What makes you say that?
They're more than likely going to qualify in 2nd place from their Champions League group now. He might not want to drop out of that.
Manchester United - January transfer window 2015 (twitter blacklist applies)
- Thread starter Devil may care
- Start date
What makes you say that?
They're more than likely going to qualify in 2nd place from their Champions League group now. He might not want to drop out of that.
Because he's unwilling to extend his contract and his contract runs until next summer.
I think the chance of a movie to United will outweigh the chance to play 2 more games in the CL, it's not like he's playing for a team with a genuine shot of winning it.
Anyone kept an eye on how that Kondogbia is doing at Monaco, remember people raving that he was the next yaya before he went to France.
Miguel Delaney:
Sources state the manager is already minded to accelerate his pursuit of Roma's Kevin Strootman as a consequence, and will look to bring him in for January rather than the end of the season, along with a centre-half such as Aston Villa's Ron Vlaar.
Sources state the manager is already minded to accelerate his pursuit of Roma's Kevin Strootman as a consequence, and will look to bring him in for January rather than the end of the season, along with a centre-half such as Aston Villa's Ron Vlaar.
He's playing every game with Monaco this year but he's pretty average
Stopped reading at - Real Madrid line up Messi move.
Goal.com, gotta love them.
I'd love to know how Strootman would fit into the team.
he is better than any midfielder we have, so its not gonna be a problem. (unless his knee still fecked)
of course i would be so much happier with a all-round goal scoring midfielder (Vidal)
Oh yeah, I've no doubt he'd walk straight in to the team. I really meant I'd wonder what the midfield we put around him would look like. Who would partner him and in what shape?
Ah yes, got that.Hence the winking smilie
Not going to happen, but i would love to see Schniederlin, Clyne and Vertonghen come in the January transfer window. No matter how good Rafael is, he is no use to the team when he spends more than half season on the treatment table. Clyne would be an excellent signing to start at right back. Loved the signing of Blind and wanted him since watching the Euro under 21 championship in 2013, but he looks very slow. He is great with the ball, and his passing is brilliant, but he seems completely lost when a player runs past him, he simply does not have the speed to keep up. I would sign Schniederlin to play the defensive midfield position. He is very similar to Nemanja Matic, a player who has a little bit of everything. I would also like to see Vertonghen at United if we can persuade Levy to sell him to us. I don't Rojo at all, i think Vertonghen and Smalling would make an excellent center back pairing.
Not going to happen because Schneiderlin, Clyne and Vertonghen would be upwards of £100m given the selling clubs and their recent history of absolutely rinsing teams for their players.
Inigo Martinez anyone?
Is he actually any good? Or just a FIFA beast?
Not sure. He just got his cap i think. And still 23 and a regular. Shouldn't be that bad. I say 10-15m wont be too much for him.
I wouldn't like to be in Herrera's position if we get Strootman in.
He hasn't looked physically suited to English football yet and LVG is not a patient man. I find it hard to believe we'd buy him for a short term fix though.
Herrera hasn't struggled physically in the slightest.
I'm not exactly happy to be admitting it but the QPR game is the only time we've looked secure with him in the centre.
He struggled with Shelvey on his debut, went missing when it got tough against Leicester, hurt himself against West Ham and was taken off. We looked far more physical when Fellaini replaced him at West Brom too.
Not that complicated. Ignore the weird thickness of the lines.
----------------Falcao/RVP-----------------
Di Maria-----Rooney/Mata-Herrera/Januzaj
---------Strootman----------------------
---------------Blind/Carrick---------------
or the diamond with Blind or Carrick deep and Strootman, Herrera and Di Maria filling the other 3 spots (no idea how LVG would slot them), or a 4-3-3 with Strootman and Herrera as the 2 CM's in front of Blind/Carrick and a front 3 of our various attackers with DI Maria on the left and 2 other guys playing.
We could even see Strootman play as the deepest CM in a 3 with Herrera and Di Maria with 3 attackers against certain teams or when we badly need a goal. He's reasonably physical and works fairly hard defensively.
Strootman and a proper right-winger and we'd suddenly have a coherent midfield I think.
LvG has been popping off at the jaw with the same spiel as Ed about it being difficult to get the quality we want in January. I think it's true in the case of players like Strootman and Firmino, but I think Schniederlin might be available given Koeman's latest comments and I really hope we can get in a LCB to compete with Rojo so we don't have to switch to a back 3 to use Blackett if Rojo kamikazes himself again.
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We need a top drawer centre back (?) a strong midfielder (Strootman, Khediera, Vidal type) and a forward pacy runner or dribbler (Robben, Bale, Muller type) very much doubt we could sign any apart from Khediera in January. But would sign him in a minute as he is an upgrade to our midfield and brings some physicality and leadership and experience to us.
LVG said that we will not buy anyone. So did Woody
Simple, alongside Carrick/Blind though I would love it if we had someone like Schneiderlin for the role. That pair would liberate Rooney from doing a bit of everything and could also carry a lightweight like Mata.
Then where would Di Maria play?
Knowing that we’re on a good form and our team is starting to play some good football, do you think that we still need major reinforcements this January?
I mean obviously we need one or two top center backs, but do you think that having Jones and Evans back can ease the issue and we could go like that until the summer to attract the first targets?
We are desperate for a midfielder too… Strootman, Vidal…. Is the solution (maybe temporary) is not Fellaini and Mata replaced as a number 8?
Do you think that we have to recruit at all cost, or with Rafael, Jones, Evans, Shaw and Blind back in the group we can go like that until the end of the season ?
I mean obviously we need one or two top center backs, but do you think that having Jones and Evans back can ease the issue and we could go like that until the summer to attract the first targets?
We are desperate for a midfielder too… Strootman, Vidal…. Is the solution (maybe temporary) is not Fellaini and Mata replaced as a number 8?
Do you think that we have to recruit at all cost, or with Rafael, Jones, Evans, Shaw and Blind back in the group we can go like that until the end of the season ?
If the players we want are available for a price we deem reasonable then there's no reason not to bring them in.
When we get everyone fit I think we have a good shot at top 4 but I'd be more confident if we added a proven class CB. However if any other players LvG wants are available I'd like to see us get them in January so they have a half season to settle in before we hopefully challenge for the title next season.
Looks like Cabaye is available
A couple of back up fullbacks should be the first order of business. May be even a starting right back if Rafael continues to be a care bear.
In most positions in the squad, I am of the opinion we need to sell before we buy. Not because we are strapped for cash, but because our first team squad already numbers over 30 players if you include those out on loan.
If we are going to buy a CB for example, I think at least one or two of the existing players will need to leave. Evans and one of McNair/Blackett I would imagine.
Similarly those wanting Strootman - that would then give us Strootman, Carrick, Blind, Herrera, Fellaini, Di Maria and Mata all competing for 2-3 spaces. And I cant see who out of that bunch we would get rid of either. The midfield is actually - for the first time in years - fine, let the existing players gel and get some form rather than adding even more players to the squad.
IF we are going to buy a CM then at this point I would rather a prospect like what Pogba was a couple of years ago.
If we are going to buy a CB for example, I think at least one or two of the existing players will need to leave. Evans and one of McNair/Blackett I would imagine.
Similarly those wanting Strootman - that would then give us Strootman, Carrick, Blind, Herrera, Fellaini, Di Maria and Mata all competing for 2-3 spaces. And I cant see who out of that bunch we would get rid of either. The midfield is actually - for the first time in years - fine, let the existing players gel and get some form rather than adding even more players to the squad.
IF we are going to buy a CM then at this point I would rather a prospect like what Pogba was a couple of years ago.
I remember Blind playing for Holland in u21 champ u mentioned and he was absolutely terrible and I was like what the hell is he doing there? He got better but still his ceiling is not so high as he completely lacks any sort of pace or athleticism. Players go past him easily and even he can read the game well sometimes he is just too slow, anyway he showed some kind of composure on the ball and he can pass it around, he is just confident cleverley slightly more defensive even his defensive duties are overrated. I hope we sign someone better for this position in the future, maybe Schneiderlin could paly that role even he is better as CM(no8) Strootman played there under van Gaal as well. Carrick was outstanding against HUll but so were another 5 players.. He is not player who will lift the team. He is a good consistent player and if there are good players around him he can be a great player but not the type that raise our game being there like Rooney used to be and Herrera and diMaria showed on couple of occasion when in form.. but we will need to wait on them to make judgment.
As for Clyne I would take him all day long. I wanted him in his late days for Palace. He had a little slow start but still young and yet very experienced player who can COVER BOTH FLANKS so he could be a good cover for Shaw and Rafael. He can be our Azpilacueta.. Vertonghen seems quite injury prone but I like him he is very technical player but I guess Rojo is not bad either. He is quite rushed at times but Van Gaal is working on settling him down obviously as he got better and once he plays a couple of more matches with Smallbeast or Phil Vinnie Jones I think our defense will ge much better as the only thing we need is them stay fit. We don't need more defenders to be honest. And it will take no time and we will see Timothy Fosu Mensah in the first team but he may end up as midfielder in the end which is maybe what we need.. good beasty defensive midfielder..
We need for me more pace in the team, without di maria we have no one else who can take on defenders. Same has upfront, we will need a top class striker that is younger mobile, and someone who can give the attack more speed in terms of the directness of our play. Rooney is good for now, but RVP and falcao, I would see them 2 replaced for a powerful quick CF
I agree and it was that very reason I was against us signing Falcao/selling Welbeck. But that decision was made and I cant see LVG performing a complete U-Turn on it less than 6 months later.
My hope is that after this season we bring Hernandez and Nani back and dont retain Falcao, then we have some pace.
I will not lose sleep over welbeck, good player, but he is not good enough for united, it was not has if we sold CR7 before he hit his potential.
Hernandez and nani are also not good enough for united, we need to move forward not backwards, and nani hernandez are backward moves for united
I'd like us to strengthen midfield and add more pace to are attack but, as it will likely require us to get rid of a few current players in those positions first, I'd be happy to wait until the summer for those signings.
We don't have that problem in defence though as our players in those positions are either a)barely fit, b) young enough to drop or loan out, or c) wingers. We could easily sign a top class CB and RB without having to sell any of our current players (yet). So I hope we prioritise those areas in January if the right quality of player is available.
Generally though we shouldn't disrupt the team more than is necessary now that they finally seem to be adjusting to what LvG wants. Just target the glaringly weak areas and deal with the rest in the summer.
We don't have that problem in defence though as our players in those positions are either a)barely fit, b) young enough to drop or loan out, or c) wingers. We could easily sign a top class CB and RB without having to sell any of our current players (yet). So I hope we prioritise those areas in January if the right quality of player is available.
Generally though we shouldn't disrupt the team more than is necessary now that they finally seem to be adjusting to what LvG wants. Just target the glaringly weak areas and deal with the rest in the summer.