if it remains like this, I'm another 3/10-er. Would have been less without AWB. Feels inept (the Maguire saga) and rudderless; the only operative strategy appears to be driven by profits/dividends. Midfield is a mess. Worst of all is not removing players - Young, Matic, Rojo, Darmian still here. Bright spots are Greenwood and Gomes but I fear that Mata and Lingard are going to block them. Pretty clear that Ole's wishes to get rid have not been carried out by whoever negotiates.
Rate our current Transfer window
- Thread starter VanGaalEra
- Start date
10/10 if our target was to improve the defence. Also if it was to keep our best players at the club. I'd sooner wait till next year to attempt to get the players that we want than keeping some fans happy by rolling the dice on others. The issues were never going to be resolved in one window but hopefully we can no longer talk about needing CB and RB at the club.
Hopefully the others prove their worth this season, maybe even the young players show they can play at this level so next Summer we can focus on only needing a couple of world class players....
Hopefully the others prove their worth this season, maybe even the young players show they can play at this level so next Summer we can focus on only needing a couple of world class players....
2/10
Backline aside, this window has been a dumpster fire. There have been more defections (Herrera, Fellaini), discontent (Pogba, Lukaku), and disconnect (no RW, no first rate CAM or CDM), than there have been additions (crickets) to an anemic and unproven attack.
Point being, the club is in worse position now than at this time last year - and we will lose Pogba next year, as we continue our slide from the top and miss out on CL again. To top it off, we couldn't even dispose of the spare parts that pollute our roster.
In short, to say we’re fecked is a vast understatement. Good luck Ole.
Backline aside, this window has been a dumpster fire. There have been more defections (Herrera, Fellaini), discontent (Pogba, Lukaku), and disconnect (no RW, no first rate CAM or CDM), than there have been additions (crickets) to an anemic and unproven attack.
Point being, the club is in worse position now than at this time last year - and we will lose Pogba next year, as we continue our slide from the top and miss out on CL again. To top it off, we couldn't even dispose of the spare parts that pollute our roster.
In short, to say we’re fecked is a vast understatement. Good luck Ole.
- 2
5 sections 2 points each
2 Points - Defense 2 good signings – Maguire and WB. De Gea looks like signing a contract extension but if he doesn’t this will be a disaster as he will go for nothing next year.
-1 Points - Midfield -1. No signings. Its worse than last year (lost Herrera, Fellaini and Matic has declined further), Fred/Pereira still not proven, Pogba wants to go only one good point is McTominay
0 Points - Attack – No signings. Lost Lukaku – yes a good thing but not if we don’t replace him or his goals, RW still a joke. Martial and Rashford still not proven to step up to be 20 goal strikers. Plus is youngsters Greenwood and Gomez, and James looks like he could be a good project but we cant reply on 17 year olds to save us, they are the future.
-1 - Sales – no one – possible Lukaku but without a replacement this is a negative. Squad is even more bloated especially CB. New contracts to players that should not be here and will prove harder to get rid of them
5 sections 2 points each
2 Points - Defense 2 good signings – Maguire and WB. De Gea looks like signing a contract extension but if he doesn’t this will be a disaster as he will go for nothing next year.
-1 Points - Midfield -1. No signings. Its worse than last year (lost Herrera, Fellaini and Matic has declined further), Fred/Pereira still not proven, Pogba wants to go only one good point is McTominay
0 Points - Attack – No signings. Lost Lukaku – yes a good thing but not if we don’t replace him or his goals, RW still a joke. Martial and Rashford still not proven to step up to be 20 goal strikers. Plus is youngsters Greenwood and Gomez, and James looks like he could be a good project but we cant reply on 17 year olds to save us, they are the future.
-1 - Sales – no one – possible Lukaku but without a replacement this is a negative. Squad is even more bloated especially CB. New contracts to players that should not be here and will prove harder to get rid of them
What was our biggest issue last season - defence. Have we addressed this is issue? YES.
As we all know, the basis of any great team is the defence. So that has now been sorted, I'll include DDG in that for now, the next step has to be creativity and goals. But if we can't get in the players we want, or who want to come, then so be it. It is also the responsibility of the coaching team to get more out of the current squad.
So on that basis, I'll rate our transfer business as 6/10. Bearing in mind, I'm basing this on us getting into the top 4, not winning the league or anything.
As we all know, the basis of any great team is the defence. So that has now been sorted, I'll include DDG in that for now, the next step has to be creativity and goals. But if we can't get in the players we want, or who want to come, then so be it. It is also the responsibility of the coaching team to get more out of the current squad.
So on that basis, I'll rate our transfer business as 6/10. Bearing in mind, I'm basing this on us getting into the top 4, not winning the league or anything.
4/10
Reasons for the rating:
Reasons for the rating:
- It's a 3rd of the rebuild we needed, sorted the defence out. AWB, Maquire will be upgrades to the first 11 where we leaked goals like a sieve last season.
- Not upgraded our midfield where we lost Herrera, we lack real quality in midfield and it is a key part of the game now. This leaves Pogba with a burden to be that cog in midfield, and with him really desiring to leave; this part of the first 11 really worries me.
- Still lack a RF and will shoehorn Mata, Lingard there where we've all seen what they produce last few seasons, and Mata isn't getting any younger.
- potentially losing Lukaku and not replacing him. (where Lukaku has his faults in big games and ruins transitions, etc, he guarantees goals albeit it against smaller teams predominately) but this leaves Martial (who might actually produce better figures in CF) and Rashford has our sole strikers, (we could have done with a replacement)
You can’t blame Pogba for wanting to leave. We showed little ambition this transfer window. We had months to prepare and we did feck all in truth.
-5 stars!! (Hopefully some Botchamania fans get the reference)
Is that serious? Our midfield has gotten significantly worse? How anyone can give it more than 5/10 considering we are so weak in such an important position is absurd imo.
3/10.
Bollocks
Seriously? We lost 2 midfielders since January who were first teamers and signed no one.
We're about to either lose our only senior CF and replace him with no one or have discontent Lukaku for one season who is obviously not in the first team plans.
No RW (James is still very young), no CF or backup one, no CM, no #10 - all positions that we should've strengthened.
a solid 3/10 for me. We addressed only the defence without reinforcing midfield and attack.
We also only shipped Herrera who was far from surplus to our needs.
We have signed a youngster (Dalot type of signing), RB and CB. Anyone who gives more than 5 should seriously consider his expectations of the club.
So breaking a world record for a CB we desperately need alongside signing arguably the best RB in the league alongside a talented winger who will only get better shows no ambition?
Get a grip.
Are we the finished article? No
Is it progress? Yes
We were never going to "rebuild" the entire squad in ONE window. Simply put, we are in a better position than we were. Its time for some positive thinking around this club.
Yes, we have an issue with Pogba. He wants to leave, whether its this summer or next. But its simple - Real either pay up or don't get him. We have the power. Pogba has a long contract and the Euro's next summer so he cant afford to down tools as such.
My biggest issue this far is outgoings.
I'd expect Lukaku to go and Darmian as the European window is longer than ours. I'm surprised we aren't actively trying to sell Jones, One of Rojo or Smalling & Sanchez in truth. I don't think any of these should feature much.
I'd be happier with a creative type midfielder, such as Fernandes or Erikson but we will see.
The squad looks fittier, happier and we all know that playing with confidence and a general positive vibe will lift performances. It was all moan, whinge moan under Jose but Ole has got this bunch working together and i'm liking the vibe around the squad.
Long term we need a Pogba replacement, focus on outgoings of underperforming players and a Matic replacement (although we probably have that in MCtominey)
I'd rate this window highly, each player we have signed instantly makes a difference and is a massive improvement. The youngers coming through is also a massive plus.
Think of it, Maguire just doesn't improve our defence by being a better CB than Smalling/Jones/Rojo, he improves it by making others around him left they're game. Shaw will get better distribution, as will our midfield. His CB partner will be more assured, most likely Lindelöf as there is less mopping up of mistakes by Jones and co.....its an absolutely brilliant signing for lots of reasons.
AWB is by far our stand out of preseason and by having him, reduces Young's game time which again is a plus.
I don't know why we are so intent on focusing so much on negatives, like the world has ended because we have pulled out of the Dybala and Eriksen deal. We are actually targeting specific players that suit what the manager wants to do rather than jus signing anybody (Di Maria, Sanchez etc). Ole has the right idea - just too much work to overhaul this entire squad in one window as I said above
Id give the window a 7 as we still need 1x CM before tomorrows deadline. Other than the outgoings, I cant fault it
How is this summer worse than 2013 or last year? What we did last summer is causing us problems now. If we had signed Rodrigo and Fabian Ruiz for what Fred cost, and assuming we would have done, what we've done this summer so far, we'd be a Lukaku replacement and a RW or #10 away from having a good team. We didn't though, hence us having more issues to solve, which couldn't all be addressed in one summer.
You're right but we desperately need at least one mid. We're incredibly thin in midfield, it looks like pure negligence. I also hope we'll sell some players finally till the end of this month.
Yep Ole got appointed months ago so the recruitment team should have had both a Europa league transfer list and a potential ucl transfer list based on what we needed. But what the past few days have shown is that there is not list. We are just trying to get anyone decent who wouldnt mind the europa
You get a feckin grip with your bible
. We finished 6 buddy, a solid defence can only do so much. We are a badly run club at the moment, this is common knowledge. Stick your head in the sand all you want, ultimatelyIt doesn’t change the facts. Nobody expected us to sign 5 world class players in 1 window. But a defensive midfielder was an absolute must. It’s also ridiculous we are letting Lukaku go without introducing a replacement. I don’t care for the fancy names but have ignored some glaring weaknesses once again. Last summer’s inactivity bit us in the arse and will do so again. Don’t come complaining next summer when we once again miss out on champions league.
6/10. Good additions and in line with current market valuations given our state ( no CL, unsustainable wage structure etc.)
I do think that EPL clubs are at a huge disadvantage with our window shutting earlier than the rest of Europe. E.g. Bruno may go for less later this month when Sporting realises no takers
I do think that EPL clubs are at a huge disadvantage with our window shutting earlier than the rest of Europe. E.g. Bruno may go for less later this month when Sporting realises no takers
3/10
RB signing, although expensive, should be good longer term as AWB has bags of potential and already much better than what we have.
CB ok but we've paid way too much for a slightly better than average (hope I'm proved wrong!) player.
We still have a glaring hole in the team on the right wing and a lack of goal threat and pace from midfield as a whole.
The worse thing is that we haven't moved on the deadwood (Jones, Rojo, Darmian, Fred, Matic to name a few!).
Hopefully we'll bring some young players through and do some more business in January.
RB signing, although expensive, should be good longer term as AWB has bags of potential and already much better than what we have.
CB ok but we've paid way too much for a slightly better than average (hope I'm proved wrong!) player.
We still have a glaring hole in the team on the right wing and a lack of goal threat and pace from midfield as a whole.
The worse thing is that we haven't moved on the deadwood (Jones, Rojo, Darmian, Fred, Matic to name a few!).
Hopefully we'll bring some young players through and do some more business in January.
We've signed two players that improve our defense exponentially, and improves our team massively while keeping hold of our two most influential players. It's like that didn't even happen in some people's minds. Get off football manager.
We've promoted Mctominay and given him more minutes. In essence we are down one midfielder.
Senior CF
. We will give minutes to players who actually fit Oles system. We've kept hold of two of our most influential players who looked like going at the beginning of the campaign. We've brought in a very promising winger. We've finally made room for our outstanding youth prospects. We've signed a top class right back and a top class centreback, positions we've needed upgrading for half a decade. 3/10? Go home.
We've promoted Mctominay and given him more minutes. In essence we are down one midfielder.
Senior CF
We've kept hold of two of our most influential players who looked like going at the beginning of the campaign. We've brought in a very promising winger. We've finally made room for our outstanding youth prospects. We've signed a top class right back and a top class centreback, positions we've needed upgrading for half a decade. 3/10? Go home.
1. Pogba wants away and Matic is 32 - gradually worse with each season visible for anyone. We have zero cover for any of our midfielders ending up injured for a month or two.
2. Who is our CF then? If giving minutes to youngsters is your answer then we shouldn't have brought in Maguire as well and give minutes to Tuanzebe?
We needed to sign couple of midfielders, RW which we need to for about half a decade as well, CF to replace Lukaku along with RB and CB. Neither we addressed.
Our signing - Maguire was one year too late and we ended up paying 20-30m above of what he'd costed last year and paid the asking price for AWB. You make it sound like it has been a great window..Beggars belief..
So? He's wanted away for 3 years. He's our best midfielder and he's staying for at least another season. Incredible you've just tried to frame that as a bad thing. Mctominay is Matic's replacement.
So giving minutes to youngsters means giving minutes to every youngster or none at all yes? That's some bipolar shit right there. Rashford or
Yes we are thin in midfield and we needed to reinforcements.
Who cares? He was signed THIS window, therefore you factor in his influence from THIS window onwards. Again, some real backwards logic to try and turn this to a negative. Again, so? We've paid the going rate for two players and that's now a bad thing?
I've given it 6/10. That's someone saying it's a great window is it? I'm happy for you to quote me where I've implied such a thing.
Pogba when is not motivated could be destructive to the system we play and by the looks of it he is even less motivated than last year.
If Mctominay is our Matic replacement then we're down by 2(Fellaini, Herrera) so your previous point makes no sense.
Giving minutes to youngsters doesn't mean that we need to go into a season with only youngsters at a single position. We have no senior CF to lead the line. We have many "who can play there" players. That's not really addressing a certain position.
Paying above Fellaini's release clause would probably be terrific piece of business in your eyes then because from the point his release clause expired you have to factor from that point onwards right?
Acquiring players at the right time and at better value leaves more funds to address other positions. So yes if you pay a third more to acquire Maguire or Fellaini then this means you have shortage of funds for other players. It's not really rocket science.
What's football manager got to do with it? If you can't see how weak our midfield is in comparison to the rest of the top half of the Premier League then you are absolutely deluded.
Defending not bringing a senior attacker is equally laughable. Lukaku for what is worth scored 15 goals last season. Those 15 goals has to be replaced by a youngster who scored 5 in the Championship last year and Greenwood who has yet to score at senior level.
By the looks of it? I'd like to know what you've been looking at.
You think Matic is going to disappear? He'll be a sub, just like Fellaini. Simple logic.
This word senior means absolutely sod all. What was senior about Lukaku that raises him above Rashford and Martials station? He doesn't fit the way Ole wants to play at all. He was marginalized by Ole last season, that's nothing new.
Yeah thats the same.
Did Maguire have a release clause? Did AWB have a release clause? Does Enigma have any more mind bending comparisons to make in order to get his lame point across? Find out next post!Because we aren't fixing everything this window. Deal with it. We've not had a great window, we've not had a disastrous window. it's a child's mentality.
I think there is an important clarification to be made personally. The modern football fan seems more and more fixated in transfers, and feels this is the only way to improve a team. In my view, the question we should be asking is ‘how would you rate our preparation for the new season?’. Transfers are of course, an important part of that, but they don’t capture the entirety of the progress we have made.
To me, we have made more improvement than just ‘adding 3 new faces’. Firstly, we have added more than 3 to the mix with the emergence of Greenwood and Axel, along with Chong and Gomes who will also likely feature. Then there is the emergence of Scott McTominay as a midfield player of use. There’s the changing and improving profile of Anthony Martial, and the overall implementation of a more positive style. Then of course, 3 new players.
For me, it is a disservice to our preparation to summarise this period solely by who we have signed.
To me, we have made more improvement than just ‘adding 3 new faces’. Firstly, we have added more than 3 to the mix with the emergence of Greenwood and Axel, along with Chong and Gomes who will also likely feature. Then there is the emergence of Scott McTominay as a midfield player of use. There’s the changing and improving profile of Anthony Martial, and the overall implementation of a more positive style. Then of course, 3 new players.
For me, it is a disservice to our preparation to summarise this period solely by who we have signed.
By the looks of it? I'd like to know what you've been looking at.
You think Matic is going to disappear? He'll be a sub, just like Fellaini. Simple logic.
This word senior means absolutely sod all. What was senior about Lukaku that raises him above Rashford and Martials station? He doesn't fit the way Ole wants to play at all. He was marginalized by Ole last season, that's nothing new.
Yeah thats the same.
Marginalized? Whatever you are on put it down mate. Lukaku scored 9 goals under Ole. Without his brace against PSG Ole might not have been given the job in the first place.
Rasford and Martial are both played on the wing where you can use their pace. Their best position so far is as a wing forward not #9.
You sound like you are on Ed's payroll
Great post. People seem to forget that players can (and indeed should) improve season on season. They also want chances given to youth but in the same breath want signings that would block said youngster's progress.
Yes marginalized. Are you incapable of seeing things in anything other than in absolutes? Or do you think when I say marginalized I mean he was left out all together? In the first 2 and a half months Lukaku started 4 times under Ole. But yeah, he was key to his plans!Marginalized? Whatever you are on put it down mate. Lukaku scored 9 goals under Ole. Without his brace against PSG Ole might not have been given the job in the first place.
Rasford and Martial are both played on the wing where you can use their pace. Their best position so far is as a wing forward not #9.
You sound like you are on Ed's payroll
Ole sees them as his CFs in a fluid front 4. No matter how much it hurts your feelings, it's not going to change. Of course you think starting 4 games in 2 and a half months makes Lukaku key to Ole's plans last season.
Your points system makes no sense. By your logic we would have needed to sign 10 players to get 10/10.
Nobody says you have to fix everything. But the biggest problem we had was been overrun in midfield by the likes of Everton and Wolves, amongst others. We have lost Fellaini and our second best midfielder in Herrera and have not replaced them. Matic is getting older and slower. Grand we bought a centre back who is better than what we have but he will get less protection at United than what he did at Leicester.
If other clubs can significantly strengthen their team with more than two players, then there is no reason we cannot. We will have lost Fellaini & Herrera and we will probably lose Lukaku. Our defence has strengthened yet our midfield and attack is significantly worse off. And you count that as a good transfer window? Absolutely delusional.
5/7 of course!
4/10 so far...Ole said himself that a lot of these players won't be here next season. But most of them still are. OK maybe we will sell some to European clubs after our deadline, but I don't think it's enough.
Superb improvement to defence but completely neglected midfield which will be a big problem.
And we took so long to finalise deals. Maguire in particular we were obviously after for a long time. Should have wrapped it up so he could be on tour.
So as our midfield and attack (still need a RW at least) was neglected and the deals we done took so long to finalise - 4/10.
But it is difficult to do it all in one window.
Superb improvement to defence but completely neglected midfield which will be a big problem.
And we took so long to finalise deals. Maguire in particular we were obviously after for a long time. Should have wrapped it up so he could be on tour.
So as our midfield and attack (still need a RW at least) was neglected and the deals we done took so long to finalise - 4/10.
But it is difficult to do it all in one window.
1/10
The money the club generates should be reflected in the investment from the owners - at Utd, those two things are at odds.
Also, Maguire was fecking vetoed last Summer and then bought for more this Summer...
Awful transfer window - should be Woodward's last.
The money the club generates should be reflected in the investment from the owners - at Utd, those two things are at odds.
Also, Maguire was fecking vetoed last Summer and then bought for more this Summer...
Awful transfer window - should be Woodward's last.
7/10
No more Ashley Young as a starter is already a very good start to a good transferwindow rating.
Maguire and Wan-Bissaka are a major improvement if they meet minimal expectations. Not getting rid of Jones/Bailly, Rojo and Darmian when replacements are already bought is bad business in my book though.
Matic still starting is also not a good idea but keeping Pogba is great since it looks like he needs to carry the whole midfield again. He wont be able to do that because nobody can but atleast there is one world class outfield player this way.
Trusting Martial and Rashford is a risk but it could work out. Hopefully Greenwood and Gomes will get chances this season so Martial and Rashford wont be matched with Mata or Lingard in most games.
It is not the best window but no more Ashley Young, an improved defense and keeping our best player is worth something. So.... 5/10 window?
Maguire and Wan-Bissaka are a major improvement if they meet minimal expectations. Not getting rid of Jones/Bailly, Rojo and Darmian when replacements are already bought is bad business in my book though.
Matic still starting is also not a good idea but keeping Pogba is great since it looks like he needs to carry the whole midfield again. He wont be able to do that because nobody can but atleast there is one world class outfield player this way.
Trusting Martial and Rashford is a risk but it could work out. Hopefully Greenwood and Gomes will get chances this season so Martial and Rashford wont be matched with Mata or Lingard in most games.
It is not the best window but no more Ashley Young, an improved defense and keeping our best player is worth something. So.... 5/10 window?
Yes marginalized. Are you incapable of seeing things in anything other than in absolutes? Or do you think when I say marginalized I mean he was left out all together? In the first 2 and a half months Lukaku started 4 times under Ole. But yeah, he was key to his plans!
Ole sees them as his CFs in a fluid front 4. No matter how much it hurts your feelings, it's not going to change. Of course you think starting 4 games in 2 and a half months makes Lukaku key to Ole's plans last season.
Being your 2nd highest goalscorer only after Pogba(mainly due to him being our penalty taker) is far from marginalized. I guess the one that sees absolutes is you mate. I never said that he's key to Ole's plans