monitor it. I was off RoM for a while anyway, but when I tried to log back on I got the moderator message and thought it was me Lol, but based on Goat’s experience and a few others I guess im not the only one that gets that message. The funny thing is the FA were driving me mad at the time with the Alex and Rooney bans so I had to get online and vent, so I went with WHAT??? until I could sort out the moderator message and its kind of stuck. Everybody I spoke with as Paul Parker could already tell it was “me” but I didn’t think anybody else would notice till I fixed it Lol.
RoM Shenanigans!
@FITB
Agreed on Ando and Fletcher, people forget Fletcher had a woeful season , meaning he spent half of it fucked up and losing weight. Ando was never first team at the start of the season but look how he ended. Either player in their own way can sort out the middle of the Park, and I still think Young is gonna play central. If our boys stay injury and disease free, we’re laughing!
Wish folks would stop talking formations and who we can buy that would fit in – Barca have probably only 3 defined positions. Two centre backs and one keeper. Rest of the team are essentially flexible midfielders/attackers/defenders. Rarely go in hard – they just nick the ball away due to faster reflexes than any one else. One touch passing and running off the ball does the rest. A new brand of total football.
We will, I think adapt a similar style and time/drilling/training/desire will do the rest.
We have a core of centre backs now – not sure about the keeper position but when the other team gets no where near the goal really not an issue.
May take us two years to emulate the current Barca but I honestly think we have the capabilities – Nani/Valencia/Rooney/Anderson/Chico have great skill as do the the Twins. Smalling/Jones/Vidic are quality – Rio maybe has one or two good seasons left.
Above all else we have speed and quickness. Not sure about Young but he would have not been signed if he did have ‘The Requirements”
Also note Barca sold two strikers to get where they are (Etoo and Ibra) – we do not need a lazy bastard “poaching”. We do not need Ronaldo back – gave the ball away too often and did not track back and did not like to pass the ball. Sneider certainly does not track back.
Multi dimensional players will be the future. The ability to cover ground/cut off space from the opposition will be the tactic – goals will flow.
As to the youth:- Morrison, Tunnicliffe, Cleverley, Welbeck, Macheda, James Keane, Petrucci etc. All show style/desire – they are worth way more than we know.
Think we will do ok next year.
UNITED 20/4/12 – 2012
Torontored – I largely agree with what you wrote about “formations”. I would think, however, that Chicharito is a big part of UTD’s future so that would make four fixed positions – GK, 2 CB, and the Mexicutioner. The other seven will be mixed-and-matched according to circumstances. I’m not sure that this is a way to emulate Barcelona – SAF has a strong inclination towards wingers which Pep/Barca don’t share since their “fullbacks” are the ones to provide width – so much as a return to the “whirligig” of 2008 which was both entertaining and very successful.
If my guess is right then I’d be surprised if the acquisition of Young AshLey means that interest in Alexis Sanchez is over and done with. I say this because it’s my opinion that WayneBoy’s real future is in what used to be called “midfield”, in the “ScholesRole”, as an “attacking playmaker” – or whatever you want to call it. AND I just can’t imagine that Nani is going to be considered surplus-to-requirements, regardless of who is imported to the squad. To my way of thinking, Nani has just scratched the surface of his abilities – same goes for Anderson who is still “just” 22/23.
denton davey next time I visit the UK will buy you a pint (or ten). Cannot disagree with Chico staying as a “striker”. But maybe can see now Berba moving on.
Will again add that the ability of the squad will be speed everywhere – playing a Nani or Valencia or Park in the “middle ” means nothing – because any player at any time will be required to go wide/go deep/go forward where the space exists. The talent of players will be their ability to be “multi dimensional”. (Fast/quick/one touch/fast passing/trust in where your team mates are)
Also would add that Refs do not like “tackling” anymore so to get the ball you have to “swarm the space” and “play the ball” off the opponent. This system plays to that .
Actually reckon SAF has had his tactical succesion plan developed for a while – let the tabloids speculate all they want. He knows who he wants and will pay the tab if he sees the fit to the team.
UNITED 20/4/12 – 2012
torontored @ 14:28: “denton davey next time I visit the UK will buy you a pint (or ten).
I live in Toronto – I was born in Denton (hence the moniker).
I’d like to believe you that SAF “knows who he wants and will pay the tab if he sees the fit to the team” but I’m not sure that really big money signing are likely. Although if you consider the example of Alexis Sanchez that might be wrong – Sanchez is 22/23 so signing him wouldn’t represent the same “risk” as, say, someone like Daniel De Rossi who is 28. A kid like Sanchez could be sold on in four years at a profit, after extracting his best years. Sorry to sound like a commodities broker but that’s what the professional game is all about – money, money, money. Anyhow, that’s another reason why he would be an attractive import – over and above his skills, speed, and bravery, he’d be a very good investment.
Indeed, the next few days are likely to be interesting on the Sanchez-watch. Barcelona are trying to low-ball Udinese; Udinese are trying to create a bidding war which is why their chairman/owner Pozzo is talking up Sanchez as “a 50 m Euro player”; but Sanchez himself is silent. So, too, is SAF/David Gill. I think that they’re “waiting in the weeds”. Barcelona are in something of a corner since they also want Cesc and have a huge investment in Zlatan and David Villa (they spent 34 m Euros for a 28-year old last year) – maybe as much as 100 m. Euros – that has to be sorted BEFORE they can act. Add to that, Barcelona have the highest wage-bill in EuroFootie. They do have lots of saleable assets in their youth-team prospects but none of them would fetch more than, say, 10 m Euros. Of course, they get interest-free funding – important because they have a huge debt – as well as a huge gob of money for their tv rights and their shirt-advertising. Overall, though, my impression is that they are sailing fairly close to the wind and don’t have a lot of leeway in their bargaining over both Cesc and Sanchez – and there are rumours that they have an eye on David Luiz, who is currently at CSKALondon and he would cost at least 35 m. Euros, because CaptainCaveman ain’t getting any younger. Add to this mix, the suggestion that Alexis Sanchez doesn’t fancy ManShitty and you have the makings of a “perfect storm” for UTD’s money-men.
I’m digressing in this way because it speaks to your comments about a “multi-dimensional” style of play that might just be on the cards for UTD. I’m not sure that we are in complete agreement about the details of that “tactical succession” but what you’re suggesting seems pretty close to what I’m inferring about the lack of activity in getting a traditional “creative” mid-fielder in the past few transfer windows. I’m excited because we could be on the cusp of a new phase in the evolution of UTD’s playing-style – no question, though, that the talent is there to go back-to-the-future with a more gung-ho attack.
I also think that one of the reasons why SAF was willing to break his customary hard-man response to negotiations and to mollify WayneBoy after his “no ambition” comments in October because the OldFootieKnight sees him as the lynch-pin of his last great UTD team.
Most of my “guesses” are based on a sense that some radical changes are in the wind at OT. I have no “evidence” to back up my suggestions – just intuition, which may (or may not) be correct. But, hey, it’s silly season.