Too early to be getting worried?

[Mister Ed]

I can't honestly imagine how some of you live your life.

Worried because we haven't got any players in (apart from one who were all really excited about) before we've even gone on tour. "Windows are closing" "we've gone after too high profile players" "reminds me of Moyes"

Honestly can say if you're saying or believing any of that stuff you're an idiot.

Someone said earlier that if you look at how not to do transfers we'd be in 90% of the cases . Do people honestly believe the nonsense they spew?

90% surely is an exaggeration but the guy who posted does make a fair point we are one of the worst clubs in recent years in terms of transfers. If you can't see that then you are blind.

1: We don't always get in the players we need, issues in the team sometimes keep going on for several seasons until situations get so festered management can't ignore them anymore.

2: We often overpay for our players. I struggle to think of many players we signed for a good deal. I mean just look at last season, not a single good deal that we made. Di Maria is the BPL transfer record, Shaw is the world most expensive fullback and teenager, Herrera was an expensive release clause, Falcao was probably one of the most expensive loans in the history of football. Rojo wasn't only an expensive transfer fee for a relatively unknown and unproven CB but we also ended up loaning them Nani in return and paying for his wages and entrie year (£100k a week !). Even Blind wasn't exactly cheap as he is one of Ajax record transfer fees. And now Depay is the dutch transfer fee record and the season before that we signed Fellaini for £4m more than he is release clause ! Not too mention other very expensive transfers like Phil Jones or Ashley young, Berbatov, hell even Anderson cost us an arm and a leg with his transfer fee and a small fortune in wages for all those years. How can you look at all that and not see how bad those deals actually are ? The fact we have money doesn't justify overspending for every fecker with 2 legs out there.

3: Alot of players we end up signing don't work out.

4: We never seem to get our business sorted early and in time.

5: We often seem to not be interrested in the right kinda players for us. The phrase "that player makes too much sense for us to sign" doesn't just come out off thin air.

6: We never seem to be able to get our deadwood sold for reasonable prices. Compare that to clubs like Chelsea and they actually make profits on players they don't need or want anymore whilst we almost have to pay clubs to take players away from us.

That is only a couple of things that are consistently wrong with our transfer dealings over the last couple of years.

I do not rate our scouting apparatus at all comparred to other clubs
I do not rate our negotiators at all comparred to other clubs
I think we have a very indecisive management that is more reactive than proactive in the transfer market

 

[Sunny Jim]

All a bit late to get worried and angry right ?

If we don't get our players in before the 17th than it has been nothing short of a failure. The goal was clearly communicated to have most of the team sorted before we leave on pre season especially considering the fact we have CL play offs in augustus.

You're 100% correct. The dealine was set and IMO that was a good, healthy deadline. But this is transfer market and you cannot control everything.

The goal was clearly communicated to have most of the team sorted before we leave on pre season especially considering the fact we have CL play offs in augustus.

I'am worrying now for the fact we are not going to make that deadline and I'll be angry if we jet off with half a team to the US. Pre season has failed right there and then if that happens. I'll be furious if it would have an effect on our CL play off and I'll be beyond livid if we start the new season without the team sorted.

We really are in a position we can't feck about with these things anymore. We simply must play in the CL and contrary to many people believe that fact has not been realised just yet. And we simply must improve on our form from last season and show to the world United is still a topclub that can compete with Chelsea and City for the title. It will be very hard to do that if we don't have a proper preparation for the season and it will be near impossible to do it if we don't get the right players.

I think 2 weeks time considering the speed we conclude our deals is a very short time window to do our requirred business. Which makes it likley we'll not have our team sorted before the 17th, which means our pre season will be hamperred again which means a bad preparation for the new season and definitley for the CL play-off. I'd say people have every right to be worried about our situation right now.

and i agree with the reamianing part

 

[Crustanoid]

90% surely is an exaggeration but the guy who posted does make a fair point we are one of the worst clubs in recent years in terms of transfers. If you can't see that then you are blind.

1: We don't always get in the players we need, issues in the team sometimes keep going on for several seasons until situations get so festered management can't ignore them anymore.

2: We often overpay for our players. I struggle to think of many players we signed for a good deal. I mean just look at last season, not a single good deal that we made. Di Maria is the BPL transfer record, Shaw is the world most expensive fullback and teenager, Herrera was an expensive release clause, Falcao was probably one of the most expensive loans in the history of football. Rojo wasn't only an expensive transfer fee for a relatively unknown and unproven CB but we also ended up loaning them Nani in return and paying for his wages and entrie year (£100k a week !). Even Blind wasn't exactly cheap as he is one of Ajax record transfer fees. And now Depay is the dutch transfer fee record and the season before that we signed Fellaini for £4m more than he is release clause ! Not too mention other very expensive transfers like Phil Jones or Ashley young, Berbatov, hell even Anderson cost us an arm and a leg with his transfer fee and a small fortune in wages for all those years. How can you look at all that and not see how bad those deals actually are ? The fact we have money doesn't justify overspending for every fecker with 2 legs out there.

3: Alot of players we end up signing don't work out.

4: We never seem to get our business sorted early and in time.

5: We often seem to not be interrested in the right kinda players for us. The phrase "that player makes too much sense for us to sign" doesn't just come out off thin air.

6: We never seem to be able to get our deadwood sold for reasonable prices. Compare that to clubs like Chelsea and they actually make profits on players they don't need or want anymore whilst we almost have to pay clubs to take players away from us.

That is only a couple of things that are consistently wrong with our transfer dealings over the last couple of years.

I do not rate our scouting apparatus at all comparred to other clubs
I do not rate our negotiators at all comparred to other clubs
I think we have a very indecisive management that is more reactive than proactive in the transfer market

Your points are all valid and actually it was me who said 90% of cases, which, whilst I was being deliberately melodramatic, to some extent there is truth there. If you want an example of how not to operate in the transfer market, we have covered most of the main types of error: overpaying (lots of times), dillydallying and losing out by not putting in realistic bids, consciously avoiding the sorts of players we need for the squad, getting shafted on sales of outgoing players etc etc

The fact is we have been fairly awful at this for 7-8 years, and although in that time there have been a few successes (a broken clock is right twice a day), we really should review our approach. You can forgive fans for getting worried about not being prepared to hit the ground running (yet again), and thus stagnating for another season.

 

[Mister Ed]

Your points are all valid and actually it was me who said 90% of cases, which, whilst I was being deliberately melodramatic, to some extent there is truth there. If you want an example of how not to operate in the transfer market, we have covered most of the main types of error: overpaying (lots of times), dillydallying and losing out by not putting in realistic bids, consciously avoiding the sorts of players we need for the squad, getting shafted on sales of outgoing players etc etc

The fact is we have been fairly awful at this for 7-8 years, and although in that time there have been a few successes (a broken clock is right twice a day), we really should review our approach. You can forgive fans for getting worried about not being prepared to hit the ground running (yet again), and thus stagnating for another season.

Indeed 100% agree

I think people saying it is all fine and good and nothing to worry about or the ones thinking they are sensible by claiming our transfer business hasn't been bad at all (can't give a single example of good dealings comparred to other clubs to back it up) are all a bit deluded.

Fact is alot of people have been claiming we are not such a good team anymore for years now even under SAF. We might win stuff but we are not pleasant to look at. With SAF gone we are still not pleasant to look at and we have finished 7th with one of the worst seasons in the clubs history and we have need a £150m investment to bump that up to 4th...

Not acceptable for a club that is one of the biggest in the world. We should be up there amongst with Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern, yet we can't even deal with the competition coming from Chelsea and City and now even Arsenal seem to trumph us. It is embarrassing and our failure in the transfer market has been key to it. Not just in the last seasons but the last 8 years as you have said. People who would say otherwise need a reality check.

Despite all the nice promises we have had for an entire year, we are 2 weeks from pre season and many still feel we are ages off completing our crucial dealings for this summer. People have plenty of reasons to be angry with that and feel worried given the current situation. Any who claim otherwise are people that start worrying when the house is in on fire or even in ash instead of when they can start smelling the smoke.

 

[Acquire Me]

I for one think Liverpool has done okay business, but not great business. Most of the signings are average and I am not saying that to be an ass. Clyne and Firmino are good players, but they would not strenghten us to be fair. I would be scared if their signings were ours.

 

[badkins]

We are worried.

They are Liverpool.

WE. ARE. WORRIED.

 

[Question234]

All a bit late to get worried and angry right ?

If we don't get our players in before the 17th than it has been nothing short of a failure. The goal was clearly communicated to have most of the team sorted before we leave on pre season especially considering the fact we have CL play offs in augustus.

I'am worrying now for the fact we are not going to make that deadline and I'll be angry if we jet off with half a team to the US. Pre season has failed right there and then if that happens. I'll be furious if it would have an effect on our CL play off and I'll be beyond livid if we start the new season without the team sorted.

We really are in a position we can't feck about with these things anymore. We simply must play in the CL and contrary to many people believe that fact has not been realised just yet. And we simply must improve on our form from last season and show to the world United is still a topclub that can compete with Chelsea and City for the title. It will be very hard to do that if we don't have a proper preparation for the season and it will be near impossible to do it if we don't get the right players.

I think 2 weeks time considering the speed we conclude our deals is a very short time window to do our requirred business. Which makes it likley we'll not have our team sorted before the 17th, which means our pre season will be hamperred again which means a bad preparation for the new season and definitley for the CL play-off. I'd say people have every right to be worried about our situation right now.

bit much, as long as we get a cb and cm before then i'll be happy.

 

[Crustanoid]

Indeed 100% agree

I think people saying it is all fine and good and nothing to worry about or the ones thinking they are sensible by claiming our transfer business hasn't been bad at all (can't give a single example of good dealings comparred to other clubs to back it up) are all a bit deluded.

Fact is alot of people have been claiming we are not such a good team anymore for years now even under SAF. We might win stuff but we are not pleasant to look at. With SAF gone we are still not pleasant to look at and we have finished 7th with one of the worst seasons in the clubs history and we have need a £150m investment to bump that up to 4th...

Not acceptable for a club that is one of the biggest in the world. We should be up there amongst with Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern, yet we can't even deal with the competition coming from Chelsea and City and now even Arsenal seem to trumph us. It is embarrassing and our failure in the transfer market has been key to it. Not just in the last seasons but the last 8 years as you have said. People who would say otherwise need a reality check.

Despite all the nice promises we have had for an entire year, we are 2 weeks from pre season and many still feel we are ages off completing our crucial dealings for this summer. People have plenty of reasons to be angry with that and feel worried given the current situation. Any who claim otherwise are people that start worrying when the house is in on fire or even in ash instead of when they can start smelling the smoke.

I think it goes right up to the top to be honest.

Maybe I'm speculating wildly but:

Fergies last few years: We scrimped and went for value signings and spent way below the amounts needed for a club this size. The only reason we were successful was because of the quality of the manager. At the end he got a 'leaving present' in RVP - one of the best deals of this period.

Moyes comes in: Glazers continue in relative 'tight mode', say they'll back Moyes with money but it doesn't really materialise for most of the summer. Woody comes in, doesn't have much of a clue. Thiago / Fabregas / Bale etc are chased but we are completely unrealistic and unsurprisingly we lose out. Last minute panic sees us overpaying for Fellaini and missing out on Herrera even though we had all SUmmer to sort it out.

Moyes is sacked and we finish 7th: Panic, panic, panic. Glazers must be seen to back the next guy and LVG spends £150. He guides us to 4th but there are still considerable problems with the squad

This summer: Assured of CL qualification (Oh, actually we're not yet), Glazers ease back into tight mode. Whilst an obvious transfer in Otamendi is glaring at us, we dick about over Ramos because it serves as some sort of lesson to Madrid who have turned our Madrid-born goalkeeper's head. Ditto, we have a ready-made improvement for our midfield in Schneiderlin, but we decide to go and pursue the most Bayernish person possible from Bayern instead. With time ticking on. we're still stuck with essentially the same squad issues.

Whilst a percentage of fans can see all this, the management of the club seem to be fine with our approach, or maybe they don't value the on-pitch side of things higher than the business side. Those official noodle-partnerships aren't going to be made on their own though are they?

 

[Rednotdead]

Why would you think he would do?

At present there's no evidence to think he would or wouldn't, apart from the ludicrous lengthy and fruitless pursuit of Ronaldo two years ago. I just said I hope he doesn't.

 

[JustAFan]

You're 100% correct. The dealine was set and IMO that was a good, healthy deadline. But this is transfer market and you cannot control everything.



and i agree with the reamianing part

No deadline was set. Every club says they want their business done early unfortunately the buying clubs are only one part of the equation.

 

[Fully Fledged]

FFS I'd take Vlaar now just for signing. I'm not worried that we haven't signed anybody. I'm just getting bored of the whole window and need a signing any signing to reactivate my interest.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

Still alot of time left, i won't panic yet.

However i'm starting to get tired of this approach of going for targets who is very hard to get or doesn't know if they want to go.

I would like to see some action, just pay 25m for Schneiderlin, 35m for Otamendi and so on, these players want to come and clearly has the quality to play for us.

 

[JustAFan]

Still alot of time left, i won't panic yet.

However i'm starting to get tired of this approach of going for targets who is very hard to get or doesn't know if they want to go.

I would like to see some action, just pay 25m for Schneiderlin, 35m for Otamendi and so on, these players want to come and clearly has the quality to play for us.

Thing is do you really know who we have been trying to sign? We have been rumoured as much with Schneiderlin and Otamendi as we have a Ramos, Hummels, etc. so who are we trying to sign and who are we not even in for?

 

[LilRicky]

bit much, as long as we get a cb and cm before then i'll be happy.

CM could be done by then, possibly. But CB is a long, long way off being finished. Perhaps if we go back for Otamendi we could have one signed, however he won't take part in the US Tour as he has commitments with Argentina still and would most likely join up later with the squad when back home in England.

Hardly ideal preparation...We are again, looking like transfer mugs!

 

[Ole'sbodyguard]

I'm not really sure what people are worried about when it comes to this transfer window.

Including Valdes and the loan deal for Falcao, United have signed 9 first team players in the last 18 months. Some of these deals have for high profile players such as Mata, Di Maria and Falcao and last summer we brought in six first team players in one window in a World Cup year.

We have already shown that we are capable of recruiting and signing players in the post Fergie era. I'd expect that recruitment to continue before this transfer window closes to strengthen other areas of the squad. Is there anyone who seriously thinks that will not happen?

Even if United did not sign anyone before the season started we still already have a first team squad capable of fielding a first eleven good enough for the opening 4 league games we have scheduled and the Champions League qualifiers before the transfer window closes.

I want United to get their transfer business done as soon as possible but signing players takes time. The most important thing is we get players which improve the first team squad.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

Thing is do you really know who we have been trying to sign? We have been rumoured as much with Schneiderlin and Otamendi as we have a Ramos, Hummels, etc. so who are we trying to sign and who are we not even in for?

I can't be sure who we are targeting, but i can guess somewhat. Hummels was our first priority in defence with Otamendi as second choice, then Hummels decided he wanted to stay at Dortmund and Suddently the option of Ramos came up and we made him first priority. We could have had Otamendi now if we just payed the release clause. Schweinsteiger is first choice CDM, with Schneiderlin 2nd choice, Schweinsteiger is taking long to decide and looks to see if Bayern would give him a new contract, we could have had Schneiderlin by now if we paid Southamptons asking price of 25m.

As i said, i won't panic yet, we could end up with Ramos and Schweinsteiger still and all would be happy, but it's taking a long time and i think LvG would prefer if we had the players we wanted by now so they could be a part of pre-season.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

Still alot of time left, i won't panic yet.

However i'm starting to get tired of this approach of going for targets who is very hard to get or doesn't know if they want to go.

I would like to see some action, just pay 25m for Schneiderlin, 35m for Otamendi and so on, these players want to come and clearly has the quality to play for us.

This. Why are we being reported to have thrown a massive bid at Muller, for example, who clearly has no interest in playing for us? Not even sure where Ramos decided playing for us was better than Madrid.

Woodys learned lessons from his first debacle, though not necessarily the best ones IMO. The hell are we doing? There's no fire yet but the smoke is starting to appear. Hope we get things done soon.

 

[JustAFan]

I can't be sure who we are targeting, but i can guess somewhat. Hummels was our first priority in defence with Otamendi as second choice, then Hummels decided he wanted to stay at Dortmund and Suddently the option of Ramos came up and we made him first priority. We could have had Otamendi now if we just payed the release clause. Schweinsteiger is first choice CDM, with Schneiderlin 2nd choice, Schweinsteiger is taking long to decide and looks to see if Bayern would give him a new contract, we could have had Schneiderlin by now if we paid Southamptons asking price of 25m.

As i said, i won't panic yet, we could end up with Ramos and Schweinsteiger still and all would be happy, but it's taking a long time and i think LvG would prefer if we had the players we wanted by now so they could be a part of pre-season.

So essentially whoever our media rumour of the day is, that is our target. And when the media moves to a new target it means that Woodie and LvG have a new player in mind.

 

[devilish]

This. Why are we being reported to have thrown a massive bid at Muller, for example, who clearly has no interest in playing for us? Not even sure where Ramos decided playing for us was better than Madrid.

Woodys learned lessons from his first debacle, though not necessarily the best ones IMO. The hell are we doing? There's no fire yet but the smoke is starting to appear. Hope we get things done soon.

I hope we're not using the gettable players (ex Otamendi and Schneiderlin) as plan B to the nearly impossible players to get. Players don't like to feel that they are the second choice and may end up showing us the door. Also lets stop with this arrogance that everyone wants to join us and would do anything to come to United. Its seriously not the case.

 

[Crustanoid]

This has been the worst transfer window I can remember in terms of expectations going into it, and the eventual reality.

Awful approach by us towards transfer dealings. We should have just signed the attainable (and very capable) players and then gone back for the unnattainable ones.

 

[gaz1185]

This has been the worst transfer window I can remember in terms of expectations going into it, and the eventual reality.

Awful approach by us towards transfer dealings. We should have just signed the attainable (and very capable) players and then gone back for the unnattainable ones.

Care to enlighten us with any other key points that happen in the world over the next two months? Maybe this weekends lottery numbers?

 

[Crustanoid]

Care to enlighten us with any other key points that happen in the world over the next two months? Maybe this weekends lottery numbers?

We turn out with Claise and De Vrij in our starting XI when the season begins?

 

[gaz1185]

We turn out with Claise and De Vrij in our starting XI when the season begins?

Actually sounds legit

 

[matt23]

I'm not worried, but I'm getting very bored of all the noise and nothing happening.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

If we do not sign anyone else before preseason, the first press conference with Van Gaal is going to be a very testy affair.

 

[LilRicky]

I'm not really sure what people are worried about when it comes to this transfer window.

Including Valdes and the loan deal for Falcao, United have signed 9 first team players in the last 18 months. Some of these deals have for high profile players such as Mata, Di Maria and Falcao and last summer we brought in six first team players in one window in a World Cup year.

We have already shown that we are capable of recruiting and signing players in the post Fergie era. I'd expect that recruitment to continue before this transfer window closes to strengthen other areas of the squad. Is there anyone who seriously thinks that will not happen?

Even if United did not sign anyone before the season started we still already have a first team squad capable of fielding a first eleven good enough for the opening 4 league games we have scheduled and the Champions League qualifiers before the transfer window closes.

I want United to get their transfer business done as soon as possible but signing players takes time. The most important thing is we get players which improve the first team squad.

Going on last seasons results against our first 4 opponents we got 7 points from the same fixtures, it's ok but hardly ideal. If we get the players in on time as we really should be doing rather than chasing unobtainable players (Mueller and Ramos most likely) we stand a chance of winning all 4 opening matches. I'd prefer we just sorted out deals for players who want to play for United, Schneiderlin & Otamendi.

Both are more than good enough to be playing for United, they are at the right age and could arguably go on to be two of the better players in Europe in the seasons ahead.

 

[shabadu84]

Last year, we signed a good group a players and got rid of a much of the dead weight we needed to. Unfortunately, too much of that happened at the very end of the window and our performances in the first half suffered for it. Can't let that happen again

 

[Kill 'em all]

35 days to our first league game, 10 days until we fly out to the USA and people still saying we have a lot of time to sign players.

 

[LilRicky]

35 days to our first league game, 10 days until we fly out to the USA and people still saying we have a lot of time to sign players.

Crazy isn't it. The only player we look like possibly signing with a quick turn around is Schneiderlin. Other than that, everything else is in a mess.

 

[Dreaded]

If we sign no one, the squad and team is in a much stronger position going into the start of this season compared to last season.

The window is only opened two days and still over two weeks until the 17th.

 

[LilRicky]

If Carrick is still injured I beg to differ! we still have no adequate cover for him. As it stands, Rooney is playing CM for next season with RVP up front with support from Wilson, Chiccarito is injured too btw!

 

[DomesticTadpole]

If we sign no one, the squad and team is in a much stronger position going into the start of this season compared to last season.

The window is only opened two days and still over two weeks until the 17th.

If we lose our goalie we won't be in a stronger position. Our defence will be exposed and we are an injury to Carrick from real problems, because Blind is not the answer there. Also Hernandez being injured means we can't sell him and can't use him either.

 

[Ole'sbodyguard]

35 days to our first league game, 10 days until we fly out to the USA and people still saying we have a lot of time to sign players.

It's true though. We have 2 months to sign players and the transfer window has only just opened. Who cares whether we sign anyone before the USA tour?

It's only little over a month since last season we finished. Did you expect us to sign everyone needed in 5 weeks?

 

[NL Max]

A broken collarbone doesn't equal a failed medical. It can only be problematic if Hernandez is still using medicine (which won't be the whole length of the transfer window) or if he has potential problems around that region with lymfenodes. If his medical history and blood tests are fine and no abnormalities are found elsewhere it doesn't matter that a broken bone lights up (hotspot) during nuclear imaging, CT most likely can rule out any potential doubts.

Clubs might still be wary of signing him since he needs to recover, but it has nothing to do with a medical.

 

[Kill 'em all]

It's true though. We have 2 months to sign players and the transfer window has only just opened. Who cares whether we sign anyone before the USA tour?

It's only little over a month since last season we finished. Did you expect us to sign everyone needed in 5 weeks?

It will be last season all over if we don't make the required signings before the start of the season. We need to be ready from the first whistle, there's no room for error or complacency.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

It's true though. We have 2 months to sign players and the transfer window has only just opened. Who cares whether we sign anyone before the USA tour?

It's only little over a month since last season we finished. Did you expect us to sign everyone needed in 5 weeks?

I think the manager cares. He seems to be ruling the roost and if Ed doesn't do what he has been asked to do, then in private the proverbial shit will hit the proverbial fan.

 

[Sied]

Our rivals are doing no better. That should be the measure of whether we should be concerned or not IMO.

 

[space]

Would like to see a decent squad complete before pre season, saying that at least we have Depay to look forward too. In my opinion Schneiderlin will be done soon and possibly one more signing before the 17th. I'd like a CB such as Otamendi. If it has to be Ramos (which would obviously be great) I think the saga will drag on all summer..

 

[JustAFan]

35 days to our first league game, 10 days until we fly out to the USA and people still saying we have a lot of time to sign players.

We do. We can sign the right up until the window closes. Just because our goal is to try and have them done quickly does not mean we are under some sort of deadline where we can not sign players if it takes longer.

Perfect world, yes all deals are done now! We don't live in a perfect world though.

 

[Rednotdead]

It's true though. We have 2 months to sign players and the transfer window has only just opened. Who cares whether we sign anyone before the USA tour?

It's only little over a month since last season we finished. Did you expect us to sign everyone needed in 5 weeks?

Given the talk about "unlimited funds" and "getting our business done early" I would have expected us to at least have made inroads. So far we haven't.