If we approach things with the view that we can't get the best we'll stagnate, it's time to go above and beyond when investing in our midfield in my view. If we were going to strip it right down and replace Fellaini, Fletcher and Cleverley I'd certainly take Song as a cheap 3rd choice CM.
Alex Song
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) are here to discuss Amad saving our blushes in a win against Southampton as well as our now annual loss at home to Brighton. They discuss Amorim's post-match comments, revisit how mid-table we may or may not be, and discuss some transfer news.
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If we approach things with the view that we can't get the best we'll stagnate, it's time to go above and beyond when investing in our midfield in my view. If we were going to strip it right down and replace Fellaini, Fletcher and Cleverley I'd certainly take Song as a cheap 3rd choice CM.
If you buy cheap, you buy twice.
Not good enough. Not a DM. There are much better players out there.
Not good enough. Not a DM. There are much better players out there.
would be a terrible signing.
this is exacly the kind of player we don't need, distinctly avrage would demand high wages and only slightly improve us!
can't put into words how pissed i'd be if we signed him this summer
this is exacly the kind of player we don't need, distinctly avrage would demand high wages and only slightly improve us!
can't put into words how pissed i'd be if we signed him this summer
A player I deifinetly was impressed with in his last season at Arsenal
He had a great last season for Arsenal and ended up at Barcelona....He is far from average...average is Fletcher post illness, Clevs, Carrick this season and perhaps going forward....
I think a lot are underrating him, he looked very talented at Arsenal, I can't speak to his mindset and the effort he puts into training etc but on skill/talent alone, he seemed to be more than able to hold his own, in fact, I'd go as far as to say I thought he could become a WC player.
I also rate quite highly the other bulky young DM they have, can't think of his name...
I also rate quite highly the other bulky young DM they have, can't think of his name...
he would be a desperation buy, get a name in cos thier is no else available, he's flopped at barca, and was inconstant at arsenal.
yes he better than what we got, but the last thing we need is another incosistant player on ridiculus wages so that we can't sell them, who is only slightly better than what we got!!
would be an awful awful buy!
Pogba?
During his last season at Arsenal Song was very good, he got into double figures for assists and brought a strength and purpose to the Gooners' midfield. He has not had the best of it at Barcelona but, in fairness to him, he's been used a lot as a centre-half which isn't his position. Its not a crime to be less good than Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets etc. most midfielders are. Song is better than the options we have in midfield at the moment and has proven he can compete with the best the Premier League has to offer. If there's a chance we can get Song I wouldn't turn my nose up at it, especially if he was coming cheap.
A lot of people are using the argument that we should buy this person and that person because they are better than the options we currently have. The issue with this is that we said the same thing with Fellaini, now I'm not saying that Song is no better than Fellaini but I feel that if we are aiming to get a top quality midfield then maybe we should be looking to aim a bit higher. Then again, people will tell me that Song is quality and fair enough, I haven't seen much of him since he left Arsenal.
He only got put in midfield at Arsenal because he couldnt defend as a centre-back properly. He's got a decent physical presence and that's about it. I'd like to think we're aiming a bit higher.
See what the Arsenal lads think, but I never remember what you're saying to be true in the slightest.
@Grinner @peterstorey @Archie Leach
What RedRover said is bollocks. Song was a midfielder and did a good job the few times he filled in at CB. His problem was he was good at things he didn't need to be and bad at things he did.
Who is we? I was never convinced by Fellaini as a proper number 8 and my posts from the time should show that. A fair amount of people thought Fellaini wouldn't work out because his best football had come as an advanced midfield target and, sadly, we were right.
Song on the contrary is actually a good player. No he is not the second coming of Yaya Toure but he is a solid midfield option that would provide a significant upgrade on what we have. This is not FIFA, we can't just draft in anyone we want to. A lot of names are getting thrown about but history shows that Man Utd very rarely succeed at shopping at the expensive end of the European market. We also finished seventh in the Premier League, we have no European Cup to offer signings, we can't expect to get the creme de la creme.
Song has proved himself playing in centre midfield at a top four English club and he wasn't a one season wonder. We'd improve a lot with a midfielder of his quality. The Spanish newspapers are touting prices lower than £10 million. To me it would be a great deal.
He'd be a decent squad player but no world beater.
I wouldn't mind us signing him along with another CM that's preferably better and more attacking. It never works out that way with us going by past summers unfortunately..
He'd start for you at the moment.
Anderson? He'll be like a new signing when he comes back. Think this will be his year.
Yeah sure why not bring owl Ando back and let him steal a wage again. Couldn't hurt.
It'll probably actually happen now knowing our luck with that position.
Speak for yourself mate. I remember a lot of people saying quite the opposite.
He played centreback when he first came in though didnt he?
Nope. Played midfield. Was fecking terrible as a young fella.
We didn't throw Pogba away. We wanted to extend his contract, while he wanted to move away.
Wouldn't mind Song if he comes on the cheap. We really should be setting the bar higher for our first team, though.
Building a team doesnt always mean buying the best players. Stick him in a 3 man midfield & he'll do a very good job there! Suited to our league & very experienced, available at a very good price also. I'd have said he'd have improved our midfield last season & we do need some major surgery there to kill off that slow zombie passing that has affected our play over the last few seasons.
Looking at Fletch, Carrick, Ando, Clev & Fellaini as our options, we need to cut & burn and bring in the new.
This, Alex Song alongside someone like Strootman/Schneiderlin will satisfy our current needs and get us back where need to be next season . For a fee around ten million I wouldn't think twice and we must remember that we now need a top class central defender in addition to the obvious needs of the squad . We must also take into cognisance that we have the makings of a mouth watering attack which should flourish under a manager who knows how to get more out of it . Getting a technically gifted, rounded and mobile midfield duo should be a top priority and Song has the skill set to be half of that pairing .
I said last season I would rather have Song than Fellaini. I don't think anyone can argue he would be an upgrade on everything we have at the moment. My only concern would be his desire. Is he happy enough to sit on the bench and pick up a nice wage? That's certainly something we don't need. Obviously we would still need to sign other MF players but any improvement in that area is going to be a big help to the side.
Our last Cameroonian DM didnt do very well.
Talksport linking him with us again. http://talksport.com/football/man-united-and-tottenham-hunt-ex-arsenal-star-14061396152
Would not mind Song, think he's very underrated, was great in his last season at Arsenal, managed to get 11 assists from a DM position and has a great understanding with Van Persie.
Would not mind Song, think he's very underrated, was great in his last season at Arsenal, managed to get 11 assists from a DM position and has a great understanding with Van Persie.
I don't think he does the defending side well enough for a supposed DM.
I wouldn't want him here.
I wouldn't want him here.
Of course he does. He's also shown he's a capable CB in an emergency. You can't do that if the defensive side of your game isn't up to scratch.
He's no Makelele, granted. But then that's not necessarily what we need.
He was shit yesterday though.
You would take him? I just think he isn't that good.
TO be fair you and me could start in our midfield at the moment
i honestly would rather us sign no one, the waste money on him.
In a instant. In his last 2 seasons at Arsenal he was one of the best DMs in the league hence the interest from Barca in the first place.
It hasn't worked out there because he's not as good as Busquets. No shame in that.
I don't think Song would be a bad signing. We have paid a lot of money for inferior players.
He's proven himself very useful in the premiership, so why would he be a waste of money. LVG is going to create a team and buy players to suit his style. So if Song is one of his targets it wont be a waste of money! To be honest he'd walk into our current midfield, so why would anyone not want to see the team improved is beyond me!
Is he disciplined enough to play for LvG, is the question. Discipline always hampered him at Arsenal, mainly because he was played as a holding midfielder when he plainly wasn't and isn't. Wouldn't mind him at United but he needs a defensive partner.
Would depend on how much he cost. I have seen reports as high as £20m, which is way to high for somebody I would hope to be a squad player.
The key thing with Song, is that however else he stacks up against other top midfielders for better or worse, he is better than almost every single one of ours, and therefore a worthwhile signing.
If he's available on the cheap then why not. Continue pursuing Schweinsteiger and Strootman and bring in Alex Song at 10 million or whatever for depth. Midfield would be instantly sorted.
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