I don't see turning Fellaini into a squad player, a backup player, as a whole lot more than writing him off... I said previously that I felt before the summer we needed an attacking, ball holding player, as well as a defensive, physical player. We still need two, but I can't see us not giving Fellaini a chance to show he can be one of them.
January Transfer Window
- Thread starter Alock1
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I don't see turning Fellaini into a squad player, a backup player, as a whole lot more than writing him off... I said previously that I felt before the summer we needed an attacking, ball holding player, as well as a defensive, physical player. We still need two, but I can't see us not giving Fellaini a chance to show he can be one of them.
Yeah, it was worst possible situation that he was the only signing in the summer. He was the sole target for frustrated muppet dreams. I'm sure he can be a useful squad player for a lot of years. Far more useful than Anderson has been anyway...
Well, I think it was more a case that he was too old to go through a big transition period. He wanted to end successfully. And squeezing life out of players who had always delivered ( or in the case of Anderson, had sometimes delivered) was a quicker path than building up a team with a fresh spine.
And the RVP purchase was a big part of that. An older player, not one for the long term, but for at least a couple of years of high level productivity.
I somewhat disagree. It's hardly as if Fergie never bought players who weren't young and could serve us for 10 years. Obviously that was mostly the plan, but there were the likes of Sheringham or Berbatov. If the option was there - and Van Persie was really too good to miss - you take it. Our team building still included looking to the future, buying young, developing players, and one RVP wasn't much of a change. Not getting rid of players or knowing when they were past their sell by date and bringing others to replace them - now that was something new.
28m for a squad player? Yeah, only muppets think he was a bad signing.
Only muppets celebrated him being injured.
Yep, I think he's been a bit of a scapegoat since then. He'll keep getting criticism after every bad result, even if he isn't really to blame. He's just too easy a target.
Nobody ever thought he was worth 28m, not even Moyes. We paid that extra money because, at that point, we were being held to ransom. We had to either overpay for Fellaini or go into the new season with no reinforcements. I think Moyes decided that paying the 28m was the least worse of the options available.
I just want it to start now.
Can't wait for a month full of muppetry and blaming Moyes for not getting someone proper.
Nah won't be a month. We'll get any business done early.
Nick Powell back from loan should be sorted out very quickly and that will be that.
In an ideal world we'd make a popular signing nice and quickly. Otherwise the caf will be in hysterics by the end of the month.
I've probably missed it, but have we actually been seriously linked with Cabaye or are people simply using him as an example?
Personally, I think he would be a good player for us, certainly our best CM alongside Carrick.
Mind you, I thought Fellaini would also hit the ground running, so I wouldn't be the best judge.
Still have faith Fellaini will come good though.
Personally, I think he would be a good player for us, certainly our best CM alongside Carrick.
Mind you, I thought Fellaini would also hit the ground running, so I wouldn't be the best judge.
Still have faith Fellaini will come good though.
I don't remember anything concrete, but for me it makes almost too much sense. He's spoken of his admiration for United before, is open to a move away from Newcastle, wouldn't cost the earth, plays in a 2 man midfield, isn't cup-tied for the CL, is at his peak and has a sexy foreign name. He'd also be quite possibly the best we could do in the January window. Contrary to some posters I also think he'd do very well at OT.
Well, if Ed makes it back from Australia in time. Those slow motion flights to the tune form Chariots of Fire can be a pain
Australia? Any decent left backs playing in the A-league?
Nothing too definitive, just general rumours.
The problem I'd have with signing Cabaye is the worry that we're filling the cm places in our squad with too many players who fall below the standard of our elite rivals. If there is enough room though then I'd be happy with Cabaye at the club too. He's a good player and I've heard good things about his personality. Supposed to be very balanced and intelligent, I've heard him compared to Xavi in the sense that he's a student of the game. I remember some French journalists suggesting he'd have an important part in the national team's future, more for the positive influence he brings rather than his actual ability.
He needs the right players. Unfortunately, that may be impossible in Jan. I'd rather he waited than indulged in appeasement.
My portuguese mate who is a Sporting fanatic said in Sportings 0 - 0 draw yesterday with Porto that William Carvalho in the number 6 position was the best player on the pitch by a country mile
This is the guy we are genuinely after in my opinion. Going to be competition right enough
It's a quandry. One part of me says we just need to break the bank and get one absolutely great central mid and not any 'good-but-not-too-great' player.
But then I think about it and wonder if those top players are available and affordable (Vidal? Fabregas? Gundogan?), and when you contemplate no midifield additions,and an injury to Carrick or Jones
, and another of those games with midfield overrun and Cleverley running around looking utterly frustrated and constipated, then you wonder what would be worse, that or signing Cabaye or anything on two legs that can play central mid
But then I think about it and wonder if those top players are available and affordable (Vidal? Fabregas? Gundogan?), and when you contemplate no midifield additions,and an injury to Carrick or Jones
, and another of those games with midfield overrun and Cleverley running around looking utterly frustrated and constipated, then you wonder what would be worse, that or signing Cabaye or anything on two legs that can play central mid Half the caf will probably be in hysterics as early tomorrow, already switching between hope and despair, contemplating great transfer coups and more Ed Wood mishaps.
If we still want to sign Ander Herrera in January, considering that he has a fixed price, is it safe to assume that we would put the bid in (and have it accepted) on the 1st? There would be absolutely no reason to wait any longer would there? So if we haven't had a bid accepted by the 2nd I think it's 100% over.
I'd say there's no chance we'd go back in for Hererra......I think Koke and Carvalho could be our first choice targets although with Fletcher back I am not sure Moyes will go for Carvalho but Carvalho could push Jones back into Central defense which may not be a bad thing even though he looks awesome as a Number 6......I still doubt Koke will come so my wild guess for a player we will end up with come the end of the transfer window is Cabaye as the like likes of Barkley and Gundogan are not realistic targets in January.....If Dortmund will sell Reus for 40 million then we should snap their hands off although I seriously doubt they would be crazy enough to sell him in January
We can put a bid in at anytime, even now. It's just that Athletic wouldn't be able to transfer his registration over to us until the 1st of January at the earliest.
It's also possible that they might want to drag their heels a bit so that they can get a bit of extra playing time out him up until the end of next month.
It's also possible that they might want to drag their heels a bit so that they can get a bit of extra playing time out him up until the end of next month.
Unless we're going to try negotiating with them again.
Half the caf will probably be in hysterics as early tomorrow, already switching between hope and despair, contemplating great transfer coups and more Ed Wood mishaps.
Ha, probably. After the summer we had January was always going to be extra intense muppet-wise.
We already know that in order to get Herrera, we have to pay his buy out clause. We won't go that high, surely. It's pointless to do anything else. Pay up or move on. We'll move on.
I'm no expert on this lad, but he does seem quite similar to Barkley. If we're planning on going for the latter in the Summer, I can't see us bidding for Herrera now.
That wasnt your original point though, you seem to be implying that the reason he was being targeted was because he was the sole signing and would be a good signing in a few years by becoming a good squad player.
a) It shouldnt have come to that point, the blame of that lies with moyes/woodward.
b) He hasnt played a lot and when he has, hasnt had much of an impact. Dont know why moyes thought buying him for 28m was better than buying no one.
If Fabio leaves in January for a nominal fee then that might extend our activities an extra day or two before we're finished with the window - so chin-up
I think he's more ruthless then SAF. He fired much of our coaching staff without second thought and he had been more critical to the team until he noticed that it was proving to be his downfall. The tones went down but I doubt he's happy with the team.
Regarding Fellaini, we shouldn't sign him pure and simple. However its pretty evident that his best role is that behind the striker and he gives us a different approach to the game then Rooney/Powell would.
Finally I think that SAF was only ruthless towards players who didn't played his tune anymore. I can name you an endless list of players who overstayed despite it was evident that they weren't good anymore from Gaz to Robson right to Ando. Even Keano passed 1-2 years as a mere passenger and he would probably remained more if he didn't gave that interview. On the other hand SAF was absolutely ruthless with the likes of Ince and Kanchelskis who were escorted out of the team despite being on top of their game.
Missing all our primary targets, then overspending in the final hours of the window = panic buy.
The perfect article to cheer all the transfer muppets up...
http://worldsoccertalk.com/2013/12/...ed-will-not-add-a-marquee-signing-in-january/
http://worldsoccertalk.com/2013/12/...ed-will-not-add-a-marquee-signing-in-january/
If we sign Baines, I will be pissed. They'll want an unreasonable amount for a 30 year old player. What's the point of buying him? Two year stop-gap to buy someone else?
The press all seem to have been well briefed tonight on our "fear over Baines and Shaw"
I reckon we'll get Coentrao and nobody else this window. Barkley and Koke in the Summer.
My understanding is that he's hardly played and would still be eligible for us in Europe. Spanish contracts have to have release clauses in them by law... I wouldn't be surprised if Coentrao's agent signed the contract with a view to some sort of move further down the line. He's hardly first choice, so the possibility is still there I think.
If Real want rid, our interest won't have evaporated in the last 4 months. Remains to be seen though.