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

If we can get a defensive midfielder I think we could make a push for fourth, but that's on the basis that it gives Mata and Herrera the freedom they need, we'll also need RVP to available for the majority of games, would like to think we could see an improvement in Welbeck too this season.

RasTa wrote: »

I'm still baffled that we have signed 1 CM.

I hear that!

Hopefully we'll see a centre mid come in over the next week. The club can't afford not to sign one given our circumstances.

Tom.D.BJJ wrote: »

30 goals in 54 games for Milan. He'll score a good few for L'pool as well.

First season - 12 goals in 13 league games, great
second season 14 in 30, not so great
and he is the penalty taker for the team which boosts those figures

FortuneChip wrote: »

Would he free up Herrera to do the chasing?
Herrera seems to love a good challenge, but I think he had to cover for Fletcher too much against Swansea.

I don't want Herrera to do the chasing though. the kid has a quality tough, vision and range of passing - we need to free him up to do that, not chase after Yaya Toure or whoever all the time.

I love the herrera does get stuck in, and we will need him too - but imo it should be a bonus to his creative stuff. we need, imo, him to be in position to link with Mata and the forward players quickly.

I would like to see Herrera play like scholes did when Keane was still near the top of his game - getting stuck and and doing defensive work, but not being THE player to do it.

Vidal or Strootman would be my top targets - though neither a anchor man midfielder, which I don't actually want. Both would be the more defensive player in the midfield pairing with Herrrea. Carvalho or De Jong would do me either. though de jong would be underwhelming really, he would fill a specific need, imo, well.

Unfortunately the Rojo signing hasnt lifted fan spirits as one would expect.

Really is crunch time for Woodward, and I think the limelight is FIRMLY on him at this point now. And rightly so.

Lessons clearly havn't been learned from last year. More quality signings have past us by.

There is plenty of talk about Rojo is one of two signings the club expected to close in a 7 day period, the second one soon to follow. Can't for the life of me see past it being Blind.

I notice the narrative in the UK media is firmly circling on Woodward, and there is some commentary on while Moyes took the bullet last season, there is a good arguement that Woodward was largely to blame.

A friend of mine working in the UK press indicated his paper already have a piece on standby, should United fail to flatter in the closing days in the window. He didn't give me much detail, bar what I already knew. Moyes indicated to Woodward early on signings were needed, and this caught the club totally on the hop, as they had bought into Ferguson and Gills "This team can challenge for years".

Also mentioned there is a seperate piece where if the close of the window does go well, he will still get a lashing, for leaving what should have been done over a month ago, down to the last two weeks. Where most likely United are going to have to overpay, similar to the Fellaini line.

Can't imagine anything spectatular happening, Blind, that's about it my gut tells me. And then probably a pursuit of Strootman in January.


A string of victories could go a long way of masking what has been, and I can't deny it, another floundering, disappointing window. Even if something mindblowing happens, ramming our business this late is pretty poor stuff, especially after the spirits and momentum built with LVg, then Herrera, then Shaw. That was the time to KEEP going with signings, with the pre-season buzz.

dahat wrote: »

Is he just a fancier version of Carrick? Still no one to make a bloody tackle on midfield.

Tackling is not our priority in my opinion, we have plenty of the ball, we had plenty of the ball last season, it's how we've been using it has been the problem. Alonso can take it from the centre halves at his leisure and use it properly. Anyway Alonso isn't shy in a tackle either and neither does Herrera appear to be.

I always thought he was class, Liverpool or no Liverpool, he is a player I would have loved to see at United.
Though I must confess I've always liked Carrick too, so you might be onto something!

magnumbud wrote: »

at alonsos age its not a move i would get excited about. we already have carrick for his age and role would rather move for someone much younger

+1 He's basically a Spanish Carrick. Good positioning, good passing, but no pace and no tackling

Alonso would be an upgrade on Fletcher Carrick cleverly and Ando but we still need a Vidal or similar

ericzeking wrote: »

Tackling is not our priority in my opinion, we have plenty of the ball, we had plenty of the ball last season, it's how we've been using it has been the problem. Alonso can take it from the centre halves at his leisure and use it properly. Anyway Alonso isn't shy in a tackle either and neither does Herrera appear to be.

I always thought he was class, Liverpool or no Liverpool, he is a player I would have loved to see at United.
Though I must confess I've always liked Carrick too, so you might be onto something!

imagine Alonso and Carrick in the middle, no thanks. We should look further afield than Alonso, Nov would be an ideal temp fit

Wow bit of a depressing read catching up to what I've missed this morning, would rather have watched Schindler's List.

Would it be safe to say there won't be any transfers made soon enough to play on Sunday, and by the looks of things we will probably only make one more signing before the window is closed.

Robson99 wrote: »

Alonso would be an upgrade on Fletcher Carrick cleverly and Ando but we still need a Vidal or similar

FYP

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Milan are crap though - in a team which is far better offensively, and will create more for him, he will do very well. would suit the liverpool style very well, imo.

8th last year, 3rd the year before. Crap in European terms but better than most of their opposition

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I thought Bayern, and especially Chelsea were being considered far more likely.

i'd be over the moon if we got him (in terms of getting that CB role sorted)

German journalists have been ruling Bayern out and ruled them out quickly. The Italian comments this morning indicated the Chelsea interest was merely interest, but United are making serious ground.

I'm not sure on the validity of these journalists, but it's been a common trend throughout from what I can see.

Bayern are absolutely crippled in CM and CB at the moment. I'm expecting them to land someone big, probably smoeone we have our eye on. Just not sure who

dahat wrote: »

imagine Alonso and Carrick in the middle, no thanks. We should look further afield than Alonso, Nov would be an ideal temp fit

alonso and herrea, behind Mata, would be a great upgrade on last years midfield imo - to be fair. I'd be more confident in us being able to do somethign with possession. the issue would be getting the ball back - neither herrera nor alonso shy from a tackle, but i don't think they would provide enough defensive protection.

I can see it being no one or a crap CM brought in, so Alonso would be an upgrade on my expectations.

Hococop wrote: »

haha we have no simple transfer do we (of course this could be false)

as for Alonso not a hope in hell we he sign for us, talking to one of my friends who supports liverpool told me how he still loves the club, still buys the kits for his kids, i cant see him joining us and destroy his reputation with them but i have to admit it would be funny to see it happen

If Alonso doesn't sign for United by the end of this transfer window, I would doubt it's a matter of pride/loyalty.
I think fans read into this a lot more than playing professionals.
If a deal was placed in front of Alonso to extend his playing career in top flight football at a club like United, and all the other criteria (wage/contract etc) were satisfactory, I'd fully expect him to sign.