If someone told me last summer, or in january we would be interested in buying Sneijder, De Gea and Young I would have bit their hand off!!!
But something about these three targets leaves me wanting and with the feeling that they wont fill our gaps and could disrupt the team.
Firstly De Gea, great keeper, superb shot stopper, huge potential but lacking in experience and is a huge step to the premier league. I personally would have preffered Steklenberg, the most like to like replacement to VDS that is possible. Experienced, commanding, good with his feet. I have a huge worry that De Gea could be another Foster scenario, great potential, great shot stopper but just couldnt cut it, or kick it. A huge part of our play involves keeping possession and thus passing back to the keeper to do so. An unsure keeper means an unsure defence and we saw how wobbly we were at the back when rio and vidic had to think twice before passing back to foster.
With Sneijder, I dont know any team (apart from madrid) that wouldnt want him, but I cant see him fitting into our team. There is no doubt he plays best behind a striker, just like gerrard for pool, VDV for spurs, Ozil for madrid, but we dont play that formation, we play with two deep lying midfielders who get the ball out wide to our winger at the first oppertunity, hence why i think a modric type or de rossi type of player would be better suited. I feel if we get sneijder he will play in the hole behind rooney, pushing hernandez out of the team with carrick and ando behind him, which could disrupt rooneys form and hernandez's developement.
Lastly Ashley Young, why? we have valencia, nani, park to play on the wings, at a stretch fabio, giggs, ando and rooney can fill in there. Why pay 20 million on a player who wont even play week in week out? and if he does play it would mean nani dropping to the bench which we have seen in the past seriously drops his form. When nani plays week in week out he is immense as shown by his assits and goals last season.
These three players could do more harm than good and disrupt our team rather than improve it, I would be alot happier with Steklenberg, Modirc and a young unproven winger to grow into the left wing role as obertan and bebe havent impressed and park and giggs are getting on abit.
Three signings could disrupt our team
posted on 7/6/11
yes nani and young play opposite sides but it is clear that SAF prefers valencia on the right to nani
posted on 7/6/11
Well keep Nani and Valencia battling it out for the left and Young and Park for the right.
Sounds pretty good having healthy competition...
posted on 7/6/11
If/when we tie up the De Gea signing, we'll still have Steklenberg as well, won't we? Hopefully one of them will make the grade with us, they could be out no.1 til the end of the 2020's if they do
posted on 7/6/11
I understand your concerns about Sneijder, but he can and has played in a 4-4-2. He would also offer something different when we are forced to play 4-5-1.
Young would be a very good addition to the squad IMO. I think we do need another winger with Giggs retiring soon. Young is versatile, can beat a man, has a great delivery and is a set piece taker, something we've lacked at this club for a while.
As for De Gea, its pot luck, just like it is with any keeper. We'll just have to wait and see.
posted on 7/6/11
Wesley Sneijder would be a magnificent signing, hes very similar to Xavi, he wont pop up with alot of goals but his passing is quite incredible. Im 50/50 on Young, good ability, but is he better than Nani/Valencia/Park, i think not, but what he does give, is incredible delivery from set pieces, something we have lacked this season!!
posted on 7/6/11
Schneider is one hell of a dirty player though...
posted on 7/6/11
Why do people always go on about Steklenberg being far more experienced, yes he is older and played more games but he plays in the Dutch league which is of a very poor standard.
In the 2 years De Gea has been playing he is regularly playing against world class strikers and has also played in a Europa League Final and the European Super Cup.
Every player is different and not every keeper needs years of experience to be good. De Gea has unbelievable natural ability for a keeper and is nicknamed Van De Gea by his team mates for his cool and calming play. To me the 2 don't even compare, Steklenberg is ok but never good enough to play for one of the top teams in the World.
posted on 7/6/11
comment by (U6633) posted 4 minutes ago
Why do people always go on about Steklenberg being far more experienced, yes he is older and played more games but he plays in the Dutch league which is of a very poor standard.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
He has played in a world cup final, played numerous times in europe for his club and is number 1 for his country. De Gea in comparison has a europa final
posted on 7/6/11
My point was his experience counts for little when he is regularly playing Championship standard teams in Holland.
I understand he's played in a WC Final and in the Champions League but that hardly amounts to a large percentage of his games does it.
He just happens to be Hollands best keeper right now from a bad bunch, doesn't make him a great keeper.
posted on 7/6/11
Big "NO!" to De Gea.
MUFC's reported interest in him worries me. Worries me a lot.
Get a more established GK with experience of one of the more physically competitive leagues. Getting the basics right is all a goalkeeper really need to be. De Gea will not do this, remember GK's are judged by their mistakes and he will make too many. Admittedly MUFC have been spoiled with regular no.1s like Stepney, VdS and Schmeichel but we have also seen clowns like Barthez.
The one from CSKA or, as the OP mentions, Steklenberg for example.