I'd imagine Ed is awaiting the green light by LVG but he should he been silent apart from that I'm not sure why he is getting the anger. I watched goals on Sunday and Sunday supplement and someone said they had bumped into Moyes and he said the one regret was he should have recruited quicker. So what is Ed to do, he obviously got the go ahead for Herrera and Shaw and wrapped them up nicely.
Woodward (old thread)
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He can start with himself.
I wouldnt call it a miracle to get us back in the top 4. Atm it would be quite a challenge, but that's just natural looking at the competition in the EPL.
To make us competing for the title we would need to strengthen though and believe me I want that us much as the next guy.
Why the he'll is it wrong to expect signing top class players which are actually needed ( yes they are actually needed rather than for the sake of it) at arguably the biggest club in the world?
People argue we signed 3 players worth almost 100 mil in the last 1 year but seriously whoever believes we don't need a CM and CB is just trying to show themselves as top reds. And no if we sign 2 top class players for big bucks , we won't turn into a Real Madrid because we actually fecking " need" those players after not only a dismal season, but also 4-5 important experienced players have left us and and we are supposed to be the biggest club in the world with zillions of revenue and fans.
So in short how can anyone hoping for transfers be unreasonable.
People argue we signed 3 players worth almost 100 mil in the last 1 year but seriously whoever believes we don't need a CM and CB is just trying to show themselves as top reds. And no if we sign 2 top class players for big bucks , we won't turn into a Real Madrid because we actually fecking " need" those players after not only a dismal season, but also 4-5 important experienced players have left us and and we are supposed to be the biggest club in the world with zillions of revenue and fans.
So in short how can anyone hoping for transfers be unreasonable.
To use 40-50m on one specific player is very risky when our needs is probably 3-4 players, I don't think that's a wise idea. Especially if the player has injury problems. If I try to think outside my muppet dreams and use my logic it would make more sense to look for cheaper options, younger and up coming instead of the finished article. Vermaelen looked from the outside as a very clever move. Experienced but not to expensive. Regarding Vidal and de Maria I can't see us splashing out so much money this summer on one player when we are without CL games. I still dream like everybody else but... Eddie boy... is first and foremost an account man, even if there is a muppet inside him. Time will tell.
Wow can't believe the season starts next week and we've only signed 2 players thus far. Teams like Barca and Madrid spending 100million plus year after year even when they don't need it, but we won't even (Probably now) spend those figures when it's actually needed. We had to do 2 transfer windows work in 1 and so far I'd say we've failed.
Obviously the window is open for another 3 weeks so anything can still happen.
Obviously the window is open for another 3 weeks so anything can still happen.
I'm unsure we'll see any significant signings after this coming week, so the next five days are extremely important. I'm remaining calm, Woodward either delivers or faces massive pressure.
Pressure from who though? Not the Glazers, not LVG, not Fergie or Bobby and certainly not the match going fans. Our only hope us the media.
Fans will turn on Woodward should he fail to deliver.
This - if he and LvG conspire to bring in no one while changing to a system that uses more defenders than we have I may have to change my vote in this poll.
It will end up like those angry Arsenal fans at the beginning of last season if we have a poor start.
he's an idiot for mouthing off about watching spaces....
only ever do that when things are completely in the bag....
instead we've a new manager trying to implement a new system with an unbalanced squad missing depth and quality in key positions....
6 days before the new season
well done United
only ever do that when things are completely in the bag....
instead we've a new manager trying to implement a new system with an unbalanced squad missing depth and quality in key positions....
6 days before the new season
well done United
He IS an idiot for making comments last summer and this implying that there were deals on the go, and not delivering.
As ever though, the caf blows things completely out of proportion. The squad is nowhere near as bad as people are making out. We have fewer games next season, meaning a smaller squad is beneficial as you don't have rotation issues, and can play a settled XI whenever possible.
At United we are so used to having an enormous squad and never seeing the same lineup 2 games in a row, it has skewed our perception. Liverpool last year overachieved with a mediocre squad for this reason.
LVG has always been one to try youngsters. We have had a lot of lads waiting for first team football for years. Januzaj last season showed that there are players there who are ready to make the jump. Van Gaal has been using
Blackett, M. Keane, James, Wilson and Lingard on preseason and they have performed well. It doesn't strike me as surprising that LVG may choose to use these youngsters as our backup to the first team.
At the back we have Jones, Evans and Smalling as first choice (assuming 3-5-2, we can always revert to a back four if we have an injury crisis). Blackett, Keane and Carrick (I would guess) are our backups.
In CM, we know Herrera is first choice. We then have Cleverley, Fletcher, Carrick, Jones and Kagawa as potential others - and this assumes that Anderson and Fellaini both leave.
Quality isn't the best there, but I doubt we are going to sign a CM until we have seen some departures from that lot.
Basically, we can field a first XI that is as good as pretty much anyone else in the league. We play fewer games so the players should be fresher, less injuries, less need for rotation. We have youngsters as backup who have proven on preseason that they are ready to step up.
As ever though, the caf blows things completely out of proportion. The squad is nowhere near as bad as people are making out. We have fewer games next season, meaning a smaller squad is beneficial as you don't have rotation issues, and can play a settled XI whenever possible.
At United we are so used to having an enormous squad and never seeing the same lineup 2 games in a row, it has skewed our perception. Liverpool last year overachieved with a mediocre squad for this reason.
LVG has always been one to try youngsters. We have had a lot of lads waiting for first team football for years. Januzaj last season showed that there are players there who are ready to make the jump. Van Gaal has been using
Blackett, M. Keane, James, Wilson and Lingard on preseason and they have performed well. It doesn't strike me as surprising that LVG may choose to use these youngsters as our backup to the first team.
At the back we have Jones, Evans and Smalling as first choice (assuming 3-5-2, we can always revert to a back four if we have an injury crisis). Blackett, Keane and Carrick (I would guess) are our backups.
In CM, we know Herrera is first choice. We then have Cleverley, Fletcher, Carrick, Jones and Kagawa as potential others - and this assumes that Anderson and Fellaini both leave.
Quality isn't the best there, but I doubt we are going to sign a CM until we have seen some departures from that lot.
Basically, we can field a first XI that is as good as pretty much anyone else in the league. We play fewer games so the players should be fresher, less injuries, less need for rotation. We have youngsters as backup who have proven on preseason that they are ready to step up.
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agreed but it is going to be very very tight for those top 4 as City, Chelsea look nailed on and I think it will be very close between ourselves, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs
Im glad Fletcher is playing well but you have to feel that we will struggle with an injury to him or Herrera in the opening weeks.
We are light in other areas too - the squad isnt as bad as people make out but if Evans, Jones, Smalling, Fletcher, Rafael, RVP, Rooney and Welbeck are injured anywhere near they were last season we are fecked to put it simple.
I think we'll make signings eventually.
Im just bracing because i expect them to probably be pretty mediocre.
Last minute panic / gambles on unproven players type signings.
Im just hoping they have a better headless-chicken-12-hours-to-go plan than last year.
No honestly, i think we'll make one big signing and lots of stopgaps in the other areas.
I'd be happy with that at this point.
Im just bracing because i expect them to probably be pretty mediocre.
Last minute panic / gambles on unproven players type signings.
Im just hoping they have a better headless-chicken-12-hours-to-go plan than last year.
No honestly, i think we'll make one big signing and lots of stopgaps in the other areas.
I'd be happy with that at this point.
Yeah we've been kind of rubbish at this transfer business the past few years.
This thread...
You really do wonder what the reason is for no action whatsover. Players dont wanna join, LVG doesnt want to buy, or Ed just unable to close deals (for Shaw and Herrera they had months / year of preparation)
Well, in the light of comments LVG has made about imbalances in the squad (too many no.10s and no wingers of the sort he wants) I can't believe he doesn't want them corrected by the purchase of players who fit his needs. How else could they be corrected? I therefore believe he has tasked Woodward to bring in certain players.
We (the caf in general) went from an optimistic summer to one turning into a rather worry one.
What about LVG's comments that he still doesn't know enough about this squad and he's not going to buy players for the sake of buying players? If he is going to buy a player it has to improve the team.
That to me definitely suggests he hasn't identified the specific players he needs yet.
"LVG is outspoken and will definitely call out Woodward if he fecks up the transfers" - I seem to remember a lot of people saying this line, yet ignoring what LVG says when it suggests that it's himself that is holding back on transfers.
I wouldn't be surprised if this has been the cause of the delay on those players coming in.
Firstly, van Gaal openly admitted he wanted to have a look at the squad first.
Secondly, we've spent a lot of money in the last 12 months so it could be a case that we need to sell before we buy.
The rest of this window is gunna be pretty mental for United. I'm expecting 4 or 5 to move on permanently and at least 2 to come in. All in the space of about 3 weeks.
Firstly, van Gaal openly admitted he wanted to have a look at the squad first.
Secondly, we've spent a lot of money in the last 12 months so it could be a case that we need to sell before we buy.
The rest of this window is gunna be pretty mental for United. I'm expecting 4 or 5 to move on permanently and at least 2 to come in. All in the space of about 3 weeks.
I think you're right. Sadly not everyone here is objective enough.
Lets be honest, Woodward needs to get a move on. I honestly believed that the Herrera and Shaw deals would kick off a very active summer, but it has worryingly slowed down instead. In his defense, LVG's assessment of the squad could have unsettled things, but surely it can't be going on for much longer, if at all. The weaknesses in the squad are there for all to see.
Well, the two statements certainly appear to be at odds, although he's apparently already identified and informed the players he says he doesn't want so that seems to indicate he actually does know at least something about the squad. We'll see.
And yet with a week to go until the start of the season, would he really have told players that they have no future at the club if he wasn't confident that Woodward could bring in replacements?
Imagine telling 5 players they aren't in your plans and then having to rely on them for 4 months.
I'd say we're very confident of bringing some players in.
I think it's more that most people know that the club has spoken big for years about spending big and has never once even matched barca, Madrid, Chelsea, bayern or city in terms of outbidding and spending large on one player...
Incidentaly I probobley agree with you about LVG. He comes across as somebody who would expose te penny pinching of the owners. I do also expect a few more signings, but would love to really know if the delay is LVG or Woodwards negotiating abilities....
The more I think of it, Last summer was the one that is still hurting us. We should have started our transition last year with people going out replaced with quality signings. And yet we ended up with Fellaini for various reasons.
This year was always going to be tougher because of WC and also having a manager involved in the WC. I wonder what signings Moyes/ Ed combination made this year, if he was still in charge. I have given up on this window and think we are finished. There is not enough time for us to replace the players and there is very little quality available in the open market and We will definitely have to overpay for them. I would rather we bring in reserve players than make another panic signing like Fellaini. Somehow, We have to get into Top 4 this year and then kick on from there next year. That is a really frustrating because, with just 2/3 Quality signings we could be up there with City and Chelsea for the title.
This year was always going to be tougher because of WC and also having a manager involved in the WC. I wonder what signings Moyes/ Ed combination made this year, if he was still in charge. I have given up on this window and think we are finished. There is not enough time for us to replace the players and there is very little quality available in the open market and We will definitely have to overpay for them. I would rather we bring in reserve players than make another panic signing like Fellaini. Somehow, We have to get into Top 4 this year and then kick on from there next year. That is a really frustrating because, with just 2/3 Quality signings we could be up there with City and Chelsea for the title.
I think people are underplaying the fact that we will play fewer games, and this should in theory mean less injuries/rotation etc.
I agree that City and Chelsea are still the two to beat, but I dont think Liverpool or Spurs are as good as anyone is making out - I would be more concerned by Everton than Spurs, for example.
I think City, Chelsea, Arsenal and ourselves will make the top four (not in that order), and Liverpool, Spurs and Everton will fight it out for 5th. I can see us finishing 3rd with the current squad.
Did he not want to trim the squad though?
Giggs, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fellaini, Anderson, Rafael, Nani and Hernandez....
That's a hell of a trim we'll have had this summer.
Did we not lose 6 players already?
And LVG already said publicly that the squad is unbalanced..
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Buttner, Zaha, Keane too
Indeed. Yet people think we aren't going to be spending before the window is out.
They're traumatised by last summer!
Yes, but Ed is a commercial man first an foremost - that is his background and the reason he got the promotion. He has season tickets and corporate packages to sell and commercial sponsorships to tie up - he has to 'talk up' our chances of new signings.
Yes, LVG has talked about a squad of 23. Even with the two new signings so far and some of the youngsters possibly coming into that squad, I haven't done the maths but my feeling is we need to offload quite a few players to get down to that number
Just to put my anxiety about Woodward and this transfer window into context, here's the full quote from United's website that was posted on July 20:
"We’ve been working with Louis over several weeks with regards to targets and we’re continuing to move forward on some of those targets," Woodward told MUTV's Stewart Gardner in Los Angeles.
"We are still a huge attraction to top football stars around the world – there is no doubt about that. I hope [fans] will see the direction we’re heading in with the new manager, coaching staff and players, and a commitment to do what it takes to get back to the top.
"We are willing to invest. There is no fixed budget. Financially we are extremely strong and funds are available. Louis is assessing what’s going on and there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes, so watch this space."
Note a couple of things. First-there's no mention of requiring time to assess the squad before making decisions on targets. In fact, Woodward says the opposite: that he has been working with LVG "for several weeks." So, it's entirely reasonable to wonder, after three weeks since his statement, what exactly has happened regarding movement on those targets.
Second-Woodward says there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes-which presumably involves LVG as well. Again, this makes it seem that the club is moving forward at the same time LVG is starting to see the squad.
Not sure, then how to reconcile Woodward's statement from three weeks ago with the narrative, that seems to be gaining traction that the non-activity is down to LVG assessing the squad.
"We’ve been working with Louis over several weeks with regards to targets and we’re continuing to move forward on some of those targets," Woodward told MUTV's Stewart Gardner in Los Angeles.
"We are still a huge attraction to top football stars around the world – there is no doubt about that. I hope [fans] will see the direction we’re heading in with the new manager, coaching staff and players, and a commitment to do what it takes to get back to the top.
"We are willing to invest. There is no fixed budget. Financially we are extremely strong and funds are available. Louis is assessing what’s going on and there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes, so watch this space."
Note a couple of things. First-there's no mention of requiring time to assess the squad before making decisions on targets. In fact, Woodward says the opposite: that he has been working with LVG "for several weeks." So, it's entirely reasonable to wonder, after three weeks since his statement, what exactly has happened regarding movement on those targets.
Second-Woodward says there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes-which presumably involves LVG as well. Again, this makes it seem that the club is moving forward at the same time LVG is starting to see the squad.
Not sure, then how to reconcile Woodward's statement from three weeks ago with the narrative, that seems to be gaining traction that the non-activity is down to LVG assessing the squad.
Appreciate the post, but you are only confirming what we already suspect. Woodward is a chocolate teapot.
Chocolate teapot. 
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