Manchester United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - Mod Note in OP, 25/08

Wow... just, wow.

Even by the incredibly low standards I hold this thread to I am still amazed by the topic of conversation atm.

I generally don't post that often in here, mostly use it during transfers windows to keep up with news and also to get an idea of the average United fans opinion but do feel compelled to post when some topics surface, and this by far takes the cake for how compelled I feel to way in.

Are we actually having a debate about the validity of signing Juan Mata? Honestly? I know I've had a few pints tonight but I'm pretty sure I'm reading things clearly.

Mata is without a doubt one of the top 5 players in England, and that is probably being conservative to be honest. I remember watching him play for Chelsea with such envy, thinking this is exactly what we need, a creative genious in between the midfield and attack. We've just never had this sort of player and it is exactly what is needed in the game today to thrive. When looking at him thinking how much I would love a "Mata type" never in my wildest dreams did I think we would actually end up with the genuine article. 21 goals and 34 assists in his last year with Chelsea, a 55 goal contribution, that is outrageous.

To judge him as potentially a flop solely on his United career to date is simply ridiculous because A) he has come into the club at the worst time possible in terms of the quality and standard of football being played, and because besides that he has been the stand out player in his time here anyway. If you judged any player at United based on the last 6 months alone then you would be doing their entire career a disservice because no one has performed near their best bar De Gea.

Who cares if Jose didn't rate him, quite simply he was wrong. Fergie left Pogba go, fell out with Stam, signed Bebe and apparently turned down James Rodriguez for a few million. The best get it wrong sometimes too. I remember watching Chelsea v Sunderland near the end of last season when they gave away a late penalty and effectively ended their title challenge. They got to the edge of the Sunderland box so often but had absolutey zero creativity or penetration, they were crying out for Mata that day. They lost the league cos they couldn't create clear chances against teams that sat back and defended, Mata would have created the spaces for them and won them the league in my opinion. In Mata's 2 years at the club he won the Fa cup, champions league and Uefa cup, last year they won nothing. Jose was wrong, simple as that, that argument holds no water for me.

And I get that the main problem that some have is that attacking players like Mata were signed while other key areas were ignored, but its not like the 2 options were mutually exclusive. We still could have signed a proper center mid or center back as well as Mata, but we simply didn't. There is absolutely zero indication that signing Mata prevented other players being signed. The club clearly has the finances to cover both.

And as for the argument that "signing Di Maria would be like adding a bar to the house to match the pool table while we still have no roof" (paraphrasing), at the end of the day I would happily wake up every morning covered in a bit of last nights drizzle if it meant I could get p!ssed and play pool all day after. But as I said in my previous paragraph, those 2 factors have no impact on the other.
Our midfield is highly average while our attacking options are awesome, but our midfield isn't average because our attack is so good, some people don't seem to be grasping this simple distinction.

Cleverly to Anderson, back to Evans, up to Vidal , wide to Di Maria, beautiful cross, wonderful header by Ronaldo

I see we're being linked with Mexes now. He is useless. Better off with Blackett than buying mercenaries like mexes or de jong or eto.

Sacramento wrote: »

I still think we'll sign three more players, maybe even four...

I'd be amazed if we signed more than one player and I wouldn't even be confident in that being done in the next two weeks.


Of course I hope you are right and I'm wrong but, it just seems like fantasy stuff to think that amount of players will arrive.

Di Maria £50 million
Vidal £40 million
Rojo £20 million
Blind £20 million.

Salaries covered by Vidic, Rio and Evra's wages.

Bada bing bada boom. Simple stuff.

And then I turned off the Playstation.

kryogen wrote: »

Needed a left back, signed Shaw
Needed a midfielder, signed Fellaini (I know I know but I havent given up on him yet) signed Herrera

Its not perfect but at least its progress...........

Yes, but we needed and still need more for midfield. Last summer was a joke only bringing in Fellaini but yeah at least Moyes bought an actual CM. How did Fergie not see the need though?

ManUtd Stuff ‏@ManUtdStuff 32m

Fact: From the Premier League down to League Two, only Exeter City have made less signings than @ManUtd.

Larry Wildman wrote: »

More people posting about how great Mata is. He must be wonderful so. Top 5 players in the league? Be great if he showed that once in a while. I think I'd prefer Yaya Toure somehow.

Di Maria stinks of a panic buy.

The myopia of United fans is baffling sometimes.

Mikeyt086 wrote: »

If it gives someone a giggle then it is of more value than the continuous attempts to incite 10-page long roundabout arguments that everybody detests seeing apart from those who seem to take absolute delight in making this thread as un-enjoyable as possible.

In my opinion of course.

Nope, just thanks-whoring by picking on the easy targets.

bucketybuck wrote: »

Nope, just thanks-whoring by picking on the easy targets repeat offenders.

fyp.

And I'll leave it there, something I would love others to be able to do.