The old Man Utd Thread

[redbloodcell]

Trezeguet, Henry and Aneka are probably shoe-ins, but who else is there in the 'top' leagues? There's Cisse as well I suppose but well, he's not exactly competition any more.

[phresh]

Yeah, thats all I could think of and they are all 10 years older than Benzema.

[fatbob]

To be honest hes a shoe in whether he moves or not, I think hes been every french squad since at least last summer. There aren't that many similar options of his caliber for the national team other than those mentioned, and they will look to to take at least 4-5 stikers.

[redbloodcell]

Looking at the wiki page Domenech has been trying out plenty of young strikers so I can see why Benzema might not want to risk it.

[DC Lemon]

Benzema's agent has said it would be unlikely he will move to United (or anywhere else) in a World Cup year.

Isn't that agent speak for 'raise your price'?

[FATEone]

I accept your challenge, Fate. Seventh or higher, you win.

You'll probably be banned by the end of next season anyway.

sweet... Good luck sir

[FATEone]

Isn't that agent speak for 'raise your price'?

Could be, but it's a risk moving to another country, especially to the prem, the likelyhood of loss of form or serious injury is increased.

[MojoChin]

Just watched a few videos of this boy Douglas Costa and I have to say that I don't think he looks like he is "the next Ronaldo". Several reasons. Despite what phresh says, ALL he seems to be able to do is run with the ball, granted he is very good with it, and quick, but his final product seems to be lacking. In the videos I watched he doesn't seem to be able to pass or shoot under pressure. He has gotten to the final third and his brain shuts down when he can't run anymore. He doesn't have a right foot and doesn't really have any power to his shots. Also he doesn't seem to be a winger, which is what I would be wanting to bring in, not an attacking midfielder. If he is actually a striker then he definitely isn't good enough.

[Trigg]

Just watched a few videos of this boy Douglas Costa and I have to say that I don't think he looks like he is "the next Ronaldo". Several reasons. Despite what phresh says, ALL he seems to be able to do is run with the ball, granted he is very good with it, and quick, but his final product seems to be lacking. In the videos I watched he doesn't seem to be able to pass or shoot under pressure. He has gotten to the final third and his brain shuts down when he can't run anymore. He doesn't have a right foot and doesn't really have any power to his shots. Also he doesn't seem to be a winger, which is what I would be wanting to bring in, not an attacking midfielder. If he is actually a striker then he definitely isn't good enough.

He' 18 years of age and has only played 17 professional games for his club. What are you expecting from the lad? Not to mention you writing him off based on a few YouTube videos. He seems to have the raw talent, it just needs pointing in the right direction - a lot like a certain Portuguese winger did some 5 years or so ago.

[phresh]

When I said he didn't run with the ball it was more that he doesn't run with it at his feet, he will often knock the ball into space and run onto it.

You can hardly criticise him for only being left footed, quality left footed attacking players are about as rare as they come.

[fatbob]

New kit

I like it, looks like a more menacing version of last year's.

[ckny]

That is WELL smart. Lovely.

[Mr Do 71]

That is WELL smart. Lovely.

Aye, I like it a lot.

[fatbob]

John O'Shea is going to look well sharp.

Will be buying this one.

[BigShimmeryWall]

Just reading the BBC gossip column

Real Madrid will reportedly insert a buy-out clause of £1bn in winger Cristiano Ronaldo's contract when he completes his move from Manchester United (Daily Telegraph).

[Liamness]

Why not just... y'know, not put a buy-out clause in there?

[dogsout]

Why not just... y'know, not put a buy-out clause in there?

In Spain it is a legal requirement that all players have a minimum fee release clause written into their contracts.

[fatbob]

Just reading the BBC gossip column

[Liamness]

Ronaldo has agreed a six year deal... he will be 30 when it ends. Oh, and rather obviously the contract makes him the world's best paid player.

[stephen129]

Just reading the BBC gossip column

Man City should snap him up right away.

[DC Lemon]

New kit

I like it, looks like a more menacing version of last year's.

That black V on red is some excellent timing from Nike. I hope Nani doesn't leave now.

[phresh]

Maybe we should load Nani out to do the shows?

Whats the difference between Michael Jackson and Alex Ferguson? Ferguson will be playing Gig(g)s in the autumn.

On a more interesting note there was an article on the times about the most valuable sporting brands compiled by an american research company. The only footballing brand ahead of us is the World Cup and only by 0.2 billion (~1.7 to ~1.5). The United brand is actually bigger that the Champions League .

[fatbob]

We signed someone!

[fatbob]

Wigan's best player now that Palacios has gone!

Nah, i'm sure he will do well for us, I trust Fergie's instinct on this one. Hes done very well for Wigan, lets see what he can do with some great players around him.

Hope hes not the only person to come in though, which I have a bad feeling he might be..

[Rockboy]

Awesome, I really like the look of him. Benzema next please Fergie!

[phresh]

Good to sign someone even if it looked like it was going to happen regardless of Ronaldo. Decent player, quick and strong and more importantly has premiership experience. I think he'll fit in really well and with Tosic looking decent in the U21's are wing options aren't looking quite as bad as they did a few weeks ago.

[bradigor]

Good signing that.

[fatbob]

Good to sign someone even if it looked like it was going to happen regardless of Ronaldo.

Well, its looked like we would sign him for a year, but now we know we were going to sell Ronaldo for a year so...

[bowser123]

Someone from ... Wigan...

And?

Denis Irwin came from Oldham, Ben Foster from Stoke, VDS from Fulham, Gary Pallister from Boro and Lee Sharpe from Torquay. Forest were hardly imperious when Keane came, though they did have a heritage. Not to mention the likes of Cantona, Cole, Ferdinand, Carrick and Yorke though they all came from bigger clubs than Wigan.

The manager has a pretty damn good record of buying from this country, I'm genuinely struggling to think of a bad player brought in. No doubt somebody will be writing Berba off... meh.

Seriously, you think it's better to bring an unknown from a foreign country, from a club you've never heard of than an established Premiership player? Granted it'd have been nicer to sign Messi, but that isn't going to happen.

I get the feeling we'll be moving from the interchangable 4-3-3/ 4-5-1 back to a more orthodox 4-4-2, with the likes of Evra and Rafael really, really encouraged to bomb on now that they know the likes of Valencia aren't afraid to track back and cover. Giggs can do the swap from either wing to striker, as can Rooney. I'm not sure others could though, I really do think we'll see Valencia bombing crosses in and letting the fullbacks get forward even more. That said that formation needs a goal scorer, and I'm not sure we have one currently at the club...

Rooney is going to play, what with him being the clubs best player and all. Especially if he can play CF like he wants and could be that goal scorer if he stays fit. Issue is Wayne currently can't manage that, though he's been unlucky with shitty little things like broken toes

If I'm right on the formation front, fuck knows what that means for Berba. We surely can't have £106 million to spend (£80 for Ronaldo, £6 Campbell and normal £20 yearly transfer fund) and only use like 10% of that, can we? I'd be kinda pissed if we did. Sky are quoting a team mate of Benzema saying the lad is close to joining Utd, but like I say, Berba...

[phresh]

Berbatov is a goalscorer and he proved it at Spurs, the problem last season is that he was pratically playing as an AM sometimes. I think that against lesser opposition where we don't have to fear the counter as much Berbatov can play up top with Rooney behind him as the lack of pace won't be an issue. In games when we do need pace then he can drop back and Rooney and the wingers can provide the counter attacking pace. If they stay relatively injury free I think they could build an excellent partnership, you only have to look at how well Berbatov did with a not-as-good-as-Rooney Keane in a similar formation.

The biggest problem is the lack of an any aerial threat up front although maybe Carrick will be given a more forward role and he certainly has the ability to provide the late run into the box that Ronaldo has done so well on occasion.

The one big advantage of having Valencia on the wing (over Ronaldo rather than Park) will be that Rafael will get more cover when going forward. He showed this season that he has the ability and I can't wait to see him again next season. I really can't see Valencia being the last signing although other than Benzema I really don't see any of the other big names coming in (Ribery, Aguero). I am expecting at least one surprise transfer although if only to make the transfer window slightly more exciting for myself!