03 Sep 2013 11:00:26
Frustratingly we could have signed Thiago for £21m this summer. The answer to our problems. Thiago, Fellaini & Coentrao on loan with option to buy. 001 says Moyes believed Thiago wasn't physical enough for the EPL. Surely Moyes isn't that stupid? Hearing that Cesc played us like a fiddle. Never had any intention of signing for MU, but wanted Barcelona to value him more, if that's true that can only be put down to naivety and inexperience by Ed Woodward. Then we wasted an extra £4m on Fellaini that wasn't needed. That inevitably could have went towards the Herrera tax bill. Dithering on Baines when he was never going to push his way out and leaving it so late to get Coentrao, again amateurish. Apparently it fell through as RM didn't get Siqueira done in time.

All this added to the penny pinching and trying to pay as little as possible for players has cost us this summer. I have to say I feel for Moyes in that respect as he clearly knew where our weaknesses were (central mid and LB). Then again if he did snub the chance to sign Thiago then he deserves everything he has got. One final thing, I think the way we have left Herrera high and dry is disgraceful. He was given a number and everything before he was told it was not going to happen. Why didn't we know about the tax issue when people like us did? Shameful IMO. The least we could do is buy him in January, the lad even took a pay-cut to make the deal go through smoother. Well it is what it is so we must get behind the lads regardless, it's what us fans do.

Can I ask who people will expect to see in the first choice line-ups? I think it will be a 4-2-1-3 with Rooney as the one. Fellaini & Carrick as the two. Welbeck, Van Persie & Nani as the three. Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic & Evra (sadly) as the back four. What do people think?

1.) 03 Sep 2013
Good post Syd, expecially the section about Herrera.
I can't believe how they have treated this kid.
The kid wanted to join us and now because of our incompetence he now has to go back to Bilbao with his cap in hand.
The Bilbao fans are renowned for there passion and comittment and they expect there players to be the same.
I really feel for him, United have acted disgracefully and amateurish.
Somebody needs to be severely reprimanded fot these mistakes.

2.) 03 Sep 2013
Syd
4_2_1_3 is really just 4_4_1_1
Rvp up top Rooney of him 2wingers and 2 cm. We might even play 4-4-2

3.) 03 Sep 2013
Simmo, the only one's accountable can only be the Glazers. They employed Ed. SAF wouldn't have allowed this to happen, but he did say he will stay out of things this summer to let Moyes settle.

Jred, it's similar but when you play a 4-2-1-3 as opposed to a 4-4-1-1, each side of the 3 (Nani & Welbeck for Example) they are forwards as opposed to out and out wingers. I would expect the fullbacks to act as the wingers with Nani & Welbeck staying more central.

But you are right the point is the same, pack the midfield and attack and rely heavily on the fullbacks when Rafael returns. I think that's why Moyes wanted Baines or Coentrao too as Ev cannot play all the games and Butts isn't ready. I think you have said similar in the past. Formations are rarely fixed.

4.) 03 Sep 2013
From what I have read, Moyes likes the system being pioneered by Basel, where they use one winger. We could see him develop such a system over the coming months. He could use Kagawa as an inside left attacking midfielder and Nani, Valencia or Zaha as an out and out winger. That would allow for two fluid Centre-Forwards: Rooney and Van Persie.

We have some fantastic players'. It is up to Moyes' to now get the best out of them. The Wig can be a great success here as long as he is used as a CM.

5.) 03 Sep 2013
Guillem balague said in an interview with Alan brazil that no additional taxes were due whatsoever, the fee was €36m nothing on top. {Ed044's Note - There is a lot on top for other reasons but obviously not Spanish taxes. I see why Ed02 won't discuss the financial aspects now.}

6.) 03 Sep 2013
Samthered
If you watch United first couple of games United played that way using welbeck. He sort of played as a false lw, coming of the flank and making the numbers up in the middle

7.) 03 Sep 2013
Sam, it's called a sloping formation or something, I can't remember but SAF tried implementing it last season, but struggled. That is what we are doing now but with Welbeck instead of Kagawa. Jred also mentioned this a couple of weeks back and Miguel Delaney mentioned it a few months ago. This is what I meant by formations aren't always fixed and symmetrical.

8.) 03 Sep 2013
Jred, Sydney,

I think that Kagawa has been earmarked for that role. I genuinely think Moyes' went with Welbeck due to his defensive capabilities; but with the arrival of Fellaini, we have a player who will give us a lot more grit, thus allowing the flair players to do their stuff. I think that was the case last season as well.

Kagawa, Rooney and Nani behind Van Persie, is as good as anything currently out there, IMO.

9.) 03 Sep 2013
It's also why evra spends so much time up top as he pushes in to the lw position

10.) 03 Sep 2013
On the radio this morning they said "because the team that was after herrera was outside spain, there would not have been any tax issues.also how totally naive was moyes and everyone connected with utd for thinking fabregas would move to utd, the lad loves barca and arsenal, and further more he dislikes utd and also dislikes moyes for personal reasons, and before some of you mention "its business" the lad fabregas is true to his convictions, which is nice to see in a world of mercenary players

11.) 03 Sep 2013
Jred, after Christmas time SAF started implementing that style. I guess if you have Evra then you may as well play to his strengths. he likes to get forward but struggled to get back. So instead of him coming back he may as well stay up there whilst Welbeck/Young get back and Vidic/Evans fill the LB void.