Eto would rather take a pay cut and play for us than city.

Originally Posted by rebelcountyred

do we really need another striker? i think we should go with what we have and strenghten midfield instead.

Correct.
We certainly don't need a striker who's gonna wanna start every game.

For my money we need another wide man who will be our 'first choice' on the left & maybe another central midfield option (someone with an eye for a goal)

Hopefully Fergie's thinking the same as me (as usual. He does read my posts after all) & will spend some of the Ronaldo money on Ribery & .....????? Fabregas?

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

Correct.
We certainly don't need a striker who's gonna wanna start every game.

For my money we need another wide man who will be our 'first choice' on the left & maybe another central midfield option (someone with an eye for a goal)

Hopefully Fergie's thinking the same as me (as usual. He does read my posts after all) & will spend some of the Ronaldo money on Ribery & .....????? Fabregas?

The reason the term 'cheeky bid' was invented

Originally Posted by History

The reason the term 'cheeky bid' was invented

I'm more of a "poised to swoop for" man myself..

I was being tongue in cheek with Fabregas...even though he obviously is a decent player.
Not sure where it would leave Fletch, Cougar, Anderson, Carrick & co. if we brought in a star midfielder though.

I'd be happy with just Ribery.
But I know that aint gonna happen

Don't think we desperately need a striker when we have Rooney, Berbatov, Owen, Welbeck, and Macheda.

As people have said a midfielder is needed, more specifically a tough midfielder. Not sure if that's all our midfield needs next season though..I'm a bit worried about lack of creativity. Scholes is one the wane, Hargreaves doesn't create, Fletcher does to an extent but not enough..Anderson SHOULD, and I hope he does. Giggs does add creativity, but he is 35, and he cannot be relied on for the majority of games. And of course Carrick does, but could do with being more positive at times, especially in the big games. Also, are Park, Nani, Valenica, and Tosic strong enough to be all we have on the wings?

I don't really think of Park as a Winger, good a player as he is. Tosic is unproven, although I hope he does well. Nani..well, difficult one, obviously has potential but needs to channel it better. So really Valencia is the only wide man that I think will hit the ground running, thats if he settles okay though.

So, 1 more winger and someone who can create AND toughen up the midfield for me. Not asking for much surely? De Rossi and Sneijder spring to mind. Don't think we'll be getting De Rossi, and if we wanted Sneijder we would have worked him into the Madrid deal surely?

He's not gunna buy a midfielder in any other possition that LM.

It is worth remembering that Ljajic arrives in January and is seriously highly rated, quality and creativity from midfield or wide positions.

I would not be at all surprised if he is given the number 7 shirt.

Originally Posted by dunk

It is worth remembering that Ljajic arrives in January and is seriously highly rated, quality and creativity from midfield or wide positions.

I would not be at all surprised if he is given the number 7 shirt.

I was thinking that about the number 7 shirt, may well be reserving it for him. I hope he's that good

I don't think we'll see him this season though. Coming from Serbia in January he will be way off the pace after their break. Tosic was the same, and Vidic looked the same when he signed.

January, the month for Serbs.

I'd really like us to sign that Kacar. But it looks like it was another bullshit rumour.

Cheeky bid for Bungle off Rainbow?

Originally Posted by JakeB

I was thinking that about the number 7 shirt, may well be reserving it for him. I hope he's that good

I don't think we'll see him this season though. Coming from Serbia in January he will be way off the pace after their break. Tosic was the same, and Vidic looked the same when he signed.

January, the month for Serbs.

Everything I've read about the lad suggests he is widely expected to be like a duck to water when he arrives. I honestly think he is the creativity / spark of genius to replace the one Ronaldo took with him. The only problem is we may have to wait a year or two for the required consistency.

Originally Posted by dunk

I honestly think he is the creativity / spark of genius to replace the one Ronaldo took with him

I know this sounds like I'm being an arse, but what are you basing that on?
What have you seen of him that makes you sure of his 'genius'?

Originally Posted by dunk

Everything I've read about the lad suggests he is widely expected to be like a duck to water when he arrives. I honestly think he is the creativity / spark of genius to replace the one Ronaldo took with him. The only problem is we may have to wait a year or two for the required consistency.

I'm sure he'd be able to talent wise, I just mean fitness wise its quite a hard task, and he's only 17.

Originally Posted by borsuk

true


plenty more strikers/attacking players potentially gettable apart from eto'o:

villa
forlan
young
agbonlahor
fabiano
pato
aguero
hulk
rossi
schneijder
van der vaart
van persie
silva
gomez
podolski
dembele
suarez
sanchez


a list off the top of my head and some for the future, admittedly. but it's not like there's a dearth of talent around. it's just picking a player with the right characteristics and character to suit united. i trust fergie to do that, obviously.

Lisandro Lopez was one of the best forwards I saw last year.

Originally Posted by rebelcountyred

do we really need another striker? i think we should go with what we have and strenghten midfield instead.

I think we would be within our rights to fancy Rooney, Berbatov and Owen to get 50 goals between them. It's then a question of can the other forwards weigh in with 20-30. Welbeck, Macheda, Nani, Valencia, is there enough there to see that many goals coming or do they need maybe one more forward OR could a top notch all round centre mid get 10 from the middle?

Originally Posted by dunk

It is worth remembering that Ljajic arrives in January and is seriously highly rated, quality and creativity from midfield or wide positions.

I would not be at all surprised if he is given the number 7 shirt.

Does the young lad not join from the beginning of the season? £#%&!, I've been anticipating his arrival since he first signed

I hope he has as much potential as I've read. A creative, goal scoring midfielder is what we're crying out for. We've plenty of midfielders who can disrupt the opposition and pass the ball side ways...but we seriously lack creativity in the middle of the park.

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

I know this sounds like I'm being an arse, but what are you basing that on?
What have you seen of him that makes you sure of his 'genius'?

I've not seen it, but I think that is what is being expected of him.

When Ronaldo left he took the direct right winger, goal scorer and spark of creativity with him.

Valencia is the winger
Owen the goal scorer *shudder*

The spark of genius/creativity ability to do the unexpected hasn't been replaced. Everything I've read, by people who have been watching Ljajic for a while suggest he is capable of just that, I think United are counting on just that. They may have to be patient, but that's what I think, they think they've got. If you know what I mean.

Perhaps that's it, Fergie is so taken with Ljajic that he's waiting for him, hence not signing this superstar people want.

Originally Posted by JakeB

I'm sure he'd be able to talent wise, I just mean fitness wise its quite a hard task, and he's only 17.

He'll be 18, has been playing regularly and will have a full season under his belt. He's not as small as Tosic either.

I suppose it will depend on the position we are in when he arrives, if it's similar to last season, he will be eased in a la Tosic, if we are struggling and the opportunities are there, he may well be thrown in.

I just can't imagine us bringing a player of that ilk around now with him on the horizon.

Originally Posted by dunk

The spark of genius/creativity ability to do the unexpected hasn't been replaced. Everything I've read, by people who have been watching Ljajic for a while suggest he is capable of just that, I think United are counting on just that. They may have to be patient, but that's what I think, they think they've got. If you know what I mean.

Sounds good.
Fingers crossed he turns out to be a great player.

Wazza will provide the genius & creativity mind you, don't worry about that.
If he can (touch wood) manage an injury free season he'll more than make up for Ronaldo leaving.
Rooney was our best player whilst Ronaldo was at the Club & he'll remain our best player

Originally Posted by MJ Ramone

Sounds good.
Fingers crossed he turns out to be a great player.

Wazza will provide the genius & creativity mind you, don't worry about that.
If he can (touch wood) manage an injury free season he'll more than make up for Ronaldo leaving.
Rooney was our best player whilst Ronaldo was at the Club & he'll remain our best player

He really wasn't MJ. And I think you are pinning your hopes on the wrong guy. As good as he is, his level will remain much the same as the last 2 years, he has always been very good, and don't expect him to suddenly make 'his best position' his own, either.

What you need to hope is that there is a player at the club capable of getting the best out of Rooney as a team mate in the way Ronaldo did.

That's not to say Ronaldo made him a better player, but he knew how to play to Rooney's strengths. There hasn't been much evidence of anyone being anywhere near the same level of understanding with Rooney so far.

Originally Posted by dunk

He really wasn't MJ. And I think you are pinning your hopes on the wrong guy. As good as he is, his level will remain much the same as the last 2 years, he has always been very good, and don't expect him to suddenly make 'his best position' his own, either.

What you need to hope is that there is a player at the club capable of getting the best out of Rooney as a team mate in the way Ronaldo did.

That's not to say Ronaldo made him a better player, but he knew how to play to Rooney's strengths. There hasn't been much evidence of anyone being anywhere near the same level of understanding with Rooney so far.

Well, I can't be arsed to have a Rooney debate, all I can say is we must have been watching a different player these last 5 years.
Not quite sure why you have so little faith in him
Who are you "pinning your hopes on" then?

Rooney has a good playing relationship with a lot of the United lads - Scholes, Giggs, Park, Carrick etc.. Tevez & Ronaldo before they left.

Rooney could play with anyone because he understands the game better than most. He certainly understands the pace & feel of a game better than anyone of his age that I've ever seen.

Anyway, if I start praising Rooney too much I'll be jumped on by Throb, Marlo & co. who will tell me why I'm so very wrong to rate our best player so highly

Football's a game of opinions Saint