Man Utd - The Gaalacticos thread

[kingraf]

First topic message reminder :

Didn't catch the match but I assume United were not that great? Two goals in three matches... for all the criticism given to the backline, the forwards have not covered themselves in glory

[mystiroakey]

I think united fans need to accept that there is a possibility that RVP isn't going to be as good as he once was, he is getting older, gets loads of injuries. Even when he was younger he rarely had a season where he wasn't affected(he got that arsernal curse as so many do!)

The season 2012-2013 was a very expectational one for RVP not just in performance but also in the fact he didn't miss any of it.

Losing welbeck seems crazy. Arsenal or City look to be wrapping up falcao

[GSC]

You have the issue of fitting Mata, Rooney and RVP together so you alleviate it by signing Falcao?

[mystiroakey]

So are you guys saying he is going United?

wow that will be a turn up. Talk about splashing the cash..

[Hero]

It's looking likely but obviously it's all Twitter talk atm.

I think Utd are basing their model on Barca/Real, load of average defenders and bag loads of attacking options.

[GSC]

At least Real and Barca seem to have a strategy as to where the pieces fit.

[Ent]

It is all down to fitness with RVP, if he is fit he will score goals.

I don't get our transfer strategy either, it is like we throw money at any decent player who becomes available.

I bet Moyes is going insane, I got Fellaini, LVG gets Shaw, Herrera, Rojo, Blind, Di Maria and Falcao....

On a serious note if we have and are willing to spend this sort of money, throw down £40 million for Hummels and see if Dortmund blink.

[Ent]

Some chat it is a loan deal - this makes sense with the RVP injury rumours.

[mystiroakey]

Sell RVP and buy Falcao would make more sense..

Or loan with the option to buy at the least.(and keep welbeck!!)

On that note does Zaha's deal come with an option to buy. I cant find anything confirming either way.

[Ent]

Confirmed as a loan deal.

Must be an injury to RVP.

Depending on loan fee this makes sense to me, he is 28 and just recovered from a serious injury so £50-60 million permanent transfer and 200k a week for 4 years is a huge risk.

Team

De Gea
Jones Smalling Rojo
Herrera Blind Di Maria Shaw
Mata
Rooney Falcao

[compelling and rich]

well so far rooney, mata and rvp have been awful together, barely created a chance between them so dont mind falcao coming in. lots of people complaining about the defence but 2 goals in 3 games and barely any other chances isnt good enough for who weve been playing against

[GSC]

Obviously the key to solving that logjam is another out and out striker.

Falcao is quality, but coming off a major knee injury in the one position United aren't short of quality.

[compelling and rich]

well i dont rate hernadez at all, wellbeck has no end product. rooney is massively overrated and rvp hasn't played well for two years

id be delighted if we get him, be a rocket up the arse of both rooney and rvp

[The Special Juan]

Odds of an RVP return to Arsenal?

[seanmichaels]

Team

De Gea
Jones Smalling Rojo
Herrera Blind Di Maria Shaw
Mata
Rooney Falcao

Decent team. I reckon they'll bring in a central midfielder though. De Jong or Carvalho but wouldn't be surprised if Vidal came in

[x12x]

United are such a lopsided team right now...world class up front and pretty weak at the back...Falcao is a good signing but not what we needed, I'd rather see us go for Ron Vlaar right now.

[Ent]

Maybe LVG is going to revolutionise football with a

3 2 2 3 formation

Jones Smalling Rojo
Herrera Blind
Di Maria Mata
Rooney Falcao RVP

[Hero]

I went to the National Football Museum yesterday and was looking at the formations of teams of yesteryear, Preston North End won the first league with a 2-3-5 formation, perhaps LVG is going for that?

[mystiroakey]

So Falcao is in on loan for 6m with an option to buy(obviously man u will also pay the wages)

not the worst deal in the world to be fair.

It sounds loads when its reported at 20m etc. But 6m for the loan is the real amount. Not to bad I suppose- The option to buy also gives them a guaranteed player next season if they want him. Which will also help the cash flow and the FFP implications if they go ahead

[The Special Juan]

I don't think they'll sign him next year. Nobody pays £55m for a 29 year old (maybe Ronaldo).

[GSC]

So Falcao is in on loan for 6m with an option to buy(obviously man u will also pay the wages)

not the worst deal in the world to be fair.

It sounds loads when its reported at 20m etc. But 6m for the loan is the real amount. Not to bad I suppose- The option to buy also gives them a guaranteed player next season if they want him. Which will also help the cash flow and the FFP implications if they go ahead

When you take into account wages it is basically 20m

[mystiroakey]

Yes and all clubs pay wages. It's just not usually reported in this way. I suppose 20m is a title grabber.

Palace are effectively paying 3m for zaha.

1.5 m plus 1.5 in wages.

But no one cares about reporting what the media sees as an insignificant amount.

[GSC]

Probably because the main sticking point of the Falcao deal all summer has been his untaxed salary in Monaco.

[mystiroakey]

Correct. And that's why I thought 16m was going to be the figure united would pay straight out to Monaco.

Now man u will be paying more so he clears close to the same.

He is only on 12m euros a year but its tax free. That's 10m.

Obviously the lawyers and accountants may have realized it can't be done like that anymore and united have to pay his wages so he pays his UK income tax..

[mystiroakey]

But remember they will only be paying 8 months worth of wages but it could be 350k a week!!

[Liam]

I imagine now Van Gaal has got the players he wanted he'll revert back to his favoured 4-3-3, at least I hope he does. Personally, the best line up I could put out (If RVP is injured) and how to get the best out of the players we got:

4-1-2-1-2

-----------------------------De Gea-------------------------------
--------------Rafael-------Jones------Rojo-------Shaw
------------------------------Blind-------------------------------
-------------------Herrera-------------Di Maria--------------------
------------------------------Mata------------------------------
--------------------Rooney------------Falcao-----------------------

Our width will be provided by rafael and shaw who both attack very well.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Exactly how I'd play it. Wonder whether Rooney might get used in centre mid this year at all? A good few articles stating its something that Moyes thought likely in his future, coaches too and that Rooney actually wasnt adverse to.

[The Special Juan]

Scholes was originally a striker, wasn't he? I know he changed much earlier in his career than Rooney but it's not unheard of (Nick Powell too). I wonder if Rafael will be dropped for Blind and Carrick/Fletcher come in at DM.

[Hammersmith harrier]

I can't see a left footer playing at right back working to be honest, we'd have a complete imbalance to the side.

A 4-4-2 diamond could work quite well for us, just need players fit and ready to play.

[The Special Juan]

I assume Rafael's not fit yet, otherwise he'd be starting. I'd be putting Blind there for the time being (provided it's 4 at the back) and if he does well then keep him there.

[compelling and rich]

cant say i buy into the opinion that players like mata/rooney can only be played in there strongest postions. i dont recall real madrid telling bale, ronaldo and beneza last season that they have to play only in one postion. the best attacks are ones that are verstile and with people who can play all over to find space, with this in mind id play a combination of

---------------------de gea------------------------
----rafeal---------jones-----------rojo----------shaw---
------------------herrera------------blind---------------
di maria/januzaj-----mata/rooney/di maria---januzaj/rooney/mata
--------------------------falcoa-------------------------------

can also use carrick once back and revert blind to full back if we need to give shaw a break

[Hammersmith harrier]

So the current squad is;

GK

De Gea
Lindegard
Amos

Defence

Rafael
Smalling
Jones
Evans
Rojo
Shaw
Blackett

Midfield

Fletcher
Blind
Fellaini
Carrick
Herrera
Anderson
Di Maria
Valencia
Young
Mata
Januzaj

Forwards

Rooney
Van Persie
Falcao

It's far from perfect but the long overhaul has definitely started to happen, despite many protestations both the defence and midfield have been reinforced, they just weren't called Hummels and Vidal so get dismissed.

[compelling and rich]

theres not many in that now i that i wouldn't call united standard for squad players:

young would be one.
fletcher is not up to it anymore.
fellaini
anderson
blackett still unproven

looks a lot better than at the start of the season, above does show that unless first choice play in midfield the back up is poor

[Ent]

Young does what lvg wants, I'd say he will stay.

[Hero]

Roll back to the beginning of summer Ent. Would you have been happy if we'd have said Utd would acquire Di Maria, Falcao, Herrera, Shaw, Rojo and Blind?

[Hammersmith harrier]

There would be far less confusion surrounding the positions of Rojo and Blind had we signed them before the world cup so would have been delighted with those six and the departures.

[Hero]

Agree, everyone watches the World Cup and thinks we've bought 3 LBs, rather than 1 LB, one CB who can play LB and one DM who can also play LB.

[Ent]

Roll back to the beginning of summer Ent. Would you have been happy if we'd have said Utd would acquire Di Maria, Falcao, Herrera, Shaw, Rojo and Blind?

I was happy with Rojo, Herrera and shaw.

If have thought you were on crack if you said we'd sign falcao.

Di Maria understandable due to Madrid wanting rid and huge fee, but fair play to the club getting falcao in.

That said I'll miss welbeck, we look to be turning into a Chelsea or city type club.

[Ent]

I presume falcao is wearing number 9.

Think I'll get that shirt, last Nike one so if he only stays a year big deal.

[The Special Juan]

Roll back to the beginning of summer Ent. Would you have been happy if we'd have said Utd would acquire Di Maria, Falcao, Herrera, Shaw, Rojo and Blind?

I was happy with Rojo, Herrera and shaw.

If have thought you were on crack if you said we'd sign falcao.

Di Maria understandable due to Madrid wanting rid and huge fee, but fair play to the club getting falcao in.

That said I'll miss welbeck, we look to be turning into a Chelsea or city type club.

Except United aren't paying using blood money or oil money.

[Ent]

Don't care where the money comes from.

Something soulless about replacing all your players in quick succession.

Always enjoyed the continuity in the united squad and the local lads in the side.

Best for on pitch activity but will miss welbeck.

[Guest]

will miss welbeck.

Will you miss that feeling of anger & frustration you got, throwing items at the TV screen, after witnessing Welbeck embarrassingly miss another guilt edged chance in front of goal? I remember the one-on-one with Neuer last year at OT, where he got to box & then......we'll, you don't need me to tell you.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

In FourFourTwo's roundup, Man United got 2nd place to Chelsea.

The main problem is one managers want; too many attacking options.

RVP has dismissed rumours surrounding his knee problems, so RVP and Falcao could be playing together

[Liam]

I'm hoping we can have a relatively injury free run up until christmas time. Wouldn't be playing 3-4-1-2 if Shaw, Rafael, Herrera and carrick were all injured if you ask me.

We've got a real chance to kick on now and put some points on the board. New signings will obviously take time to gel but because they are genuine world class I doubt it'll take too long. Phil Jones has impressed me so far, put some real good performances in and i'm hoping he can really mature this season and start fulfilling his early potential. Think him playing consistently at cb, rather than swapping between rb, cb and cdm will do him the world of good.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Rojo finally has a work permit, with Shaw and Herrera close to returning we should be able to put out a fairly strong team against QPR, the time to judge will be at the beginning of next month.

[mystiroakey]

I wonder when we end up with the formation 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1

[Liam]

Rojo finally has a work permit, with Shaw and Herrera close to returning we should be able to put out a fairly strong team against  QPR, the time to judge will be at the beginning of next month.

Yeh agree, hopefully we can start picking up some points and stay relatively injury free.

[The Special Juan]

What still concerns me about the defence is that it's lacking a leader to make sure the back 3 stay organised. Evans is the "veteran" there but I wouldn't put him down as the leader type. I'm not saying LVG should have signed Vlaar but it was that sort of presence he needs at the back.

[Liam]

Don't see us playing 3 at the back any more. The signing of Blind as a cdm signals the change to a 4-3-3 which is what he's always wanted to play. Although for me, with 4-3-3 it means only one of falcao/rvp/rooney leads the line. Or, you play 4-1-2-1-2 and it means you can play all 3, which is what i'd play.

[Ent]

Lvg sees this system as the answer to the 451/433 high pressing system teams are employing now - I can see him persisting

[Ent]

So blind Rojo and falcao set for debuts this weekend.

Rafael and Herrera have trained, also a suggestion shaw will be fit.

Jones could be out.

Team vs qpr...

De gea
Smalling Evans Rojo
Valencia Herrera blind young
Di Maria
Rooney falcao

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