The Manchester United Thread

Any top team looking to challenge for the big competitions needs a magical player who can invent things out of nothing, Di Maria was that, apart from him I don't see who else we have who can do that.... arguably Mata and Rooney.... but not certain when I say that either.

I just feel we're going to miss him more than you think, any team needs that potential spark, which despite what people say he did give in key moments, you don't get 10 assists, highest in team, if you offered nothing. Think back to the opening few months and he was quality, always starts off slowly in first season at a club as well, just a huge shame to lose him. Probably said this already but I think we're lacking now if we're going to be league champions, two truly good signings away.

A lot of people in here seem to get carried away by pre season... but honestly you can't take much from it at all. Makes Blackett look good and we all know he made quite a few errors last season that cost us goals and isn't good enough.
 
zzeezzy said:
Any truly top team needs a magical player who can invent things out of nothing, Di Maria was that, apart from him I don't see who else we have who can do that.... arguably Mata and Rooney.... but not certain when I say that either.

I just feel we're going to miss him more than you think, any team needs that potential spark, which despite what people say he did give in key moments, you don't get 10 assists, highest in team, if you offered nothing. Think back to the opening few months and he was quality, always starts off slowly in first season at a club as well, just a huge shame to lose him. Probably said this already but I think we're lacking now if we're going to be league champions, two truly good signings away.

A lot of people in here seem to get carried away by pre season... but honestly you can't take much from it at all. Makes Blackett look good and we all know he made quite a few errors last season that cost us goals and isn't good enough.
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he didnt turn up for his flight, despite having instructions to be there. Forgive me if im not too cut up about that, because that's not a player who sounds determined to turn it around. We have enough to challenge, could do with two more to make us all but complete. Pedro and one other, depending on what happens with the keeper situation

Mata definitely can, Rooney when on form. Herrera can. Schwinsteiger can pick a pass from nowhere. Depay spend all of last season making something from nothing

No one is getting carried away. It was a good performance, and that's it.
 
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zzeezzy said:
Any top team looking to challenge for the big competitions needs a magical player who can invent things out of nothing, Di Maria was that, apart from him I don't see who else we have who can do that.... arguably Mata and Rooney.... but not certain when I say that either.

I just feel we're going to miss him more than you think, any team needs that potential spark, which despite what people say he did give in key moments, you don't get 10 assists, highest in team, if you offered nothing. Think back to the opening few months and he was quality, always starts off slowly in first season at a club as well, just a huge shame to lose him. Probably said this already but I think we're lacking now if we're going to be league champions, two truly good signings away.

A lot of people in here seem to get carried away by pre season... but honestly you can't take much from it at all. Makes Blackett look good and we all know he made quite a few errors last season that cost us goals and isn't good enough.
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Did we not just sign Memphis for that so called spark? Also your forgetting we will most likely replace Di Maria anyway so we really wont miss anything. Think we have more than enough to be league Champions tbh and the window is nowhere near closed yet. Were the positive ZZeezzy gone from a week back?
 
There is no such thing as a positive or realistic zzeezzy, If something isn't perfect it's bad news.
 
Mike. said:
he didnt turn up for his flight, despite having instructions to be there. Forgive me if im not too cut up about that, because that's not a player who sounds determined to turn it around. We have enough to challenge, could do with two more to make us all but complete. Pedro and one other, depending on what happens with the keeper situation

Mata definitely can, Rooney when on form. Herrera can. Schwinsteiger can pick a pass from nowhere. Depay spend all of last season making something from nothing

No one is getting carried away. It was a good performance, and that's it.
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One thing that I haven't mentioned is that without Di Maria our team suddenly lacks an abundance of pace which can be offered, none of our other midfielders apart from Memphis IF he plays out wide has that (so far he hasn't). We suddenly have Young and Mata out wide.... good players but nothing that really frightens and even from yesterday you can see that Mata lacks the pace to take on full backs.

I'm not saying I like Di Maria as a person or think he's an Angel or anything, but I'm just thinking what our first team will lack without him.
 
Theatreof Dreams said:
Whats your thoughts mate on the Stones talk this morning. Rumours or could be something in it?
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No idea. People like the idea because he is talented and up and coming, but it would be a strange one I would rather have Ramos. and bring through McNair for that price.
 
Mike. said:
No idea. People like the idea because he is talented and up and coming, but it would be a strange one I would rather have Ramos. and bring through McNair for that price.
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Was thinking the same. We have Smalling,Jones,Rojo,Blackett,McNair all developing, would rather sign a top CB Ramos or Otamendi to partner one of those we already have.
 
zzeezzy said:
One thing that I haven't mentioned is that without Di Maria our team suddenly lacks an abundance of pace which can be offered from deep, none of our other midfielders apart from Memphis IF he plays out wide has that (so far he hasn't). We suddenly have Young and Mata out wide.... good players but nothing that really frightens and even from yesterday you can see that Mata lacks the pace to take on full backs.

I'm not saying I like Di Maria as a person or think he's an Angel or anything, but I'm just thinking what our first team will lack without him.
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Have you seen Ashley Young run? He's one of the fastest there is.

Mata doesnt have outright pace, yet still took apart full backs enough times to score 10 goals from out wide. Mata isn't about pace, but exploiting space and movement. Something you need when you cannot use outright pace to get in behind. You don't always beat a full back with pace.

You have Depay and Young, Shaw and Darmian from deep. You have this obsession with frightening. Considering you didnt think Barca were that frightening forgive me if i put no stock in that. And Depay will play out wide and through the middle and anywhere he can be a threat. Pace isnt everything and it doesn't have to be out wide.
 
The one thing we need to be better at, which Di Maria wasn't good at all last season, is exploiting the half space. The two players I think are best at that are Mata and Herrera. For me that means Herrera in a 4-3-3, or Mata central in a 4-2-3-1, especially when a side sits deep. We were at our best at this when they were on the same side of the pitch, the number of times we undid sides with their combination play was fantastic.
 
Mike. said:
The one thing we need to be better at, which Di Maria wasn't good at all last season, is exploiting the half space. The two players I think are best at that are Mata and Herrera. For me that means Herrera in a 4-3-3, or Mata central in a 4-2-3-1, especially when a side sits deep. We were at our best at this when they were on the same side of the pitch, the number of times we undid sides with their combination play was fantastic.
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There link up play at times last season was better than anything in the league by a mile! There understanding of the games is top class. Like you said pace is not everything as shown by these 2.
 
also we need to play alot more one-twos, the fastest way to undo a deep sitting side, because you are not relying on player to be magical, but anyone in that attack suddenly becomes a threat. More concern with someone after Rooney, or someone scoring those goals, than whether or not Di Maria sticks around.
 
Mike. said:
Have you seen Ashley Young run? He's one of the fastest there is.

Mata doesnt have outright pace, yet still took apart full backs enough times to score 10 goals from out wide. Mata isn't about pace, but exploiting space and movement. Something you need when you cannot use outright pace to get in behind. You don't always beat a full back with pace.

You have Depay and Young, Shaw and Darmian from deep. You have this obsession with frightening. Considering you didnt think Barca were that frightening forgive me if i put no stock in that. And Depay will play out wide and through the middle and anywhere he can be a threat. Pace isnt everything and it doesn't have to be out wide.
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Actually this whole Barcelona thing was taken out of context again... surprise... I said it is average but I didn't mean by football standards obviously I meant by their standards. Not counting the attack (which could be argued)I think the team faced in UCL Final 2009 Barca side was much better. Tbh that's neither here nor there, I actually said this Barca side doesn't truly scare me like it once did... or that's what I meant.

Tbh we can dispute this all day, Young had a fantastic season by his standards and only got 5 assists, not saying it's only about that but it puts what he's capable of in perspective to someone like Di Maria. Yes I know Young's work rate and team ethic was better but ultimately that doesn't win you titles, you need more then that. His end product is average lets be honest a lot of the time.
 
zzeezzy said:
Actually this whole Barcelona thing was taken out of context again... surprise... I said it is average but I didn't mean by football standards obviously I meant by their standards. Not counting the attack (which could be argued)I think the team faced in UCL Final 2009 Barca side was much better. Tbh that's neither here nor there, I actually said this Barca side doesn't truly scare me like it once did... or that's what I meant.

Tbh we can dispute this all day, Young had a fantastic season by his standards and only got 5 assists, not saying it's only about that but it puts what he's capable of in perspective to someone like Di Maria. Yes I know Young's work rate and team ethic was better but ultimately that doesn't win you titles, you need more then that. His end product is average lets be honest a lot of the time.
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Actually his delivery was excellent last season, we really didnt make enough of it. Remember an assist relies on the player finishing it.

That fact that the 2009 side might have been better is irrelevant. Busquets, Rakitic and Iniesta might not have some mythical fear factor, but they deliver, time and again. and that is what matters
 
zzeezzy said:
Actually this whole Barcelona thing was taken out of context again... surprise... I said it is average but I didn't mean by football standards obviously I meant by their standards. Not counting the attack (which could be argued)I think the team faced in UCL Final 2009 Barca side was much better. Tbh that's neither here nor there, I actually said this Barca side doesn't truly scare me like it once did... or that's what I meant.

Tbh we can dispute this all day, Young had a fantastic season by his standards and only got 5 assists, not saying it's only about that but it puts what he's capable of in perspective to someone like Di Maria. Yes I know Young's work rate and team ethic was better but ultimately that doesn't win you titles, you need more then that. His end product is average lets be honest a lot of the time.
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What about when Atletico Madrid won the league. They did not have the amazing Ronaldo,Bale,Messi,Suarez,Neymar and there end product. A team disciplined hard working and with enough going forward which we have plenty off can win the league against a team full of stars. And I would say Youngs end product, especially his crossing is good most the time.
 
Mike. said:
Actually his delivery was excellent last season, we really didnt make enough of it. Remember an assist relies on the player finishing it.

That fact that the 2009 side might have been better is irrelevant. Busquets, Rakitic and Iniesta might not have some mythical fear factor, but they deliver, time and again. and that is what matters
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Do you really think the fear factor is mythical? I don't and always thought it gave the team a psychological edge over teams, particularly with Fergie in charge. Random subject I know.

The point is an improved Di Maria would of took us to the next level and would of offered a lot that we could of done with this season lets be honest. Not a big fan of Mata on the right but if he gets injured who do you suddenly turn to that can be relied upon to deliver? Same can be asked for the other side with Young if Memphis is playing different position, personally I don't like him there with Rooney but each to their own.
 
If this back and forth rages after a (albeit fortuitous) victory over the best side in Europe in a competitive friendly; the meltdown in here if you fail to beat Tottenham on opening day could well make this a thread to avoid.
 
zzeezzy said:
Do you really think the fear factor is mythical? I don't and always thought it gave the team a psychological edge over teams, particularly with Fergie in charge. Random subject I know.

The point is an improved Di Maria would of took us to the next level and would of offered a lot that we could of done with this season lets be honest. Not a big fan of Mata on the right but if he gets injured who do you suddenly turn to that can be relied upon to deliver? Same can be asked for the other side with Young if Memphis is playing different position, personally I don't like him there with Rooney but each to their own.
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Atletico won without it, they were ruthlessly effective. Our "fear factor" came not from our name, but because it was synonymous with the fact we delivered on our ability time and again. That's what makes people fear you, because you deliver. Not because of some name.

The point is that improved Di Maria doesn't exist, you are pining for something we never had.

That's why you pick up someone like Pedro. You do realise we will actually replace Di Maria with someone.

If Young gets injured, Memphis goes wide and Herrera goes central at 10, or even Schweinsteiger. If its a 4-3-3 then you have enough anyway.
 
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