Exactly. Can wrap my head around people claiming they are not good enough at 19 years old. Absurd.
Manchester United - January transfer window 2015 (twitter blacklist applies)
- Thread starter Devil may care
- Start date
I'm not so sure you do!
Smalling has been decent but not so sure how he can be our undisputed best defender this season. Jones was IMO our best defender up until he got injured. Rojo has been our best defender for the last month or so. Maybe Smalling was our best defender in between those two periods but not sure how he can be said to be comfortably our best defender so far this season. His stupidity single handedly cost us the Manchester derby.
I'm not so sure you do!
Smalling has been decent but not so sure how he can be our undisputed best defender this season. Jones was IMO our best defender up until he got injured. Rojo has been our best defender for the last month or so. Maybe Smalling was our best defender in between those two periods but not sure how he can be said to be comfortably our best defender so far this season. His stupidity single handedly cost us the Manchester derby.
That's the only game where he made a big mistake and everyone is talking about it. Rojo was a joke in few games, just was lucky we didn't concede a goal because of that as other people were there to fix it (here was already a gif against Chelsea).
Smalling made a mistake against City, but was our best defender against Chelsea and Arsenal, probably the toughest games.
Jones had more stupid mistakes than Smalling (at moments he looked totally clueless). He was bad against Liverpool, but again got lucky we didn't concede and again he had to tackle after mistakes. Our whole defence was a joke there and Jones was part of it.
When playing, Smalling was the best CB (Rojo and Jones are improving, I am not saying they are not and I am happy about that, but almost everything they did at the begging cause panic, as they would let the ball jump, wait for to long, be out of position and then try to fix it and Smalling was the one with the lowest number of such mistakes).
I thought Shaw was better against Chelsea. Missed the Arsenal game.
Fair enough the above is your opinion. Plenty will disagree with the notion that Smalling has been our best defender. De Gea has been our best player this season. That isn't up for debate. Smalling our best defender? That could be debated all day long.
I meant CB, not defender as defender.
About Smalling, I think the he had usually very good performances or OK one (bar City), but everyone else had also more than one bad game, while, I say it again, Jones and Rojo are improving (I even defended Jones in my last posts).
We would need to see them more in 4 something something, as this doesn't give us a clear picture because they are able to help each other more (even Carrick and Blind looked good as CB's in 3-5-2) and that's where I have my fears about Jones (can't say about Rojo as I didn't see him enough, while Smalling has proved that he can play in a formation with 2 CB's and play it on high level especially in his first year here and also last season, when we did look better with him, then without him which doesn't say to much as Vidić and Rio had their own problems, bar the Hull game, but Jones didn't really do it, but again he is just 22, so still time for him).
So what, should we keep every 19 year old player hoping that some day they'll come good, that's a very poor 'philosophy', McNair and Blackett are clearly not good enough and you can argue that they dont have the potential to be good enough someday. McNair has been decent at times, but Blackett has been shocking in almost every match, I'd like us to get rid of those players who arent United standard.
So true. It's like the opposite of the saying "if they're good enough, they're old enough", to "if they're young enough, they're good enough"!
People always excuse young players because of their age but sometimes the fact of the matter is they just aren't very good. That's the case with both Blackett and McNair IMO. Jones was a far superior player at 19 yet people want him gone now. Imagine how the former two will turn out compared to him. I know players develop at different rates but it will take a miracle for Blackett or McNair to become good enough for us.I guess that's the definition of what "good enough" is. I can't see any reason why they can't get to, say, the level of Evans and be decent utility players.
If we got rid of all players that weren't United standard by the age of 18 we wouldn't have a youth setup and we'd have a squad full of overpaid superstars unhappy at the lack of playing time.
If we got rid of all players that weren't United standard by the age of 18 we wouldn't have a youth setup and we'd have a squad full of overpaid superstars unhappy at the lack of playing time.
If they get to Evans level we should get rid of them now, he's nowhere near United quality and not even good enough to be a back uo, nobody says you have to be world class but keeping evry random 19 year old from the youth set up is bollocks, sometimes it's just clearly visible that a certain player wont get to the level that is needed here at United, you dont have to keep players for the sake of it. Or we'd end up with a squad of above 50 players. Blackett wouldnt look out of place in a midtable Championship team and wouldnt get in the XI of any PL team, just not good enough.
It seems the Hummels rumour mill is at Muppet level #2 this morning … it's all over the press in both countries that something's afoot!
Nobody with any clout is talking about it. I'd be stunned if we do any business before the window's out.
Same here, I think things are just being set up for the Summer window. All our rivals seem to be doing business though.
One of the quietest windows I can remember for some years. Even with previous windows of SAFand Moyes saying signings were unlikely in Jan, the media have still pumped out the usual rubbish, but not as much this time.
Maybe, the club are starting to keep things within the club and no leaks......or maybe we have just been told no chance for all our targets so have backed off.
Maybe, the club are starting to keep things within the club and no leaks......or maybe we have just been told no chance for all our targets so have backed off.
I think it more to do with the last summer as we spent close to 150M.
Of course given that we are struggling to adapt to the new playing style throwing some new players into the mix might not be a good idea.
Plus it is still a matter if the right players being available not buying just to buy
Plus it is still a matter if the right players being available not buying just to buy
LVG said on MUTV that we will only been selling players, not buying.
Quality not quantity. Education process.
I don't think we need any signings to secure 3rd place and the FA Cup which has to be our aim now.
I'd say Arsenal have a better team than us at the moment tbh.
For a January window, I'd say that's a sensible approach. We have a pretty large squad and only so many outlets for them to play competitive football. It's pointless keeping fringe players like Fletcher and Anderson around on the off-chance that we'll hit another injury crisis, as we have to play them in reserve and U21 games to keep their match fitness. Better to use those opportunities to give younger members of the squad more chances, and to keep the players we do plan on rotating into the team at match fitness.
If the right player is available, I'm sure we'll jump at the opportunity to bring them in. But I won't get too downheartened if we don't sign anyone else this window.
I'm glad too that we aren't buying just for the sake of it.
I never thought we'd buy any attacking players or midfielders, those were always going to be summer buys, but I did hope for a CB and a RB. However the only 3 RB's I can think of are Coleman, Clyne and Danilo, and I doubt any of the clubs would be willing to sell.
Clearly Hummels is the #1 CB target and not getting him is the only real disappointment as I think if we had we'd be a lock for top 4. His experience and leadership in a back 4 would give LvG the confidence to play Herrera in CM and Rooney up top IMO, but without him I can see more 3-5-2 rubbish as we try to muddle through and make the CL spots.
Clearly Hummels is the #1 CB target and not getting him is the only real disappointment as I think if we had we'd be a lock for top 4. His experience and leadership in a back 4 would give LvG the confidence to play Herrera in CM and Rooney up top IMO, but without him I can see more 3-5-2 rubbish as we try to muddle through and make the CL spots.
I don't agree at all, but they do play beter football with what they have
Apart from the keeper and DM area, they have better suited players. Our strikers are better though, but we lack pace, where they have it in abundance.
Their defence has been shittier than ours
and I dont agree their midfield is higher quality than ours (used to be but this season I dont agree) Mata, Di Maria, Herrera, Blind, Carrick that is a heck of a quality midfield
What I will agree to is that the quality of our top players hanst really surfaced as much as you would expect whilst theirs have and the one thing they have over us is pacey players in their attack (especially Sanchez who has been phenomenal).
Overall I'd say their team is not nearly as talented as ours but does have a beter balance and cohesion than ours and they have played beter quality football than us with what they have but so did Southampton for example
It is starting to get time for LVG to get his team to start clicking and to put that obvious quality of players like Di Maria, Mata, Rooney, RVP, Falcao etc to beter use
I did say we're better in the DM position.
Carzola Ramsey Sanchez Walcott Ozil Wilshere that is also a heck of a quality midfield too.
You got it right there though, their team has better balance than ours, which is why I said they had a better team, I also disagree our team is more talented tbh they have just as much talent as we do. Where they lack quality is in a top top Striker and a top class DM. We both lack quality at CB.
Yeah but they always seem to struggle around this time of the year. I think we still have a tougher mentality than them.
I didnt say their midfield wasnt talented I just said it is not higher quality than ours, those players in terms of talent are quite equal to eachother.
In terms of pure quality and talent:
De Gea and Valdes >> Szczsney and Ospina
Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Evans = Koscielny, Mertesacker, Chambers (altough maybay with this new CB signing Gabriel they could have a small advantage over us)
Valencia, Rafael, Shaw, Young << Debuchy, Nacho, Gibbs
Blind, Carrick, Fellaini >> Arteta, Bielik, Flamini, Diaby
Rooney, Mata, Di Maria, Herrera, Januzaj = Ramsay, Wilshere, Rosicky, Sanchez, Ozil, Oxlade, Cazorla
Falcao, RVP, Wilson >> Welbeck, Giroud, Walcott
In terms of creative midfielders our teams are quite matched
In terms of good defenders we both lack quality especially at CB
In terms of defensive midfielders we are clearly beter
In terms of goalscoring strikers we are clearly beter
In terms of quality keepers we are clearly beter
There is not really an area were Arsenal is really more talented or have beter quality players than ours
As I said they do get more out of their team than we do and they do play beter football probably because they have a beter balance in the team, play another formation and have a bit more pace upfront. Yet we are the ones with more points in the league.
I disagree on creative midfield tbh they are better and also CB they are better Koscielny is a lot better our CBs tbh
I'm not even sure Falcao RVP Wilson is better than Welbeck Giroud Walcott either (we're talking about Falcao now not Athletico Falcao and Wilson is a youth player with bags of potential yes but is not proven at this level) When you put Rooney in the mix then yes I think we're better in that department.
Well lets agree to disagree than but their defence has been a disaster this season altough i agree Koscielny would walk into our team (I also think Smalling or Rojo would walk into theirs)
Wouldnt take any of their forwards over what we have. If they had Falcao or RVP in their team they would keep Giroud and Welbeck on the bench most of the time (if not to say all of the time). Their forwards are utter shite imo.
And on the creative midfielders it is only form that is blinding you. They just have more players that are in good form, like Sanchez. But quality wise I dont agree would hardly trade any of our midfielders for theirs because I know ours can do so much beter than what they have shown so far this season.
Their defence has been a disaster, similar to us they have had a vast amount of injuries, since players have got fit lately though, they have actually started to sure up at the back.
The only creative/attacking midfielder in our team I would take over theirs is Di Maria and maybe Herrera.
I would take Ozil over Mata, and also I would take Ramsey in midfield over Rooney (in midfield)
Its not forms thats blinding me, Rooney isn't even a midfielder and Ozil has reached levels Mata hasn't.
I would say Carzola and Herrera are evenly matched.
Then I haven't even mentioned the likes of Walcott, Wilshere, or Ox even by share numbers they have more quality than us in that particular area.
Januzaj is of course a great talent, but he hasn't reached the level of even Ox just yet, although I think ultimately he will probably end up being better than him, but he isn't at the moment and thats not just form.
Ozil hasn't reached anything since at Arsenal.
I'm inclined to believe him when he says it. Not really a games player is Van Gaal.
Glad we aren't buying anyone.
We need to get rid of the deadwood, decide how we want to play going forward and work on that.
Chelsea have basically the same team every week, and the same style and it benefits them hugely.
We need to build towards this.
We need to get rid of the deadwood, decide how we want to play going forward and work on that.
Chelsea have basically the same team every week, and the same style and it benefits them hugely.
We need to build towards this.
As far as forwards and midfield go I agree, but adding a top CB or RB would have been a real boost in the race for top 4.
Only if it was a top quality acquisition. If the players weren't availiable, there's no point in bloating our squad with more squad players.
As for the likes of Hummels, it's definitely Fur der sommor or whatever the phrase is. He obviously genuinely loves Dortmund so leaving them mid season would be tough, as would relocating with his family and adjusting to a new area, team and league with less than half a season to go.
I agree with you on the why we haven't bought anyone front, I was just saying I don't think it's a good thing in terms of the defense. The media might all have it wrong but it seems Hummels is the guy LvG wants and will wait for, which is fair enough and we need to get that CL place without him. I just think had we been able to pull Hummels off this window his leadership in defense would have a knock-on effect as regards LvG's confidence in freeing up our best attackers a bit more and would make me more confident in our chances of making the CL spots.
Started in hope that faded away! Might as well close it I think @Raoul 
Exactly. I can only imagine what kind of morale booster his arrival would have done to the rest of the team. Our attackers would feel free while our defenders would feel the urgency to up their performance standards in order to save their jobs. I really wish there was just one way, just one, that LVG could have pulled him towards us and solve one of the big issues at the same time.
