14 Jan 2012 22:20:04
i personally believe we should get rodwell, a young lb, gaitan and/or hazard. i would like another strong cb like subotic but i dont think will happen this summer
this would mean we could start in traditional 442 then if needed switch to a 433 or 4231 without using subs
squad could look like this come september
(approx seasons left for older players)
gk linds, ddg, amos
lb evra(1-2), fabio, fryers, new lb
cb vidic(2-3), smalling, evans, jones, rodwell, fryers & rio (1) maybe subotic but doubtful
rb rafael, fabio, jones, smalling, valencia
lw hazard, gaitan, young, nani
(d)cm park (1) rodwell, jones, carrick (2-3), pogba
(a)cm/b2b clev, anderson, jones, gaitan, hazard
rw valencia, nani, young, gaitan, hazard
ss rooney, hazard, gaitan
st rooney, welbeck, hernandez,
we may lose rio & park but all in all this could be a very exciting squad with a very fluid attack as the wingers (except valencia) could operate on both wings and either cut in & shoot or beat & cross, yet keeping a strong defensive core
obviously getting both gaitan and hazard would be doubtful but is possible (and preferable)
finally i think that very soon either nani or rooney will go and i suspect it will be the former
dags
Manchester United Banter Archive January 14 2012
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14 Jan 2012 21:49:28
Good game today, hope SAF doesnt play the lads out of position in the upcoming games. This is what I thought about the players today.
Valencia: Everyone knows so no need to waste time. Through ball for penalty was the best.
Rafael: A very good game but didnt have to do much defensively.
Welbeck: Deserved the goal, hope he is OK.
Nani: He has forgotten how to cross the ball but is still class. He is related to the goal somehow even if he doesnt get the assist. His skills and twisting and turning are fun to watch and he is the creative spark in our midfield. I want him to stay here as long as possible.
Rooney: So many good passes to Valencia and should have got atleast 1 goal. The penalty save was very good so cant complain for that. He is another player who cant be replaced. If we want to see the best of Rooney we'll have to play with high tempo (like the first goal against City the other day). His passing and movement are great when we are on a break.
Carrick: Finished beautifully with his left foot and played some amazing passes. He looks very good when he has time on the ball and there is no pressure from the opposition.
Evans: Didnt have much to defend but his offensive adventures were very nice to see. He made so many runs but no one seemed to trust him not even the opposition defenders.
Others were OK as always. Their defense was very good and definitely saved them some goals.
14 Jan 2012 21:16:37
Liverpool were class again today, managed to get a token 1 shot on target. Useless.
DB-Red
14 Jan 2012 20:54:55
It was always going to be a little bit tense today after the last two league results, but we got the job done today . Carrick was absolutely magnificent today and once again silenced all you haters. His pass in the first half was as good as I have seen in the last ten years.RAINFISHTROMBONE
14 Jan 2012 20:42:03
I for one wouldn't mind if pogba or Morrison were to leave and I actually like the fact that fergie stands firm on his wage structure
(except for Rooney) and anyway I know they do look good players but so did Kieran Richardson now he plays for Sunderland ................ Whose to know they will turn out to be 'amazing' players , I think we should be looking at the likes of the Belgian lad janjuazi (spelling) joe rothwell and even jack barmby
14 Jan 2012 20:28:21
Just a thought here, but with Park coming to the end of his United career we are going to lose profits from Asia as we will have no Asian stars in the squad.
So, will Keisuke Honda be a good answer to those problems as well as fixing a midfield problem. Well firstly he is a great dead ball player, he can go past people and pick a pass.
Honda makes my list of players who i think would be good for us to get, so far that list (its realistic) is:
Subotic
Izaguirre
Rodwell
Shaqiri
Honda
RedDevil19
14 Jan 2012 20:08:28
How did Gibson get on today - does anyone know?
I hope he had a good game - good luck to him .
Mike
14 Jan 2012 19:34:38
Was at the game today and I have to say Valencia was stand out performer, but Rafael 1st game back from injury was also outstanding his passing was good, he looked sharp, and nothing got past him, also pleased he managed a full 90 with no problems.
DB-Red
14 Jan 2012 19:29:48
It would appear that SAF's interest in Kaka is picking up speed again at least in the spanish press. Good grief. Can theses journo's never come up with at least a new line of Bull with a new player instead of Sneijder/ Kaka/ Ozil etc...for pity's sake. Its not rocket science is it.
Oh yes and Rooney wants to leave and Morrison is going to Barca etc etc.
There Ive saved everyone buying a sunday rag!
14 Jan 2012 19:24:06
Good work from the lads today - well done
So tomorrow Newcastle go into 6th place ?
Mike
14 Jan 2012 17:24:49
good match today......but we are still weak defensively........ferdinand does not look convincing anymore.......he lacks the organisational skills of vidic.....whenever i see dortmund play, there is one player who stands out for me defensively......subotic....he is just like vidic......ideal replacement for vidic.....will not come cheap though.........united have shown an interest in him in the past.........any idea ed's? {Ed007's Note - Here's an idea. Stop posting as if it is Morse code with so many dots.}
14 Jan 2012 18:07:02
Sorry to say this everyone. But we won't be signing anyone in this window. Summer maybe
Joe Ads
14 Jan 2012 17:58:26
The amount flack players like Giggs Park and Carrick take on this site is amazing. Carrick and Park have been steady and done really well for the this club both at some points having sticky patches i agree but on the whole have always tried their best and gave everything for the team.
And Giggs "not good enough" and "finished and useless" are some of the coments i see are we forgetting who he is and what he has achived people will be looking back thirty years from now saying there will never be a player like him again a one club man who has survied the changing of FIVE massive teams changes and still won things his whole carear.
We have good options in wide areas Ashley Young looked good at the start of the season and Valencia is getting back to the form he was in before he had the bad injury and Nani goes through his stages of looking world class and then stages of looking like liverpool class. I belive if we are looking to bring in Hazard or Shaqri I belive it will be at the exspense of Nani who will be sold and that central areas will be invested in as well a centre half and a unproven young centre forward.
Lets get behind all the boys and hope Pogba gets his chance which am sure he will and on another note HE SCORES GOALS ME LORD HE SCORES GOALS!
Darren the red
14 Jan 2012 17:26:26
Guys how was our perfomance today and did the young lad Pogba get a run?.....jms
14 Jan 2012 17:08:08
Absolutely brilliant performance by Antonio Valencia. Its a shame we have fans who were calling for him to be sold, just because he was coming back from injury and didn't have consistent run of games. I know Ed001 agrees with me that he is one of the best right wingers in the world.
Rooney should have had a hat trick today. Pogba not coming on was just bad luck i think.
You know Scholes has had a good game when he wins 3 clean tackles!
REDFAITH {Ed001's Note - I hate to admit it, but yes Valencia is a class player, reminds me a lot of Kanchelskis, he provides so much more to the team than is normally spotted. The whole opposition defence is dragged out further to their left to cover him, because they can't afford to give him space as his crosses are so good.}
14 Jan 2012 17:07:20
Ok game, pity about the result! 3-0 was a let down, it should of been 7 or 8 with the calibre of Bolton. United were all over them and that says something with how poor united are atm.
Valencia had a very nice game also Rafa too was good, just wish he wouldn't be so injury prone. Rooney i wasn't impressed with, for 200k + a week i would him to score a penalty or tap a ball into an empty net. Again we had evans who nearly cost us a goal and give some momentum to Bolton after his careless pass. Then we had a another master stroke of a parks/giggs on, seriously cmon! Maybe 1 but not both, can't we not give pogba a run of games to see if he can cut it instead of playing has beens.
14 Jan 2012 16:58:55
Good win, Bolton are not a PL standard team. Rooney, Nani and Evra all poor today. Evans was good again but it was a shame that we didn't bring Pogba on for the last 15 min instead of Hernandez. Hope Welbeck isn't injured, one of our best players at the moment.
What about the mighty Pool though? Dropping their star donkey to the bench and playing 5 at the back against Stoke at Anfield. I guess they've finally realised that their battle is for 6th place and by those standards they scored an important point against a major rival.
Danny Pughnited
14 Jan 2012 16:52:56
Few observations from the game :
1. Manchester United, a club where we have watched the likes of world class players like Beckham and Ronaldo take penalties and Free-kicks now doesnt even have a single player who can take set-pieces.
I remember when Ronaldo/Beckham used to take set-pieces you could see the fear in the opponents but these days its just a waste of time.
Nani is the worst freekick taker I have ever seen, I would even say RORY DELAP is a better freekick taker than him.
2. SAF says there is no value in the market and players wont come in January, OK I AGREE....but then are Scholes,Park,Giggs gonna take the club forward now ?
Keeping pogba on the bench and not playing him is like a slap on his face.......
Pogba is the way forward not Scholes and Giggs and Park
3. Its boring watchin United these days, its so boring the only way I enjoy a game these days is by imagining how Ronaldo-Tevez-Rooney would have played any of these attacks.
MUMBAI_BOY
14 Jan 2012 16:50:15
Agree with oxred if pogba and morrison leaves it will be alex fergusons fault. ppl here sayin he wont play them till they sign contracts, there not hostages they already on contracts so therefore hav the right to play giggs is 38 he isnt going to improve nymore why if fergie adamant in over playing him so many times instead of giving a few minuted to our youth.
Also lasts few months fergie rarely leaves his seat and lets phelan stay on the sidelines while mancini/avb/wegner/daglish stay the full 90 mins on the sidelines, has he lost the hunger? i duno but he says he has 3 more years i disagree no player(or manager) is bigger than the club, so many weird decisions in last few months
14 Jan 2012 16:45:15
Antonio Valencia has to start on the right of midfield as much as possible he has been brilliant today. Tell him to be direct and get to the byline and we will have a constant threat there.
Rjmanutd
14 Jan 2012 16:36:54
if Pogba leaves it will be because of s**t decisions like the 68th minute.......
crap change...... giggs and park are past it........
could have waited ten and then got him on for scholes..
and then an injury to a forward and he misses out again.....
if we loss him and he becomes the player must of us think he will become somewhere else then this would be an outrage.
oxred
14 Jan 2012 16:17:38
I'm going to say it again. We have to sell Nani, Fergie has spoken about players with the Utd quality and we all agree on this. Nani is a liability. He cannot take a corner which is a disgrace that a professional footballer cannot master this basic skill. Sell him in the summer and get someone who will create/score goals. Valencia took 1 corner in the 1st half and had no problem beating the first defender.
14 Jan 2012 16:17:02
Rooney poor 2day seems disinterested but hernandez and pogba on
14 Jan 2012 16:01:22
lingergaard starts again when do people think we will see ddg again
14 Jan 2012 15:56:35
To everyone who is saying we need a goalscorer you are wrong! We have probably the best goal scorer in the prem and his name is hernandez! Once he is back and flying you will soon stop doubting him! Also to all of you united doubters use are all utterly stupid! We've been through worse than this and WILL get through it again because we are UNITED if we sign a cover in defence my option would be kieran clark as he can play anywhere in defence and will be quality in afew years! And in the summer try for mesut ozil but if not try for sneijder again right now in january!
14 Jan 2012 15:36:07
How quiet is Old Trafford these days?
firebear83
14 Jan 2012 15:27:07
Why do we persist with Rooney as our penalty taker? His conversion rate is atrocious.
TK-Red
14 Jan 2012 15:26:26
is it going to be one of those games?
JWalk
14 Jan 2012 14:44:33
Pogba is on the bench, hopefully he will come on for scholes, though i doubt it.
JWalk
14 Jan 2012 14:29:13
samba left out of blackburns line-up,must be on the move,would be worth a look,plenty of premier experience and has been their best player the last few years,looks a rock solid defender,like the look of hoilett as well,very exciting and out of contract in the summer,
14 Jan 2012 14:20:13
Arguably our best team in recent memory was in 2008, compare that team to now and you can see where our money will be invested. There is no need to look at the defence, just in midfield and the forward line:
So in 2008 we played 4-4-2 with a midfield/foward line of:
Ronaldo ------ Hargreaves --- Scholes ------Giggs
---------------Rooney ---------Tevez -----------
Now, in 2012 we play 4-4-2 with a best midfield/foward line of:
Valencia ----- Carrick --------- Cleverly ------Nani
--------------Rooney -------Hernandez-----------
What are the differences, well the real difference i can see is on the wing. Ronaldo is better than Valencia obviously, but i think Nani is now better than Giggs, so in that respect there has been an improvement. Carrick and Hargreaves do a similar job, and are both pretty good at it. For me Carrick stays. Cleverly is being earmarked as the new Scholes for United so their won't be a new player in that role. When you look you can see similarities between him and Scholes.
The biggest difference is the fluidity of the side, with a front line of Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez we had so much movement, they were impossible to mark. Now there is less movement, Valencia can only play on the right, Nani and Rooney can swap and Hernandez is hopeless outside of the box.
So whats the answer? Well we need a similar set up to that of 2008. The answer i think is Hazard.
Where would he fit?
Nani ---------Carrick ----------Cleverly ----Hazard
---------------Rooney--------Hernandez-----------
That immediatly changes things as we immediatly have more movement in the side, Rooney, Nani and Hazard can all swap around and become more difficult to pick up. Stick Hernandez around the box and you've got a winning formula.
Alternatively of course we can all pray for Ronaldo's return - unlikely im afraid :(
People say we need no more wingers, but thats not the case. Look at what SAF has said in his interviews about Valencia. He has said he works hard, has quality, is adaptable and does what he is told. Similarities between him and Milner. Milner used to be a winger but has been moulded into a central player...i propose this for Valencia...this would add to his versatility and would mean we would only need a squad player like Rodwell to come into the midfield. We would then have Rodwell, Carrick, Fletcher, Cleverly, Anderson and potentially Valencia to play in there, even when Giggs and Scholes are gone for good.
Please have a good read of this and tell me what you think!
RedDevil19
14 Jan 2012 13:27:09
Afternoon all, a week or so ago someone posted that Rooney was off in January which I, among many, thought was absolute nonsense. Unfortunately however I have heard this morning that there may be an element of truth in this story. My information is (ok it's not from the horses mouth but it is from someone inside the club) that PSG will definitely be making an obscene bid for Rooney before the window shuts. United are expecting this and are busy behind the scenes making discreet enquiries about a replacement in case the bid is too good to turn down. Sir Alex is prepared to let Rooney go for SLIGHTLY less than he may have done previously because and I quote my source " he's a bit fed up with his arrogance and big headed attitude"
Personally I'm not sure how I feel about this but there are a few strikers out there who, if they arrived, may do more than just soften the blow.
14 Jan 2012 12:31:51
Oh the insanity I've just transferred out Eagles and put in Gibson..... Talk about out there
Pardoe
14 Jan 2012 12:21:03
What do we think is going to be the lineup today?
I heard Evans, Jones, Rio and Smalling are back in contention for the line-up.
I'd like to see Rafael get a game today. Id go for:
___________DDG__________
_Rafa__Smalling__Rio__Evra_
__Scholes_Jones_Anderson__
_Valencia___Rooney___Nani_
or
___________DDG__________
_Rafa__Smalling__Rio__Evra_
_____Scholes_Anderson____
Valencia___Rooney____Nani
______Chicha/Welbeck_____
Havent seen Chicha start in a while, although Welbeck has been quality recently.
DDG will start i think, Lindegaard has been given the nod for a few games now.
RedDevil92
14 Jan 2012 11:24:29
Okay, so away from the personal issues with Ravel.
We sell Gibson, and we then look at the clearance from the summer and ask ourselves why are we not bringing anyone in, Well surely that means, especially with gibson that if nobody is being signed as a replacement for him then Pogba will be played, he was next in the pecking order regardless of Scholes coming back.
So what you guys are saying is that we should sign a CM in January then put him instead of Pogba and complain that Pogba isn't playing? hm.
The Moon.
14 Jan 2012 11:22:25
Moving away from transfer talk and the Morrisongate, let's look forward to the match today, what does everybody think?
14 Jan 2012 10:52:50
Lets get one thing straight about Ravel Morrison. I am reading on here people calling him all kinds of names and talking about him when they haven't got a clue what he has been through all his upbringing. And let me tell you it isn't about being poor. This is s**t you wouldn't wish on Steven Gerrard or John Terry. Anybody who has ever read anything i have posted on here will know I have no time for anyone who wants to hold the club to ransom (I have still not forgiven Rooney) Yet i am willing to cut this Kid a lot more slack. You will have to trust me on this one and look at how much Sir Alex has bent over backwards to try and help him. I read some rumours yesterday on here about him and what he was supposed to have done at the club which I came on and squashed immediately. Luckily Rio has done the same so if you were one of the ones yesterday looking to taint his name take a good long look at yourself. Manchester United has always been a family club where we have looked after our own. Yes I appreciate that he has done plenty of stupid irresponsible and lets not deny it criminal things. But speak to anyone at Carrington and they will tell you he is worth it. This week's upheaval was all about him missing training and that really got Sir Alex and Warren Joyce fuming plus as I have said before City are not innocent in all this. Imagine someone offering to treble your wage and say you wouldn't think about it. Lets just lay off Ravel and hope that Sir Alex can do what he is the best in the world at Man Manage. It's a shame we are not really talking about Pogba who dominates every reserve midfield he plays against and the one who is sneaking under the radar Will Keane who is the closest we have had to Teddy Sherringham. All 3 could be great for United so there is some hope. If all else fails bring back Dennis Irwin. RAINFISHTROMBONE
14 Jan 2012 10:24:19
morning fellow united fans !
just a quick post to everyone whoever wishes to respond but i was just wondering as i have not personally seen much of ravel morrison or paul pogba just a few reserve highlights and whatever appearances theyve made in the first team, and i wasnt taken back by there talent i thought pogba was poor at passing and lost the ball quite alot and morrison looked out of depth even against crystal palace, anyway im rambling now my bad :) but how much do you guys think they would fetch at the current time and what do you think about thiago neves as a midfielder if anyone has seen him hes 26 years old plays for flamengo absolute class imo for how much hed cost and his wages but wouldnt be as hefty as european players i believe and his goal scoring record as a central midfielder is brilliant and i think having a central player with anderson that are of the same nationality may just help him improve aswell has anyone seen anything of him or am i alone?
george
14 Jan 2012 07:49:19
There is one answer to all money & wage problems, QATAR FOUNDATION....!!
IBleedBlue
14 Jan 2012 07:37:15
All this ongoing talk about the need for a Central Midfielder and we are in the process of losing two from the club - bit surprising and concerning !!.
The size of the squad now is of concern, more so with the injuries that we have. I feel that it is the weakest unit that we have had for many years. The fact that we are now having to look at the likes of Welbeck and Cleverly, who at best were previously fringe players, suggests to me, that finances are tight and that balancing the books is perhaps, more important than what happens on the pitch, which is supported by the fact that our season has at best been mediocre.
The upheaval that we are seeing this season, must have some kind of effect on the dressing room, particularly with a good number of United lads - Nev, Scholesy, Wes, O'Shea and now Gibson, all having left the club. Also, lets be honest for the majority of the time Rooney and Berbatov don't appear to ecstatic in having to wear the Red shirt ! I'd love to think that Fergie has a masterplan and there is an end game to all this restructuring and cost cutting, but I am not sure that there is.
Interesting times
Busby 68
14 Jan 2012 07:05:35
A few questions for the Eds and other guys on here:-
1. With United being strongly linked to Shaqiri, Hazard, and Gaitan, do you think that SAF is planning Giggs' replacement? If so will Giggs retire this summer and which of these 3 is the most likely to join.
2. If as SAF says, Morrison is demanding unrealistic sums, who else will pay him better? City? What incentive does he have of joining them? He won't get in the team anyway. Newcastle? I'm not quite sure. Barcelona? Will he adjust to a new culture, and again, will he get playing time there? I don't think there are any teams out there who will want a player with such baggage and attitude towards training.
The whole Morrison being made available by SAF seems like SAF playing with his agent and letting him and Morrison know that the grass ain't greener elsewhere. Anyone else think so?
3. On to Pogba, he too seems to be demanding big sums and i understand PSG have a real interest. I just do not understand why he hasn't been given the chance. He should be playing now with the amounts of injuries we have. He certainly won't do any worse than anderson or gibbo.
4. With Macheda, Diouf, Gibbo and Kuszack all likely to leaving, surely someone must come in?
REDFAITH
14 Jan 2012 03:17:48
lack of cash,we can't buy big an cant pay our youth enough where others city even the Geordies will
If we can't keep the good youth we r stuffed. City will get at us at youth level an big buys an laugh. Its cos the glazers made us vunrable, morrison pogba lack of big buys makes it show how the yanks are destroying us,can't you see that
14 Jan 2012 02:08:08
talent alone is not enough...you need to back it up with hard work and right attitude......especially if your manager is mr ferguson.......i think fergie has had enough of this guy's wayward behaviours......having said that, united do have petrucci and janujaz in their reservesa nd youth team.....petrucci is a good playmaker who will get into the first team next season.....janujaz is the one for the future........2-3 years down the line, this guy has the potential to be the next ozil or even better him.......he is a very silky and skilfull player.......and plus united could still go out and get lucas ocampos from river plate..........that would be terrific.......he looks the real deal.
14 Jan 2012 09:50:57
In the Sun it says Scholes admitted to SAF that he made a mistake in retiring and asked Utd if he could come back, not Utd asking him
That could mean no one in this window to me
Pardoe
14 Jan 2012 01:34:05
What is all this panic about Morrison talented he may be but come on this is a kid with bags of potential and way to much attitude and baggage and we are Manchester United, we have lost players like Cantona, Keane and Ronaldo all world class proven players and still continued winning trophies.
If he wants to leave then let him leave and if Sir Alex has had enough then thats good enough for me as if he was pulling up trees in training am sure he would have been in or around the first team as the boss has no problems giving youth thier chance. Pogba will stay and next year be an integeral part of the first team as and were will Morrison be having the same problems wherever he ends up.
I would keep him till the summer see if his attitued and opinon of him self change in the mean time as we are not desperate for 1MILLION and if not let him leave for free in the summer just as Pogba is getting ready for his first pre-season as first team regular.
And in the summer lets go out and get talent who realise what it is to play for one of the worlds biggest clubs and start addressing the areas Sir Alex thinks we need improving (hopefully midfield like the rest of us) Shaqri being one of the first names who springs to mind.
Keep the faith!
14 Jan 2012 00:02:40
"13 Jan 2012 18:40:47
Rio has just tweeted to Ravel that the rumours people are suggesting about him are rubbish (he has stated what the rumour is but I won't as it doesn't matter and everyone probably knows anyway!) and finished with "see you at training on Monday #stayfocused"
Just thought I'd let you all know!
***
Ed 001 what do you know about Morrison? is he definately leaving? if he is what is the reason money?.
What do you think will happen with united's midfield?.
REDMOZ {Ed001's Note - as far as I am aware, there are no monetary issues with him at all. It is still behavioural issues. For all I know, Fergie may have let it be known he was willing to get rid of him to frighten him into getting into line. But it has been made known he is available, hence the sudden rash of rumours. I really don't know what will happen with the midfield, I would have expected investment rather than the return of Scholes. I can only assume the chosen targets are all unwilling to move ahead of the Euros or are going to the ACON.}
14 Jan 2012 00:14:37
I think some of the older players should sit raval down and have a good chat with him or even he could ring nasri and ask him does he regret going to city for the money instead of united and now sitting on bench most time.also remember when all the fans sang to fergie sign him up about tevez and moaned when he was let leave,well look who was right fergie knew he was trouble.so if fergie wants to let Morrison go I'll take his word for it and to be honest if he was as good as people think why would Newcastle be only bid £1m when we paid £30m for Rooney .