Summer rebuilding so far

Messageboard forums and twitter are alive with rumour and conjecture, but we are not really anywhere nearer knowing whether our summer spending spree is over or not. The main player at the centre of most of the gossip continues to be Arsenal's Nasri. When those rumours first surfaced i have to admit i gave them very short shrift, but with what seems to be going on at the Emirates this summer, it would now have to be taken seriously.
I really can't see Wenger being around to take Arsenal into the 2012-13 season and if there is was any truth in Van Persie being the latest player to express unhappiness at the unfolding events it could even happen before next season. There is no doubt that his leading players have seemingly lost faith in him and his project, i can't say i blame them to be honest. How are his many acolytes in the press going to explain this away.
Mark Ogden wrote that whilst United chase Nasri, the player they really ought to be going all out for should be Fabregas. I can't really go along with that, you have got to be going for players who are really going to what to come here. And we all know where Cesc Fabregas wants to go and where he will undoubtedly end up.
Tim Rich looks at Manchester's domination of summer spending so far and argues that whenever Fergie decides to call it quits he will leave behind a far healthier squad than was bequeathed by Busby to McGuiness. I think he will find that the future will see homegrown players in the squad, they just aren't quite ready yet.

But we have landed one Spaniard who did want to come to Old trafford this season, though it was hardly a secret. I haven't seen enough of De Gea to comment on him, though i know a few reds who have seen a fair bit of him on sky playing for Athletico Madrid and they seem to rate him highly. My only concern was his English, apparently he has learnt a little but it will need to be good enough for him to communicate with his defence.
We have no right to expect him to be as good as Van Der Sar straight away, especially given his limited experience, but lets hope he can be reliable enough whilst he learns his craft. Andy Mitten argues that De Gea is the real deal and has risen to every challenge laid down to him so far. He has come to win things and is looking forward to playing in the champions league and sees no reason why United can't win it despite the brilliance of Barca. 

Paddy Crerand looks at our summer transfer activity so far and he thinks that we haven't finished yet. He looks at at the one area where we expected or should that be hoped that we would strenghten the squad, i have to be slightly cynical and say that i wouldn't be surprised if we have finished. Paul Parker is happy enough with our signings so far but is another to want the centre of the midfield to be strengthened, thinking what United lack is a new Roy Keane as he argues that we were too britle away from home last season.
One of the youngsters who some of us are looking at to pick up the mantle of Giggs, Scholes and co eventually is apparently on his way to Peterborough for a six month loan. There is some cynicsm out there with it being Fegie's son Tunnicliffe is going to, which i do understand and have some sympathy with. But in this case i think it's a prety good move that ticks a lot of boxes, he will hopefully play regularly and will play at a reasonable standard. We will end up with a good idea of how far he can go.
I suppose the question now will be what happens with Pogba and Morrison, i can't really guess what will happen with Pogba, it could be a loan or it could be raining with the first team. As for Morrison, i really can't see Fergie sending him out on loan, but am not sure whether he will be fast tracked to the first team squad or not.

One aspect of our transfer activity that has gone quiet and has seemingly gone off the radar is who will be leaving this summer. Nani has assured the press that he is happy at United and will not be one of the players leaving the club. I suppose that now we have finally entered July the player earmarked by Fergie to be moved on will on will start to leave the club.
Barbatov is still insisting that he will still be at Old trafford next season, time will tell on that score. There are good arguments for him staying and long term reasons why Fergie may decide to let him go. I suppose it says everything that as someone who was desperate for us to sign him i wouldn't lose much sleep if he were to leave.

Larry Elliott looks at the state of economy and thinks there will have to be some kind of tweaking of Osborne's economic strategy. But argues it will be a tricky manoeuvre to convince the electorate that this isn't a plan B. David Blanchflower argues that those who call for more austerity are calling for another great depression.

Stephen King compares the situation in the Eurozone with Britain's decision to return to the gold standard in 1925 as the choices facing the Eurozone look equally grim. Paul Mason argues that the Greek Euro crisis poses survival issues for the entire Eurozone and as ever he isn't sure that they are up to the challenge.
Joseph Stiglitz tells Spanish paper El Pais that the European union is not rescuing the Greeks, but German banks. And the city of London into the bargain.

One country that may be worried by Europe's problems will also see big opportunities argues Timothy Garton Ash as he says no wonder Mr Wen is on his way.  Hamish McRae looks at the protests that accompanied premier Wen's visit to this country and describes how little we appreciate how little matter to China.
The Economist argues that tensions between China's prosperous middle class and its poor wil make it a harder country to govern.

Bennedict Brogan looks at the long game being played by Boris Johnson and admires his confidence despite one or two misgivings. I'm no fan of Boris but i'd hate to imagine him up against Ed Miliband.
Banking reform is a danger to the future of the coalition report Toby Helm and Heather Stewart as the Lib dems fear that chancellor George Osborne's ringfencing could prove too weak to protect customers.

Jason Burke reports on and interprets Saudi Prince Turk Al-Faisal's speech ar RAF Molesworth to assorted British and US guests on future Saudi foreign policy direction. Olivier Roy writing in the New Statesman looks at the long war bewtween Sunni and Shia alluded to in that speech.
David Davis argues that Europe and the west should be looking for a 21st century Marshall plan to aid North Africa's transition to democracy that will be in all our interests. I go along with that 100%, but to say there is no chance of that happening is surely to state the obvious.

Adrian Hamilton looks at a meaningless promise by Murdoch. The scandal is that everybody knows how meaningless it is. I am generally a believer in the thesis that you get the politicians you deserve, but i'm not sure we deserve the current lot, and that includes Tory, Labour and Lib dem.

Music
Demdike stare - Voices of dust: I liked Forest of evil but this is even better, techno as dark and sinister as the name Demdike infers, don't file under easy listening.

Nicolaas Jaar -  Space is only: Another excellent piece of techno from this US/Chilean newbie, i read somewhere that he was influenced by Rivardo Villalobos, besides the Chilean heritage i don't reall see it myself. Cracking album though.

Tabu Ley Rochereau - 35th anniversary album: Congolese artist and his Orchestre Afrisa international have been one of the continents most influential groups. I love the way he mixed central American music into his African brew to come up with some great catchy music.

The Strokes - Angles: Still to get anywhere near emulating the excellence of their debut album, but this will do to be going on with. The best tunes are the ones that stick to the debut's formula.

The Vaccines - What did you expect from the Vaccines: A good debut from the much hyped indie newcomer, but not as good as the hype would have you believe.

Those dancing days - Daydreams and nightmares: A decent album that i still haven't made up my mind how much i really like. It definitely has its moments there are just a couple of yracks that don't do much for me at all. This is a cracker though.

Ashley Young checks in

Well that's the second signing of the summer sown up with De gea hopefully wrapped up soon, though we may have to wait until July to see that one wrapped up. I am happy with our business so far, i think and hope that Young will turn out to be a Dwight Yorke mark two in the sense that an awful lot of reds seem to be underwhelmed by the purchase, but i think that a couple of months into the season they will be glad we got him and Dalglish didn't tempt him to Liverpool.
Young can't wait to get started at United and appreciates the size of the club and the expectations that will be placed on him but is looking foward to the challenge. Ian Ladyman makes a good point about our predictability last season, i would say it was more of a problem away from home, but it was there and it was a problem. I suppose the speculation will now start on who leaves the club, will Nani want out or will Fergie get rid of Berba, a player he doesn't reall seem to trust. Even though United denied the PSG bid rumours it would be no great surprise if he left the club this summer. As long as Nani wants to stay at the club, a big if if some of the rumours are to be believed, i can't see United letting him go.
One player nobody really thinks we will land this summer is the hotly rated Chilean Sanchez of Italian club Udinese. Andy Mitten explains why United will always come second to Barca and Real Madrid in the quest for the very best of South American talent. And that's the reason why i have always preferred us to go for the best of northern European talent.
As to the failed attempt to land the French youngster Varane, i'm not sure how serious our interest can have been after the capture of Jones from Blackburn. He may turn out to be the real deal, but i think we can all see that we already have two future United and England centre halves in Smalling and Jones. I expect both to get at least twenty to thirty games next season, though Jones may be used as much in midfield as in defence.
A lot of reds are moaning at the lack of a central midfield acquisition so far this summer. I have to admit that was what i wanted and hoped for, but i always knew that we weren't going to replace Scholes that easily. As Gary Neville says in this pretty illuminating interview, there is no like for like replacement for Paul Scholes out there, the nearest thing to him would be Xavi or Iniesta and that's not happening is it. I would have liked Modric but if his price goes up to £30 million i wouldn't pay that for him, excellent player as he is, he isn't that good. As for the other player we have been persistently linked with, Sneijder, i just don't see Fergie being in the market for him. We have got Rooney who likes to play in the hole and have added Young who can also play there with Morrison to be added to the mix over the next couple of seasons ( he says hopefully ), so i can't see Fergie spending big money and big wages on a player who wouldn't be guarenteed to get into our starting line up for the crunch games.



Mark Lawrenson thinks it's a shrewd piece of business from Fergie and writes of his surprise that Chelsea didn't go in for him, he could have mentioned City as well. Maybe their experience of purchases from Villa, Barry and Milner haven't exactly set the world on fire put them off. That would be classic City if they end up paying over the odds for two pretty ordinary players and we get the real gem for what could turn out to be a bargain.
Daniel Taylor recounts the signing of Jesper Blomquist and his subsequent career at the club to show the challenge facing Ashley Young. It's a good story, but from Blomquist's point of view doesn't mention the fact that he left the club with a championship medal, an FA cup medal ( something a lot of our current squad don't possess ) and most valuable of all a champions league appearance and medal even if it wan't his best performance. It would seem the signing has got the rest of the squad on its toes as Valencia tells his native Ecuadorian press he is ready to fight for his place. Valencia will be alright, Fergie loves him as do i. He had a shocker at Wembley against Barca though, i really thought we were going to get a big performance from him and truth be told he had a nightmare. I still haven't brought myslef to sit through the whole ninety minutes of that football lesson form the best team in the world but will have to suffer it before the new season begins.
Alan Hansen felt Fergie had a major rebuilding job on this summer after a championship won despite a less than stellar season performance wise. And so far he thinks he is doing a good job and is yet another pundit who regards Young as an excellent signing and great addition to the squad. He feels United will have to start the season as favourites for the title if Fergie could coax the club the title last season in spite of some of our dire performances.

Jim White blogs that United may not be in the market for a midfield player contrary to popular belief. And then puts forward his belief that Rooney dropping back into the middle of the park could be Fergie's answer to the absence of Paul Scholes.
This theory has been around a while that Rooney's destiny is to be a midfield general. I am afraid that i really don't buy into this and never have, he is a forward who is equally adept at playing in the hole, that doesn't make him a central midfield player. He could end up there in his thirties to prolong his career but i can't ever see him playing their at the peak of his career.
It may be wishful thinking on my part but i stil believe that Fergie thinks that we already have the future of United's midfield at the club in the shape of Morrison, Pogba and Tunnicliffe. And all the talk of United's squad for next season seems to have forgotten that Cleverley and Welbeck will be added to the squad next season. Whether Cleverley lives up to his promise or not if he is given enough games and i suspect he will be, we will have a goalscoring midfielder at last who is almost guaranteed to get near or even hit double for the season.

I think Hernandez may not figure too much at the start of the next campaign as his summer holidays haven't even started yet after a fanfastic and triumphant Gold cup with Mexico that saw him end as the tournaments leading scorer. He revealed how United have helped build him up ahead of yesterday's final against the USA in front of 93,000 fans at the rose bowl. He has had some fairytale year, he must wonder if it can get much better.
I didn't see the game but it sounds like it must have been some spectacle with Mexico coming from 2-0 down to take the trophy 4-2.

This is a very fair assessment of where our squad is at the moment. I totally agree with the comments regarding a front three, that saw United play our best and most exciting football in recent seasons and that is why i was really glad that we bought Young.
I don't buy the argument that Jones is too young, he has been excellent for Blackburn this season and was outstanding against us and for Fergie if your good enough you are old enough. Who knows he may allow Carrick to express himself further up the pitch and rcapture the creativity of 2006-2008 that he hasn't really shown over the last couple of seasons as he has dropped deeper.
If we have to mend and make do for a couple of season to allow the youngsters to find their feet in the first team then so be it, we do have some unbelievably spoilt fans at the moment who think it's our devine right to be champions every season. As i have said before, the most you have any right to expect, is to challenge for the top honours. Let's face it when Fegie finally walks off into the sunset we may have to get used to a pre-Ferguson world where even that was far from guaranteed.

The crisis in the Eurozone with Greece hovering over a sovereign default and the break up of the Euro has dominated the news over the last week. Jon Snow blogs on why Greek debt is NOT a bore.
Amartya Sen argues it's not just the Euro, European democracy itself is in danger, i suppose that would seem over the top, but given European history, i don't think it is, it is that serious.
Mervyn King orders banks to start revealing their true exposure to Greece through their lending to other European financial institutions. Well at least if Cameron and Osborne are asleep at the wheel the Bank of England have got their eyes on the road.
Bagehot argues nobody likes a back seat driver as tory backbenchers argue we must do something about the crisis but don't make any kind of convincing case for what we should do. Martin Wolf writes that it is time for some common sense on Greece and time to face the inevitable and to plan for it. Where are the political giants that could actually lead us along that path. I wasn't and still aren't Gordon Brown's biggest fan, but he was positivelly Churchillian compared to Europe and this countries current leadership.

Peter Oborne argues that in fleeing Afghanistan the west relinquishes its grip on the world. It may well do so, but is that such a bad thing. What is the advantage to the west of fighting unwinnable wars that undermine their influence and cost the taxpayer at a time of maximum economic turbulence.

Kate Mossman ahead of Glastonbury weekend poses a very pertinent question asking why American bands are so much better at making muic than us. That's a bit broad bush, there are plenty of excellent British bands and artists but over the last few years the best new acts seem to have been coming from across tha Atlantic. Musicianship is part of it, but for me the best US acts are far more adventurous than ours. I suppose the way we over hype up and coming bands doesn't help. I have been listening to the Vaccines debut album recently and whilst it's a decent listen it isn't anything special.
Saying that Elbow were magnificent at Glastonbury last night if the clips on the Beeb were anything to go by. How are Coldplay more popular than them, i almost felt sorry for them in having to follow Guy garvey, what a front man he has become, and his band, but not quite. I really can't stand Coldplay.

Now for United, Jones is ready for the challenge

Phil Jones can't wait to get started at United after he has a break after the under 21's got knocked out of the European championships oin Sunday. I only saw Sunday nights game all the way through, but if that was really their best performance i didn't miss much. But the good reports that the Jones and Smalling pairing seemed justified on that showing. They were by far the best two England performers on the night and apparently of the tournament. I would imagine Smalling could well top his 30 appearance next season, he seems to get better and better. It can't be long before he replaces Rio in the England line up as well.
They seem to appreciate the pairing as well which is no bad thing. One of the really eye catching aspects of their performance the other night was that when one of the two did get in trouble the other player was invariably on hand to snuff out any danger. It seems that we have the long term replacements to the Vidic/Ferdinand partnership and that it could end up just as good a pairing. That's great long term news for whoever takes over from Fergie.
As to our other two England performers, Welbeck managed to score two goals after receiving next to no service from the non existant England midfield which is suppose is some kind of achievement, but he can play better than that and i expect much better for United next season. Cleverley started two games and was replaced in both and you couldn't really argue with that as he failed to impose himself in both appearances. Despite what he says about his time at Wigan i felt his career stood still and am hoping that his return to Old trafford next season playing with better players sees him recover the kind of form that hinted at a big future at United. I'm not as confident as i was that confirm that promise.
The People are talking about Ravel Morrison going on the pre season tour of the States, i wouldn't be surprised if Pogba and Tunnicliffe join him over there.
I'm not sure how much credence to give to the reports linking us with Xabi Alonso but if there was anything in it, that is a transfer that would definitely strengthen the squad and would make sense in that he would fit right into our system of play. Still it's probably just made up newspaper bollocks, it's hard to see Real Madrid letting him go.


Our other probable signing Athletico Madrid goalie De Gea is still in the tournament as the Spanish under 21's seek to emulate their senior squad. Any pretence that he might not be coming to Old trafford seems to have evaporated. Apparently he played well against England and when called upon has looked the business.
Athletico team mate and ex red Diego Forlan tips big things for De Gea at Old trafford as long as he can settle into his new surroundings. I have to admit that is always my worry when signing southern European players and even more so if they don't speak the language.

Paul Scholes reveals that Fergie asked him to carry on next season but the ginger prince reveals that he didn't feel physically right and felt that this was the right time for him to retire. Does our lack of central midfield transfer activity point to Fergie pinning his hopes on our three youth team prospects as the future for the club. He also denied that he was ever a nasty player. As much that makes me smile there is actually something in that. Put aside a mid eighties midfield of Robson, Moses and Whiteside he wouldn't be talked about as a dirty player. I suppose that shows how football has changed.
As much as i like Modric, who would have been the player i would most liked to have bought, he is no Scholes. And if the transfer fee does go above £30 million we are doing the right thing in not pusuing that transfer avenue. The other player we keep getting linked with Sniejder, i just don't see at all. First he isn't really a creative midfield outlet more an attacking midfield goalscorer. And i don't see how he would fit into our squad and can't believe that we would pay the money to attain his services when i'm sure he wouldn't play every game.

According to reports, if we are to believe them, Park Ji Sung could be open to leaving United. He has been a decent squad player for us, but if Cleverley comes up to speed, we could afford to lose him. And in two finals against Barca his limitations as a footballer have been cruelly exposed.


With Bebe going to Turkey's Besiktas on loan next season it will be interesting to see who follows him out of the door over the next month, Obertan must surely be on his way. It doesn't look like O'Shea, Gibson and Wes Brown will all be heading to Sunderland, where will they all end up.

The ticking time bomb that Andreas Whittam Smith forecast along with a host of others over the last few weeks and months seems to have arrived this week as events in Athens unfold. Robert Peston reckons that the Eurozone Greek crisis isn't Europe's Lehman brothers crisis, if it unfolds it will be worse. Dominic Sandbrook continues the theme warning of the dangers and whilst i can't criticise his attack on the irresponsibilty of the Greeks and Europe's elites, i can ask where is the criticism of Europe's financial elite. It takes two to tango and the Greeks couldn't have borrowed that money if Europe's big banks hadn't lost their moral compass.
Will Hutton can't believe the complacency at the highest levels of the British state about the ongoing travails in the Eurozone as if the worst happens, despite us not being in the Eurozone we will not be spared the painful consequences. Paul Mason wonders if the Lehman brothers analogy is overblown and argues a case why that could be the case.

William Keegan thinks Ed Balls proposal to reverse, even if only temporarily, Osbornes VAT rise is a good idea. But that it wouldn't fit in with this intensely political chancellors long term plan of offering tax cuts at the next election. I can't see the economy being in a strong enough place for Osborne to follow that tried and trusted tory strategy.
John Cassidy with a view of the British economy from across the pond, rational irrationality, the IMF applauds the UK economies return to the 1930's. Roger Bootle gets radical and advocates no plan B, but suggests suspending the aid budget. Cameron won't do this but no doubt some of his backbenchers would be more than happy a proposal like this.
Samuel Brittan argues that good servants can make bad masters as the power of the financial markets id bad for democracy and for our financial well being. A long way from the Samuel Brittan of the 1980's, that column. If the Telegraph and Spectator didn't exist the tories economic startegy would be virtually friendless.

Boris Johnson argues for a network of canals to transport the north's surplus rain to the drought stricken south. Maybe the north should declare UDI and live off said exported water.

The Economist talks to us eastern European specialist historian Timothy Snyder author of Bloodlands, a book i really have to get around to reading. He also took an Economist Q & A comparing Hitler and Stalin.

It looks like Berlusconi's grip on political power in Italy is at last starting to slip, it has took long enough. Mind you the end has predicted that many times only for him to emerge triumphant i wouldn't take anything for granted.

Simon Jenkins argues that Eisenhower was on to something when he bemoaned the emergence of the miltary industrial complex as he argues that we invent enemies to buy bombs. I'd go along with that 100% and they almost always have the backing of the popular press.
Craig Murray argues a similar point, bemoaning the stench of western foreign policy. Jon Snow revisits a contentious episode in western arab relations looking at whether bribery was at the heart of Megrahi's Lockerbie conviction? I don't believe we have got anywhere near the truth of that matter which will almost certainly not reflect well upon anybody.

Ryan Gilbey looks at the pop eyed genius of Jan Svankmajer, the Czech film maker. I watched his Little Otik a few months ago, a really left field film that i absolutely loved. Needless to say i will have to try to get around to watching this re-release.

Norman Lebracht revists Mahler's first symphony and finds an unexpected influence, Manchester.