We should buy someone in January if that someone is the right someone. And that would be, for instance, a left back who would provide instant competition for Evra. We could do with one of those. A midfielder would come in handy too, but I largely agree with those who are skeptical of bringing in another contender, as it were: someone who isn't a dramatic upgrade on what we have. If a top class CM is actually available, we should obviously jump at the chance - but the likelihood of that happening seems slim.
The fact is that we're three points off 4th as we speak. After having played largely - far - below par. And after having sustained injuries to key players. If we assume that Moyes is starting to get through to these boys - and that we are in fact capable of much better than we've shown - it's not an impossible task to finish the season decently with the current squad.
We need to strengthen certain areas, obviously. But I don't think it's absolutely necessary to do so in January. Not if the goal is to qualify for the CL.
We'll get 4th spot (or better) if we manage to get more points in the second half of the season than Everton, Liverpool and Spurs (our biggest contenders for the 4th spot as I think 1-3 will go to Arsenal, City and Chelsea).
Without (good) Jan signings we can manage this if:
-Carrick gets back to his best form
-RVP gets back to his best form and stays clear of any major injurries
-Rooney keeps performing on the level that he has been doing so far this season
-If everybody in the team starts to play more like a team (like last year) which hopefully will happen (and has been happening over the last couple of games) as Moyes starts to get through to his players
-If Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham know a setback in the second half of the season.
It is definitely possible, but there are alot of if's and but's. We have been on a good streak the last couple of games, yet the performance on the pitch hasn't improved alot, genuinely we play ugly borring uninterresting football (bar a few exceptions). The difference between the games we lost and won hasn't been so much the performance, rather a combination of luck on the right moments and the players who work harder for it aswell as the general quality of the opposition in the last games (not exactly the best footballing teams in the competition). What I want to say is I feel like our "new found form" is all a bit premature and very vunerable. We also had this other good run of games and than suddenly we fell to pieces against Cardiff, Souton, Everton and Newcastle and got a 2/12. I don't see much difference between this United and that United. It could just as easily happen again and if it does in the second half of the season our chances of getting 4th spot will be as good as over. For the rest there is no guarantee about RVP staying fit (he has a history as an injurry prone player and under Moyes we are having more injurries than ever before). There is no guarantee about Rooney and if he will sustain his form in the second half of the season (he has been known to have setbacks). We're all expecting Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham to have a setback, based on experience from previous seasons, but they are all performing alot better than in previous seasons and big setbacks just don't look likely for me at this point. In short if we don't add to our team on some crucial places, 4th spot is anything but certain, we might get it, we might not. I think it will be a very close race for that 4th spot.
You have to ask yourself the question, what if we don't end into the top 4 ? It is a horror scenario for me. I can understand a setback with SAF leaving, a setback for a club like United means not winning the title and being satisfied with a top 4 spot. However after that transition year i'd expect us to get right back into that title winning race instead of worrying about we will end into the top 4 or not. In order to achieve that I think we all agree we need some quality players (because we are lacking it in vital areas). These players don't have to come in Jan, the summer is ok, but if we don't get into the top 4, we won't be playing CL. Ask yourself the question what top player we will be able to attract without CL football, none unless we settle for a moneygrabber and pay silly money (which we don't do). Top 4 is vital if we don't want to fall into a negative spiral and have a major setback that could last a couple of years (if not decades look at Liverpool).
We haven't strenghtend proparly in the summer (we should have) and if we don't get into the top 4 it will be very difficult to do it next summer. The risk of not getting into that top 4 is too big not to buy in Jan. Not buying is a luxury position we currently can't afford imo ( we should have been in a safer postion for that) and if we take that gamble it might come back and bite us in the ass. I agree that buying someone this Jan is difficult and that whoever we get might not be the most ideal player, but imo we need to do it because the alternative is too risky (not ending in top 4 would be an absolute shame for this club and would be a stain for Moyes that will be difficult to wash off) If we want to continue under Moyes and preform like a topclub again, buying in Jan is necessary. I' don't even mind to see us overpaying in Jan, as long as it is for the right players, but getting those players on board for the second half of the season is crucial imo.