I don't think that is just hogwash. I think we have a deal in principle with Vidal and are now approaching Juve with the right offer. He might want to play for us so I don't see how other teams getting involved will change that.
Arturo Vidal
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I don't think that is just hogwash. I think we have a deal in principle with Vidal and are now approaching Juve with the right offer. He might want to play for us so I don't see how other teams getting involved will change that.
Playing Shaw as a wing back is absolutely playing him out of position. His attacking is promising but it's his superbly mature defensive game which makes him special at the moment. Meanwhile the idea that Rafa has defensive weaknesses which require us to use him as a wingback is very out of date - he's been a perfectly good defensive player since 2012, and it's only his absences through injury making people forget that.
But the main point is still that if Herrera and Vidal are too attacking a partnership, adding another CB doesn't solve that problem. You need to put a holding midfielder behind them. A CB cannot play as a DM, it's a completely different skill set. A lightweight midfield will still let the opposition run right through them and attack the back line at pace, and having an extra CB won't make much difference in those situations. If you want to stop that happening, you throw Carrick in there with them.
As I say, though, I think they've got more than enough about them defensively. They'd be an absolutely classic box-to-box two-man midfield. Both offensively competent, both defensively competent, both with superb engines (Vidal's, in particular, is probably the best in the business) and both tactically intelligent, mature players. They'd keep the ball well (especially with Mata ahead of them) and when they did lose it they'd be all over the opposition like a bad rash until they won it back.
I'm sure it could be a host of things. What KM said, want to be sure about his knee, maybe the fees reported aren't accurate and Juve want more, maybe agent fees are too high... could literally be anything.
A.k.a the Chelsea way.
It was OK to overpay for Fellaini since he wanted to play for the shirt, that's the most important thing.
It's different when you're so shit that no other sides are interested though. If PSG or Chelsea were in for him, would it be different?
It could be. What Mitten is saying makes sense, however, its a dangerous game to play and i dont think we are in any position to take risks.
At this point the interest in Vidal seems almost certain with his recent quotes and the multiple reports, Evra moving the other way also hasn't happened yet. Must be quite a bit of maneuvering from all parties behind the scenes so not sure who leaked it. I mean it could be Juve leaking Utd won't pay £34m or whatever knowing the Utd fans would react like a large portion have. Or it could be Utd trying to lower the price by not buckling, wouldn't be shocked to see us get linked with Carvalho again if that's the case. Personally I think we should get it done ASAP since the squad will have quite a few new faces we need to integrate and the earlier it's done the easier it'll be for him to get sorted for a home in Manchester and arrange everything with his family.
We pay our top players far more than they do.
Honestly, I think the only reason we're still haggling over the price is that Vidal isn't ready to leave his holiday yet and in the spare time, the club want to try to get the best deal possible. I really don't think there will be any problem in the deal and, as soon as Vidal's ready, the move will go through.
So what's the latest? Have we made a bid?
We are not sure about his knee injury is the latest.
We're preparing to load it into the fax machine, just need the green light on the spelling from our official grammar partner.
I do often find it a little strange that players want to leave this stuff until after their holidays. I know getting a transfer sorted is a long and laborious process which would probably eat into your break and be quite stressful. But surely it's better to be relaxing knowing what your future holds than in some sort of artificial limbo.
Plus if you only start to deal with the transfer/not transfer situation once you're back, you'll end up either back in training with your teammates without knowing for sure that you're even staying, or starting with your new club when everyone else has already done most of their preseason. It just doesn't seem practical.
Plus if you only start to deal with the transfer/not transfer situation once you're back, you'll end up either back in training with your teammates without knowing for sure that you're even staying, or starting with your new club when everyone else has already done most of their preseason. It just doesn't seem practical.
Totally see what your saying, think if Louis were to do that formation with the DM though i'd prefer a new signing slotting in there. I like Carrick but his defensive side always leaves me feeling edgy, his mobility is an issue and i'm not convinced on his bravery in certain situations. If only we had Hargreaves in his prime and without the injuries
I've always thought this. Same with players not getting stuff sorted before the WC, saying they just want to concentrate on that. I guess that could be their agents telling them to hold off and have a good tournament and see more cash, but still i'd want it out the way. That's the only way you can really ever put it to the back of your mind and switch your attention to England or whatever shit international side you pretend to give a shit about.
de Gea
Rafael Evans Jones Shaw
Vidal Herrera
Di Maria Rooney Mata
van Persie
Rafael Evans Jones Shaw
Vidal Herrera
Di Maria Rooney Mata
van Persie
Totally see what your saying, think if Louis were to do that formation with the DM though i'd prefer a new signing slotting in there. I like Carrick but his defensive side always leaves me feeling edgy, his mobility is an issue and i'm not convinced on his bravery in certain situations. If only we had Hargreaves in his prime and without the injuries
Well I sort of agree, but at the same time you can't buy a new player for every position, and Carrick was absolutely superb the season before the Moyespocalypse. Mobility and bravery wouldn't be demanded of him in a three-man midfield with the absurdly hard-working, mobile and brave Vidal (and Herrera is no slouch in any of those categories either) - he'd simply be there to provide a shield for the defence, an out-ball when the midfield is pressed, and a pair of eyes watching the shape of the match and ready to pick out an incisive long pass.
I think Carrick would look very, very good indeed in a role like that. Despite his excellence in 2012-13, a two-man midfield has never really suited him. If he'd spent his career doing a job like Busquets' at Barca, his reputation would be far better than it is today.
United haggling over £3m or so, that's probably like 50p to most people here.
United are like someone at a car-boot, going:-
"how much for this?"
"that will be £1"
"i'll give you 40p for it"
"50p and we've got a deal"
"43p?"
Tight bastards, just give the person a quid.
United are like someone at a car-boot, going:-
"how much for this?"
"that will be £1"
"i'll give you 40p for it"
"50p and we've got a deal"
"43p?"
Tight bastards, just give the person a quid.
The jokes are really flowing quick and fast in here, such banter. Unreal stuff. Class.
Except you have to pretend Inter, Spurs, Everton, Dortmund, and loads more are perched behind Juve watching what happens. If we hand over a quid, what's gonna happen when we get to their stall? they'll want 2 quid.
Tbf, if we overpay by £5 million for most of our transfers, that adds up after a while. It also tells other teams that we're mugs that can be milked and rinsed.
Nice, but to be honest I'd be perfectly happy with
de Gea
Rafael Evans Jones Shaw
Vidal Herrera
Januzaj Rooney<->Mata
van Persie
It's the midfield signing that really makes the difference. That's the one that will assure us of getting back into the top four. A bonus star elsewhere (di Maria, Hummels or whoever) would be nice, rather than necessary. (And the pedant in me can't help acknowledging that Mata and Rooney might be better the other way round, or at least interchanging.)
I still think we need some pace and directness, although we didn't have the midfield to make that work last season either, someone running in behind makes a huge difference. Hoping we go for someone pacy for a wide spot.
It's not about 34 million for Vidal vs 28 for Herrara.
Herrara will be on half the wages let alone signing fees etc.
So it isn't simply about rejecting paying 6 million more. The difference would be over 10 million if wages over the length of the contract and other things are taken into account. If United can reduce the fee by even a 2-3 million it makes a big difference especially to what they can offer the player.
So no it isn't just chump change.
Herrara will be on half the wages let alone signing fees etc.
So it isn't simply about rejecting paying 6 million more. The difference would be over 10 million if wages over the length of the contract and other things are taken into account. If United can reduce the fee by even a 2-3 million it makes a big difference especially to what they can offer the player.
So no it isn't just chump change.
Smalling is our best defender.
No he most certainly isn't.
Many think he isn't good enough on the ball for someone like Van Gaal and his total football philosophy. I agree with you though, i think a Smalling-Evans duo is the way forward.
If he is willing to do us a solid and forgo CL football for a season we need to make it worth his while. I am firmly in the "pay whatever it takes" camp.
I agree.
We seriously need pace up front and I think Cuadrado/Di Maria is the way to go.
I don't think we are penny pinching here. we probably just want some assurances from the player, and agree to a deal in principle before we make any kind of official approach.
Nope, Evans is. Smalling and Jones are level, offering different qualities. Jones is committed, mobile, good with a last-ditch tackle or block, and comfortable enough to bring the ball out or find a pass. Smalling reads the game well, is dominant in the air, and composed in the tackle, but not good enough on the ball or with his passing at the moment.
Agreed.
Januzaj being a default starter this season (surely?) will do a lot to sort that out. It's one of those things that we could do with, but it's nowhere near as urgent a requirement as a dominant CM.
Who is better? The others may be better on the ball, but that doesnt make you a better defender, defensively Smalling is better than Jones, Evans.
These ball playing defenders thing is such a big hype, if you have one ball playing defender its already enough, I would prefer a defender who can actually defend, to be good on the ball should be a bonus.
No idea why this is in the Vidal thread, but I agree
Ability on the ball is part of the package, you can't just ignore it when you've picking your CBs. Smalling is dominant aerially and a good composed tackler, but Evans and Jones are not bad defensively and Evans is much better than Smalling on the ball, so when you balance it all out he's the better player than Smalling. Jones is probably roughly his equal.
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