Rival Watch

AAANd it's looks like De Gea is undergoing a medical at Manu

-.-

Expected deal anyway..

De gea is worse than VDS, so i guess it's not a bad thing either.

He's 20 man.. Much like Szczesny.. The only way for players like these is up.. Maybe a season or two to grow a bit.. But Smalling, Jones, Rafael, Fabio, De Gea is what their defense will be in a couple of years.. All young stars, with really good potential..

at least for now though, we don't have to worry. anyway i've always thought that VDS was one of the best when he was playing. he was amazingly skilled and incredibly reliable. any change is an improvement, in my mind.

Im a bit angry coz UTD done the smartest sign (De Gea) 4upcoming season....whilst Wenger is still asleep. !..what the hell he's waitin for...why not ..Afellay,Hazard,Van der Wiel,Vertonghen or bla bla....

United have strengthened their depth, but their first XI is weaker than last season as it stands.

Chelsea n City are waiting for international window to open.

Spurs, well who gives a frak

I have no idea what we're up to...I think we'll sign a few players that we're never linked with

Not a piece of rival watch, but Sunderland signed Connor Wickham..

Sepi wrote:United have strengthened their depth, but their first XI is weaker than last season as it stands.

Chelsea n City are waiting for international window to open.

Spurs, well who gives a frak

I have no idea what we're up to...I think we'll sign a few players that we're never linked with

Weren't you guys singing Charlie Adam? How's that one going?

GoonerJay29 wrote:

Sepi wrote:United have strengthened their depth, but their first XI is weaker than last season as it stands.

Chelsea n City are waiting for international window to open.

Spurs, well who gives a frak

I have no idea what we're up to...I think we'll sign a few players that we're never linked with

Weren't you guys singing Charlie Adam? How's that one going?

Saga is dragging on because Oyston their owner is being a c*nt, waiting for Harry and Fergie to make a bid to raid us. Latest I heard is that we are sending 3 players on loan there next season as part of the deal which is 7.5M. Holloway has asked for Shelvey, Wilson, and Pacheco on loan, but apparently we are negotiating with them that we want the latter 2 loaned out to PL clubs...so that's what is holding things up. They signed a Serbian dude today which is thought to be Adam's replacement, so I reckon the deal will go through sooner or later. Also John Henry came on twitter today and have like 20 tweets answering questions regarding transfer targets, British players being overpriced, age of the targets, etc. I am sure I saw the link on Sky, some pretty good answers he gave regarding journalists, and overall strategy and stadium. Re-Assuring after the media meltdown today following Connor signing for SAFC. Definitely made me think that the press don't know about a few of our targets

So Man Utd have now confirmed De Gea as their new signing.

With a heavy heart, I report in here to say Clichy has signed for Manchester City.

Looks like Liverpool are finishing up their move for Charlie Adam..

I don't really get what liverpool are doing - their midfield was actually not that bad last season. They had lucas, gerrard and mereiles which is plenty strong.

Now with Henderson and Adam, which are both CMs, some of the youth midfielders are pushed out of their spots even though they've done quite well.

what they need is decent wingers and maybe new defenders.

but now they have good depth, with a incoming CB and LB they should look good

I'd say they have excessive depth now though. They have 4 players who deserve starting spots, struggling for 2 spots. (Lucas not included because he's a DM and the others can't do that). One of those 4 are Gerrard, so that means 3 for 1 position, with rotation for Gerrard when he's injured or tired.

but yeah, a CB for sure, but i'd be happy with Johnson at LB the way he was going, and keep Kelly at RB. then they just need wingers, because Maxi and Kuyt aren't too good.

With the way King Kenny has them playing Maxi has been pretty useful
but if they lined up something like

Reina
Kelly, Zapata,Carragher, Johnson
Lucas
Henderson, Raul M, Maxi
Gerrard
Suarez

Kiwigunner wrote:I don't really get what liverpool are doing - their midfield was actually not that bad last season. They had lucas, gerrard and mereiles which is plenty strong.

Now with Henderson and Adam, which are both CMs, some of the youth midfielders are pushed out of their spots even though they've done quite well.

what they need is decent wingers and maybe new defenders.

well i feel Liverpool are a serious threat to arsenal. they have the immense depth now. don't be surprised if you see kenny changing tactics frequently one half you might see a direct attacking liverpool and other half a long ball stoke city type liverpool. they have the players to do it,

so MU offered 20m. for nasri, but we rejected! And nasri about to hand in the transfer request?

bitchassness

yeah they have depth in some positions but not enough first choice quality in others.

maxi frustrates me, because i don't personally rate him, but then he goes and scores like 10 goals in the last part of the season, making my opinion discredited.

i honestly think he's just been in the right place at the right time for most of them. don't rate him as a winger.

I understand why some people find the ridiculous amount of our CMs confusing. Mind you, transfer window is not finished and as Comolli said today, some players will go.

I reckon from CM/DM spot, Poulsen and Aquilani will be sold and Shelvey will go on loan, leaving us with Gerrard/Lucas/Adam/Meireles/Spearing/Henderson which makes sense, seeing as Meireles is like a jack of all trades but master of none, and have a feeling that we'll use Henderson in more of a tucked in attacking midfielder (seeing his dribbling stats)

I think we'll sign an old school left winger to add some width (most likely Stu) and provide supply for AC ..so we'll have old school left winger and a tucked in player on the right (Kuyt/Henderson).. and France Football is writing an exclusive about Aly Cissokho to us tomorrow...CB I have no idea.

I expect Meireles to stay unless a 17Mish offer comes, which is unlikely...Aquilani likely to go.

having said that, pre-season games could prove important as Kenny may change his mind regarding certain players...We'll see.

Kiwigunner wrote:I'd say they have excessive depth now though. They have 4 players who deserve starting spots, struggling for 2 spots. (Lucas not included because he's a DM and the others can't do that). One of those 4 are Gerrard, so that means 3 for 1 position, with rotation for Gerrard when he's injured or tired.

but yeah, a CB for sure, but i'd be happy with Johnson at LB the way he was going, and keep Kelly at RB. then they just need wingers, because Maxi and Kuyt aren't too good.

We will probably have Meireles and Gerrard starting with Adam and Henderson covering for them.Also with Meireles being versatile(Can play DM too) he can cover most of the positions in midfield.Also Henderson is a better RW than CM and probably will play more there than on the wings.So he can cover for wings and midfield until he develops to be a starter in future.If Aquilani and Poulsen goes as expected i dont think we have excessive depth.


Also having Adam will help us change formations and use long balls when needed to Carroll.Dont think our CM is as excessive as media is making out TBH.

So as far as the DM spot you have: Lucas>Mereiles>Spearing
and more advanced roles will be: Gerrard>Mereiles>Adam>Henderson>Spearing
Then Wingers:Suarez>Kuyt>Downing>Maxi>Henderson

something like that?

Aquilani is still on the books as well... for now at least.

Kiwigunner wrote:So as far as the DM spot you have: Lucas>Mereiles>Spearing
and more advanced roles will be: Gerrard>Mereiles>Adam>Henderson>Spearing
Then Wingers:Suarez>Kuyt>Downing>Maxi>Henderson

something like that?

Yep.Also i think we will sign another backup winger for Downing and dont think Kuyt will play as winger much next season.Will be used more as a striker backup to Carroll where he prefers to play anyway.

So wingers will be Suarez/Henderson/Downing/New winger.

All this if the rumors about the signings are true atleast to some extent.

You reckon kuyt will be playing striker? i didn't think he was too good at leading the line, i figured he was more of a SS?

also, maxi?