At least we mugged Arsenal off with the Welbeck fee

Though I do think he'll be a good fit there, I doubt Arsenal fans are over the moon with that signing.

I think the simple answer is that Mata doesn't fit. I reckon Danny Murphy's suggested line-up won't be far off.

Smart signings for United.

Good job van gaal.

I don't think United were ever going to solve all their problems in one transfer window. People should remember that. I think it might take another 2/3 transfer windows with some more people coming in and out to get the squad Van Gaal wants. So the criticism of United didn't strengthen in this area or they need to improve in this area is unfair really - they were never going to get it all in one window.

I have to laugh at people saying Di Maria and Falcao are panic buys. Panic buys! These are two of the very best footballers in the world. They are outstanding players. United needed quality - they have signed quality. United have reacted to the market. Di Maria became available - of course United were in for him. Falcao has become available - of course United were in for him. There squad looks a hell of a lot more stronger with them than without them.

As for where they will all play? Another silly question. Injuries, suspensions, squad rotation - you need that quality right throughout your squad if you want to win the title. Look at the number of players Liverpool have brought in for example. If you look at the bench of a side like Man City or Chelsea - there benches are ridiculously strong. Class all across their squad. United haven't had that and have sought to address that.

Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo look astute buys - if a little expensive. Daley Blind looks a very smart signing for Van Gaal's system he is employing. Van Persie needs an operation at some point and bringing in Falcao covers that. United now have the best 3 strikers in the Premier League. Di Maria injects some pace and the ability to bloody beat a man that has been missing.

I expect United to make the top four. Dwight Yorke believes they can win the title. The quality is definitely there now. They need to start picking up points fast though and a good January transfer window is needed. Interesting times ahead.

..... Falcao?? - Maybe, but as yet, still unproven.... Could turn out great, could out to be Shevchenko (He was similarly thought of before he joined Chelsea).

RVP?? - If he ever stays fit long enough, then he is undoubtedly good, but the staying fit has long been a problem.

Rooney?? - Top 3 striker??...Really??.....Better than Aguero??... Admittedly, he has often shown glimpses of class, but, overall, his career as been an over-hyped disappointment - Whenever the big stage has been offered, he has disappeared.

Of course, its all opinion, and its possible that LVG might somehow fashion his unbalanced squad into something resembling a team, but personally I'll be very surprised if they get within 10 points of Chelsea or Man City.... I'd also, if pushed, put money on Arsenal and Liverpool both finishing ahead of Man Utd this season.

He also said David Moyes was the right man for the job when he was appointed.

I meant more as a collective unit rather than individually.
Arsenal: Olivier Giroud Yaya Sanogo Danny Welbeck
Liverpool: Daniel Sturridge, Rickie Lambert Mario Balotelli
Chelsea: Diego Costa Loic Remy Didier Drogba.
Man City: Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko Stevan Jovetic
Man United: Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie, Radamel Falcao

However an argument could be made that individually they are the 3 best strikers in the Premier League. So far only Costa and Aguero are the two strikers I would consider to be on a par with those 3. To describe Rooney's career as an over-hyped disappointment is simply ridiculous. The trophies he has won and the success he has had as a player. He is the only world class player England have got.

Can United win the title? Absolutely. They need to start adapting to this new system quickly and start picking up the point. Another big transfer window would be needed (Strootman).

Do I think United will win the title? Not this season. Chelsea and City look very strong. I would back Chelsea for the title this season.

I do believe United will make the top four. I would be very surprised to see them outside the champions league spots.

They've signed some very good players but its been such a lop sided approach to building a team. Van Gaal said that he would adapt his system to suit his best players. But by doing that he exposes his weakest players.

They'll have some spectacular wins but will they be consistent enough to make the top four? I don't expect Arsenal or Liverpool to drop that many points.

Arsenal City chelsea and liverpool are all well oiled machines. City and chelsea have more horsepower than the other 2, but they all come together nicely.

United are all over the joint with a ton of new players and lop sided signings, regardless of the class of player it will take a while for them to be a team rather than a few individuals and the fact they have a new manager trying to play a different system adds to that. They are already off the pace and haven't won a game despite winnable fixtures.

They'll struggle to make the top 4.

Give me a break, what has he done to prove he is World Class? 1 World Cup goal for England in his international career.

How many big goals has he scored in the Champions League against good sides?

Massively overhyped player that peaked about 6 or 7 years ago.

United should've got rid of him when Chelsea offered £30m for him last year, there's no way they'll get that now.

The worst thing is we're stuck with him as England captain now even though he plays in the same position as Sterling who is more of a threat.

Don't think we ever actually made an offer. Before Fergie left he spoke about Rooney wanting to leave. When Mourinho came he pretty much made it public that we were very interested in him if he was to move. I think it was leaked that Mata wasn't rated by Mourinho and he'd be available.

But Man Utd just stuck their heals in and insisted that there was no way they'd be selling him so I don't think a figure was ever mentioned. Jose then said it was up to Rooney to ask for a transfer if that's what he wanted. Rooney just stayed quiet so he stayed.

Chelsea sold Mata to United for 37m quid in the next transfer window. Given that Man United bumped up Rooney's pay to 300k a week I think Rooney's potential transfer fee would have been around 60m quid. But United didn't want to listen.

I'm not particularly a fan of Rooney. Awesome at times but not often enough and most of his time at United he's been a back up superstar rather than the guy that's really driven the team. But to counter that he also has reached pretty high highs and also the players who he's been supporting have been top drawer. But when Rooney plays for England and he's the main man, he's been distinctly average. His scoring record is okay for England, but mainly against dross. In big games, virtually absent.

But while I'm not convinced about Rooney, I am convinced about Mourinho. And I think if he'd managed to sign Rooney we'd have probably won the league last year and Rooney would have been the conquering hero like RVP was after his first year at Man United.

I think Man United are stuck with an expensive problem in Rooney that is probably going to age really badly. There are players that can perform well into their 30s. Rooney just doesn't look like one of them.

I think Man United could have spent their way out of their problems. Falcao and Di Maria could carry them back to the top 4 and they might get away with it. Herrara and Rojo could be well targeted signings, I honestly don't know. But IMO Man United have just spent massively in a far more blind and dangerous way than we ever did. Virtually everything they've done since Fergie retired has been pretty much clueless. I doubt it will happen, but they really could be blowing themselves up with the way they're going.

Amazing

Anyone who thinks Wayne Rooney is even close to world class is deluded

Regards

King james

He's closer than any other England player - which says a lot about the sub-standard of the rest of the players!!

Rooney is another England player who has failed to reach his potential. At one time he was electric. Now he appears off the pace technically and in term of game awareness. His sharpness of mind isn't up to the standard required at the highest level. If he had lived up to his legend they would never have signed RVP and now Falcao, players who clearly have that footballing intelligence. That's not to say he can't improve it but being shunted out to the wing being a supporting role for better players i.e. fake Ronaldo, RVP, has damaged his game.

He should have been/should be an English Maradona yet he's more like Tevez (on the field). Now he's supposed to be a No.10 yet England have a kid, in Sterling, who is creating the same kind of buzz with the same kind of energy and fearlessness that Rooney had and it shows. Sterling is playing better in that role but the decision to give Rooney the captaincy means he'll have to play in a key role. I'm not blaming him for England's poor performances because that's down to the coach. However, it serves to highlight that he is neither the player we thought he would turn out to be nor the player his reputation suggests.

Van Gaal may work wonders with him we don't know. Whatever happens he will have to improve because he's no longer in that tier below Messi and fake Ronaldo.

Haha that first touch from Rooney. A true world class striker would have buried that first time, not taken a first touch like an elephant

Regards

King james

That's exactly it isn't it. He's not used to playing one-touch football like those who play in more adventurous teams and that's what I meant about him being a step behind the play. You could say it's confidence, and some of it is, but seeing as he's been like that a while I'm more inclined to believe in it being part of his game make-up these days.

Everything considered, i thought it was a decent performance and a very good result for England tonight. I only realised this morning that the top 2 automatically qualify for the Euro's,and even though we've been pants of late, i think top 2 for us in that group was pretty much a gimme, and tonights result is a great start.

Absolutely! It could have and should have been 4 or 5 nil which would have been even better.

Regards

King James

The most worrying thing about Rooney is the press around him is surpassing Gerrard levels of myth. When Benitez first came to Liverpool, he played Gerrard out on the right with much success, he played very well, yet we were repeatedly told he had to play centrally, so he could get on the ball more and 'drive' the play. Eventually, Gerrard found his best form playing centrally behind Torres, but still we were told he should play in midfield next to Alonso or Mascherano. Anyway, we're hearing similar things about Rooney, everybody seems to know where he should play and where he's at his best. Can somebody tell me the last time Rooney gave a masterclass of playing in 'the hole'? When did he last put together a performance of a proper 10? When was he last a creative force during a game? What about the last time he ran at people and beat them repeatedly through the middle of the pitch? Some people argue Rooney's best position is as a '9', but he isn't a target man, he isn't prolifically quick and his movement is hardly instinctive, is it? I was watching England the other night against Norway and Townsend was complaining because Rooney was playing 'almost as an inside left', apparently he needed to be central so he could influence the game more. Every time England line up we're told Rooney needs to influence the game more, but it doesn't matter where he is on the pitch, he isn't that influential because he isn't anywhere near as good as people think he is. Suarez last year for Liverpool appeared pretty much everywhere in the final third and influenced the game no matter where he picked the ball up.

There's no doubting Rooney has ability, he's pretty creative, his dribbling can be good and his finishing can also be good, but I can't remember the last time I thought he fully influenced a game, where I thought the opposition couldn't stop him, or where he gave a masterclas in playing a position. He's simply a talented player who seems to be slacking a little as an athlete, I can't see anybody other than Sterling and Barkley being the future of England's team, I think it's about time we either start using Rooney off the bench or he looks to find a new role on the pitch, as he won't playing up front for United if RVP and Falcao are fit, and I don't see him offering the creativity of Mata or Di Maria as a '10'.

Amen.

Wembley gets Euro 2020 semi-finals and final. Is that a consolation prize for getting shafted on the WC bid?

No, it's a purely financial decision.

I reckon if I start saving now, taking into account ticket increases for next 6 years.... I might try and get a ticket