Rivals : United

[Frogfish]

The only gaping hole really is CM and we may fill that before the window closes.
CB could do with an extra body but if we play two at the back Evans, Jones, Rojo, Smalling and Blackett isn't world class but not a glaring hole either.
Would you say your current back line is world class or also in need of additional quality?

I'd say our CB depth is substantially better : Smalling is not rated by many Utd fans and I'd agree with that, he's a utility player, as is Rojo. Blackett (and Keane) is no better than Liverpool's Wisdom - and look where he is. Evans is good and a better CB than Jones who is good enough to be your CB #3 or 4 and is better at RB.

Lovren, Sakho, Skrtel and either Agger or Toure is a far better 4 and I expect to see a couple of solid partnerships there before the season is out.

 

[Mors]

I think he's closer to 60M than 35M in worth.

You think he's about twice as good (in value) as Alexis Sanchez? Because he's not been anywhere near as good as Sanchez over the last 3yrs. It seems last years performance has wiped peoples memories of Di Maria's career before then, when he was a fringe player.
If the scum had just signed him from Benfica and not Madrid I suspect they'd have paid closer to 20mill for him.

 

[Oliver Twist]

You think he's about twice as good (in value) as Alexis Sanchez? Because he's not been anywhere near as good as Sanchez over the last 3yrs. It seems last years performance has wiped peoples memories of Di Maria's career before then, when he was a fringe player.

If the scum had just signed him from Benfica and not Madrid I suspect they'd have paid closer to 20mill for him.

It's a little futile comparing any two transfers. They are normally all subject to massively differing criteria.

I'd put Sanchez and Di Maria on about the same level as players. That there is £25m difference in the cost is not really indicative of their relative abilities.

 

[Jack D Rips]

I don't think he's worth £59.7m.

Just throwing it out there.

 

[ChastenedMUFC]

I don't think he's worth £59.7m.

Just throwing it out there.

Me either, but what is any player worth? How do you calculate it?

Ultimately, the way I look at it the £60m would either have been used to buy Di Maria or sat in the Glazers bank account. Wouldn't really make much difference to me if we had got him for £15m to £20m less.

 

[ChastenedMUFC]

I'd say our CB depth is substantially better : Smalling is not rated by many Utd fans and I'd agree with that, he's a utility player, as is Rojo. Blackett (and Keane) is no better than Liverpool's Wisdom - and look where he is. Evans is good and a better CB than Jones who is good enough to be your CB #3 or 4 and is better at RB.

Lovren, Sakho, Skrtel and either Agger or Toure is a far better 4 and I expect to see a couple of solid partnerships there before the season is out.

I think your defensive options are better but I wouldn't say substantially better.
Jones is still only 22 and will get better with age and actual experience of playing CB rather than CM and full back.

 

[OLD_Lewy]

united haven't got any leaders yet, as gary neville said their players look like they want to pass the responsibility all the time, no idea if di maria will begin to solve this but he is a great player, im not convinced he'll pull the team up by the scruff of their neck, same goes for sanchez at arsenal but perhaps its just wishful thinking from my part. Think spurs will be a dark horse this season and will beat both us and united to fourth unless mario really starts banging them in and we sort out our god awful defence

 

[Whirly]

You think he's about twice as good (in value) as Alexis Sanchez? Because he's not been anywhere near as good as Sanchez over the last 3yrs. It seems last years performance has wiped peoples memories of Di Maria's career before then, when he was a fringe player.
If the scum had just signed him from Benfica and not Madrid I suspect they'd have paid closer to 20mill for him.

I think Sanchez was a bargain.

Di Maria is still the better player for me though, if he puts it all together he can be as good as anybody. I'm a huge fan.

 

[Mystic]

I think your defensive options are better but I wouldn't say substantially better.

I'm not having that, your defence has the depth of a paddling pool, I'm not trying to big up our defence here (although are issues are tactic, not personnel based), but you're seriously lacking in that department, you have Rojo and Shaw and at a push Jones who are worth anything, one of whom is currently out for four weeks, it's a big problem area for you, I hope that you continue to over look it.

 

[ChastenedMUFC]

I'm not having that, your defence has the depth of a paddling pool, I'm not trying to big up our defence here (although are issues are tactic, not personnel based), but you're seriously lacking in that department, you have Rojo and Shaw and at a push Jones who are worth anything, one of whom is currently out for four weeks, it's a big problem area for you, I hope that you continue to over look it.

Evans is also a very good CB, vastly underrated by many.
Not saying we don't more CB quality just that it isn't the gaping hole that central midfield is.

 

[Mors]

Just had a quick ganders on redcafe, they are already claiming this to be the greatest transfer window for any club ever due to signing:

One of the best wingers in the world
The best young left back in the world
A 'crafty' Spanish midfielder
An Argentinian world cup finalist

All in ONE window

Never mind that their defence is a shambles propped up by bang average defenders, and they don't have a central midfield, and there is zero pace in the team. Apart from that, yeah, marvellous.

Anyone would have thought they'd just signed Best, Maldini, Xavi and Maradona. Inbred fuckwits.

 

[cloggypop]

Hope they get snotted by Milton Keynes.

 

[Mystic]

Hope they get snotted by Milton Keynes.

I don't, more games, give them false hope, i'm hoping for a replay.

 

[cloggypop]

I don't, more games, give them false hope, i'm hoping for a replay.

That would probably do, as long as they get snotted in the replay. With their better players playing.

 

[Mystic]

Evans is also a very good CB, vastly underrated by many.
Not saying we don't more CB quality just that it isn't the gaping hole that central midfield is.

It's not as gaping a hole as your midfield, but that doesn't mean it isn't a gaping hole. Evan's is not a top four centre back, maybe Rojo is, I don't know, but you need someone better besides him, badly. I'm hoping your manager shares your opinion and doesn't bring anyone else in, hopefully you won't address your midfield either, but I reckon you'll bring De Jong, who's very underrated, in on deadline day.

 

[Mors]

Has a team ever had so many utterly brilliant but underrated players in it? The press, other fans, other managers must all be retarded.
Rafael, jones, smalling, evans, blackett, carrick, cleverly, fletcher, anderson, fellaini, valencia, nani, young, powell, welbeck, zaha are footballing fucking deities.
We're pretty lucky to be alive and see all these players play in our lifetime.

 

[cloggypop]

They are losing to MK Dons.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cloggypop]

Evans is also a very good CB, vastly underrated by many.

 

[nealmac]

Haha just heard that

As for Di Maria, I haven't seen him play, other than the World Cup. And I thought he definitely looked the part. But 60 million is a lot of fucking money. They'd want to be sure he's the one to turn things around.

 

[mom]

Hahahahaaha. Oh man that's seriously funny. Losing to MK dons after a half. They'll come good by the end of the season, but it's funny watching another manager come in and fair worse than the last clown.

 

[Frogfish]

This was the starting lineup .. how many times have we come a cropper ove the past 10 years by doing what LvG has done here.

#mufc starting XI: De Gea; Evans (c), Chicharito, Welbeck, Powell, Kagawa, Anderson, Vermijl, Janko, Keane, James

 

[Fabio]

This was the starting lineup .. how many times have we come a cropper ove the past 10 years by doing what LvG has done here.

#mufc starting XI: De Gea; Evans (c), Chicharito, Welbeck, Powell, Kagawa, Anderson, Vermijl, Janko, Keane, James

We normally play our reserve keeper though, for that all important 90 minute fitness

 

[cloggypop]

MK Dons denied a clear pen for handball by Evans.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

I remember Di Maria playing for Benfica tearing us a new one and wishing we could sign him before he moved to Madrid. Very good player indeed but definitely not what they need.

 

[cloggypop]

It is now 2-0 to MK Dons.

 

[Frogfish]

It is now 2-0 to MK Dons.

And United have not had a shot on target all match !

 

[Fabio]

I remember Di Maria playing for Benfica tearing us a new one and wishing we could sign him before he moved to Madrid. Very good player indeed but definitely not what they need.

I remember David Luiz ripping us as he played left back against us

 

[cloggypop]

LvG is getting "Sacked in the morning" sung to him by MK Dons.

 

[nealmac]

It's fucking hilarious how far they've fallen

 

[Mors]

Oh dear, all these brilliant underrated players getting bummed.

Pops over to redcafe to see if there's a meltdown on