Nady;2701325 said:
Thanks to Madrid for inflating prices. On a plus note, they gave us 80 million though. Since we won't be making anymore signings, this will reduce our debt a whole lot.
Btw I think there's enough quality in the team to compete against the best. All our youngsters will be coming with more experience this coming season and some players will be playing in their natural position following the departure of Ronaldo. I'm still confident about this season.
EDIT: Just saw about Owen getting the #7. Quite shocked and a bit disapointed about it (wanted Rooney to take it) but I think Fergie knows what he's doing. He won't give that number to anyone. He must have the reasons to have done this I guess.
The money will be available if Fergie requires it, be that in January or next summer (or possibly even if the right player becomes available at the right price this summer) but yeah it'll help the finances somewhat (even though it wasn't going direct to the debt - that's secured against future income, gate receipts etc) Apart from the debts, the Glazers have been good owners and have always made money available. (To my suprise)
At the unveiling press conference, Valencia and Fergie both reiterated that he was not bought to "replace the number 7" so I would guess Valencia wasn't given the number to avoid more Ronaldo comparisons. Also I read somewhere that Rooney was offered 7, but chose to stick with 10 (as he's a striker) Fergie suggested Owen was given 7 because he "knew he could handle it"
Also if you look at the squad, yes we've lost the best player in the world - but I think as a team we'll still be effective, maybe even more so.
Rooney will play up front in his favoured position, alternating with Berba and Owen (with backup from Macheda, Welbeck and Manucho)
Valencia and Nani I expect will run the wings, with Tosic and Obertan on standby (and of course Giggs and Park) They will primarily be supplying ammunition to the strikers. I expect our pattern of play to revert to the 1999 type.
Also added to the squad will be a fully fit Wes Brown, Gary Neville and (at some point) Owen Hargreaves. Anderson will be better (he really needs a goal for his confidence) and Carrick will pull the strings (and there's some old bloke called Scholes knocking about too)
As I said before, if you lay the squad out - we're pretty stacked and more than a match for Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal.
We lost a supremely talented player who when it worked could produce moments of match winning magic - however when it didn't work, United were left defending often with 10 men - I suspect that will not happen next season.
