Rumor: Muppet Games: where muppets go to cry - 2012 summer transfer thread

I know you said that, and for what he does, Carrick does a fine job in most games. My contention was with the suggestion that we are possession dominant team, but what I have got from your replies is that we have differing definitions of the word 'dominance'.

 

I wonder if we will actually buy a CM. From Fergie's POV our CM currently looks better than it did last summer. There is no imperative to buy.

Looking at our CM with FergieVision™;
Carrick: Has had his finest season with us, looks much more consistent. True MUQ starter CM.
Scholes: Good as he ever was, will probably play another year.
Cleverly: Had 9 starts, looks fairly comfortable, can challenge for a CM spot. Could be injury prone, but given how unconcerned we are about Fletcher, Hargreaves, and Ando, this is not a concern.
Giggs: Good lad, can be relied upon etc.
Fletcher: Has some stomach thing, could make a comeback.
Ando: Seems injury prone, but happy to keep him unless he wants to go. Might even turn everything around.
Pogba: If he stays will have to give him PT or his agent will start moaning again, and that guy is a pain in the neck.

I cannot get past the madness of last summer. If Fergie didnt see a need to buy a CM then, why would he now? Arguably we are stronger now with Carrick having a great season and Scholes being back.

Perhaps if some player really wants to come here, and will come for less than market wages, or a cheap transfer fee, we might snap up a bargain. Otherwise, it does not seem logical that we will desperately go out and spend big money, or a mid level signing if there is no need.

Best case scenario is that Ando decides he wants to leave, or Fletcher retires, and we go for a mid-level CM. I could easily see Ando staying to have another go at getting in the starting 11, and Fletch pushing on for another year (without making a comeback).

 

By your definition, there is only one team in world football that dominates possession. Congrats for being a pedant and stretching this out over hours and a dozen posts when all you had to say was, "I didn't realize that United has more possession on average than the vast majority of European clubs."

 

Unfortunately, this is the truth. If United didn't sign a central midfielder last season I don't see why they'd sign one now.

The best we ( I ) could hope for is that they give Petrucci and Pogba (if he isn't Bianconeri next season) meaningful minutes.

 

Of all the top tier clubs (if we can still call ourselves that), we'd likely lose out on possession. For the vast majority of second tier clubs, if we were to have more possession. it would not be by a dominate amount. I disagree with your assessment, I'm happy to leave it at that.

 

This is patently false. My claims - are backed on statistics. I haven't posted them, but your positions have been so off that I didn't feel the need to. I'm certainly not going to do your due diligence for you - you are gonna have to do more say we lose out on possession.

Just so you know, having anything more than 55% of the ball in a game is considered being dominant in possession. We hold our own against the vast majority of top-tier opponents. We don't do well against high pressing teams who are also very technical. Apart from those opponents, we have more possession than our opponents and certainly at home.

All that semantics aside, none of that changes the fact that because of our style of play, our DM is not required to be the Mascherano type. That is not what our DM is required to do. It is why we shipped so many goals at the start of the year playing 2 guys who traditionally speaking, do a lot more chasing than Carrick does. High line, plus possession/territorial control = ball winning not a priority for our DM.

 

Last season, we started with Fletch, Gibson atleast on our books and Giggs was still bit reliable but yeah it was desperate and he didnt buy anyone.

 

also looks like M'Villa to Arsenal is "99%" done.

 

In terms of the possession dominance thing, I think its more useful to look at the current squad in terms of the identity issue, and ask the question if we are (or can become a team) whose identity is possession based football, ala Barca, and capable of dominating any opposition to win.

I dont think the evidence is there that we have been able to do that against competant opposition. I would love to see an average possession stat in recent years from big games in the EPL and Europe. I suspect we would either be even, or below 50%. Either way, its probably not anywhere near the level needed to use possession as our identity and to dominate elite clubs with it.

I dont see us doing the tika-taka thing with our current squad or manager.

 

He would have been a decent signing but I can think of few who we can get and would be better for us.

 

I don't think our fan base would want that to be honest. It's simply not in our club DNA. I don't feel we'd really enjoy it, or even appreciate it myself.

That's not say I don't think possession is important, it's more in reference to "Tiki-taka"

 

1) I loathe the term "Tiki-Taka"

2) I'd love it if United adopted it. Love it.

I'd take a league and/or CL every few seasons playing possession football over winning the league (almost) every year playing 4-4-2.

 

But it's a double edged sword. that possession could just easily result in Arsenal or Swansea like games if the proper penetration isn't found.

Besides Barcelona, what other team's are executing a possession based system (defined as possession as being a key component to the foundation of their success) at the top level, and getting results in terms of trophies from it?

Better yet, what team's across Europe are executing a possession based system, which allowing them to punch above their weight, and meet or exceed expectations? I mean that genuinely as I'm interested.

 

None, because it's not easy to assemble a team of players of the type necessary to play possession first football.

It's not impossible, mind you but it's not easy...especially with all the inflation/greed/managerial stupidity in the game currently.

That being said, United have the resources to pull it off. In fact, they have the players to do it right now. Whether such a side would hold up against Europe's best is another story but they have the players.

 

You guys have been linked with Asamoah from Udinese, not sure how strongly but I'm posting it anyway.

http://www.football-italia.net/18596/man-utd-look-asamoah

 

I like him, he isnt a limited midfield player as he is physically able and technically decent but dont sure and with ACN happening again this season.

 

Some French journalist also saying that CR, but we will see.

 

this is a fake account?

@LaurensJulien
Very busy yesterday working on M'vila story. Deal 99% done. 22 million euros, 4 years. Great signing for Arsenal and player is delighted

 

i was quoting from the ESPN article: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/s...d-reveals-he-will-wear-blue-next-year?cc=5901

now if that is fake your faux outrage should be directed towards them

 

i try to not follow fake accounts but i'm sure this off-season will be even more insufferable than the last. going to be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

Ain't that just great.

 

seems like people would be pretty happy about Kagawa not signing for United.