By no means am I looking to troll here, but are we seeing the end of United's dominance in English football? as we know, dominance is cyclical, and their "reign" has been one of the longest. but I think Ferguson's signings over the past two season's have been on the whole rather questionable, and he's now left with a squad desperately lacking in quality players - in actuality, only Rooney and Vidic can be considered in the top bracket.
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Manchester United - decline?
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Caporegime
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Well yes in all likeliness. We'll still compete obviously but I doubt we'll dominate.
Associate
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Personally think hes been on a limited budget, summer should be intresting for united as rumors have it we have bought kagawa and possibly hazard.
The problem which is happening all over football is people are buying a team rather than building one these days.
United will be a top 3 team i feel until alex retires, then depending on who we get as manager afterwards, we could continue...but who knows.
The problem which is happening all over football is people are buying a team rather than building one these days.
United will be a top 3 team i feel until alex retires, then depending on who we get as manager afterwards, we could continue...but who knows.
The dominance days have been in decline for a while. It's hard to replace the likes of Giggs, Scholes, Ronaldo, Keane etc.
Defence is seriously lacking, conceded more goals this season than any other, I think?
I think we need to get rid of Nani, Rafael and Anderson (is he still there?) even Wellbeck isn't good enough a finisher, perhaps he will get better though?
Defence is seriously lacking, conceded more goals this season than any other, I think?
I think we need to get rid of Nani, Rafael and Anderson (is he still there?) even Wellbeck isn't good enough a finisher, perhaps he will get better though?
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Spending this summer on a (at least) quality CB (Cant see Rio lasting much longer, and remains to be seen in what state Vidic comes back in) and a world class Midfielder should keep us in a good stead. Otherwise, we will be merely there or thereabouts, premiership wise.
Out of interest, how long has (if at all) Ferguson signalled he will stay for?
Out of interest, how long has (if at all) Ferguson signalled he will stay for?
Caporegime
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Centre back is literally the last outfield position we need reinforcements. Smalling, Jones, Vidic, Evans, Rio and then potentially De Laet if he stays. We're far weaker everywhere else.
Don't rate smalling/jones/evans anywhere near what Rio/Vidic are at their best, reckon they need a good few years to come close to that level. Add to that the uncertainty with the latter 2 in terms of age/fitness, and i'd disagree, heavily.
Soldato
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A rumoured spendin spree in the summer could come
Caporegime
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Yup, you need central mids, badly, the turn around in both overall form, ability to pass/link up and the ability to compete since Scholes came back has been both, obvious and ridiculous. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain how brilliant he is, and how you hadn't replaced him in the slightest.
Could Cleverley have replaced him had he been fit, maybe, but I said start of the season, you need either a cheaper older shorter term Scholes replacement to rotate with Cleverley or someone on par with him and young and you can build off a pair of them.
Anderson hasn't shown any potential to replace anyone, Carrick isn't good enough to start with and Cleverley has potential, but playing a season with a single potentially capable midfielder is asking for trouble. Look at Wilshire, our only option and we basically broke him, interesting question would be if Scholes was there from the start of the season with rotation would Cleverley have ever gotten injured. Youngsters thrown in at the deep end and playing every game is a lot to ask of a growing kid.
Are Utd in decline, no, currently their buying hasn't been of a high enough quality and I think much like Wenger, Fergie has refused to accept certain players aren't good enough and is blind to the fact CM needs major strengthening. But Utd still MAKE more money than Chelsea and City, way way way more. Income/stadium capacity, ticket money, sponsorship, commercial value mean Utd will have more money to invest(legitimately) than any other team in the league for donkeys years(City need a 100k + stadium and to fill it every game to compete and that both wouldn't be done within 5 years).
Even if City/Chelsea got their stadiums and commercial capacity up, they'd only match Utd.
Till 80-100k seaters are "common" in the league, Utd will always have the ability to financially compete for the league and champs league.
lol already? Christ, Man City have not won the league yet and you are already bemoaning the team, same thing happened last season when Barca spanked you in the final.
Oh can Wigan have Valencia back? for a cut price how about £5 seeing as Man Utd value him at £17m seeing as he is not in the "top bracket" absolute fickle and joke to call yourself "supporters"
http://www.transferleague.co.uk/premiership-transfers/manchester-united-transfers.html
Not to shabby really lot of big signings, you would love it if the Arabs had bought Utd instead of City, you have a owner shame he is not very rich
/rant
Oh can Wigan have Valencia back? for a cut price how about £5 seeing as Man Utd value him at £17m seeing as he is not in the "top bracket" absolute fickle and joke to call yourself "supporters"
http://www.transferleague.co.uk/premiership-transfers/manchester-united-transfers.html
Not to shabby really lot of big signings, you would love it if the Arabs had bought Utd instead of City, you have a owner shame he is not very rich
/rant
Caporegime
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Vidic is both no where near as good as most think, and its a moot point.
You have numbers there, however good they are, you have them.
Anderson, Carrick, Park, Giggs, Cleverley and a retired Scholes is who you have in central midfield, thats a SINGLE possible long term central midfielder for the most important two positions on the pitch.
Jones/Smalling, good or bad are younger, and comparitively MUCH better than your central midfielders. He didn't say you couldn't improve at CB, or in defence, your defence is simply no where near as weak as central midfield.
Jones and smalling could become brilliant, neither Rio nor Vidic should be sold at the end of the season, multiple midfielders should be kicked out of the club.
YOu strengthen your biggest weakness first, spend £60 mil on two marginally better centrebacks, or two massively better central midfielders, which would make by far the biggest difference?
Caporegime
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lol already? Christ, Man City have not won the league yet and you are already bemoaning the team, same thing happened last season when Barca spanked you in the final.
Oh can Wigan have Valencia back? for a cut price how about £5 seeing as Man Utd value him at £17m seeing as he is not in the "top bracket" absolute fickle and joke to call yourself "supporters"
http://www.transferleague.co.uk/premiership-transfers/manchester-united-transfers.html
Not to shabby really lot of big signings, you would love it if the Arabs had bought Utd instead of City, you have a owner shame he is not very rich
/rant
Who exactly are you talking to?
They have been in decline for at least 2 seasons, however you wont see the "fruits" of that until A) Ferguson leaves or B) mid to low table teams stop turning up having already lost.
Either way I think it will be quite a sharp decline in fortunes.
Either way I think it will be quite a sharp decline in fortunes.
lol already? Christ, Man City have not won the league yet and you are already bemoaning the team, same thing happened last season when Barca spanked you in the final.
Oh can Wigan have Valencia back? for a cut price how about £5 seeing as Man Utd value him at £17m seeing as he is not in the "top bracket" absolute fickle and joke to call yourself "supporters"
http://www.transferleague.co.uk/premiership-transfers/manchester-united-transfers.html
Not to shabby really lot of big signings, you would love it if the Arabs had bought Utd instead of City, you have a owner shame he is not very rich
/rant
This rant made less sense than a DM special.
Swings and roundabouts.
As most Utd fans have been saying for the past 2-3 years, midfield needs a complete overhaul. We effectively need a younger Keane and Scholes. Park, Carrick, Fletcher and Anderson are fringe players. In an ideal world they need shipping out to free up the books and therefore enabling some room for higher wages.
De Gea, Cleverley, Jones, Smalling, Fabio, Rafael and Welbeck are for the future. They all have potential, but they need experience and more importantly nurturing from top players.
As shown by City, our midfield constantly gets outplayed. No outright defensive midfielder and aside from Scholes, no one with the ability to play balls like your Silvas, Xavis, Iniestas or Gerrards.
Fergie is pretty much spot on when he stated that there are few established midfielders that could aid our situation. Most are either not for sale, hardly experienced or lack in certain areas.
A player similar to De Jong/Yaya Toure to boss the midfield and put hard crunching tackles in when needed. Then someone like Ozil/Silva/Iniesta that has the skillful and goalscoring attributes, but can also ping passes all over the place.
As most Utd fans have been saying for the past 2-3 years, midfield needs a complete overhaul. We effectively need a younger Keane and Scholes. Park, Carrick, Fletcher and Anderson are fringe players. In an ideal world they need shipping out to free up the books and therefore enabling some room for higher wages.
De Gea, Cleverley, Jones, Smalling, Fabio, Rafael and Welbeck are for the future. They all have potential, but they need experience and more importantly nurturing from top players.
As shown by City, our midfield constantly gets outplayed. No outright defensive midfielder and aside from Scholes, no one with the ability to play balls like your Silvas, Xavis, Iniestas or Gerrards.
Fergie is pretty much spot on when he stated that there are few established midfielders that could aid our situation. Most are either not for sale, hardly experienced or lack in certain areas.
A player similar to De Jong/Yaya Toure to boss the midfield and put hard crunching tackles in when needed. Then someone like Ozil/Silva/Iniesta that has the skillful and goalscoring attributes, but can also ping passes all over the place.
I'm not too worried, the squad (mainly midfield) needs improvement but I'm sure we'll get it this summer.
I think once Chelsea are sorted out, the main league competitors (provided they make the right signings) will be United, City, Chelsea and Arsenal as usual.
I think Spurs are going to lose at least one of Modric/Bale and I don't think they'll get quality replacements in, especially if they miss out on the Champions League.
I think once Chelsea are sorted out, the main league competitors (provided they make the right signings) will be United, City, Chelsea and Arsenal as usual.
I think Spurs are going to lose at least one of Modric/Bale and I don't think they'll get quality replacements in, especially if they miss out on the Champions League.
Caporegime
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Ok, of that list of players, De Gea is an established keeper, he can get better but to act like he's a youth player with potential is madness, Cleverley is actually both young and hasn't played much, he has real potential to be a top player. Raf and Fabio haven't shown much at all defensively, Rafael has played plenty, he gets forward a lot, which people mistake for being great going forwards, he's mistake prone, mouthy, wrong attitude and not particularly good defensively, can't see either becoming world class fullbacks at all. Likewise Welbeck has played 2 first team seasons basically and looks basically rubbish, he won't ever come close to Rooney and can't even dream of being in RVP/Aguero/Falcao/Messi/Ronaldo's league, little to no potential of him being much above where he is now, which is no where for a top of the league player.
The second paragraph is simply wrong, few players could help, rubbish, few available, rubbish. Arteta would have done a hugely better job than ANYONE they've played in central midfield in the defensive role, was available, cheap and would have improved you plenty. There are dozens of players that would improve you in central midfield, hundreds, and most of them are available to a team like Utd.
You don't need an Iniesta to improve Utd in central midfield, Steven Ireland would improve you in central midfield, there is probably a central midfielder at almost every club in the league that could have improved Utd this season, utter utter tosh that its hard to improve.
Arteta instead of playing Park in central mid, Giggs, Anderson. Go over to Spain and look at central mids in any team but the top two and you have better players, available and clubs struggling with debt.