• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Football Thread 2013/14 |OT5| Levy to Woodward "You're nobody. Pass me the ball"

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Sleeplessnights

Banned
Wilbur said:
I wanted two midfielders so it would force a change in system, hate relying on fucking wingers all the time. Vulva's not a fan of the 4-3-3 but I wanted us to play Ander/Marwan/Carrick in the middle and Rooney/Kagawa either side of RVP with license to roam. You'd lose the natural width Valencia offers but Evra and Rafael get up enough anyway to compensate, and you'd have the extra midfielder (and ones that can do defensive diligence like Fellaini) to help out when on the back foot.
Click to expand...

That's actually not bad, our wingers were fucking shit last year and going 4-3-3 might not be so bad after all.

We can still do that, we'd have to use Chicharito upfront and push Shinji back

Something like:

Carrick ---------- Fellaini

------------ Shinji ---------

Chicha --- RVP --- Roo

Or

Carrick ---------- Fellaini

------------ Shinji ---------

---------- Rooney --------

Chicharito ---------- RVP

or


Carrick ---------- Fellaini

------------ Shinji ---------

Chicharito ------- Rooney

------------ RVP ------------
 
W

Wilbur

Banned
Sleeplessnights said:
That's actually not bad, our wingers were fucking shit last year and going 4-3-3 might not be so bad after all.

We can still do that, we'd have to use Chicharito upfront and push Shinji back

Something like:

Carrick ---------- Fellaini

------------ Shinji ---------

Chicha --- RVP --- Roo

Or

Carrick ---------- Fellaini

------------ Shinji ---------

---------- Rooney --------

Chicharito ---------- RVP

or


Carrick ---------- Fellaini

------------ Shinji ---------

Chicharito ------- Rooney

------------ RVP ------------
Click to expand...

I'd rather use Anderson than Hernandez. If we're going to play 3 in the middle and sacrifice someone like Valencia's defensive work, I don't think playing Shinji there is the answer.
 
W

Wilbur

Banned
Daniel Taylor article http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/04/manchester-united-ander-herrera-transfer-farce

Manchester United's failed attempt to sign Ander Herrera is not the only time the Premier League champions have experienced bizarre tactics at the top end of the market during a difficult, complicated transfer window that has brought fierce criticism on the club.

United's information is that earlier this summer a forged email, purporting to originate from Old Trafford and reputedly confirming their interest in a player, was sent to another club in an apparent attempt to trigger a rival bid and ramp up the price. That player has subsequently moved, for significant money, with the buying club under the false impression they were beating United to him.

The revelation is an insight into some of the tricks employed by clubs, agents and other middle men when such vast sums of money are swilling around before the transfer deadline. However, it is the Herrera deal that has caused the most consternation behind the scenes at Old Trafford and, specifically, the role of the three lawyers who turned up at the offices of the Spanish league (the LFP) on Monday apparently purporting to have United's authorisation to sign off the €36m (£30.4m) buyout clause.

The club are aware that journalists have been briefed by sources at the Spanish league that the three men – identified as Rodrigo García Lucas, Alvaro Reig Gurrea and Guillermo Gutiérrez, from the Spanish law firm Laffer – were, in fact, operating officially on United's behalf.

United's position is that surely the only confirmation of this should come from Old Trafford and they have reiterated, categorically, that they did not know of these men, recognise them or commission them.

United employ their own legal firm in Spain but did not mobilise it for one simple reason: no agreement was reached with Athletic Bilbao and they never had any intention of paying the full price when they valued Herrera £10m lower.

Instead, the arrival of Laffer's lawyers – credited with helping to arrange Javi Martínez's transfer from Bilbao to Bayern Munich a year ago – created the impression the deal was imminent and led to a frenzy of speculation; the Bilbao newspaper El Correo compared the pursuit of Herrera to a Benny Hill sketch.

United's version is rather more straightforward. Having followed Herrera for two years, they had concluded he was worth around £20m, their feeling being it would be another 18 months or so before he was a guaranteed first-team pick. Bilbao insisted they wanted the full amount, no compromise was reached and that would have been it finished, in United's opinion, until the television pictures of Laffer's representatives led to the inaccurate impression that an agreement was close – building up hopes for a deal that had already failed. The Guardian on Tuesday night contacted the law firm Laffer who, for reasons of professional confidentiality, declined to comment or to reveal the identity of their client.

Two days on, there is still confusion at Old Trafford about the involvement of the three lawyers described on deadline night as "impostors" and United feel so strongly about it they have been willing to put their position on the record. Herrera has also, to a point, backed their story. "I do not feel used by United. How can I feel used? They made a formal offer. Athletic did not want to negotiate, I value that. They [United] had to pay the €36m clause. I reached no agreement with United. I am proud they made an offer for me, and that Athletic wanted me [to stay]."

Herrera's agent has been in touch with United to ascertain if they knew who the lawyers were. United's response was emphatically no. Herrera added: "The lawyers that were at the LFP did not represent me. I didn't even know who they were."

It is a confusing, complex and embarrassing issue for United, even if it is true it was not a farce of their own making. What is beyond dispute is that they have found the transfer window frustrating and unsatisfactory. They are, however, a lot more relaxed about it than might be anticipated and bemused, too, about some of the mistruths that have accompanied the genuine disappointments.

United are taken aback, for example, by the latest suggestion they challenged Arsenal for Mesut Ozil. The truth is that United and Manchester City were both offered the player three weeks ago. United turned it down because they had already made up their mind that Wayne Rooney would not be leaving and they did not want to break their transfer record, paying upwards of £40m, for someone who plays in the same position.

Their thinking also took into account they have Shinji Kagawa, among others, for the No10 role. Kagawa still features prominently in the thinking of David Moyes despite not even being on the bench against Liverpool on Sunday. His problem is two-fold: one, that he has had an exhausting summer with his national team and is being brought back slowly; two, that Moyes has not really seen him play or got to know him very well. He is not, however, being marginalised.

United rebuffed an approach from Atlético Madrid for the Japan international and would have done the same if Borussia Dortmund had been in touch. As it was, there has not been a single telephone call from the Bundesliga club, despite talking up a possible return.

Juan Mata is a player United like but linking the Chelsea midfielder with a move to Old Trafford was, like Ozil, a red herring. Mata, as Chelsea have repeatedly stated, was not for sale; it is just that some people did not believe them. United did not try to get him and he was never mooted in a cash-plus-player exchange with Rooney because, as the Guardian revealed last month, Rooney was never going to be allowed to join Chelsea, no matter what the offer. Behind the scenes at Old Trafford, there is frustration that this has largely been overlooked when it has taken up so much time and effort and, in their opinion, could be the difference between United winning the title or not.

Rooney's determination to force a transfer, with a proactive agent in Paul Stretford, and Chelsea doing everything they could to push it has been such a major issue at Old Trafford it is estimated to have taken up more than half the time that United's top-level officials have devoted to working on player arrivals and departures. United were determined to make a show of force and efforts are continuing behind the scenes to convince Rooney that he can, once again, be happy at Old Trafford. It is an ongoing process and there is an acceptance it will not be easy. However, it is being seen as a victory of sorts that they refused to cave in, as a point of principle, when the alternative was potentially to see him scoring 20 goals a season at Chelsea for the next few years.

That still leaves a lot of unanswered questions such as why United paid £27.5m for Marouane Fellaini when his buyout clause could have been activated earlier in the summer for £4m less. The long pursuit of Cesc Fábregas was fundamentally flawed because they were encouraged to believe he was open to the offer; United, in short, were told Fábregas was increasingly agitated about his potential lack of games for Barcelona in a World Cup year – but ultimately they could not get the man they regarded as their top target and they recognise that amounts to a long, drawn-out failure.

The issue of Thiago Alcântara also needs clearing up. In his case, it has been portrayed as him snubbing United for Bayern Munich when the truth is actually that Moyes decided he was not entirely comfortable going for the Barcelona player. United had been monitoring him for three years and effectively lined up the transfer but Moyes, as everyone at Everton can testify, likes to have a huge amount of background information on new signings and, having initially gone along with it, decided in the end he did not want to take someone else's word about a player he had seen infrequently. Again, it boils down to a new manager shopping in a new market, with a limited amount of time.

United had not wanted to overrule Moyes and promised they would keep their squad together, with the exception of Bébé. They have kept true to that and, as well as rejecting the approach for Kagawa, they turned down a Tottenham offer for Javier Hernández and at least five approaches from different clubs for Nani.

That, nonetheless, does not change the fact Moyes had wanted two central midfielders as well as a rival left-back to Patrice Evra, missing out on Leighton Baines and then Fábio Coentrão. On that basis, there is a frank admission at Old Trafford that they have come up short by bringing in only Fellaini.

United, however, are angry about the suggestion, emanating from the Herrera farce, that a club of their stature and transfer experience somehow failed to understand the Spanish tax system – and bewildered, more than anything, that they are supposed to have employed three lawyers they say they had never heard of.
Click to expand...
 
Y

Yurt

il capo silenzioso
2013%2f9%2fFellainiTopimage.jpg

2013%2f9%2fMan-Utd-Fellaini.jpg

2013%2f9%2fAnder-Top-Image.jpg

2013%2f9%2fAnder.jpg
 
C

Carbonox

Member
The_Hitcher89 said:
What is it anyway?
Click to expand...

How Not to Look Old or some noise. Basically youngers have sags and bags from thinking it smart to lose a shit ton of weight quickly (or are one of the teenage mum statistics) and bitch about it so Channel 4 pays to get them cleaner looking bodies that don't look so worn. There is the occasional toothless 30 year old who looks 60 odd and wants to look normal as well.

brokenbeans said:
Looking forward to seeing how red hair woman gets on.
Click to expand...

She ain't horrendous looking and her stomach is the primary offender. She should leave the tits until she's older at least.
 
T

The_Hitcher89

Member
Carbonox said:
How Not to Look Old or some noise. Basically youngers have sags and bags from thinking it smart to lose a shit ton of weight quickly (or are one of the teenage mum statistics) and bitch about it so Channel 4 pays to get them cleaner looking bodies that don't look so worn. There is the occasional toothless 30 year old who looks 60 odd and wants to look normal as well.
Click to expand...

Ah. I'd have guessed Channel 4 from that description. Does it involve Gok Wan or Gillian McKeith. Maybe Louie Spence even.
 
C

Carbonox

Member
The_Hitcher89 said:
Ah. I'd have guessed Channel 4 from that description. Does it involve Gok Wan or Gillian McKeith. Maybe Louie Spence even.
Click to expand...

Some dark haired woman who I've seen before on a Channel 4 show but can't quite pin her. Maybe she was on that Embarrassing Bodies with that gay bodybuilder who claims to be a doctor.
 
A

Arnie

Member
So we've got more confirmation that United did turn Ozil down.

Of course whilst this doesn't contradict Salva's 'it's a matter of who you believe' line (implying the suggestion is merely that), I hope it's becoming clearer to him and those who believe similarly that not every club were desperate to snap Ozil up, no matter how good a player he is.

Other interesting points from the article are Atletico's bid for Kagawa, the reasoning behind his apparent exclusion, and Moyes pulling the plug on a three year pursuit of Thiago because he'd not personally seen him play enough.
 
L

Lightning

Banned
Arnie said:
So we've got more confirmation that United did turn Ozil down.

Of course whilst this doesn't contradict Salva's 'it's a matter of who you believe' line (implying the suggestion is merely that), I hope it's becoming clearer to him and those who believe similarly that not every club were desperate to snap Ozil up, no matter how good a player he is.
Click to expand...
Which was lucky and brilliant for us. Not sure why any Arsenal fan would have an issue with it. As long as he's our player now, doesn't really matter imo.


The_Hitcher89 said:
We took Moses on loan, didn't buy any though

Zaha to actually moved to Man Utd if that counts

Closest you'll get is McCarthy to Everton
Click to expand...
Really have to wonder how a league as big as the premier league with its home grown players always in the league where the hell are they? Big issue for England really.
 
LabouredSubterfuge

LabouredSubterfuge

Member
Arnie said:
So we've got more confirmation that United did turn Ozil down.

Of course whilst this doesn't contradict Salva's 'it's a matter of who you believe' line (implying the suggestion is merely that), I hope it's becoming clearer to him and those who believe similarly that not every club were desperate to snap Ozil up, no matter how good a player he is.

Other interesting points from the article are Atletico's bid for Kagawa, the reasoning behind his apparent exclusion, and Moyes pulling the plug on a three year pursuit of Thiago because he'd not personally seen him play enough.
Click to expand...

Tbf there's nothing in the article I find unbelievable. Frustrating that Moyes was unwilling to take a chance on Thiago though.
 
A

Arnie

Member
Lightning said:
Which was lucky and brilliant for us. Not sure why any Arsenal fan would have an issue with it. As long as he's our player now, doesn't really matter imo.
Click to expand...

I don't know why, either, but Salva seemed intent on trying to wrap the transfer up in cotton wool by scorning the idea that anyone could possibly turn Ozil down. I think United were correct to turn him down, but I don't think Arsenal would've been. It's a much bigger signing for Arsenal as a status piece, and Cazorla isn't anywhere near as effective over a season as Rooney and Kagawa.

LabouredSubterfuge said:
Tbf there's nothing in the article I find unbelievable. Frustrating that Moyes was unwilling to take a chance on Thiago though.
Click to expand...
Nothing unbelievable on the same scale as three imposters turning up at the Spanish FA, but I found the forged email a bit eye-opening.
 
W

Wilbur

Banned
Other brilliant names from the Premier League teams' submitted squad lists...

Chukwuemeka Ademola Amachi Aneke
Obasiarinse Idehaloise Uade
Tetchi Jores Charlemagne U Okore
Jordon James Edward Sydney Mutch
Sheik Mohamed Fankaty Dabo
Wulfert Cornelius Van Ginkel
Shawnikki Tau Kamaius Kwakou Clement-Peter
Magaye Serigne Falilou Dit Nelson Gueye
Kevin Antonio Joel Gislain Mirallas Y Castillo
Steven George Gerrard MBE
Andreas Hugo Hoelgebaum Pereira
Dazet Wilfried Armel Zaha
Steven Nkemboanza Mike Chr Nzonzi
Johnville Isaacs Joseph Renee Pringle
Click to expand...
 
S

Scum

Junior Member
Lightning said:
Which was lucky and brilliant for us. Not sure why any Arsenal fan would have an issue with it. As long as he's our player now, doesn't really matter imo.



Really have to wonder how a league as big as the premier league with its home grown players always in the league where the hell are they? Big issue for England really.
Click to expand...

We don't have the any bloody coaches to look after the youngsters, for a start.
 
A

Arnie

Member
I was running a Star Trek competition at work the other and a guy entered called 'Maboob Hussain Dad'.

It's safe to see that he was one of the 50 winners.

There was also a guy with the surname 'Moyes' who wasn't as fortunate.
 
K

Kenka

Member
Yurt said:
Kenka, who's Marc Oliver Kempf and why are we desperately trying to sign him?
Click to expand...
He's a nobody 18 yo playing for Frankfurt. I remember him for nothing.
But I guess he saw Marotta in a Frankfurt brothel and has blackmailed him into offering him a contract.


That's my guess.
 
S

Salvadora

Member
Arnie said:
I don't know why, either, but Salva seemed intent on trying to wrap the transfer up in cotton wool by scorning the idea that anyone could possibly turn Ozil down. I think United were correct to turn him down, but I don't think Arsenal would've been. It's a much bigger signing for Arsenal as a status piece, and Cazorla isn't anywhere near as effective over a season as Rooney and Kagawa.
Click to expand...
How you manage to take that from one post saying "Ozil being offered to United is pure conjecture" is beyond me.
 
W

Wilbur

Banned
Arnie said:
So we've got more confirmation that United did turn Ozil down.

Of course whilst this doesn't contradict Salva's 'it's a matter of who you believe' line (implying the suggestion is merely that), I hope it's becoming clearer to him and those who believe similarly that not every club were desperate to snap Ozil up, no matter how good a player he is.

Other interesting points from the article are Atletico's bid for Kagawa, the reasoning behind his apparent exclusion, and Moyes pulling the plug on a three year pursuit of Thiago because he'd not personally seen him play enough.
Click to expand...

The Thiago stuff is a bit silly really; Moyeezus comes across fucking autistic with his approach to scouting. If it works, it works. But then someone with such an extensive way of going about things then shouldn't be making signings like Andy van der Meyde and Bilyaletdinov. If he can take a punt on that transfer he can take a punt on Thiago (although the Pep factor was huge so I don't resent us missing out on him, same with Fabregas and Barca).

I'm not worried about Shinji really yet. He should have at least been on the bench but Taylor's obviously got some pretty good connections so I trust Moyes on that so far.
 
A

Arnie

Member
Salvadora said:
How you manage to take that from one post saying "Ozil being offered to United is pure conjecture" is beyond me.
Click to expand...

Because Ozil being offered to United was as close to a fact as conjecture comes. Like when the Prime Minister goes on telly to announce a state of emergency, technically that's his opinion.

So why purport an opposing myth if not to big up your signing?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Football Thread 2014/15 |OT9| - How the Snitch stole all the banter
393 394 395 396 397
20K
744K
Broder Salsa replied
  • Locked
Football 2014/15 |OT14| The one where Europa&Champions League are sensationally back
97 98 99 100 101
5K
281K
EviLore replied
  • Locked
Football Thread 2014/2015 |OT12| Old Man Looking For 17 year olds. Contact Arsene
393 394 395 396 397
20K
790K
Jarnet87 replied
  • Locked
Football 2014/2015 |OT13| Lightning returns, check your PMs, there is no kick
396 397 398 399 400
20K
779K
Infernostew replied
  • Locked
Football Thread 2013/14 |OT23| Goal-Line Technology Saving Football In Brazil
396 397 398 399 400
20K
725K
Hixx replied
Top Bottom