The Hokey Cokey is here again 2014-2015

[dan08]

Looks like Di Maria is close to signing for Man Utd.

Saw that. I know I keep saying this but as good a player as Di Maria is, the priority has to be a couple of centre backs! Any in the pipeline?

I think DM may actually be a bigger worry than CB now. If Di Maria signs then i think Man Utd will be back to 4-3-3 so only 2 CBs needed - Rojo and Evans obviously not world class but will do a job. DM though only has Fletcher, Cleverley, Fellaini and Carrick (out until 2015).

Been linked with Benatia, one of the best CBs in the world, but i don't think we'll sign him or another CB.

Looks like Di Maria and maybe Blind and De Jong is all we're after.

[Aidan11]

I thought Blind might have been a done deal by now. LVG was at the Ajax game last Sunday. Maybe Woodward is having a couple of weeks holiday having opened his chequebook quite a bit recently.

[ddb]

Aidan where did you see lvg was at the Ajax game I've never seen that reported.

Di Maria would be a good signing but all this is dreams until we have the players signed. Woodward can feck up anything.

[SaintPowelly]

Aidan where did you see lvg was at the Ajax game I've never seen that reported.

Di Maria would be a good signing but all this is dreams until we have the players signed. Woodward can feck up anything.

I'm pretty sure he was shown on camera in the stands.

[ddb]

Doubt it. The muppets on twitter would have had a field day. And articles would actually mention it.

[st_brendy]

khedira and a striker who can actually finish would complete arsenals squad

both sanogo and giroud are good players but miss a lot of chances, and since alexis clearly isnt a striker they could do with someone else

I'm hopeful that now they have signed Sanchez, Wenger will move Walcott back through the middle (when he is back from injury). I mean, he did start as a striker.

Given an extended spell playing as a striker, with the likes of Sanchez, Cazorla and Ozil feeding him, I have every confidence that Walcott will prove to be a vastly better option than Giroud.

[ddb]

From redcafe:
Woodward to United fans

[Aidan11]

Aidan where did you see lvg was at the Ajax game I've never seen that reported.

Di Maria would be a good signing but all this is dreams until we have the players signed. Woodward can feck up anything.

I'm pretty sure he was shown on camera in the stands.

Yeah he was shown when the game was live on Sky. Just as Blind was being subbed the commentator said "Is this the last time Blind will appear in an Ajax shirt?" Then the camera panned to LVG in the stands and the commentator went on about how he was a target for Utd and might possibly be signed in a few days (although that hasn't happened yet).

[Red Devil]

Looks like Di Maria is close to signing for Man Utd.

Saw that. I know I keep saying this but as good a player as Di Maria is, the priority has to be a couple of centre backs! Any in the pipeline?

I think DM may actually be a bigger worry than CB now. If Di Maria signs then i think Man Utd will be back to 4-3-3 so only 2 CBs needed - Rojo and Evans obviously not world class but will do a job. DM though only has Fletcher, Cleverley, Fellaini and Carrick (out until 2015).

Been linked with Benatia, one of the best CBs in the world, but i don't think we'll sign him or another CB.

Looks like Di Maria and maybe Blind and De Jong is all we're after.

he's a good player, but nowhere near the likes of Ronaldo, Messi or even Suarez, so talk of record fees seems ridiculous.

16m for Balotelli seems like great business though - bargain of the summer. Kroos and Fabregas also look like really good buys

[st_brendy]

As it has been put on twitter, Di Maria is pretty much a cherry on the cake signing - the only problem for Utd is that they don't have a cake.

[ddb]

People haven't been watching United though, he's one of the many things we're missing because of his pace and unpredictability.

I don't any of Van Gaal's signings so far have been like Moyes even though it will take spending to 130m+. I think the 65m spent on Fellaini and Mata was panic and created a more unbalanced squad as Van Gaal puts it. If that was put to defence and midfield we may be in a better situation. Personally I think we will get at least another midfielder in, we have to.

[ddb]

Tbh Moyes' signings were at least good players it follows from years of underinvestment and poor signings on a budget from Sir Alex.

This from Yuppie last april:

United have not been good in the transfer market in the last few years

http://www.transferleague.co.uk/premier ... sfers.html

Bebe, for 7.5 million,
Young 17mil,
Zaha 15 mil,
Jones 18mil,
Valencia 16 mil,
Kagawa 12 mil
SMalling 10mil
Fellani and Mata not looking good buys.

Looking at the list on the link, really only De Gea and Van persie seem to have been good buys for united.

As much as I thought Van Gaal could make Mata, Rooney, RVP work, watching more and more of this formation you need Welbeck in front of Mata. I love Mata but we may have messed up with that 38 million.

[Red Devil]

People haven't been watching United though, he's one of the many things we're missing because of his pace and unpredictability.

I don't any of Van Gaal's signings so far have been like Moyes even though it will take spending to 130m+. I think the 65m spent on Fellaini and Mata was panic and created a more unbalanced squad as Van Gaal puts it. If that was put to defence and midfield we may be in a better situation. Personally I think we will get at least another midfielder in, we have to.

Nani has pace and is unpredictable - you never quite know how he'll give the ball away next time

The fee is way too much for DiMaria - we sold them Ronaldo for only £80m. Fellaini was over the odds - tbh I would have tried to bring him in, but for much less. Mata doesn't have enough pace, which is why so many questioned the buy in the first place

[yuppie]

People haven't been watching United though, he's one of the many things we're missing because of his pace and unpredictability.

I don't any of Van Gaal's signings so far have been like Moyes even though it will take spending to 130m+. I think the 65m spent on Fellaini and Mata was panic and created a more unbalanced squad as Van Gaal puts it. If that was put to defence and midfield we may be in a better situation. Personally I think we will get at least another midfielder in, we have to.

Nani has pace and is unpredictable - you never quite know how he'll give the ball away next time

The fee is way too much for DiMaria - we sold them Ronaldo for only £80m. Fellaini was over the odds - tbh I would have tried to bring him in, but for much less. Mata doesn't have enough pace, which is why so many questioned the buy in the first place

It feels like United are buying names, as opposed to trying to build a team.

Di Maria will be a good player, and offer something different. It also means that Van Gaal will probably have to leave a big name out which he has shown in the past he is not afraid to do. But Di Maria is not going to slve the problems. Will be interesting to see if they go for De Jong or if that is just rumours.

[Aidan11]

It feels like United are buying names, as opposed to trying to build a team.

Di Maria will be a good player, and offer something different. It also means that Van Gaal will probably have to leave a big name out which he has shown in the past he is not afraid to do. But Di Maria is not going to slve the problems. Will be interesting to see if they go for De Jong or if that is just rumours.

Utd were doing well for years under the influence of Fergie to such an extent that that they didn't need to buy big. Now he's gone it's as if the magic has too and really to compete it is a case of getting a few big names in. Many good players have left the club with others possibly going too. Moyes brought in Fellaini but it seems only he thought he would make a difference. Utd will still produce players from the academy (Keep your eyes on James Wilson who got a game under Giggs at the end of last season), but they need to sort out a quick fix. Swansea (h) & Sunderland (a) have brought a total of one solitary point. Not acceptable for a club this size.