The Manchester United Thread

[zzeezzy]

Chelsea don't really need anyone else to improve their squad. Schweinsteiger would improve any teams midfield, and Rooney alongside/behind Costa is just scary. So I understand that they'd only take those two.

I don't think people are underestimating us. The only person I've seen say close to anything of the sort is Scouse.

I think even without a CB, and keeping DDG, we'd challenge for the Premier League. 4th best defense last season with injuries galore and relying on two inexperienced defenders. Pretty good stat. This season if we have less injuries it should be better since McNair and Blackett would have more experience and improved from last season, it will go better.

I don't buy it, De Gea saved us a ton and was our player of the season. No CB and we'll be relying on his heroics again. How can we have any consistent partnership at the back next season when one of Smalling/Jones will be inevitably injured. McNair is good enough but I'm sorry Blackett shouldn't be near United, he's not good enough, neither have experience in Europe either obviously.

Oh and the point I was making is that they wouldn't take Di Maria over Oscar/Willian? Herrera/Schneiderlin over Mikel? Shaw over Filipe Luis? Ok he's most likely gone, but certainly know what the better signing was now.

 

[Mike.]

I thin we are just about there, or a CB away if de Gea goes. But then he would be going for Ramos. Might need Pedro for Di Maria but our spine is there, and crucially so is the balance. Need to keep the injury count down and we will be in a great position going into the season

 

[zzeezzy]

I thin we are just about there, or a CB away if de Gea goes. But then he would be going for Ramos. Might need Pedro for Di Maria but our spine is there, and crucially so is the balance. Need to keep the injury count down and we will be in a great position going into the season

Spine includes a reliable CB partnership, right now we don't have it, definite CB needed or we won't win PL. I can't remember a team in last decade (probably way longer) having won PL without having a world class CB, City had Kompany, we had Vidic/Ferdinand, Chelsea had Terry.

 

[Mike.]

Spine includes a reliable CB partnership, right now we don't have it, definite CB needed or we won't win PL. I can't remember a team in last decade having won PL without having a world class CB, City had Kompany, we had Vidic/Ferdinand, Chelsea had Terry.

Hence injuries. The biggest issue with Smalling and jones is not ability but injury.

 

[zzeezzy]

Hence injuries. The biggest issue with Smalling and jones is not ability but injury.

Yes but they're both not going to stay injury free throughout a season, lets face it they are good but not exactly higher level of the Terry/Vidic calibre. Got a long way to achieve that.

 

[Puddz]

Are you psychic? please what are the lottery numbers.

Injuries are a part of football. They happen. If we buy a new CB, he isn't going to be immune to injuries. He'll eventually get one.

 

[zzeezzy]

Are you psychic? please what are the lottery numbers.

Injuries are a part of football. They happen. If we buy a new CB, he isn't going to be immune to injuries. He'll eventually get one.

Perhaps, I can tell you right now we won't win the league if we don't bring a high quality CB in who delivers consistently, unless De Gea does another superman again and performs even better than last season. He performed heroics in matches at times to save us many points, even if our defence is 4th best in league... that's hardly capable of winning the league.

 

[steveorobbo]

When we last won the league it was pretty much one of either Rio or Vidic that was constantly injured. It was Jonny Evans that was the constant player. We need to hope Rojo, McNair or Jonny Evans himself can be our Jonny Evans this year, if we are expecting Smalling/Jones to be our Rio/Vidic.

 

[steveorobbo]

Perhaps, I can tell you right now we won't win the league if we don't bring a high quality CB in who delivers consistently, unless De Gea does another superman again and performs even better than last season. He performed heroics in matches at times to save us many points, even if our defence is 4th best in league... that's hardly capable of winning the league.

Your underestimating the effect Schneiderlin is going to have. We never had somebody like him consistently infront of our back 4 last season, and also using 2 reserve players. We improved when carrick played, even with the dodgy defence. It was when Carrick was injured that it was highlighted more. This year we should have one of those two available all the time injuries permitting. Add into that somebody of Schweisteigers quality and experience dictating the flow of the game. There will be far less experimenting with formations and players this season also. Even with no new defensive additions at all, we should be in a much stronger position both defensively and as a team.

I'd even be willing to go as far as to say that even if De Gea went and just got Romero in our defence wouldnt be as bad as last year. Due to what ive said above. Consistent quality infront of the back four and more balance and quality into the team in general. We'll be much harder to break down from the front this year as a team, never mind just the back 4.

 

[Puddz]

Perhaps, I can tell you right now we won't win the league if we don't bring a high quality CB in who delivers consistently, unless De Gea does another superman again and performs even better than last season. He performed heroics in matches at times to save us many points, even if our defence is 4th best in league... that's hardly capable of winning the league.

A high quality CB isn't going to decide the title.

 

[zzeezzy]

Your underestimating the effect Schneiderlin is going to have. We never had somebody like him consistently infront of our back 4 last season, and also using 2 reserve players. We improved when carrick played, even with the dodgy defence. It was when Carrick was injured that it was highlighted more. This year we should have one of those two available all the time injuries permitting. Add into that somebody of Schweisteigers quality and experience dictating the flow of the game. There will be far less experimenting with formations and players this season also. Even with no new defensive additions at all, we should be in a much stronger position both defensively and as a team.

I'd even be willing to go as far as to say that even if De Gea went and just got Romero in our defence wouldnt be as bad as last year. Due to what ive said above. Consistent quality infront of the back four and more balance and quality into the team in general. We'll be much harder to break down from the front this year as a team, never mind just the back 4.

You may be right but I just can't for the life of me remember a team who didn't have an exceptional CB winning the major competitions in the last decade (my mind can't stretch much further). Even if we look at CL, Barca - Puyol/Pique, Inter - Lucio, Chelsea - Terry (Ok he didn't play in final, but that was park the bus job to win in the final), Real Madrid Pepe/Ramos, Milan - Nesta, United - Vidic/Rio.

Even look at the lesser teams who have won recently in the tough leagues such as Dortmund in Bundesliga - Hummels, Atletico Madrid - Godin.

All top teams who win major competitions have a great defender! Maybe there is magical exception somwhere. We need Otamendi then we'll have a great defender too.

 

[Mike.]

Yes but they're both not going to stay injury free throughout a season, lets face it they are good but not exactly higher level of the Terry/Vidic calibre. Got a long way to achieve that.

 

[Mike.]

Yes but they're both not going to stay injury free throughout a season, lets face it they are good but not exactly higher level of the Terry/Vidic calibre. Got a long way to achieve that.

Neither was Vidic. He grew into it. And Otamendi is not a great defender, he's a good defender who has just had a great season, he could well become one. Ramos on the other hand is a genuine defensive great, and has helped win all there is

 

[zzeezzy]

Neither was Vidic. He grew into it. And Otamendi is not a great defender, he's a good defender who has just had a great season, he could well become one. Ramos on the other hand is a genuine defensive great, and has helped win all there is

Otamendi of last season is as good as any CB out there right now, Ramos is more proven of course. Vidic grew into it but he had the luxury of being alongside one of the best defenders there was in Rio. Smalling probably went through 3/4 different partners alone just last season.

Obviously consistency of a partnership is vital as well. Last season we didn't have it, without an additional CB not confident we will this season either. McNair/Rojo/Jones is our only options alongside Smalling, Blackett isn't good enough at this level.

 

[Mike.]

Another CB doesn't give us consistency. Said CB and others staying fit does

 

[Tyton]

Your underestimating the effect Schneiderlin is going to have. We never had somebody like him consistently infront of our back 4 last season, and also using 2 reserve players. We improved when carrick played, even with the dodgy defence. It was when Carrick was injured that it was highlighted more. This year we should have one of those two available all the time injuries permitting. Add into that somebody of Schweisteigers quality and experience dictating the flow of the game. There will be far less experimenting with formations and players this season also. Even with no new defensive additions at all, we should be in a much stronger position both defensively and as a team.

I'd even be willing to go as far as to say that even if De Gea went and just got Romero in our defence wouldnt be as bad as last year. Due to what ive said above. Consistent quality infront of the back four and more balance and quality into the team in general. We'll be much harder to break down from the front this year as a team, never mind just the back 4.

Spot on. If Carrick stayed injury free the whole last season, you'd have a serious shot of winning the title. Now you can rotate Schweiny with Carrick, so that shouldn't be a problem. Then there's Schneiderlin who is miles ahead of Herrera/Fellaini in terms of shielding the backline, and Darmian, who I didn't see play, but you don't start for Italian NT if you can't defend.

 

[Mike.]

We need less injuries. All the quality will not help if we have 50 injuries in 3 months

 

[MANUMAD]

Brilliant. I kinda fell into that one.

Well, you ARE a bit of a WUM as Vanja very pertinently recently pointed out.(6)

 

[MANUMAD]

Hence injuries. The biggest issue with Smalling and jones is not ability but injury.

Not exactly ... its concentration for both and gurning for the latter!

 

[Mike.]

Not exactly ... its concentration for both and gurning for the latter!

Smalling was much better on that second half of season and it's something that's improved with consistent playing.