Angel Di Maria | £59.7M fee agreed I Maybe tomorrow...or the day after...

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holyland red

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Makes no sense because City can't sign him due to FFP. They have to have a net spend of 49M. They've signed Fernando and Mangala for about 42M, plus Caballero. So unless they plan to sign DI Maria for 5M quid, it ain't happening. Add to that, Duncan Castles just has a huge ABU boner, and it's a nothing story.

Could their New York branch sign him, and then loan him to City? ;)
 

ZDwyr

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If Welbeck gets pushed out it's because he is not as good as the player that is replacing him. I would rather win games and possibly trophies than keep a few lesser players happy. If he improves his game he can still get in this team
I understand that. Like I said the Welbeck thing was more sentimental because he is one of my favourite players.
 

Kyonn

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I just don't see how he fits, reminds me to much of the Berbatov and Mata deals. Individually great players but not what the team needed.
 

RoadTrip

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I just don't see how he fits, reminds me to much of the Berbatov and Mata deals. Individually great players but not what the team needed.
I don't see how he isn't needed, at all. Please do elaborate. He's a fast attacker which we lack. A quality winger which we lack. The ability to play CM which we lack.
 

Sarni

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The problem with that is you have Di Maria, Mata and Rooney all playing in positions that are not their best. We all know Rooney is best at CF, Mata is best at CAM and, as we saw last season, Di Maria can be incredible as part of a midfield three.

The best formation to include all of them has to be a 41212, which LVG has used in the past, where Rooney and RVP are up top, Mata is CAM, Di Maria and Herrera are the two CMs and Fletcher/new DM as the defensive mdifielder.

---Rooney RVP

-------Mata

Di Maria Herrera

------Fletch



Last season, Ozil did feck all in the big games, whereas Di Maria was MOTM in the CL final and was great in the other big games in the season - there is the difference.
Nah, you have Di Maria on the wing where he is at his best, Mata in a position he has played effectively for Valencia, Chelsea and Spain and Rooney just behind the striker where he has played a lot for United.
 

Sarni

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I don't see how he isn't needed, at all. Please do elaborate. He's a fast attacker which we lack. A quality winger which we lack. The ability to play CM which we lack.
We can fit him in, definitely. It's other players who might not fit next to him.
 

vanthaman

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I expect we will go back to 4231

-----------RVP
Di Maria--Rooney--Mata
-----Herrera---fletcher

With the front four alternating during the match
 

Kyonn

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I don't see how he isn't needed, at all. Please do elaborate. He's a fast attacker which we lack. A quality winger which we lack. The ability to play CM which we lack.
Where will he play, is he going to play as a wingback. If not does that mean we're going to 4-3-3? If so how do we get Mata, Rooney and RVP all into the team? I agree with van Gaal that this team is very unbalanced but not sure if this move helps to much without moving Mata.
 

Sammyjunn

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Where will he play, is he going to play as a wingback. If not does that mean we're going to 4-3-3? If so how do we get Mata, Rooney and RVP all into the team? I agree with van Gaal that this team is very unbalanced but not sure if this move helps to much without moving Mata.
Watch the post above your one. It's not that difficult. Mata can be RAM, there would be no problem with that.
 

Raees

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I expect we will go back to 4231

-----------RVP
Di Maria--Rooney--Mata
-----Herrera---fletcher

With the front four alternating during the match
Mata on the wing is dreadful. 3 out of those 4 players are too slow and Fletcher lacks mobility. Sticking in Di Maria like that isn't going to change the team into a fluid attacking unit.
 

Kyonn

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Watch the post above your one. It's not that difficult. Mata can be RAM, there would be no problem with that.
I saw it, just don't think Mata works out wide. In fact I would rather play Adnan there then Mata.
 

Sammyjunn

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Mata on the wing is dreadful. 3 out of those 4 players are too slow and Fletcher lacks mobility. Sticking in Di Maria like that isn't going to change the team into a fluid attacking unit.
Dreadful? Where do you think he played with the famous Macazar, or at Valencia when he earned himself a transfer to Chelsea? Rooney isnt slow nor too slow.
 

Raees

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I just don't see how he fits, reminds me to much of the Berbatov and Mata deals. Individually great players but not what the team needed.
Berbatov, Kagawa, Veron, Mata..

All lacked pace and all played at a slow tempo...

Di Maria is one of the most high tempo footballers in football, plays at an electric pace. Real's style of football is very similar to United (at our best) which is why when we played each other in the past, they were great attacking games.
 

Kill 'em all

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Dreadful? Where do you think he played with the famous Macazar, or at Valencia when he earned himself a transfer to Chelsea? Rooney isnt slow nor too slow.
Mata isn't that good as a winger. His stat output doubled when he was switched to playing in behind the striker for Chelsea, same for us last season. He couldn't do anything from out wide but when he was switched to playing number 10 he scored 6 goals and made 4 assists in as many games.
 

Raees

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Dreadful? Where do you think he played with the famous Macazar, or at Valencia when he earned himself a transfer to Chelsea? Rooney isnt slow nor too slow.
At Valencia he was quicker. See his vids of his time from Valencia and compare it to his performances now, he's not the same type of player (was more of a left winger from deep and closer to Silva now).. plus in EPL, you need even more pace on the wings than in La Liga. He will either play as a 10 or be benched in favour of Januzaj/Kagawa. Simples.
 

WR10

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I just don't see how he fits, reminds me to much of the Berbatov and Mata deals. Individually great players but not what the team needed.
Wow. You have clearly not watched a single game he's played.
 

Jacob

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Imagine this:

DDG
RAFAEL
ROJO
EVANS
SHAW

CARRICK
VIDAL
HERRERA

ROONEY
RVP
DI MARIA
 

Kill 'em all

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Can't believe you're either ditching Mata or putting him out wide, he's easily our best and most talented player.
 

SammyUnited_83

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Makes no sense because City can't sign him due to FFP. They have to have a net spend of 49M. They've signed Fernando and Mangala for about 42M, plus Caballero. So unless they plan to sign DI Maria for 5M quid, it ain't happening. Add to that, Duncan Castles just has a huge ABU boner, and it's a nothing story.
They have made £20mil or so in sales so far? theoretically if they raised another £30mil they could get involved. Still think we will get him, but it's not done yet.
 

Someone

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His versatility makes it easy for van gaal to utilize him in different systems, but van gaal made it clear that the reason we aren't playing 4-3-3 was that we didn't have a player like ronaldo or di maria, so if we do sign him one would think the plan now is to play 4-3-3.

My main worry remains that we haven't solved our midfield and defense problems yet, the impact of di maria won't be the same without more quality in those areas.
 

Smores

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This signing will for me just emphasize the mistake of making Rooney captain. The best team selections you can put out do not include him.

In fact they don't include either of our captains. I'd be tempted by Carrick as one of the CBs in our 3-5-2 so he could step up to support a midfield of Herrera/ADM
 

Rednotdead

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His versatility makes it easy for van gaal to utilize him in different systems, but van gaal made it clear that the reason we aren't playing 4-3-3 was that we didn't have a player like ronaldo or di maria, so if we do sign him one would think the plan now is to play 4-3-3.

My main worry remains that we haven't solved our midfield and defense problems yet, the impact of di maria won't be the same without more quality in those areas.
Never fear, Ed's on the job! :rolleyes:
 

Ixion

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It's funny when Moyes started this was exactly the type of huge signing they were desperate to make (Cesc, Ronaldo, Bale) but couldn't pull it off and our transfer window ended up a disaster because they were so unfocused on anything else. Having someone like Van Gaal here, especially after the World Cup, will help attract better players.
 

Pexbo

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His versatility makes it easy for van gaal to utilize him in different systems, but van gaal made it clear that the reason we aren't playing 4-3-3 was that we didn't have a player like ronaldo or di maria, so if we do sign him one would think the plan now is to play 4-3-3.

My main worry remains that we haven't solved our midfield and defense problems yet, the impact of di maria won't be the same without more quality in those areas.
That would remedy some of our defensive worries too, well, numerically anyway.

RB: Rafael, Jones, Valencia
CB: Smalling, Evans, Jones, Rojo, Blackett
LB: Shaw, Rojo, Blackett
 

royboy16

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I don't think he'll hinder Januzaj, but it will mean the end for Young and Valencia on the wing and he will hinder Welbeck. Young and Valencia will need to settle for the role of second choice wingbacks/fullbacks and Welbeck might actually leave if we round up this transfer. But Januzaj will get plenty of game time, no doubt.
Which one of those two ?
Im thinking Valencia.
 

predator

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We were linked with him before Real bought him weren't we?

It's a sad state of affairs for other clubs out there when a team can sell Di Maria and still look so strong. He is just too good to ignore. I'm so happy the club have decided to break the bank and throw prudence out the window that has for so long been a part of our business.

Please happen.
 

kotha

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I know we have Shaw,but I can see Di Maria easily playing wing back also.. He has the pace as well as the stamina to play wing back. I think this signing shows that Van Gaal intends to go back to 4-3-3 next season.
 

gasmanc

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People actually finding a reason to moan about this transfer, it's unbelievable really. Who gives a shite who gets less game time ? With Di Mari in the squad our chances of being back in the CL are markedly improved and that opens up game time anyway.
We're finally looking like spending on the quality we've let slide over the course of SAF reign of genius, we're finally looking like spending like one of the biggest clubs in the World should, it's good news going forward and it needs to continue.
 

Someone

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That would remedy some of our defensive worries too, well, numerically anyway.

RB: Rafael, Jones, Valencia
CB: Smalling, Evans, Jones, Rojo, Blackett
LB: Shaw, Rojo, Blackett
It still lacks quality and that's the main problem.
 
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