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Thread: FOOTBALL - 2014/15 Season

  1. #76
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    Quote Originally Posted by bazdev View Post
    He was a kid at City who has moved home and improved. I think he has all the tools to be a top class centre forward and will thrive in an attacking side. Dont forget how you criticised Mancini and his style of play. If we get the best out of him we have a £50m player on our hands. If we dont we sell him for £10m. Hardly a massive risk
    I'm with you on this one baz, I see it as a potentially great move. It's not like Liverpool and Rodgers aren't aware of the character issues but if they can get him performing well, consistently then the transfer would represent a bargain.

    I also think the spotlight being off sterling and Sturridge to an extent will allow them to play freely. There was a lot of pressure on Sturridge in particular to take the Suarez load, now that's gone I expect he'll continue to go from strength to strength.


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    I think we are building a squad to compete.I think top 4 is this seasons priority.

    Hopefully we will increase the capacity and income with the stadium changes and that will keep us up there and the managers style of play is pretty good if we can stiffen up at the back.

    Balotelli will be a hit or a miss but at the price and with Gerrard to mentor him I think it will work.
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    I am with DD. I think he is a huge risk and to be honest I don't even think he is that great. The one thing about Suarez apart from his brilliance, was his work ethic. He did sulk at times but by and large he worked hard. Balotelli won't do that and if things aren't going his way, he will show it. I agree the price is decent but Liverpool fans can dress it up how they like- they still haven't replaced Suarez. He is top quality.

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    Yeah agree with that - the only good thing about the Balotelli deal for Liverpool is the price

    £16m for a decent striker is peanuts

    If they can get 10 good games out of him they've done well though

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    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    I am with DD. I think he is a huge risk and to be honest I don't even think he is that great. The one thing about Suarez apart from his brilliance, was his work ethic. He did sulk at times but by and large he worked hard. Balotelli won't do that and if things aren't going his way, he will show it. I agree the price is decent but Liverpool fans can dress it up how they like- they still haven't replaced Suarez. He is top quality.
    My sentiments exactly.

    I don't rate him that highly as a player and he certainly isn't in the same world as Suarez. He'll sit up top all day and can finish but he isn't going to work and press. Then add in to boot his incredibly questionable persona and I think it's an odd signing.

    If I'm completely honest, I think Liverpool have basically been on the hunt for a 'name' all summer to showcase the fantasy that they're 'back'. This is little more than that in my view and I still only place them in the bracket of 4th -7th.

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    I know it's probably something united fans will be keen to read but Gary nevilles LvG interview is a good insight to how his mind works. I can't help but be convinced that the path the club is on under him is the right one, sorry team not club. And whilst it might not be straight forward he'll get us there.

    I think Neville will be doing similar interviews weekly, he's really impressed as a pundit/journo and I genuinely never expected that from him!


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    Quote Originally Posted by bazdev View Post
    He was a kid at City who has moved home and improved. I think he has all the tools to be a top class centre forward and will thrive in an attacking side. Dont forget how you criticised Mancini and his style of play. If we get the best out of him we have a £50m player on our hands. If we dont we sell him for £10m. Hardly a massive risk
    I haven't forgotten anything. Least of all do I forget Balottelli's histronics when things go wrong. You cannot tell me that a player who has had six or seven years in the professional game when he's been a complete liability in most of the games he's played is suddenly going to change just because he's joined the mighty Liverpool.

    His atttude problem has lasted him through Inter, City and Milan, three of Europe's top club sides. Take out his penalties and you have a forward with a very average record, who probably has the lowest average marks out of ten rating for a striker anywhere out there. You'll get the odd 8 or 9 out of 10, but you'll get a lot more 4s and 5s.

    The biggest problem is that his team mates see it and it causes ructions when he gets picked over people who do give 100%. Players will either be for him or against him. It will split the camp. Add to this that has probably severely stamped on Daniel Sturridge's shoes, who plays in the same left channel up front, and I can't see this having a happy ending for anyone associated with it.

    Perversely, I quite like the guy, for the entertainment value alone, and he will always be strangely assured of a great reception at City, but if someone had offered him to us for free, I don't think there's a one person, employee or fan, who would have taken him, and I'm not exaggerating in that.
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    2 in 2 for costa, not the toughest opposition but he's started exactly how I imagined he would. He and fabregas will be the difference makers for them.


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    Default FOOTBALL - 2014/15 Season

    Di Maria. Wow.

    Di Maria is probably a top 15-20 player in the world right now. You already know about 10 of the top 20 players in the world are not for sale (Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez, Ibra, Iniesta, RVP, Neuer, Lahm, etc.), meaning out of the 10 possible best players in the world available, we would be getting one of them. Not only that, but he comes in at a position that we need desperately, at the most ideal and important time in the recent history of our club, and off the best season of his career where he arguably was the best player in La Liga, or at least top 5.

    Considering what we need -- central midfielders, wingers, central defenders- Di Maria fits one of the categories and is world class. Perhaps we are overpaying by 10 mil or so but who cares?

    What are our alternatives? Wait until Vidal outright states he is not leaving or count on Strootman in January? Get a mediocre midfielder and mediocre defender for 60 mil total? Buy two Fellaini's?

    We may never have a chance again to buy such a fantastic player who could single handedly reinvigorate our club.

    This would be a huge statement of intent, a genuine world class marquee signing. It would allow us to play 4-3-3, give us genuine pace and show to other players that the top players still want to come.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    Di Maria. Wow.

    Di Maria is probably a top 15-20 player in the world right now. You already know about 10 of the top 20 players in the world are not for sale (Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez, Ibra, Iniesta, RVP, Neuer, Lahm, etc.), meaning out of the 10 possible best players in the world available, we would be getting one of them. Not only that, but he comes in at a position that we need desperately, at the most ideal and important time in the recent history of our club, and off the best season of his career where he arguably was the best player in La Liga, or at least top 5.

    Considering what we need -- central midfielders, wingers, central defenders- Di Maria fits one of the categories and is world class. Perhaps we are overpaying by 10 mil or so but who cares?

    What are our alternatives? Wait until Vidal outright states he is not leaving or count on Strootman in January? Get a mediocre midfielder and mediocre defender for 60 mil total? Buy two Fellaini's?

    We may never have a chance again to buy such a fantastic player who could single handedly reinvigorate our club.

    This would be a huge statement of intent, a genuine world class marquee signing. It would allow us to play 4-3-3, give us genuine pace and show to other players that the top players still want to come.
    Cue everyone saying he's s**t and overpriced.

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    I've never seen anything in him myself - too poncey, no end product

    Probably good enough to rip the Premier League apart but would let you down at the highest level

    Perfect for us then as we're a long way off from the top

    Will definitely sell shirts so a good signing

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    Quote Originally Posted by retro74 View Post
    I've never seen anything in him myself - too poncey, no end product

    Probably good enough to rip the Premier League apart but would let you down at the highest level

    Perfect for us then as we're a long way off from the top

    Will definitely sell shirts so a good signing
    The man who was MOM in the CL final? The guy who had a good WC? The man who Simeone said was the best player they had?

    87% of Real Madrid fans want to keep him evidenced by the standing ovation he got last week when he came on as sub.

    Sorry mate but he is top top class as the Sky pundits would say

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    Didn't he have an absolute nightmare in the world cup, he had that game where the whole world laughed at him and then got injured

    We'll see how he does, I'm hopeful he'll be fine if we sign him but never seen anything impressive from him. Admittely I've probably only watched him in about 50 games so you never know

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    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    The man who was MOM in the CL final? The guy who had a good WC? The man who Simeone said was the best player they had?

    87% of Real Madrid fans want to keep him evidenced by the standing ovation he got last week when he came on as sub.

    Sorry mate but he is top top class as the Sky pundits would say
    He didn't have a good World Cup mate, he was average. I agree with part of retro74's comment about Di Maria in terms of how lightweight he is. I wonder in the big games whether he'll do the business.

    But, I have followed his career for a good while and he is no doubt a very good player. A little too expensive at anything over £40m for me, but a massive step up from what you have and he is a player who will rip some teams to shreds and be a star in this league. He is exactly the kind of player who will re inject some optimism and life into United and he will do well a lot more weeks than he fails.

    However, I come back to my first point in that I'm not sure he will be the big time superstar that you maybe hope he'll be in the very big games.

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    Default FOOTBALL - 2014/15 Season

    Quote Originally Posted by Gray77 View Post
    He didn't have a good World Cup mate, he was average. I agree with part of retro74's comment about Di Maria in terms of how lightweight he is. I wonder in the big games whether he'll do the business.

    But, I have followed his career for a good while and he is no doubt a very good player. A little too expensive at anything over £40m for me, but a massive step up from what you have and he is a player who will rip some teams to shreds and be a star in this league. He is exactly the kind of player who will re inject some optimism and life into United and he will do well a lot more weeks than he fails.

    However, I come back to my first point in that I'm not sure he will be the big time superstar that you maybe hope he'll be in the very big games.
    I don't think for one minute that all our problems will be solved in one window. I think we are looking at 3-4 transfer windows to rebuild to get to that elite level again.

    It's clear that Van Gaal loves Strootman and is waiting to see if he has recovered from his knee injury. I can see us going for him next season. We still need at least one top class defender too however as I allude to above, signing Di Maria would be a big statement of intent and would entice others of the same ilk.

    The money side is relative too. When you bring in the money Utd do, it's not that big a deal, especially when Torres and Luiz have gone for £50m

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    I think Di Maria is absolutely top class. Anybody talking him down mustn't have watched him for the last 18 months. He is miles better than Ozil and he cost 40ish million so the fee isnt really a problem for me either. I would ave preferred to have signed him over Lallana and Markovic.

    Time will tell if he is suited to the Prem but as a signing its a massive statement for United

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    Two points to answer before I call it a night,

    1. Stu - I totally agree about what a statement it makes. Di Maria is a top, top player at the height of his career and was one of Real's standout players last season. He would walk into almost any club side in World football and he's left Real to join a side not in the CL. I doubt there's another non-CL club in Europe that he'd even bother considering. It shows the power of Man United as a club and makes a huge statement that you're still a club that can attract top players.
    2. Baz - I'm not downplaying him at all. I follow Argentinian football and have watched him closely ever since he was a kid at Rosario Central. I know all about what his strengths are and I rate him highly. However, I am yet to be convinced that those strengths will be suited to the PL. Latin footballers of his size and his temperament do not always suit English football and whilst he'll be far too good to not be a success against most teams over here I wonder if he'll be that superstar kind of player against the top teams here in this culture. Not because our teams are better than those is Spain and not because I think he isn't good enough, but because of who he is and what kind of player he is.

    As for the money side of it, point taken. United don't have to worry about whether it's £40,50 or 60m, I accept that. But I don't think it's relevant to compare his price tag with the likes of Ozil, because he isn't worth £40m IMO. Just because one player is sold for x amount doesn't then justify those around him going for a little more because they're better. They can all be over priced, just at different levels.

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    He's fine in la liga against second rate teams every week Not convinced he will set the place alight. But keeps the dream alive I suppose.He is too lightweight for the prem in my opinion but time will tell.

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    It'd be quite the signing if it came off, there are questions over any players ability to cut it in a different league so there's no real way of knowing until they're tested. Ozil for example probably hasn't lived up to his reputation yet despite a hefty fee being paid.

    What we do know is he can be a difference maker, he's got great technical ability and his signing would be a huge boost before he even plays a game.

    I'm not going to get carried away with it just yet but it's definitely exciting to think about. Now if we could bring in de Jong also I'd consider that a decent summer!


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    "But he really wanted to go to City" apparently.

    Who was it who said this summer to hoards of cheers from the sheep, "City buy their success, whereas we breed it". What's our record transfer fee again?

    For how many years have we at City called United "the hypocrites?"

    I seriously think United have lost the plot a bit here. They've completely abandoned everything that made them what they were and have gone for a big boom explosion along the lines of City when we were a laughing stock. And let's face it, £60 million is obscene for a player who is worth no more than the likes of Aguero and Silva. Then when you sit down and look at the players, they still form the basis of a squad that is significantly lesser than what they are used to having.

    One thing is for sure, the days of us getting stick from the other side of town for how we built Premier League winning sides are over. No more will the press call us 'obscene'. No more will United be seen as the team that does it all the right way, as they positively pee £150 million away on players that are not actually half as good as they are made about to be, whereas we spend the same on creating one of the best Academy centres in world football. Then again, I doubt the perception will change, and neither will the hypocrisy.

    If this is the way you want to do things then fine, just don't knock those of us who did it in a much less dramatic way, but did it better. and make us out to be some form of footballing cheats.

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    Don't think Di Maria is that good a signing at all, in the same manner I don't think Balotelli is either.

    If United are serious about spending £60m on a player, imagine some of the real improvements they could make to their defence or central midfield with that kind of money.

    Daft signing that betrays just how much United have lost their way in my view.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DD View Post
    "But he really wanted to go to City" apparently.

    Who was it who said this summer to hoards of cheers from the sheep, "City buy their success, whereas we breed it". What's our record transfer fee again?

    For how many years have we at City called United "the hypocrites?"

    I seriously think United have lost the plot a bit here. They've completely abandoned everything that made them what they were and have gone for a big boom explosion along the lines of City when we were a laughing stock. And let's face it, £60 million is obscene for a player who is worth no more than the likes of Aguero and Silva. Then when you sit down and look at the players, they still form the basis of a squad that is significantly lesser than what they are used to having.

    One thing is for sure, the days of us getting stick from the other side of town for how we built Premier League winning sides are over. No more will the press call us 'obscene'. No more will United be seen as the team that does it all the right way, as they positively pee £150 million away on players that are not actually half as good as they are made about to be, whereas we spend the same on creating one of the best Academy centres in world football. Then again, I doubt the perception will change, and neither will the hypocrisy.

    If this is the way you want to do things then fine, just don't knock those of us who did it in a much less dramatic way, but did it better. and make us out to be some form of footballing cheats.

    Reacher...
    Is this your great Academy team that we battered 4-1 a few weeks ago?

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    The funny part of this is that it blows SS's theory out of the water. He has long said that we have no money and can no longer buy the top players. £120m spend this window with a couple more signings apparently.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    Is this your great Academy team that we battered 4-1 a few weeks ago?
    It's not quite finished yet.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reacher View Post
    The funny part of this is that it blows SS's theory out of the water. He has long said that we have no money and can no longer buy the top players. £120m spend this window with a couple more signings apparently.
    Fair, the money's obviously there.

    It has to be said though that if City or Chelsea wanted Di Maria, United wouldn't have a hope.

    As I say above as well, I still think it's a daft signing.

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