*Transfer Window 2014/15 Season Rumours/Signings *AKA Man U fans listing every player under the Sun
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You're forgetting that accolades in Holland don't count.
Soldato
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4* report? Sign him up 
He was a Dutch international in a national team that was regarded as the worst to go to a major tournament in recent memory. So that doesn't necessarily say much.
Don't get me wrong, I do think he's a good player - tidy and clever. He's very good for Ajax. But some players don't have it in them to make the step up to the highest level. He isn't particularly quick or strong or agile or technically gifted. He's a decent passer of the ball but no more than that. He hasn't got the physical or technical attributes to be a great Premier League midfielder, and he doesn't have the pace or attacking instincts to be a great Premier League wing-back.
What he does have going for him is versatility, but I wouldn't say he's Man Utd quality in any position*. To me, £14m seems like a lot to pay.
From the comments, Ajax fans seem split on whether they got a good price for him and whether he can succeed at United. Time will tell.
* Obviously he is still better than Cleverley et al.
They still came third in a very competitive world cup, and with the same manager that he will be under at United!
Thank you for that, very interesting indeed
Can Utd pull another cm off before the deadline as its still needed drastically and who will it be (Romaro is a gk Ive heard limked in the last 24 hrs or so, which may be interesting if lindegaard is as unhappy as rumoured, but outfield personell is more crucial)
Who the **** is Benjamin Stambouli?
All I can really find is that he's a defensive midfielder who was second best only to Remy Cabella last season at Montpellier.
Also, we have quite a few players who can play DM already. Seems Poch is hunting down more versatile players from what I can tell as this guy can also play CB as well.
All I can really find is that he's a defensive midfielder who was second best only to Remy Cabella last season at Montpellier.
Also, we have quite a few players who can play DM already. Seems Poch is hunting down more versatile players from what I can tell as this guy can also play CB as well.
I think Blind is a decent signing for us, he's a versatile player and like already said in the situation we're in you can't have a squad full of world class players. Sometimes you need players like Blind to steady the ship. I still feel we need another couple of players coming in and we should be okay.
I am still surprised we haven't bought a commanding quality centre back. There doesnt even seem to be many rumours about a CB either : /
With Ferdinand and Vidic gone, we desperately need some quality experience again at the back. Jones, Evans, Smalling on their own just won't cut it in this league.
With Ferdinand and Vidic gone, we desperately need some quality experience again at the back. Jones, Evans, Smalling on their own just won't cut it in this league.
It looks like for one reason or another you're struggling to bring in the CB and CM you want and the signing of Blind is a short-term compromise, covering both positions.
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With enough quality and protection in front of them we will be fine. We still need to buy that quality DM though for that to be possible. I assume that Van Gaal either can't find a CB that he likes enough to splash the cash or he wants to give our current guys a go.
We won't win anything with our current CB but we are aiming to get 4th place this season which is very doable.
Caporegime
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Where exactly have you conjured this all up from?
He's got quick feet, he's got an eye for the through/long ball in quickly getting a counter attack going. He's strong, he's big for a fullback(more normal for a DM/CM/CB), he's good at dribbling and he can "do" players and then put in a good cross or pass.
Nothing I saw in any of the games he played for Holland remotely match what you're suggestion and video's of what he did for Ajax match the player I saw throughout the world cup. Considering the number of times for Holland and Ajax his instinct is to not panic, find a good pass out or keep hold of the ball and run into a better position to pass, I can't see where the non attacking instinct comes from, this isn't someone I saw who consistently passed backwards when he came up against an opposition player but someone who was happy to run at them.
Utd are currently playing the truly epically awful Valencia at right wing back, Blind would be a monumental improvement in that position, they don't have a DM full stop so he'd be a monumental improvement there. He can cover well at CB where Utd have likely stronger players but who are constantly injured and he'd be better than some players there like playing Carrick in there.
He looks a very capable player to me in multiple positions and doesn't lack technically in any area that I've seen.
He looks to me like he'd be a long term holding midfielder but not of the Makelele mould, but the Gilberto one, as in, not exceptionally limited, more capable of bursting forwards, injecting some pace and picking out a killing pass, turning defence into attack as quickly as possible. I'd say he's fairly similar to Matic and could play that role for Utd.
EDIT:- that absolute worst thing about Blind... is he's going to Utd, not Arsenal, he's exactly who we need. young, strong, dm or LB, cover across other defensive positions, fully capable of putting the boot up the opposition offence and backing them off, fully capable of driving us forwards from either left back or midfield.
I'd have him at Arsenal in a heartbeat, miles better than Gibbs, significantly better than Flamini and Arteta.
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I didn't make my point very well there. By "I think they will be alright" I mean that it won't be a disaster. Part of the reason we have looked so shakey at the back is because we have played Cleverley and Fletcher in front of them who are both crap and then relied on the wingus and dingus pairing of Valencia and Young to help them.
With Rafael and Shaw back and a decend midfield in front of them they will survive just fine and hopefully it will take the pressure off them so they can progress this season.
I agree that having an experienced CB like Vidic would have made a huge amount of sense but I can't think of anyone we can buy who fits that bill at the moment. Hummels would be great but it doesn't sound like there was ever any chance of us signing him.
Soldato
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Everything about Blind aside, I would really like to know why it has taken this long for a deal to be agreed. These types of lower value players should be sealed in the first weeks of the window.
Watching him play for Ajax and Holland.
'Not particularly technically gifted' etc does not mean 'not at all technically gifted'. As I said, he is a tidy player - but not much more than that. I'd sooner have Shaw or Rojo at wing-back, playing him at right wing-back wouldn't be ideal, and I think he'll get overrun as a central midfielder. He isn't mobile, strong, or aggressive enough for it.
Being calm in possession in the Premier League isn't quite the same as in the Eredivisie. Vurnon Anita played a similar role at Ajax to Blind before he came to Newcastle and he still looks like a deer in headlights when he comes up against a pressing team - and although he's smaller than Blind he actually does have quick feet.
And Blind is definitely defensively minded. Again, that doesn't mean he'll break down in tears as soon as he crosses the half-way line But his instinct is not to bomb forward - which is what I would want from a wing-back. I certainly don't recall seeing him run at opposing players very often.
To be fair to the guy, he has improved quite a bit in the last season or two. When he first came into the Ajax first team he looked so rubbish people said he was only there because of his famous father. But he proved himself in the end and maybe he will again. I just think Man Utd could be a step too far.
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