Man Utd Thread:

[Boycey]

Falcao is an amazing addition to the team, as is Di Maria. Man Utd paid amazing prices, and I'd be a little freaked if I were a supporter (and am a little encouraged because I'm not) at what it says about the desperate need to get back into the Champions League. Still, they're there now and I don't think with players of that quality that there'll be any bedding-in period.

If supporters don't get freaked out about spending £700 million servicing debt its unlikely there'll be too annoyed about overpaying on a couple of players?

Man Utd have gargantuan revenue but the flip side of that is gargantuan expenditure. Man Utd's four most expensive players are costing over £1 million a week in wages - it's possible that the top three cost that much. How long can a club go on sustaining that kind of expenditure without Champions League gravy? Not forever.

The figures being bandied about in the papers are inaccurate. I'd say your at least 20% over in that figure, not that makes their wage amounts any less obscene mind :-).

In the conference call the club held with investors have the figures were released yesterday it was announced that wages actually be down "single digit %" for 2014/15

Anyone dull enough (like me) to be interested can look through the main stuff here even listen to the conference call if you want http://ir.manutd.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=133303&p=irol-irhome . I've not listened to this one but have listened to previous ones, its gas to hear managers of huge American hedge funds who clearly haven't a clue about football asking questions

[deiseach]

In the conference call the club held with investors have the figures were released yesterday it was announced that wages actually be down "single digit %" for 2014/15

According to the full year results for 2014, "Employee benefit expenses for the year were £214.8 million, an increase of £34.3 million, or 19.0%, over the prior year, primarily due to the impact of player acquisitions and renegotiated player contracts." I'd find talk of getting it down 'single digit %' in 2015 a bit vague. At least there shouldn't be any exceptional items "primarily related to compensation payments on loss of office to the former manager and certain members of the coaching staff" though

[Boycey]

In the conference call the club held with investors have the figures were released yesterday it was announced that wages actually be down "single digit %" for 2014/15

According to the full year results for 2014, "Employee benefit expenses for the year were £214.8 million, an increase of £34.3 million, or 19.0%, over the prior year, primarily due to the impact of player acquisitions and renegotiated player contracts." I'd find talk of getting it down 'single digit %' in 2015 a bit vague. At least there shouldn't be any exceptional items "primarily related to compensation payments on loss of office to the former manager and certain members of the coaching staff" though

You would hardly expect them to report something that hasn't happened yet as a fact? but the thing about United is that being a listed company the truth will eventually out..

If the wages paid in 2014 were part of the record revenue published you would imagine that a smaller wage bill in 14/15 won't overly stress things? You have put stuff up about expenditure as if its a problem, its only a problem if you don't have the revenue to match it. My opinion is that the figures don't back up whats your saying? You are right that a prolonged absence from European football would have a knock-on affect but it'd probably be 2 more years away.


£5 million??? Sure that wouldn't even buy a homeless guy from Portugal ffs!!!!

[GJL]

All the top 4 contenders except Chelsea (who look unstoppable) drop points. A great chance for Utd to make up ground. Will they take it?

[seafoid]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/sep/12/johan-cruyff-louis-van-gaal-manchester-united

So Cruyff pauses when asked again for his gut feeling in regard to Van Gaal's prospects with United. "I don't know because they almost bought and created a new team. So now you have to fix it together – the team itself. It's not a question anymore about the quality of the players, or are they good enough. But to make a mixture of good players is very difficult."

Does he see any logic in United's transfer policy, which now has Van Gaal juggling the attacking talents of Radamel Falcao, Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Ángel di María, Adnan Januzaj and Juan Mata? "There should be a logic always, but the big problem is to manage all these players. It's the same thing with Barcelona. They now have Suárez, Messi, Neymar – how do you play them together? If you see them individually then they are great players. It's the same at Manchester United. Individually they are great but they have to play like a team.

"Then you get another problem. They are all famous. They earn a lot of money both on and off the field. How can you create a team and bring all these egos together? The main goal for Manchester United is for them to play well – and not have a player saying, 'I play well, I scored two goals'. Because if I score two goals but three goals go into our net then we lose. They provide [Van Gaal] with a lot of good players but he has to turn them into a team. And you can't arrange the chemistry of the team in two weeks. It needs time."

Could it take Van Gaal a whole season to transform United's seemingly scattergun transfer business into a coherent team? "No, no," Cruyff says. "That's too long. But it doesn't mean they will win the league. But you can see a better performance every week and you can aim for a better fit as a team in the details. And [Van Gaal] is a person of details. So it could be possible that things work. But, once again, can these people develop their own game for the sake of the team? It's not easy."

[Shrewdness]

Phil Jones will be out for 3-4 weeks with the hamstring injury picked up on England duty. Tomorrow is the day we must get back to winning ways..United should be aiming for higher than just talking about 'top four'.. Time for the Van Gaalacticos to ignite.

[under the bar]

Falcao is an amazing addition to the team, as is Di Maria. Man Utd paid amazing prices, and I'd be a little freaked if I were a supporter (and am a little encouraged because I'm not) at what it says about the desperate need to get back into the Champions League. Still, they're there now and I don't think with players of that quality that there'll be any bedding-in period.

What a load of balls.  When's the last time you heard a supporter complaining their club were spending too much money?  Does a real supporter give a flying f**k so long a quality is coming in the door?  It's not affecting their pocket!

[The Worker]

Falcao is an amazing addition to the team, as is Di Maria. Man Utd paid amazing prices, and I'd be a little freaked if I were a supporter (and am a little encouraged because I'm not) at what it says about the desperate need to get back into the Champions League. Still, they're there now and I don't think with players of that quality that there'll be any bedding-in period.

What a load of balls.  When's the last time you heard a supporter complaining their club were spending too much money?  Does a real supporter give a flying f**k so long a quality is coming in the door?  It's not affecting their pocket!

It was plain and obvious utd needed a centre half to replace vidic in the summer. The decision not to replace vidic may come back to haunt utd at end of season.

[clarshack]

any streams?

[Milltown Row2]

any streams?

First Row sports will have it

Going to nip out to local and watch this, if its crap I'll still have a nice Guinness to enjoy!!

[laoislad]

any streams?

[RealSpiritof98]

http://linksneolive.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/sky-sports.html

Good 1st half so far

[bennydorano]

any streams?

That's a shuck.

[screenexile]

Ah this is no fun... f**k youse anyway!!

Facebook is awash with dickheads proclaiming Man Ure to win the league now. Maybe us ABU's have whipped you lads into shape or something but I don't like this new found sensibility!

[GJL]

Looking good. 

Teams should start to feel the fear factor once again in Old Trafford. A clean sheet too.