Man Utd Thread:

[NAG1]

Leaving aside his ridiculous price tag, can anyone explain why Di Maria is being bought when United need CBs and CMs?

One of the reasons I have seen quoted for his transfer is the lack of creative passing and pace in the CM area. Fletcher is a solid player but is not the most creative and both and Carrick are one paced. ADM gives the option of playing wide and crossing in for RVP or playing through the middle and opening teams up with his passing, really high assist rates in La Liga.

[laoislad]

What will Rodney do when the transfer window shuts?
He's been obsessed with there's "talk of" all summer...

[beer baron]

Leaving aside his ridiculous price tag, can anyone explain why Di Maria is being bought when United need CBs and CMs?

I'm thinking similar at the minute but its at the end of the transfer that transfer activity should be evaluated. If it ends up Utd have an endless budget and get Vidal and a good centre back then I'd be happy to see a player of his calibre arrive. If it ends up Utd have blown the load buying Di maria and don't get any cm or cb or end up getting a couple of duds in for buttons then ill be back to my thinking that utd are acting like i would playing championship manager and buying good attack minded players and then trying to fit them all in the same side and ignore the defence side of things.

[rodney trotter]

Gary Nevilles thoughts on where Di Maria will play http://t.co/2oeKkr8vkJ

[rodney trotter]

What will Rodney do when the transfer window shuts?
He's been obsessed with there's "talk of" all summer...

A bit like yourself so

[laoislad]

Source?

[thewobbler]

I'm still scratching my head on why United would obliterate their transfer fee record for a player they don't need.

Seanie's point about it meaning less money for the Glazer's is ridiculous. A transfer fee like this condemns United to playing over the odds for every transfer target for the foreseeable future, which means fewere players can be targetted.

LVG and Garry Neville can come up with systems all they want, but Di Maria, Rooney and RVP are the undroppable focal points of the team, and £35m man Mata really needs to figure.

So they've got to revert to a 4-2-3-1, with Rooney, Di Maria and Mata interchanging in the 3.

The problem for United is quite simple: in the form of Januzaj and Kagawa, and to a lesser extent Young and Welbeck, they've had the attacking thrust to play this formation since Fergie quit. But, in central midfield and defence, it has left them exposed. Di Maria's abilities might add 5, maybe even 10, goals to the debit column over the contributions Januzaj or Kagawa might make in a season - but it's not going to help in any way with the problems at the other end.

Alternatively, it could be the end of the road for Mata. But I doubt it.

I'd compare this transfer to buying in a £100 round right on last orders. It's appreciated immediately by your company, but chances are it'll mostly go to waste.

[magpie seanie]

I'm still scratching my head on why United would obliterate their transfer fee record for a player they don't need.

Seanie's point about it meaning less money for the Glazer's is ridiculous. A transfer fee like this condemns United to playing over the odds for every transfer target for the foreseeable future, which means fewere players can be targetted.

LVG and Garry Neville can come up with systems all they want, but Di Maria, Rooney and RVP are the undroppable focal points of the team, and £35m man Mata really needs to figure.

So they've got to revert to a 4-2-3-1, with Rooney, Di Maria and Mata interchanging in the 3.

The problem for United is quite simple: in the form of Januzaj and Kagawa, and to a lesser extent Young and Welbeck, they've had the attacking thrust to play this formation since Fergie quit. But, in central midfield and defence, it has left them exposed. Di Maria's abilities might add 5, maybe even 10, goals to the debit column over the contributions Januzaj or Kagawa might make in a season - but it's not going to help in any way with the problems at the other end.

Alternatively, it could be the end of the road for Mata. But I doubt it.

I'd compare this transfer to buying in a £100 round right on last orders. It's appreciated immediately by your company, but chances are it'll mostly go to waste.

It's not ridiculous. Much better to pay over the odds than (a) not get quality players and (b) have the money taken out of the club anyway. How can people not understand this? The Glazers have taken hundreds of millions out of the club since they bought it. Di Maria is class and it's class players that are needed to bring United back to the top. Yes there are other areas of more pressing need but that's no reason why signing a player like Di Maria should be passed up. The likes of Graham Hunter think Madrid are mad to get rid of him and I tend to agree.

Also - United have always had to pay over the odds for players anyway. How many times have they set the British transfer fee record? Comfortably the most I would guess.

[muppet]

I'm still scratching my head on why United would obliterate their transfer fee record for a player they don't need.

Seanie's point about it meaning less money for the Glazer's is ridiculous. A transfer fee like this condemns United to playing over the odds for every transfer target for the foreseeable future, which means fewere players can be targetted.

LVG and Garry Neville can come up with systems all they want, but Di Maria, Rooney and RVP are the undroppable focal points of the team, and £35m man Mata really needs to figure.

So they've got to revert to a 4-2-3-1, with Rooney, Di Maria and Mata interchanging in the 3.

The problem for United is quite simple: in the form of Januzaj and Kagawa, and to a lesser extent Young and Welbeck, they've had the attacking thrust to play this formation since Fergie quit. But, in central midfield and defence, it has left them exposed. Di Maria's abilities might add 5, maybe even 10, goals to the debit column over the contributions Januzaj or Kagawa might make in a season - but it's not going to help in any way with the problems at the other end.

Alternatively, it could be the end of the road for Mata. But I doubt it.

I'd compare this transfer to buying in a £100 round right on last orders. It's appreciated immediately by your company, but chances are it'll mostly go to waste.

Wenger will probably buy him as Arsenal don't have enough attacking midfielders.

[DuffleKing]

I'm still scratching my head on why United would obliterate their transfer fee record for a player they don't need.

Seanie's point about it meaning less money for the Glazer's is ridiculous. A transfer fee like this condemns United to playing over the odds for every transfer target for the foreseeable future, which means fewere players can be targetted.

LVG and Garry Neville can come up with systems all they want, but Di Maria, Rooney and RVP are the undroppable focal points of the team, and £35m man Mata really needs to figure.

So they've got to revert to a 4-2-3-1, with Rooney, Di Maria and Mata interchanging in the 3.

The problem for United is quite simple: in the form of Januzaj and Kagawa, and to a lesser extent Young and Welbeck, they've had the attacking thrust to play this formation since Fergie quit. But, in central midfield and defence, it has left them exposed. Di Maria's abilities might add 5, maybe even 10, goals to the debit column over the contributions Januzaj or Kagawa might make in a season - but it's not going to help in any way with the problems at the other end.

Alternatively, it could be the end of the road for Mata. But I doubt it.

I'd compare this transfer to buying in a £100 round right on last orders. It's appreciated immediately by your company, but chances are it'll mostly go to waste.

Rooney is at the root of United's problems in my view. Himself and RVP are the same - quality focal point attackers with vision and ability but no pace - but RVP is better. Mata is a different player - playing deeper and with different value.

Should have sold Rooney and rebuilt with pace. Front three for me should be Di Maria, RVP & januzaj with Mata operating at the head of a midfield three. If he stays, Wellbeck serves as understudy to the injury prone RVP & Di Maria. If Rooney has a future, its through adjusting his game to play as the forward focal point on a midle three - but he doesn't have the subtlety or range of passing of Mata or Kagawa

                    RVP

      Di Maria          Januzaj

                   Mata

      Herrera         New Player

Shaw     Rojo   New Player  Valencia

                  De Gea

That gets United back into the top four. Blind / De Jong / Vidal (hopefully) needed in the centre mid and a centre half with presence - don't ask me who!

[thebigfella]

Seriously people need to cop on about Januzaj..... overrated and certainly not good enough to be starting week in week out at the moment. Plenty of potential and pace but that isn't enough; I'd have took the rumored money PSG were looking to shell out on Januzaj. Utd need experienced players who will make an impact straight away not potential.

[DuffleKing]

Seriously people need to cop on about Januzaj..... overrated and certainly not good enough to be starting week in week out at the moment. Plenty of potential and pace but that isn't enough; I'd have took the rumored money PSG were looking to shell out on Januzaj. Utd need experienced players who will make an impact straight away not potential.

That's certainly one approach to player development not the one i would prefer

[thebigfella]

Seriously people need to cop on about Januzaj..... overrated and certainly not good enough to be starting week in week out at the moment. Plenty of potential and pace but that isn't enough; I'd have took the rumored money PSG were looking to shell out on Januzaj. Utd need experienced players who will make an impact straight away not potential.

That's certainly one approach to player development not the one i would prefer

Player development wont stop the slide. The team has zero confidence and missing quality in key positions. Development of players is all very well but you have to address the squad deficiencies first with developed players.

[Fender]

I ask myself why every single one of ye are not managers/coaches/scouts of a top flight football team....I'm truly baffled!!

[DuffleKing]

I ask myself why every single one of ye are not managers/coaches/scouts of a top flight football team....I'm truly baffled!!

You're right. Noone should bother taking an interest nor having a (blind useless) opinion.

Sport would be a much better concept that way