A strong squad wins you league titles, as we've seen this season and many seasons past. A strong squad is important for knockout tournaments in case of injury and squad rotation, but by and large it is your first choice players that are going to win you the big matches (Real Madrid in CL, Chelsea in FA Cup). I believe this is why Liverpool and Chelsea have been good cup teams during the last decade or so. Their first eleven are always a match for other big teams, but their squads are certainly not as strong as ours. As has been discussed for a long time, I feel like many others that central midfield is our biggest issue in this department. We have lots of 'good' central midfielders, but no one 'great' that we can be confident of seizing the game by the scruff of its neck against other big teams. So in the league I have no worries when I see any of Carrick, Cleverley, Anderson, Giggs, Fletcher, Jones or Kagawa in central midfield. But when we have a big knockout game my concern is ALWAYS that our midfield is going to be dominated and we have no clear first choice pairing (it's always Carrick + someone). Usually we end up having to pack the midfield and pull other players away from their usual positions to help out (Rooney, Welbeck, Jones etc) and this affects us negatively overall to compensate for our midfield issues. This is not an overreaction to last night's result, it's just my general view of our squad. We have a great squad and quality players in many positions, but I feel that a top class central midfielder is really needed if we want to have the best chance of winning the CL and FA Cup in the coming seasons. Even if we signed Bale, for instance, it would increase our potency going forward but we would still come up against the Real Madrid/Barca/Bayern type teams and have to rely on counter attacks to stand a decent chance of winning... EDIT: The Neanderthal version. (especially for Sweats) Grok says: Strong squad = League titles Strong first XI = Cup titles Man Utd has good depth but needs a new top quality central midfielder (or two) to enhance our first XI. Now Grok make fire.
Sympathy post.. I don't have time to read it, seems a bit long winded... Have you considered doing off topic threads??
Be quiet. Unfortunately I left my crayons and finger puppets at home today, so I had to use my words... Fabio.
I'd take Bale, I'd also buy modric. I'd then buy a combative midfielder. Do we need another CB?? possibly. Jones is decent enough prospect. Cant really think of anyone else worth buying as cover for vidic and rio. only prem player that has impressed me has been vertongen.. though really that assessmet is basically on his fantasy league points and atching MOTD a few times. so he could really be utter **** and someone will point out he is a rb or such like.
I agree with your post. Apart from the bit about Liverpool being a good cup team of course Who Grok want central midfield buy cash with?
I said we should have signed Dawson when AVB was trying to off load him at the start of the season and I stand by that and feel I've been proven to be correct by what's since happened. I would also happily take Jagielka and think Jones now has to be given the position. Now. Still think Modric is massively inconsistent and feel that Goetze would be a better bet should he be available to transfer but so desperate is our need I now would have a punt at Modric, which I never thought I'd hear myself say. If we went for Bale then along with Nani I would suggest Young could also go, Valencia being so right footed.
Grok want Bale for left wing. Becoz Bale very pretty, look like Grog sister. Central midfield Grog not so sure, does not watch Serie A and La Liga much, bad signal in cave. In PL maybe bird-nest-head man (Fellaini) as an enforcer but he not really top top quality though. Overseas Grog think we must just hit Cesc Fabregas on head with club and drag to Old Trafford, he would be perfect. Have not seen enough of Joao Moutinho but maybe he would be good. Unfortunately Schweinstager won't leave Bayern... We need a new Keane basically, there aren't too many potential targets though which means any purchase would be big money. I say pick the phone up to Barca and pull a RVP on Cesc
interesting you mentioned fabregas, as i was actually thinking the same the other day. He is wasting away at barca.
Yeah he must be one of the only top quality midfielders not an absolute first choice player at his club. Although he just scored a hattrick and Xavi won't always be first choice in the seasons to come, so I'm not overly optimistic. But he would be my first choice, even more needed than Bale imo.
Don't think he'd come to us to be honest. He has too much respect for Wenger, and is surrounded by a team of winners so won't feel much pressure to move. He's actually played quite a lot at Barca this season, even if a lot has been off the bench, and will probably see himself as Xavi's long term replacement.
We've been linked with that other midfielder from Barca, a young lad, I can't remember his name but we've been linked with him before. I'd also like to see someone like De Rossi sign.
Don't be Busquets. Don't be Busquets. Don't be Busquets. Don't be Busquets. Don't be Busquets. Don't be Busquets. Don't be Busquets.
Thiago Alcantara? Would definitely take him, tho' we'd have to be careful he didn't just **** off back to Barca in a few years.
That's the one. I read somewhere we were in for him again although I don't know much about him myself.
Thiago Alcântara. Wikipedia: Thiago Alcântara do Nascimento (born 11 April 1991), known simply as Thiago. So about to turn 22... He is the son of the former Brazilian footballer and 1994 World Cup winner Mazinho. 61 appearances for Barca already, three for Spain in 2011.
