robsblubot

the key word there is the 'two' ... Fabregas just isn't powerful enough for the pivot. Considering I think Mikel should never play at this level, I'd say a B2B like Kante type of player next to Matic and Fabregas would work just fine.

good player, but if that's all we do, we will end up in the same position in the standings. Center midfield is just too weak compared to our opponents who all have better options. If we cannot sign the likes of Kante, then we can count Leicester as also having better midfield. Midfield is kinda important area of the pitch.

well, not many people would bet on oscar improving and/or delivering this time around, because the trend has been flat or even downward. Aside from faith, or some important information we don't have (e.g. chronic injury - which would be worse than lack of devel really), it's very unlikely he will turn it around with us. He might have a far better chance of doing so elsewhere in a different environment, perhaps even country. Sometimes players get too comfortable and lose their intensity on the pitch. I get the comparisons with Mikel, but it goes into my point that some players get undeserved attention, while others get a free pass. Oscar has had MotM performances for us and Brazil - and several for internacional, prior to joining us. Yes, none lately, but other players on the squad have only heard of MotM because it's something unattainable for them. In my mind I see everything in a competitive way: is this player capable of giving us an edge against the opposition? Some players have, like hazard in the past, given us that edge against any opposition. Others do so in only specific conditions: counter, no pressure, etc. While others never, ever have the ability to win matches. They can fill gaps but don't really give you an edge. I have other issues with Mikel's game that don't belong here. Perhaps Oscar enjoys so much attention because the expectations on him were so high; to become a player who could give us the edge as Hazard does (did last season).

Having watched Oscar before he joined us, I can guarantee he dramatically improved his tackling and defending in general. a lot of players have not improved and we employ some really poor players in certain positions - as in cheap and no other top club would ever play them. I don't disagree Oscar has been a disappointment - just with the attention he enjoys for that... since it isn't so rare in our squad of pretty average and some really poor players. Even our good players cannot have a bad season because of our absolute lack of depth.

He has been wearing the 8 and playing like an 8 for quite some time. people here have a difficulty with the notion that he is an 8 playing in a more advanced position. and that Oscar does not fit the mold elf what a true 10 ought to be - something Oscar isn't ironically - does not play or wear 10 for Brazil either btw. he's been poor, but I think the hate he gets around here has more to do with preferences and the team setup than Oscar himself. if Oscar is Mikel like why is Mikel a 9mi buy and Oscar north of 20mi?

that was the problem to begin with: we were very patient in replacing ramires and not strengthen the squad. No, I don't think we'd be title winning material regardless - it's the hangover after the title - but we might have avoided last season's fiasco.

hehe got the correlation wrong there: Mikel has a job at a top side because of Emenalo, his countryman. No manager in their right mind would actually try and sign him. I can certainly see Matic bossing the midfield against us for a season and a half, like he did for us. Then when he has a bad season, tired/fed up/unlucky, united will have the strength in depth to see it through.

If the player rejects the move, then officially the bid is rejected. Oscar did not want to go to china, so the bid was rejected. Had Juventus made the offer, he's be moving already.

why would he want to get into his 3rd term?! He will get paid regardless... Of course they want to do well, but getting the sack for these top managers only means a forced well-paid vacation.

It's the agents doing their lobbying - just part of their job. Big agents have media contacts and can generate some buzz whenever they feel it will help their clients.

worst attacking players today in the CL final: Ronaldo and Griezmann Even ignoring the pk miss, Griezmann had a pretty bad game and I wonder how well he would be able to do in the PL - seems to lack power big time.

Scolari, Dunga, and a bunch of other managers do the same. Whether it's a more for the benefit of the team or themselves is really not that important to me, or my argument to be honest. Bear in mind I am NOT a fan. I wasn't a fan even before Jose joined and was by no means surprised by his shortcomings - like you said, it's been happening for a while.

Just not sure your causality here is correct: Jose historically incites trouble only when the team is not performing and keeps more quiet when things are going well. Right or wrong, he's always done that (other managers do the same btw), mostly to remove pressure from his players. Obviously, this strategy only works for a short time and eventually you need to get the results, but the overall form at the beginning of the season was so poor that it was going to take a while no matter what you did. I am a firm believer that we would have end up at around the same position had Jose stayed. Even the obvious dissident players would've decided to rally behind him a bit just to stay safe, eventually; bringing Hiddink just expedited the process, but along it came his bad tactics, team selections, and outdated ideas... IMO of course.

Never thought Jose chose Oscar over Mata, pure and simply. He chose Oscar over Mata because Eden already enjoyed the only free role any team can afford - as per Andre interview some time back. So, he chose Oscar to do the work Hazard just can't do - neither can Juan. Wouldn't surprise me if Jose played Mata at United since it's a completely different team setup. The problem there is actually rooney who is being fielded in that free role. I am no fan of mata, even after OScar's worse season I just don't see Mata doing much better. And yet, I'd prob start Mata over rooney who's gotten just so fucking heavy and slow lately.

Oh I am aware of these issues, esp the less controversial ones, such as no CL and unattractive style of play. However, we do have money and could, for example go for cheaper and/or younger targets. It's not like we have quality in abundance in the squad right now. We have players who no other top side wants - improving on them isn't that difficult. We haven't even replaced ramires yet... Quite frankly, I just want some options so that when one of our first team players have a bad patch, we have adequate replacement. And then again, that's literally their job.

knowing which targets are attainable is also part of their job, or at least should be. It is difficult for us to know whether they have the funds to complete the deals or not, but if they don't have the funds, and they've known it for a while, they should've gone for more creative and cheaper targets.

Matic business was already stupid. Getting lukaku back for 60m would be fucking hilarious... gotta wonder what the fuck emenalo and cia are paid to do exactly. just seems they can do no wrong.

I think we are fucking up again... Transfers can be worked prior to the window - just have to be finalized then

Which of the ok ish players you list would be picked up by our opponents and played (rotation at least)? a. they are not in the same situation b. They may not be ok ish enough and c. We may not have enough ok ish players in general.

wenger?!?!

Fabregas would make this suicidal indeed. Reckon that even with a second strong CM this would be pretty bad defensively. It's arithmetic as we'd be playing with 3 pure attackers: 2 forwards + hazard. Or from a diff POV, with 3 players who cannot defend to save their lives. I just can't imagine Hazard playing LW.

@Styles Are you new here?:) seriously though, despite oscar having not delivered at Chelsea, which is something anyone can agree with, before he joined us he was one the most promising CAMs in the world - videos and numbers are there. he was a VERY different player then: extremely creative and not hard working at all - ironically people used to say that was his deficiency. Matters not at this point. It would be too risky to wait for him to wake up in the coming seasons - need to try something different. just not coutinho...;)

Don't worry he's gone. we should get the genius coutinho to replace him. Have you seen what he did against Sevilla today?! A joy to behold!

of course it's a different role on different wages... he's current role was key player with wages prob only below Hazard's. Would it be fair to the other players, actually doing the playing, if a guy sitting on the bench makes more money than they do? Only to mention one of the potential issues.

Wondering whether they could offer John some guarantees such that as long as he accepts a reduced role, and compatible wages, he would be getting new deals until, say 2018/2019. With a strong indication of a coaching staff position after that. Yes, he'd prob lose money missing short-term deals, but it would be a far more stable environment to his family. Scholes and Giggs did something like that at United.