Yep signing mata was glorious and alla that, no dount about it.
But we all know if we wanna finish the season strongly we need a cm bought in, in the next 3 a and a half days.
I could go through all the reasons why fellaini, jones, fletcher, cleverly etc aren good enough for first team midfielders at this club but we all know they arent adn the reasons so i will spare that.
Just get it done moyes and co.
Mata was a good start, but he was only a start. He doesnt solve problems that pre dated him.
If we get the right players in it may not matter we have a mediocre manager, city got away with mancini for years.
Midfields been holding this club back for years, the fact is the players listed above are probably about 7th place material and have been saved in years gone by, by thge better players around them.
Midfield
posted on 28/1/14
comment by Postman Van Persie. Only a Mata of time (U1664)
---
Are you the long lost Daveunited?
posted on 28/1/14
comment by The Red Side™ (U11275) posted 3 minutes ago
Quite a few reports of us potentially going for Fernando before Friday which I think would be a very good decision although nothing really reliable, yet.
He's 26 so at or near at his peak. He's big, quick, very strong, reads the game really well, is an excellent tackler and he's a decent passer
---------------------------
Sounds perfect
Let's just hope Roo likes him too '
posted on 28/1/14
Regarding 4-2-3-1 demanding relatively little of the CMs, I agree to an extent. We had a fairly functional midfield often of Fletcher + Carrick in 2008-9 (which was something close to a 4-2-3-1) and a very balanced side. However, the Fletcher and Carrick of then was superior to that of today, and we did have the nuclear weapon of Ronaldo in that team.
4-2-3-1 requires defensive discipline from CMs and efficient recycling of the ball. But it doesn't mean that putting a world class player in there who can pass like an angel as well as tackle like Satan wouldn't improve us. We don't simply want to mask the limitations of our midfield. We want the midfield to have strengths that further raise our standards. We want the opponent to think 'oh fúck, he's got the ball, what's he going to do with it?'
...not that anyone here is arguing to the contrary.
posted on 28/1/14
Let's just hope Roo likes him too
----------------------------
Ha!
The advertising agencies should sign Wayne up as the new 'Man from Del Monte'.
posted on 28/1/14
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 45 minutes ago
Regarding 4-2-3-1 demanding relatively little of the CMs, I agree to an extent. We had a fairly functional midfield often of Fletcher + Carrick in 2008-9 (which was something close to a 4-2-3-1) and a very balanced side. However, the Fletcher and Carrick of then was superior to that of today, and we did have the nuclear weapon of Ronaldo in that team.
4-2-3-1 requires defensive discipline from CMs and efficient recycling of the ball. But it doesn't mean that putting a world class player in there who can pass like an angel as well as tackle like Satan wouldn't improve us. We don't simply want to mask the limitations of our midfield. We want the midfield to have strengths that further raise our standards. We want the opponent to think 'oh fúck, he's got the ball, what's he going to do with it?'
...not that anyone here is arguing to the contrary.
-------------------------------------------
I agree with all of that. My point was that the arrival of Mata/playing 4231 makes getting a top CM LESS urgent than it was previously. We still need one, but can probably wait until summer now thanks to the signing.
posted on 28/1/14
Agree, Elvis.
My only concern would be that for 4-2-3-1 to work effectively, it would be good to have greater strength at full back, especially when Rafael is on the physio's table.
posted on 28/1/14
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 44 seconds ago
Agree, Elvis.
My only concern would be that for 4-2-3-1 to work effectively, it would be good to have greater strength at full back, especially when Rafael is on the physio's table.
---------------------------
I think that this is why Moyes has said that he needs a LB. Evra can no longer get up and down enough for my liking. As for RB - I think that we will see Valencia playing there when Rafael isn't, if we do indeed switch to 4231.
posted on 28/1/14
@TRS,
We should be trying to get Fernando and Matuidi who is also out of contract in the summer.
posted on 28/1/14
Get good players in and the future is rosy. Luckily we don't have a mediocre manager, we have a good one.
posted on 28/1/14
posted 53 minutes ago
Get good players in and the future is rosy. Luckily we don't have a mediocre manager, we have a good one.
Minority opinion that is.