Expectation 1
- We need to sign an attacking midfielder. Somebody who can contribute 10-15
goals a season from midfield, in addition to double figure assists. There were
times last season where we seemed to lack that creativity needed in midfield to
create clear scoring opportunities, somebody who could deliver that killer
final ball. Somebody like Fabregas or Thiago Alcântara would have been great in
this role, but alas…
I’m praying that Kagawa gets an
extended run in the team, sooner rather than later. His control and vision may
be just what is needed to open up opposition defences.
Expectation 2
- Wayne Rooney will leave during the off-season. My perception that United
desperately needed an attacking midfielder was heavily influenced by the idea
that Wazza would leave. But with Rooney staying, could he provide the
creativity that we sometimes seem to lack? Of course this is assuming he can
get back in the form (and shape) that made him United’s most important player
not too long ago. Fortunately, his performances against Swansea and Chelsea
were encouraging, and had he not been injured, the result against Liverpool
could have been different.
Expectation 3
– We will sign Marouane Fellaini. We did. We paid more for him than we should
have, considering he had a buy-out clause in his contract till 31 July, but that’s
what happens when you leave things till the last damn minute. He gives us some
great physical presence in the midfield (if only by the sheer weight of his
afro), and also some much needed cover. I can only imagine how differently last
season could have turned out had Carrick picked up an injury.
So all in all, I think the transfer
window could have ended a lot worse. Critically, we have experienced players in
our squad, who know what is needed to win the League. I’m sure Moyes will lean
heavily on these players during the season (as already shown by Giggs starting
all three our opening games, not that I agree with this).
Having said all that, there is
something that I have not been able to get over yet. How many United bids were
rejected!?! It’s like we are the unpopular kid in school, the fat ginger one
with braces and bad hygiene whose advances on the cute girls keep being turned
down. I don’t think we will ever really know what went wrong with some of the
proposed transfers, but as far as I am concerned, the next bit of business
United should do is getting rid of Ed Woodward.
With Fergie retiring, United really
needed to show that the club still meant business, and that we could still
attract some of the best talent in the world. What we did not need was to run
around Europe on the last day of the transfer window, throwing money at just
about every half decent player, and fail in every single pursuit. We needed to
make a big name signing and not leave our business till the last day of the
window. We needed to act swiftly and with surety, with a swagger that says
“We’re Manchester United, We do what we want”.
David Moyes has a mammoth task on
his hands in taking over from the greatest manager of all time. He needs all
the support he can get, especially from the Club Executives.
