Delighted with this signing. Think he'll fit right in and we should get 4-5 good years out of him if he manages to stay fit.
Thomas Vermaelen
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Delighted with this signing. Think he'll fit right in and we should get 4-5 good years out of him if he manages to stay fit.
Very true. Can't really do much wrong for 10m. Will be interesting to see how LvG uses him.
He's not even better than Smalling and Evans, especially the latter- yeah 
and 
at thatopinion if you want. Unless he's content being back-up to those two when they get injured and is coming for a small price, I don't get it.
And the rationale of if "LVG wants him, that's good enough" is stupidly bizarre, as Fergie who was close to perfect as a manager could be for United had eyebrows raised at some of his signings and rightly so, not sure what LVG has done to deserve blind faith of that level.
and at thatopinion if you want. Unless he's content being back-up to those two when they get injured and is coming for a small price, I don't get it.And the rationale of if "LVG wants him, that's good enough" is stupidly bizarre, as Fergie who was close to perfect as a manager could be for United had eyebrows raised at some of his signings and rightly so, not sure what LVG has done to deserve blind faith of that level.
hope this just another nonsense rumor
LVG likes players who can take the ball out of defence plus he can play central or on the left. May point towards more use of 352 as I suggested in the other thread as Vermaelen would be good on the left of a back three.
If true, I doubt this would be the only CB we will sign though.
If true, I doubt this would be the only CB we will sign though.
I'm loving all the he can't get in team ahead of Mertesaker or Kosceilny etc
Who is to say Smalling, Jones or Evans can get in Arsenal team. Why because they play for mighty Man Utd.
I'd be happy with this signing and not too gutted if it didn't happen. But to say he can't get into team ahead of this or that person is irrelevant. I'm sure they finished above us last year.
Who is to say Smalling, Jones or Evans can get in Arsenal team. Why because they play for mighty Man Utd.
I'd be happy with this signing and not too gutted if it didn't happen. But to say he can't get into team ahead of this or that person is irrelevant. I'm sure they finished above us last year.
I've been calling for us to step in for him for a while now. Clearly better offensively than Jones, Smalling or Evans who are all as equally prone to the odd defensive calamity as Vermaelen has been in the past. Way more composed on the ball than any of them. He no longer fits in at Arsenal and it may well be that his injuries have not been handled as well as claimed.
A marker of how we are going to be playing under LVG if we sign him and shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone really. Clearly the kind of player our new manager would employ. In summary....exciting.
A marker of how we are going to be playing under LVG if we sign him and shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone really. Clearly the kind of player our new manager would employ. In summary....exciting.
I'd have no issue with this deal. There is a very good player in there somewhere, and I trust LVG with him. Also, if he doesn't work, then screw him anyway. We have other good centre halves. If he wants to rescue his career at the top he can come here and fight. He is very talented that's for sure. He was excellent in his first season in England.
He's a quality player, that much is obvious. I am concerned about his injury record though, especially seeing as the CBs we have seem to have their own injury issues.
Hm. Not sure about this at all, kind of an Arsenal reject. I always found myself smiling if he was in their lineup when facing them. Hasn't really shown good form over the last two seasons.
Decent deal if a low fee I guess but not sure about big wages for him.
Decent deal if a low fee I guess but not sure about big wages for him.
Cheap, "safe" option type of Glazer signing.
To be fair to the lad, before he suffered the curse of Arsenal injuries he was a very good defender. At 27/28 he still has time to capture his best form once again.
To be fair to the lad, before he suffered the curse of Arsenal injuries he was a very good defender. At 27/28 he still has time to capture his best form once again.
Really hope this isnt true
Injury prone, not an actual top quality defender and not good enough for Arsenal
Injury prone, not an actual top quality defender and not good enough for Arsenal
This guy has BEEN world class before. Does anyone know if he has been starting for Belgium?
Think he played 6 games last season for Belgium. But he was injured. So I think he is a starter when fit.
So our idea of strengthen the team is that of bringing an injury prone defender from Arsenal's trash can? That's smart
This is getting on my tits. Players generally begin to get susceptible to injury when their game time is cut and they play sparsely at a highly competitive level. Ashley Young, at Villa, was one of the most regular starters in the division. Then you move him to United, as a squad player, playing once every three weeks, and suddenly he's some kind of inherent crock. Nah, it doesn't wash with me.
The body needs to become accustomed to the level of football being played. Smalling and Jones, two athletic lads that run their bollocks off, are not used to playing regular football. Only game time, pushing past that boundary, will alter that, as well as improving their actual performance levels. Next season Van Gaal will select two, play them week in, week out and injuries will decrease, I'm convinced. People will flock here boasting about how fit the lads are, when really, it will reinforce the stupidity of our team selections for a good few years.
I really hope hes there to fill in the positions so that Jones Smalling get a rest and learn from someone more experienced.
LvG wants the left CB to be left footed. Vermaelen is left footed ;-)
That is a pre-requisite for our CB.
I think that he is pretty good and would do a job here, but would prefer other options.
Underwhelming signing more than anything.
I hope he's signed as an experienced backup for Smalling/Jones/Evans and we get their fitness right.
I hope he's signed as an experienced backup for Smalling/Jones/Evans and we get their fitness right.
shocked at this signing, it came out of the blue ?
If indeed it is true.
If indeed it is true.
Played 135 games for Arsenal in 5 seasons scoring 15 goals and making 6 assists. Obviously he was injured a few times and then could not get back into team last season. Obviously our physios would give him a thorough test and if free from injury I do not think he would be a bad signing at all personally.
Right from the very start I felt he was a good footballer which people were mistaking for being a good defender. If he comes in as a first choice, which I suspect he will, it's a poor signing, IMO. Even the Arsenal fans on here are struggling to keep up the "he's a better player than anything you have" which they roll out for almost every single player of theirs that's questioned.
Even when he first came to Arsenal, I didn't think he was that good. He initially go overrated because he smashed in a couple of good goals. From then he was seen as being great. Even then I think his defensive abilities were questionable. He's not a bad defender but he certainly won't be an automatic starter.
Not sure if others have mentioned but he could also fill in at left back if needed.
Not sure if others have mentioned but he could also fill in at left back if needed.
If LvG thinks he can stay injury free and perform like he's capable of doing, then it's fine by me. I do worry about his injury record though, we really need a 40+ games per season defender.
LvG also wants good passers at the back, another reason why he fits to LvG style
I have doubts over the player himself, but the idea is right. We have great talents at the back, they just need to get a solid chance. What we need is an experienced addition who probably won't be complaining twice a week if he's not playing all the time.
Would be a decent acquisition depending on the price.
So we've been linked with some of the best centre halfs in the world and we end up singing this clown
Depends what Belgium do for their problem left back position. I think Vertonghen and Kompany are ahead at CB really but either Vertonghen or Vermaelen might play at LB.
Even Hargreaves was able to pass from the medical test.
Surely we could do better in replacing Vidic and Rio then Arsenal's injury prone reject
So we've been linked with some of the best centre halfs in the world and we end up singing this clown
Well if he is a clown he will fit right in with our current squad which is packed with more clowns than a circus.
I personally think in the PL he's only ever shown glimpses of being a quality player and that was back when Lescott was doing the same. Since then he's been error-prone and unreliable.
I agree anyone can pass a medical. If there are better out there then I feel the same we should sign better.
I don't think however that we should spend 30m on teenage defender and then the likes of Hummels etc are unattainable. Maybe we just promote Keane and go with the four we have. Again I'd be happy with this if two WC midfielders were signed.
Haven't seen him play for a while, whether that's due to his injury-habit or that I don't pay much attention to him I'm not sure.
I think he could be a good signing - experience and can be a very good defender. I'm concerned about his fitness but if we're convinced that it can be dealt with then I'm all for it. I don't think we needed a big signing in defence - we have Smalling, Jones and Evans. I know they're not world class yet, but signing a player who always expects to start could hinder one or two of the three's development.
Vermaelen seems to be a good ball-playing defender, which suits Van Gaal. Plus he can be deadly from set pieces. For a small sum of £10million max, I'd take it.
I think he could be a good signing - experience and can be a very good defender. I'm concerned about his fitness but if we're convinced that it can be dealt with then I'm all for it. I don't think we needed a big signing in defence - we have Smalling, Jones and Evans. I know they're not world class yet, but signing a player who always expects to start could hinder one or two of the three's development.
Vermaelen seems to be a good ball-playing defender, which suits Van Gaal. Plus he can be deadly from set pieces. For a small sum of £10million max, I'd take it.
I'd rather we get Vertonghen to be honest, but Spurs are gonna fleece us for him.
He's never struck me as a reliable defender so this is a surprise. Is this it for Jones as a centre back?
He's never struck me as a reliable defender so this is a surprise. Is this it for Jones as a centre back?
Vermaelen is 28, he is a good defender but not extra ordinary. Also has had regular injury problems. Not sure if this would be a good buy for anything over £10m.
In my opinion none of our current CB has justified a first team place yet. I'd say that we should get a quality defender and let the rest fight for the other spot. That would act as the right wake up call needed for them to start delivering the goods on a consistent basis.
I think so too, 1 world class player should be brought in
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