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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Jamie (@Vault Dweller) are here to celebrate rare back-to-back victories for Manchester United! They analyse the late win in the Europa League vs. Rangers and then try and find things to analyse in a pretty dour game vs. Fulham. They also chat about the latest Marcus Rashford news, and look at the latest transfer news.
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Right on both counts. So?
Yeah well he's too rounded, better at being a football than a footballer, so he doesnt count.
Lallana might very well play a number of positions - but Fabregas doesn't. He's a central midfield player. I suspect Liverpool want a winger - not another central player, where they seem pretty well stocked.
Rodgers likes to play a certain system and obviously feels Lallana fits that system. Fabregas is obviously a very good player - and most sides would want him, but Liverpool probably have targets identified to strengthen the squad in other areas.
In terms of wages Fabregas might relaistically be on double what Lallana would be - that could be £15 - 20 million over the course of a contract. I'd suggest Liverpool going for Lambert shows they might have limits on what they can realistically spend this summer in trying to strengthen the squad.
If available and willing to come then it is a no brainer, the guy is pure class, his assists and goals are always in double figures, coming into his peak too. He would link up beautifully with Mata but as reports go from every Journo out there, we are not interested.
Wherever he ends up though should he leave Barca then that team will be improved greatly. If Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or City then we will only have ourselves to blame if we are struggling for top four next season.
I can honestly see us kicking off the season with Carrick and Fletcher in midfield with Cleverley and Ando on the bench.
Wherever he ends up though should he leave Barca then that team will be improved greatly. If Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or City then we will only have ourselves to blame if we are struggling for top four next season.
I can honestly see us kicking off the season with Carrick and Fletcher in midfield with Cleverley and Ando on the bench.
This signing only makes sense with Barca getting Koke or Mata and if thats the case I dont want him, Id rather hold on to Mata and bid ourselves for Koke.
Hes exciting only on the basis of him being a big star player, but I really dont think we need him and it would cause many more problems than it solves.
Hes exciting only on the basis of him being a big star player, but I really dont think we need him and it would cause many more problems than it solves.
Mata is going nowhere and signing Fabregas would bring problems why exactly? Just curious...
So apparently Fabregas told United that his priority was Arsenal. I would well and truly love it if Fabregas has been told to do one by LvG after it turns out Arsenal are not interested in him.
If the talk of LvG not wanting Fabregas are true, it surely has to indicate he has other players in mind who he believes would be better suited to the system he wants to implement. There's no way I think he believes our current options are good enough because unlike Moyes, Van Gaal looks like someone who wants to get to the top right away.
Koke
Koke
I'd love that but cant see him going anywhere this year. Reckon it'l be Strootman which is a good signing but also a massive gamble.
Na we the sex-less Inkeepers
, we allow the skank to stay in our bed while we wank on the couch wishing we could bang her. When she leaves next morning to the whorehouse the whole world laughs on us for doing her, when all we did was stained the couch.To me he doesnt seem like a player that really fits the style of play needed to compete in the PL. Three years is a long time away and when he was in the Arsenal team it wasnt as if they were competing for the prem, they were still only looking at top 4.
If we play him centrally in the middle of a midfield what happens when he comes up against the destroyer types? wed absolutely need to partner him with a combatative CM such as Bastian or Strootman, could we, or would we go after all three? unlikely. So say we do sign him we cant play him in his favored position behind the striker, because no matter how good he is, he isnt as good as Rooney there nor is he going to displace Mata who we already struggle to shoehorn in.
Lets assume that LVG will adapt a 4-3-3 the only position I see him in is yet again behind the striker, but thats where we have plenty of players, play him on the left? he looses about 40% of his quality as hes not the quickest player, we have Kagawa and hopefully a new winger who can beat a man. Perhaps we play him as one of the holding players in the middle three, but as we know LVG likes a distributor, a box to box and a no.10. No.10 taken, Rooney or Mata. Box-to-Box, not Fabregas, doesnt havr the industry and is relatively weak defensively. Distributor? maybe, but in a midfield 3 you need all players to double up except the no.10 (the most forward of the three) Strootman with Bastian makes way too much sense, stick Rooney at the tip of the middle three and your talking world class (winning the ball back, distribution to the attacking three of RVP, Mata, and the mysterious LW).
Sorry to go so in-depth but thats my view on the situation.
Id be very happy if we got him, but I would question where he would play and who we would drop.
Na we the sex-less Inkeepers
This thread is in danger of becoming a therapy group
Fabregas plays both as a 10 and as a central midfielder. He's also been previously played out wide and up top as a false 9 since joining barca. His versatility has never been an issue.
Fact is pool only have 1 no 10(coutinho) and he isn't pulling up no trees lately. In midfield they have bodies, but bodies don't help teams dominate leagues and compete in the CL, quality does. Outwide they have sterling(who seems on the verge of exploding) and coutinho has also played there. The midfielders aren't a patch on cesc either.
Any way you put it this:
------Sterling------Suarez------Sturrige-------
----------------------Fabregas------------------
---------------Gerrard-----Hendo-------------
Is better than
-----Lallana------suarez-------sturrige
--------------Coutinho/sterling------------
-----------------Gerrard-hendo------------
I'd argue that the 25million bid for Lallana shows you Pool aren't particularly cash strapped. Plus they can get rid of some of the squaddies to release funds for the cesc wage.
I understand what you are saying but for me he would play really well in a 4-2-1-2-1 and no wingers, which is what I hope we will start playing.
He would have the freedom to make runs into the box knowing that we would have two strong combative midfielders behind him but mostly dictate play. Also he was pretty nasty when playing in the premier league and never shirked a challenge like Cleverley does on a regular basis.
Anyway I will go Muppet mode now but I could see this team being very formidable. Fullbacks providing width.
---------Rvp
---Rooney---Mata
------Fabregas
-Sweinsteiger Strootman
Shaw Jones Smalling Rafael
--------De Gea
Januzaj, Welbeck, Evans, Carrick, Kagawa, Evra, Lindegaard
That looks slow as hell imo. No pace on the wings, very little mobility in midfield. We'd get shown up quite a bit i think.
Its a nice set up but it think 2 Man Midfield is right, wed be very lacking on the wings, having said that that team would be able to dominate possession so much it probably wouldn't be a problem. It would also allow for the team to have two sides. If team are playing too slow slap Januzaj or Kagawa on. The width and the speed will have to come from the wing backs. If you look at our supposed "list" it all points to a similar system to what you have here except the inclusion of Konoplyanka he wouldnt suit this style at all.
That's a terrible team. All the best football teams play football with a modicum of width, including United. If Van Gaal is really pushing the 433 and wants box-to-box midfielders then so be it, the likes of Fabregas, although I think he could manage it, may not be his preferred option for the running midfield roles.
Ideally, in my Caf muppet world, we would buy players like Martinez and Vidal. Martinez at the base, Vidal being the legs, energy and link man, with Mata dictating at the tip. It's these kind of players the club should be targeting. In Bastian and Strootman, Van Gaal is reportedly that way inclined.
Cesc Fabregas has agreed terms with Chelsea. (El Confidential)
I want that to happen just to see peterstorey's meltdown.
I want that to happen just to see peterstorey's meltdown.
I would be surprised myself tbh. Playing for Mourinho would be his last choice I'd have thought.Cesc Fabregas has agreed terms with Chelsea. (El Confidential)
I want that to happen just to see peterstorey's meltdown.
We will have the pace of the full backs and Rooney is not slow neither is Welbeck or Januzaj off the bench.
This team would keep possession and if you keep the ball you dictate the tempo. It is not a slow team anyway apart from Mata. Apart from Real Madrid who have Ronnie and Bale no top team has an abundance of blistering pace. Also even the center backs have pace and Sweinsteiger and Strootman are both quicker players than Fellaini and Carrick.
Chelsea are eyeing a move for Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fàbregas as a replacement for Frank Lampard. (Mundo Deportivo)
If that's a terrible team you must not have been able to watch us at all last season. Also my inner Muppet is less of a Muppet than yours. Yes Vidal like he said himself is probably the best box to box midfielder in the world but I feel we have zero chance of signing him or Martinez.
Just because Fabregas is a world-class player and seemingly available doesn't mean he should come to United. LvG has a system in mind for us and he will have his targets already on the table. Fabregas is a world-class talent but I trust in LvG to get the right players for United and if he feels Fabregas won't fit the system, he won't go for him.
The team is full of excellent players, but it is grossly unbalanced. The football would become predictable, congested and not get the best out of what we have. I'd sooner drop Rooney and one of Fabregas, Strootman or Bastian from that team you selected and actually utilise some width and some strength in midfield. I agree we don't have much chance of signing the two I mentioned, but they're the blueprint we need to search for.
No one was really mentioning Chelsea before but he could be an ideal Lampard replacement.
Maybe move Oscar deeper and play a 4-3-3. Oscar has looked much better when he drops deeper for them since he's not a very creative player like Mata was. Doesn't have the vision to play that final through pass and his first instinct is to have a shot rather than look for a pass.
.............Costa.............
Hazard................Willian
..Matic.....Oscar......Cesc..
Luis....Terry....Cahill....Azpi
............Courtois..............
Maybe move Oscar deeper and play a 4-3-3. Oscar has looked much better when he drops deeper for them since he's not a very creative player like Mata was. Doesn't have the vision to play that final through pass and his first instinct is to have a shot rather than look for a pass.
.............Costa.............
Hazard................Willian
..Matic.....Oscar......Cesc..
Luis....Terry....Cahill....Azpi
............Courtois..............
People will forget all about Cesc if we get a decent CM or two but imagine the hell that will break loose if we start the season and Cleverley is still in the starting line up It will be like... "It's all Nani's fault" "Sack Moyes again" "Sell Mata" "Eat shit" "Buy Hargreaves" hahaha
It will be like... "It's all Nani's fault" "Sack Moyes again" "Sell Mata" "Eat shit" "Buy Hargreaves" hahahaThat does look a bit too attacking for Mourinho, would have though Ramires would play instead of Oscar.
Chelsea is his only real option, we dont need him, or want him apparently. Once the excitement dies down from him, I can easily see him lose his place due to his defensive ability being limited. Ironic isnt it that they sell us Mata and now you could say they really need a playmaker.
I don't know. Luis and Azpilicueta are excellent defenders, Willian tracks back like mad and has great work ethic, Oscar can put in a tackle and harasses players, and Matic is a beast.
Plenty of balance there. Think that's a dramatically improved side compared to their team last season. And as you say Ramires can be used in there too.
Strootman is not back till October at the earliest and therefor going for Fabregas may be a better bet this summer....but if LVG doesn't think Fabregas works hard enough in midfield at tracking back or something then we'll have to respect his decision...It's kind of exciting having a manager that has a plan in his head of who he needs for what roles unlike Moyes who just wanted to plunder 200 million on big names and put them in some rigid cautious ancient version of 442 and hope that it all somehow gels......
Whether Woodward can land the deals remains to be seen but will be exciting times ahead if Woody can get a few big names in for the central midfield roles
Whether Woodward can land the deals remains to be seen but will be exciting times ahead if Woody can get a few big names in for the central midfield roles
I don't think Terry and Cahill are quite up to the standard of past centre halves at Chelsea so I imagine they would want to go with a base of Matic and Ramires in most games. Cesc would be brilliant in the role behind Costa but I think we'll see Oscar in the bench as he was starting to be more often towards the end of the last season.
Fair point but my bench offers width and speed to change it up. But yes I see where you are coming from and that would be the managers job to sort out if it did become predictable, I just think we'd beat a hell of a lot of teams with that team. I would personally like the two you mentioned over the two I chose also I would love to sign Reus or Greizmann who offer pace and goals in abundance, I just do not see us getting these players though. Also Sanchez is a brilliant player.
I think too much emphasis is put onto speed but you look at how well City play and they have no one really quicker than the team I suggested. Just Navas off the bench.
Anyway it is all fantasy football at this point and we are all allowed to have an opinion. I just hope we sign a few players mind whoever they are as the current squad has way too much shite and itself is very unbalanced with our most exciting players all trying to battle for one spot.
Cesc Fabregas has agreed terms with Chelsea. (El Confidential)
I want that to happen just to see peterstorey's meltdown.
He's a very un-jose player like though. Doesn't offer much defensively although Chelsea could use some creativity in the middle of park.
As if Jose's ever gonna go this attacking.
Cesc Fabregas has agreed terms with Chelsea. (El Confidential)
I want that to happen just to see peterstorey's meltdown.
So he has agreed terms with Man city, now Chelsea.
Who is next ? Tottenham ?
I don't think that team would work at all really.It is very slow and Mata, Rooney and Cesc would all be getting in each others way.It is going to be difficult enough to fit Rooney and Mata in the same team without adding Cesc to the mix.
We should be playing a proper 433 with pacy wideman.If Sanchez or Pedro are available I hope we go after them to accompany Januzaj on the wing, Konoplanka could do a job if not.
For midfield we need two box to box players.I think we should at least bid for Vidal, and sell him a project.There is no player better suited to us at the moment.
Strootman is a great option if he recovers but I'm not so sure about Schweinsteiger.He's a brilliant player but he's nearly 30.I'd be delighted to have him for 20M or less.
They'd still have the best defense in the league by some distance as well as Matic screening them.
Doesn't matter. He's still gonna use Matic and Ramires there in the midfield.
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