I also reckon Costa, Ljajic, Obertan, Welbeck, Tosic, Nani and Petrucci is a bit much to be honest. It almost looks as if we have no plan, so we just buy loads and hope for the best. There is also the worrying semblance of a selling club - getting loads of promising youth knowing that we will be able to make lots of money from them in future.
Douglas Costa
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I disagree mate.
We have always had an emphasis on youth development. We cannot let the Ronaldo saga cloud our thinking and assume that we are merely rearing young players for Madrid.
I agree with Redfighter. The market is vastly inflated and for any player with a semblance of a decent reputation, you are talking exorbitant fees. If anything, it makes sense to sit on that cash whilst the sting is taken out of the market.
That's bollocks, to be fair.
We've always had a high turnover of young kids on the fringes of the first-team squad. The only difference nowadays is that the 90 minute rule means these youngsters are as likely to come from Italy or Brazil as they are to be English.
The influx of foreign talent gets our resident transfer muppets all giddy and raises the profile of foreign kids at the club but the reality is they are no more or less likely to make it at United then the likes of Chris Eagles, Kieran Lee and David Jones. I don't remember anyone worrying about us being a selling club when they were moved on.
At the end of the day, our academy and reserves are largely funded by transfer fees from talented young footballers we scout and develop but who turn out to be not quite good enough for United. This doesn't mean we've suddenly become Spurs.
Only the best will be kept. I think it's the right approach, get the best young players in, develop them and make them class players. Those who cant make, will be sold, but they might have a career at a lower club. Plus, we might make some money as well
I also reckon Costa, Ljajic, Obertan, Welbeck, Tosic, Nani and Petrucci is a bit much to be honest. It almost looks as if we have no plan, so we just buy loads and hope for the best. There is also the worrying semblance of a selling club - getting loads of promising youth knowing that we will be able to make lots of money from them in future.
As Feed said we had always signed youngsters in the past. The main differences between now and the past is that while these transfers used to be kept low profile, nowadays its nearly impossible to do that due to media hype and fees involved.
And our club can be accused of anything (lack of attraction pull when compared to Real etc) but not of being a selling club. None of the players that we had sold to Real would have left if they only sticked to our team.
And our club can be accused of anything (lack of attraction pull when compared to Real etc) but not of being a selling club. None of the players that we had sold to Real would have left if they only sticked to our team.
The plan is simple. Since Real had driven the prices up and there are so many clubs with money + too few real talent to invest on, we are investing in the next generation of players.
I'm not against youth by any means, but we are not Ajax and we don't want an Arsenal team defiantly insisting 'well we have potential'.
Also, I'm not really buying the fact that players are expensive at the moment, we have to deal with it, we're are a big club and have just played our part in the market by demanding £80m. For one of our players, so we
should be willing to play the game.
I would be worried if we were getting into an Arsenal type situation of having no spine or experience.
But as I see it, we will line up next season with van der Sar, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Fletcher, Rooney and Berbatov. All experienced campaigners. There may be 2 or 3 positions up for grabs for younger players, but by and large it will be an experienced side.
I understand your point, but as Grandmaster Flash would say: Let's break it down!
Welbeck is a auxiliary striker / forward.
For all that we know, Obertan might be seen as a future striker (similarity to Henry at that age, etc).
But let's say that Obertan is wanted as a right-sided forward, and let's also include Nani there. That's two.
Tosic and Costa are left footed, and even though they could be used on the right, let's keep them on the left.
Ljajic is not really a right winger, he's more of a right forward. He is the type of player that you would give a free role to, and I can also see him being used centrally. The same applies to Petrucci (free, central role).
That would mean that we have two players for each of the three attacking midfield position in a 4-2-3-1 formation, though obviously many of the players can be, and likely would be, used in different roles.
We cant compete with Real's or Shitty's spending power + the Spanish clubs has an edge over us due to income tax, culture and weather.
The other mistake people keep making is including reserve team players as part of our first-team squad. Ljajic and Petrucci are both still very young and will be playing reserve football for at least another season, possibly two.
Because they have fancy names they keep getting lumped in with our first XI. They are clearly very talented but if their surnames were Smith and Jones I doubt they would be considered as competing with the likes of Valencia and Park for a place in our starting line-up.
we should change their names and nationality to protect them. Ljajic's name/surname should be changed to Robbie Savage from Wrexham. Tosic name/surname should be changed to Vinnie Jones from Watford. No one would dare stating that they want Vinnie Jones and Robbie Savage to play week in week out in the Manchester United's team.
Clear that he wants to join us but maybe the damage of the asking price as put off the club in pursuing him.I would say the club would be willing to spend around 5-6mil miles away from what Gremio are expecting.
How is it clear?
Typical Pogue 'I am the only podter with the ability to think' post. Ljajic was bought for about £9m - I doubt he'd be spending a season oir two in the reserves, neither would Costa. And even if they spend a season in the reserves, then what? They begin competing with other promising teenagers who just happen to be a year or so ahead in their development for a long term place. Then what we have is a 21 year old regular, and 20 year old cover for our attacking roles in a few years. All of whom are still developing.
And if we bought 'Smith' or 'Jones' for big money, we'd expect them to be involved too. Ljajic doesn't play reserve footy in Serbia. I doubt many expected Rooney to play redserve football because he was 18.
So where are Ljajic and Douglas going to play? On the right flank we have Valencia, Tosic, Nani and Park while in central midfield we have Fletch, Hargreaves, Carrick and Anderson.
Ljajic and Douglas will pass much of the time in the reserves and will only play in league cups etc. That unless they manage to impress SAF so much to give them a first team place.
If we spend £30m on two teens, they will be involved in the first team. As the likes of Ronaldo and Anderson were when signed. Imagine our new number 7 spending a season in the reserves! Assuming one of our young signings got the shirt of course.
Tosic is left sided, so is Douglas. So it would be:
Right: Nani, Valencia, Park, Ljajic, (Fletcher)
Left: Douglas, Tosic, (Giggs), (Rooney)
Plenty of room there for Douglas. I am pretty sure Ljajic will end up more central, and Nani can switch wings, but he's even LESS effective on the left!
If we don't sign Douglas I hope we sign David Silva, because clearly we need more cover for the left hand side, and have for some time, now that Ronnie is gone, it's more urgent, we can't just rely on Tosic.
I think we simply play Nani on the left and Valencia on the right. Thats how I see next season shaping up.
Then we have Tosic/Park + perhaps Costa available as backup.
Then we have Tosic/Park + perhaps Costa available as backup.
That's what I'm hoping. Nani deserves more chances, his potential is huge.
Well we've got Obertan now!!
I very much doubt he'd be first choice for the wing, he hasn't even played 20 games in Brazil
We did try to take him on a two week trial - so thats a yes mate!
The fact that we wanted him on trial just shows how unsure we are of him, he won't start very often if he does come
Reckon this kid is gonna be a world star & by feck we better not miss out on him!
He has more of a chance on the wing than any other position on the pitch, especially centrally. I just listed him there as he can play there, he's utterly left footed, looks like he has no right foot at all from what I've seen of him.
I forgot Obertan though
From what I seen of him he was right sided, so that's another one for the right.Tosic, Nani and Park can play on both flanks. I dont think that SAF will keep an experienced winger out of the team to play a promising talent with little first team experience. That unless Costa is able to impress SAF immediatly.
I think that's pretty spot on. He looks to me like he has the capabilties to act as a versatile playmaker and if we're very very lucky and he develops properly he may even be a potential Scholes replacement.
It's extremely difficult to know how the young ones will develop (remember the hope we all had for David Jones ?!). It's a squad game at the end of the day and I would support the signing of a precocious young talent like Costa to go along with what youth we already have (Obertan, Petrucci, Ljajic, James, Welbeck, Macheda). If 3 out of those 7 were to develop into the top class players we hope we'd be doing extremely well. History will tell you that not all of them will make it at the club
Which two teens are we spending £30m on?
And which teenager is in the running for the number 7 shirt?
As I mentioned on an earlier post (413):
My thoughts on that are, United want him to "come for a trial", so they can bring over all his immediate family also. United have a white Hiace van - similar to that of the Travelling community & they bungle them into the back of it unnoticed.
United then announce that the Costa's evaded them at Manchester Airport & they not know of their whereabouts!
They then send them to Michael Jacksons Whitener - who changes their skin colour to fair skinned!
After the skin-whitening process is complete, they then bring the Costa family to Big Chief Running Water-Clarke (the famous Native American Indian Hairdresser) - who's clinic is in a secret location in Southern Ireland, where he removes their scalp & puts in place the Ginger gene.
After a few weeks recuperation, they begin English lessons - Irish dialect!
Next up is history lessons of Ireland. They get a grounding on all things Irish day by day, and watch many dvd's of English imperialism, torture & injustice of the Irish people. Films such as Michael Collins, The Wind that shakes the Barley, The Quiet Man, Crying game, In the Name of the Father etc....
Monitoring of the progress is essential as to summarise their Irishness!
Humour is also essential to complete the process. Dvds will again be the vehicle. Films such as the Snapper, The Van, The Committments etc.. will be shown. They can use this as the bible for their humour & will be encouraged to have a few beers aswell - even the toddlers too!
After a few months when the Irishness is complete - names will be given!
Passports will then be sought through United's operatives in the Dublin Passport Office!
The family name will be agreed depending on the area (yet to be decided) and once integration within the local community is enhanced - a Manchester United scout will be on hand to move into action & who just happens to be in the local park watchin the young Costa do his stuff!
United then announce they have unearthed a young Irish lad who they believe has the potential to set the world alight for Club & Country. He signs professional forms, with United buying the lads family a big house in Manchester aswell as a big one in Ireland (location still not decided)!
Sorted - no fee to pay & again Fergie is the man
LOL - startying to worry about you RHD. Between this and your plans to kidnap Ronaldo at the Rovers game. You seem to know waaaay too much about bundling people into the back of hi-ace vans
He must do even better then Rafael (who was simply great) to earn a first team place so early.
Not effectively though. Only Ronaldo was the same quality on both flanks.
Tosic did equally well on both flanks while Nani did badly last year both on the left and on the right. I cant see Douglas taking a first team role at United unless he really does well in preseason.
No, no and most certainly not!
TBH I expect to buy Costa before Obertan finishes his medical.
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