18 May 2015 16:23:29
Having a look through our season in general and asking the question could we have finished where we did without splashing that £150million in the summer? Looking at how the season panned out it seems that the players we brought in were very much outshone by those already within the walls at OT prior to the summer of 2014.
Di Maria (£60million) has done very little. Yes he has a few assists to his name but generally he has caused us more problems with his sloppy play and at times it felt like we have had ten men on the pitch with him seemingly disinterested. Did he really make a massive difference to our campaign? No. The next superstar, Falcao (potentially £20million in fee and wages) has been downright rancid this season. Hasn't looked sharp from the get go and now it looks like he has blew his chance at a permanent deal. Very expensive loan for a sporadic squad player. Could we have got by this year without him? Yes.
Shaw (£30million) has spent most of the season on the sidelines and yes he may be one for the future but could we have got through this campaign without him? Most definitely. Marcos Rojo (£16million) looks like a decent player at times but was he really a huge improvement on what we already had in defence? I don't think so. Could the players that we had do the job he did for us this season? For sure.
Daley Blind (£18million) was one of the better signings this summer. I don't think he is or will be top of the class but he has had some steady performances for us this year. As Carrick has had his injury problems this year it made sense to sign this type of player, but could we have got top four without Daley Blind? I think we could of. Ander Herrera (£29million) has been a huge plus for us this season. I thought he was overpriced when we signed him but the lad is doing all he can to pay us back on the pitch. He is the only signing of the lot who I think has made a massive difference to our season.
With players like DDG, Smalling, Felliani, Young and Rooney among others spearheading us to the CL places this year I have to say I think we may have wasted a grand amount of cash last summer. In hindsight that money could have and should have been used better. When you analyse last summers window it does make you worry about how this years kitty will be spent and if we will just be spending for the sake of spending.
18 May 2015 17:00:03
That lad is going to be a star for united and worth every penny compared to others
18 May 2015 17:11:32
Without blind rojo and shaw the injuries we've had this season we wouldn't be in the top 4 so I think your wrong on them rojo I feel has been ok and is better than our other defenders (except smalling) blind is massively important when carrick isn't fit we need a holding midfielder and he's done ok much better than dropping Rooney in midfield. And shaw is still out best lb and needs some rest and a good preseason to kick on.
18 May 2015 17:15:46
It's really only a waste in hindsight, before the season people were more than happy with our transfer business I think.
There are plenty of things I'm sure we would all liked done differently if we could seen the future.
We got top 4 competed for top 3/2 that's par for the course for the season imo. Next year I and I'm sure everyone else will expect better. We are not arsenal we don't celebrate just making up the numbers but I'm content with the finish.
Could it of been better? Yes! Could it of been worse YES! U couldn't find a pundit in the land that thought we would make the top 4 pre spurs at home and now the common consensus is we will kick on. Let's next season really get behind the lads and not give knee jerk reactions every game.
Good post though.
18 May 2015 17:26:12
herrera has been a top player for a few years now .
di maria is a top player and i'm sure will kick on next season .
same goes for shaw will be a top player in the years to come
blind and rojo i'm not so sure about to be honest
18 May 2015 17:36:39
Will Shaw be another DDG though, so even he could be a waste?
We spend 2-3 years getting him to World Class, then the old "1 year left on his contract, boyhood fan of Chelsea" reports start appearing, Chelsea then need to replace Azpi, I can see it now - £5m loss for us and twice the player he is now signing for another rival.
I like the idea of perfecting potential, but I see little point in spending £20m-£30m on a gamble that even if it pays off (Big "IF") will ultimately benefit our rivals more in the long run. Much rather focus on developing our own youth or buying ready made world class. We are turning into a feeder club and paying a hell of a lot in money and fielding weaker teams whilst they develop.
DDG to Madrid is really annoying me, but unless prospects are from miserable/gloomy places and support Wycombe as kids we aren't standing a chance of keeping them once we have got them to the level it seems, even then we would struggle.
18 May 2015 17:37:38
JMB - I posted another one saying I agreed with everything but it came up "error". Good post.
{Ed001's Note - it just said error?}
18 May 2015 19:01:02
Yes Ed, I wrote a long post, pressed "reply" as normal and below the box (just above reply) it said "Error" in red, I copy and pasted it several times but it just wouldn't post, repeating the error message. So I gave up came back a bit later and it let me post the 2 above. Haven't had it happen before and I obviously post a lot, so just one of those things I suppose. Will let you know if it crops up again mate.
{Ed033's Note - Thanks for the feedback. i think if you can't post then a page refresh is the next step to take and then try and post again. If you don't refresh or click on another page and then back again, as nothing has changed, you'll continue to get the same error probably.
18 May 2015 19:31:15
Beast, are you really suggesting we shouldn't buy young top talent because they may choose to leave us in 3 or 4 years time? That we've become Southampton, a feeder club for the giants? Are you willing us into mediocrity?
We have some negatives, it's true. Manchester does not offer the climate, the relative anonymity or perhaps the cultural diversity of London, Paris, Barcelona or Madrid, but that doesn't mean United cannot be one of the preferred destinations for talent. Certainly no less so than City. It will come down to money, manager and momentum.
You should audition for Colin Firth's role if they ever do a United based version of Fever Pitch!!
18 May 2015 22:33:35
Didn't Blind sign for something like £11m-£13m?