United thread 2013/14

[GXCity]

Don't they force SC holders to purchase tickets for European games as well? that speaks volumes about their support already.

Rag S/T holders are forced to buy all home tickets for European and FA Cup games. Until a few years ago they also had to buy tickets for all home League Cup games too. After fan protests they made league Cup games voluntary but any S/T holders who opt out of League Cup tickets do not qualify for any tickets for any final in any competition. Nice club.

This explains why they had 43,000 empty seats for last season's LC game against Newcastle. The no shows (who were charged for tickets) at last year's CL games allowed the rags to inflate the attendances despite them having almost 20,000 empty seats against Braga and 30,000 empty seats against Cluj.

The only time the Glazers have had to face the problem of EL is in the 2011/12 season when they crashed out of the CL group stage at the hands of Benfica & the mighty Basel and Otelul Galati. I think it was compulsory to buy EL tickets then.

If they start the season in the EL then it will be interesting to see what happens as I suspect S/T sales will be down anyway and particularly if it's compulsory to buy EL tickets. I wonder what lengths they'll have to go to in order to sell them if that's the case.

The didn't force fans to buy EL tickets and exempted them from the CS

 

[Allnightlong]

Taken from tonight's London Evening Standard by Patrick Barclay....looks like bale and tranny are on the way!!!


Lots of clubs are one bad result away from a crisis. In Manchester United’s case, make that one good result.

Beat Sunderland at Old Trafford tonight and David Moyes’s team are condemned to a Capital One Cup Final against Manchester City, whom Manuel Pellegrini has made a football machine of daunting efficiency.

Pellegrini tried to dilute his side at West Ham and failed. All he did was reach Wembley on a 9-0 aggregate and unveil a new star in Marcos Lopes. So City even have an answer to Adnan Januzaj.

Lopes, born in Brazil but raised in Portugal, is just 18 — nearly a year younger than the United prodigy. He was likewise nicked from another club’s academy — Januzaj came from Anderlecht, Lopes from Benfica — and his talent similarly catches your breath.

While he seamlessly combined with Sergio Aguero, the likes of Costel Pantilimon, Dedryck Boyata and Joleon Lescott kept a clean sheet against the Hammers, whose return to League action at Chelsea next Wednesday seems likely to be just as passive.

While Sam Allardyce’s lot are the butt of East London, United suffer Mancunian wit (“once they were Goliath — and then came David”). Even if they win tonight, City folk will chortle that it gives them a chance of getting back to where they belong — the Europa League.

But the joke will eventually pall. I am not forecasting a Wembley shock — though Birmingham did beat Arsenal in this event three years ago — or even that United will sweep aside an improving Sunderland.

Moyes, however, has time and money on his side. The signing of Juan Mata will just be the start. Later will come the exit of Wayne Rooney, possibly in exchange for Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale.

And the new team will have the muscle Financial Fair Play gives United. Although there’s concern about the owners, crisis obliges the Glazers to choose between investing or getting out. Either way, United fans will smile again.

 

[manimanc]

Didn't they make 'bids' for Fabregas, among others, in the summer?

At least I'm sure that's what we were told.

James collins on sky sports news...."we've been told that mata would be interested in a move to old trafford.."
Is this the same James Collins that told us bale, fabregas, ronaldo, baines, modric, ozil, thiago and cavani would be interested in a move to old trafford as well?
You've got to laugh havn't you.

 

[supercrystal7]

At £35 million is Mata overpriced?

Yes, but not for United in their current situation. Though depends on how crazy the market gets. How much do you think Silva is worth? Mata in the same bracket for me.

 

[GXCity]

@DavidBondBBC 6m
Breaking: United have made their move for Mata. Across BBC shortly...

Screw Jose and the Chavs, short termism at its worst, for a few million quid which will hardly make a difference to them, giving United the foundation to build their revival on a proven top clas sprem player who will lift the squad

Nah it makes sense for Chelsea if its big money. They don't want Mata and it funds a big striker purchase plus it boosts ManU for the title run in against us and Arsenal.

Or they drag it out until 10pm on 31st January and pull the plug on the deal? Wouldn't put it past Jose

 

[dazdon]

The deal was offered by a 3rd party what does that mean?

Have the chuckle brothers took extra work as agents?

 

[SrilankanBlue]

@ESPNFC 3m
Man Utd have put in an offer of £35m for Juan Mata, though Chelsea are hoping for closer to £42m

‏@SkySportsNews 19s
Sky Sources: Manchester UTD make £40m bid for Juan Mata through a third party #SSN

 

[hertsblue]

sky saying they have bid 40 million through a 3rd party what ever that means.

 

[SuperYaya]

At £35 million is Mata overpriced?

It's difficult to say. I think his value is probably closer to what Chelsea first paid for him though.

Thing is, if United need a midfielder like him I can't think of who else would fit the bill at the same standard. If we're talking value then that surely means he's worth a lot more to them than he might be worth in general.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

sky saying they have bid 40 million through a 3rd party what ever that means.

PSG probably.