Can't disagree with Glaston too much if I'm being honest. The failure to sign an experienced centre-back in the summer has to be considered a pretty big oversight.
You can understand why though. Van Gaal feels that his training methods equate to less injuries than others. He said as much earlier this season, so he can surely be forgiven for assuming he would have two fit Centre Backs out of Rojo, Jones, Smalling, Evans before he had to call on Blackett, McNair or Carrick.
The fact is that Jones, Smalling and Evans have always been highly thought of at the club. He had to trust the word of Giggs and the other coaches when deciding if he should show faith in these players rather than making the three of them backups to an expensive replacement.
That's one of the reasons a managers first season is always difficult. Look at Mourinho last season, no matter what advice he is given he can only make up his own mind when he's had a season to really judge whether he can trust everyone in his squad and in what situations.
That's one of the skills Fergie had down to an absolute art form. He knew everything about his players, he knew when he could trust them to do a job and when they were better off left on the sidelines. He knew their physical limits and that if, for example, he gave Hernandez an easy first half of the season and used him sparingly, he could start to introduce him late into games after Christmas when the games were coming thick and fast and oppositions legs were fatigued before playing him more and more while he was fresh and sharp and the opposition were struggling.
It's little nuances like that that become the difference between getting 82 points and coming second or 89 points and coming first.
You think we could get both Reus and Depay for about 50 million. And then 2 experienced CBs, one young CB, CM and one talented CM?
We need a RB, CB and a CM. Question is which of those we'll get in January.
Garay from Russia, Clyne from Saints and bring back Nani.
Move ADM to a central role, deploy Nani on the flank.
I doubt the club will go mad this transfer window, regardless of where we may be come January.
Our current defenders will get fit in December, stay fit and play well throughout the whole of January, giving LvG a selection headache and leading him to believe he's turned the corner by getting them all fit and in form. Then on February the 1st they'll all get injured simultaneously in training..
If Reus will want to come.Most likely. Reus' clause is rumoured to be low (have heard all kind of numbers from 25m to 35m) and Depay won't cost more than 15-20m.
Well I was speaking more about the next couple of windows rather than just January itself. In saying that I do realize in hindsight that perhaps this is not the appropriate thread for it given the specificity of the title.
I was well aware of Glaston even before I became a member, so it's my own stupid fault. It's just difficult to understand how anyone can be so ignorant/wum so constantly.Some of you must be new, it's best to just ignore Glaston.
I think Fabio's doing well at Cardiff so far, unfortunately that's based solely on 4-5 games that I've watched this season but I do check the ratings on him from time to time and they're mostly good.
On Rudy, to be honest I can't say for certain if he's a better midfielder or defender, the difference is barely noticeable because he's looked equally strong at both positions. That said he seems a bit more natural at rightback given his crossing ability, maybe stay there for a few seasons and transition full-time to midfield once his legs wear out with age and he acquires a greater reading of the game. Regular Buli posters might have a more informed opinion though I reckon.
This seems optimistic in the extreme! 20m doesn't get you much, just look at Lovren. For a top CB it'd have to be in the region of 30-40m.if it takes 20 million to get a top CB who will guarantee CL qualification it is well worth it......
we'll only get stung in the Summer anyway
It's not about the numbers of players signed, it's about their quality and the areas they play in.
United have spent around £245m - £192m net - on additions to the title winning squad. It's just not credible to believe that for such stupendous amounts of cash you couldn't have improved your CM and defence way beyond their current state. But instead the lion's share was spent on attack-orientated players such as Di Maria, Mata and Zaha - when this was the area least in need of attention - and most of the rest of the cash went on paying over the odds for some pretty average players .... with Luke Shaw being the only exception, although he too cost a pretty penny.
And if you now go ahead and sign Falcao permanently, for the ludicrous sums being mentioned, it'll just be more in the same vein, when CM and defence should be your focus.
if it takes 20 million to get a top CB who will guarantee CL qualification it is well worth it......
we'll only get stung in the Summer anyway
Isn't it just as likely to get stung in January?
I feel we need a few more players to complete the rebuilding, but I don't want to see us rush to buy someone in January just for the sake of buying someone.
Then it might have to wait until the summer. Funny on Talksport this morning they couldn't understand why we hadn't gone after the legendary Phil Jagielka. When you look at how Everton are starting to play now, maybe not as daft as it sounds. Earlier in the season I would have said it was nuts.Yeah that was my point - we pay the Manchester United premium anyway
I did say a top CB - what we don't need are stop gap players or squad players
When you look at how van Persie has performed these past 12 months you cannot say Falcao was an unnecessary buy and we haven't even bought him outright yet. As for Di Maria we lacked creativity in midfield desperately and got one of the best players in the world to solve that, no issues there. Blind and Herrera were two absolutely necessary buys as well and strengthened our midfield to the point where it's no longer the issue, actually midfield has been our strong point this season. They're not average players at all, this coming from you is very rich considering they're easily better than what Spurs have in midfield. To be fair you constantly downplaying both of them is tiresome when it's apparent that they've played very well so far, in a completely new league too.
Rojo hasn't proven himself to be a shrewd buy so far, jury's still out but we should have gone for a more proven center half at the time.
Agree with Mata, we didn't need him and he hasn't adapted well, in fact we'll probably be looking to sell him sooner rather than later - unfortunately because I had very high hopes for him.
It's not about the numbers of players signed, it's about their quality and the areas they play in.
United have spent around £245m - £192m net - on additions to the title winning squad. It's just not credible to believe that for such stupendous amounts of cash you couldn't have improved your CM and defence way beyond their current state. But instead the lion's share was spent on attack-orientated players such as Di Maria, Mata and Zaha - when this was the area least in need of attention - and most of the rest of the cash went on paying over the odds for some pretty average players .... with Luke Shaw being the only exception, although he too cost a pretty penny.
And if you now go ahead and sign Falcao permanently, for the ludicrous sums being mentioned, it'll just be more in the same vein, when CM and defence should be your focus.
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...n-the-right-direction-says-Paddy-Crerand.aspx
Feckin bastards manutd.com......i've slept in the last hours and go to manutd.com then i read "Vidal signs for United"
Sunday Times as us linked with Dani Alves as well as Spurs,and Arse.
what a cnut Jamie Jackson was in the summer. He knows absolutely squatIn other words we'll be signing two or three then given how reliable this bellend is.
Exactly. We only need two if our cbs to stay fit for more than one game. Can't believe the mess our defence us in. It's a jokeIf we can just get players fit then we don't need any signings in January, we'll just end up over paying for someone who isn't up to it long term anyway.
Exactly. We only need two if our cbs to stay fit for more than one game. Can't believe the mess our defence us in. It's a joke