Looking at the United squad today I cannot help but think it's the worst i've ever known it. I don't know whether to say well done to Fergie for getting the best out of them, or how has it got to this? De Gea: Pants, but United have had their problems finding decent keepers over the years. Evra: Getting found out this year, also getting old. Rio: Can't stay fit. Vidic: Excellent - but cannot seem to stay fit. De Silva: Decent squad player but not exactly great. Smalling: Good. Jones: Very good. Evans: Great example of an average player. Would never of got in a United team 5-10 years ago. Park: Good squad player. Giggs: Older than the galaxy. Should not be relying on him. Scholes: Again relying on past greats. Why hasn't he been replaced? Carrick: Decent player. Fletcher: Good player, suffering from piles. Welbeck: Good player, bright future. Valencia: Good player. Nani: Actually very good. Anderson: Average. Berbatov: Good bench player. Hernandez: Class player. Ronney: Also very good. Where are the Beckhams, Ronaldo's, and Scholes type players? I cannot help but think the Premiership is the weakest it's been in years. We are average, so are Arsenal and Chelsea, United are consistand but no Barca/Madrid. Spurs and City the strongest arguably. Spurs just need to believe they can do it. They lack the experince of the likes of United. I know we've got problems too (more probably), but this really isn't a great team. The attacking players are excellent, but the midfield is just average. When Scholes and Giggs go they're going to be well short in the centre. On paper City should smash United to the title, but I guess that's why Fergie is so good. Opinions? Who would you United fans buy?
They need a quality centre mid, keeper and defender. But thats 60m or so needed to get that. The forward players are excellent though.
Dodgy Keeper, which is actually a serious problem. Very good defence, when fit. Fair midfield, Giggs and Scholes can't go on forever, so that's a problem in itself. Good wingers and good up front. Need to spend some £££ IMO.
I raised this in the match thread, the owners are just not letting Fergie buy anyone, and if it was not for Fergie's pathological need to try and beat Liverpool's records, he would have had the sense to walk away years ago. As it is, he is managing a team in terminal decline without owners willing to support him. But unless he is totally mental, he has to realise that getting 2 European cups is not possible, and he just needs to walk away or turn into a Brian Clough.
I've said throughout this season that if United win the League then Fergie might leave then on a high. I mean he is getting old! And I cannot work out if he isn't getting backed or just isn't spending.
This is an excellent post. Been watching ManU since the 60's and I have to say that this is the weakest side of ANY of the Ferguson era... and that includes the pre-title winning teams. Problems in 3 areas: - goalkeeper needs sorting NOW. De Gea looks like an expensive mistake. Lindegaard looks far better, or else pair of old experienced hands needed. Schwartzer from Fulham? Robinson from Blackburn? - defense. You can have the best keeper in the world but they will look crap if the defense is suspect, and the defense IS suspect. Vidic is class but injury prone, and the rest are average and/or too old. Realistically, would any of the rest of the back four be good enough to play for Man City or Spurs? - midfield. THE problem area. Scholes and Giggs have been fantastic BUT we cannot rely on them beyond this season. Cleverley is promising but can't do it alone - too many players not turning up on a consistent basis - Anderson, Nani, Carrick. We need two good YOUNG midfielders to compliment Cleverley. Large scale rebuilding required! The thing is... will Fergie stick around to rebuild one last time, esp.with the new FIFA financial constraints and the fact we're not the richest kids on the block any more...?
Before the season started, many of us said that Utd fans were deluding themselves as to the quality and strength of this present squad and were ridiculed for so doing. However, it is becoming clear that we were right. A few of us were also drawing comparisions with the ending of Liverpool's era of dominance in terms of the weakness of the side, the atitiude of the club and the myopia of the supporters. Those comparisons also now stand worthy of re-visitng.
United are doing well in the league, but lagging in other competitions. The strength in the overall squad isn't there anymore. I don't know enough about the club politics to comment on why, but it's obvious that they're not spending as big as they used to do on quality players. How is their youth these days? Will they get lucky with a group of quality players coming through at once like in the 90's? For me, I don't see it. Fergie's doing great in the league with what he has, but they're slipping. If everyone's fit, they have a very strong first team though (althought their midfield is old and lacking these days)
Unfortunately I have to agree with you. Fergie has been the master of rebuilding great sides, but I think his magic touch has started to desert him. What does concern me is the sheer scale of the rebuilding exercise that needs to be done: Goalkeeper I think they need to play Lindegaard for the rest of the season, or else buy in. I don't think he will buy in, as it's admitting he's made a mistake with De Gea Defense Evra: too old, and is it me or has got slower? Not one for the future Rio: I am probably in the minority here but I have always thought he was a bit suspect, both for us and England - technically superb but always capable of making one slip up in every game. Always looked better when paired with REAL class like Vidic. Now far too old and slow Vidic: "Excellent - but cannot seem to stay fit." Spot on. De Silva: "Decent squad player but not exactly great." Spot on. Smalling: Promising rather than good. Needs to be paired with Vidic on a long term basis to bring him on. Evans: "Great example of an average player". Spot on! Out of the above, only Vidic stands out, as opposed to previous Fergie sides where we had class players across the back four. Midfield: Jones: I think Jones is better placed in midfield. I'm not convinced his best position is defense - can you imagine Messi running at him? Pair him with Cleverly in the midfield, Jones handling the Keane defensive midfield role. Park: "Good squad player". Spot on. Good engine, but needs quality around him. Giggs+Scholes: great servants but TOO OLD. It says much for the current team that Scholes has come out of retirement and is first choice! Carrick: no no NO. Goes missing in too many games. Squad player. Not one of Fergie's better signings. Not even good enough for England! Fletcher: "Good player, suffering from piles". LOL. But yes, good player WHEN fit. Valencia: "Good player." Spot on. Nani: again I'm probably in the minority, but too inconsistent and goes AWOL in too many games. Anderson: "Average." Spot on! I think the problems at the mo are mainly due to an ageing/dysfunctional midfield that simply isn't gelling. Needs an infusion of quality, creative midfielders with good engines. And I don't think the money is there to buy them Forwards - the one bright spot: Berbatov: good when he can be bothered, especially against poor opposition. Can't be bothered far too often. As it is, ageing and will probably be shipped on this season. Hernandez: "Class player." Spot on. Rooney: "Also very good." Spot on, despite the critics - how many of them would say NO if we offered Rooney to them? Welbeck: lots of promise, growing into the role. Good. Owen: yesterday man. Not even a bit player these days. Needs to move on. It makes for depressing reading on the whole. Looking at that squads, think about the potential side in say 2 years time (playing 4-4-1-1): GK - ? RB LB CB Vidic CB Smalling RM Valencia CM Cleverley CM Jones/Fletcher LM FW Rooney FW Welbeck So I think we need an overhaul of the entire defense, plus cover in the midfield and other options on the wing. But then again, I'm just a tired old man
Liverpool on the other hand are a work in progress. Pepe Reina still has a few miles in the tank Fullbacks are young and there is excellent youth below that. Agger and Skrtel are just about to hit there peak, Coates looks a good young defender and Kelly could end up in the centre too. Midfield we have Stevie, Adam, Lucas, Henderson, Shelvey, Wee Jay etc. Another top class addition would be welcome. On the wings, could definately improve. Downing, Bellamy and Kuyt etc will be good squad players, but we could do with some real class out wide. A Hazzard or Eriksson would be most welcome. Up front, not bad, IMO. Suarez will be back soon then we have Bellamy, Kuyt and Carroll (who I think will come good) Think we need a world class finisher, Cavani would be great Generally we have quite a young squad, with lots of very good youth players. We don't need to sign anymore squad players, we need players who will improve the first team. A midfielder, a winger and a forward. Sixty million should do it. Not an unreasonable ask of new owners who have not really spent much of there own money yet.... Would like: .....................................Reina...................................... Johnson........Skrtel....................Agger.................Enrique .........................Lucas.......Gerrard............................... Ericksson.....................Suarez......................Downing/Bellamy ............................Cavani.............................................. Subs Kelly Coates Carra Henderson Carroll Kuyt Adam
You'd think that if he had the money, he would have bought someone new instead of dragging Scholes out of retirement. He is lucky that Ginger and the man whore have kept themselves so fit, but you don't use 37/38 year old players out of choice.
I think Young when fit could be the Left mid man. But i don't feel a centre pairing of Cleverly and Jones is good enough tbh also Evra should do for a season. He isn't THAT bad.
If i'm honest we're quite a way off too. Reina: Excellent generally, a little shaky at times this year. Carragher: Retirement imminent. Legend. Jose: Excellent player. Bargin. Skrtle: Good player in top form. Still think we need another top CB for competition. Agger: Very good. Keeping him fit key. Another reason why we need on more class CB. Kelly: Very good young player. May be that CB we need in the future. Johnson: In decent form, but still not sold. Good we can rotate him and Kelly. Robinson: Promising. Too young to tell. Flanno: As above. Downing: Will never make it. Poor player. We still have the left mid problem. We are a passing team, not massive long balls. Maxi: Great cover for LM. Still need a first choice. Gerrard: Class. But we need cover very soon. Shelvey: An option. Let's wait and see. Adam: Squad player. Not a starter. Lucas: We have seen how week we are without. Very good. Spearing: Good cover for Lucas. Henderson: Not sure. Good squad player. Not finished article yet. Kuyt: Ageing. Good option providing he's match fit. Carroll: Tough one. Better today. Needs game but i'm not convinved. Bellamy: A fantastic option put we cannot rely on him week in week out. Suarez: Class. But we need and out goal scorer. So in conclusion. We are nearly there at the back, but our midfield is still weak (even more than United) despite all the money we have spent. Need an out and out striker to help along with Suarez. Still need to spend and replace what we bought in the summer! Bar Henderson.
Not sure about the weak midfield. Gerrard & Lucas with Adam and Hendo as back up not that bad. Still would like one more addition though. We had it sorted and then let Mereiles and Aqua go. But if a player does not want to be here, they have to go... Jury still out on Downing, judge him in his second full season....Maybe I am wrong about him, same as Carrick, if not good enough for England must be a problem? Shame no one has been brought in during January so far, would give a signal of intent and a bit of a lift...
What an amusing thread by LFC supporters who watched their team get totally outplayed, yet won by outmuscling a suspect keeper and a very lucky hoofball. If anything was shown by this match it was similar to LFC against all the smaller teams they have failed to beat at home this season, LFC are a good counter attacking team but that is where it ends.
I'm glad we agree the law man! Baz: Imo Lucas is good enough, Gerrard is but is ageing. Downing? Come on he's never been good and won't magically change. He might develop into back up but no more. Adam is not good enough really. Hendo okay, but is young and we cannot really rely on him to change games atm. I agree we need another creative midfielder. Not sure what happened with Merielles but we have missed him more than i thought we would. I remember everyone arguing whether to keep him or get back Aquaman. We got neithe and that is pretty shocking and has cost us.
Mate it's an honest post which has been backed up by a United fan. I've also been very critical of our squad. Don't like it then piss off.
Unbeaten at home and in both cup competitions. A newly constructed side with players settling and learning each others games. A young squad with potential for improvement. Need to improve our league posistion, but things are going allright so far...
