They're good players but what about their motivation to play for us? I hate seeing players who end up at clubs where they don't want to be just because of the money. Just pressing 3 players into a group like that... no consistency at all. We would be like Man City. I favour the one player at a time policy where they get time to grow into the team and become integral with both the culture and the club. A player like Tevez was really sucking up for us before he signed, and that is the kind of behaviour i want from a potential signing - and please ignore the fact that he showed to be a real whore.
Which midfielder should Moyes buy ?
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They're good players but what about their motivation to play for us? I hate seeing players who end up at clubs where they don't want to be just because of the money. Just pressing 3 players into a group like that... no consistency at all. We would be like Man City. I favour the one player at a time policy where they get time to grow into the team and become integral with both the culture and the club. A player like Tevez was really sucking up for us before he signed, and that is the kind of behaviour i want from a potential signing - and please ignore the fact that he showed to be a real whore.
We should go for Witsel and Modric in the January window. It's highly likely both will be rejected but I honestly think there's a small chance of signing Witsel in the January window. After the Modric bid gets rejected we should go for Cabaye or Rakitic. Cabaye shouldn't cost more than £20m.
I think if we wanted to we'd be able to sign Witsel and Cabaye.
Oh and I'd offload Anderson in January.
I think if we wanted to we'd be able to sign Witsel and Cabaye.
Oh and I'd offload Anderson in January.
Why bother with Modric if the bid is gonna get rejected ?
Yeah we should get Messi too while were at it. I mean if Real will sell a key player in January than surely Barca would also? Witsel could be an option but I doubt Woodword would be willing to risk the 35 million quid needed to get him and there are no certainties that the Russians would contemplate selling him...I think January will be about buying potential like Will Hughes and Ryan Gauld as there's very little chance of getting world class players in January as Clubs want to finish in the Champions League places and selling their best players will not help that cause
Yeah I went crazy with desperation but Witsel and Cabaye.
Isn't that Gauld player a winger/attacking mid? I would hope Woodward would splash cash for Witsel and I wouldn't mind Hughes but potential is not what we need currently.
nemanja matic would be awesome... Strong, excellent header, dribbling, tackling, passing... score goals, box to box... we coud have got him maybe for the same fellaini price.
Who's fault is it if not his? His supposed targets were Fellaini and Fabregas. First of all, Fellaini was obviously not good enough, and then on Fabregas, there was obviously no chance at all that we'd never get him, especially once you consider we started going after him the day after they sold Thiago already.
It's his fault he didn't have better targets in mind, or more realistic ones. That led to us being forced to spend 30 mil on shit like Fellaini. He has a chance to make up for it in January though, and he really can't afford to feck it up, for United's sake.
Looking like he was the one we should have gone for instead of Fellaini, Southampton have no real need to sell but anything close to what we overpaid for Fellaini would surely have nabbed him.
hehe yeah but then I would have had this thrown in my face, so I rather take the punch now and get over with it.
I think there was some guy coming over from Everton in the late 80's who was even guided around Old Trafford by Fergie, and then the whole deal was cut off because Fergie thought the player in mind didn't seem interested enough in the club nor the culture. Anyone remember more about that story? I'm not sure if he came over from Everton though.
It would be worrying if he's being expected to be a regular starter.
Seriously I think that we'll need three qualitative midfielders in order to compete in midfield with the top dogs. A central midfielder, a defensive midfielder who will compete with Carrick - and eventually replace him cause Carrick is now 32 - and a very good backup. Maybe it looks too much to someone, but two top quality midfielders should be the minimum in summer.
If we look at top teams (counting only quality midfielders they have):
- Barca has Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Song, Mascherano
- Madrid has Khedira, Illarramendi, Alonso and Modric
- Bayern has Martinez, Thiago, Schweinsteiger and Kroos
- Dortmund has Gundogan, Bender and Sahin
- Juve has Pirlo, Pogba, Vidal and Marchisio
United have Carrick, Fellaini, Cleverley and Anderson. The latest three of them wouldn't never ever get a game in any of those teams I mentioned and likely will seriously struggle to get games even to the second tier teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, City and PSG. And here I think is our biggest problem. Even with Sir Alex we were so un-exciting to watch. It isn't a coincidence how large became the Zombie football thread. The midfield is the most important part of a team so having a malfunctioning one makes all other parts of the squad look worse than they are and makes almost impossible to play good football. Fergie did great with what he had, but no-one else could have done the same with these players.
While it is highly unlikely that will happen, I just don't see that we may play good (and become succesful) with these midfielders we have. Doing blasphemy here but I actualy don't care at all if we ship Cleverley, and my hopes that Fellaini may turn good aren't much higher than in our other two midfielders.
Now looking at who may be available next season. From top quality midfielders there might be Gundogan and Modric (depending if Madrid signs someone there). Marchisio will likely be too if we decide to pay top money. Going a bit lower there are the likes of Herrera and Koke from Spain, Bender brothers in Germany, while in England there are Cabaye, Schneiderlin and McCarthy. All of them would walk into our first team and would improve us a lot. While as I said three will be ideal, there isn't much chance that we'll ship Fellaini (because he is an expensive signing and no-one would be crazy enough to pay half the money we payed for him and give him the wages he'll get here) and Cleverley (because he's local) which will make signing three midfielders impossible, but signing two good midfielders should be our priority in summer. At-least one of them should be top quality (Gundogan, Modric, Marchisio or someone else as good who will become available). We missed the trick this summer when all of Thiago, De Rossi, Strootman and Kongodbia were available and at-least first three of them would have greatly improved us. Hopefully we'll be smarter next summer and actually look even outside the England.
If we look at top teams (counting only quality midfielders they have):
- Barca has Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Song, Mascherano
- Madrid has Khedira, Illarramendi, Alonso and Modric
- Bayern has Martinez, Thiago, Schweinsteiger and Kroos
- Dortmund has Gundogan, Bender and Sahin
- Juve has Pirlo, Pogba, Vidal and Marchisio
United have Carrick, Fellaini, Cleverley and Anderson. The latest three of them wouldn't never ever get a game in any of those teams I mentioned and likely will seriously struggle to get games even to the second tier teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, City and PSG. And here I think is our biggest problem. Even with Sir Alex we were so un-exciting to watch. It isn't a coincidence how large became the Zombie football thread. The midfield is the most important part of a team so having a malfunctioning one makes all other parts of the squad look worse than they are and makes almost impossible to play good football. Fergie did great with what he had, but no-one else could have done the same with these players.
While it is highly unlikely that will happen, I just don't see that we may play good (and become succesful) with these midfielders we have. Doing blasphemy here but I actualy don't care at all if we ship Cleverley, and my hopes that Fellaini may turn good aren't much higher than in our other two midfielders.
Now looking at who may be available next season. From top quality midfielders there might be Gundogan and Modric (depending if Madrid signs someone there). Marchisio will likely be too if we decide to pay top money. Going a bit lower there are the likes of Herrera and Koke from Spain, Bender brothers in Germany, while in England there are Cabaye, Schneiderlin and McCarthy. All of them would walk into our first team and would improve us a lot. While as I said three will be ideal, there isn't much chance that we'll ship Fellaini (because he is an expensive signing and no-one would be crazy enough to pay half the money we payed for him and give him the wages he'll get here) and Cleverley (because he's local) which will make signing three midfielders impossible, but signing two good midfielders should be our priority in summer. At-least one of them should be top quality (Gundogan, Modric, Marchisio or someone else as good who will become available). We missed the trick this summer when all of Thiago, De Rossi, Strootman and Kongodbia were available and at-least first three of them would have greatly improved us. Hopefully we'll be smarter next summer and actually look even outside the England.
This should be Moyes realistic transfer aim
Ryan Gauld, Will Hughes and Luke Shaw in January
In summertime - Ross Barkley and Julian Draxler
I wouldn't be surprised if we sign another central defender too but many on here would doubt the need for that
Ryan Gauld, Will Hughes and Luke Shaw in January
In summertime - Ross Barkley and Julian Draxler
I wouldn't be surprised if we sign another central defender too but many on here would doubt the need for that
I have been a fan of.him for.a while now. In DM postion a much better choice than Fellaini.
No he isn't. We signed him from Bradford.
Fabregas would have been perfect. Anyone with that kind of skill-set is exactly what we need.
Herrera although not on the same level as Fabregas would fit the bill nicely.
Midfielder?
We still need two, minimum.
We still need two, minimum.
But what names did he give? We don't know a lot, but it seems he gave Fabregas, Herrera in late August and Fellaini. Not a lot for any CEO to work with.
We needed two in the summer. We bought one, but still need two. Basically, bar Carrick, if this were a computer game and we had the money, we would be reconstructing the whole midfield, as they are all easily upgradeable.
To be honest, even Carrick himself is of a level where ideally he should be the second best midfielder here I think. Sadly, I think we are about £100m away from returning to the summit of European football.
To be honest, even Carrick himself is of a level where ideally he should be the second best midfielder here I think. Sadly, I think we are about £100m away from returning to the summit of European football.
All true. But I don't think we will change the policy now. We have never liked paying agents, it's a part of the modern game as we know and we are unlikely to get the top players until we do it. And you are right it's why people like me are calling for us to sign Cabaye, because I think that's the level we can currently attract without "changing our morals". Of course we should be looking at the top tier midfielders, but it's clear that we can't get them because we won't pay the going rate same as everyone else does. If we want someone top class we have to pay top class fees, it's as simple as that.
Yeah on Football Manager, whenever I'm United, I sell everyone of the current crop apart from Carrick and then bring in 3 others. It's sad that it's come to the point where that is exactly what needs to be done (but won't happen since we just signed Fellaini, so he'll stay here for the foreseeable future sadly
)He's a world class player, but it was obviously never going to happen. Like painfully obvious and it was plain stupid and deluded to go after him for so long. it was like Moyes had a picture of United in his head that we can sign any player in the world if we want to, and he genuinely believed it. Then comes deadline day and he still has nobody, and realizes football isn't like that, so he splashes the cash on a player on his old team. He just wasn't prepared at all. It's almost impossible to have a worse transfer window then our summer one really.
I think the next 2 transfer windows might be quite tricky to get the right player with the World Cup coming up, January you get players cup tied and don't tend to see many big deals coming off. Players will want to be playing in the best competitions for a chance to be going to Brazil.
Then in the summer there's many players not wanting to focus on club business until the World Cup is finished, so if the player does good the price rises and more teams are interested.
Then in the summer there's many players not wanting to focus on club business until the World Cup is finished, so if the player does good the price rises and more teams are interested.
No sum of money would have tempted Fabregas here, it was sheer delusion from day one. If we could all see it, why can the powers that be not see it? Cesc's party might have been playing us but it's up to Woodward to spot that. The lack of planning was shocking for a club of our stature and it better not happen again. We knew the Cesc deal was dead in the water long before the end of the window, yet we still leave it til the last day to go for Herrera, who was realistic, good and getable and actually wanted to come here. Yet we fecked it up because we fell out with Bilbao over a couple of million. Then did the worst deal in the club's history a few hours later.
I thought you were implying from your post that there was a chance we could have got him, and missed out so to speak.
Not at all mate. I just think he's the exact type of player needed here and if there is anyone out there remotely similar we should be looking at them.
The quicker that transfer window is forgotten the better.
Is there anyone remotely similar to Fabregas out there though, that we can actually get? We are looking for a world class creative midfielder, comfortable in a 2 or a 3, can keep the ball for fun, can score 15 a season and is technically brilliant. Whoever it is will cost at least £40m.
It'd be £40 well spent if we get the right person. I'm not as aware of the different up and coming talents around the world as I used to be but there's got to be someone that fits the profile.
We need a new realistic list. The ones in this original one have either moved or we have got no chance of signing them.
30% Fabbo
'Fabbo'.
If we can get Herrera for a fair price we should definitely go back for him in January. But after blowing £27 million on the afro we're not in the strongest negotiation position for fees.
Yep, I think we're likely to get Herrera at some point over the next two transfer windows. Hopefully his poor form this season will convince them to cash in, then he suddenly returns to form for us.
Herrera on his own certainly won't solve our problems but he's probably as good as we're going to get in January.
With Khedeira out for a while, Alonso having had his woes too, certainly Real will be looking to add a midfielder in January. Surely, Real will be looking at the likes of Herrera, Gundogan, Matic, etc.
No doubts City will as well, not because they need to, just because they're spoiled with unlimited funds. But that aside, Chelsea, City, Liverpool, Arsenal will all look to strengthen in January. This is a wide open title race.
No doubts City will as well, not because they need to, just because they're spoiled with unlimited funds. But that aside, Chelsea, City, Liverpool, Arsenal will all look to strengthen in January. This is a wide open title race.
I can't think of many realistic January targets that'd be an improvement on our current midfield crop.
We need someone who can share Carrick's duties of dictating play and screening the defence. Has Clasie trained on since he was first linked with us?
This is pretty much the bottom line, we could buy Cabaye or Schniederlin and they might improve u s a bit, but it wouldn't be long before we were all back here wondering when we are going to get a couple of top class CM's in that can get us back on terms with Europe's elite.
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