2014/15 Barclay's Premier League Thread

[devo22]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I wonder if he's actually injured, or if LVG is still being boss and told him he's still unfit

highly unlikely ^^ with Rafael and Valencia already injured, I doubt LvG would do that kind of thing and leave us with one fit wing back (who is going by the name of Ashley Young, by the way) plus some youngsters without Premier League experience (Reece James, Jesse Lingard, Tyler Blackett). Quite the contrary, I fully believe Shaw is injured ... probably not a coincidence that the rumours regarding Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind have started to heat up in the past 24 hours.

so currently that's Carrick, Welbeck, Shaw, Rafael and Valencia on the sidelines and van Persie isn't ready yet after the world cup too. Brilliant, our injuries are already piling up just like they did last year.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I wonder if he's actually injured

It's a prerequisite to being a United defender.

Denis Irwin excluded.

[Monahan23]

I'm sure we'll see

5-2-1-2
De Gea, Rojo, Jones, Evans, Smalling, Young, Herrara, Januzaj then either Kagawa, Rooney, Mata or Mata, Rooney, RvP


I'd like to get Marcos Rojo and Arturo Vidal.

Juventus told United they have until August 15th to sign him. United set to offer £45-48 plus two players. Most likely Nani and Hernandez.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...-juan-cuadrado

Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport reports that Juve have given the Red Devils until Aug. 15 to submit an acceptable bid for the dynamo (via Ben Green of 101 Great Goals).

Italian sports correspondent Tancredi Palmeri claims United have already submitted a huge offer to the Old Lady for Vidal's services, with Juve demanding two players in return:

Tancredi Palmeri @tancredipalmeri
Manchester United have bid a figure between 45-48m€ for Vidal. Juventus have replied they want also 2 players, 1 of the two is Chicharito

[Barnet Flame]

Pulis is gone. This link states his future is in doubt, but he has walked.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28797071

[devo22]

massive blow for Crystal Palace. Not a fan of Pulis and his tactics at all, but he delivered results. They could be in trouble

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Monahan23

dribble

Please don't cite Bleacher Reports. They are crap.

[Matty81]

Palace will get somebody solid to replace Pulis if the rumors are correct, Mackay, Lennon and Moyes are rumored among others.

Still kind of burns me though, very unprofessional to leave 2 days before the season opener. Should have had the conversation earlier in the summer on how transfers would be handled before he did the whole preseason. Walking out at this point reflects poorly on him.

Rumor is that he doesn't like Zaha who looks to be coming back against his will and wanted Parish to focus on signing Jack Cork instead who is a lower priority.

[d_phaneuf]

It depends on what it ends up being

if they had a transfer strategy agreed in the summer and now the owners are backing out of it I can see him being frustrated, and he knows because of how he saved them last year he will be one of the managers brought up after the first manager gets sacked

but if they hadn't done this before and he just wanted to cut and run, would look bad

[Matty81]

I dunno, 48 hrs before the season opener he is screwing over the whole squad who he leads and the fanbase as well not just owners. I get it if he disagrees with ownership but for me I would never leave a job 48 hrs before my team had a big presentation to our board that I had worked on for a month unless I'm being asked to do something illegal or unethical. It's the timing that is unprofessional, not the leaving.

He left them a stronger squad and a lot richer anyway so I don't think they'll feel too hard done by. I thought they would battle relegation anyway and now that their new manager lost the whole preseason I'd be surprised if they don't go down.

[Bagor]

Don't see how Lennon would take the job given he walked from Celtic for very similar reasons. My money is on Mackay.

By all accounts, this has been an ongoing battle all summer and a personality clash with Parish since day one. I'm speculating here but I get the feeling that Parish called Pulis's bluff. Terrible timing but understandable in a way, if you consider that he was being hung out to dry. Should have done it earlier though.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Matty81

I dunno, 48 hrs before the season opener he is screwing over the whole squad who he leads and the fanbase as well not just owners.

If he had an agreement to stay if the owners conducted business a certain way and then they did not, it is the owners that are screwing over the players and supporters. 48 hours is not a great deal of time but it could have been, and probably was, a last deadline that was extended on the request of the owners. A, "Please stay, we promise that we'll change!".

I don't like the Goblin King but I have a feeling he's not the evil orc this time.

[cam_wmh]

So speaking of United's fullback woes.

Rafael is fit as of this morning. I see this:

Young------------------Rafael
-----Keane Jones Smalling


Keane worries me, he's a PK giving machine. I don't think United gets Rojo anytime soon. He's got agents who are declaring third party ownership, and we know how well that's sorted considering the Tevez transfer.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by bagor

it's a prerequisite to being a united defender.

Denis irwin & Patrice Evra excluded.

fyp

[devo22]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

So speaking of United's fullback woes.

Rafael is fit as of this morning. I see this:

Young------------------Rafael
-----Keane Jones Smalling


Keane worries me, he's a PK giving machine. I don't think United gets Rojo anytime soon. He's got agents who are declaring third party ownership, and we know how well that's sorted considering the Tevez transfer.

pretty sure it'll be Tyler Blackett instead, he clearly outplayed Keane in preseason. I also expect Reece James to start on the left tomorrow and Young on the right ... Rafael may be "fit", but he didn't play a whole lot on the tour before going down with injury and I doubt van Gaal will immediately throw him back in.

Sad that it's come to this, even with all those injuries they shouldn't have to start two youngsters in defense. How they haven't signed ANYONE since Shaw and Herrera in late June is being baffling and frankly quite embarrassing. "Watch this space" ... yeah, right ...

[Bagor]

Repeating myself here but Seamus Coleman was a huge missed opportunity.

But, yeah, getting that feeling of deja vu. In fairness though there is nothing you can do about the Rojo situation.

[devo22]

yeah Coleman is very good, but I'm sure he'd have been very expensive. Not sure I'd want United to deal with Everton that early again after last year's fiasco. I'd rather go for Cuadrado ... sure, it's a few extra bucks, but he can play on the wing too once van Gaal wants to change to 4-3-3.

You're right, the Rojo situation is not United's fault ... 3rd party ownership is just a pain in the ass and this is just another example for it. Really hate that system. That being said, Sporting have been #######s this summer too (see the Eric Dier situation).

Nevertheless, United should have acted earlier. The Rojo situation would be easier to digest now if they had bought another defender already, but of course this hasn't happened for some reason. I'm happy that the young guys will get a chance (no surprise though, van Gaal is obviously known for that), but with Evans, Smalling and Jones being injury-prone, it's shocking that they have left their transfer business that late. Again.

[Delthefunky]

Thank god the EPL is starting this weekend. I can't take another Blue Jays game.

[d_phaneuf]

I wouldnt go anywhere near Cuadrado at the prices being quoted

[devo22]

they paid 27m for Fellaini. I'd have no problem if they paid 35m for Cuadrado.

[White Out 403]

Swansea up one nill and an injury for man u already.