Manchester United 2014-2015

This is not going to solve Man U's problem. We need another central defender and a stopper in the middle for this season. Blind and De Jong will come a lot cheaper than Vidal. Whoever LVG decides, it has to be completed by this week. Forget Khedira. He adds no value to the team whatsoever.

When these two positions are filled, there's every reason for Man U fans around the globe to feel optimistic. It will start to take shape and there is only one way but UP!!! Trust LVG to deliver.

Match preview vs Black Cats :p

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Stadium of Light Date: Sunday, 24 August

TEAM NEWS

Sunderland will be boosted by the return of defenders Billy Jones and Santiago Vergini, who have both trained this week.

Italian midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini is expected to be out for another three weeks with a groin problem.
Manchester United pair Robin van Persie and Antonio Valencia are now fit and available but new defender Marcos Rojo has not received a work permit in time.

Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and Jesse Lingard are all injured.

MATCH preview

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Mark Lawrenson
Football analyst
"Manchester United will probably start with three at the back again because Louis van Gaal will not want to be seen to be abandoning his three-man defence straight

It's remarkable only because it WAS an historic win for Swansea, but maybe his reaction was telling of how it is at the moment? Beating Manchester United isn't quite so much an achievement as it was for two decades.

Louis van Gaal's Reds can't be judged for a while yet of course, but there's undoubtedly got to be a swift and marked improvement from their opening day performance. With the signing of Argentina World Cup defender Marcos Rojo, and the return of Robin van Persie, there surely will be.

United have to improve on their results against Sunderland from last season too. Gus Poyet's first three games as a manager against them ended with him celebrating every time, including their own away win in May which played a huge part in the Black Cats staying up.

They shouldn't have any relegation worries whatsoever this time, but I've been around Sunderland AFC long enough to know that nothing is ever that straightforward with this most contradictory of clubs!

I like their power in attack yet can't see bucket loads of goals. The midfield has decent strength in depth but maybe lacks a truly class playmaker-cum-match winner. Defensively there's knowhow and solidity but question marks over pace and fitness. And the goalkeepers? Well they're both alright.

As with so many early season games it's too close to confidently call, but both teams were stronger away last season and I think the general feeling will be one of surprise if that doesn't ring true again - and one of alarm, already, for fans of Manchester United.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Manchester United are unbeaten in 12 league games at Sunderland (W9, D3) since a 2-1 defeat in March 1997.
Sunderland have hosted Manchester United 13 times in the Premier League but they have only kept a clean sheet once.

Sunderland's victory at Old Trafford last season was their first league win over Manchester United in 24 attempts.
Sunderland

Sunderland's only defeat in their previous seven league matches came against Swansea at the Stadium of Light on the final day of last season.

Gus Poyet's side have scored in each of those last seven league fixtures. Last season, Sunderland lost their first four home games of the campaign. They had to wait until 27 October for their first victory, which came against Newcastle.

They only won five of their 19 home matches in the league in 2013-14 and earned 18 points, the joint-worst record in the division.

Adam Johnson (4) and Fabio Borini (5) were the only two players at the club to score more than two Premier League goals at home in the whole of last season.

Manchester United
Manchester United have not lost their opening two league matches since the inaugural Premier League season in 1992-93, when they were beaten by Sheffield United and Everton.
Manager Louis van Gaal has lost his first two matches of a domestic league campaign on only one occasion in his career - at AZ Alkmaar in 2008-09.

United won 10 matches away from home last season - only Arsenal fared better, with 11 victories.
They have lost just one of their last seven Premier League away games - a 2-0 defeat by Everton in April.
Wayne Rooney needs one more goal to become joint-third all-time scorer in the Premier League alongside Thierry Henry with 175 goals.

Want to get your team's line-up as it's announced, goals as they go in and the final result as the referee blows his whistle? Push alerts within the BBC Sport app mean you can follow your team's games as they happen, wherever you are.

Another disappointing performance. The way to break a wall of defenders down is find the gaps between defenders or shoot. You need imagination and skills to pull it off. Sadly, none of the players have these qualities.

Fletcher was a walking disaster giving away possession time and again. Cleverley as usual resort to side and back passing and nothing else. Adnan looked bewildered. The players do not seem to know what and how to break down a stubborn defence. The final delivery from the flanks were poor. In a nutshell, its pretty much the same as last season.

Here's one way to address United's woeful start to the season. Dedicate one training session to shooting and set plays.

I feel sorry for you. A team of retirees led by a retiree.

Gallego99 said:

Another disappointing performance. The way to break a wall of defenders down is find the gaps between defenders or shoot. You need imagination and skills to pull it off. Sadly, none of the players have these qualities.

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What they lack is a leader in defence to organize set plays. They can ditch Cleverley and bring in someone better in midfield-Jordi Clasie.

Di Maria will not solve United's woes but its a step in the right direction. REAL will soon find out how big an influence this player has and it's United's gain and their loss. Like Menotti says its all about selling shirts. They brought in a pretty boy, James Rodriquez to sell shirts and nothing else. Winning player of the WC tournament doesn't make him better than Di Maria. It will prove costly to Perez and REAL with their ambitions this season.

CR7 is probably on his way down. Methinks he's preparing his second career in body building. He's doing it for vanity reasons and $$$ (image rights is his. More commercial endorsements= More money) and not on improving his game. Without Di Maria, he'll have to work twice as hard.

[video=youtube;7Bjkk411Mpc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bjkk411Mpc[/video]

Ex-Man Utd midfielder Wilkins: Di Maria price smacks of desperation

Former Manchester United midfielder Ray Wilkins feels their move for Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria is a sign of desperation.

Di Maria could join United for £75 million.

“At £75million, it seems a lot of money to me," Wilkins told talkSPORT.

"It's quite sad when one club - and I hate using the word regarding Manchester United - becomes so desperate that the transfer fee will be elevated massively.
...........................................

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/ex-man-utd-midfielder-wilkins-di-maria-price-smacks-desperation-4037301#.U_wOtWeKBrQ

Ex-Liverpool captain McAllister slams Man Utd move for Di Maria


Former Liverpool captain Gary McAllister has questioned Manchester United’s move for Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria.

McAllister says the Argentine's arrival won't address United’s weaknesses.

“Is Di Maria a player who can grab the game by the throat and really dominate it?” he remarked to talkSPORT.

“I think he’s a player who flits in and out of the game. He’s talented, he can hit a pass, he can score a goal, but £70m-odd? It’s crazy some of the money that’s flying around.

“Bryan Robson, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes – it’s that type of player United need. Di Maria is a fantastic technician, Herrera is another, but they’re not quite Steven Gerrard or Bryan Robson.”

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/ex-liverpool-captain-mcallister-slams-man-utd-move-di-maria-4037176#.U_wPtGeKBrQ

Man United's panic buys:

Fellaiini -> Mata -> Di Maria -> ???

Fellaini and Shaw to a certain extent. They have no cover for the latters position after Evra left. To pay weekly wages of 60-80K pounds per week for an unproven teenager is a big risk. He reported for pre season totally unfit and probably thought he could get away with it. Well, the lad hasn't been watching the dutch national team.

Not so for Mata and Di Maria. They've been missing a quality playmaker since Scholes retirement 3 seasons ago. Then came Mata. Old fart tried to sign Di Maria a long time ago and like most South American players they see REAls and Barcas as the holygrail if you like.

LVG is not only trying to plug the missing puzzle but he has raised the bar for aspiring players. Di Maria's signing if anything, its a statement of intent to the competitors, commercial interest and most of all the fans. Rebuilding a team comes at a cost and LVG is aware the change must take place at both the senior and youth level.

After last nights humiliation, the axe will fall on many of the fringe players. It was their last chance and one can expect the club to expedite the sale of some of these players before the transfer window closes.

Top of the list is Jonny Evans.

Expect 2 further signings this week and lets hope one of them is Vidal.

I think that RM is astute to see Di Maria at this point and at such a price. Di Maria's game is a bit like Michael Owens...full of hard running. Once he is around 30 his speed will drop slightly at first but enough that he loses a step or two. Injuries will likely happen more often and take longer to recover.

Whether in these few years he can really help MU or not by as much as they think he could remains to be seen, but like McAllister I think they are paying far too much.

Would United be better off with 2 Fellainis? I beg to differ. United has always paid a premium for players and that is probably down to some degree to it's flawed structure since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson. The absence of a technical director is glaring and as a fan it is my sanguine hope that they will make that change this season.

You can't compare Owens with Di Maria. They are diametrically opposite in terms of position and play. One feeds from and the other feeds to. They currently do not have the wing support on the left. With Evra gone, Mata has very little option.

Di Maria's problem with RM dates back to the year he joined them. It was about $$$$ and nothing else. Higuain was paid an estimated 60K pounds per week and notched a decent goal average before the arrival of CR7. The Argentines were paid about 2.5 times less than Ramos and Casillas and 3-4 times less than CR7. With image rights to his name CR7 stands to earn a lot more. RM has to make up for that shortfall and in comes pretty boy -James Rodriquez. For Di Maria, he drops further down the pecking order. If you dun play, your stock will never rise.

Mk Dons 4 - 0 Man Utd

This is the new low. Moyes never lost more than 3 goals in all his games ended in defeat. LvG is really making Moyes looks good.

Whatever low still they won't lose to Arsenal.

@rmadill0 said:

Mk Dons 4 - 0 Man Utd

This is the new low. Moyes never lost more than 3 goals in all his games ended in defeat. LvG is really making Moyes looks good.

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'McAllister says the Argentine's arrival won't address United’s weaknesses'. True but neither will you make a team stronger if you buy a whole team of average performers.

Pool and United have taken two different paths. Let's wait and see who comes out on top.

@rmadill0 said:

Mk Dons 4 - 0 Man Utd

This is the new low. Moyes never lost more than 3 goals in all his games ended in defeat. LvG is really making Moyes looks good.

Click to expand...

Dun judge LVG from this result. He's putting the fringe players to the test and giving them a chance(I think its the final one). Methinks he will further tweak the youth system that is in place. I believe we will see the fruits of his labor at the end of the season(earliest) and years to come, just as he did with Barcelona.

Gallego99 said:

Dun judge LVG from this result. He's putting the fringe players to the test and giving them a chance(I think its the final one). Methinks he will further tweak the youth system that is in place. I believe we will see the fruits of his labor at the end of the season(earliest) and years to come, just as he did with Barcelona.

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I think it is better not to hope for what he did with Barcelona. He left them 3 points above relegation that season he was sacked if I am not wrong. Also need to know that his prior successes in club football are all from taking over clubs in good health and built on it. Man Utd need to be rebuild, not build upon.

I am trying not to judge him too early but the results so far is not encouraging. Seeing no sign of any improvement and those players signed are all overpriced!

Luke Shaw worth 34m GBP? Di Maria worth 60m GBP? With Shaw and Rojo, clearly he is sticking to his 3-4-1-2 system. If so, how would Di Maria fit in? Drop Mata and play him behind Rooney and vanPersie? Or play him as a right wingback?