Football 2014/15

[The Nal]

It's a typical Chelsea/City signing. Massive fee. Enormous wages.

Its a typical Utd signing. No different to Denis Law, Robbo, Keane, Andy Cole, Veron, Rio.....

And no different to Ian St John, Emlyn Hughes, Toshack, Daglish, Johnson, Lauro, Beardsley, Rush, Stan, Carroll etc etc.

All mega bucks and paid a fortune.

How can you be so sure, he might flop. Di Maria is used to playing in a top team playing well, coming to Utd will be very different.

Oh nothing is guaranteed of course. Look at Veron! Superb signing on paper. Turned out to be complete pig swill in the Premiershup.

But think Di Maria is different. His job is to beat players and set up goals. Hes well capable. Any full back will be shitting themselves facing him.

The opposition and negativity from people around this deal is baffling. Can't think of another example where signing one of the worlds best players is a bad thing.

Edited August 27, 2014 by The Nal

[Wooderson]

Its a typical Utd signing. No different to Denis Law, Robbo, Keane, Andy Cole, Veron, Rio.....

And no different to Ian St John, Emlyn Hughes, Toshack, Daglish, Johnson, Lauro, Beardsley, Rush, Stan, Carroll etc etc.

All mega bucks and paid a fortune.

Oh dear.

[Wooderson]

It's only a superb signing if Utd see the best of him - and like with Mata, that's going to be difficult without major changes in the rest of the team.

Yep. We really supposed to believe this chap hangs around if they don't make CL?

[mrtourette]

The opposition and negativity from people around this deal is baffling. Can't think of another example where signing one of the worlds best players is a bad thing.

I guess that depends on your definition of 'one of the world's best players'.

[The Nal]

It's only a superb signing if Utd see the best of him - and like with Mata, that's going to be difficult without major changes in the rest of the team.

Di Maria is a major part of the change.

Mata has been Utd best player since he joined by the way. In a really shit team granted so hes hardly been amazing but hes better than anyone else. Looking forward to seeing him playing with better players. Di Maria, a fit RVP, Rooney as captain, Herrera and hopefully a defensive midfielder.

I guess that depends on your definition of 'one of the world's best players'.

Outside of the top, top tier. Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez, Xavi, Iniesta etc. Very top of the 2nd tier in my opinion. Attacking players obviously. Not including him in with Thiago Silva or Neuer.

Top assisting player in La Liga, man of the match in the Champions League final, beats players for fun. Right in his prime.

Great signing.

Need it too. The alternative is playing some of that lot from last night.

Anderson.

Edited August 27, 2014 by The Nal

[Essex_George]

Is LVG going to play Di Maria as a wingback and keep his 3 at the back formation?

[The Nal]

Is LVG going to play Di Maria as a wingback and keep his 3 at the back formation?

Its an odd one yeah. Looks like one of RVP, Mata or Rooney will be missing out if he plays that way.

Or he may play something like this.

De Gea

Rafael Evans/Jones Rojo Shaw

Herrera Carrick/Fletcher

Di Maria Mata

Rooney Van Persie

[Wooderson]

Its an odd one yeah. Looks like one of RVP, Mata or Rooney will be missing out if he plays that way.

Or he may play something like this.

De Gea

Rafael Evans/Jones Rojo Shaw

Herrera Carrick/Fletcher

Di Maria Mata

Rooney Van Persie

That's the most imbalanced team in the history of Man United. A mess. Edited August 27, 2014 by Wooderson

[mrtourette]

Outside of the top, top tier. Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez, Xavi, Iniesta etc. Very top of the 2nd tier in my opinion. Attacking players obviously. Not including him in with Thiago Silva or Neuer.

That doesn't sound like 'one of the best' to me, it reads more like a Brendan Rogers interview

Seriously though he's a very good player and had an especially excellent season even by his high standards, but was poor in the World Cup (as was every Argentina player other than Messi). Add this to the large outlay compared with the uncertainty of how he fits into the Man Utd formation (bringing obvious comparisons with Mata) and the glaring needs in other areas of the pitch and you've probably got your explanation as to why people aren't cock-a-hoop over this signing. Also it's Man Utd, and seeing them struggle is still too much fun.

[ThomThomDrum]

Is LVG going to play Di Maria as a wingback and keep his 3 at the back formation?

3 at the back, 2 wing backs 4 in a midfield diamond (Di Maria on the right, Rooney on left, Mata on the tip) and RVP up front?

[eFestivals]

Di Maria is a major part of the change.

Oh c'mon .... that's only spin until you have a midfield and a defence.

Mata has been Utd best player since he joined by the way. In a really shit team granted so hes hardly been amazing but hes better than anyone else. Looking forward to seeing him playing with better players. Di Maria, a fit RVP, Rooney as captain, Herrera and hopefully a defensive midfielder.

Mata joined Utd to secure his Spanish team place because he wasn't getting enough game time at Chelski. How did that work out for Utd's best player?

Outside of the top, top tier. Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez, Xavi, Iniesta etc. Very top of the 2nd tier in my opinion. Attacking players obviously. Not including him in with Thiago Silva or Neuer.

I think you're paying too much attention to the premium price that was extracted from Utd.

Top assisting player in La Liga

a season earlier, that was Ozil, wasn't it? How's he working out at Arsenal?

man of the match in the Champions League final, beats players for fun. Right in his prime.

and shit in the WC.

Great signing.

Need it too. The alternative is playing some of that lot from last night.

Anderson.

It's only a great signing when you have the team to get the best out of him.

As has been pointed out many times, he's been given a lot of freedom by opposition players because they have had much greater problems to worry about - skippy, and jug-ears.

[mrtourette]

3 at the back, 2 wing backs 4 in a midfield diamond (Di Maria on the right, Rooney on left, Mata on the tip) and RVP up front?

Wing-backs and a diamond formation? That one's new to me, sounds pretty fucked up. I think they'll stick with 3-5-2/3-4-1-2 and Di Maria will be one of the two central midfielders behind Mata. He's not an out-and-out winger and has played in the centre before. If/when they decide to abandon three at the back because it doesn't work with three shit centre-backs and spending £27m on a full-back who is never going to be a wing-back isn't very smart then Di Maria can play as one of the wide midielders in a 4-4-2 or in a central three in a 4-3-3.

Edited August 27, 2014 by mrtourette

[Essex_George]

Its an odd one yeah. Looks like one of RVP, Mata or Rooney will be missing out if he plays that way.

Or he may play something like this.

De Gea

Rafael Evans/Jones Rojo Shaw

Herrera Carrick/Fletcher

Di Maria Mata

Rooney Van Persie

Will he change the shape of the team though? LVG seems the stubborn type who will stick with it even if it's not working. Either way Utd need to get a win against Burnley on Saturday.

[The Nal]

3 at the back, 2 wing backs 4 in a midfield diamond (Di Maria on the right, Rooney on left, Mata on the tip) and RVP up front?

Maybe something like that yeah but 4 at the back when defending and 3 at the back when attacking with one of the full backs pushing up making it a 3-5-2ish system. The "wing backs" is actually a "wing back" system. Both wont go together. Depends on where the play is. In some games they will play as traditional full backs if theyre playing teams with quality out wide.

Ancelotti was playing Di Maria quite central at times so hes versitile.

I dont think the front four will be as restricted. Rooney loves dropping deep. And Mata may have more of a free role too.

The optimist in me is reminded of better times when Rooney, Ronaldo, Scholes and RVN/Tevez could all play together.

And with Shaw, Rafael and Di Maria theres pace in the team again. Provided Shawsie stays off the Mickey D's!

[LondonTom]

Good crowd at the Boleyn.

Pity about the result.

Indeed!, I realised after I got back that could easily be our last League Cup game at the Boleyn .

Still Man Utd cheered me up, #VanGaalIn. Is di Maria really going be the great saviour? A player who openly admited he didn't really want to move to Man Utd but it was his best offer?

[The Nal]

Wing-backs and a diamond formation? That one's new to me, sounds pretty fucked up.

Nah not really. He played it in the World Cup with Blind, De Jong, Sneijder and Robben in a diamond of sorts.

Will he change the shape of the team though? LVG seems the stubborn type who will stick with it even if it's not working. Either way Utd need to get a win against Burnley on Saturday.

Yeah he does play 3-4 formations. 3-5-2 is his preferred formation but he plays 4-3-3 too.

Im just not sure hows hes going to play Rooney and RVP as he traditionally likes one up top.

And yeah, agree about Burnley. Huge performance needed too. Not just the result.

[ThomThomDrum]

Wing-backs and a diamond formation? That one's new to me, sounds pretty fucked up.

Im not suggesting it as a rigid formation. It would be fluid and the actual positions taken up by players would be based on where the play is. Its the sort of crazy formation but that would need a beast of a player in the midfield. Something I dont think Carrick would be classed as. Currently it could look like this

De Gea

Jones Evans Rojo

Valencia Shaw

Carrick

Di Maria Rooney

Mata

RVP

Get a top Centre Half and rid of Evans and replace Carrick with the likes of a Vidal and they may be on to something. It would be an adaptable formation that needs smart footballers who know how to handle multiple responsibilities

[mrtourette]

I guess that makes sense, although with those players that left side would be fucked. Shaw and Rooney would not suit those positions. Neither would Valencia really, like you say it would need very good players for it to work.

I'm not sure top would be enough, probably top top would be required.

[The Nal]

Either way its a fairly decent starting 11 and with a rumoured quality defensive midfielder to be added this week top 4 isn't out of the question. Tough but not impossible.

Anyway, Torres off to AC Milan. Eto'o at Everton. If he clicks with Lukaku that could be interesting!

Edited August 27, 2014 by The Nal

[ThomThomDrum]

Its one of the only ways I can see LvG solve the RVP Rooney Mata Di Maria equation without dropping one of them and as pointed out its far from ideal. Rooney doesnt flourish on the left the same way he can when playing through the centre and defensively they would need to be very disciplined and organised............

[mrtourette]

Eto'o at Everton. If he clicks with Lukaku that could be interesting!

Is Martinz planning to start playing two up front?

[The Nal]

Is Martinz planning to start playing two up front?

Presume so! Everton can't afford to pay Eto'o 70k a week (rumoured wage) to sit on the bench!

[mrtourette]

That's what pople said about finding £28m to buy Lukaku.

[The Nal]

That's what pople said about finding £28m to buy Lukaku.

Exactly. So they cant bench him either surely?

[TheGayTent]

Surely the obvious answer is just to not play Rooney? The others are better anyway and he really doesn't suit a wide role?