31 May 2018 07:20:44
Interesting and positive to read Jose asking Woodward to buy Bale but not impacting Jose's budget for other players.
I have recently said that Bale's purchase fees could be used to buy other players. However if EW can do what Jose is suggesting then I think it will be fantastic. Ed can get his high profile and short seller and Jose can strengthen other key needed positions. It would be a win win.
I hope EW works out a plan and I am sure he know how to recuperate that money afterall he is good with figures.
I'm really looking forward to our final team for next season.

1.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 08:14:21
Whilst i agree we shouldn't overspend tremendously on bale, i don't think quantity is the answer either.

In the USA they have a saying that you shouldn't split a dollar for four quarters and i would dislike us going for four average players of darmian, blind, schneiderlin and depay quality as opposed to getting a bonafide great player like bale.

Woodward has constantly talked the talk about getting the best players. Here we clearly have one in bale who wants an out from madrid and i think we should do all we can to sign him.

2.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 08:57:22
I think he will really help us launch a serious assault on the title and maybe win it. But obviously EW has to sort out the financials as we still need to beef up the defense and maybe 1-2 midfielders.
Exciting time are ahead.

3.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 09:55:08
Do we really need to make wholesale changes to the defence this summer? Only conceded 28 goals this season which was one more than city.

Antonio valencia was solid last season, eric bailly is top quality and mourinho needs to stop picking unnecessary fights with him. Lindelof was signed for a reason, don't see why he shouldn't be persevered with.

I agree we need a left back if jose is fed up with like shaw. But that's one player who will not cost absurd amounts. In midfield we need to replace carrick/ fellaini and that only really requires one player as they both rarely played last season.

We scored 68 goals last season, less than two a game and 38 goals less than man city. We did that without a clear RW, so that seems like the most pressing concern. Arnautovic and willian won't solve that problem but someone like bale or griezmann will.

4.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 10:03:23
When does the club stand up and stop throwing money at name after name. The ethos is wrong and football is sometimes dire. The club needs a kick up the backside and it’s commercial strategy especially in the recruitment space needs to be reviewed.

5.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 10:04:46
I don’t buy we are a good defence, said it before, DDG was 5th in most shots saved with the likes of Butland, Fabianski (both relegated) ahead of him, suggests to me DDG is bailing us out a lot and our defence isn’t as good as some suggest, I think we need a CB and LB for sure and then a RB to take over Valencia next year. We need a CM that’ll compliment and/ or take some load of Matic as he isn’t an island.

6.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 10:17:25
So maze who would purchase that's better than what we have currently at a fraction of the price that's being quoted.

People need to understand that times have changed. we have the debate every year about we shouldn't be spending x amount on players.

The fact is that 30 million players do not go for 30 million anymore. it seems 50 million is the going rate.

To buy the best you have to pay the price it's irrelevant how much someone costs if the paying club can pay it and are Willing to pay it.

City had spent over 200 million on a defence and won the title.

Money is not the problem spending the money on the right players is the problem.

Commercialy we are one of if not the club in the strongest position in terms of finance coming in.

And that's not being the top of English or European football for some time.

So the club is obviously still up there and we are doing fantastic in that department.

I do agree that the recruitment needs improving but that's just a gamble you make when you buy a player.

Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't.


But for us to win titles and challenge in Europe we need to make signings.

Every team is in the same boat. Some more than others.

7.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 10:29:03
The thought of a front 4 (4231 formation) of lukaku, sanchez, Bale and pogba is pretty damn exciting imo. If we have two sold cms to allow those 4 some freedom, as well as attacking full backs, that's a pretty tasty attack. I'm sure sanchez will come good, and moving pogba into the attacking midfield role will remove some of the defensive burden from him which he seems to dislike, and also stop him and sanchez from occupying the same space.

Its a little sad for jese, rash and martial, as they would be reduced to back up only, but they haven't done enough to make me believe they are ready to make their positions their own, so I'm OK with it.

So a solid cm to partner Matic, (Fred maybe? ) Bale, and say a cb and full back, and we would have a decent team with a good chance of achieving something.

8.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 10:29:59
I am all for that we need to buy a couple-few defensive players. We also need to possibly get 1-2 midfielders. That’s a bare minimum for me. Given that we don’t know what Pogba is deciding. Sanchez I feel will come good but I feel Sanchez and Pogba don’t seemed to be a likely pair. Feel somehow there is some internal friction. Hope I am greatly wrong there.
Bale would be a great addition but as I have been saying he costs too much and if Ed can use a separate budget combining marketing funds etc I’m all for it. I’m only concerned about derailing the budget Jose wants to use to beef up the defense and midfield.

9.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 11:11:23
Alderweireld, Alex Sandro, Fred, Milinkovic-Savic and then Bale or Griezmann as an extra would be some summer.

10.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 11:15:33
We could dream Welsh.

11.) 31 May 2018
31 May 2018 12:51:56
Because JM does not want to concede goals above all then I think he’ll want to strengthen defence.

Because he’s lacked faith in back 4 he’s played the really conservative game to reinforce his belief, hence signing Matic was so important to him.

Once defence is sorted I think (or rather hope! ) he’ll play a more attacking game.