Redcanuck

Chelsea's net spending was £87m, take away the keeper and they spent about £16m. Arsenal's net spenting was around £60m, United's around £50m, Liverpool's was three times United's. If you minus Chelsea's new keeper, the net spending of Liverpool pretty well equalled the total net spending of United, City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs combined. It is not a shot at Liverpool, I have an admiration for their transfer window, it's the type of net spending they said that United were supposed to have and what I was expecting. I am just trying to figure out why our net spending was about a third of what it was during Mourinho's first two years, and trying to answer the Liquidator's question.

Many United fans blame Woodward, feeling that while he is great at the business end of the business, he is not a football man. He has been either in charge or second behind Gill for 15 years, so if he is ever going to be a football man, he should have become one by now. They feel their is a need for D of F, which in this day and age with the size of the clubs isn't such a bad thing. The more capable people you have helping run the club, the better your chance of success. I am not sure the Glazer's see it that way, they seem to be content with Woodward in charge. I honestly dont know what's up. The money clubs are asking for average players is ridiculous. Other than Liverpool spending just over £150 million and Chelsea spending big on a keeper, nobody else spent big money. Maybe United are curtailing their spending. Though it could be something more sinister of course. Perhaps the Glazer's feel Mourinho has spent enough money the last two years, around £350m, and want Mourinho and Woodward to justify United's previous spending before they trust the pair with more.

£18.9m I believe.

Ok great, was wondering that they may play to high a line and not pick up the clean sheets they normally do.

David Luiz the safest bet if I want a Chelsea defender in my fantasy team or should I just avoid Chelsea defenders ?

They looked very good at times in the first half, two well worked goals, but fell asleep in first half stoppage time and let Madrid cut the lead in half. Second half was disappointing, we parked the bus in a friendly and hung on for a win. A number of players looked tired, Jose probably shoukd have emptied the bench. Sanchez played well again and looks like he will have a better season thi year. Bailly has looked good on this tour, but has picked up a couple of knocks, hope either Lindelof or Smalling takes his place agaisnt Bayern.

Hope not. Though it would make selecting my fantasy team easier.

He looks very good for somebody with his medical issues. I can even understand him better, seems to have lost some of that thick Glaswegian accent. Great to see, hope the recovery continues.

Still no other LB brought in and if there isn't one by the time the window closes it could indicate that Mourinho has been impressed with the effort Shaw has put in during the off season and the pre season. Though you would think this is Shaw's last chance under Mourinho.

There are a lot of United fans who are worried about the lack of activity in this window, not just necessary additions but in getting rid of the dead wood as well. It is strange how quite things have gone around United, there hadn't been any new rumours for weeks nor any further information on the same rumours we have been hearing all summer. Like Dead Linesman says we need a CB, a LB, a RW and possibly a back up striker. If you believe the rumours, Maguire seems to be the preffered CB, though the fee they claim is utterly ridiculous for a player not on many teams radar until he had a good World Cup. Shaw is going to have another chance to make the LB is own and today United have been linked to two young wingers Senegal international Ismaila Saar, and France under-21 international Allan Saint-Maximin. While I don't know much about Saar who looked good at the World Cup, and Saint-Maximin, at least they aren't pushing 30 and costing £60-70m. Like I said it is really quite, too quite, it maybe mostly wishful thinking on my part, but I can't imagine that United start the season with the only changes being Fred and Dalot in and Blind out. There is still 16 days to go in this window and Ibra said today that the boss has a secret plan and there is something special coming. So hope springs eternal.

It's incredible isn't it. United is also three weeks away from going into the season with the exception of Fred with the same line up that proved so successful last year. Can't believe the likes of Chelsea and United have done so little business so far.

Probably a joke that he was at Cobham, but there are stories of Chelsea's interest.

Wouldn't Pickford cost as much as Alisson? If not more?

I thought Cech was allowed to leave because of his great service to the club. It not being right to let him sit on your bench when he could get first team football elsewhere. Kind of like United allowing Phil Neville and Nicky Butt to leave to get first team football when they could have been decent squad players. Sometimes you have to realise what a player has done for you and give them a break if they want to move on.

True, but the cost of decent defenders and keepers were cheaper than also, so it may have worked out about the same.

Isn't that what many neutrals where saying when Barcelona first came in for Coutinho? Take the money and buy a decent defender and keeper.

At least he got a few pints, I had to sit through that dross sober.

I think it is more down to the CB's not being good enough, other than maybe Bailly. Plus having two converted wingers in their mid 30's as full backs. Though I would admit Matic lacks the speed to do the job on his own, hence Pogba having more defensive responsibilities than I would like. But I do think Matic was a good pick up and dont think we would have made top 4 with out him.

I don't know why Herrera isn't used more by Mourinho. He does do the job defensively, but probably likes something going forward.

United need somebody to play in between Matic and Pogba, someone to take Pogba's defensive responsibilities. The defence is not good enough to have Matic as the only cover.

He has to play like that most of the time to warrent the hype. Second half he was playing further up the pitch with little or no defensive responsibility. Hopefully in the summer we will pick up a couple of midfielders and a couple of defenders that will allow Pogba to play a freer role. Yeah it was about time he showed he could play agaisnt the big boys. You should insult him every week, he must have read your post.

I don't think for one moment that he is available, at least from the club's prespective. Raiola, who knows what he is up to? Pogba has indicated he knows nothing about it.

Is that Pedro and Morata suspended for the game against Brighton?

I dont think it is that big of a deal that Chelsea finished second in the group. Sure you could draw PSG or Barcelona, but if you had finished first you could have gotten Real Madrid, Juventus or Bayern Munich. Maybe the second leg at home is an advantage, but not much. I agree about Bale too much of a liability with his injury record. Maybe for about half what Real would want. You would get about half a season out of him and he would be enough of an asset marketing wise to recuperate the transfer fee. I also see a possible assest strip at Spurs if Levy refuses to increase their wage bill. Hard to see their players wanting to remain there if they can double and triple their wages elsewhere.

Conte's argument is a valid one but an old one. The FA has never supported English clubs in Europe. It goes back to the beginning of European competitions in the mid 50's. Chelsea won the league in 55 and were not allowed to play in the European cup. I have often wondered if United would have tried to get off that runway a third time at Munich if they didn't have to get back to play Wolves two days later on the 8th of February. If they had stayed over night in Munich they wouldn't have got back to England til the 7th and I believe, but I am not 100% sure that they would have had to forfeit the game against Wolves because they did not get back to England 48 hours before kickoff. Other European leagues bend over backwards to help their teams. Hard to imagine that Real or Bayern would have to face a tough domestic rival two days after getting home after playing an European game as Chelsea has to do this weekend. It has been 60 years, it time for the English FA to do something to help English clubs in Europe.