Antonio Valencia

[TheElephantMan]

I don't understand why people are scoffing at this?! Valencia is a quality RW, and whilst he isn't Ronaldo he's probably the best player available for that position and he's Premiership proven. I'm not suggesting that United are stronger for signing Valencia, they've just lost two of the best players in the World. If they acquire three other quality players for £20m each during the transfer window then they're still going to be favourites to win the title next year.

[BobTheCharmer]

I don't understand why people are scoffing at this?! Valencia is a quality RW, and whilst he isn't Ronaldo he's probably the best player available for that position and he's Premiership proven. I'm not suggesting that United are stronger for signing Valencia, they've just lost two of the best players in the World. If they acquire three other quality players for £20m each during the transfer window then they're still going to be favourites to win the title next year.

My thoughts also. We've just spent (I think well) £17.5m on a fullback that has already struggled at a top club. Thats a big risk also.

[kop-al-74]

The way I see it is this.They will still be weaker next season on the goals front purely on the fact that Ronaldo had averaged 30 goals a season for the last 3 years and was also a dead ball specialist.I don't know how many assists he also stacks up.

Unless they are lucky enough to get someone to make an inpact like Torres,which I really doubt,they won't be as strong imo.I still believe they will be the team to finish above though to win the league.

[rudedog]

The way I see it is this.They will still be weaker next season on the goals front purely on the fact that Ronaldo had averaged 30 goals a season for the last 3 years and was also a dead ball specialist.I don't know how many assists he also stacks up.
Unless they are lucky enough to get someone to make an inpact like Torres,which I really doubt,they won't be as strong imo.I still believe they will be the team to finish above though to win the league.

not that many - he always seemed to prefer making and taking his own chances rather than providing for others.

[Tee]

The way I see it is this.They will still be weaker next season on the goals front purely on the fact that Ronaldo had averaged 30 goals a season for the last 3 years and was also a dead ball specialist.I don't know how many assists he also stacks up.

Unless they are lucky enough to get someone to make an inpact like Torres,which I really doubt,they won't be as strong imo.I still believe they will be the team to finish above though to win the league.

I honestly think they will be fighting for 4th spot by February with their city rivals. Mark my words they will struggle next season, they will not have the ability to nick wins at the death like they did with Tevez and Ronaldo this season and I can see a lot of teams frustrating them ot OT.

Whoever finishes above us will win the league. Simple as. It is there for the taking IMO, more so than last season.

[kop-al-74]

The thing is with them is that they seem to always replace "irreplaceable" players.As much as I would like to dissmiss there chances,they still have a very strong squad which they will still add to.

I hope your right and I'm wrong though.

[Exiled_red]

The thing is with them is that they seem to always replace "irreplaceable" players.As much as I would like to dissmiss there chances,they still have a very strong squad which they will still add to.

I hope your right and I'm wrong though.

That's what worries me too, I think Rooney will be the one who will replace Ronaldo, I think they've been sacrificing Rooney making him do the donkey work, because Ronaldo was lazy when it came to tracking back etc.

They also seem to have a team which is stronger than the sum of it's parts - there are alot of players in their team that I wouldn't want playing for us but it seems to work for them

[Tee]

Stop ****ting yourselves lads, they will be significantly weaker next season.

[dww]

You're right on the first point, but I think Ronaldo will be irreplaceable for them. The only player capable of doing anything for them is Rooney - Valencia is hardly a replacement for Ronaldo, and bear in mind they still have Berbatov

They are defo weaker for their losses and unless they sign Messi, Villa etc, they will struggle to spend the £80m on quality

They need two quality midfielders

They definitely are weaker for their losses but I think that this season a disillusioned Ronaldo would have made them a worse team any way. Something had to give and they have money to make signings. I think they can quite easily be as good as last year actually at least in the PL they have a solid base and while Berbatov was a problem last year in some ways a change in the rest of the team might get the most out of him and he was more effective last year than some give him credit for.

It is a big summer for them. One of the first times I remember them having as much work or more to do than us. From experience though I never write off Fergie's ability to rebuild.

Valencia is a good player and will offer them width in a way they lacked last season. Alone he is certainly no Ronaldo replacement but I do think he could be part of a new United team that challenges for the title.

[Parm]

Do they need a new central midfield? they've just won 3 titles with the existing one.

Hargreaves may have to retire through injury
Giggs and Scholes are not the players they were and will have be replaced
Anderson is suspect,
Nani is suspect
Ronaldo has now gone
Park wont win them anything on his own

So therefore I think that midfield will need to be completely overhauled

[ronanm]

Hargreaves may have to retire through injury
Giggs and Scholes are not the players they were and will have be replaced
Anderson is suspect,
Nani is suspect
Ronaldo has now gone
Park wont win them anything on his own

So therefore I think that midfield will need to be completely overhauled

Yes, but they do have Carrick

[dww]

Hargreaves may have to retire through injury
Giggs and Scholes are not the players they were and will have be replaced
Anderson is suspect,
Nani is suspect
Ronaldo has now gone
Park wont win them anything on his own

So therefore I think that midfield will need to be completely overhauled

Yes, but they do have Carrick

People mock Carrick but he is a bloody good player. He needs a partner though I agree.

Also Fletcher deserves respect - he had a breakthrough season and while not a world beater he is a very useful player to have and I think if Fergie goes his usual route of getting top attackers in then with Carrick he could form a useful midfield that operates as basically a buffer for the defense and looks to get the ball forward quickly. The way Fergie has played in the last few years is not particularly dependent on central midfield unlike the way either we, or Barcelona say, are.

[Parm]

People mock Carrick but he is a bloody good player. He needs a partner though I agree.

Also Fletcher deserves respect - he had a breakthrough season and while not a world beater he is a very useful player to have and I think if Fergie goes his usual route of getting top attackers in then with Carrick he could form a useful midfield that operates as basically a buffer for the defense and looks to get the ball forward quickly. The way Fergie has played in the last few years is not particularly dependent on central midfield unlike the way either we, or Barcelona say, are.

true, Carrick has improved a lot over the past 2 seasons, but still cant stand him.
Re fletcher, who knows/cares about him. He certainly isnt in Carricks class (and Carricks class is nowhere near say Xabi or Essiens) but everyteam needs that watercarrier and guess this time it is fletcher.

[dww]

true, Carrick has improved a lot over the past 2 seasons, but still cant stand him.
Re fletcher, who knows/cares about him. He certainly isnt in Carricks class (and Carricks class is nowhere near say Xabi or Essiens) but everyteam needs that watercarrier and guess this time it is fletcher.

I just think if you look at the last few seasons United have basically bypassed central midfield anyway a lot of the time. The challenge for them this summer is to get a set of options for the front four that combine to terrify teams in the way that Ronaldo and co have in recent seasons. The Rooney-Ronaldo combination and having Tevez in backup was essentially the key for the team with Tevez and Rooneys work rate being as important to their record clean sheet run as any of the defenders.

People say Rooney can step up but I think the problem is that he has been excellent for the last two seasons any way. He might change to a position where he scores more but it will come at the expense of some of the other things he gives the team and that will need to be replaced.

[Delinquent]

I don't understand why people are scoffing at this?! Valencia is a quality RW, and whilst he isn't Ronaldo he's probably the best player available for that position and he's Premiership proven. I'm not suggesting that United are stronger for signing Valencia, they've just lost two of the best players in the World. If they acquire three other quality players for £20m each during the transfer window then they're still going to be favourites to win the title next year.

He's a decent right winger, for a mid-table side. Nothing more. Best player available for that position? At Wigan, maybe. The options begin to improve dramatically as you move further South though. They've bought a player who can run fast, occasionally put a decent ball in, and has averaged less than a goal every 10 games during his time at Wigan.

If this is the benchmark for their £20m signings then I hope they sign another three of them and waste ALL of the money they got for Ronaldo, not just a quarter of it. I'm actually astounded (but nevertheless delighted) that Ferguson has bought into the inexplicable hype surrounding him.