I meant signing a midfielder and a full back would make sense.
Read back, I for one do not want Cahill, or any new centre back for that matter. It is the one area that we are well stocked up in.
Gary Cahill
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I meant signing a midfielder and a full back would make sense.
Read back, I for one do not want Cahill, or any new centre back for that matter. It is the one area that we are well stocked up in.
United 2011-12
De Gea
Smalling Evans Cahill Evra
Nani Jones Ferdinand Coloccini Young
Samba
De Gea
Smalling Evans Cahill Evra
Nani Jones Ferdinand Coloccini Young
Samba
I agree. Any more center halves, wingers or forwards with no midfielders in a transfer window and I will die slowly.
Maybe because the midfielders we want are not yet available or as you yourself have suggested we would be royally ripped off buying one of them in Jan.
For me none of our CB's apart from Rio are experienced enough to be expected to fill in for over half a season and maintain their form throughout. Young players make mistakes, making them at CB usually results in a goal being conceded, all anyone has to do is look at the defence with Rio and Vidic in the last few games as opposed to when Vidic was out. A solid defence is every bit as important as a good midfield, we have had some good results with a disjointed midfield since Rio and Vidic were back together.
Jones is doing well in midfield atm, and is probably only going to get better. If we can get Cahill cheap enough, he would give the youngsters the chance to be integrated properly as they should be, and not simply thrown in and expected to do a job beyond their experience.
We tried that with Evans a couple of seasons ago, and although he did well at first, once he made a few errors, the scrutiny began and he lost his confidence and it took a whole season for him to break back in.
Unavailable midfielders don't justify signing of another CB. Now if Cahill was 32 it'd make sense but he's 25, what are we going to do with him, Jones, Smalling and Evans, as well as Ferdinand and Vidic?
I for one would be disappointed if our £16m talented defender was permanently moved into midfield where he's frankly average.
I for one would be disappointed if our £16m talented defender was permanently moved into midfield where he's frankly average.
I don't see the point in signing a centerhalf. I could understand it if we were looking for a versatile defender who could do a job on at least one flank, so that the likes of Smalling don't have to play full back when the inevitable twin curse strikes.
I don't mind Phil Jones in midfield, actually. I just think that while his abilities will make him a top centerhalf with the sort of skills very few have, I feel it might be a bit of a waste. Maybe if he takes on a bigger role in the middle of the park it would make better use of his qualities.
I don't mind Phil Jones in midfield, actually. I just think that while his abilities will make him a top centerhalf with the sort of skills very few have, I feel it might be a bit of a waste. Maybe if he takes on a bigger role in the middle of the park it would make better use of his qualities.
What worries me is that now Vidic is out all season, a lot of responsibility will rest on Rio, and he is hardly immune from niggling injuries. So if he were to pick up a few niggles here and there that would leave us with Jones, Evans and Smalling.
That imo would not be a great scenario for any length of time, we have seen with Rafael in the CL and more recently with Evans in the derby, that as the pressure builds young players make mistakes. That is why i feel Cahill at the right price would be a wise addition.
Agree with the last part Amir, imo we need a midfielder who can do what Jones does, more than we need an inexperienced CB who at present is better going forward.
Vidic is maybe out for 12 months and Ferdinand is injury-prone.
We need a RB or CB in January, i don't trust the twins anymore.
No losing your captain for the season and being left with only 1 experienced CB who himself is injury prone, and then only having 3 inexperienced youngsters to choose from is justification enough.
Further considering that our midfield is so decimated with injury that we need to play a young CB in there, or alternately ask our 38yr old to play almost every game through the busiest part of the year.
We will not spend significantly on midfield in January, you yourself have predicted as much. Therefore it looks as if Jones spell in midfield could be lengthier than many expected, so me personally i feel that although Cahill may not be a priority for most, Rio's injury record does not fill me with optimism that he will play anywhere near enough games to avoid us having to field a very inexperienced CB pairing more times than we would want.
Add to the fact that the twins are even more injury prone than Rio, it would also be fair to suggest that one of those CB's will have to fill in at RB for a significant part of the season, as has already been the case.
However you look at it, we could definitely benefit from someone of Cahill's experience, if we could get him at the right price. Worrying about how many CB's we have on the books in the summer is a worry for the summer, for now we have to concern ourselves with regaining our title. In my view that would be neigh on impossible should anything happen to Rio.
All i am saying is that it is hardly implausible that Rio could be injured for a significant period, and anyone would surely concede that would leave us looking very inexperienced at the back.
I would have said it's the other way round Sarni, for me at CB he has looked very naive at times and too eager to bomb forward. In midfield he looked assured and influential. He has played 2 games with Carrick, away at Villa, and at home to Wolves, and we have completely bossed both games.
I have said this before, but at present we need what Jones brings to the midfield more, than an inexperienced CB who is at present far better going forward than he is at defending.
Considering our current options, (and the age of Giggs) who would you prefer to partner Carrick over the Xmas period? If Jones performance against Wolves was average, (where i personally felt he was an inspirational force through the middle) who do we have who would currently provide more than he can in that area over any length of time?
By the way, i am not shouting for us to buy Cahill or any other CB at any cost, or at the expense of a midfielder. I am only arguing that i would see the logic of signing Cahill on the cheap, as opposed to signing no-one at all.
There are many who do not seem to have noticed that we now have only 1 experienced CB, who is 33 and injury prone, and imo the chances of him playing even the vast majority of the remainder of our games would have to be considered slim at best.
Think of what that would leave us with, not only in defence, but also in midfield should Jones have to move back there. For me a very inexperienced looking defence, and even less options in an already weakened midfield.
There are many who do not seem to have noticed that we now have only 1 experienced CB, who is 33 and injury prone, and imo the chances of him playing even the vast majority of the remainder of our games would have to be considered slim at best.
Think of what that would leave us with, not only in defence, but also in midfield should Jones have to move back there. For me a very inexperienced looking defence, and even less options in an already weakened midfield.
But while Cahill is more experienced than any of our fit centerhalves except for Rio, he's not exactly an old head. He'll also be making a huge jump to a situation - and an opportunity - bigger than he's even experienced. We'll obviously need someone who can perform right away. Can he do that?
I can see why people would want another centerhalf, and it partly depends on us doing anything in midfield or keeping Jones there. But if we do want a centerhalf, shouldn't it be someone older, more experienced, possibly at a higher level? Don't ask me who, as I haven't a clue. Just seems like the Cahill bandwagon is there to be jumped on, so people have jumped.
My main point was he didn't have experience at a club like United. If we bring a centerhalf, we need instant results. We're asking him to step up, though.
I like Cahill.
Nor did the vast majority of our current players before we signed them!
If SAF is interested in him, which i agree is highly debatable, then he must believe he can step up, as do i and as he has already done for England.
Further consider that if we cannot expect a fairly experienced player like Cahill to step up, how could we then reasonably expect an even bigger step up from our own much less experienced youngsters? For me they need to play with someone with experience, who can give them guidance during a game. 2 young inexperienced CB's learning from their mistakes at the same time, at a high pressure club like Utd, does not really fill me with a lot of confidence.
Redknapp was very close to signing him at the eleventh hour in the last window but the two clubs couldn't agree on a fee.
His transfer fee will be considerably less this time around so my money is on Tottenham.
His transfer fee will be considerably less this time around so my money is on Tottenham.
Yes both are realistic possibilities and may even be considered more likely destinations, but at least he won't have to move house to play for Utd!
According to Alan Brazil and Ronnie Irani on Talksport Cahill to Utd is a 'done deal'.
I know it's Talksport but they were quite sure, anyone heard this too?
I know it's Talksport but they were quite sure, anyone heard this too?
I really hope that this isn't true. He appears to have forgotton how to play football this season.
Obviously - his head is already at Utd.
Interesting news of the day. Don't really think it will come true anyway
I hope not. If we signed him, what happens when Vidic is fit again?
Their biggest problem is the midfield.
Vidic is probably out for 8-12 months.
Overrated defender, I hope we don't sign him. Smalling and Evans are all better than him.
Then what?
I always thought he was talked up in the press. I haven't seen lots of him though.
I can't see what people have against this signing. He's got 6 months left on his contract so he'll be cheap. He has been looked at by Arsenal and other clubs. He is too good for Bolton. If he comes to United and isn't better than Evans or Smalling (our third and fourth choice centre backs) he will be sold on and I cannot imagine it will be for less than we would pay for him. He's just turned 26 years old.
Now I'm not Cahill's biggest fan, but I fail to see a downside to this potential signing.
Now I'm not Cahill's biggest fan, but I fail to see a downside to this potential signing.
We have already got 2 new central defenders and a new goalkeeper trying to find their feet. Do we really need another when we have 4 central defenders already?
I hope this is not true. As I stated earlier in the thread, if we're going to sign anyone it should be a CM as then Jones can move to RB & Smalling can cover CB and we can solve some of our midfield problems. To sign him would be short-sighted imo unless SAF thinks Evans/Rio are to be moved on in the summer.
feck right off.
Much depends on Fergie's long term plans for Jones. If he sees him as a CM, I can see him bringing Cahill, especially if he s not very expensive.
Rio will be a year older, hence his injury problems might be worse.
Newstalk in Ireland were talking like this was a done deal as well last week
I can see it. Vidic is out for possibly 12 months. He's in his 30s after a serious injury like that he may not fully recover, even if he does come back I cantsee him beinmg the same player. Rio is older again and very injury prone. Twins are always injured. Leaves us with Smalling Evans and Jones. Jones is playing midfield and Smalling at right full. Evans could also be deployed as cover for Evra at left full.
One is 33 years old, one is out for a year. One is very promising but still relatively inexperienced and is spending much of his time covering for a fragile right-back. Ferguson favours playing Jones in midfield (where he is playing well). That leaves Jonny Evans and a problem on the right if Rio's injury problems return. It wouldn't do us any harm to have extra cover, at a good age and with plenty of Premier League experience (he's played 4 times as many league games as Smalling), all for what should be a cheap price.
I hope its true.
I would rather we sign a MF and let Jones go back to his favoured position at CB.
With 6 months remaining on his contract, surely he cant cost more than £6m?
I guess if this rumour is true that means we won't sign Benatia. Shame.
Why? What's special about him?
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