Jones suspended for 2 games and Blind fined for not being nice to drug testers

http://www.espnfc.com/manchester-united/story/3169535/phil-jones-and-daley-blind-punished-for-breach-of-uefa-doping-regulations?ex_cid=UKSocial_GC_FB

I mostly agree...but 40 million is still a lot.

Either way, it's official. Matic is a Red. Time to dust off that old Vidic song.

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2017/Jul/manchester-united-announces-the-signing-of-nemanja-matic-from-chelsea.aspx

40m is alot, but this team desperately needed a DM. Hopefully Matic can regain his form from a few years ago under Mourinho. This should free up Pogba to attack more. I'm assuming United will play a midfield 3 against other big teams, and a midfield of Pogba-Matic-Herrera is definitely better than anything United have had since Scholes retired.

Matic, IMO, is the missing piece this team has been searching for over the last 5 years. With Matic as the holding mid this team has the weapons to win the EPL this season and to contend in CL. He can play at a high level for the next 4-5 years at least, so if he gets you 3 EPL titles and a CL trophy over the next 4-5 years then I would say that is $40M well spent.

Great pick up, well worth the money.

Well yeah but...big if.

But that's the point, he was the missing piece for this team.

Aston94 said:

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But that's the point, he was the missing piece for this team.

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He wasn't even a regular starter for last years champions, but he's the missing piece for your team to win 3 EPL titles in 5 years? Seems like a bit of a stretch to me...

Ah yes, let's come to the opponents thread and crap on their purchase.

He played in 35 (started 30) of Chelsea's 38 PL games, so....yes, a good solid defensive mid was what this team was missing after the other off-season purchases.

So is the 'Fro gone, or probably will be gone?

Aston94 said:

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Ah yes, let's come to the opponents thread and crap on their purchase.

He played in 35 or Chelsea's 38 PL games, so....yes, a good solid defensive mid was what this team was missing after the other off-season purchases.

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I would love a defensive mid of Matics ability at Arsenal, but I just think it's a big stretch to say he is the one piece that is needed to win 3/5 EPL titles and a CL title.

If you don't want to discuss it, no worries

And I overstated his games started, he started 30 of 38 games, I thought it was less

gougler08 said:

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Aston94 said:

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Ah yes, let's come to the opponents thread and crap on their purchase.

He played in 35 or Chelsea's 38 PL games, so....yes, a good solid defensive mid was what this team was missing after the other off-season purchases.

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I would love a defensive mid of Matics ability at Arsenal, but I just think it's a big stretch to say he is the one piece that is needed to win 3/5 EPL titles and a CL title.

If you don't want to discuss it, no worries

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I don't think I said he was the one piece needed, but that he was the missing piece after the other signings.

If we had come in this season and he had been the only signing from last year's squad then I wouldn't say he was the missing piece.

But when you add him with Lukaku and Lindelof, then yes, United now has the pieces in play to make a 3 out of 5 type run.

And very happy to discuss the signing with you, and even debate it, but when your first comment is to call a guy who played 35 of 38, starting 30, a non-regular it is hard to see if you really want to discuss the signing.

boogieman said:

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So is the 'Fro gone, or probably will be gone?

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So rumors this weekend said he was on his way to Galatasary in Turkey, but he did travel with the squad to Oslo for their next friendly, so who knows.

Aston94 said:

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gougler08 said:

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Aston94 said:

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Ah yes, let's come to the opponents thread and crap on their purchase.

He played in 35 or Chelsea's 38 PL games, so....yes, a good solid defensive mid was what this team was missing after the other off-season purchases.

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I would love a defensive mid of Matics ability at Arsenal, but I just think it's a big stretch to say he is the one piece that is needed to win 3/5 EPL titles and a CL title.

If you don't want to discuss it, no worries

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I don't think I said he was the one piece needed, but that he was the missing piece after the other signings.

If we had come in this season and he had been the only signing from last year's squad then I wouldn't say he was the missing piece.

But when you add him with Lukaku and Lindelof, then yes, United now has the pieces in play to make a 3 out of 5 type run.

And very happy to discuss the signing with you, and even debate it, but when your first comment is to call a guy who played 35 of 38, starting 30, a non-regular it is hard to see if you really want to discuss the signing.

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Fair enough, I was certainly wrong on his games started, I thought Kante took most of the minutes but was incorrect

Man U has definitely gotten stronger, I think I'd still put my money on Chelsea to top the league (gross) but it should be a battle

Mourinho came out and said today that Fellaini will not be sold. "It is easier for Galatasaray to get me than Marouane. Marouane forget it. He's very important for me."

Matic is official!

Mourinho has a man crush on Fellaini. i was hoping that Galatasaray would throw so much money at them that they couldn't turn it down. I guess not....

gougler08 said:

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Aston94 said:

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gougler08 said:

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Aston94 said:

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Ah yes, let's come to the opponents thread and crap on their purchase.

He played in 35 or Chelsea's 38 PL games, so....yes, a good solid defensive mid was what this team was missing after the other off-season purchases.

---

I would love a defensive mid of Matics ability at Arsenal, but I just think it's a big stretch to say he is the one piece that is needed to win 3/5 EPL titles and a CL title.

If you don't want to discuss it, no worries

---

I don't think I said he was the one piece needed, but that he was the missing piece after the other signings.

If we had come in this season and he had been the only signing from last year's squad then I wouldn't say he was the missing piece.

But when you add him with Lukaku and Lindelof, then yes, United now has the pieces in play to make a 3 out of 5 type run.

And very happy to discuss the signing with you, and even debate it, but when your first comment is to call a guy who played 35 of 38, starting 30, a non-regular it is hard to see if you really want to discuss the signing.

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Fair enough, I was certainly wrong on his games started, I thought Conte took most of the minutes but was incorrect

Man U has definitely gotten stronger, I think I'd still put my money on Chelsea to top the league (gross) but it should be a battle

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You may be right regarding Chelsea, has been a weird summer for the club though. Will be interesting to see if Conte can build on last year's squad.

Big rumors out there on a Serge Aurier signing now for around 30M. Definitely still in rumor status, but there is a bit of smoke and it is somewhat believable.

Hey, I love the optimism and I hope you're right. And I agree that a player that plays Matic's position has been a need of United's for quite some time but...

It's very hard for me to believe that he and the others signed this window are going to make the jump from finishing 6th to winning 3 EPL titles in the next 5 years. And considering that I'm sure we'll make additions next season (and the next...and the next), it'll be hard to tell how much of it was down to Matic and the other additions this off season.

In any case, let's figure out this season. Could this team challenge for a top 3 spot? Yeah, it could...maybe even should. But I wouldn't be shocked if they finished 6th again either. Lots of questions still and we're still relying/assuming on improvement of multiple players over last season's form (Pogba, Rashford, Martial, etc.)

For the record, I think Pogba was very good last season...I just think he needs to be even better for United to go where they want to go.

Pogba must have led the league in hitting crossbars and posts. I would help if some of those went in.

What do y'all see as the formation this year? It looks like a 3-2-3-2? Watching on and off this preseason they sure were playing a lot of 3 back.

I think Mourinho is building a team that can play different formations as the tactics dictate. I still expect them to line up in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 most of the time, but they definitely have the personnel to play 3 at the back on occasion.

LM/LWB is the only questionable position for 3 at the back. Neither Darmian nor Blind are attacking enough for that. Shaw could potentially be a good fit though if he can get and stay healthy.

Dre_00 said:

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Time to dust off that old Vidic song.

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You mean this one? (I'm too lazy to link the image)
https://www.reddit.com/r/reddevils/comments/6qv0fa/matic_chant/

Ha!

I am not a big United homer or anything, but do support them. I just look at their roster now and look at that of the other power 6 teams, and I think top to bottom they have the best squad.

Holding mid was their biggest hole I saw. With Matic United can send forward their other mids and have a more offensive approach.

We will see, I think they have the pieces now. A mid three of Matic, Herrera and Pogba is as good as it gets in the EPL. Throw in Mata and Carrick off the bench and that is amazing depth.

A forward 3 of Lukaku, Rashford and Miki with Martial off the bench is really deep and talented too.

Back line depth is ridiculous and goalkeeper is the best in EPL.

I look at the rosters of Chelsea, citeh, Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool and I like the United roster better. Spurs might be the team which concerns me most, but they don't have the same depth.

Who knows, we could finish 6th again, but you look at the run the team went on for 4 months last year, and how they survived a ridiculous number of injuries, and I think they are poised now to make a serious run.

But what the hell do I know.

Question for you guys, will be in London for work in November and am pondering a weekend jaunt to Old Trafford to see United play Newcastle.
Any recommendations on best way to get a ticket? I signed up for the MU supporters club, so apparently I have a chance at tickets through that. Is that the best way to get a seat?

Back line depth is ridiculous? i worry about center back. Bailly is a beast, but there is no one else really, Jones is a walking injury, Smalling lost whatever clue he had, Lindelof is going to be good but he still needs a year or two of seasoning. De Gea is forced to clean up a lot of their mistakes.

Anyone pick up a real/replica Third kit yet? Wondering what it looks like in person.

ja86 said:

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Back line depth is ridiculous? i worry about center back. Bailly is a beast, but there is no one else really, Jones is a walking injury, Smalling lost whatever clue he had, Lindelof is going to be good but he still needs a year or two of seasoning. De Gea is forced to clean up a lot of their mistakes.

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Yes, having the 4 players you listed on the same squad is ridiculous depth. 4 national team players is a lot of depth.

Don't forget Rojo when he gets back in a few months, him and Bailly we're United's best CB pairing last season. And Blind is more than capable of playing CB if needed as well.

good point about Rojo, can't believe i forgot about him...

As shockingly well as Rojo played last season, he was also incredibly lucky not to have been suspended for much of it. Three times he got away unpunished for straight out two footed launches that made contact.

Matic wasted no time stepping in and making an impression, he has looked great behind Pogba and Pereira in the 3-5-2. Only other takeaway in the first half is that Blind has looked pretty awful.