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

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Star wars dude (I havent even seen the films either lol)

Oh and just go back and edit the post, before more people come to correct you.

Oh I have seen star wars, did not get the yoda reference

Just done that thanks, wanted to keep it at 24 since people have quoted my origonal post, thought would not make a difference now.
 
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I'd rather just play a diamond and keep both Rooney and RvP playing.

DDG
Rafa - Smalling - Evans - Shaw
Carrick
Herrera - Di Maria
Mata
Rooney RvP​

That could work but I wouldn't be overly keen playing the top sides with that defence

Think the 3-5-2 could work better in those games

Think if he's too expensive for PSG he's gonna be astronomically priced
 
Man I hope these Di Maria rumours are just noise, created by Madrid to stoke up interest in a player they really need to offload.
 
He shouldn't be priority over a CB and a CM. Playing a 4-3-3 because of Di Maria would be stupid too.
 
Why do you not rate him?

its not that, its just that we're already massively overstocked in attacking areas. Unless LVG is going to suddenly start playing 4-3-3 (which would be odd after all this pre-season playing 3-5-2) then I don't see where he plays. He never really struck as a wingback.
 
He shouldn't be priority over a CB and a CM. Playing a 4-3-3 because of Di Maria would be stupid too.

Agree with the first sentence, disagree with the second.

The basic equation, the way I see it, is that we can only play 433 when we buy a winger who is good enough to justify forcing RVP and Rooney to rotate, rather than playing both of them. Di Maria, as one of the best attackers for the best team in Europe last season, would fit that bill, and we'd then be best off playing something like this:

DDG
Rafa - Smalling - Evans - Shaw
Herrera - CM
Januzaj - Mata - Di Maria
RVP/Rooney
Really, Rooney could slot into any of the front four positions, but the #9 slot is the one he'd have the chance to be first choice for.
 
Agree with the first sentence, disagree with the second.

The basic equation, the way I see it, is that we can only play 433 when we buy a winger who is good enough to justify forcing RVP and Rooney to rotate, rather than playing both of them. Di Maria, as one of the best attackers for the best team in Europe last season, would fit that bill, and we'd then be best off playing something like this:

DDG
Rafa - Smalling - Evans - Shaw
Herrera - CM
Januzaj - Mata - Di Maria
RVP/Rooney
Really, Rooney could slot into any of the front four positions, but the #9 slot is the one he'd have the chance to be first choice for.
No, it's not just Rooney and RVP, but also playing 3 CB's because we don't have enough individual quality there for a back-four and because our relatively weak CM is better covered that way. The system is way better suited to our current players and one signing won't change that. Maybe if it's Ronaldo, but otherwise no.
You could make a point if we were to sign Vidal and Di Maria, but ideally we'd still need a strong CB.
 
how long till mou realises that he could do with a right winger of his quality and comes in for him?
 
No, it's not just Rooney and RVP, but also playing 3 CB's because we don't have enough individual quality there for a back-four and because our relatively weak CM is better covered that way. The system is way better suited to our current players and one signing won't change that. Maybe if it's Ronaldo, but otherwise no.
You could make a point if we were to sign Vidal and Di Maria, but ideally we'd still need a strong CB.

We are awfully short on defenders, it does worry me if any of evans jones smalling pick up an injury, we will have no defenders left, so at the minute it is a problem.
 
Can't help but be bitter when Real Madrid buy two superstars that would have been epic signings for us, after winning the CL and with an incredibly talented squad.
 
Can't help but be bitter when Real Madrid buy two superstars that would have been epic signings for us, after winning the CL and with an incredibly talented squad.

Next week when we sign Vidal, Cuadrado and blind it may lessen the pain a bit :)
 
Argentine Media is reporting our interest in him now...

Doesn't really fall into the LvG mantra of signing only players who desperately want to play for United, no thanks Madrid want to balance the books don't want us to do it for them.
 
Didn't di Maria play midfield last season?

Fletch
di Maria Herrera
Mata
van Persie Rooney​

That team would be great going forward but terrible defensively.

You effectively have 4 players who have or could play number 10, behind RVP and then Fletcher....
 
Madrid want to sell and the closer we get to the end of the window the more the price will drop.
 
He shouldn't be priority over a CB and a CM. Playing a 4-3-3 because of Di Maria would be stupid too.

Who said he's a priority? We're clearly negotiating for, or interested in various players at any one time.
 
Doesn't really fall into the LvG mantra of signing only players who desperately want to play for United, no thanks Madrid want to balance the books don't want us to do it for them.

If there is a top quality player on the market we should do whatever is necessary to bring them here. They'll learn to love it here if we pay them adequately. It's a job at the end of the day... the days of players at the top level playing for pride / love of the shirt are pretty much finished.
 
Doesn't really fall into the LvG mantra of signing only players who desperately want to play for United, no thanks Madrid want to balance the books don't want us to do it for them.

Has anyone from the club actually said anything as daft as "we only want players who desperately want to play for United"?

The reality is, players are professionals and go where the best deal is based on money, success and lifestyle.

I suspect Van Gaal wants players he can count on to give his all and follow instructions. I suspect being desperate to play for the club is not a requirement.
 
Just a bit of background on why the Spanish press are so quiet. The senior columnists and big name gossip reporters are on holiday right now. Papers like Marca are running on stockpiled articles, whatever stories the interns can deliver and a few "eMail'd from Ibiza" editorials :smirk:
 
Just a bit of background on why the Spanish press are so quiet. The senior columnists and big name gossip reporters are on holiday right now. Papers like Marca are running on stockpiled articles, whatever stories the interns can deliver and a few "eMail'd from Ibiza" editorials :smirk:
be honest, are you in Ibiza with them?
 
That team would be great going forward but terrible defensively.

You effectively have 4 players who have or could play number 10, behind RVP and then Fletcher....
Look at Bayern and Barca, attacking midfielders everywhere.

Herrera has shown bite in midfield, and Fletch can play in a 2 or 3 man midfield. Di Maria must have been good in midfield to play there for Real, and considering how good he is out wide they wouldn't just waste him there.
 
Has anyone from the club actually said anything as daft as "we only want players who desperately want to play for United"?

The reality is, players are professionals and go where the best deal is based on money, success and lifestyle.

I suspect Van Gaal wants players he can count on to give his all and follow instructions. I suspect being desperate to play for the club is not a requirement.

I could have sworn LvG said something along those lines, but i cant find it in all honesty.

I found this though:

"The fascinating part of what is about to unfold will be to see who has what Van Gaal requires, because many of them will be young.

LVG: “The argument for that is when you use youth players of the club they know the culture of the club and they want to defend that culture and wear that culture and transfer that culture,” he says. “When you buy a player from outside you have to wait and see and not every player will fulfil your expectation, it is much more difficult, also for the player.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...ilding-after-the-david-moyes-era-9636359.html

To me, that says he's much more open to using the players already at his disposal, than go out & buy top-class ready-to-go players. I dig that mantra, but we all know we're mediocre in many areas of the squad & as much as you polish a turd - its still gonna be a turd at the end of the day.

United cant afford not to be challenging for the title this season - given the record partnership deals we've agreed to & also considering the funds are there at LvG's disposal to make that objective a reality.

He doesnt have 3 years to win the title - he's been given all the resources he needs to win the title this season; the League & Champions League the season after - not to mention as many domestic cups in that time also.

Time will tell at the close of the window, if he's more interested in proving Fergie's squad are better than everyone thinks (including the club & the fan's opinions), instead of going all-out to get a top-class team together & really going for it with the right tools.

Time to invest now - to make up for years of penny-pinching on possible grade-makers. City have bought 2 league titles in 3 years & they're stronger than us right now. But FFP has caught up with them, so this is the opportunity to prevent them doing a Chelsea & havin a sound business practice anytime soon.

If City keep coming up short in winning trophies, then new legal popularity incomes wont materialise - same as with PSG. Its pretty obvious that Monaco are already gettin out of dodge by selling their assets. They bought Berbatov last January which was a clear sign that they've given up spending. They cant generate an income to support their spending - PSG are the same. City seem to be way smarter though, but that bubble can be burst if they dont win the Prem anytime soon.

I hope we sing something like this, when we meet City at the Etihad on 2nd Nov & have a shit-hot team assembled that sittin pretty at the top of the league:

"We spend what we want... we spend what we waannnt - its all our own money.. we spend what we want.."
 
I could have sworn LvG said something along those lines, but i cant find it in all honesty.

I found this though:

"The fascinating part of what is about to unfold will be to see who has what Van Gaal requires, because many of them will be young.

LVG: “The argument for that is when you use youth players of the club they know the culture of the club and they want to defend that culture and wear that culture and transfer that culture,” he says. “When you buy a player from outside you have to wait and see and not every player will fulfil your expectation, it is much more difficult, also for the player.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...ilding-after-the-david-moyes-era-9636359.html

To me, that says he's much more open to using the players already at his disposal, than go out & buy top-class ready-to-go players. I dig that mantra, but we all know we're mediocre in many areas of the squad & as much as you polish a turd - its still gonna be a turd at the end of the day.

United cant afford not to be challenging for the title this season - given the record partnership deals we've agreed to & also considering the funds are there at LvG's disposal to make that objective a reality.

He doesnt have 3 years to win the title - he's been given all the resources he needs to win the title this season; the League & Champions League the season after - not to mention as many domestic cups in that time also.

Time will tell at the close of the window, if he's more interested in proving Fergie's squad are better than everyone thinks (including the club & the fan's opinions), instead of going all-out to get a top-class team together & really going for it with the right tools.

Time to invest now - to make up for years of penny-pinching on possible grade-makers. City have bought 2 league titles in 3 years & they're stronger than us right now. But FFP has caught up with them, so this is the opportunity to prevent them doing a Chelsea & havin a sound business practice anytime soon.

If City keep coming up short in winning trophies, then new legal popularity incomes wont materialise - same as with PSG. Its pretty obvious that Monaco are already gettin out of dodge by selling their assets. They bought Berbatov last January which was a clear sign that they've given up spending. They cant generate an income to support their spending - PSG are the same. City seem to be way smarter though, but that bubble can be burst if they dont win the Prem anytime soon.

I hope we sing something like this, when we meet City at the Etihad on 2nd Nov & have a shit-hot team assembled that sittin pretty at the top of the league:

"We spend what we want... we spend what we waannnt - its all our own money.. we spend what we want.."

Excellent post. Agree with everything here. Now is really the time to spend big or I fear we will get left behind
 
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