Man Utd Thread:

[ross4life]

you beat me to it 

21 goals in 28 games this season for him & 4 goals in 4 games for mexico sounds good

[nrico2006]

with the emotion of a defeat in champions league and with all the indicators pointing to a runners up position in league its easy to get caught up in individual moments and hype them to extremes,

Yes Rafael did commit TWO yellow cards offences and so was technically correct to be sent off, but i agree with seanie, two fairly minor yellows and while niave on his part he would have gotten away with it in the vast majority of games i've watched.

But the big thing for me was lack of real substance in midfield, either playmaking or getting about them with real menace.  Fletcher is a decent player, Carrick is decent, Giggs & Scholes are pale shadows of themselves and struggle to get the consistency they once had.  Nani and Valencia look like raw prospects still in need of guiding (would have good hope for valencia though)

berbatov hasn't been as poor as has been cited but still a dissapointment.

Alternatives needed therefore

Goalkeeper - lloris (Lyon)
Centre Mid - Hargreaves ()
Centre Mid - Arteta (everton)/Joe cole (chelsea)
Winger - di Maria (Benfica)
Striker - Benzema (real)/Krasnic (CSKA)

Good post MaxPower, It has been obvious that United have lacked a playmaker since last seasons Champions League final, but they are few and far between.  Arteta is someone who never crossed my mind, but now you have got me thinking.  He would be a great buy and someone who could be persuaded to move. 

[Minder]

Has a United player ever been fairly sent off?

[CountyGK]

Has a United player ever been fairly sent off?

Roy Keane 2000/2001 v Man City, exacting revenge on Alfie Haaland. 

[ross4life]

Has a United player ever been fairly sent off?

Roy keane many times, Paul Scholes a few times

[Puckoon]

Whatever about the rights and wrongs of Rafaels second yellow - he still only has himself to blame for being in the position where a second yellow would get him the line.
The inexperience/petulance/stupidity of his first yellow is what did the damage. Id have expected him to emerge from the dressing room with stitches after being hit by a flying predator.

[orangeman]

United sign striker from Mexico

Manchester United have announced a deal with Chivas de Guadalajara to sign striker Javier Hernandez for an undisclosed fee subject to a work permit.

More to follow.

Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/united-sign-striker-from-mexico-453134.html#ixzz0kWNsPNbp

FOR SALE : TALENTED BUT LAZY STRIKER - APPLY ALEX FERGUSON - HOLIDAY HOME IN BULGARIA THROWN IN.

[ross4life]

as the old saying goes you learn more from defeat (they won but it felt like a defeat)

Rafael is young & will learn i felt he played very well last night until the sending off

i was also well impressed with Gibson,Valencia & Nani

Rooney never looked fully fit but he tried his heart out for 50mins

yet again Evra (needs a rest ) & Carrick were a major disappointments

Rio & vidic restricted bayern to only half chances but for some reason the two goals bayern scored it was carrick doing the defending 

[EC Unique]

I said it before... I think Carrick is over rated and is not Utd midfield player standard. He was very disappointing last night especially for the first goal. I would expect him to be sold in the summer but the fact he is English might keep him there.

[The Watcher Pat]

you beat me to it 

21 goals in 28 games this season for him & 4 goals in 4 games for mexico sounds good

Carlos Vela is Mexican's first choice striker. That says a lot for this guy.

[Boycey]

you beat me to it 

21 goals in 28 games this season for him & 4 goals in 4 games for mexico sounds good

Carlos Vela is Mexican's first choice striker. That says a lot for this guy.

So ur writing off a fella u never heard of til 20 mins ago?? The modern day football fan is just great

[ross4life]

I'm not sure would i use the word over rated?

he was a OK midfielder that did the job of him when asked (his best game v Roma 7-1) but he hasn't recovered to the level he was at since Barcas midfield took him to the cleaners

IMO when united have everyone fit next season he won't be a first teamer

[ross4life]

you beat me to it 

21 goals in 28 games this season for him & 4 goals in 4 games for mexico sounds good

Carlos Vela is Mexican's first choice striker. That says a lot for this guy.

So ur writing off a fella u never heard of til 20 mins ago?? The modern day football fan is just great

Agreed! for what it's worth Blanco is Mexico's first choice Striker & vela/Hernandez are both just 21 hoping to be

[muppet]

[mountainboii]

with the emotion of a defeat in champions league and with all the indicators pointing to a runners up position in league its easy to get caught up in individual moments and hype them to extremes,

Yes Rafael did commit TWO yellow cards offences and so was technically correct to be sent off, but i agree with seanie, two fairly minor yellows and while niave on his part he would have gotten away with it in the vast majority of games i've watched.

But the big thing for me was lack of real substance in midfield, either playmaking or getting about them with real menace.  Fletcher is a decent player, Carrick is decent, Giggs & Scholes are pale shadows of themselves and struggle to get the consistency they once had.  Nani and Valencia look like raw prospects still in need of guiding (would have good hope for valencia though)

berbatov hasn't been as poor as has been cited but still a dissapointment.

Alternatives needed therefore

Goalkeeper - lloris (Lyon)
Centre Mid - Hargreaves ()
Centre Mid - Arteta (everton)/Joe cole (chelsea)
Winger - di Maria (Benfica)
Striker - Benzema (real)/Krasnic (CSKA)

Don't have enough money to solve that many problems.

Reckon they'll postpone bringing in a new keeper for another year. VDS should hold up til then.

Don't think a new winger is a crucial requirement. Valencia and Nani look good at the minute and Park, Obertan and Giggs will be there for another year. Tosic is to come back from loan too, although he might be immediately on his way out again.

If Berbatov is let go then a new striker will come in, otherwise I can see Macheda, Diouf and maybe Welbeck getting a bigger role.

Hargreaves' return is central to what happens. He's a player that can control games and if he gets back to 100% then it goes a long way to solving the problems in midfield. Arteta isn't really an option. He's 28 and increasingly injury prone over the last 2 years. Everton would hold out for a complete fortune too.

Should be an interesting Summer anyway