We'll go for him in the Summer (providing he proves his fitness) imo.
Kevin Strootman
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Strootman or Nainggolan?
Strootman because the few times I watched him (pre injury), he hasn't impressed me that much and seeing how it is tough for Falcao to get back to a top physical condition and match sharpness after a similar injury, I don't like the risks.
There haven't been many players who after similar injuries, have gotten back to their best levels and we would need Strootman to be as good as he's ever been to be a success here.
That's exactly what am saying. We have to watch him and see what he does now, we must not sign him based on what he did before his injury.
Gotcha, in truth I saw more of him pre-Roma so I can't fully judge, but I'd prefer a more agile and mobile CM with pace that can drive the ball out of midfield.
Gundogan at his bestMuppet dream of mine
Ah yes, Gundogan and Vidal were going to be our new Scholes and Keane in my muppet dreams a couple of years ago.
Ah yes, Gundogan and Vidal were going to be our new Scholes and Keane in my muppet dreams a couple of years ago.
Managed to catch a couple of Gundogan's match since his return, he isn't close to his best but tbh he still impressed me with some of his passing and movement. Vidal has looked terrible since his return.
It's going to take time for both just like Falcao here, I think Gundogan's passing and awareness is still there as you say, but his sharpness when moving with the ball needs honing, but he's only been back a couple of months playing competitively, hopefully in 6 months time he'll ber bqack to his best.
If he's fit, Him and Carrick would be utterly dominant in midfield for us.
Vidal will be the Sneijder of 2015. Every man and his dog wants him one summer, an object of disdain the next.
What is rai (apart from a handsome Brazilian playmaker)?
Isn't it a TV channel? RAI.
I only know that because of hours flicking through hotel televisions, desperate to find some live CL coverage. RAI never comes up with the goods fwiw. Some quality totty on their staff though.
Without googling I'd say RAI is the Italian BBC. But with Berlusconi ruling the media in Italy for years, I don't know how comparable RAI is to BBC or German or Dutch public broadcasting. I did google 'RAI Strootman' and I get hits for Mateo Materazzi (Marco's brother) telling 'Rai Sport' Strootman to United is a done deal in januari.
However a Dutch journalist who's been covering PSV for years went to visit Strootman in Rome for a Christmas special 12 days ago, and he said he didn't get a vibe that something was happening. But then things can change pretty fast. Although bringing in Strootman now doesn't really make sense.
Why doesn't bringing him in now make sense?
In the summer he's cheaper, and more likely to be fit. Carrick is back, Di Maria's best place is midfield. Strootman is not a #10, where would he play? We've signed 120+ million worth of midfielders in the last 15 months, and if we would play Carrick, Strootman, Di Maria and Rooney in midfield we'd bench all of those signings. And then we also still have Ando and Fletch on the wage list. Actually, if Di Maria is a midfielder we've signed what, over 170 million in midfielders in the last 15 months?
Makes way more sense to wait until the summer, offload some players, and also because maybe even better/different options than Strootman might be available.
Fair enough. But if he's coming eventually I think we might as well get him integrated all the sooner. The fate of lesser players is of secondary concern.
Personally I don't think Carrick is that strong holding midfield on his own, like in a 4312, but best suited for having a deep lying partner, like Scholes.
Blind is quite good at holding by himself, he has the speed and he also has a wonderful knack of always being available for a pass from the defenders to start the attack rolling. But if we can get someone back there even better, all well and good.
If that's Strootman I don't know, but we also could use cover for Herrera and di Maria if he's more attacking in nature. None of our midfielders can bring what those two can, especially within the van Gaal philosophy.
In the Strootman case, I really think that his arrival will signify we’ll have to make some choices up front.
With Carrick, Blind, Herrera, Mata, Rooney (can change) and Strootman we’ll have option in this area, meaning that Di Maria will play higher on the pitch with us playing either diamond or 4-3-3. And to solve our issues, another winger will be on track, whereas playing diamond will keep us without pace upfront.
Remind all that in LVG’s PHILOSOPHY (a book was written few years ago) he said that the 4-3-3 is the perfect formation, and 3 different midfielders will be played, one defensive (Carrick and Blind, one will be 34 next year so can’t play every game), one dynamic (Strootman or Wazza or Fellaini) and one offensive (Mata or Ander or Fellaini or Wazza)
--------------------------------Carrick/Blind------------------------------
-------------Herrera/Mata--------------Strootman/Wazza----------
???????----------------RVP/Rooney/Falcao----------------Di Maria
With Carrick, Blind, Herrera, Mata, Rooney (can change) and Strootman we’ll have option in this area, meaning that Di Maria will play higher on the pitch with us playing either diamond or 4-3-3. And to solve our issues, another winger will be on track, whereas playing diamond will keep us without pace upfront.
Remind all that in LVG’s PHILOSOPHY (a book was written few years ago) he said that the 4-3-3 is the perfect formation, and 3 different midfielders will be played, one defensive (Carrick and Blind, one will be 34 next year so can’t play every game), one dynamic (Strootman or Wazza or Fellaini) and one offensive (Mata or Ander or Fellaini or Wazza)
--------------------------------Carrick/Blind------------------------------
-------------Herrera/Mata--------------Strootman/Wazza----------
???????----------------RVP/Rooney/Falcao----------------Di Maria
Carrick/Blind
Herrera - Strootman
Winger - Rooney - Di Maria
Would be great, but we've got two other strikers and an attacking midfielder/second striker in Mata. Imagine having a bench with RvP, Falcao, and Mata sat on it.
Herrera - Strootman
Winger - Rooney - Di Maria
Would be great, but we've got two other strikers and an attacking midfielder/second striker in Mata. Imagine having a bench with RvP, Falcao, and Mata sat on it.
Bale....
Carrick/Blind
Herrera - Strootman
Winger - Rooney - Di Maria
Would be great, but we've got two other strikers and an attacking midfielder/second striker in Mata. Imagine having a bench with RvP, Falcao, and Mata sat on it.
I would love it tbh, I doubt Rooney would be the Striker too.
looks like hes starting for Roma against Udinese, BT Sport 1 at 11:30
They have fixtures at 11.30am on a Tuesday? No wonder they're in a fecking recession over there
Is it a holiday in Italy or something? They seem to have a full round of fixtures today.
Its what happens after the winter break, they end up playing loads of football after it finishes to try and catch up (I know it mainly from la liga but im sure it applies)
Will LVG or any of the coaching staff be in the crowd?
Bank holiday apparently.
Wouldn't it make more sense to keep the £30 million mooted to sign a player who hasn't been great since his injury and try sign Pogba back? Surely £50 million would get their attention.
Watching him now, looks ok so when he's been on the ball so far, he looks fairly languid off the ball but I can't tell if thats his general style or just the pace of the game.
Any idea what channel it's on?
BT Sports 1.
BT sport, half time in about 20 sec though.
Perfect thanks. Worth catching the second half?
Weird. I've always assumed bank hols are only Mondays.
Slow game, Udinese don't look much of a threat, Strootman is walking about at leisure other than the odd burst of energy,
It's hard to determine his general fitness/form level from this type of game or how he'd potentially fit our side, but... you can see him if nothing else.
edit: its 1-0 Roma so far.
I'll give it 10 minutes. If only to see how well my iPad streams BT Sport through a VPN using an ad hoc wifi connection hosted by my girlfriends laptop.
Hard to tell, he didn't lose possession but mostly played it sideways. Moved about a lot but doesn't look the most agile, it is hard to see what he offers that Schneiderlin doesn't for less money, no ACL issues and PL experience.
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