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Over at United Rant we spend the week spent catching up on the beautiful game so you don’t have to. News, opinion, blogs and nonsense – join us, in Rant’s weekly round-up of Manchester United press – Media Digest.

“I know I’m not forgiven, but I hope that I’ll be given some peace”

Whilst defence remains United’s biggest concern this season, United’s forwards – bar the brilliant Angel Di Maria and, to some extent, Falcao – have not performed to the level expected. Whether it is Wayne Rooney’s leadership qualities, Juan Mata’s inability to orchestrate the game, or, of course, the curious case of missing Robin van Persie, United’s attacking unit appears dysfunctional.

A lot has been written about Rooney and this week is no exception – as usual, there are different takes on his persona. An article on Bleacher Report compares Rooney to Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks, always putting up numbers but never leading his team to glory. Another, on Red Mancunian, suggests that supporters finally judge Wayne by his ‘footballing’ contributions, and nothing else. Many agree, though, that Rooney’s contribution is diminishing – as one commentator put it, the Scouser is a Rolls Royce with too many miles on the clock.

United fans have already read all the arguments for and against, so perhaps it’s time to move on. Take Red Rants, for example, which takes look at how things are going so far for two forwards signed by United and Liverpool this summer:

“It really is spectacular how positive many Liverpool fans were regarding the signing of a player who had the lowest shot conversion rate of any player in the top tiers in Europe last year for AC Milan. The same player that in all of his 54 premier league appearances only managed two assists… Though Falcao has so far failed to be a regular feature on the score sheet, he has two assists and a goal to his name within considerably less playing time. Currently there is one player who’s more likely to be at the top of the brightly coloured Sky Sports info graphics and he isn’t named after a plumber… But of course Liverpool fans aren’t bothered by the sale of Luis Suarez as like anyone who dares to leave them, they never liked him anyway.”

Meanwhile, Bleacher Report ponders Mata’s recent form:

“Look at his record at United last year… His 14 starts and six goals (as well as four assists) was a very decent return, and he played an impressive role for United in the second half of last season. This season is different though; with Mata struggling to find his place in this team, his performances have ultimately suffered. And glancing even further down his career record, you begin to see a similar path unfold during his time at Chelsea… It is a story not too dissimilar to Shinji Kagawa and his relationship with David Moyes… If Van Gaal is keen on Mata and wants to work with him during his tenure as United manager, he must alter things to ensure Mata is in a role that suits him on the ground.”

But even if fans are concerned with United’s current forward line many have performed admirably over the years. Rooney, van Persie, and former United players Cristiano Ronaldo and Dimitar Berbatov were all included in Opta’s top 10 forwards of the past decade, as reported by The Peoples Person.

“After the fall, nobody knows, nobody helps… Surrender.”

Elsewhere, the rule ‘the less said about it, the better’ could be applied to United’s defence. There is no chance fans can ignore the issue of late, but rather than focus on the negative, some have chosen to look on the bright side. Rob Dawson, in his article for Bleacher Report, hopes that Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair are the future of Manchester United

“[Van Gaal] didn’t envisage giving first-team debuts to Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair this season. But that’s what has happened… There have been flashes of naivety, but that’s to be expected. What perhaps wasn’t expected was McNair keeping Everton’s Romelu Lukaku unusually quiet in just his second senior game. Blackett, 20, and McNair, 19, need to fill out physically. And they’ve both got more to learn about what can only be called the art of defending… But young players do not get many chances in top-level senior football. And it’s a credit to United’s academy that two youngsters have been able to make the most of theirs.”

Meanwhile, Stretty News suggests fans finally stop looking for the new Roy Keane, who has been much in the news of late:

“If another Keano is going to be found then it won’t be done by simply buying him in as many have suggested with Vidal. It will be crafted from a raw, raging diamond at United as Keane was and as Ronaldo was… Vidal, brilliant as he is, is not United’s next Keane. Can anyone imagine Roy teasing a move all summer via his agent, social media and the newspapers throughout a summer? Not a chance… It won’t be Daley Blind either, he’s the ice to Keane’s fire but still a quality and clever footballer who massively improves us nonetheless. It could be Herrera, he has Keane’s combative nature and relishes the physical side of PL [but] seems abit too boyish and happy-go-lucky. It definitely is not United’s current captain, he shares some of that rage but it’s toned down these days and when it does show it’s petulant and counterproductive…

Maybe the conclusion is to stop this never ending quest for a man to fill the boots of, as Rob Smyth once described him, the Tony Soprano of football… Just be happy be happy with a new team of damn fine players giving some optimism to Old Trafford again.”

As for Keano? He is, well, funny. At least that’s what Jim White thinks as he profiles Keane in an article for The Telegraph:

“A man who has a reputation as being, well, frankly psychotic, latterly seen on television terrifying the living daylights out of Adrian Chiles or scowling on the Aston Villa bench while wearing a beard of biblical scale, turns out to have the timing of a stand-up comedian. He is also hugely self-deprecating, relaxed and indiscreet. Against all preconception, an evening in his company provides a wholly unexpected opportunity to roar with laughter.”

United Rant recently reviewed Keane’s latest book for those who haven’t yet read it.

“You are out of promises that you can’t keep”

Meanwhile, Keane’s best friend and biggest foe, Alex Ferguson (Keane is reluctant to use “Sir”), is trying his best to argue that the David Moyesdisaster wasn’t his faultThe Guardian, is not buying it:

“For the most part, the general tone is one of sympathy for Moyes. Yet there is a killer passage about the way his successor slowed down United’s playing style, along with the other observations that it was a “massive jump from Everton” and “he hadn’t realised just how big United is as a club.”

“Surely people don’t really believe the Glazer family would allow the new manager to be chosen by one person?” writes Ferguson in his updated biography. Well, actually, yes they do. Unless, of course, we are expected to believe that it was Joel, Bryan, or Avi perhaps, who decided the best candidate was the manager from Everton, with next to no Champions League experience, no previous trophies, and no form when it comes to working with a major budget.

“It would be intriguing to know if Moyes was aware of [conversations with Ferdinand and Evra], because if not, this is straying dangerously close to Sir Matt Busby and Frank O’Farrell territory – exactly what Ferguson said would never happen,” conclused Taylor. Well, quite.

And, in case you were wondering, Moyes is ready to manage again, says the BBC.

More reading…

Daily Mail reports that Di Maria will play against Chelsea
Retro United rolled out its United History subsite
Sky Sports quotes Bryan Robson, who criticizes Roy Keane
Bleacher Report has a story about a father, who auctions his son’s loyalty to either United or City on Ebay, all for a good cause

For many, Sunday is a day spent in the company of family and friends, reading that unfinished book, or watching a new episode of a favourite show. Over at United Rant it’s spent catching up on the beautiful game. Join us, in Rant’s weekly round-up of Manchester United-related news and blogs – Media Digest.

“God knows what is hiding in those weak and drunken hearts”

Former United player Rio Ferdinand has had much to say about Kick It Out in recent days. “We are in a better place now, but there is still work to be done,” said Herman Ouseley, chairman of Kick It Out, reflecting on the past twenty years of the campaign. But as Jonathan Allsop writes in his blog, there is still a long way to go before racism, sexism and homophobia is kicked out of football.

“It’s clear that we can’t rely on the so-called role models who play, manage, administer and commentate on our national game to set an example when it comes to fighting discrimination in all its forms. Malky Mackay and the League Managers’ Association are the latest in a long line of those whose bigoted views have disgraced the game including the likes of John Terry, Richard Scudamore, Ron Atkinson and Alan Green. And typically the BBC were only too happy to include the fascist Paolo di Canio as a talking head in its recent smugfest celebrating fifty years of Match of the Day. ‘Haha, look at the daft fascist pushing the referee over…’”

“Can’t help myself but count the flaws”

A lot has been written about Wayne Rooney: the brilliant, the stupid, the beautiful, and the ugly. He is the loved one, the hated one, the captain, and the embarrassment all at the same time. The debate stops only until Rooney produces the next best or the worst thing – and then it starts all over again. This time it’s the latter; Rooney’s red card against West Ham United and his perceived lack of leadership qualities – at least those beyond yelling.

Unsurprisingly, it looks like recent events failed to sway any of the camps, either pro- or anti-Rooney. Consider the titles: the Daily Mail leads with “Wayne Rooney is a success story and the haters can’t handle it.” Stretty News strongly responds with “Wayne Rooney: Petulant, pathetic, past his best!” The (anti)hero thinks his best years are yet to come, even if some wish they’d come elsewhere; after all, as that Daily Mail’s article states, once he becomes United’s all-time top goalscorer, he can laugh at all of us.

On the other hand, Jeremy Wilson put it perfectly when he said on Sky Sports’ panel dedicated to Rooney: “I always feel that there’s a simmering frustration that what has been a very, very good career has not quite gone to the stratosphere that you would hope.”

But should that make him a scapegoat? Sam Pilger, writing for Bleacher Report, does not think so, concluding that Rooney deserves more love at United.

“So Rooney didn’t become Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? Deal with it. No other player in the last decade has either, so why single out Rooney?

“Denis Law demanded a pay rise from Sir Matt Busby in the 1960s and was transfer listed, and Eric Cantona, while serving an eight-month ban for kicking a Crystal Palace fan (now that was recklessness on a grand scale), also asked to leave in 1995. George Best didn’t even ask to leave; he simply walked out of Old Trafford without a backward glance in May 1972 by announcing his retirement the day before he turned 26 and fleeing to a beach in Spain. He returned 12 days later.”

However, there’s still a question of leadership – or lack of it. Jim White, in his column for The Telegraph, thinks that United need a new Keane:

“[Keane] was United’s conscience, providing purpose on the pitch, quick to remind colleagues of their responsibilities in the dressing room. For more than a decade his glowering brow epitomised the team’s relentless determination to win… This was a man whose very presence issued constant notice of the standard expected, the merest glance prompting memories of his own unyielding performance against Juventus at the Stadio delle Alpi in 1999. When Keane was around, nobody dared shirk. Where Keane went, everybody was obliged to follow. Such leadership qualities have become only more obvious since they have been no longer available. It is a vacuum which, according to Louis van Gaal, was particularly stark when the new manager arrived in Manchester at the start of this season.”

Oh, and that red card? Could Rooney’s stupidity might lead to something good? Red Mancunian’s Mark Nevin thinks it’s a blessing in disguise:

“It hands an opportunity to Juan Mata to prove that he can be a more effective option than the United skipper in the hole behind the two main strikers. It also moves Adnan Januzaj up the pecking order. We don’t want to see him burnt out, but with so many quality attacking players there’s a real danger of him not getting the game time he needs to continue his development. It also means someone else picking up the captaincy. I suspect, however, that after the three games there’ll be an even bigger question mark over his position as a regular starter and that Van Gaal may be forced to reassess his view of his leadership qualities.”

“I’ll be here giving it my best shot”

Forced by circumstances or not, Van Gaal has already given an opportunity to so many youngsters that it is almost possible to field a team of kids. Tyler Blackett has not only started a few games, but performed impressively too. In the Daily Mail Adam Crafton profiles the youngster, touching on the roots of the player’s dedication, United’s youth policy and Tyler’s professionalism:

“On Tuesday, United players were granted a day off but still Blackett came in, determined to push himself, picking over his performances and organising an extra session in the gym… It is not only his attitude that has struck Van Gaal and his close-knit team of advisers. For a defender, the goals against column is the ultimate measure of success, but coaches have been lifted by Blackett’s distribution. At home to QPR, 97.9 per cent of Blackett’s 97 passes were successful, a better record than any other United player on the day… The defender’s level-headed approach is admirable. His parents must take much of the credit. So too must the United academy, where Blackett first trained at the age of seven.”

Meanwhile, Red Mancunian’s Leo Nieboer contemplates what comes next for Blackett.

“Everything he does just evokes the persona of a really calm chap, you’d trust him to cut your hair during an earthquake. There’s certainly some further development that needs to happen… [but it] can only happen to certain extents depending on the players that surround you… Tyler Blackett is that unfortunate pupil, who has lots of potential and good qualities but can’t utilise it to a full extent because he is surrounded by a panicky and introverted weirdo, or in other words, Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling. The lack of leadership at the back makes life much harder for someone who is finding their feet in the Premier League. If pressure were alleviated more competently in defence then Blackett would be able to acclimatize and improve at a much faster rate.”

“Come make a mess of it. Shine!”

When Van Gaal first came to the club, the Dutchman made a promise to turn things around in three months. Even though he later changed the self-imposed deadline to a full year, it’s interesting to see just where the club is three months into Dutchman’s reign.

Ian Ladyman is not entirely convinced with van Gaal’s achievements thus far. In his article for Daily Mail he writes:

“United can look a completely different team within the space one match, never mind one week, and the reasons for this go deeper than an injury crisis… For all the technical quality of United’s offensive players – Herrera in particular looks a fine footballer – United continue to have difficulties retaining possession for long periods. Ferguson used to talk about suffocating opponents with possession but that trait began to slip away during his later years and it’s problem that went on to afflict Moyes’ United and is now causing difficulties for Van Gaal… A team that can look as devastating as any when it moves forward still spends too much time without the ball, despite the endless passing drills that Van Gaal asks his coaches to organise on a daily basis during first ream training.”

More reading…
The Daily Mail reports that Eric Cantona will be whipped in a film based around an orgy.
Daniel Taylor writes about the possibility of Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to United for The Guardian.
The Republik of Mancunia raised £1,605 for local charity.
The Peoples Person features a clip from Sir Alex’s playing days.

For many, Sunday is a day spent in the company of family and friends, reading that unfinished book, or watching a new episode of a favourite show. Over at United Rant it’s spent catching up on the beautiful game. Join us, in Rant’s weekly round-up of Manchester United-related news and blogs – Media Digest, which in this issue covers not one, but the past two weeks.

Blogs

The season has started! United has been four dull games late to the party, but after the international break fans finally got a chance to see a re-energized side in action. Even as the Reds were burning against Leicester City, one couldn’t escape the thought that this was somehow a small measure of progress. Slowly, United is getting there.

“Happy endings may get a bad rep, but they do happen.”

Few doubt that David Moyes’ time at United was a failure and he had mostly himself to blame. But did anything good come from the period? Paul Gunning suggests in his article for Republik of Mancunia that supporters should be at the very least thankful for the reality check the Scot provided:

“Sometimes, a period of illness can almost seem worth it as you begin to recover. You step back out into the world with fresh eyes and a greater appreciation for the beauty that surrounds you. It has always been there, but you had stopped noticing it; taken it for granted. Suddenly the future looks bright and you know that, even when things take a turn for the worse, you can draw strength from the memory of dark times in your past that you have negotiated.”

But even so, it wasn’t pretty. While fans are yet to hear many details, some are slowly surfacing. Rio Ferdinand provided the most recent in his autobiography. While Red Mancunian’s Mark Nevin was not fond of the revelations, he also notes:

“One of the first principles of effective man-management is not to allow yourself to get dragged into disagreements over issues that are at best peripheral: in other words, if you’re going to upset your employees, only do it over something important… Banning the eating of low-fat chips falls into the same category. Its impact on performance is almost certainly negligible: all it achieves is to annoy those at the receiving end of the dictum. ‘Win the person not the argument’ is another common management slogan… We may, in time, find similar criticisms levelled at Van Gaal… His control, however, is aimed squarely at those areas that impact on performance and team bonding and which will unquestionably make sense to the players under his charge..”

Things have definitely moved on since last April (for a memory refresh Beautifully Red reviewed United’s summer in .gif format.)  For one, the club finally spent some money. Does it mean United lost its identity and abandoned the ‘way of youthful?’ Almost every blog touched on this topic in recent times and the universal agreement is that the club’s identity is just fine.

The Peoples Person features a thorough look at the topic by Doc Joshi, who argues:

“The Class of ’92 played alongside the likes of Peter Schmeichel, Eric Cantona, Gary Pallister, Steve Bruce, Brian McClair and Denis Irwin – all seasoned professionals at the peak of their powers. They had players like Roy Keane and Andy Cole proven at the highest level who were yet to hit their peak years. It was a team filled with quality as well as promise. The point is not that we are abandoning our faith in youth but we are concentrating on elevating the first team to the standard expected of a Manchester United side… It is easier to bring in young players when you are in a position of strength.”

As Richard Cann notes in his article for Stretty News, “when it’s United different rules apply, for they are eternally damned if they do and damned if they don’t”. Cann then smashes critics’ doublethink:

“However, criticism of Woodward, Van Gaal et al since the early editions were printed on the morning of September 2nd has not only centred on the failure to recruit in certain areas. Instead, commentators aimed their arrows at the very overspending that many had insisted would be necessary weeks before and…actions considered to be betrayal of United’s fabled faith in youth and home-grown talent… Perhaps what is most remarkable about the claims that United have broken from their history and ushered in a new Galactico era is that it totally ignores Sir Alex’s time at the club prior to the Glazer takeover, when his United regularly broke the British transfer record and paid out what were vast sums for both young talents and proven quality.”

After all several young players have featured for United this season and quite a few are expected to follow the lead.

“You really have to want to quit. You gotta hit rock bottom.”

Late on 1 September Danny Welbeck left the club for Arsenal, breaking a few hearts and igniting an identity-lost-or-found-debate along the way. Whilst it was a good move for all parties concerned, many fans were disappointed to see the striker go: Manchester born and bred, saying goodbye to his boyhood club, dreams shattered. The scenes.

In his Hemingwayesque article for Red Mancunian (“write drunk, edit sober”), Joel Downings waxes lyrical:

“Our club’s identity is shaped by those who embody it. Players who ‘get it’, Danny Welbeck is a prime example of that… “When the ball went in, that feeling… if that feeling was a drug I would be dead!” Welbeck said of his first United goal.”

He then, soberly, adds:

“I write with a heavy heart but it’s for purely sentimental reasons I wish the transfer hadn’t happened. I trust in our manager’s vision and if it is felt that a youth product isn’t good enough for our first-team then I accept that.”

In the end, though, as William Dawson argues in his piece for Red Rants:

“The jokes hide the pain but it must be said that there is no sarcasm when wishing Danny the best of luck and saying he will be sorely missed… Hopefully one day after he’s developed into the world-class striker he has the potential to be, he might be back at Old Trafford. Danny Welbeck. Forever a Manchester Lad from Longsight. Our Danny.”

Press

“All those things that weren’t supposed to happen? They happened. What happens next is up to you.”

Just like fans, journalists were concerned with United’s identity in the past fortnight. Unfortunately, for the most part, the fourth estate fell victim to the urge for sensationalism, with few offering a more honest assessment. One such author is Danny Taylor, who writes in his article for The Guardian:

“Check the history, Gill used to say, and it would show United had never gone in for buying superstars for huge sums when they could develop their own for nothing. If only that were true. Twenty-one different clubs have broken the British transfer record since Aston Villa made a Scottish inside-forward by the name of Willie Groves the first £100 player in 1893. United, however, are the only one to have done it eight times… United are not losing their soul. They are simply playing catch-up. It is probably their only way back and, if anything, the most legitimate criticism about them returning to the highest end of the market is that they should have done it long before now.”

Among those who insisted that United’s way will never change is Ryan Giggs. In his interview for The Telegraph he talks about Falcao, management, confidence, and what it’s like to work with Louis van Gaal.

“Obviously the manager – sorry, Sir Alex – had his ways of working, basically his man-management was brilliant, his knowledge was brilliant, but he left the day-to-day stuff to Steve McClaren, Brian Kidd, Carlos Queiroz, Rene and Mick. Louis is more hands-on regarding what we’re doing day to day, he takes the sessions. It’s all very precise. He’s very vocal during training, very keen to communicate exactly what it is he wants and expects. He is calm… Louis prefers to work on the training ground.”

The same outlet is also full of praise for United’s new signing Daily Blind. Alan Smith suggests that Blind brings game intelligence to United’s midfield and goes on to say:

“…it was clear right away how well Blind reads the game. Adept at offering the right angle to the man in possession, he kept the play moving smoothly with his one‑touch passing… Lacking the athleticism of Bryan Robson, the power of Roy Keane or the long-range vision of Paul Scholes, the new man compares more closely to Michael Carrick, who, when fit, might experience some problems finding a place in this side. Like Carrick, Blind is a continuity player also responsible for sniffing out danger and blocking off avenues. Not so much of a strong tackler, he goes about that defensive side leaning more on anticipation and interceptions.”

“You keep rolling with the marital discord, and I see you across from Oprah on a big yellow couch”

By the time Wayne Rooney retires he might have scored the most goals and submitted the most transfer requests in United’s history – and the joke will be on the fans. Should this be allowed this to happen?

Paul Parker thinks not. In his column for Yahoo! Sport he writes:

“That’ll leave Van Gaal with a big call to make: dropping Wayne Rooney… A few weeks ago, I read Jamie Redknapp’s column saying more or less the exact opposite – saying (ahead of the arrival of Di Maria and Falcao) that Rooney would be the only United player who’d get into the side at Chelsea or Manchester City. I actually laughed out loud when I read it, because it’s just total rubbish… He’s not a patch on the likes of Diego Costa or Sergio Aguero – and as we’ve seen in the past, rather than react by upping his game and sharpening up his act, he’s more likely to down tools and start sulking about his treatment. In retrospect he should probably have been sold to Chelsea last summer…”

Barney Ronay echoes Parker’s sentiment in the article for The Guardian:

“Enter: the Wazza Paradox. Here is a footballer who has been elevated to the pinnacle of what he could reasonably hope to achieve – captain of club and country – at precisely the stage in his career when he is no longer able to fulfil with genuine distinction either function… Above all he has lost that sense of absolute joyful certainty in his own powers, reduced instead at times to whirling about fretfully between the lines like a dying crab, eyes fogged with grit, gargling brine and scurf, pincers snapping at empty air.”

“Who gives diamonds to the homeless?”

What did the past two games, against QPR and Leicester City, have in common? The correct answer is: formation. United employed a midfield diamond, but to rather different outcomes. After a victory over QPR, Stretty News’ John Deehan was straightforward:

“Surely there can’t be many United fans out there, especially in the wake of the QPR game, who are gunning for a return to [3-5-2] which seemed so alien to the players it may as well have come under Chapter 2 in the David Moyes’ Big Book of Tactics – Chapter 1 being The Art of Crossing.”

Unfortunately, when it comes to properly defending with a diamond, United still has a lot of work to do. Pearson admitted: “We had done our research this week and their attacking options are frightening but the diamond formation they play leaves a lot of space behind the full backs and we looked to exploit that.” The press, led by Redknapp and Carragher, destroyed United’s defending much like their namesake Jamie Vardy did. while Gary Neville simply called United soft-centred.

Meanwhile former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy provided an interesting analysis of the game for BBC:

“The game should still have been in their control. Instead, they were nervous. When you are in that situation, leadership matters…In the past, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have been that voice, but they have gone and not been replaced. Instead, against Leicester, United had 20-year-old Tyler Blackett at the heart of their defence… The Leicester players were given far too much space. Blind got lots of praise this week for the way he shielded the defence against QPR and set the tempo with his passing – but that was a completely different game…This time, with the pace and energy of Leicester, plus the number of players they pushed forward, the game by-passed him a little bit… if United want to challenge against the top sides then they have to look at changing their system or their personnel…You could really only argue that Luke Shaw should be given a chance now, and that Phil Jones would play if he is fit. But that is it. So a change in system is probably more realistic.”

More reading…

Andy Mitten tells a great story for Scandinavia Supporters Club’s site.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a jealous of the attention United’s new signings are receiving, so claims The Telegraph.

Meanwhile, Daily Mail reports that Van Gaal ordered players, including Antonio Valencia, once Cristiano’s, ahem, replacement, to take English lessons. It is also reported that he ruled that players hand in their mobile phones the night before matches.

The Telegraph reveals how United attracts their superstars even without Champions League football.

Daily Mail reports on the termination clause in Radamel Falcao’s loan agreement if the Colombian’s knee injury returns.

“Nobody likes you. You’re ugly and your mother dresses you funny. Now smile, you fucking douche.” Did Hank describe a football agent? The Telegraph reports on Jorge Mendes’  big coup, while Sky Sports quotes Sporting Lisbon president’s rage over third-party ownership of players.

P.S. Sandy Busby passed away earlier this week. Rest in Peace.

Media Digest is United Rant’s weekly round-up of Manchester United-related news and blogs. This time, with the transfer deadline coming on Monday, we cover a little bit more than a week – including reaction to what was surprisingly the busiest day of a busy week.

Blogs
Blogs resemble airport lounges at the moment – it’s all about departures and arrivals, at least for the past – and, certainly, next – nine days.

“Sex on Fire”

“United is not a big club anymore,” they said. “You can’t get big players without the Champions League,” their manager said. Well, look at that: here’s Angel Di Maria in the flesh at Carr… sorry, the Aon Training Complex. But, taking the mickey out of Scousers aside,  is Di Maria a luxury or, rather, a necessity? That’s the question that Leo Nieboer investigates in his article for Red Mancunian. He emphasizes that the Argentinean “provides 3 things that [our] midfield has sorely missed; speed, stamina and the conviction to go and beat players,” before straightforwardly concluding with “at the end of the day if you’re not happy about this guy joining the club then there is something seriously wrong with you.”

And if you keep dialing Drew Carey to ask whether the price is right, Republik of Mancunia has some interesting stats on Angel, as well as Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Luis Suarez, and James Rodriguez.

“This could be the end ’cause I ain’t got a home”

While United has finally spent big in a single transfer window, actually breaking a few British records by spending close to £150 million, another burning question remains: what do you do with all the underperforming players? Wayne Barton tackled the difficult task of defending a few of them or, at least, bringing some justice into the picture, in his article for the Talk of the Devils called “Defending the Dross Bros at United”. In it, Barton touches on the popular idea of Sir Alex Ferguson sabotaging the club:

“Ferguson won the league in his last season in charge so were these players really average? This is a very different question to asking if, in August 2014, they deserve to be at the club. Can we really be expected to believe that Phil Jones, David De Gea, Shinji Kagawa and Robin van Persie are players that the manager felt were average and that he was ‘pissing away’ money?.. Similarly, are United to blame for the escalation in wages? Perhaps they have contributed to the problem but are not solely responsible.”

And the dross bros? “They just weren’t good enough for United to build their next title winning squad around. And that’s not a crime.”

Indeed, but can you say that about some players’ lack of effort? Meanwhile, Doron Solomon looks into the curious case of Tom Cleverley for Stretford-End. Fourteen years into his relationship with United, Tom has left for yet another loan spell, which will be his last before he leaves the club for good. The hope, the brand, the scapegoat. “To many, the player built up unfairly as the next great central midfielder came to symbolise United’s demise in central midfield.” It seems like the right, but never perfect, time to say goodbye:

“Clearly, for both Manchester United and Tom Cleverley himself this is the right decision; his confidence is shot and United need a different type of player in midfield, especially as in the current plight they cannot afford any passengers. However, what has become of him was to some extent not his own doing… He is a good, hard-working professional who can at least leave having captained United; even though it was on a pre-season tour, this was something he was incredibly proud of… I hope he isn’t damaged beyond repair… Finally, those rejoicing at his departure have lost sight of what their football club represents. For all United’s success, it is the ability to bring players through from the academy to first team that is the most long-standing.”

Press

“I see a storm bubbling up from the sea – and it’s coming closer”

The enigma that is Anderson Luis de Abreu Oliveira! Tipped to become bigger than Rooney – as was noted on Twitter, he did, in a way – he’s now the outcast at United with zero resale value. Describing Anderson’s fall for Daily Mail, Adam Shergold writes:

“Over the course of the last seven years, Anderson has spiralled from one of the hottest properties in world football to an overweight laughing stock. It is one of the biggest falls from grace the English game has ever seen.”

A sad story indeed.

Contrary pessimistic predictions just a few weeks ago it’s not all doom and gloom around Old Trafford on 2 September. Probably due to its unexpected nature, United’s deal for Ramadel Falcao’s became a cherry on top of our unusually busy transfer window cake. Henry Winter of The Telegraph thinks that even though United did not really need another striker, the deal makes sense in every possible way. He clearly admires the player:

“This is the real beauty of Falcao. Goals. Just ask his victims.”

The question is, how will United line-up now? In his column for The Guardian Jonathan Wilson thinks that Louis van Gaal will persevere with a 3-5-2 system:

“It was not thoughtless idealism, sticking to a philosophy come what may; above all else, he is a pragmatist, and, besides, 3-5-2 only became his preferred shape in March.”

Wilson also claims that United’s recent signings, such as Di Maria, support this theory – even though van Gaal has said that he might change the system to build the team around the Argentinean.

More reading…

You can’t lose with United: a  4-0 humiliation brought £1,250 to an absent-minded United fan – as reported by the Daily Mail.

The same outlet also reports on Borussia Dortmund selling 5,000 Shinji Kagawa’s shirts in one day, as the Japanese returns back to his former club. To put this into perspective, recent reports suggest that United sells on average nearly 1.5 million replica shirts per year – second only to Real Madrid.

Stretford End Flags seeks ideas for a new banner.

The Salford Star features a thought-provoking piece on the Class of ‘92 vs Salford City FC.

For many, Sunday is a day spent in the company of family and friends, reading that unfinished book, or watching a new episode of a favourite show. Over at United Rant it’s spent catching up on the beautiful game. Join us, in Rant’s weekly round-up of Manchester United-related news and blogs – Media Digest.

Blogs

This week, supporters were mostly concerned with the captain’s position, club owners and some of the players. That’s, of course, when they weren’t discussing transfer rumours – but this is Rant, so let’s not go there.

“Do me a favour, stop asking questions!”

Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes – none of them was properly replaced. Despite all the talk, United has not been in the business of making big signings – Robin van Persie an exception to the rule in recent years. Now that Ferguson’s genius has gone too the truth that United fans knew long ago is plain – this squad needs a major surgery. This summer has again been one of disappointments, even though the club has already signed three players – with one more on the way next week, it seems. And the fans know whom to blame for that.

In a long list of articles on the topic a few stand out. In one of them, Doc Joshi reflects on transfer embarrassments for The Peoples Person:

Talks of “showdown” talks between Van Gaal and Woodward are not surprising and this United fan would love to be a fly on the wall of that meeting! I can just imagine King Louis tea-bagging Ed Woodward before handing in his resignation in the form of a #GlazersOut tattoo imprinted onto Woodward’s forehead. Van Gaal has nothing to prove and if the board don’t give him the tools he requires to succeed then he is likely to seek a final swansong elsewhere. And I for one wouldn’t blame him. At 63, he’s not likely to want a five year re-building project.

Dan from Red Rants wonders, furiously, whether Woodward is making promises he can’t keep:

“In the late 1970s… Bruce Springsteen used to add a verse to one of his signature songs… “You lied,” sang Springsteen, initially in a melancholic, matter of fact voice, before following the music’s crescendo to utter those words in a mixture of ferocious anger and disgust. Ed Woodward is nobody’s idea of a lost love, but, bar major surprises, United fans could soon be uttering those words soon… United have tolerated mediocrity for far too long and if the club is serious about ensuring last season was only a blip rather than the beginning of a new era, then Woodward must walk the walk instead of just talking the talk.”

Red Rants also has a suggestion on how to make fans’ feelings known to the Glazers.

“Then you would agree that there ain’t no romance around there”

So, Rooney is United’s new captain. If you are as psyched as we are, you’re not psyched at all. That’s the view also shared by Scott at The Republik of Mancunia, who writes:

“Maybe it’s silly of me to want someone who is properly committed to the club and doesn’t talk shit to be our captain. We can listen to Rooney talk of his pride and happiness at being captain of “this great club” and pretend he didn’t ask to leave twice within the space of three years to join our rivals. We can watch him kiss the badge after scoring and kid ourselves that this is a player who really loves Manchester United.”

He also notes that:

“But then maybe that’s just the way football works though. Whilst Nemanja Vidic didn’t behave like Rooney and his agent always denied transfer rumours, it was almost certain he was leaving us for Italy a few years ago. Then out of nowhere he signed a new contract and leapfrogged Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs, who’d always worn the armband ahead of him in Gary Neville’s absence, to be named captain…”

That’s the opinion shared by many. Supporters might not always be very fond of all the things Rooney, but isn’t it time to move on? Darren from The Talk of the Devils certainly thinks so:

“When Roy Keane did it back in the 90′s and very publicly stated he wanted £100,000 a week or he was off the fans backed him. You can argue about whether you feel Keane is a better or more important player to United then than Rooney is now but they are just semantics. The key here is that the issue is exactly the same… Have you ever thought that Van Gaal has come in with a cold heart and cold eyes and simply looked at who is the most suitable candidate and chosen Rooney?.. Fans have to understand that players don’t love clubs like we do.”

Or to paraphrase the Arctic Monkeys: a kiss would be too much to ask.

“This House Is A Circus”

The enigma that is Nani will be missed at United – at least that’s what Old Trafford Faithful’s Fabby thinks. “He doesn’t deserve to be remembered by his last two seasons for the club. He deserves to be remembered by his two best seasons,” Fabby reminisces before wrapping up by noting:

“So he’s off. Off to a league for which he is most certainly too good. Off to play for his boyhood club Sporting Lisbon. A quiet exit for a player who could be world-class the first minute, and play like he had never played football before the next. Somewhere between genius and insanity, Nani will be missed. Perhaps more than we can imagine.”

Well, as far as Nani’s Sporting (re)debut goes maybe not so much: he missed a penalty and earned a yellow card before being substituted. Supporters will always cherish his penalty in Moscow though.

Meanwhile, Red Mancunian looks into the curious case of Nick Powell. The youngster’s absence on the US tour raised a few eyebrows and it was something of a strange relief to find out it was due to an injury and not having already fallen out of grace with the new manager.

“Powell’s loan spell at Wigan last season was very successful and he ended up top goal scorer at the Latics with 11 goals and got some great European experience playing in the Europa League. Though now the rumours have started to circulate that Powell was ready to go back to the Championship on loan… But considering United’s squad and lack of midfielders there isn’t really a reason why Powell shouldn’t get a decent go in the side unless new players are signed.”

Still, a new player has been signed, albeit not a midfielder. The Peoples Person comes up with reasons United fans will love Marcos Rojo. The Argentinian has a unique way to clear corners alright; made Robben look stupid once – this is a good one! – but then again, van Gaal loves Robben, so that’s kinda confusing too.

Also confusing: do the Glazers really think all is good now?

Press

United’s poor start to the new season was a blessing for the mainstream press, giving birth to myriad speculation.

“Oh there’s a very pleasant side to you, a side I much prefer…”

There has been plenty written about United’s new manager, but in case you’ve missed something, the Guardian features The Van Gaal Dossier, which contains some interesting infographics and some very specific fonts.

Meanwhile, it’s finally happened. David Moyes offered an “EXCLUSIVE!!!” interview on the subject of his time at United – to Daily Mail. Undoubtedly the first of many to come. Of course, getting there first meant a good deal of drama for Mail’s reporters: “Inside, however, he is suffering. Not least because it is not in the nature of a proud, working-class Scotsman to be idle. He wants to work. He needs to work…”

“Do you want me crawling back to you?”

The state of affairs at United, with the apparent shortcomings in the transfer market – and, lately, the trophy cabinet too – pushed some outlets to dedicated space to the real source of United’s problems. The Guardian’s David Conn looks at how Glazers continue to thrive while “Manchester United flounder.” There should be more articles like this.

Former players are none too comfortable with the situation at United either. Unfortunately, while being honest and straightforward in his column for The Independent, Paul Scholes failed to mention Glazers once. Noted, Paul.

“I am scared for United. Genuinely scared that they could go into the wilderness in the same way that Liverpool did in the 1990s.”

More reading…

The Talk of the Devils features extract from John Ludden’s book “From the Stars” on United’s decline in 1968-74.

Darren Fletcher’s return to football is covered by Daily Mail.

Manchester Evening News looks at how United’s defeat to Swansea was reported by their colleagues.

Visually pleasing moments from the first game of the season can be found in gif form on Beautifully Red.

Daily Mail reports on City appointing Moyes’ scout as European talent spotter.