That transfer fee really hits home when you realise that they're still talking about spending £34m on Vidal, who's not only probably a better player but is also exactly what they need.

 

Still, I'm more convinced Van Gaal will find a way of fitting it into a decent side than I would be with Moyes.

 

The purchase of Vidal is much needed. I'm surprised Man United never attempted to bring Pogba back to Old Trafford. Man United are still needing two more defenders before I think they can push for a realistic top four finish.

 

I think Tottenham will push for the top 4 this year but just fall short, still think they in need of a striker.

You have all pretty much highlighted exactly why I find this all so ridiculous, Di Maria is a fantastic player, granted, but it's literally like they've just splashed out £59mil on a talented player for the sake of looking a more threatening side with a big name player in their side. Is he what they need at the moment? Absolutely not. Their defence looked incredibly average against both Swansea and Sunderland. Keane replacing Smalling for example, there is just no threat in the Man United's defence and I find it really surprising that they can't see that is a huge area they need to improve on, instead just lumping a huge amount of cash onto someone who will just slot in where Mata's starting to get comfortable. I find it very illogical personally.

Man Utd are not signing Vidal. I don't know where this comes from. It's an utter pipe dream. Their ability to land big players lands on them being mercenaries and handing out big contracts. It's stupid. I want Man Utd to be competitive again, but I really do think they are going to become like Liverpool in the 90s. Signing these players and expecting them all to make an impact straight away, not going to happen. As Sanchez has showed, more often than not it can take players a while to acclimatise to the Premier League, and the physicality.

 

They need an overhaul of their defence. I really do wonder if van Gaal is the one making the calls on these signings, to me he is not.

You have to assume with injuries as they are that this is the worst the defence is going to be, but it makes you realise their lack of depth compared to the teams they're trying to compete with. You've got Evans, Shaw, Rafael and Rojo missing at the moment - two, maybe three of them would be regular starters. Take the equivalent players out of Chelsea or City and you can't imagine them capitulating to Swansea.

You have to assume with injuries as they are that this is the worst the defence is going to be, but it makes you realise their lack of depth compared to the teams they're trying to compete with. You've got Evans, Shaw, Rafael and Rojo missing at the moment - two, maybe three of them would be regular starters. Take the equivalent players out of Chelsea or City and you can't imagine them capitulating to Swansea.

 

But they're not competing with City or Chelsea, their level right now is Everton/Spurs and at a push Arsenal/Liverpool. All of those players at this moment in time are not the right quality imo. Rafael at a push. I think their depth is good, (too good just to be competing for domestic honours, and that is throughout their entire squad too) but realistically would ANY of their defensive players get in to any of the Top 4 sides right now? Rafael perhaps at Liverpool for RB, but that's it.

Final few days of the window. What are your hopes for your team?

 

For Liverpool, I think at most we can expect is a goalkeeper. Plus a few players leaving - Borini, Assaidi etc.

But they're not competing with City or Chelsea, their level right now is Everton/Spurs and at a push Arsenal/Liverpool. All of those players at this moment in time are not the right quality imo. Rafael at a push. I think their depth is good, (too good just to be competing for domestic honours, and that is throughout their entire squad too) but realistically would ANY of their defensive players get in to any of the Top 4 sides right now? Rafael perhaps at Liverpool for RB, but that's it.

I thought Rafael was the weak link there (other than Evans if Tuesday is any indicator) - Rojo looked good at the World Cup and Chelsea wanted Shaw themselves. They have depth in a couple of positions now such as with Number 10s, but defensively they're paper thin.

 

Oh and I'd take Jones over Skrtel any day.

I thought Rafael was the weak link there (other than Evans if Tuesday is any indicator) - Rojo looked good at the World Cup and Chelsea wanted Shaw themselves. They have depth in a couple of positions now such as with Number 10s, but defensively they're paper thin.

 

Oh and I'd take Jones over Skrtel any day.

 

Disagree. They have the likes of Fellaini, Kagawa, Zaha, Cleverely, Anderson that are nowhere near anyones squad of 18 let alone in that starting positions. Then you have Welbeck, Young, Hernandez, Januzai, Smalling, Evans, Fletcher that would get in to most teams bar the top few (apart from Welbeck). Their problem is their depth is not good enough, but they are going to find it very hard to shift a lot of their unwanted players without making huge losses on them because of the massive contracts they're on.

 

They have loads of options in defence, but playing 3-5-2 (which imo they will continue to do) without the correct CBs makes it difficult.

 

Skrtel gets more stick than he deserves. He's an excellent defender, just I don't think he's suited to an aggressive high line like Liverpool want to play.

Man United have ruined Kagawa. I still think Kagawa could manage to break into the Manchester United line up but I fully agree with Fellaini, Zaha, Cleverely, Anderson not being good enough. It wouldn't surprise me if Fellaini returned to Everton in January.

 

Edit: Apparently Hernandez has had a bid for around 12-15 million from Valencia and Juventus and Aston Villa have offered Man United 8mil for Tom Cleverley.

Man United have ruined Kagawa. I still think Kagawa could manage to break into the Manchester United line up but I fully agree with Fellaini, Zaha, Cleverely, Anderson not being good enough. It wouldn't surprise me if Fellaini returned to Everton in January.

 

Edit: Apparently Hernandez has had a bid for around 12-15 million from Valencia and Juventus and Aston Villa have offered Man United 8mil for Tom Cleverley.

 

Kagawa is a marketing project. See all their posters for the Far East market. He barely plays yet he's always at the front!

Falcao is joining Real Madrid on a season long loan! I have no idea what Monaco are thinking but Madrid are just going to be frighting.

Kagawa is a marketing project. See all their posters for the Far East market. He barely plays yet he's always at the front!

He was great at Dortmund, I'm not quite sure why Van Gaal hasn't tried harder to offload him given he'd fetch a far higher fee than most of their squad players.

He was great at Dortmund, I'm not quite sure why Van Gaal hasn't tried harder to offload him given he'd fetch a far higher fee than most of their squad players.

 

Would he though? The English boys will fetch the most because of the premium attached to them. Welbeck & Cleverley should fetch £20m. He can't have long left on his contract, and I doubt anyone in England would be interested in him. The rumours are he is off back to Dortmund, which would be a good move for him. Shame as he's a quality player, and he hasn't had enough time to play in his actual best position.

 

And Lee regarding Falcao, I just always saw his move to Monaco as a stop gap, and iirc their bankrollers are running in to trouble (e.g. Anzi) so they're having to sell their better players (James, Falcao). Think Real Madrid were interested in him last year, but no way Athletico would sell him to them.

Derby have signed Jordon Ibe on loan today from Liverpool, apparently he's very talented - any Liverpool fans have an opinion? When we had Andre Wisdom from them last year he was fantastic so if Jordon is as good as him then that's fabulous. Burnley and Bournemouth have made bids for Richard Keogh and Johnny Russell respectively as well, but Derby have rejected all their bids so far. If we keep hold of them, our squad is looking incredibly good!

Derby have signed Jordon Ibe on loan today from Liverpool, apparently he's very talented - any Liverpool fans have an opinion? When we had Andre Wisdom from them last year he was fantastic so if Jordon is as good as him then that's fabulous. Burnley and Bournemouth have made bids for Richard Keogh and Johnny Russell respectively as well, but Derby have rejected all their bids so far. If we keep hold of them, our squad is looking incredibly good!

 

He's quite good. Lots of potential. He gets compared to Sterling a lot, and while their games are quite similar, they're much different. Ibe is very fast, but often makes the wrong decisions. Sterling's game intelligence is on another level. He will look to beat 2/3 players, then go to beat another when he should have made a pass, and instead loses the ball. Basically he needs to work on his awareness, decision making and shooting. I'd say he's a good chance at making at Liverpool though, I think he's only 18. Got everything to become a very good player, just needs the games.

Yeah I've read comparisons to Sterling a lot as well, which definitely indicate potential, and like you say he is only 18 so regular games will really help him - I looked at his stats and he's only played something like 15 proper league games (for any club) in his career, so games is what he needs. I'm not sure he will get regular games at Derby to start with considering that the wingers are probably our most competitive places with the likes of Jamie Ward, Johnny Russell and Simon Dawkins already battling for places but he'll eventually get his turn and keep his place if he's good enough. It took George Thorne a few games to break into the starting line-up when he was on loan with us at the end of last season but once he got there he stayed there due to his fantastic performances, so Ibe may follow a similar pattern.

Yeah I've read comparisons to Sterling a lot as well, which definitely indicate potential, and like you say he is only 18 so regular games will really help him - I looked at his stats and he's only played something like 15 proper league games (for any club) in his career, so games is what he needs. I'm not sure he will get regular games at Derby to start with considering that the wingers are probably our most competitive places with the likes of Jamie Ward, Johnny Russell and Simon Dawkins already battling for places but he'll eventually get his turn and keep his place if he's good enough. It took George Thorne a few games to break into the starting line-up when he was on loan with us at the end of last season but once he got there he stayed there due to his fantastic performances, so Ibe may follow a similar pattern.

 

I think he's good enough to be a starter for a team like Villa/QPR. He is highly rated and he's built like a tank. Just yeah he is similar to Sterling, but he's never going to be near the level Sterling could reach, purely because I don't think that type of game can be coached, it's a pure natural football brain. Expect you will probably start with Ibe, or have some arrangement as to how many games he will play, because I sometimes think that's how these loans work sometimes. He was allegedly going to go to Bolton, but I think Derby is a better set-up and McLaren is a much better coach, but like I say, I expect he will probably start most games in a couple of weeks.

Fernando Torres looks set to join AC Milan on a two year loan deal.

 

Could this move rejuvenate his career?

 

 

Fernando Torres looks set to join AC Milan on a two year loan deal.

 

Could this move rejuvenate his career?

 

No. He's finished as a top class striker and is moving to a mid-table Italian team. I do wonder if Chelsea will regret this move though, especially if Costa is injured for a period of time.

TORRES TO STAYYY :(

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.