Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - Mod Note in OP, 13/8

Mitch Connor · 10-08-2014 07:20PM

TheTownie wrote: »

Fellaini to Napoli has gone quiet. Talk of Lucas going to Napoli now too so Fellaini deal most likely dead.

surely Fellaini can't still be seen as a defensive midfielder.

Lord TSC · 10-08-2014 07:21PM

Would hate to see Rafael go. Before Fergie left, I felt he was a future club captain and legend. I can see the argument for dropping him but that reads like we are keeping Valencia and letting Raf go.

dahat · 10-08-2014 07:21PM

J. Marston wrote: »

Not bothered if Rafael leaves. I've grown tired of his injury problems, headless chicken defending and petulance.

And Valencia will not frustrate just as much?

Montroseee · 10-08-2014 07:25PM

Nobody else bar UTD. fans rate Rafa highly, honestly he is one of the biggest cases of red tinted glasses I've ever seen. It'll be quite telling when we see what level of clubs would actually buy him and the price. Always injured and unreliable, will never forget that red against Bayern.

J. Marston · 10-08-2014 07:25PM

dahat wrote: »

And Valencia will not frustrate just as much?

Of course he would, I'm just hoping we have someone new lined up.

Nemanrio · 10-08-2014 07:26PM

J. Marston wrote: »

Not bothered if Rafael leaves. I've grown tired of his injury problems, headless chicken defending and petulance.

Reminds me of Jones at times as well tbh.

Mitch Connor · 10-08-2014 07:27PM

dahat wrote: »

And Valencia will not frustrate just as much?

I can only assume that it means we are very confident on Cuadrado and that the initial plan is to stick with wing backs and Cuadrado will be first choice - with Valencia and Young providing adequate (in LVGs opinion) cover. Maybe Raf was told about the formation/Cuadrado plans and said he'd prefer to leave rather than be second choice (pure speculation, nothing to suggest this is the case)

My worry comes from the fact that LVG has said he is using 352/532 at the moment cause the players need to learn it - while 433 remains a possibility into the season; none of Cuadrado, Valencia or Young are right backs, and Smalling/Jones absolutely stink there too - we sell Rafa and a switch to a 4 man defence is an absolute disaster.

Fescue · 10-08-2014 07:27PM

Montroseee wrote: »

Nobody else bar UTD. fans rate Rafa highly, honestly he is one of the biggest cases of red tinted glasses I've ever seen. It'll be quite telling when we see what level of clubs would actually buy him and the price. Always injured and unreliable, will never forget that red against Bayern.

Remember the first half he had against Real Madrid in the CL a few years ago. One of the worst performances from a professional footballer I ever seen.

To be fair to him he pulled himself together for the second half.

Blatter · 10-08-2014 07:30PM

The journo that reported that on the Daily Mail is a nobody I think. Wouldn't trust for a moment he has heard Rafael could leave from a good source within the club.

10-08-2014 07:31PM

Montroseee wrote: »

Nobody else bar UTD. fans rate Rafa highly, honestly he is one of the biggest cases of red tinted glasses I've ever seen. It'll be quite telling when we see what level of clubs would actually buy him and the price. Always injured and unreliable, will never forget that red against Bayern.

Maybe because they only watch him 3 or 4 times a season. Also if you are bringing up an (imo) unjustified 2nd yellow card from ages ago when he was still very young against Franck Ribery, one of the best players in the world it really shows that you have very little to base your argument on.

glued · 10-08-2014 07:35PM

dahat wrote: »

Rafael, Marouane Fellaini, Nani, Anderson and Javier Hernandez told by Louis van Gaal they have no future at Manchester United

Bloody harsh on Rafael I tell ya. Must mean Cuadrado is coming plus Blind must be a cert now.

Don't see the merits in selling either Nani or Rafael and to send Fellaini away after one poor season under Moyes is harsh. Nani is our only true player that can offer width. With a consistent run he is an effective player and a lot of our best play over the past three years has been when Nani was in the side. Rafael is our only right back. It's just senseless to let him go. The guy gets a bad time because he's rash at periods but he has exactly the skill-set you need to become a top right back. Even if we're signing a right back why not let Rafael and him compete for the wing back or right back position. Fellaini is someone who was awful last year and showed no promise but he has been effective for Everton and for Belgium too. He has an awful year but Moyes didn't instil confidence in any of the players so it's hard to judge him solely under Moyes.

Honestly, I think we're in grave danger of becoming far too rigid under Moyes. Currently we appear to be focused on players leaving the club rather than players joining. We don't have the players for 3-5-2 nor do we have the players for a two man midfield either. When is the talent coming in? Herrera and Shaw seem to be good purchases but we're still 2-3 players off being competitive again. If we're going into the start of the season without another CB and a CM then we can forget about mounting any serious challenge next season. There is time left to do business but there is little time left to prepare the team and this was always going to be a challenge bringing in van Gaal in a World Cup year. I don't really understand how van Gaal needed to really look at that midfield to realise that we need another central midfielder. His coaches he left in Manchester could of told him that studying basic tape. Until we get a CB and CM in then I'm going to remain very edgy about our chances of signing any more players.

Mitch Connor · 10-08-2014 07:42PM

glued wrote: »

Don't see the merits in selling either Nani or Rafael and to send Fellaini away after one poor season under Moyes is harsh. Nani is our only true player that can offer width. With a consistent run he is an effective player and a lot of our best play over the past three years has been when Nani was in the side. Rafael is our only right back. It's just senseless to let him go. The guy gets a bad time because he's rash at periods but he has exactly the skill-set you need to become a top right back. Even if we're signing a right back why not let Rafael and him compete for the wing back or right back position. Fellaini is someone who was awful last year and showed no promise but he has been effective for Everton and for Belgium too. He has an awful year but Moyes didn't instil confidence in any of the players so it's hard to judge him solely under Moyes.

Honestly, I think we're in grave danger of becoming far too rigid under Moyes. Currently we appear to be focused on players leaving the club rather than players joining. We don't have the players for 3-5-2 nor do we have the players for a two man midfield either. When is the talent coming in? Herrera and Shaw seem to be good purchases but we're still 2-3 players off being competitive again. If we're going into the start of the season without another CB and a CM then we can forget about mounting any serious challenge next season. There is time left to do business but there is little time left to prepare the team and this was always going to be a challenge bringing in van Gaal in a World Cup year. I don't really understand how van Gaal needed to really look at that midfield to realise that we need another central midfielder. His coaches he left in Manchester could of told him that studying basic tape. Until we get a CB and CM in then I'm going to remain very edgy about our chances of signing any more players.

Fellaini has been effective in teams playing direct football to get the best out of his strength and pressence. I thought he was a better ball player than he has proven to be. I don't think he is half as bad as he looked for us last season. but I don't see how he fits in an LVG side that will, regardless of formation, look to play high tempo, possession based football where technique, control and movement are the biggest requirements no matter the position. The only position you can argue he could be effective is either as a number 10 or right up front, and we have far better options in both those roles.

MagicMarker · 10-08-2014 07:46PM

Why are people paying attention to the daily fúckin' mail all of a sudden?

Quandary · 10-08-2014 07:46PM

We have 3 weeks left to get in a decent centre half and another quality midfielder. Shaw and Herrera are great additions to the first team but they are not enough.

The squad is paper thin right now. If we don't sign another central midfielder and centre back we could find ourselves in real trouble this season, especially given our appalling history of players picking up injuries.

twam2008 · 10-08-2014 07:47PM

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Fellaini has been effective in teams playing direct football to get the best out of his strength and pressence. I thought he was a better ball player than he has proven to be. I don't think he is half as bad as he looked for us last season. but I don't see how he fits in an LVG side that will, regardless of formation, look to play high tempo, possession based football where technique, control and movement are the biggest requirements no matter the position. The only position you can argue he could be effective is either as a number 10 or right up front, and we have far better options in both those roles.

He has stated himself that he would like to play in defence, given how short we are in defence why not give him the opportunity?

Montroseee · 10-08-2014 07:49PM

Liam O wrote: »

Maybe because they only watch him 3 or 4 times a season. Also if you are bringing up an (imo) unjustified 2nd yellow card from ages ago when he was still very young against Franck Ribery, one of the best players in the world it really shows that you have very little to base your argument on.

Or maybe it's because he is simply not that good. Chelsea have azpilicueta, Arsenal have debuchy, City have Zabaleta etc. He's nowhere near the standard to be starting for UTD., there is such a gulf in class between the other club's RBs and Rafael and that's before you take into account the fact that he will miss half the season the injury, he's actually already injured surprise surprise. RB/RWB is just a big a need for us as a CB IMO.

DM_7 · 10-08-2014 07:50PM

I thought that (Yesterday) the daily mail had Kagawa going, I guess they swapped him for Rafael for the sake of an update to the story.

kryogen · 10-08-2014 07:50PM

Rafael is a super player.

bucketybuck · 10-08-2014 07:52PM

I don't believe for one second that United are planning to sell Rafael, Nani and Felliani.

Montroseee · 10-08-2014 07:52PM

kryogen wrote: »

Rafael is a super player.

That is only something a UTD. fan would say.

10-08-2014 07:54PM

Montroseee wrote: »

Or maybe it's because he is simply not that good. Chelsea have azpilicueta, Arsenal have debuchy, City have Zabaleta etc. He's nowhere near the standard to be starting for UTD., there is such a gulf in class between the other club's RBs and Rafael and that's before you take into account the fact that he will miss half the season the injury, he's actually already injured surprise surprise. RB/RWB is just a big a need for us as a CB IMO.

All I know is when he was fit last season United looked a far better team and he played very well. Azpilacueta is someone I like but he was LB last season and has yet to set the world alight on the right. Debuchy is yet to play in a top team consistently but I'd still have Rafael ahead of him. Zabaleta is great yeah but that doesn't automatically make Raf bad.

irishfeen · 10-08-2014 07:55PM

Can you just imagine the outcry from fans if we were to sign nobody and drop points to Swansea :eek:

Mitch Connor · 10-08-2014 07:57PM

twam2008 wrote: »

He has stated himself that he would like to play in defence, given how short we are in defence why not give him the opportunity?

where has he said this?

Strumms · 10-08-2014 07:58PM

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Daily Mail saying Anderson, Nani, Fellaini, Hernandez and Rafael have been told they can leave...

I can see the merits in selling all of them apart from Rafael - our only right back, and a good one at that, imo. I can't understand selling him at all.

If we are going to play wing backs in every game, and we bring in Cuarado or however you spell it I can see some argument in it - but it would mean we don't have an actual right back if we want to play more defensively or with a more conventional back 4.

I also don't believe Janko or Varela are near good enough either, so I don't think they make the argument for selling Rafael any better.

If the reports are true which they may not be..

The only one of those I'd be disappointed to see leave would be Rafael. I'd like to see him given another chance under LVG he had a crap year last year but has been overall very good for us and a very likeable player who always gives 100%. With his attacking prowess I'm surprised he wouldn't make the Right wing back slot his own.

Nani, please close the door on your way out. A great shame how his United career turned out after a great start. A great player on his day when he was motivated but the last two seasons he's just been poor, petulant, moody and unproductive and not even capable of making the bench at times. You can blame Moyes for a lot but not this clown doesn't deserve to wear the shirt. Like Anderson, been taking up a squad number for far too long.

Fellaini. Well not much to say really. Seems like a likeable sort but not United quality or anywhere near it. The circumstances that enabled a transfer to OT should have been looked at considering the fee we paid and how in truth he isn't worth even a third of that.

Sad to see Hernandez go. Him staying I don't think would benefit his career. I think he probably lacked the quality outside the final third to be considered among the elite forwards in the history of the club and to get some starts and continue his career a move might be best. Bust he will be fondly remembered as a scorer of important goals, an infectious enthusiasm and another 110%er

Now then , once again going by the fact this article might be accurate that means more potential holes in the squad to fill.

twam2008 · 10-08-2014 07:59PM

Mitch Connor wrote: »

where has he said this?

http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/02/marouane-fellaini-id-love-to-be-a-centre-back-for-manchester-united-4132027/

keane2097 · 10-08-2014 08:00PM

The Daily Mail saying it is about as noteworthy as the Daily Mail not saying it really.

KH25 · 10-08-2014 08:09PM

kryogen wrote: »

Rafael is a super player.

This. He has a reputation as a hot head after the red against Munich. He has done very little since then to merit the reputation. I really can't see why people seem to have so much hate for him.

homerjay2005 · 10-08-2014 08:11PM

TheTownie wrote: »

Fellaini to Napoli has gone quiet. Talk of Lucas going to Napoli now too so Fellaini deal most likely dead.

last thing i saw written about it was that Napoli are refusing to meet our demands in terms or paying his wages.

billyhead · 10-08-2014 08:13PM

I will be very concerned for our chances of finishing inside the top 4 this season if we don't sign a proper center back. We cant last the whole season with a defence made up of Smalling. Jones and Evans. We will leak to many goals and could well drop points next weekend to Swansea. Surely LVG realises this and has let Woodward know. Time to pull the finger out and get deals done:(

Rayne Wooney · 10-08-2014 08:18PM

Rafael was one of our best players and one of the best right backs in the league in the title winning 12/13 season, and incidentally that was his first "full" season

He made 18 appearances last season, 10 in 11/12 and 15 in 10/11

I have no worries at all about Rafael in terms of being good enough, he is

Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - Mod Note in OP, 13/8

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