There's no way any could tell if it actually happened and I'm not trying to say it 100% did, I do trust/believe him though.
7
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 32
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 13
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
It would actually be no surprise if LvG was unhappy with him at FT. Looked like just the sort of individual performance he would hate. I would hope Di Maria has the character to deal with it though. If he chooses to runs away at the first sign of trouble, he's not worth keeping anyway.
What does the tweet say?
As far as I'm concerned, PSG was his first choice and he's never looked happy here so I don't really care whether he stays or goes.
LVG most likely criticised him. Quite rightly as he was sloppy.
And now people think because of that he is leaving.
And now people think because of that he is leaving.
Here come the body language experts again...
That sentence really gets on my nerves, should be a ban. Did you guys watch too much Lie to me and are now facial expression readers? Unless you know him personally you have no fecking clue how happy he is or not.
He's currently out of form but still a world class player. But I guess someone just needs to be the village idiot where all the negativity can be thrown at. He's still our most productive player this season btw. I'd rather find a way to get him back on track and bring the best out of him
If his blatant and bottomless depression, which we can all be reasonably sure he is suffering with at the moment, is in any way tied to the weather, maybe we're close to things turning around? Not sure how it is in Manchester at the moment but where I am it's been mostly very sunny for the last week.
I don't agree that he has "never looked happy here". He looked pretty thrilled earlier in the season. Those goal celebrations, he looked like his head was going to explode.
He looks happy when other players score as well, especially when he assists them, but quite rightly he's not looking too happy with himself because he's not playing well.
Imagine if he was still grinning like an idiot and running around doing the love-heart thing after he'd blootered a cross out for a goal kick, or given the ball away which resulted in conceding a goal. How is anyone expecting him to look?
He looks happy when other players score as well, especially when he assists them, but quite rightly he's not looking too happy with himself because he's not playing well.
Imagine if he was still grinning like an idiot and running around doing the love-heart thing after he'd blootered a cross out for a goal kick, or given the ball away which resulted in conceding a goal. How is anyone expecting him to look?
Not just body language. His last two matches include a ridiculous red card, a ridiculous handball, and half hearted performances against two of our biggest rivals. Maybe it's just frustration on his part and nothing more but he's not done much lately to suggest he actually wants to play for United.That's the stuff that goes beyond just bad form and worries me.
Build on your point @OnlyTwoDaSilvas Di Maria looked plenty happy in the post-game celebration photos. As you say, there's plenty of evidence to suggest Di Maria's fine with being at Man Utd.
However, as has been suggested by the press, it's possible that he finds it hard to operate within the restrictions of Van Gaal's rigid tactical set up. It's also possible that he found the English winter difficult to deal with, Ronaldo was here for years and he never got tired of complaining about it. It's also possible that someone breaking into his house has unsettled his family, which is in turn unsettling him. None of that sounds that hard to believe.
To me, Di Maria has the look of a man who is doesn't mind being at Man Utd but wouldn't need much persuading to move back to the Mediterranean if the chance came along. I don't think he's itching to leave but I don't think he's desperate to stay either.
However, as has been suggested by the press, it's possible that he finds it hard to operate within the restrictions of Van Gaal's rigid tactical set up. It's also possible that he found the English winter difficult to deal with, Ronaldo was here for years and he never got tired of complaining about it. It's also possible that someone breaking into his house has unsettled his family, which is in turn unsettling him. None of that sounds that hard to believe.
To me, Di Maria has the look of a man who is doesn't mind being at Man Utd but wouldn't need much persuading to move back to the Mediterranean if the chance came along. I don't think he's itching to leave but I don't think he's desperate to stay either.
It doesn't have to be black or white.
I doubt he's desperate to leave this early on, but given the chance (to PSG specifically) he probably would.
If PSG don't come calling, I'm sure he'll get over it.
I doubt he's desperate to leave this early on, but given the chance (to PSG specifically) he probably would.
If PSG don't come calling, I'm sure he'll get over it.
I'd echo those sentiments. Lest we forget he pretty clearly said he would have gone to PSG if the money had been sorted. It wasn't so he came here instead - hardly a massive commitment to the cause.
If he leaves for PSG or anyone else for that matter so be it as far as I'm concerned and we more than likely recoup most of our money as he hasn't massively blotted his copybook a la Falcao.
The whole 'body language experts' thing is a bit annoying.
We might just be a bunch of people on a forum, but we still know human nature. It's like van Persie last season. Our experience of human nature (even as unqualified armchair psychologists) suggests that a guy who leaves a club he loves to join a rival, primarily to play for a legendary manager, will feel pretty disillusioned if said manager leaves after a season and things go completely and utterly tits up. The majority of people (footballers or not) would feel that way. Especially when you consider the sort of person van Persie comes across as, and the way he appeared to view Sir Alex. It doesn't take a 'body language expert' to read that, surely.
In Di Maria's case, I'm not sure if he particularly wanted to leave Madrid in the first place. He then had a preference. He makes a move to United, doesn't hit great form, gets sent of in what he probably feels is an example of him being targeted, and has his house burgled. Hardly crazy to suggest he's also pretty disillusioned.
It's the same body language expertise that allowed loads of people to predict Rooney wouldn't score that penalty on Sunday... or countless other penalties for other players.
Going back to Di Maria, I'd say the move is quite similar to that of Ozil. The same Ozil who quite often stops in his tracks and slaps the air with his head to the floor when he loses the ball and Arsenal aren't playing well. Or who had to be dragged to clap the Arsenal fans by Mertersaker.
I think both are quite fair-weather, and for the majority of their time in England, will only be as 'happy' as their current form is good.
We might just be a bunch of people on a forum, but we still know human nature. It's like van Persie last season. Our experience of human nature (even as unqualified armchair psychologists) suggests that a guy who leaves a club he loves to join a rival, primarily to play for a legendary manager, will feel pretty disillusioned if said manager leaves after a season and things go completely and utterly tits up. The majority of people (footballers or not) would feel that way. Especially when you consider the sort of person van Persie comes across as, and the way he appeared to view Sir Alex. It doesn't take a 'body language expert' to read that, surely.
In Di Maria's case, I'm not sure if he particularly wanted to leave Madrid in the first place. He then had a preference. He makes a move to United, doesn't hit great form, gets sent of in what he probably feels is an example of him being targeted, and has his house burgled. Hardly crazy to suggest he's also pretty disillusioned.
It's the same body language expertise that allowed loads of people to predict Rooney wouldn't score that penalty on Sunday... or countless other penalties for other players.
Going back to Di Maria, I'd say the move is quite similar to that of Ozil. The same Ozil who quite often stops in his tracks and slaps the air with his head to the floor when he loses the ball and Arsenal aren't playing well. Or who had to be dragged to clap the Arsenal fans by Mertersaker.
I think both are quite fair-weather, and for the majority of their time in England, will only be as 'happy' as their current form is good.
I'd quite like to trade him for Bale plus £20 million, if Madrid want him back.
Im not saying he's happy or unhappy. But when you arent happy, say you hate your job, it doesnt mean you have to scowl ALL THE TIME when youre at work. A smile or a goal celebration isnt evidence of being fundamentally happy on any fundamental or non transitory level, any more than looking pissed off in one photo proves you are completely miserable and want to leave the country.
This whole body language dissection / analysis thing is equally ludicrous whichever way you try to argue it. Millions of depressed people walk around smiling and laughing and hiding their feelings from people around them, just as plenty of reasonably happy people are inclined towards a rather grumpy demeanour (our Tony V is an example of this.)
Unfortunately we're all going to be in the dark until we see what he does, either pouring out his soul to journalists in his own country or more likely whether he stays or goes this summer.
This whole body language dissection / analysis thing is equally ludicrous whichever way you try to argue it. Millions of depressed people walk around smiling and laughing and hiding their feelings from people around them, just as plenty of reasonably happy people are inclined towards a rather grumpy demeanour (our Tony V is an example of this.)
Unfortunately we're all going to be in the dark until we see what he does, either pouring out his soul to journalists in his own country or more likely whether he stays or goes this summer.
I agree with that. There's certainly plenty that is likely to be affecting him, but the whole "never been happy" is a lot of noise.
Good points. A lot of this isnt about body language at all. Its about making an educated guess about what's going on. Although there are people out there taking these opinions and looking around for evidence that confirms the view they already have. That is also human nature, but its worth remembering that is what is happening and not taking it too seriously. Because at the end of the day it is all educated guesswork.
The Rooney penalty thing for me is a bit of a red herring. Every time a penalty is taken a million people predict it will be missed and a million more people predict it will be scored. One group is always right and assumes that is because they read the signs right. More likely it is just luck. Sometimes you can predict the future because of a body signal but more often than not you cant, its just when you get it wrong you tend to forget about it instantly and it doesnt then come up when you are chatting on an internet forum.
Yeah, fair point about the penalties. It definitely applies differently.
why i think this is his agent whose the one trying to unsettle him here?
I'm sure his "body language" will change when he and the team are flying next season. If he doesn't want to be here or thinks he's too good for us, then him and his agent need to convince PSG to pay 60m and he can leave.
I am alone in wondering if a straight swap is on the cards this summer - Bale for Di Maria ?
What a great way to run a football club that would be.
Bale for 60m would have been a great business in july 2014.
I've not seen anything half-hearted about his performances. If anything I think he's trying a little too hard, which is a very normal response to a period of bad form from a top player.
Well, that's debatable, but what does it have to do with my post?
Bale for Di Maria without money involved, equate to an exchange of goods with approximately a value of 60m, that's not a bad business for us, Madrid will lose a lot of money, though.
Not really buying into the "bust up" story. He probably got a bollocking from LVG for his sloppy performance, rightly so too. Unless he is a super sensitive guy, I don't really see this so called "bust up" being an issue. If he actually wants to leave, it'll be for other reasons I'd imagine..
Yeah, you've entirely missed the point of my post. Actually, you've sort of summed it up. A football transfer is not just an exchange of goods. You can't just constantly swap players of equal financial value and think that's a good idea. Di Maria, as we are seeing, is going to take a while to bed in. You want to invest in that difficult first season and then, just when he might start to put it together, get rid of him and bring in another new player who will probably take a season to get going and to find his place in our system?
Football isn't an xbox game.
I'd have Di Maria over Bale every day of the week.
Bale's ridiculously over-rated on here in my opinion.
Bale's ridiculously over-rated on here in my opinion.
Clubs dont generally swap players. They buy and sell them. If and when Bale and Di Maria leave their respective clubs, they will almost certainly be swapped for a sum of money, not another player.
Still offers more to a team than Angel
I really don't think he does, and thats the problem.
He'll undoubtedly score you more goals, thats a fact thats entirely indisputable, and he's a better athlete but in virtually every other aspect I think I'd rather Di Maria.
Di Maria is certainly more creative, a fact that saw him used essentially as a hybrid number 10 last season and his delivery from wide areas is better.
Di Maria certainly isn't playing well at the minute, but even now he's creating things for team mates that I can never, ever remember Gareth Bale doing. That's not to say for a second that Bale is in any way a bad player, and I'd certainly welcome him here with open arms. But he's never, ever been as good as the hype machine in this country would have you believe.
No chance.
I think that Di Maria is to us what Alexis Sanchez and Ibrahimovic were to Barcelona two great players who play a different type of football to the team, it has nothing to do with Xbox or any other video 'thingy'. I think that Di Maria will struggle to transform into the player that we need.
Now I also think that Bale isn't the perfect fit, so.
Swap deals are very rare, contrary to 'news' about upcoming swap deals. If a paper says there will be a swap deal, you can count on it beeing without any source.
Gareth Bale in Spurs > Di Maria, but that's just me... I don't think the hype machine originated out of the blue, the boy was special, he single handedly carried that Spurs team, he beat RVP to the Player of the year trophy and we all know how magical RVP was in that 2012/13 season.
He might be under utilised right now, but that's the price you pay for signing for a team that has a diva as its best player, Bale has done it in the EPL and UCL and he can easily average goals and assists in double digits.
Van Gaal always has 1-2 players in the team which are free of his rules and have freedom. I actually think Di Maria will blossom if he can do whatever the feck the wants in a well drilled system he knows. He will be the unpredictable factor he likes to be and can be a great asset.
Replacing him for a goalscoring winger solves one problem but creates another. That's why I think Memphis would be a good transfer, he's relatively cheap (buying Bale would seriously reduce our spending power) and can offer what Bale does: score goals, although he's obviously not as good yet. That means we can spend our money on other holes in the squad.
I seriously doubt Real Madrid would take a loss on him anyways. If he's going to be sold it's for a profit, we'd be daft to pay anything close to what they paid for him. Doubt bringing Di Maria back would count as a galactico signing for them, as they wouldn't sell much shirts of him.
- Status