Manchester United Rumours Archive May 01 2012

01 May 2012 19:19:40
What an ignorant man Roberto Mancini is. Swansea and Sunderland may be winnable games for us, but to say on TV that they are 'easy' is very disrespectful to Brendan Rodgers and Martin O'Neill. No respect for that man!

G.A.G.U.S

He's clearly just playing mind games...

Sunderland beat City and drew with them this year. Swansea beat City this year, this is just Mancini way of taking all the pressure off his team because clearly he feels they can't handle it, I really think he's a little p****.

Maybe it's a tactic? Reverse psychology, probably not, just a thought.

Percy

I know he's a disgrace, think Balotelli has had a bad influence on him! Haha but seriously i'm not surprised Fergie was up on the touch line ready to punch Mancini.. Everything i see or hear him say i just think 'complete douche'. Martin O'Neil has been a revelation at Sunderland and Brendan Rogers knows how to deal with big games, i personally think he's a smart manager.

Ozwald

Think you are missing the point here. He is saying that to ensure that he gets a reaction so that both teams give us as tough a game as possible. After all neither has much to play for in thesegames

And by saying that Mancini motivates both teams. SAF didn't hesitate when he wound Keegan up with similar comments. What goes around comes around

Red Man

It is brilliant mind games from Mancini, the fact you feel the need to say these things means he has done the job perfectly.

He will have wound up Swansea and Sunderland as well, what more motivation than to be told you are an easy game?

GDS

Disrespectful yes but to be fair it's good mind games from Mancini, he knows both Swansea and Sunderland will come out all guns blazing against United now. I'd love for Newcastle or QPR to get a result against City, unfortantely I can't see it happening. Unless we improve certain parts of our team, City will dominate for the foreseeable future and it pains me to say that.

United Till I Die 1987

I actually thought he came off much better than Fergie in the post match interviews. I admire him for not making a big deal of the spat between the two of them where Fergie couldnt help but divulge the details - as much as I love the man it was a bit rich given his own history.

IrishRed

Fergie should have said that he expect Newcastle and QPR to lie down.

Sunderland easy game dey robbed points of man city away and at home. simply put on the final day of the season lets go and get an early goal and put the pressure on city to score.

01 May 2012 18:01:26
Our two targets for this summer should be Javi Martinez and Eden Hazard. If only.....

G.A.G.U.S

Not in a million years we're not that club to buy quality seems we only go for players who could be as good as those 2 one day

Top draw players. How good would it of been to of had them two on last night in place of Park & Giggs. We'd either be 3 or 6pts clear now. D'oh!.
What if? Maybe if? And all that jazz.

Odds on Barca player & Man City player.
NEXT?
Barca will always have the jump on top Spanish talent, City are the Fat wallet men.

Llorente!

01 May 2012 15:19:21
man utd should buy the ticket of italian airlines for pogba......
players we should sign..
eden hazard/ douglas costa
ander hereira / joa moutinho
javi martinez
dinge/cissoko
leandro damiao/ erik torres/van wolfswinkel/ luk de jong

Have you ever seen Pogba play no name?

GDS

I'd love to see dinge play.

Sanshine

Who's dinge? I can't work it out. I've been chuckling to myself about Sanshine's comment, but I genuinely can't fathom it. And has anyone been watching Torres? Or is it just the aftermath from that article ages ago?

Jack

Has is agent not agreed terms with Juve? like he did with us?
Read somewhere earlier (am looking for the link..) that Pogba wasn't sure about a move to Italy despite the agreed deal (with his agent/Juve).

Bob

I think he mean Digne from Lille but that didn't half brighten up my day.

If Pogba is leaving, I think that opens up the possibility of someone like Kovacic or Barkley coming in.

I think with the Hazard move, we're going to get blown out the water by City. I'm hoping we go for James Rodriguez in any case.

Sanshine

Am a big fan of joao moutino. great passing range vision and shot. can play all the roles. holding mid,attack mid and on the right. but i dont like what he did to sporting, the club that made him. at nineteen he was vice capt and then at 20 was full capt. not long after he then forced a move to porto. not good but i would still sign him up.

rddu

United need to sign eden hazardhe is really good

01 May 2012 14:28:35
Theses are my views in who we need to sign:

Ins:
Kagawa: 12 mill- everyone thinks hes a squad player, i dont think thats the case at 23 hes scored 16 goals and has over 10 assists sounds exactly what we need and he could be something special one day.

Hazard: 30 mill- this boy is already world class, if we get him the number 7 shirt will be his, you only have to watch him play to see what a talent he is, at the end of the day if it comes down to us or city he will pick us, hes already said how great united are and how great fergie is.

Martinez: 30 mill- personally he is my pick of the bunch, amazing versatility can play at cb and in midfield, his creative ability and holding abilty is great, if we get martinez and one of the above we will be sorted in midfield.

Aly cissoko: 12 mill- he is perfect to replace evra, dont get me wrong i love evra but his defensive qualities have come in to question more than once this season.

Fernando llorente: 20-25 mill- i know we havent been linked that much to him so dont take my head off, but hes a great strong clinical spanish striker and he gives us that AERIAL THREAT which we lack. Would be great to get him seems unlikely though.

Faz

Christian Eriksen

Yeah great player, but i dont think he is one of our main targets.

Faz

Maybe 2 of them in our dreams.
Over 100m for that lot is about right, will the Glazer's fund that? Not on your nelly.
It'll be another Obertan, Diouf, Bebe signing to cheer us all flippin up.

Agree with some of the signings. After that pathetic performance against city a clear out is needed. I'm undecided on kagawa, maybe Rodriguez is better option as he as a great left foot. Hazard, Martinez is a must and if no signings of that caliber isn't bought in I will be very disappointed and would presume saf time is up. I'm actually becoming deluded with his selections and tactics and can't fathom why he insists on playing players out of position ie giggs and park. Park, carrick, scholes, giggs, Anderson, bebe, berbatov, Owen, macheda all should be moved on an quality signings coming in. Big summer ahead

Abs

He's definitely been looked at but he's not ready yet, also said that he wants to stay a Ajax for a while longer to gain more experience which in my opinion is the best thing for him.

As for the general post, would be happy with all of them except Llorente! I don't want Welbeck to get any less playing time, he's at the age where he'll develop like a b*tch on ecstasy if we keep playing him. He's great, even better when we have Tom Cleverley playing as well. Just been struggling for goals this end of the season but it's his first full season with us. You guys need to be more patient in the striker department.

Obviously midfield needs sorting out like an 18 year old school girl. Would be wise to get someone like Hazard, Kagawa who can play almost as a second striker who knows exactly what to do in front of goal. That way when Rooney gets an injury we aren't all left scratching our heads as to who to play in his position.

Ozwald

Have to agree with Faz in terms of the targets. Havent seen a whole lot of Cissoko last couple of years but he certainly was an excellent looking full back. Hazard and Martinez talent wise and no brainers and Kagawa also looks a top talent though not sure where he would play. Llorente has impressed me the more I have seen him technically excellent and strong as an ox like Drogba too. Howvere, like another poster has already stated, bar Cissoko you are looking at a minimum of £50m for two of them I would have thought let alone I think at least three of them would be coveted by clubs just as big ourselves or those with more money to splash out on transfers and wages. Shame I cant see any other central midfielder bat maybe M'Villa out there for us at th emoment and I just dont see Martinez being let to leave or even if so coming to England. We have Possibly Pogba and of course Cleverly comign through but unless we can unearth a hidden Hernandez like gem in midfield I fear how we are really going to strengthen there when it is obviously needed.
Invisible STuey

The only reason i think kagawa would be a realistic signing would be price, as we all know we dont like breaking the bank on signings and kagawas a great player and hes out of contract next year so hes cheap as dirt.

Faz

Faz

As shown before in the past big transfer fees can be generated can be met it just all comes down to the wages and managing the wage bill. Also we need a massive clear out, effectively 5 of the 7 players on the bench need to go and be replaced with quality. Also Mile Phelan needs to go and be replaced with someone who has passion and will get the players playing for their shirts!

JJR

Hi

I would like to comment on Javi Martinez and Fernando Llorente. Both Bilbao players and both very difficult to sign for anyone. First there's interest for both from Madrid and Barcelona, and i suspect will be more. Second, Bilbao doesnt need money, they never spend on big players, if they leave they need to find replacements in their academy as a clubs politics. All comes if they want to leave that i doubt it, but if they want, expect a 40m euro for each

Bilbo

I got an idea... sack the whole frickin scouting department and hire the Newcastle guys instead... tiote, ben arfa, cisse, cabaye need i go on. All was cheap aswell wtf. Im sure there are people on here who agree we do too much watching of players that are a waste of time.

01 May 2012 12:34:13
Anderson & Hargreaves have been our latest additions for central midfield that was 4 soon to be 5 summers ago.

What have we learnt:
The medical staff who passed Hargreaves should be sacked.
Anderson gets injured and piles on the pounds ev season.

We've not bought in a midfielder for what reason?
Cause Cleverley will become the Messiah?
Overhyped always injured since his loan days to Leic,Watford,Wigan and this season he's not had a full season and maintained fitness.

Maybe the Academy?
Morrison, Pogba, Petrucci - one's gone, another is booking his flight to Juventus and Petrucci is coming back from a 2
season layoff and his contract ends in June.

Maybe he's trying to switch players positions?
Giggs LW to CM (works sometimes)
Jones CB to CM (same as above)
Rafael RB to CM (lost to Blackburn Rovers)
Park LW to CM (lost every game he's played there)

So what's next?
Will he try Rio or Rooney in midfield (he has in the past)
Maybe Valencia as he plays foe Ecuador sometimes in the middle.

Personally I think the answer to all these problems is easy.

BUY A FLIPPIN MIDFIELDER or even better BUY FLIPPIN TWO.

nothing like stating the obvious......

Saf has lost the plot. I'm so Angry right now at the state of our club. In front of millions I viewers around the world he selects a team that is so negative and not the Manchester united way. It was disgusting to watch. The selection was baffling, the players are not good enough. Giggs, park, scholes, carrick, Anderson, bebe, young, fletcher, berba, Are these the players to take our club forward. Not a flipping chance. When will this madness end, what an embarrassing season(don't say we are second in the league crap) it was clear from the first drubbing we got from barca in 2009 that changes was needed and he(saf) promised to catch them) has done nothing. I don't like criticising him but it's all his fault. He chooses the players, the tactics, formations and how to play. What the f**k does phelan bring to united as a coach. 8 point lead thrown away in three games is pathetic. The deadwood surely has to go and top quality brought in. Will it happen doubt it. Don't get fooled by the press linking united with players like hazard, Lucas, it's the or machine from ot just to sell a few more season tickets. I do not like slating my club, but I can see a rot and nothing was done for three years. Carrick is not good enough, always sideways and backwards. We need proper investment. Cb, lb, 2 cm and a attacking player who can play different positions. More quality less quantity.

Abs

Bit over the top that one I reckon but def agree with positions you say we need and I'd add a right back to it. I don't for one minute think anyone world class will join in the summer which for me is the disappointing bit all the names we're linked with don't even get me hoping anymore coz you know those days are finished here.

I wrote this article and agree with the first reply.
As soon as I heard the team I nearly switched the telly off, turned my phone off and went to the cinema. (wish I did)
DM/LB Bruno Soriano 15m
CB/DM Javi Martinez 32m clause
AM/LW Kagawa 15m
RB/LB Clyne 2m
£64m spent with 10m back on sales.

You are a clown.

Fred

A touch ott, but i agree that we have taken, or are taking a massive step backwards at the moment.
The selection and formation and game plan was exactly how i expected it to be. Unfortunately.
We appear to have become far too concerned with stopping the other team winning rather than winning a game ourselves. With the one draw back being, we look like half wits when we defend. Especially against "footballing" teams. That is so far removed from how i recognise United. My mates and i were almost speechless, dumfounded in disbelief, at points during the game with the apparent lack of any....quality what so ever. It looked like watching Birmingham holding on for a draw against Real Madrid. In short we looked well out of our depth, and that's not the first time this season.
We have no tactical awareness. In the last three games we've been ran ragged, turned inside out and make to look like we're new to the game.
Who's to blame?
There's no doubt in my mind that the players we have are capable of playing much batter than that. I've seen them do it. Most of you probably have.
I don't like the tactics, the formations and negative team selections of late and i don't think the players take to it naturally.
Playing players, young players especially, out of position is unfare in my opinion. Jones is a terrific CB and a pretty decent DM, he clearly can't play RB. But he keeps playing at RB.
Carrick was voted fans Man of the Match last night so he obviously did something right, but what ever it was it isn't immediately apparent. Best of a bad bunch whoever really.
The way we are playing wrong in my opinion and i can't imagine Fergie, after 25 years of attacking teams, can watch the way we play and like it. I just don't get it.
We SHOULD be better than this, even with this team, but we don't use what we have effectively.
Park for Valencia? Major heart sinking feeling.
Pack the midfield with one up top? Impending sense of doom.
It's all too familiar unfortunately.

This is how it feels to be City?

Bob

Sadly, these comments have more than an element of truth about them. Wigan, Everton and City. And City will improve in terms of personnel over the closed season. Will we? And should Newcastle pull our coals from the fire and allow us to sneak in, of course I'll cheer. But it won't put our problems anywhere near right.

I would agree with the first two posts, especially it was obvious the midfield needed rebuilding after the Barca drubbing in 2009......However I think half the answer lies in the original post. Fergie has been a tad unlucky there. Hargreaves and Anderson started off lookign like a partnership that would really blossom, Hargreaves of course was ruiend by injury, we still had Fletcher who missed that game to partner Anderson, and Andersons has never really took off due to so many niggling injury lays offs, now look at what has happened to Fletcher, Valencia was added out wide, he has suffered from injuries. Then this season the first few games a Cleverly/Anderson partnership showed early promise, they have both been missing for most of the season. Morrision was the best thing since slice bread but mentally so far at least his talent has been blunted. Pogba again the same thing and mentally his head has been turned the story continues, and finally look at Pertrucci, lauded the next Totti again blighted by injuries. Thats a lot of hiccups for a lot of good players.
However, being DISGUSTED at the state of this Man Utd side and how we have gone backwards, yes it hasnt been a viontage Utd team, but look at the above problems and then consider the points total we have in the league even if we dotn win it, to use the word disgusted gives me the impression you have been spoilt by success of the last decade or so, we have the history and we have the success but we dont have the financial might of Chelsea or City so we cant just go out and get any player we like domestically let alone up against the big Spanish sides.
The one complaint I would personally make of the last couple of years is I do feel Ferguson has shown too much faith in some players that have played far too many games for us O'Shea - good utility man but boy he started to often, Park - best days are behind him, a great buy for the price but lets be honest he has always never been more than a great engine and worker who makes good runs, technically he has always been pants as the Barca game showed. Carrick - to be fair he has had a good season but there are hundreds of better midfielders out there than him, especially in the big games when time and space is at a premium. Evans - same as Carrick, had a good season but to say he is a great defender baffles me, he just cant defend in the box an average premiership player and will never be more. Berbatov - a great player, realyl wanted him at the club and thought he may have a poor mans Cantona effect but it really hasnt worked out, should have been sold two years ago. This is for me with the threat of CIty and Chelsea, a very important summer in the transfer market, then again I have thought that for the last three years and we have to be fair got a couple of gems in Hernndezs and Smalling, and a no brainer of a top young talent in Jones and De Gea, Young I didnt get, but a good squad player and he has generally performed well for the club but this summer, come on, we need somebody in that midfield and personalyl I also think we need someone with a bit of magic that can make things happen and trick his way past players, a new number 7 if you will as Nani really is the only player like that we have like that at the moment, and when on the left he is still very much hi tn miss. It isnt coincidence the likes of Hazard and Martinez are mentioned again and again, we can dream
Invisible STuey

I hav to agree with abs and bob on this..I just can't understand for my life why fergie picked park,besides the fact he has only played 90mins or so all season,even if he was match fit he should never have played in that high profile game l.night.it was a crazy decision by fergie.another bad decision was to leave valencia on de bench,our best in form player for the last two months.fergie bottled it in my opinion.he should of went out on all attack.as soon as I seen Giggs and park playing I knew we were giving them the impetious to go at us and that's exactly what they did...and we couldn't live with them.at least if we had of put Evra n nani workin on the left,Valencia n Rafael on de right,with Rooney and welbeck up front,we would of caused them more trouble,gave them somethings to worry about.if we had of gone a goal or two up then we could lock up shop.but obviously fergie was scared of wat they had,played for a draw.the team selection deflated the whole team.it made us work harder coz if we had thregular players on,the passing would of been there and we would have been more confident in beating them..il be at the game on Sunday v Swansea,it won't be easy.im hoping it'll be 10-0,but highly unlikely.i hope this season will make fergie realise we need to strenghten the midfield and squad by least 4 top quality players...

Super red

Stuey, I was disgusted at the way we performed on the night and how saf approached the game with his negative tactics. Yes we have been spoiled domestically by saf but can u really say in Europe we have won enough in his tenure. 2 cups in 25 years is 1 in every 12 years. Ok we got to semis and finals but it was saf decision to play the players he did in those matches that we lost and he is the one who bought those players. My point being has saf had his time and time for new manager and new ideas to take us forward as a club. Yes Chelsea and city have endless money and it is remarkable how he keeps pegging these teams back with average players. Although we have 83 points can you honestly say the premier league is what it used to be 3-4 years ago. All the top clubs are going to build in the summer and get better, the question is are we, is saf going to finally recognise that his squad has too many average players and trim it down and add quality. Like I said this summer is crucial that we invest big and add to the talented youngsters we have. Also can someone please explain to me what mickey phelan adds to united as a coach or and assistant to saf.

Abs

Also Stuey, may I add the early season form was one of the most entertaining iv seen united play, unfortunately blighted by injuries Anderson is a good player but he has been with us 5 years and for if them not had 1 full season injury free. Carrick and Evans are very overrated and have been lucky to have world class players around them ie ronaldo, tevez, Rooney, scholes. Can you honestly say we have improved since 2009 champions league final. It still haunts me how far behind we are in Europe. Im hoping we see the new united next season. But this season is not over and wish the team best of luck.

Abs

Abs, I am pretty much agreeing with you. Yes Ferguson got it wrong, not so much tactically but in some of the players he picked to play those positions agsint City, no we havent improved since 2009 not that it woud be easy too, was a great side even though frailties were shown in the final. We certainly do need to improve in midfield. I was simply making the point even though we havent we have been a little unlucky in that department even so. There IS something missing from this United team for sure, though it is in transition and a lot of excellent servants like VDS, Neville, Evra, Scholes, Giggs and Ferdinand have been reaching the end of there careers and they arent easy to replace, lets face it nearly every one of them has been one of the best in there respective positions over the last decade in Europe. I do think we have missed out on a few potentially excellent signings that have moved to other clubs for ridiculously over inflated fees, Pastore for one being an example. If we are to get the best though we need to pay top dollar, even silly money unless we can pick out some gems, which is what we normally do anyway. Yes Anderson has been frustrating I always say to myself "he deserves another year" but as you mentioned it has been a long time. The one thing I would vehemently disagree with you on though is saying Ferguson has had his time and we have fallen back so far in Europe. Its been ONE season of failure, come on. And you say Ferguson has done amazingly to get the best out of average players. If this is the case, isnt he doing a great job then or do you think a new manager would get more money? We have signed De Gea, Hernandez, Smalling and Jones in the last couple of years, these are not long term going to be average players I believe. But yes something needs to be done in the middle of the park for sure
Invisible STuey

01 May 2012 11:41:04
pogba has decided to join juventus , source sky sports italia
jred

Thats a lie

To be honest as this stage I hope he does go,the ball has been in his court for so long now.If he doesnt want to play for manutd get him out the door a s a p.

Personally I think he never intended to sign, we have already ninja'd him once it shows he's not adverse to following the agents money

Pardoe

I dont know if its the truth or not but it was reported on sky sports italia and is also on the man united website on the gossip section
jred

Id rather he'd go now, he'll be thinking about Italy in 2yrs if not now.
We'll make him a World Class star and he'd end up leaving anyway.
Why don't we just have players that want to play for us like local Bilboa boys.
Petrucci, Fryers, Pogba contracts are all up in June. Why weren't they sorted months or a year ago. Who's to blame?

Hardly a reliable source. The Italian media/referees will say/do anything you ask them to for enough money *cough* cheats *cough*

01 May 2012 09:55:43
Have had word that Liverpool and United have shown interest in Belhanda from Montpellier, but no move has been made by either party as yet.

I was initially dismissive of the idea, but I'm not a regular viewer of the french. Could there be any substance to this ed?

TCC {Ed002's Note - There is interest from confirmed interest in Belhanda from Arsenal and PSG and there is unconfirmed interest from Liverpool, Inter and Roma. The player wishes a move to Germany with Bayern Munich or Dortmund.}

Looks a good player bags of pace knows where the back of the net is
and kagawa and belhanda would cost 28m between them leaving 25/30 m for a midfield enforcer who will protect back 4 and break up the play martinez would be ideal m 'villa etienne capoeu would be useful {Ed002's Note - You do realise that "m 'villa etienne capoeu" is two people? More specifically two mis-spelt people?}

Would he play instead of gotze reus
would he play ahead of ribery robben or shaquiri {Ed002's Note - Maybe he could replace Kagawa or Robben?}

01 May 2012 08:27:00
Offer will be made for Stephane Sessegnon

Wouldn't mind Sessegnon, I think he's a class act but not sure he's quite United quality, a good player to have though.

United Till I Die 1987

01 May 2012 00:17:14
Any truth Pogba has finally decided to join Juventus? {Ed002's Note - My understanding is that he has been advised to opt for Juventus. Whether he has said anything to Manchester United or not I don't know.}