The Official Manchester United Thread [Vol 4]

[anonymous-user]

I see all the transfer gossip is starting to hear up again.

The interesting one for me is Depay. He wanted to move from PSV last summer but LvG advised him to stay another season and improve some more. I think its widely acknowledged that if we want him, he ours.

[Cie]

I've gone out of my way to watch him a few times because of the links to us and he's impressive.

I'd be happy if we signed him anyway.

Falcao's second goal last night was decent: https://t.co/t5I6PWtbiJ

[Bit of a Unit]

My bro in law raves about this Dutch lad,could be a good addition

[franki68]

57Ford said:

According to the Daily Star today, 'United risk losing defensive duo Jones & Smalling due to delaying contract talks'
This intolerable situation could be improved by also adding Evans to the list.
Can't quite believe Phil Jones has been at United for 4 years - he should have developed properly by now so I think it's right to let him go if a decent replacement is found because his injury record just uses up a place in the squad.
Smalling has improved a bit this season but he still looks a massive liability most of the time - he doesn't exude confidence like Vida or Rio in their prime and everyone around him is constantly covering just in case.
Evans is just a backup squad player and hasn't ever looked like being anything more in my eyes.
Let them go, buy some class in and give Rojo and McNair a chance to learn alongside them.
I agree with the consensus though, we've got to keep DDG and personally I'd rather see that than Ronnie back tbh.

Rumour I heard is smalting and jones will be offered new contracts,Evans won't.

[ORD]

Cie said:

I've gone out of my way to watch him a few times because of the links to us and he's impressive.

I'd be happy if we signed him anyway.

Falcao's second goal last night was decent: https://t.co/t5I6PWtbiJ

Looks like a slight mis-hit and a deflection to me.

I am still firmly in the "He's crap" camp.

[anonymous-user]

ORD said:

I am still firmly in the "He's crap" camp.

Ridiculous

It isn't working for him at Utd for a variety of reasons, he is far from crap though.

[anniesdad]

ORD said:

Looks like a slight mis-hit and a deflection to me.

I am still firmly in the "He's crap" camp.

That was a lovely finish. Check the head movement....and shock horror the quality through ball, beyond him into his stride.

The lads a striker through and through, if we sign him we need to use him like this ^ not with his back to goal.

[Cie]

anniesdad said:

ORD said:

Looks like a slight mis-hit and a deflection to me.

I am still firmly in the "He's crap" camp.

That was a lovely finish. Check the head movement....and shock horror the quality through ball, beyond him into his stride.

The lads a striker through and through, if we sign him we need to use him like this ^ not with his back to goal.

Exactly. The teams he's previously been part of were set up for him, this United side isn't. He might suit our style of the last two games but Rooney won't be dropped for him (and shouldn't be).

He's definitely not crap.

[ORD]

Cie said:

anniesdad said:

ORD said:

Looks like a slight mis-hit and a deflection to me.

I am still firmly in the "He's crap" camp.

That was a lovely finish. Check the head movement....and shock horror the quality through ball, beyond him into his stride.

The lads a striker through and through, if we sign him we need to use him like this ^ not with his back to goal.

Exactly. The teams he's previously been part of were set up for him, this United side isn't. He might suit our style of the last two games but Rooney won't be dropped for him (and shouldn't be).

He's definitely not crap.

I am only judging him on what I have seen. I don't listen to pundits or look at Youtube clips of players' goals (which make anyone remotely competent look amazing).

At Utd, I have seen the following:-

(1) He is decidedly one-paced.
(2) His first touch is borderline criminal.
(3) His finishing is not good enough for a player who contributes nothing in build up play.
(4) He does not win headers.

I add that all together and get "crap". The simple truth is that pretty much anyone playing as many games as he had for Utd this season would have scored more goals.

[Cie]

ORD said:

I am only judging him on what I have seen.

Then that's why you think he's crap.

He was outstanding for Atletico and great at Porto before that, even at Monaco he still did reasonably well. It's not worked out at United, he should move on in the summer and I wouldn't be surprised to see him banging goals in for fun again for somebody else.

[ORD]

Cie said:

Then that's why you think he's crap.

He was outstanding for Atletico and great at Porto before that, even at Monaco he still did reasonably well. It's not worked out at United, he should move on in the summer and I wouldn't be surprised to see him banging goals in for fun again for somebody else.

How many Athletico and Porto games did you watch, though? Also bear in mind that the Spanish league makes players look better than they are - crappy defending and teams that give up once they go 1-0 down.

[LoonR1]

ORD said:

I am only judging him on what I have seen. I don't listen to pundits or look at Youtube clips of players' goals (which make anyone remotely competent look amazing).

At Utd, I have seen the following:-

(1) He is decidedly one-paced.
(2) His first touch is borderline criminal.
(3) His finishing is not good enough for a player who contributes nothing in build up play.
(4) He does not win headers.

I add that all together and get "crap". The simple truth is that pretty much anyone playing as many games as he had for Utd this season would have scored more goals.

Did you ever watch Cantona play?those accusations could be levelled at him for 89 minutes of a lot of the games he played in.

[ORD]

LoonR1 said:

Did you ever watch Cantona play?those accusations could be levelled at him for 89 minutes of a lot of the games he played in.

Blasphemy!

1 minute is infinitely better than 0 minutes.

[m3sye]

Cie said:

Then that's why you think he's crap.

He was outstanding for Atletico and great at Porto before that, even at Monaco he still did reasonably well. It's not worked out at United, he should move on in the summer and I wouldn't be surprised to see him banging goals in for fun again for somebody else.

He was fantastic for them - but that injury can really fk players up.... he might never be the same as he was before that...

100k a week, you would think lets stick and see but no way will your owners carry on at 250k a week and hope he comes good

[Black can man]

ORD said:

Cie said:

Then that's why you think he's crap.

He was outstanding for Atletico and great at Porto before that, even at Monaco he still did reasonably well. It's not worked out at United, he should move on in the summer and I wouldn't be surprised to see him banging goals in for fun again for somebody else.

How many Athletico and Porto games did you watch, though? Also bear in mind that the Spanish league makes players look better than they are - crappy defending and teams that give up once they go 1-0 down.

Spot on ORD, Look at our chap Soldado , looked amazing baning them in against FC benidorm & the likes , bit different here. Bit harsh saying he's crap but he has been a tad disappointing after all the excitement when he came.

[anniesdad]

If I were Falcao I'd be considering looking for another club. I don't believe that our style of play suits him, although with Herrera and Mata behind him (LvG's epiphany) I think he's got a far better chance of scoring for us. I'd keep him on the books if I were United but I would agree the fee mooted seems very high.

[LoonR1]

I thought this loan was effectively a permanent deal done for next season so that the top clubs get to play around with money to circumvent the FFP.

PSG get a silly amount of money this year after forking out stupid money for Sideshow Bob from Chelsea last year.

[Cie]

ORD said:

How many Athletico and Porto games did you watch, though? Also bear in mind that the Spanish league makes players look better than they are - crappy defending and teams that give up once they go 1-0 down.

Quite a lot of Atletico games, Falcao was one of if not my favourite non-United player at the time. You obviously don't rate him so whatever I say isn't going to make much difference, but if it was so easy for him in the Spanish league then why aren't there loads of strikers with his kind of record?

[anniesdad]

LoonR1 said:

I thought this loan was effectively a permanent deal done for next season so that the top clubs get to play around with money to circumvent the FFP.

PSG get a silly amount of money this year after forking out stupid money for Sideshow Bob from Chelsea last year.

Don't know Loon. I thought it was an option to purchase fee, in the region of £45M with the loan fee of £16M being refunded to us.

[TEKNOPUG]

A striker losing a yard of pace is a massive blow to their ability. That extra yard is all that is needed to make space for a shot or beat a defender to the ball. If you lose that, your confidence is bound to take a knock. You stop making the runs, try to change your game (try too hard), fail to get in the right positions etc. Seen it happen many times to players whose game was all about pace, instinct and confidence – Lineker, Owen, Torres etc. Less effected are players whose game is not centred on movement; Shearer, Sheringham, Ibrahimovic etc. They tend to play to a later age as a result of this.

So if Falcao has lose some pace due to the injury and he’s now playing in the fastest league in the world, it’s hardly a surprise that he’s not the player he was at Athletico. Is he crap? Probably fair to say he’s not as good as he was. Crap though? I expect he’d score a hat-full in a slower league such as Serie A. The question is not whether he’s crap, it’s why United signed him, given his recent injury.