Hi all, First article so be nice! I wanted to know what peoples' views are on the summer signings so far. There is obviously huge potential in De Gea and Jones and with Ashley Young we have signed someone who is more than proven at Premiership level - I think all three are definitely 'United quality'. However, having said that, I wonder whether they actually improve our side from last year? If we look at the three of them individually: David De Gea - Seems to have the temperament to succeed at United and is a good quality, young keeper. Arguably with Neuer one of the best young keepers out there. But better than Van Der Sar? It is difficult to say yes as VDS was probably the best keeper in the Premiership. His distribution and composure will need to be replicated by De Gea. Phil Jones - Again, looks the part and at 19 could play for United for 15+ years. Yet is he going to play? Not definitely. Jones seems very much in the Vidic role, whereas Smalling seems more in the Ferdinand role - it would be unlikely that Jones will oust Vidic and I reckon he will be fourth choice behind Ferdinand and Smalling. Obviously quality for the future - but an improvement on last year? Ashley Young - proven in the premiership. Will get goals and assists but is he better/more consistent than Valencia or Nani? Again this is massively debatable. I don't see him ahead of these two. What I am trying to say is that although all three fit into United and are all United quality - do they improve the starting 11 from last season? Centre-mid was obviously a weakness last year. If Modric, a wonderful player, came in he would no doubt improve last years team. So far however the Modric talk is all rumours and nothing confirmed. It would be interesting to hear everyone's thoughts. (p.s I realise the value of a good squad - and these three additions do add in that department. My question revolves around the starting 11) Cheers guys!
Good article. I would say those signings alone wont strengthen your squad, especially due to departures. However, the summer is bound to throw up some more signings so as long as you get some real creativeness in the middle you should have a better SQUAD than last season. Whether or not you will have a better starting 11, well i'm not sure.
I completely agree and share your concerns about improving. Of course it will be a step down in the goalkeeper level and we are well stocked on the wings, defence is covered and our attack is looking great. Has it improved? no. Not yet. We know where it has to be improved though and we are trying to do that by buying sneijder/modric. The fact is it isn't improved atm, but how much of it needs improving? We have the best defence in the league, the best wingers, and one of (if not the) best strikeforce. We only need to improve the centre of midfield and that can be dramatically changed by just two signings. The reason we don't seem to be improving is because there wasn't a lot to improve.
Great article, I was thinking the same. The first team hasn't been improved but the summer is still young
Last season our biggest strength was not giving up so if we can keep that attitude going into this season, add a few players with maybe 1 stand out star/potential star we will have an advantage over our title rivals from the off. Last season we had Wayne Rooney off form for 4 months or so, Nani losing his form in the last 3 months, Berbatov fading at the end and a relatively weak midfield yet we won the league at a canter. If we can have Rooney on fire from the off, Nani back on song, Valencia all season and Berbatov & Hernandez back amongst the goals we are quite a formidable side. If Fergie gets someone like Modric then without being over confident the rest of the clubs might have it in the back of their minds that this season is all but a forgone conclusion. ---------De Gea----------- Rafael-Ferdinand-Vidic-Evra Valencia-Fletcher-????-nani -----Rooney------------- --------Hernandez-------- ---------De Gea---------- Rafael-Jones-Smalling-Fabio Nani-Carrick-Anderson-Young ------Berbatov------------- ----------Welbeck---------- ---------De Gea------------ Fabio-Smalling-Vidic-Evans ---????--Carrick--Ando---- -------Rooney----------- --Berbatov---Hernandez---- So many different options for us and thats just a few. I havent speculated on a midfielder as we just dont know who it may be but its almost certain we will sign someone to fill that role. I havent even used all the players and tbh, the teams all look pretty formidable. Things are looking very very good no matter how much our rivals think we are in some sort of trouble. They need to be very worried though.
2 Great signings and a decent one; De Gea, if he does actually sign, looks quality and could easily be first choice for the next 20 years; Jones for me looks immense and him and smalling playing together can only help England in the long term. Personally i probably wouldnt have signed young hes a good player dont get me wrong and one that i think will do reasonably well for us but for me he's not a player that when your losing to barca and struggling to get a foothole in the game hes not someone id look at and think yeah he'll make the difference i'll sub him on. Not a bad player to have on the bench for majority of league games though
I think most people forget the importance of having a fully fit fletch back, he''l be great alongside whoever we bring in to replace Scholes
I think with one world class midfield signing United should win the league next year, but stand a pretty good chance with the current squad so i guess it depends on how much money they actualy have to spend. Do you reckon Chelsea will find a system that works and Challenge you all the way, if Torres finds form they could be scary. I can't see city winnning it this year but they will eventually.
I'm not really sure about De Gea, not doubting his quality but commitment. Seems like he dosen't really want to join UTD, if he did, the deal would be done and dusted. I just don't think he 100% commited to UTD. Also knowing Spanish players like him, in 4-5 years time what do you think will happen if Madrid or Barca put a bid in?
Barca and Madrid won't need new keepers for a long time as Casillas and Valdez are still reasonably young for goalkeepers. Besides even if they do try in 5 years time it will cost them more than it took you to buy De Gea as he will be a better player then. So it makes perfect sense to go for him.
See Corbo post at 10.57 re De Gea - obviously not yet but it looks likely. In regards to Young - as good as but not offically.
The Ozil query was more like what I expected from you lot, he's a class player who would add some quality to your midfield. Looks like it won't happen though.
I think he's comfortably better than Cech so getting in de Gea doesn't improve the squad but VDS had to be replaced so what do you do? I fail to see how the other two can do anything other than improve the squad. If no one leaves they are additional players of quality. If say, Wes Brown leaves then he's been replaced with a quality centre half who isn't perpetually injured. Adding Young to the squad can only improve it. We do need CM players though, no doubt.
Yeah but the squad effects the first X1, an understrength squad produces a weak X1, look what our 99 squad produced as proof of what a strength and depth can achieve. Then look at this years CL final what did we have in reserve to bring on and stengthen the so called X1 .......not alot. It's not just about finding a CM it's the the squad/team whatever! All departments have to be catered for so if all the three well touted transfer complete I feel that the team have improved, especially if the deadwood goes!
He's been comfortably better the last three seasons, but Cech definitely wasn't as good in those seasons after his head injury. It was pretty close between the two of them this season imo, which implies Cech may finally be getting back to his best. Personally I think improving the starting XI is going to be more a case of getting most of the team fit and on form. After all, very few of our first XI were on top form and fitness for the whole season: GK: VDS was great but he's leaving. We can't help there being a little weakness there whilst the new guy settles in. LB: Evra has been off form for much of the season imo, after the whole WC thing. CB: Vidic is one of the few first teamers who played at his best last year CB: Rio was crocked for about half the season, and Smalling was still settling in. Jones will help keep us strong in this area RB: Who's the first choice RB again?! Rafael was doing great here but got injured. Fabio has also broken through, so one of them should step up next season. LW: Park was out for much of the season and Nani doesn't look that great on the left. Young should help us here, maybe even be first choice? CM: Fletcher wasn't at his best and then got the plague CM: Anderson started great, then got broken. Again. Giggs and Carrick played ok, but other than in the games against Chelsea I wouldn't say either of them excelled. RW: Valencia was broken for 75% of the season. Nani started great then faded. Neither were 100% for the whole season FW: Rooney couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo for half the season, but still ended up with 11 goals and 11 assists in the league. If he plays like that for a full season we'll be better already. FW: Hernandez did great but still needs to improve imo. Berbatov also played great, but was again a bit too inconsistent. So other than VDS, who's left, Vidic and Hernandez, it's fair to say than none of our first XI played to their full potential last season. Which is to be expected in a transitional year imo. All we really need is a top class CM and at least half of our players to play to their full fitness and / or potential and we should be able to step it up another level next year. Which is very promising given how well we did this season with so many players out of form and injured at various points.
