Give him to us Bayern! Pep has a soft spot for United.
Bastian Schweinsteiger | Signed for MUFC - confirmed.
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Van Gaal will use Fellaini regulary as he has been one of our best players this season
Not if the plan is to go for the title, we'll need to upgrade in that area.
Cocks raus!
Fellaini won't be a long term starter at United I don't think. Same with Ashley Young, they had good seasons by their standards, but the level we aspire to reach is beyond them.
Mcnair is a midfielder. Even if LVG see him as a defender he needs 1 year loan. Also a 5th choice defender is always needed.
We're playing with a 3 men CM. Carrick, Schweinsteiger and Blind can cover the DM, Di Maria and Fellaini can cover the AM role, Herrera and a new player can cover the deep playmaker role. By the time Carrick retires Pearson can take his role.
So, given the option, would we prefer:
1, Shweinsteiger
2, Vidal
3, Gundogan
Personally I would be happy with any of those 3 but probably, going forward, Gundogan for me as an option to integrate into the team for the next 5-10 years.
1, Shweinsteiger
2, Vidal
3, Gundogan
Personally I would be happy with any of those 3 but probably, going forward, Gundogan for me as an option to integrate into the team for the next 5-10 years.
Short-term or not, his experience will be crucial for us and he's still an excellent player. Minimize his injuries and he'd be a superb addition to us for a couple of years or so.
Well if you think so but I'm pretty certain we will only buy one CB regardless of waht you think should be done with McNair.
Well the Pearson stuff is pie in the sky right now but Fellaini and Di Maria as the AM? I hope not, I'd rather move Herrera out there and add another #8 to the mix, plus LvG is never gonna use Di Maria there, he tried it and it didn't work, he's way too careless with that ball in midfield, he'll be used on the wings.
Really? Because it doesn't seem like we have any plans on using him as one. Maybe he was a midfielder but he certainly isn't one now....
This is just not true. Di Maria's best position, as demonstrated in his annus mirabilis with Real in 2013-14, is in the middle three. I'm pretty excited to see what he does with someone like Depay, who would love to cut in on his favoured right foot, in front of him. In fact, if Fellaini hadn't worked so well at the tail end of the season or if our number nine would've been any better, I would have loved to see him with Young on that left side. The fact remains that Di Maria has rarely been used as the inside left midfielder except in a diamond, which we know does not provide enough defensive cover. Is it a coincidence that Di Maria's richest vein of form came when he was deployed as the left midfielder in the diamond?
LvG insists on possession from the midfield 3, look at how careful Fellaini and Herrera are with the ball, there's no way LvG will be using Di Maria in that role, way too much risk for his tastes and since we moved to 4-3-3 he has played every game on the wing when he's appeared, that is where he'll have to play to get starts here under our current boss IMO.
So Ander Herrera is the only player with a brain big enough to understand Van Gaal's philosophy and change from a trigger happy possession chasing puppy into "the most complete midfielder in the league" TM? A player as accomplished and talented as Di Maria will never be able to adapt to a midfield role in a 433? Is this truly what you're saying?
It has nothing to do with intelligence, Herrea is a Spanish midfielder, their whole style is based on passing and possession, so simply taking less risks is easy for him. Di Maria has spent all but one half season as a winger who was pretty similar to Nani, lots of frustrating wastefulness with spells of genius, that's what Di Maria is and on the wing you can afford to be riskier, but centrally you have to protect the ball and be patient and it's simply not what he is, not to mention he looks scared to death of a tackle in the PL after he got crunched a few times.
The thing is it doesn't matter what you or I think, I'm certain LvG wont even consider him for midfield again unless Herrera, Rooney, Mata and Fellaini are all out.
Schwänze raus? Perhaps a native speaker can help with current slang.
Yepp. LVG played him in defense however he also lamented of having to play players out of positions
Thing is, although i generally agree with you, his best position had been in the midfield three in La Liga. I'm not going to resort to clichés about it being an easier league, but it is s different league. Is much more physical in England and you don't get anywhere near as much time on the ball as you do in Spain.
Again, please note on not saying this means the premier league is *better*, just different. He hasn't coped well with the physicality.
Second, when LVG first name dropped him last summer it was specifically in the context of a winger in a 433. LVG never wanted him as one of the midfield 3, so I'd be surprised if he plans that for next season.
Probably a moot point anyway, my money is him playing for psg next season
Where does bastian play for bayern?
And don't say 'midfield'.
I'm not completely averse to the idea of us signing him, i just can't stand the idea of the inevitable precipitation of people calling him 'Schweiney'.
If/when that happens we should all just pack our bags and go home
And don't say 'midfield'.
I'm not completely averse to the idea of us signing him, i just can't stand the idea of the inevitable precipitation of people calling him 'Schweiney'.
If/when that happens we should all just pack our bags and go home
He doesn't play as a goalkeeper, defender, on the flanks or as a forward.
Just be glad he's not going to Liverpool and being called "Schweino"...
I know what you mean. There are some posters referring to Ronaldinho as 'Dinho' and it's genuinely cringey. The kids I work with can get away with it but adults cannot!
On topic: I would love to sign Schweinsteiger but only for a decent price. I've read 10 million - have no idea if that is real or not - which I feel is a fair price considering his age/injury record. Carrick is 34 and he's our best midfielder so Schweinsteiger being 31 isn't too bad.
Why not get both Schweinsteiger and gundogan?
They both combined would most likely cost the same price as Fellaini. Obviously one of them will be on really big wages, but we been happy to pay Falcao £300k a week to do feck all.
Van Gaal will probably Schweinsteiger him back into a Winger!
Schweinsteiger offers vital experience and quality at 6 and 8. Something we need to upgrade if we want to challenge for trophies. He will be an excellent addition to the squad, however, his injury record and age must be considered. I wound only consider him as one of two midfield signings, as opposed to the sole one.
Schweini-Lad. Which strangely sounds German too.
Eins für mich
Not excited about this one. The time window where we should have been interested has passed some time ago
But now you can get him for "cheap"
The reason we were exposed at the back whilst playing Di Maria as a midfielder was due to not having the correct midfielders to shield the defence. If Carrick had been fit or the defence good enough he would be perfectly suited and likely excel in that position. He probably had his best career season playing in that role at Madrid. The issue is not Di Maria but our lack suitable midfielders behind him...
We lack experience and characters in that dressing room having lost some high profile players last season. Someone of his experience and calibre would be fantastic for the youngsters to have around. He can rotate with Carrick perfectly. Blind has not yet convinced in that role.
My feelings exactly.
A lot of people have been warning of the dangers of signing superstars and trying to fit them in and would prefer us to go for the "right" players instead. I really feel that he'd be one of those transfers that is just "right".
But now he's not as good as he used to be either
Spot on Sults!
LVG is here for three years, to uphold his appointment and reputation he needs to win a few things in the next two seasons so I can see one or two short term signings like Schwienstieger and Godin being added. Signings not really for the long term but the sort of winning mentality that allied with a bit of stardust like Depay can deliver short term succes in the very least.
Just out of interest, how is his English? I assume good because he seems a cultured and intelligent bloke but not seen or heard reports of it.
EDIT - Just found a vid of Muller, Kroos, Hummels, Schweini, Klose and Ozil speaking better English than most of us.
Interesting Schweini quote at 4;50 about a bloke supporting Chelsea and "he can't understand it".
He also calls van Gaal a "friend" around 7:30.
EDIT - Just found a vid of Muller, Kroos, Hummels, Schweini, Klose and Ozil speaking better English than most of us.
Interesting Schweini quote at 4;50 about a bloke supporting Chelsea and "he can't understand it".
He also calls van Gaal a "friend" around 7:30.
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Pipe dream.
That is also what build long term success, players like Schweinsteiger have high standards, it's good for young players to be around them, it gives them the right examples, the right models.
Schweinsteiger would actually be my favorite choice in the deep lying playmaker/ pseudo defensive midfielder role after Xhaka. Mentioned them both in the Carrick replacement thread and if we can't acquire the latter/ don't actively want him, Bastian would be a very good choice for a 3 year-ish time frame. We have seen how vital Carrick is in terms of our overall style of play, and how our team regresses in his absence; not just in terms of shielding the back four or soaking the opposition's attacking momentum, but also in terms of his understated on-field leadership ability, being a metronome who can be relied upon for the entire 90 minutes, setting the rhythm for our possession game with his deliberate approach and having a keen eye for passes in the final third. As an overall package, he is sorely missed when unfit.
There are very few players in football who are capable of doing that at the requisite standard, and even few who have evidenced the ability to consistently deliver in the highest level of football like Carrick has. That second part is probably the key reason behind the preference for Schweinsteiger. While there are some young players who could develop into that sort of player - the likes of Verratti, Saul or maybe Tielemans, they could be largely unattainable at this stage/ still be 2-3 years away from being ready from a mental or experience standpoint, which kind of puts us in an awkward position this summer. Perhaps we'd be better served by bringing in an experienced stopgap than developing one at a critical point for the club, when we are trying to re-establish ourselves in terms of contending for silverware.
Not every signing has to be for the long term, there are no fundamental benefits to having a uniform approach for all incoming transfers. Ideally, it's about having a good balance between youth and battle-tested veterans (who can be relied upon when things go south) while developing a team. And as things stand, we could do with a healthy supply of the latter, given the loss of leaders like Scholes, Giggs, Rio, Vidic, Evra in the last couple years, and maybe even Van Persie this coming summer. Every season we talk about X or Y becoming the next standard bearer for the club, but so far they've flattered to deceive, while United has simultaneously hemorrhaged a lot of proven experience.
From the more seasoned lot - Busquets in settled in at Barcelona, Alonso was probably the best of the bunch but he is fading physically, and even though Schweinsteiger has had some injury concerns of late, IMO he still has some mileage left and like other great players in the past, he could have a renaissance of sorts with a change in surrounding/ expectations. As a parallel, Pirlo is a decent example given his transition from Milan to at the age of 32 and being the backbone for a resurgent Juventus team, when a lot of people were of the opinion that he was essentially finished at the highest level. Between Scweinsteiger and Carrick, our #6 position could be sorted for the next couple of seasons, which in turn would allow the likes of Herrera to express themselves without added pressure, and leaves us in a good position to address other, more immediate weaknesses in the squad, especially defense.
He won't be the only summer midfield signing either. Van Gaal should not be taken for a fool, he is well-aware of our midfield deficiencies, something which is apparent with him retooling the lineup every time Carrick goes down, which shows a distinct lack of trust in some of our existing lot. He has repeatedly spoken of the need for balance and bringing in a box-to-box player. We will definitely prioritize one of those, even if Schweinsteiger is signed - because at this stage of his career, he does not meet Van Gaal's requirements for a mobile 60m box-to-box. He will be viewed more as a #6 given his innate leadership ability, understanding of the game, defensive awareness and excellent passing range. If we can seal the transfer, maybe get him for €15 million or thereabouts, it would be an astute investment. He will immediately become a respected leader in the dressing room given his standing in the game, Van Gaal is well aware of his qualities and will deploy him accordingly, and Schweinsteiger himself would be likely fired up to prove some of his doubters wrong, with an eye on the Euros in 2016.
There are very few players in football who are capable of doing that at the requisite standard, and even few who have evidenced the ability to consistently deliver in the highest level of football like Carrick has. That second part is probably the key reason behind the preference for Schweinsteiger. While there are some young players who could develop into that sort of player - the likes of Verratti, Saul or maybe Tielemans, they could be largely unattainable at this stage/ still be 2-3 years away from being ready from a mental or experience standpoint, which kind of puts us in an awkward position this summer. Perhaps we'd be better served by bringing in an experienced stopgap than developing one at a critical point for the club, when we are trying to re-establish ourselves in terms of contending for silverware.
Not every signing has to be for the long term, there are no fundamental benefits to having a uniform approach for all incoming transfers. Ideally, it's about having a good balance between youth and battle-tested veterans (who can be relied upon when things go south) while developing a team. And as things stand, we could do with a healthy supply of the latter, given the loss of leaders like Scholes, Giggs, Rio, Vidic, Evra in the last couple years, and maybe even Van Persie this coming summer. Every season we talk about X or Y becoming the next standard bearer for the club, but so far they've flattered to deceive, while United has simultaneously hemorrhaged a lot of proven experience.
From the more seasoned lot - Busquets in settled in at Barcelona, Alonso was probably the best of the bunch but he is fading physically, and even though Schweinsteiger has had some injury concerns of late, IMO he still has some mileage left and like other great players in the past, he could have a renaissance of sorts with a change in surrounding/ expectations. As a parallel, Pirlo is a decent example given his transition from Milan to at the age of 32 and being the backbone for a resurgent Juventus team, when a lot of people were of the opinion that he was essentially finished at the highest level. Between Scweinsteiger and Carrick, our #6 position could be sorted for the next couple of seasons, which in turn would allow the likes of Herrera to express themselves without added pressure, and leaves us in a good position to address other, more immediate weaknesses in the squad, especially defense.
He won't be the only summer midfield signing either. Van Gaal should not be taken for a fool, he is well-aware of our midfield deficiencies, something which is apparent with him retooling the lineup every time Carrick goes down, which shows a distinct lack of trust in some of our existing lot. He has repeatedly spoken of the need for balance and bringing in a box-to-box player. We will definitely prioritize one of those, even if Schweinsteiger is signed - because at this stage of his career, he does not meet Van Gaal's requirements for a mobile 60m box-to-box. He will be viewed more as a #6 given his innate leadership ability, understanding of the game, defensive awareness and excellent passing range. If we can seal the transfer, maybe get him for €15 million or thereabouts, it would be an astute investment. He will immediately become a respected leader in the dressing room given his standing in the game, Van Gaal is well aware of his qualities and will deploy him accordingly, and Schweinsteiger himself would be likely fired up to prove some of his doubters wrong, with an eye on the Euros in 2016.
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