We need two midfielders and a centre back (assuming the Shaw deal is in the bag) - it's hardly a whole new midfield and defence.Originally Posted by duncz
We need two midfielders and a centre back (assuming the Shaw deal is in the bag) - it's hardly a whole new midfield and defence.
If we sell a 31 year old, we aren't giving away our future, and Barca wouldn't be buying much of one. IF we could replace him with a top notch mid 20's player, I'd consider it sharp business.
PS - Yaya is surely worth a "giggsy says happy birthday yaya" plane/banner?
I doubt we will.. City spent 100 million on their team.. I think we'll see 60-70 million..
But you spend money.. the fact remains that team were champions 12 months ago...
Mark Croasdale's lad Ryan has been released by Preston, he's been on loan at Tamworth and Stalybridge this season
3 or 4 new players and you'll be champions? I can't see it. I agree you've got some class attacking players in Rooney, RVP, Kagawa, Mata and Januzaj. Can they all play in the same XI? Probably not and all the other players you list are somewhere between decent top half premier league players (e.g. Carrick and Fletcher) and expensive shite (e.g. Young and Fellaini). Apart from De Gea who's fantastic. I'd say your central mid-field and defence needs a total overhaul. Shaw would be a good start, but I'd go another 5 or 6 new faces on top of that to have a squad capable of challenging for the league.
Shaw
Hummels
Strootman
Fabregas
4 players and we'd be well up there. I don't know where this 5 or 6 players has come from. Wishful thinking on behalf of other clubs' fans?
Young, Nani, Cleverly, Fellaini to leave. Zaha & Powell to come back (Van Gaal will give them a chance) and the squad actually looks quite healthy.
People are writing off Utd because the players had a bad year last year, under a manager who didn't know what system to play and kept putting square pegs in round holes. Van Gaal will play to the squad's strengths and make the system fit the players at his disposal; many players who had bad seasons last year will come good IMO.
Last edited by TheHeathens; 21-05-2014 at 01:30 PM.
What's your preferred starting XI with the current squad then? I don't doubt the current lot plus another 3 or 4 would end up higher in the league than you've just finished, but I think you'd need more to make a serious challenge for the title.
Remember we were champions this time last May. We've been mismanaged for one year - the players haven't become awful overnight.
1. De Gea
2. Buttner (Shaw)
3. Jones / Smalling (Hummels)
4. Evans
5. Rafael
6. Januzaj
7. Carrick (Strootman)
8. Fletcher (Fabregas)
9. Zaha
10. Mata / Rooney
11. Rooney / RVP
New signings to replace / challenge Buttner, Carrick, Fletcher and Smalling. We'd have to see how Zaha starts performing.
I don't think we'll be challenging this year, even with new signings, but we'll be up there the following season.
Last edited by TheHeathens; 21-05-2014 at 02:34 PM.
Interesting. I get the argument that pretty much that squad won the championship a year ago, but a quick bit of research shows Vidic and Rio combined played as many league games as Evans, Jones and Smalling combined. The latter three wouldn't have been playing exclusively at the back whilst Rio and Vidic were regularly paired at centre-back, so really what's missing now (and in 13-14) was a solid central defence pairing.
I do rate Evans and Jones as good players, but not a championship winning foundation for a team. So that's 2 new players needed. Evra's passed it now, so make that 3. Rafael? We'll let him off. Cracking young player, but with the faint whiff of liability never too far away.
Zaha, Fletcher, Carrick and Januzaj as midfield group? Jury's very much out on Zaha. Januzaj's got bags of potential and has already looked superb in a few matches, but don't think he's ready yet to be a permanent fixture in the first team. Fletcher works hard and probably has more quality than people give him credit for. Likewise Carrick to some extent. But the two of 'em as mainstays in a championship challenging side? I can't see it when compared to what Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal have to offer. They're miles off. I'm wanting another 3 or 4 players in there if you're challenging for the title.
Up front you could well have the best line-up in the league. I'd love to see RVP, Rooney and Mata given the opportunity to rip it up a bit.
So, yeah, plenty of new players needed in my opinion.
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