Manchester United Banter Archive May 31 2015

 

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31 May 2015 22:15:48
Like Beast I don't care much for international football matches, most of which are largely meaningless one-sided affairs played by disinterested players who, much to their club's chagrin, risk injury. As a fan it pisses me off when a key player comes back crocked from international duty. The club is far more important than the country to me and the investment in these stars is too enormous to allow it to be risked.

By all means have the tournaments but the number of games need to be reduced significantly.

In the European Nations Cup it could be done by having some type of seeding system so that countries like the Faroe Islands, Monaco and Andorra have to play in to the tournament. Kind of like the FA Cup.

Each confederation is permitted to select its quota of teams for the World Cup in any manner it wants. So, if Europe gets 13 spots, why not have the 8 quarter finalists from the European Nations Cup plus the winners of each of 5 other 2-legged knock out tournaments.

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31 May 2015 22:34:05
I totally agree, International football is dull.

Firstly, I don't think teams like Spain, France, Italy etc. should have to qualify for tournaments like the Euro's. They always get in. Qualification, and maybe even to some extent the group stages should be purely for the 'lower' teams in Europe such as Montenegro, Andorra, Serbia etc.

I went to an England qualifier which was a total white wash, total waste of money and incredibly dull.

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01 Jun 2015 00:55:00
Let's move straight to that European Super League while we're at it and do away with those boring games against West Brom , Palace , Stoke etc

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01 Jun 2015 01:19:21
Fresh it's already hard enough to qualify for the smaller nations and you want the bigger nations to walk straight in? England missed out a few years ago remember.

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01 Jun 2015 03:13:52
We lost to West Brom just a few weeks ago, we've lost to Stoke, but even in your wildest dreams can you see Germany losing to Andorra? It's really not comparable.

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01 Jun 2015 06:40:39
The Euros should go to two-legged playoffs until the final 24 teams. Wild Card round,48 teams play two-legs,then a 24 team Euros.Thats 6-8 games maximum qualifying games .

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31 May 2015 21:40:15
All I want next season is to look at our CM positions and think, "wow how strong is that area for us".

Too many seasons it has been an area that we get outplayed in.

Oh and not seeing Tony V at right back lol.

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31 May 2015 21:51:05
CB is the most vital for me mate, it all stems from the back.

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{Ed004's Note - I agree 100%. Someone to partner Smalling IMO is badly needed}

31 May 2015 21:57:40
All I want is to see a good right back, one centre mid and one central defender and a new striker. I think 4 good signings will give us a real chance.

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31 May 2015 22:02:38
I'd take 2 CMs a RB and 2 starting CBs, smalling can't pass a ball and for a side competing for honours that's not good enough.

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31 May 2015 22:35:14
I would take 2 CM's over 1 and an attacker.
I think RVP/Rooney/Wilson would do okay next year if they had the firepower behind them with Deepay and ADM/or another either side.
Attack can be improved next year for me.

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31 May 2015 22:38:00
The only time in recent memory that I have done that is when we head Scholes, Hargreaves, Carrick and Anderson.

But since then, Scholes has retired, Anderson put masses of weight on and Hargreaves never left the physio room.

In the current set up, Carrick is quality and so is Herrera. Fellaini is a good plan B and Blind is a good rotation option to have but shouldn't be starting.

If we get a box to box to play instead of Fellaini and a deep lying player to rotate with Carrick then we will finally be able to say it is a strong area of the pitch.

Then all we need to worry about is centre back which is so weak in comparison to when we had Ferdinand and Vidic!

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01 Jun 2015 00:51:37
it's unfair to compare our CB's to rio and vidic for a good 3-4 year period they were probably 2 of the best 3 centre backs (along with terry) in the world. I don't think there is many cb's like vidic any more (what I would call a warrior) who when they go out on the pitch they go into battle. The only defenders that I can think of who come close are terry chiellini and bonucci.
Having said that I've seen a bit if dragovich recently and I'd honestly prefer him over the CBS we've been linked with.

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01 Jun 2015 08:33:08
All I want is the treble, not too much to ask.

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31 May 2015 21:31:23
If the Morgan Schneiderlin rumour turn out to be true, do you think Geoffrey Kondogbia would be a good compliment to him? He's a physical beast but is also great on the ball and also left footed. A midfield of Kondogbia-Schneiderlin-Herrera would be a difficult prospect for any team. They all work hard defensively and they all are excellent at retaining the ball. It would make life easier for the back Four!

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{Ed004's Note - I'm hoping the Gundogan and Schneiderlin rumours are true tbh. Them along with Herrera would make our midfield very strong}

31 May 2015 21:41:04
Kondogba and Schneiderlin yes please. Would be very happy with that.

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31 May 2015 21:49:52
He makes sense where Gundogan makes no sense. Ed004 you sit carsick i am assuming to play Gundogan. A healthy carrick is a much better player.

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{Ed004's Note - How often will we see a fit Carrick? He is 33 years old and picking up more and more injuries. Schneiderlin is IMO a replacement for Carrick, just like Carrick was for Roy Keane. If we get both players as I have mentioned we will be even stronger next season.}

31 May 2015 22:39:00
The big question is, is Gundogan still good enough?

He was massively off the pace against a good Wolfsburg team. A move for Vidal would be a better investment, a safer one.

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01 Jun 2015 00:26:52
he has been of the pace since he returned from injury .
i can't believe people are desperate to sign him

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01 Jun 2015 19:56:07
Jred

People are desperate for any signing and will hail them as our saviour. The reality is i think he will struggle with the PL. Kagawa was a superstar and player of the year over there an due turned out to be so so average.

The transfer window is great for deal junkies lol

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31 May 2015 20:22:29
I don't think we are desperate for a striker, we have 2 on the books more than capable of getting 20+ if the supply line behind them is sorted out.
Depay will help, his pace will help to create more space and hopefully more chances will be created. An improvement from Di Maria (or if he is sold he needs replacing) will also help.
A top box to box midfielder should massively improve things also.
Think we need CB, CM, RB more urgently, and probably another CDM.
A centre forward and another winger can and probably should wait till next year IMO.

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31 May 2015 21:37:59
Rooney has only ever scored 20+ league goals twice in his career. RVP has done it twice in his career. Shearer did it seven times, Ruud did it seven times. I chose those two as they often get compared due to their respective nationalities.

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31 May 2015 21:51:00
I think we will definitely sign a striker as our lot are not scoring enough and all getting in up there in age.

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31 May 2015 23:26:26
I would love to see muller come in but highly doubt it. Vastly underrated imo

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01 Jun 2015 03:52:47
Agree ! ST can until next window . We must sign CB,LB and CDM first

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31 May 2015 20:21:18
These recent rumours of new strikers coming in are great. The problem is, what will we do with Rooney if we are to play with one up top. A part of me thinks we need to move him on while we would still get a decent fee. The other part wants him to stay for one more season. Would LVG have the balls to drop him? Would he take the captaincy from him. Surely this would be the case of he was to spend 30-40 million on a new striker.

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31 May 2015 21:53:05
No chance we will sell rooney. In reality we have 1 and half strikers so i don't get this sell rooney buy a striker discussion. RVP is injured half the season and Wilson is a long way from us banking our future in the league on him and Europe on him.

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31 May 2015 19:40:36
Just a thought, but would Simon Kjaer be worth a punt? Still quite young at 26 and has a lot of experience at international level? I'm sure he wouldn't cost a lot?

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31 May 2015 17:59:00
Seems Carlos Bacca is linked to us.Scores 20+ goals per season. Is he any good and are we out to be him. And one for the eds do you think we'll sign a quality striker this season. Higuain perhaps

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31 May 2015 10:58:53
We've been linked with several big name strikers but if it came down to you who would you sign and why?

Benzema, Cavani or Higuain?

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31 May 2015 11:30:45
Out of the 3 it would have to be Cavani for me. Cavani can do a job out wide better than the other 2 for me.

If we sold Rooney then I would sign Benzema out of the 3 as our central striker, he is the best at that imo.

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31 May 2015 11:40:02
Lewandowski.

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31 May 2015 11:44:28
The Benz for me.

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31 May 2015 11:51:20
Benzema the other two are crap

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31 May 2015 12:06:37
None, i would prefer a fixed direction. And none of those 3 will sit on the bench.

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31 May 2015 12:09:17
same as dazw. I'd take higuain over cavani to.

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31 May 2015 12:16:20
I'm not a United fan but I think Benzema would be best for you. His general play is incredible. There is nothing he cannot do

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31 May 2015 12:20:28
Benzema without a shadow of a doubt. I would even go as far as picking him ahead of Rooney. He is much better playing on the shoulder of the center backs.

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31 May 2015 12:31:28
Quite easily Benzema not his biggest fan but I feel he would be worth 20 goals + for us

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31 May 2015 12:32:50
benzema all day long

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31 May 2015 12:35:41
Isn't benzema's goal scoring record similar to Rooney's, considering who he's playing with/against that doesn't impress me. I think people are taking Wayne for granted, had we had Benzema all these years and Wayne was at say Chelsea I'm sure you'd all be saying if only we had him, leader of men, eye for goal, soon to be England's top goal scorer and he puts a real shift in

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31 May 2015 12:51:44
I don't want us to go anywhere near an expensive striker. If van Gaal is committed to Rooney being first choice, buying a top class striker will mean him dropping back to midfield. And since we aren't playing with a number 10, that would be a disaster.

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31 May 2015 13:01:31
Anon, you could look.at it a different way in that he scores a good amount.of goals in a team that is geared to benefit Ronaldo. He works hard for the team and general play Is brilliant.

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31 May 2015 13:06:33
I'd go for Benzema he's a better all round forward but think higuain is a better finisher

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31 May 2015 13:32:13
Benzema, Cavani for me. Higuain i am not sure of as after that one great season at Madrid he has never been a world beater.

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31 May 2015 13:45:24
I agree with Danny, the only way we buy a top striker is if Rooney is either off or playing in midfield.

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{Ed004's Note - I thought LvG complained early in the season about not having a 20 goal a season striker. I think I'm one of a few that thinks if a striker comes in and plays better than Rooney and a midfielder is signed who is better than Fellaini then Rooney won't be first choice. I think if we want to compete with the best then we need to replace Rooney, however, there are other priority positions to sort out first such as rb, cb, cdm and cm.}

31 May 2015 14:06:24
Ed LVG stated on more than one occasion Rooney will play regardless as he is captain. Can you see him eating his words? I can't.

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{Ed004's Note - Yes because he seems to do what is best for the team and has dropped big names before; RVP, Di Maria even at other clubs Gomez etc}

31 May 2015 14:25:29
Did he really drop them by choice though Ed or did he now to pressure? I'd go for the latter.

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{Ed004's Note - there wasn't much pressure on the Rvp one and he continued to play Falcao when people were calling for Wilson/RVP to replace him. Either way I'm hoping LvG is smart enough to see that we will never compete with the best in a Europe with Rooney as our main man}

31 May 2015 14:29:55
if you read lvg comments about rooney at the end of season it would seem he is very happy with him so really can't see him being sold.
if lvg is planning to play rooney as a striker why would we pay 40/50 mill for a striker . it makes no sense

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31 May 2015 14:35:47
@Ed004

I'm one of those few as well.

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31 May 2015 16:02:41
Wouldn't be a bad time to cash in on Rooney tbh

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31 May 2015 16:43:50
In order: Benzema, Higuain and Cavani.

We need a striker that is clinical, so Higuain would tick a box, but also need one with pace, good movement and hold-up ability so for me, Benzema is the perfect player for us.

What does this mean for Rooney? Well it would not surprise me one bit if buying Benzema meant that Rooney dropped back as an advanced midfielder. He could even play wide, which would be a mistake, but has happened before.

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31 May 2015 16:46:41
We've a 20 goal striker in Angelo Henriquez, who has scored 30 this season with Zagreb. He can be given a chance alongside Wilson in one of the cup games.

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31 May 2015 16:45:48
100% we should sell Rooney imo. Only then would I buy one of those 3.

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31 May 2015 17:07:11
Selling Rooney, hmm. We may not realise what we have until it is gone.

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31 May 2015 17:18:36
I love the fact he is happy to do a job, but so would I, (without £300k a week compensation). He was borderline average for the past 18 months, whether upfront or in midfield. Because he was so ineffective in midfield a lot of people over egged how good he is upfront, he played very well against Preston NE upfront that was it. His time is up, keeping him is sentiment now and holding the club back. Too high profile to rot on the bench and not effective enough for the key positions he plays.

If he stays then there is no way we should buy another "high profile" striker because Rooney will always start and playing him in Midfield is like having 10 men on the pitch.

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31 May 2015 17:53:01
Must. Not. Join. A. Rooney.Debaaaaaate.

Ah I managed it, Lewandowski for me, would love Muller though.

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31 May 2015 18:19:35
Benzema first choice and if we cqnt get him then go for players Such as vietto, dybala and Icardi . Then next yr replace Rooney .

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31 May 2015 19:02:17
I'd Buy Higuain, then next year as Singh says, get him to pop alittle word in either Vietto, Dybala or Icardi's ear! And remember buy next year we'll be alittle more of an attraction! Due to a strengthened squad playing more exquisite football? It's all there to see, just the final touches need applying?

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{Ed004's Note - Benzema for me or if not him push for Lacazette or Kane}

31 May 2015 19:05:15
Every year a few on here wet themselves at the prospect of Wazza being sold, yet evey year all they wet is their cheeks ;) . Club captain and signed up for an ambassadorial role after he retires with us, yes he will be sold!

Deeps.

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31 May 2015 20:09:47
I'd go for Lacazette, but one the Edds he was unattainable?

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31 May 2015 21:04:47
i would buy messi or suarez or maybe neymar

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31 May 2015 21:23:22
Lacazette and Mitrovic would be my choices, I would also sell Rooney and RVP. The timing is right to cash in. Lacazette and Mitrovic would give you plenty of options tactically, Lacazette is also very effective from the flanks so would offer cover there too.

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31 May 2015 21:54:16
Well if we get Higuain, we know he will not be taking any penalties lol. How bad was that penalty

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31 May 2015 10:25:48
just sitting here drinking my coffee, and i'm thinking, good old football banter is great, it usually starts with someone coming on your page telling you how good your team is, and "i always enjoy watching your team play" and, all you need is this player or that player, then as your team gets better their attitude starts to change, a little aggression starts to enter the fray, then suddenly, from being your friend they turn on you and start to positively dislike you, then as suddenly as it all started, they disappear of the face of the earth, BTW what is CTR doing with himself these days

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31 May 2015 10:55:40
I'm here mate, what's up?

Are u a gooner? Congratulations on the win (if u are) thoroughly deserved.

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31 May 2015 16:50:57
Hahaha he must be a Liverpool fan after all!

After calling me out he doesn't have the bottle to back it up at all.

Children.

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31 May 2015 10:06:37
I watched the German Cup Final yesterday, mainly to watch Gundogan and Hummels, who weren't all that impressive except for Hummels distribution which is exceptional for a CB. However, it made me wonder whatever happened to our supposed interest in Luiz Gustavo? We apparently looked at him when he was in the Bayern team and also prior to his move to Wolfsburg. He's a strong presence in their midfield who can use the ball and is energetic as well.

It shows that while the 4 main CM's who we have been linked with Vidal, Schweinsteiger, Gundogan and Nainggolan would be brilliant signings there are alternatives. Players like Gustavo, William Carvalho, Schneiderlin, Xhaka (Shappy noticed him a couple of years ago, great spot) and others could all come in with probably less expectation but do just as good a job. All of these players are improvements on what we currently have with the exception of Carrick. I'd love to see us sign a couple of these players then we will have turned one of our weaker areas into probably our strongest.

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31 May 2015 11:28:13
Not a fan of his moustache.

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31 May 2015 08:11:55
Hi All,

Great work to the Eds and regulars on here recently (post ed002) as there has been some real interesting posts and opinions making for a very good read. Thanks.

There has been a few discussions about the ability of the club to attract players. And TBH it worries me a bit.

Now, this is not meant to offend so apologies if it does but here is my view.

If I imagined being a pro footballer myself (a long stretch of the imagination, I know) although there would be only one club I would want to play the majority of my career at. There is one city I would not want to live in. Manchester.

In my imaginary world this is leaving me feeling very torn. And it makes me wonder if any REAL players have these same thoughts.

Hope you follow me. ?

Thoughts people?

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31 May 2015 09:02:56
Are you not from manchester? I think this is extremely disrespectful, you support a team from manchester, a lot of people posting on here will be from Manchester, I've lived there all my life (by choice) and i don't do too badly, what is your problem with it? Quite annoyed at this post.

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31 May 2015 09:51:58
I apologise profusely GDS2.

I have spent the last 45mins trying to explain myself so you will understand my thinking but this is a topic/explanation that could be read many different ways and I fear I would it would escalate into a thread that would end up getting deleted.

Though I have seemingly caused disrespect please be aware this was never my intention. I knew it was a risk to post, and my curiosity to the answers were too much to suppress.

I have painted myself with a bad light. Guess i will live with that.

Sorry.

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31 May 2015 09:52:09
Whilst I also have lived in Manchester all my life. you have to be a certain breed to enjoy the weather. Especially if you are a foreign player!

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31 May 2015 09:57:09
To be fair GDS I don't think Monkeyballs meant it to be disrespectful. I can see what he is getting at (I think), I left the UK two years ago and as much as I miss home sometimes it is a different life over here. I don't think I could ever go back to living in the UK again or anytime soon having experienced a different way of life over here.

For a player to leave a certain location of living where the cultures are completely different is a tough call. Someone posted the other day about the draw of London which is true, there will be certain players out there who will join a Chelsea or Spurs because they want to live in London. For example if DDG leaves it is not for a want of a potential trophy cabinet, it is because he wants to go back to where he belongs and where his family feel comfortable.

Having said that I am firm believer that the creme of the crop will rise and the top players with the greatest attitude and mentality wouldn't give a hoot about a club of Man Utd's standing in terms of location but would rather see themselves in lights lifting trophies under the stars of OT. That's the players you want at the club mate, not a player like Di Maria who yearns for the flush cobbled paths of Paris but a player like Roy Keane who would live in a tent in the middle of Salford because he wants success and has a barrel load of passion.

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31 May 2015 10:47:18
Men are gone soft and football players are spoilt,too much money,too much pampering,and dare I say it,they do what their ladies say!

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31 May 2015 11:05:20
I think people underestimate the role of the WAG in this day and age.

20 years ago the world was a different place, nowadays with WAG's getting just as much attention as the players they are with it's important they are seen in the right places. I appreciate this doesn't apply in all cases, but with social media, women's rights and the overnight way to become a Celeb more and more players are being swayed by their partners than they were a generation ago. Not saying this is a bad thing. I bet I ask my wife's opinion ten times more than my Dad did his, and he will have 10 times more than my Grandad asked my Gran.

On the whole current players are softer mentally, the career isn't just what they do with a ball its what they do outside as well and who they are seen with - Superstar status brings more money hungry women (how many butt ugly footballers do you see with absolute stunners nowadays compared to a generation ago). This is the key problem for me when it comes to players doing what is best for their football and doing best for their family/long term futures, each to their own.

Manchester is better than a lot of places, but ask 99/100 good looking women in their 20's where they would rather live, Paris, Rome, Madrid, London or Manchester and I know where Manchester would come on that list - and the WAGS hold the aces in a lot of relationships nowadays!

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31 May 2015 11:12:50
He's got a point, a lot of people would prefer to live in places like Madrid or Paris over Manchester.

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31 May 2015 12:28:26
If I had a choice of City to live in, Manchester would be nowhere near the top of the list. Probably nowhere even near the middle.

But if it was for football reasons, Manchester would be top of my list. If I had the choice, i'd be at Manchester United for life, couldn't think of another team i'd rather play for.

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31 May 2015 12:34:07
I am glad this thread has taken the direction I was hoping. And I really feel its a bigger topic than its made out to be. I could be wrong but it is what worries me. There are so many different aspects to it, it becomes such a grey area.

Football is changing/has changed and they are very good points explained by JMB, Leahy, The Beast.

I just feel England is become less attractive to Players that aren't English. Possibly even some of the English players. For all the reasons other than playing the actual game on the pitch.

I am hoping I am just completely wrong about this.

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31 May 2015 13:33:17
I grew up in Manchester and there are many many reasons why it is a great city, culturally and historically. I just don't think you see that easily if you are not from there. My wife is from Canada and the first time I took her round the city and asked her what she thought of it and she said "I think everyone has completely given up on life." I was about to argue in the city's defence but was distracted by the sight of a heavily pregnant teenager smoking in the doorway if Nobles Amusements. We now live in a hillbilly part of Canada and I've plenty of my own complaints.

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31 May 2015 14:08:27
What a load of twaddle. I am not from Manchester but I live just outside Manchester. It is a lovely city. Plenty of bars and restaurants. Plenty of shops. Plenty of lovely outskirts in Cheshire, wilmslow, Alderley edge, Prestbury, Knutsford.
As Leahy says, they're all spoilt brats. It is a 10 year career where they earn more in that time than all us posters in a lifetime.
So complaining about the weather is truly pathetic. World class players who are serious about their careers don't think about weather, they think about going to great clubs to win prizes.

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31 May 2015 14:20:42
Monkeyballs where are you from?

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31 May 2015 14:26:36
Exactly the point I made Nomid.

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31 May 2015 14:33:11
"Player like Di Maria who yearns for the flush cobbled paths of Paris but a player like Roy Keane who would live in a tent in the middle of Salford" JMB

I could have swore Keano lived in a mansion in Cheshire.

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31 May 2015 15:35:34
I grew up in Manchester, but have lived out of the UK for over 30 years. My mother still lives near in Cheshire. It's lovely at the right time of year and the city has developed enormously, but still, despite the nostalgic sentiment that appears when I go back, I could never live there again. London, yes, but Manchester no. So I agree with this premise and have mentioned it on a number of occasions on this site.

Try to imagine what someone who has absolutely no sentimental attachment to the area might feel. All other things being equal, Madrid and Barcelona, especially for the Latin players, will be culturally more appealing, London will trump Manchester any time whether it's entertainment, dining, shopping or the relative anonymity; and Paris is Paris. Add the Wagfluence factor and it's even more so.

If you've lived in a cold rainy climate all your life it's not such a stretch. Players from northern climes were the traditional building blocks of our success - including Scots and Irish. But with the internationalization of the transfer market, coupled with the comparable finances now available to a number of European and English club, it is empirically more difficult for us to attract the best players. but not impossible. With a good transfer policy, and a great coach, there is no doubt that our wealth affords us every possibility of being as strong as any club out there.

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31 May 2015 16:07:32
Nomid I could not agree more! Monkyballs have you ever been to manchester? There is a lot to see and do its the most vibrant city in the UK IMO , and the alderly prestbury wilsmlow area is not a bad place to live. I understand that some areas are not to nice but footballers tend not to frequent those parts.

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31 May 2015 17:26:05
I think what annoyed me most was how it was worded, there is one City you wouldn't want to live in and that's manchester, I can think of a lot worse cities. Your comment about 'the right time of year' suggests you mean because of the weather, do people really choose what they do in their career because of the sun tan they can get?

I appreciate you weren't trying to offend anyone, and I'm difficult to offend I assure you, it just annoyed me. I'm very proud of my city.

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31 May 2015 17:58:51
Come on GDS, would you choose Barcelona, Madrid, Turin or Manchester, given the choice? I've lived in Manchester my whole life, but if I wasn't a United fan, I'd choose Real, Barca and maybe even Juventus if their success continues.

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31 May 2015 18:35:28
Yea we get the whole weather thing but come on " the one place I wouldn't want to live" really! I would take manchester over every uk city , the lakes are an hour, north wales and snowdonia are an hour great shoping great transport links intrnational airport xmas markets ext ext . Great city great culture great history we can stand toe to toe with any city

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31 May 2015 20:04:39
Look everyone, I hold my hands up that I am no Wordsworth. But please don't try and find meanings in my mumblings that were never there. I was in the middle of cooking a full on roast so my post didn't have my full attention so my wording may not have been great.

I was putting myself in the boots of a pro, trying to be subjective. Thinking of all the top clubs. Its a no brainer to me to pick Manchester United for all the footballing reasons. I was thinking of everything else. Thinking of all the top clubs and there locations I just felt Manchester didn't hold as much appeal as a lot of others. Not meaning Manchester is a bad city, GDS2. Just not as appealing as a lot of the comparisons.

I am really treading on eggs shells here and I really hope I am getting my point across.

on a side note: Not that this had any conscious effect on my thinking as I was putting myself in someone else's boots but. No I haven't been to Manchester. From the South Coast, in the sticks. Lived in London for 5years enjoyed the city but happier where I am.

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31 May 2015 20:23:33
Maybe you should have a visit before you decide it's the worst place to live.

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31 May 2015 20:29:46
Fair enough , maybe try a city break go to a game take in the city's charm but don't class it as somewhere you wouldn't want to live if you have never been, we get the point you were trying to make, plenty of foreign players loved the city and hold it dear to thier heart's ( cantona schmichael ronaldo solsksear keane) they could all have left for warmer climates (ronaldo did but for other reasons) sometimes a professional wants to give his best and play for a big club irrespective of the weather , these are the players we need. If a player won't come to old trafford because of the weather they don't deserve to wear the shirt!!

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31 May 2015 06:42:36
Does anyone know reason why spurs, city, Chelsea are touring immediately after the season is over? and that too far off places like Toronto, Australia like that?

Players deserve some rest. Even though they are paid heavily they are also human after all.If they tour with their new big name signings(I assume it takes a month after the season is over to complete their new signings) it may increase their shirt sales as well.

One reason I think they tour early is probably they feel they get overshadowed by real global clubs like Utd, Madrid, Barca.

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31 May 2015 07:02:33
MM - I made this point yesterday. I couldn't believe Spurs played their full strength team last night with players like Harry Kane playing 80 minutes. The lad has had a mammoth season and has an U21 championship coming up.

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31 May 2015 07:25:26
Money

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31 May 2015 10:31:37
It will bring in a lot of money and it also rewards fans from other countries (Malaysia/Thailand/Australia etc) for their support, as these clubs are doing their preseasons in America. It also gives the young players a chance to play alongside the regulars and I'm sure the players won't mind going to these destinations for a couple of weeks with their teammates. Besides, how long of a holiday do they need?

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31 May 2015 06:39:54
Supposedly if Smalling was bought this season from a spanish club and was giving the performance he is recently giving (post red card from city game ), he would have been hailed as a very good signing from us as well as those so called pundits. But since he joined us couple of years ago and was unable to show his talent until this season, he is being written off by most of the fans wanting a new CB partership . For me, We need just a single commanding CB to partner Smalling . He just needs someone better alongside him to become even better . If injury does not come again then he will be one of the top CB's in coming seasons . He does has rough edges which can be smoothen slowly IMO

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31 May 2015 06:55:57
That's rubbish Srestha. I agree he has had some decent games this season but he is judged on how well he has played on his performances not his national identity. Like you I hope he improves and builds on this years displays. We invested a lot in him as a youngster and it's about time we start to reap the rewards.

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31 May 2015 07:17:03
Hummels would be perfect alongside Smalling. An experienced defender who is excellent on the ball and can bring it out of defense. Both of them are good in the air and will dominate the box.

Garay and Howedes could also options. I wouldn't go anywhere near Otamendi. Too short to be an EPL center back.

Smalling has done well this year. What people don't understand is that defending is never a one man job and always a team effort. With the injury to carrick (who shield the defense) and our left backs plus Valencia at right back we were always going to struggle this year.

A fit Luke Shaw, a new right back and cover for Carrick along with a new center back is what will be a complete fix for the defense. We will suddenly start looking much better when that happens since the defense is the foundation that provides stability and creates a sense of calm and confidence in the team.

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31 May 2015 08:01:46
JMB!
May be psychologically but sometimes nationality does effect our thinking about the talent of a player . He has been progressing well and i think we can get good game from him

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31 May 2015 08:02:25
Spot on RED FAITH !
A commanding CB , RB and DM will make our defense look much much better

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31 May 2015 09:05:21
JMB,

I think you mean that is rubbish in your opinion, I actually agree with srestha, his post is not rubbish, it's well thought out and explained, I agree 100% with him.

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31 May 2015 09:39:50
Smalling was given a massive responsibility last season and he stepped up brilliantly. IMO 1 or 2 more seasons and he'll be one of the first names on the team sheet. The fact he was given the armband is a huge nod to his mental strength and leadership qualitys and at such a young age is very impressive.

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31 May 2015 10:00:45
So because Ferdinand, Scholes etc were English we rated them less than if they were Brazilian or Spanish?

Players get rated on the performances they give not their nationality, race or anything else. Anyone who thinks otherwise should have a good long hard look in the mirror.

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31 May 2015 06:20:54
Watching the CL years this morning and seeing LVG's Bayern on the march to the final in 2012 (which they lost to Chelsea) sums up the reason why I have been so ticked off with our setup this season. Yes they kept possession to an extent but didn't over play, they were very expansive and quick on the counter.

When I first heard LVG announced my first reaction was fantastic. It was one of we will be playing with two pacey wingers, take risks and be proactive at getting forward. Instead we have seen slow, lacklustre, narrow play with a lack of cutting edge. We have seen the 3-5-2 morph into 5-3-2 on more occasions than I can count and I have watched several games were I cannot put my finger on who's playing where.

With the signing of Depay I am hoping LVG is going to go back to his roots and deploy two wide men with a striker who can ghost wide as well as be clinical in the centre (Muller, Benzema, Suarez type) with the view of opening up the pitch and alienating the full back. The gaffer seems intelligent enough to know that the displays this season have been rotten so I hope he evaluates the season and rectifies his errors for the coming campaign (although I still dream of Klopp). Another season of tikka-takka-we-don't- know-how-to-open-up-defences will be mortifying.

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31 May 2015 07:11:31
I agree with that, but Van Gaal wasn't the Bayern manager in 2012, Jupp Heynckes was. Van Gaal lost the 2010 final to Jose's Inter Milan.

Van Gaal needs to change the way we are playing. Possession football is only good when you have a lot of quick passing and movement, whereas our model seem to be to play it safe and keep pointless possession and not take any chances. Hence we create little in games although our possession stats are unbelievable.

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31 May 2015 07:23:05
Sorry Redfaith you are correct mate. I meant 2010. Bayern have appeared in a few finals in the CL recently I got the dates mixed up but like you said you see what I was getting at. Like I said with the addition of Depay hopefully we see a directness come into the way we play next season.

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31 May 2015 09:15:28
jmb
i disagree i think munich where very poor on the eye.
and let's be honest but for a rooney injury and raf red card united would of stuffed them

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31 May 2015 10:03:48
Jred - They were much more direct than what we are at the minute. Would you agree that you would have assumed LVG would have played expansive football with two wingers prior to taking over?

What I am saying is with his constant tinkering and trying to install his philosophy we are getting the raw end of the deal at the moment. I can't watch another season of what his team served up mate.

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31 May 2015 10:42:02
@JMB

I think you both are making the same point in different ways.

The results have been satisfactory but not good or great. But our performances and style of play has been really poor.

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31 May 2015 10:57:36
jmb
imo they where poor to watch but had robben who sort of played on his own .

ribery to an extent but there where issues there.

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31 May 2015 05:37:22
I am a bit shocked by some of the comments that are being made here about Di Maria. Most have been ridiculous and unfair.

I remember his first game for us against Burnley. He was our best player by a mile. Played in midfield he made some very good passes, great vision, some pacy runs and quickened up the game with some quick one twos. Pretty much the only player on the pitch who looked like breaking open the game. The rest were just pedestrian, happy to keep possession and pass sideways. He was the only player with pace on the pitch.

He followed that up with good performances against Leicester and QPR. Basically, whenever played in his proper position of a part of a midfield 3 or as a winger he put in a good performances.

So what changed for a player who had hit the ground running? It was Van Gaal's obsession to use him in the way Robben was used in the World Cup that shot Di Maria of all his confidence. He isn't the most physical player and had to play with his back to goal against the big center backs of the EPL and chase long balls being pinged by Smalling and Rojo. It was never going to work out. And then came the final straw with the burglary at his place. He has rarely started a game after that. For a player in his first season in the EPL, adjusting to the new life and style of play, that was too much.

How can people judge him on performances made in a position which never suited him and later on a few 10-15 minute substitute appearances in which he was tasked with lumping it up to Fellaini is beyond me. People must not forget that after coming on as a sub against Liverpool, even on one of his bad performances he created the goal that won us the game and won a penalty. Probably our most important game of the season that.

I saw somebody mention that he was a lazy player. You don't get almost 200 appearances for Real Madrid and a bucketload of assists if you are a lazy and overrated player, 3 of those under Jose Mourinho! Jose keeping a lazy player who doesn't try in his starting 11 for 3 years?

Di Maria is a player who thrives on pace and players playing a similar way around him. He needs to be played in a position where he can run into space. How about we wait until next season and judge him when he will have a couple more players with pace on the counter attack (his biggest strength)? At the moment he is the only player in the team with any real pace and looks completely isolated.

He is a creative player, who will take chances on the pitch which means losing possession sometimes. That is what Manchester United is about. Taking players on and doing something special, a bit of magic. ADM usually creates 2-3 goalscoring opportunities. I never thought I'd see the day when a United player was criticized for dribbling too much.

To sum it up, we haven't played well this season, a lot of it has been down to initially the ridiculous tactics of having 3 at the back in the first half of the season and then the obsession with possession and playing it safe style that we have adopted later on. But since we have scraped through into 4th place after a disastrous David Moyes run, its not the manager to blame and everyone seems to be looking for a scapegoat and ADM seems to be it.

I predict a very good season for him next season with the likes of Depay adding much more pace and movement around him. I'd sell him only if we get most of the money back and are sure of adding someone like a Bale or De Bruyne.

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31 May 2015 07:12:35
Redfaith - if he is still here next season then I will give him as much support as possible but he has been a let down this season. At times it has been like playing with ten men at times and his roll on the ground antics are disgusting.

Yes he has that moment of magic but so does many other players who also give their all every week. His price tag is an issue also, it far exceeds that of Hazard, Aguero, Sanchez, Silva etc amongst others and has he been anywhere near as good? Hell no.

This old chestnut about needing 'a season to settle in' is also hogwash as far as I am concerned. If your good enough you will slot in, simple as that. Look at Sanchez, Bale, Ronaldo, Hazard, Silva, Mata etc (the list goes on) when they initially moved from different countries for large fee's did they need a season to settle in? Nope. Look at Suarez this season as prime example. He moved to Barca amidst heaps of controversy following the World Cup and was unable to join in with the team until late October. Did he need a full season to 'settle'? Nope.

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31 May 2015 07:25:02
Have to disagree. He is so left footed they have figured him out and hardly saw him beat a defender in the last 15 to 20 games. What is worst is when he loses the ball he rolls around on the pitch looking for the ref to call a foul. Physically he looks more suited to any other league but the PL.

Veron purchase looks better when compared to him. The fact that he is not deemed good enough to be in the starting 11 speaks for itself.

He might suit Madrid's style when you have Bale and Ronaldo on the pitch and have to shift 2 or 3 guys to defend them but very few teams have that sort of players upfront and if that is what it takes for him to express himself, i guess good luck to him as he will not find another team with those type of players upfront.

For those who think he will come good I have to disagree. He is off to Copa America now with Argentina most likely making the final, which will mean he will either be knackered come start of next campaign and will have an injury prone season on the way or even worse come back injured and not factor in much in the first half of the season.

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31 May 2015 08:08:22
Am with you Redfaith, there is hardly a good player you send to Barca that will not be better except if the team is having a bad time @JMB. Tell me who was not confused this season in MU? Even you as a fan. For a player to all of a sudden not improve after good performances in his first three games then there must b something (LVG has affected him with his confused philosophy rather than improve him). He met a team that was low in confidence and a manager who became even more confused like somone drawnining- he will get hold of anything to help him out. I think ADM will come good now that the season is ova, LVG will be himself again putting on the thinking cap, much time there will be to give opportunity and confidence to all palyers to perform.
Provided our defence is sorted out and a real player is brought in d middle and save us from crawling fellani who has only his hieght. fingers crossed

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31 May 2015 08:38:07
@GCU

I have to completely disagree that not being in the starting 11 is a reflection of not being good enough. Mata and Herrera were completely frozen out without explanation by Van Gaal and were always on the bench. They were completely the wrong decisions and we started playing well in midfield when they were played.

My view on Di Maria is that he is a fantastically talented player who has been poorly managed and not used in his proper position and not at all been protected by the manager. You are right about having Bale and Ronaldo helped him, but he also was a top player at benfica and has done really well for Argentina. Would iniesta be any good without having the similar philosophy of Barcelona players around him?

I would love to know why Jose would keep a player of the kind you describe di maria to be in his first 11 for 3 seasons.

Good on you for already having written him off for next season and predicting injuries. That is exactly the kind of support we should give our players.

@jmb

And I can refer you to countless examples of players who have needed a year to settle in. Vidic and evra are prime examples. Fellaini is a prime example of needing a year to settle into a club. He is a creative player who will take players on and take chances on the pitch. Real Madrid would not have won the champions league had he not been that kind of a player. I'd rather a player who takes chances and tries to create things than one who keeps pointless possession and passes backwards or sideways.

My issue is simple, don't judge him when he is playing in a position that is not his best one. Whenever started as a winger or as part of a midfield 3 he has created chances and looked good more often than not. His price tag shouldn't be a stick to beat him with. He didn't choose the transfer fee did he?

Sell di maria and then what? Who do you bring in?

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31 May 2015 09:52:39
Position this position that he was played in every position across the midfield and was poor. I think you're confusing your excitement of seeing him play for us with his actual performance at Burnley. He ran with the ball a lot but lost it nearly every time. His QPR display was awesome no question but everything else was either average or below. Runs with the ball were unsuccessful for the most part, his shooting was woeful and his head was hanging lower than a grannys u know what. His comments about PSG just after he signed up for us spoke volumes about where his head was at. He has used us as a stepping stone and I for one hope to see us cash in and get a couple of top players with the return

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31 May 2015 10:02:39
Sorry RF. Have to agree with gds and JMB. Adm was played on the wing quite a lot and could not beat his man. He looked disinterested and unhappy. I think Paul Scholes made that remark earlier in the season.
In my opinion, adm did not want to come to United and his performances show this.
Re burglary, I accept fully how this affects people but this happens all over the world and non more than in Madrid and Buenos Aires. Two of the most crime affected cities in the world. So this attempted burglary happened 5 months ago and as sad as I was to hear it, I think

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31 May 2015 10:05:33
Red faith give me an example of someone who cost 60million bucks who needed a year to settle in?

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31 May 2015 11:00:33
It's a bit hard to give examples of £60m players when these transfers don't exactly happen every year.

Why don't u give some examples of £60m players that have come to the PL and not needed to settle in.

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31 May 2015 11:01:13
Redfaith

He has Messi and Aguero on the Argentina team which is even better than Ronaldo and Bale mate lol. If you think that is the type of players we will need to get him to perform then we will be waiting for a very very long time.

I never thought Vidic or Evra were a disaster in their first season and look at what we paid for them mate. This guy cost 60 million and everyone is trying to make excuses for him and its always the managers fault.

The fact that they take the ball off of him and his passing is so poor sometimes is no ones fault but the set up of the league were teams defend in numbers and it is very compact. He is great if he has half the pitch to run and one defender to beat. I swear Nani at his worst was not as bad as he has been in some of the games. We crucified Nani for a lot less mate so don't get how everyone is so accommodating with this guy.

Anyways we shall see and hopefully you are right. BTW coming good against QPR is not criteria for a player that you pay 60 million for. Its about how you play against the top teams that will convince me otherwise.

Finally, Iniesta can pay for any team in the world and will ooze class and its like saying would scholes been any good if he did not play for United. Iniesta's game is so well rounded and he is no one trick pony. Unfortunately i don't believe we will ever see him play anywhere else as Barca are not stupid and he will go the same way xavi.

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31 May 2015 12:02:15
GCU

I don't think we criticized Nani after half a poor season did we? It was only after him having had a good 3-4 seasons to prove himself did the knives come out and that was fair I think.

Also I never saw Nani being accused of not trying, being lazy etc. The only issue was just how frustrating his decision making was.

Had di maria been played in his favored position and then lost his place in the team or started games on the wing or part of a midfield three and then been poor and not done much on the pitch I would have agreed with you probably. But as things stand he lost his place in the side because of being played completely out of position and not suited to his style of play and was then only given 5-10 minute cameos at the end of games.

I'd like Van Gaal to use his squad much better next year. And yes, we should have players like Aguero or Bale at the club. We are Manchester United and that is not at all unrealistic to expect players of that class to be here.

A general lack of pace in the team with the likes of Rooney (who has slowed down, certainly lost his acceleration), Fellaini, Blind, Carrick, mata etc. prevents us from playing on the counter and we can't afford to sell the only player on the team with pace. Rather we should add to it and I'm reasonably confident that he will be much better next year with Depay, a new striker perhaps and a solid midfield.

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31 May 2015 13:47:29
Redfaith

How can we play a counter attacking style when we have something like 65% possession even against teams like chelsea. If you are advocating that we sit back and allow other teams to pile on pressure and defend in numbers to be able to counter attack, it is not going to happen under this manager.

Nani had 2 bad seasons that were plagued by injuries mate and everyone wanted him gone. I would not be surprised to see him back in the team and getting picked ahead of Di Maria next season.

BTW what is his favourite position if i may ask as he has been played in all of them and has not impressed. I never said he is lazy, i just think the PL does not suit his style and he is easy to defend. When he has played on the right side he drifts towards the middle and always loses possession and when he is playing on the left side he tends to go toward the touchline and not much of threat from there.

Every game we subbed Young for Di Maria is the last 15 minutes we have looked worst for it and completely disjointed. Because of his cost we are forced to play him even as cameo's as you say but we look worst off when he is on the pitch.

Pace is useless if your final delivery is poor or you pick the wrong pass.

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{Ed004's Note - The thing is at the start of the season his delivery was very good. Probably one of the best in the league. However, I think we are just seeing a player who is worn out, low in confidence, hasn't settled in and probably still doesn't speak the language fluently. Hopefully he gets a bit of a rest preseason and he comes back fitter and stronger!! Wingers of Depay (more a goal scorer) and Di Maria could be fantastic IMO. We have seen throughout the years that all teams that played possession football only ever stepped it up a level once they started taking more players on. All them teams had direct wingers Messi, Neymar even Suarez and with Bayern Ribery and Robben (Bayern haven't been the same without that threat) and probably the best case would be Arsenal with Sanchez and Ramsey. The quality is there with Di Maria. Get him a competent attacking right back and someone who links with him infield (Herrera?) and a good clinical striker and I'm 100% we will get the best out of him. We are two signings short now of having very strong wide options. Rb, Herrera and Di Maria/Mata with Shaw, cm (Gundogan/Vidal) and Depay. Anyone that doubts his quality watch his friendly game vs Argentina (don't think messi was playing and he was main man that day)}

31 May 2015 17:14:26
ed004

He is gone to cola America and will come back knackered. He needs a proper offseason with some serious gym work IMO and that is not going to happen now.

Are you prepared to give him another free pass next season because he comes back knackered and most probably will pick up an injury early in the season and have another forgettable season. There is no one who can honestly say he has even been decent and if it was not for his reputation and what we paid for it would not even be point of contention.

I don't think he can play on the right side as he drifts inside and that is an area where it is crowded and loses the ball constantly. For all we know if Depay performs he will be on the left and you might see Nani on the right :)

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{Ed004's Note - but he will be given more time off after and hopefully he won't be injured during the tournament like the World Cup. I would give him this season to see how he plays after a season adapting.}