Castles: Mourinho given green light to spend in January

Sultan said:
In most other seasons we'd be pretty content with how the team has progressed and played. Unfortunately, City are just on another level at the moment.
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^^Nail. Head. Bang^^

Another weekend where Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all dropped points, and it's no great surprise that they do.
When I look at United in comparison to these sides, Spurs also, I think that we are possibly the least likely to drop points unexpectedly...
There might be an air of gloomy realization that the title is out of reach, but the rest of the pack are even further behind City than we are..!!

If it wasn't for this incredible form of City, then we'd be top of the table and optimism would be sky high that we would be able to defend that position till the end of the season.

However as it is, we are still bang on course to cement ourselves back into the Champions League on a regular basis, and that has to be a realistic stepping stone from the past couple of years.
Hopefully we have excellent January & Summer recruitment, and can make a big stride forward...
 
What about Phillip Max? 8 assists this season playing at left back for Augsburg?
 
SuperiorXI said:
I think we have to do something big in the January window to have any chance.
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I’m not sure I see overpaying for a second choice player - as I don’t think you can get a genuinely top player in Jan - to have no more than a very slim chance of chasing down City in the PL (with a good chance that player would be cup tied in the CL) would necessarily be the wisest thing to do. IMHO, the recruitment from here will have to be done with surgical precision. Spend the money on really top, established players in the positions we’re crying out for. Otherwise I’d be concerned we’ll petperually repeat the current cycle where we are always a couple of windows away from being close to the finished article.
 
One plus side of City being as strong as they are, is that we'll have to dig deep to try and overtake them. Will strengthen our side for Europe as well.
 
Jaybomb said:
We need an improvement on Smalling and Jones and David Luiz is it.

If Mourinho is persisting with 3atb, who suits that system better than David Luiz? He’s a proven PL winning defender too. Probably the best in the league last season. Adding him into the team will only strengthen us.
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CB is probably the last position we need to strengthen.
 
At this point I would rather see McTominay used then Herrara. His win percentage when in the first 11 over the last two seasons is shockingly poor. Smalling should be sold this summer simple as that. He is a more than decent defender but for a mid table side, not United. These two players in my mind are the last vestiges of Van Gaal and although I will support them always in a United shirt, they just bring nothing to this club.
There was absolutely nothing between Lukaku and Matic yesterday but City players. Smalling should have been pushing further out and Herrara/lingard looking to run the ball further. Yet not one of them took that risk. This game with United being more positive could have ended 4-2 to either side, I could have lived with that. City didn't really do much damage so imagine what could have been with Pogba's drive or Ozil's invention.
A proper understudy to Pogba who is fecking hungry, a lwb or rwb doesn't matter, just one this January who can drive a cross to Lukaku could be the difference between 2nd and 4th. Ozil seems a no brainer if we can get him. A fraction of his worth in transfer fees, an understanding with the manager and players around him that aren't Arsenal players. He may go missing in a few games but that seems par for the course with this club but we need something in there to progress. We are nearly there but without Pogba hardly anyone takes a risk. We passed so many balls to feet instead of in to space that Martial and Rashford had to check their runs just to collect the ball, that is Herrera's doing.
At this point a buffer between us and the rest is the most important. A couple of good additions in January will take care of that and with a bit of luck City can have a couple of bad weeks leaving March April and May a race to the finish with a 5/6 point gap. A domestic cup and CL semi would constitute a good season in my opinion and an almighty fecking push for the league next season would leave me happy with our progress.
 
VanGaalEra said:
One plus side of City being as strong as they are, is that we'll have to dig deep to try and overtake them. Will strengthen our side for Europe as well.
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Definitely, it should be a challenge to United, same as Mourinho's first stint as Chelsea manager spurred SAF on to put together his 2nd CL winning team.
 
When it's just Castle's coming out with this stuff I assume it's Jose trying to put pressure on the board to make funds available.

I think he's still pissed about not getting his 4th signing last summer and wants this upcoming window to try and set it right.

If it had already been decided internally by the club that funds were going to be made available, I don't see any logical reason to release that information to the press - would only weaken negotiating stances.
 
I never thought we could win the CL but looking at how the draw has panned out it seems like we have a fair chance.

I think we should be in the market for two reinforcements to help us with this. At Inter, Jose signed Pandev and he was important in them winning the CL.
 
If Mou spunks 90mill on Griez in January then he is in for a shock. Watched a few Athleti games this season and he’s, severely overrated and he been terrible this season. We have wingers playing fullback, a striker that is an athlete not a footballer and only 2 CM worth noting....
 
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Thing is, I'm not even sure if signing another player or two in January will help us that much, at least not in the short term (this season).

Our team just seems to lack an overall chemistry and cohesion, so adding new players in to the mix will not be an instant fix IMO.

Also, we need to spend more wisely in the transfer window. We have been pretty poor since Fergie retired. If the 'right' players are not available in January, then I'd wait until the summer.
 
January should just be scrapped awful transfer window as pay over the top or buying players who struggle make team. Not very often jan signing ever really turns out a great signing some exceptions obviously. we should just concentrate on players we have unless a class player becomes available for some unforeseen reason.
 
We have players we could use in swap deals, or sell them to raise more money. But we need some players with skill and composure and an eye for goal brought here in this coming window.
 
Kevinb5555 said:
January should just be scrapped awful transfer window as pay over the top or buying players who struggle make team. Not very often jan signing ever really turns out a great signing some exceptions obviously. we should just concentrate on players we have unless a class player becomes available for some unforeseen reason.
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Vidic and Evra are the exceptions, wouldn't really count Mata as a huge success to be honest.

But if it means paying a bit more and getting our targets earlier (I think this is what Jose touched upon) rather than leaving it to the summer where there'll be more suitors sniffing around, I don't see a problem with it.
 
Red Devil Rising said:
Vidic and Evra are the exceptions, wouldn't really count Mata as a huge success to be honest.

But if it means paying a bit more and getting our targets earlier (I think this is what Jose touched upon) rather than leaving it to the summer where there'll be more suitors sniffing around, I don't see a problem with it.
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That and it's a World Cup Summer. Players will be busy and harder to sign because of that. This is one of the years where signing players in January may be easier than usual.
 
We have to go hard after signings - Our attacking options are just clearly not good enough for us to really hurt the top teams. Now that we've invested what we have in Lukaku we have to give the guy some help.

The Champions League is unlikely but with a little more attacking threat it's certainly not impossible. We're not that far away from being a really top side. The defence is incredibly solid and has always been under Jose. We have a strong midfield base in Pogba/Matic.

Guys like Herrera and Mkhitaryan really haven't contributed like they should have. That's probably what Mourinho will look at as the difference between what he was looking for this season and what we've got. If we could invest in a quality replacement for one or both we could hugely improve the team.
 
Wouldn't say no to losing Darmian & Fellaini (assuming he won't sign a new deal), and just getting Mensah, & Periera back, Periera should never have gone, he'd have played loads of games this season already.

Top money deals just won't happen in January, we all know that.
 
One of the rags linking a return for Jonny Evans. I rate hm but we’re too heavy wth defenders so that’s a non runner imho
 
golden_blunder said:
One of the rags linking a return for Jonny Evans. I rate hm but we’re too heavy wth defenders so that’s a non runner imho
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You know that's not the problem right? When it comes with Evans it starts and end with our own defenders' injury curse. We do need more defenders given injuries mess our defense up, but at the same time Evans doesn't look like one to help us with this issue.
 
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Evans would arrive and immediately tear both hamstrings.
 
If there's a player Mourinho wants in January then I hope it's Savic from Lazio.
 
Flytan said:
That and it's a World Cup Summer. Players will be busy and harder to sign because of that. This is one of the years where signing players in January may be easier than usual.
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I get your point, but one could also argue that a top player would not change club 6 months before a WC due to the risk of losing form, using energy settling in etc...
 
We will always have the budget. Money never really were a problem lately. Our problem is wasting money on Mkhitaryans. Or Di Marias.
 
Vilev said:
We will always have the budget. Money never really were a problem lately. Our problem is wasting money on Mkhitaryans. Or Di Marias.
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Our recent transfer record is nothing short of a shambles
Of all the money spent since fergie left

We still had this lot starting

Ddg
Valencia
Smalling
Jones
Young
Lingard

More than half the team still from fergies era

Matic
Mata
Herrera
Lukaku

And rashford who was a kid

IMO that speaks volumes to why we are where we are in terms of transfers. We have been complete fail in transfer market
 
Would I be overly pessimistic if I said we won't sign anyone in January? That's my belief. Is there a player out there who we can add that would see us catching City in the league? I don't think so. Is there a player who will dramatically increase our chances of winning the Champions League? Maybe, although some of the best options won't be eligible will they? So I don't see any coming in January.
 
Noc-Z said:
Would I be overly pessimistic if I said we won't sign anyone in January? That's my belief. Is there a player out there who we can add that would see us catching City in the league? I don't think so. Is there a player who will dramatically increase our chances of winning the Champions League? Maybe, although some of the best options won't be eligible will they? So I don't see any coming in January.
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If Mikhi leaves in Jan, we're definitely going to sign another one.
 
Make an offer to Goreztka that he cannot refuse, then deal with his club and pay them a few million so that they can at least get something in return. Check to see if PSG are willing to let Draxler leave, if they are, get him in for the right wing. Save the rest of the money for summer and try and get Dybala.
 
Buy
Sergej Milinkovic Savic (summer)
Ozil (Jan)
Sandro (Jan)
Malcom (Jan)
Goretzka (summer)

Sell
Mhikitaryan
Herrera
Carrick
Fellaini
Blind
Darmian

Defenders: Smalling, Jones, Lindelof, Rojo, Bailly, Valencia, Sandro, TFM, Tuanzebe, Luke Shaw
Central Midfielders: Pogba, SMS, Matic, Mctominay
Attacking Midfielders/ Wingers: Martial, Ozil, Malcom, Goretzka, Lingard, Mata, Angel Gomes, A Periera
Strikers: Lukaku, Rashford (assuming Zlatan won't extend)
 
ghagua said:
Make an offer to Goreztka that he cannot refuse, then deal with his club and pay them a few million so that they can at least get something in return. Check to see if PSG are willing to let Draxler leave, if they are, get him in for the right wing. Save the rest of the money for summer and try and get Dybala.
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Would be great business but I still think we'd need to have a look at our fullbacks. Both RB and LB can be severely improved upon, even with me being a big fan of both Young and Valencia.
 
Just try and buy somebody for £85m now that article has come out :-)
 
Womp said:
Would be great business but I still think we'd need to have a look at our fullbacks. Both RB and LB can be severely improved upon, even with me being a big fan of both Young and Valencia.
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I would like to see full backs brought in, but our immediate need is further up front for now. Not necessarily goal scoring, but retaining the ball and playing exciting possession football, not the shite we saw under LvG, but proper ball retention and exciting quick moving football. If we can retain the ball against decent teams, we can provide protection for our defenders and get away without replacing the full backs for one more summer.
 
ghagua said:
I would like to see full backs brought in, but our immediate need is further up front for now. Not necessarily goal scoring, but retaining the ball and playing exciting possession football, not the shite we saw under LvG, but proper ball retention and exciting quick moving football. If we can retain the ball against decent teams, we can provide protection for our defenders and get away without replacing the full backs for one more summer.
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That's not a personnel's problem. None of Mourinho teams played the way you are talking about. Unless you think he never had the players, I am not sure what more transfers can achieve in that specific area.
 
ghagua said:
I would like to see full backs brought in, but our immediate need is further up front for now. Not necessarily goal scoring, but retaining the ball and playing exciting possession football, not the shite we saw under LvG, but proper ball retention and exciting quick moving football. If we can retain the ball against decent teams, we can provide protection for our defenders and get away without replacing the full backs for one more summer.
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Mourinho's never been the sort of manager to play possession football though. If he can get us to where he wants to, we will most likely be a team who presses the opposition and is great at transitions with quick, intricate passing. I don't think we'll ever be the sort of team to dominate possession for the sake of dominating possession, we have never really been that sort of side. Especially not under Mourinho.
 
fezzerUTD said:
If im being honest I think Sterling has more about him than Martial. It's a hard one but I think Martials control lets him down. But I do think he has the potential to be a lot better than Sterling in the future.
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Come on now.
 
Womp said:
Would be great business but I still think we'd need to have a look at our fullbacks. Both RB and LB can be severely improved upon, even with me being a big fan of both Young and Valencia.
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Young, definitely, need to be improved upon. Valencia is a good right back though. We could do with younger legs and someone who can whip in a better cross but I'd say he's one of the better fullbacks in the league.
 
Adnan said:
If there's a player Mourinho wants in January then I hope it's Savic from Lazio.
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Isn't he more power than technique? IMO what we lack misfield is a Piro/Xavi/Scholes type player.
 
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