Away from the Neymar circus and back in the real world, the rumours about our interest in PSG right back Serge Aurier are growing apace. Three points on this from me:
From what I've seen (which is very limited admittedly), he looks like Valencia 2.0; tons of pace, tenacious, superbly brave, a great tackler and good in the recovery. He also seems dodgy in the air and to like to run the length of the pitch with the ball before passing backwards or smashing in a dreadful cross, which leads me to believe that somebody actually cloned Antonio Valencia in his infancy.
Does anybody who has seen any more of him have a different opinion on his style of play?
Secondly, he is quite obviously a massive assclown. He's previously been suspended by the French FA for insulting a referee, suspended by his club for insulting both a fellow player and the manager, and convicted of and sentenced to two months in the Bastille for assaulting a police officer outside a nightclub. (Why are football players even contractually allowed anywhere near fecking nightclubs when every time they approach one, their brains seize up and they do something ridiculous?)
We have seen our assclown quotient drop slightly with Rooney moving on, so might have space for another small assclown in the squad, but joking aside, whether his conviction (currently under appeal) is quashed or not, do we want to bring someone with his kind of past into the squad? We don't need a Balotelli, Barton or Ravel in the dressing room. On the other hand, under the guardianship of a no-nonsense Mourinho and tutelage of Valencia, might he be compelled and/or persuaded to consider turning over a new leaf and grow the fack up?
Finally, I have no idea how much there is to these rumours - I tend to take all football gossip with at least a dump truck's worth of salt -, but if our interest in Aurier (or even the firming up of existing interest) is a result of attempting to secure a replacement for Darmian, who in turn is needed to complete a deal for Perisic, I wouldn't be too upset, despite my second point.
If we saw Perisic and Aurier come in and Darmian leave, we'd gain a dangerous and disciplined proper winger in his prime and a very quick and talented young right back (a position for which cover in a like-for-like manner would be very useful), and lose only a player who has delivered very mixed (if improving) performances in full back roles for United and looks to me far more suited to the pace of the Serie A than the Premier League.
Thoughts on this one everyone?
Serge Aurier
posted on 2/8/17
Not an off-topic I at all want to get into please fellas
posted on 2/8/17
Sky sources say we are not interested.
Sounds silly Sky are more reliable in saying a club is not interested in some rather than when they say they are.
posted on 2/8/17
The wider point about his behavioural issues is a fair one for discussion though.
I suppose it'd all depend on whether Mourinho thought he could be 'rehabilitated', but how often have we seen that happen with players? Barton, Adriano, Le Sulk, Gazza, Bestie, McGrath and Maradona are all high profile examples of players who had behavioural issues of one kind or another and at various points had looked like they might be reformed, before relapsing and repeat offending (for want of a better term).
How many counterexamples are there? I'm struggling for one off the top of my head.
posted on 2/8/17
''How many counterexamples are there? I'm struggling for one off the top of my head.''
Rooney.
posted on 2/8/17
You have a couple of examples at Utd surely. Giggs was allegedly a bit of a party boy until ferguson collared him and told him to shape up.
Cantona certainly had the reputation and although not sure it ever left him entirely, Ferguson largely had him under control as well.
posted on 2/8/17
I do agree with the overall point that recidivism is a major problem among notorious bad boys. As reform is a very tough ask.
posted on 2/8/17
comment by Can Solo (U6997)
posted 41 minutes ago
You have a couple of examples at Utd surely. Giggs was allegedly a bit of a party boy until ferguson collared him and told him to shape up.
Cantona certainly had the reputation and although not sure it ever left him entirely, Ferguson largely had him under control as well.
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Giggs might be a fair example, although I think he never strayed that far from the tracks even in his early professional days.
Rooney I'm not sure about with his money-grabbing, boozing and smoking, and Cantona, well, I love him to bits, but he was a complete nutter.
posted on 2/8/17
comment by rossobianchi (U17054)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
Not an off-topic I at all want to get into please fellas
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Shut it, homo...
posted on 2/8/17
comment by rossobianchi (U17054)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Can Solo (U6997)
posted 41 minutes ago
You have a couple of examples at Utd surely. Giggs was allegedly a bit of a party boy until ferguson collared him and told him to shape up.
Cantona certainly had the reputation and although not sure it ever left him entirely, Ferguson largely had him under control as well.
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Giggs might be a fair example, although I think he never strayed that far from the tracks even in his early professional days.
Rooney I'm not sure about with his money-grabbing, boozing and smoking, and Cantona, well, I love him to bits, but he was a complete nutter.
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I bet most of them are at it. Especially the young ones.
These agents will be spending lavish amounts of gold on them and their entourages just to keep them sweet. There'll be all sorts going on.
posted on 2/8/17
comment by Eric_the_king (SE85) (U21241)
posted 5 hours, 28 minutes ago
Shaw has made just two assists in his whole Utd career so his crossing isn't that good. I think he's appalling offensively personally. Good defender but nowhere near good enough in opponents half which is a big issue when you think about how.much time we spend in opponents half, especially at home.
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This. Decent solid defender, always have said this. No awareness, straightline headless chicken going forward, with a poor cross. Definately no Marcelo.
Has a part to play but don't expect miracles.