Ron Vlaar

I can't see him being good enough or worthwhile signing even as a stopgap measure.
 
People are looking at this potential move the wrong way in my opinion. This isn't about Jones, Rojo, Smalling, Evans or even McNair and Blackett. This isn't about Vlaar's quality and if he is United material or not. This is about cementing top 4. Nothing more. 5-10million? It means nothing when we are talking about making it or missing out on Europe.

If this was to go ahead it would be purely based on having another experienced CB around the make sure we get top 4. It's not about the future, it's not about looking to the development of young CB's, it is simply to make the squad stronger and in a better position to cope with certain situations that might come up between February and May.

I'm not going to say we will do a Leeds if we miss out on the top 4 but it would be close to a disaster for us, so we can't look to next year this January, we have to get this job done now, if any business is done in January, I don't care what spin the club put on it, it's with the short term in mind and rightly so.

What sort of contract do you offer him? What do you do with him long term?

Its not as if we can offer him a 6 month deal. He is 30 in Feb and Im sure he would be looking for a three year deal minimum.
 
What sort of contract do you offer him? What do you do with him long term?

Its not as if we can offer him a 6 month deal. He is 30 in Feb and Im sure he would be looking for a three year deal minimum.
I would say any player, especially someone who hasn't played an elite club (I wouldn't call Feyenoord one) would jump at something like a 2 year deal, probably give the option for a 3rd. Contracts are such a complex issue from both parties, it's not something that's easy to comment on.

In regards to long term with Vlaar, first cross this hurdle, I'm extremely confident we will get top 4 either way but next year and beyond, will we cash in on one of Jones/Evans/Smalling? (don't debate who here), then you still need experience and depth, so I'm sure with the increased number of fixtures, there would be a place in the squad for Vlaar.

I doubt he would come here expecting to be first choice week in week out and I'm sure he would be on van Gaal's side and not kick up a stink if he was left out for periods.

Again, I see both sides of the argument for wanting or not wanting Vlaar but I just think, our defence is our weak spot, we need to make the top 4, any type of strengthening to cement top 4 is good enough for me and this seems a realistic opportunity to strengthen it.
 
I would say any player, especially someone who hasn't played an elite club (I wouldn't call Feyenoord one) would jump at something like a 2 year deal, probably give the option for a 3rd. Contracts are such a complex issue from both parties, it's not something that's easy to comment on.

In regards to long term with Vlaar, first cross this hurdle, I'm extremely confident we will get top 4 either way but next year and beyond, will we cash in on one of Jones/Evans/Smalling? (don't debate who here), then you still need experience and depth, so I'm sure with the increased number of fixtures, there would be a place in the squad for Vlaar.

I doubt he would come here expecting to be first choice week in week out and I'm sure he would be on van Gaal's side and not kick up a stink if he was left out for periods.

Again, I see both sides of the argument for wanting or not wanting Vlaar but I just think, our defence is our weak spot, we need to make the top 4, any type of strengthening to cement top 4 is good enough for me and this seems a realistic opportunity to strengthen it.

Don't agree. Signings can send the right or the wrong message to players. i can't say our defence is weak, just that we have not had a settled one. Might still be weak anyway but this needs a proper assessment after playing a number of games together as a unit. LVG seems to be the type of manager that would want to see this first before making any decision.
I could understand the signing if there were long term injuries but none of these are and in fact, most are on their way back. Vlaar is not even close to being Utd quality and this assessment are from people who watch him every week......
 
Don't agree. Signings can send the right or the wrong message to players. i can't say our defence is weak, just that we have not had a settled one. Might still be weak anyway but this needs a proper assessment after playing a number of games together as a unit. LVG seems to be the type of manager that would want to see this first before making any decision.
I could understand the signing if there were long term injuries but none of these are and in fact, most are on their way back. Vlaar is not even close to being Utd quality and this assessment are from people who watch him every week......
I rate our defenders, by weak I mean our weak spot. Compared to our striker power, it's definitely the area that needs addressing. I understand there are a few ways to do that but the arrival of new signings is bound to happen whether January or the summer.

I really don't buy this United quality argument when talking about potential signings. It's about what suits the squad and the manager. Fellaini isn't a Man United quality player but the manager has found a way to use him, give him confidence and because of that, he is proving productive. We have had world class players who have proved to not work out at all and average, hard working players become heros.
 
I rate our defenders, by weak I mean our weak spot. Compared to our striker power, it's definitely the area that needs addressing. I understand there are a few ways to do that but the arrival of new signings is bound to happen whether January or the summer.

I really don't buy this United quality argument when talking about potential signings. It's about what suits the squad and the manager. Fellaini isn't a Man United quality player but the manager has found a way to use him, give him confidence and because of that, he is proving productive. We have had world class players who have proved to not work out at all and average, hard working players become heros.

Agree but it's different using a player within your club than transfering one. Vlaar offers nothing that doesn't already exist in the club. Evans, Smalling and Jones have PL medals and CL experience. It's not like he's even played previously at a club where the expectations are so high. Yes can see the merit of signing an experienced player but Vlaar has none.....
 
Seema to me like this is one of those where people ignore almost the entirety of a player's career and focus on a few good games in a World Cup or whatever. He's not remotely good enough and that'll become apparent if we sign him.
 
Do not want, average at best and on a side note will put down immediately our average squad handsomeness which has finally increased since RvP's, Mata's, Blind's and Falcao's signings.
 
This is barking up the wrong forest, let alone the wrong tree.

Signing Vlaar would bring us nothing we don't already have - that is injury prone players that at their very best are a decent player for a top four side (with both Jones and Smalling still having the potential to be much more if they can stay fit, which admittedly will probably never happen).
 
This is barking up the wrong forest, let alone the wrong tree.

Signing Vlaar would bring us nothing we don't already have - that is injury prone players that at their very best are a decent player for a top four side (with both Jones and Smalling still having the potential to be much more if they can stay fit, which admittedly will probably never happen).

To be fair none of our CB's ever played as many minutes in single PL season as Vlaar did last season ~ 2800 mins.
Evans' record is 2400, which is Vlaar's tally in 2012/2013.

This year he also played around 200-300 more PL minutes than our lot (200 more than Jones, 300 than Evans & Smalling).

He's not an example of totally fit footballer, but he's not THAT bad as our cursed trio. Plus he looked very composed against us.
 
Unless we can sign a top target e.g. Godin or Hummels, then I would stick with what we have until the summer.

The defense has actually looked pretty good to me in recent weeks, and being undefeated in 9 games backs that theory up. Fact is, we defend and attack as a unit. It's about the system, not individuals. I see little benefit bringing in new players that have to learn the system, before the end of the season, unless they are top class.

With no CL, and no league cup, we don't have many fixtures left either. Pretty much just one a week.

Just want quality moving forward. No squad players. We have enough of those already.
 
If Vlaar is someone who can organize the back and provide leadership then he's a good acquisition on a short term basis. Leadership and consistency have been missing at the back so you can afford a little less athleticism and speed, although Vlaar is deceptively fast. The question is who do you pair him with at the back. Plus Van Gaal trusts Vlaar and Vlaar is familiar with what Van Gaal is trying to do so lessen the risk of a player coming in who doesn't know the defensive objectives.

CB is such a difficult position to assess and leadership is so vastly underrated as a quality.
 
Injured again. His third lay off of the season I think, meaning he's only been able to play something like five consecutive games?

Does anyone really think this guy is the solution to our average and injury prone defence?
 
Injured again. His third lay off of the season I think, meaning he's only been able to play something like five consecutive games?

Does anyone really think this guy is the solution to our average and injury prone defence?

I like Vlaar, but we should avoid him.Whether we buy Vlaar or Hummels, bringing in an injury prone centre back just expands the current problem of having a group of centre backs who can't play more than 3 or 4 games without getting sidelined.

I'd rather we looked at Godin or Laporte. Proven quality, and seem capable of playing every week.
 
Injured for 6 weeks, early reports suggest that it is due to being linked to United.
 
Injured for 6 weeks, early reports suggest that it is due to being linked to United.
Or, you know, because he was already a very injury-prone defender.
 
Injured for 6 weeks, early reports suggest that it is due to being linked to United.

:D

I do hope we don't get him.
He is made of glass and he isnt even that good.
I'd take him on a free transfer and use as a squad player. He will rotate with our existing glass defenders.
 
Sucks for Villa too, he'd leave on a free unless they can sell him in this window.
 
Just imagine, if things went our way we could have added Vermaelen and Vlaar to our back line.
 
------------Valdes
Rafael - Vlaar - Hummels - Vermaelen
--------Vidal - Strootman
? ---------- ? -------------- Reus
-------------Falcao
We'd need a full-blown hospital to deal with this lot.
 
I'm hearing the phrase "degenerative injury" thrown about in relation to Vlaar.

How many red flags do you need? It would be absolute madness to go anywhere near the guy. I mean it's not like he's outstanding when he's fit either.