Manchester United Banter Archive May 16 2015

16 May 2015 23:29:57
Just like to say what a lovely gesture by the United fans for the organised fly by of "in Rodgers we trust" During the palace game today.

17 May 2015 00:41:07
Ha love it :)

16 May 2015 23:08:06
I may be 1 of few on here that really like the quotes that have come out tonight from di maria understanding its been a tough year and he is disappointed in himself, with a good pre season, better understanding of the language and league i think next season he could be very special for us and i really hope as it seems from what he said that he is here next season and we see what he can really offer

16 May 2015 20:56:46
If Dave the save goes what about Kasper Schmeichel backing up Valdes? I've read rumours the elite level clubs have been watching him and he has looked good this season. We could then go for Alex Bruce Devante Cole, Charlie Sherigham and Brooklyn Beckham think of the glazernomics

Perhaps a little sentimental and toung in check

In the real world maybe a younger keeper Timo Horn or Bernd Leno instead competing with Valdes would be a good option instead of Lloris and have a resale value also.

17 May 2015 09:59:06
Lloris will be massively over priced. Leno or Handanovic for me.

16 May 2015 20:39:31
In my ideal world regarding De Gea I would demand Varane as part of any deal. He would improve us straight away Just with his pace and potential. I'd pair him up with Garay for his composure and aerial threat at set pieces. Someone hit the nail on the head recently by posting that De Gea wouldn't have had the season he has with a good commanding defence in front of him. I know neither will probably materialise although Garay is a possibility but I don't think Hummels and Garay would be right imo as they are a bit too similar with neither particularly quick. Just my opinion.

{Ed004's Note - Swap deals rarely happen but I would want Bale involved in any deal if possible. Think we would be fine with Smalling and Hummels as our main two centre backs. Sign a solid rb + Dm and we won't need our keeper as much}

17 May 2015 09:59:35
Would have to be Bale as part of the deal. They will be two separate deals though.

17 May 2015 14:09:50
Wouldn't be a direct swap but could put us in favour with Madrid to land Bale over our rivals.

16 May 2015 19:58:27
Lads i'm new to the page I'm 14 years old and this is my first post

Honestly my first post is going to be about De Gea

As good as he is. i look at it and think he's a Goalkeeper. he's been vital and fantastic but when it comes down to it madrid never fail to get there man so i'm not going to fuss about complaining for a new contract. If he stays its fantastic if not we will have to use the large sum of money to buy another established PL goalkeeper

End of
Madrid always get their man.

16 May 2015 20:03:00
Welcome son :) it's a very friendly site (as long as you don't want LVG out)

16 May 2015 20:11:43
I think as long as we get a good price or get bale as part of it then we shouldn't be too bothered. As good as de gea is, nobody is irreplaceable. I hope he stays but if he is to leave then so be it

16 May 2015 22:56:14
Oh and he is actually my son I was not being condescending 😁

16 May 2015 18:33:23
Hi Guys

I wonder why Gary Neville isn't at Anfield today.

{Ed007's Note - He had a day off and went shopping with his Mrs and kids.}

16 May 2015 19:54:55
Cause out of all the pundits at Sky's desposal surely it makes sense to have his ex team mates as pundits? No?

16 May 2015 17:35:47
I'll give my tuppence worth here on the de gea situation, it's always been inevitable that Big Dave would leave some day, I just hope the transfer is done quick, that somehow Bale might be brought into the equation, I can't see how Man Utd would sell De Gea to Madrid and not ask the question.

We have a goalkeeper ready to step right in in Valdes. A top quality goalkeeper who knows what it takes. It was an astute aquisition by Van Gaal as he probably saw the signs and knew what was to come.

I hope we use the funds available to strengthen the obvious areas, CB and CM being the priorities.

16 May 2015 17:20:23
A few thoughts on the deep lying center mid position, in light of Carrick's importance and age:
As the game is developing with the best teams trying to play out of the back, and facing either a high press or a midfield press, the role of the defensive midfielder has become even more important. Gone are the days when two good box-to-box players could control the midfield.

These days managers look for these qualities in a defensive midfielder. Which qualities the manager prioritizes says a lot about how he wants his team to play.
1. a destroyer, athletic and aggressive
2. a positionally sound player who protects his back four - not always with hard tackles, but often by getting in passing lanes and making interceptions, or at least giving no room for opposing playmakers
3. a player with a great passing range, who can switch the play with long diagonals accurately, and find strikers and wingers from deep
4. a player that the back four and GK can trust when trying to play out of the back

I think the last point has become critical in today's game. I imagine that managers train their teams defensively more than we realize in inviting passes into the midfield, and then looking to pounce on them. It is the best place to counter from.

So a player that can receive passes from the GK and the back four and take good care of the ball is of enormous importance. Such players need the composure to play back quite often, and also the confidence and ability of being able to get their head up, turn, and play forward. This quality never makes the highlight reel - only when they screw up, and the other team scores on the counter.

This is why we see players like Carrick, Pirlo, Alonso, and Kroos playing deeper. Their value is more in their positional sense and composure on the ball than in their defensive qualities. In a way, midfields have reversed in recent years. Now sometimes the more creative players play deeper, and the more aggressive players play further forward.

I think some fans have not given this much thought. They say get Vidal, he's tough, he can be a defensive midfielder. But that is not his game. Vidal is not going to sit in front of the back four for 90 minutes.

We need TWO center mids this summer. We need another box to box player like Herrera, someone who can cover ground and make plays all over the pitch. And we need someone to play deeper, a cool head who helps the back four and can control the tempo of the game.

Box to box: Pogba, Kondogbia, Vidal, Matuidi, Nainggolan, Sissoko, Delph .
Deep lying CM: Gundogan, Schneiderlin, Strootman, Carvalho, Pjanic .

I know some guys could be a bit of both roles, some could be converted to play deeper, and some should not. Perhaps LVG would play two versatile CMs with a good understanding between them, and then allow a Mata or Di Maria a free role in front of them. I would be thrilled to get a Kondogbia or Vidal along with a player like Gundogan.

Please forgive the long post.

16 May 2015 17:49:37
I see your point and agree with it but none of Gundogan, Pjanic, Strootman are deep lying CMs. They all play box to box. Only Carvalho (whose passing is extremely suspect and he seems a bit cubersome) and Schneiderlin (whom we don't seem to have an interest in) play the Carrick role. Even Schneiderlin is to an extent a box to box player with Wanyama the one who provides defensive cover.

I think Nainggolan can play both roles equally well and I wouldn't mind Gundogan since his passing movement and vision and ability to switch play is very good.

16 May 2015 18:06:16
Fair point, Redfaith, though maybe a few of them could play deeper and get on the ball a lot. Kroos, for example, plays deeper now at Real Madrid than he did at Bayern. I do hope we get two. One for Carrick's role, and a more athletic presence, since we can seem lightweight at times.

16 May 2015 18:47:37
I think we could see a very similar summer to last season. Full back, centre back, centre mid or 2, winger and possibly a striker. We need to try to do a double deal for hummels and gundogan and I would love the second midfielder to be Vidal. A midfield general to sure up our team

17 May 2015 09:58:22
Has anyone considered Kramer? Young, strong, technically good and German.

{Ed025's Note - whats german got to do with anything?

16 May 2015 15:21:49
Many here want only one CM player to be signed.
But United need two in reality. We have Carrick and herrera as high quality CM players. Blind is Van gaal's version of John Oshea. I don't ever like Rooney in CM position(He is not Paul Scholes). We are very weak in that position. Two high quality CMs are urgently needed.

One of Gundogan, Nainoglan, Pjancic, Vidal, Schneiderlin is attainable. so do one of W.Carvalho, Wanyama, Kondogbia. Paul Pogba is is my ultimate dream. Without great CM engine room, even Messi and Ronaldo on either wings
look ordinary.

16 May 2015 14:32:09
The right back position needs attention? Now Clyne is out the equation is Joao cancelo still an option? Also Steven Moreira could he be an option? Plays for stade Rennais? Only 20 like Cancelo?

16 May 2015 14:50:19
TIELEMANS!

16 May 2015 15:10:10
He's a DM as you well know, so a p!ss take eh JMB! Good one!

16 May 2015 15:18:55
Looks like Dani Alves will also sign a new contract. I am happy about that though as I didn't really want him.

Coleman could be a target but Everton again will sell only if we overpay.

Janmaat perhaps?

16 May 2015 15:32:58
Real Madrid have paid big money for Brazil right back Danilo so where does that leave Carvajal?

16 May 2015 13:32:36
So silly season is approaching and I for one would love if Ed002 is a part of this page sharing info as and when, so I implore us all, myself included to think before asking questions. I find it a tad ironic and maddening that we won't spend a bit of time using the search function but will trawl the arsenal, Chelsea, city, Liverpool pages for info from ed002 when that prob takes longer than using our own search function ha. Not having a go, I've done it myself so let's behave and hopefully Ed002 will update us when there is anything to say. Cheers

16 May 2015 15:08:21
Ventured over to the Southampton page the other week. The abuse ED001&002 got was astonishing. They took to a whole new level. Posters should consider themselves fortunate to able to come across information from the EDs.

Maybe a step forward is to ban people, but I'm not sure if that has been tried etc.

I for one hope ED002 comes back. But can completely understand why ED002 won't come back.

16 May 2015 19:48:27
Ed002 will return, it loves a bit of drama.

16 May 2015 12:36:00
Massive congratulations to Joyce and all of the u21's on winning the league. Great result lads.

16 May 2015 11:24:32
I think we should use these next 2 games to give Valdes a go in goal, looking like even lvg knows de Gea will be going in the summer, if he wanted to Sta he would of signed by now. Will thank him for he's efforts tho season and wish him luck, he was never going to stay for all he's career being Spanish, always going to go back home to 1 of the bug boys. I think Valdes will be goid for a couple of years if we get the right cbs in the summer.

16 May 2015 11:50:17
id play Dave, I wouldn't want to give him any excuses to leave. sadly I agree he will probably join Real if not this summer then next but we have enough players that need replacing this summer without having to find a new goalkeeper. and whoever replaces Dave will not b as good a keeper

16 May 2015 11:58:41
Great to hear things like this.

I have a faded picture of when I was about 10, my Dad took us kids to look around Old Trafford. It was pretty dead (early 90's) and walking down the side my dad said to my mum and me, "I think that's Sir Matt over there", I just saw an old man walking past and didn't know what he was going on about, then this old guy came over and held my 2 yr old bro and young sister, whilst a few pics were taken and a 10 minute chat was had. My dad was in his element talking with him laughing and reminiscing, it was only a few years later that I understood how great a guy he was and what he meant to Utd (and what that meeting meant to my dad).

I'm sure other fans have great stories about their legends being human, but I think there is something special about Man Utd and what our hero's mean and do for the clubs loyal following.

16 May 2015 11:59:07
I am with you MB78, I'd like to see Valdes get a go, I think if SAF was still in charge De Gea wouldn't have played until he let the club know his intentions.
No player is bigger than the club and letting Dave play the last to games not to give him a excuse for me is rubbish.

16 May 2015 12:13:42
Sorry I should have posted below Diego's post.

16 May 2015 09:58:32
I just seen Woodward has come out and said we will be very active in the market and we will have great squad depth come the start of next season. He has said the expectations are that the club challenge on all fronts including the champions league.

So just to clarify if we have a season like this one just gone let's all the remember that the man responsible for running the club on a day to day basis has said he expects nothing but the best. No excuses.

16 May 2015 10:16:19
I think everybody is aware that next season needs to be better than this one, that's how a transition works, not like you to try and think negatively and place the blame on somebody for something that hasn't even happened yet.

Most people would see that ambition from Woodward as a good thing, but you've managed to twist it round so it isn't, well done.

16 May 2015 10:58:22
Where have I been negative GDS? I am just posting to clarify that this is now our expectations as has been highlighted by the top men at the club.

So if we are languishing in 4th place, been knocked out the CL at the group stages and out the league cup but have an FA cup quarter final to look forward too, folk like your good self won't turn around and say 'well this isn't too bad, we are still in the FA cup and have had plenty of possession this year'. Gimme a break.

As it turns out I am aiming for the sky next year and I feel we should be lifting some large silverware.

16 May 2015 11:17:17
JMB I don't think any fan expects less anything less than a title challenge. We also need to challenge in the CL and quarters would be my least expectation.

Its scary how long it has been since we had a proper run in the FA cup so we definitely need to mount a serious challenge there.


So if in next March we are not challenging for PL or have been kicked out early in the CL then no nobody would say it isn't too bad.

16 May 2015 20:01:03
Jmb. Please give it a break. Let's see who we buy in the summer and hopefully they integrate quickly and we can mount a real challenge for the PL. Isn't that what we all want? Or are you wishing we have a mediocre season so we can sack another manager and you can say "I told you".
Wouldn't it be better to give the manager support and you never know, we might even surprise you and have a good season. Remember, sir Alex was here for three years before achieving anything.

16 May 2015 07:35:26
I know DeGea is a Madrid boy but just look at how they have treated there players over recent years the likes of Robben, Van der Vaart, Etto and Di Maria all class players and next season gone .The fans are worst than the board one mistake and the boo's begin .Maybe ADM might open DDG'S eyes to how they really do operate and hopefully tell them to do one.I got told on Thursday that Mata and Herrara are also wanted in Spain with Barca Valencia and now Real Madrid looking at both.

16 May 2015 04:51:02
I can see Valdes being more relaxed and no worrying face in dugout, even without getting a few minutes in a PL game. Does that mean he already knew that DDG is leaving and Van gaal assured him to be the no 1 next season?
Though Valdes is not as good as DDG, a keeper of his calibre has elected to play second fiddle to someone?

16 May 2015 08:44:40
I was thinking that as well mate. Far too comfortable and why sign him in the first place? A lot of money to spend on a stand-by when we have no fixture congestion and DDG is hardly a sick note.

I wouldn't be surprised if the club knew early doors. I frankly wouldn't be surprised if Bale/ADM/DDG is all connected.

16 May 2015 10:19:13
Didn't he sign on a free?

16 May 2015 12:00:45
The wages is the key GDS2 (probably a signing bonus as well).