Injured and buying players

[Stephen]

Why is it, whenever a club suffers an injury to a player; do the media, and people on forums, feel the need for the manager to go out and buy someone else?

What will happen when the injured player comes back?

Take United for example; linked to every defender under the sun due to our defensive injury 'crisis', but what happens to the new signing when all our players come back to fitness?

I always find this very peculiar.

[Sownak27]

Agreed, and its something I've tried to explain to some people as well.
We have Ferdinand, Neville, O'Shea, Evans and of course van der Sar out. Rafael and Fabio are finally fit to be picked for the next game. That's effectively an entire defence out, who are all due to return (more or less) in the coming month. Buying a player means buying someone who is probably past his best years, who will be content with sitting on the bench once the injured players return.

Pointless really, trying to sign a new defender. Once we have all our players back to full fitness, we will (hopefully) once again have the defence that United is revered for.

[hdcantona]

it's odd, but I think I get it. For example, Berbatov will need surgery and will be out for 3 months... Rooney on his own is not enough, and Rooney + Owen is a disaster waiting top happen over and over again. So we could rely on youth, give them a baptism of fire, and hope they come good, but we're in such a good position, it would be wasteful not to press on, and they might not be good enough anyway. This means we could dip in the transfer market, bring in a striker, but then we would end up with 4 which raises it's own problems.

Defender-wise it's much less of a problem as more will be back in january anyway, so it's hardly worth it.

I don't think it's that peculiar, it's not a knee-jerk reaction as such, but it does reveal vulnerabilities in the team, and that's why people think we should buy players.

[AdaamMUFC]

Agree with this so much mate!

[Stephen]

it's odd, but I think I get it. For example, Berbatov will need surgery and will be out for 3 months... Rooney on his own is not enough, and Rooney + Owen is a disaster waiting top happen over and over again. So we could rely on youth, give them a baptism of fire, and hope they come good, but we're in such a good position, it would be wasteful not to press on, and they might not be good enough anyway. This means we could dip in the transfer market, bring in a striker, but then we would end up with 4 which raises it's own problems.

Defender-wise it's much less of a problem as more will be back in january anyway, so it's hardly worth it.

I don't think it's that peculiar, it's not a knee-jerk reaction as such, but it does reveal vulnerabilities in the team, and that's why people think we should buy players.

But what happens to that new striker once Berbatov gets fit again?

Says a lot to Welbeck and Macheda, doesn't it.

Plus, we can play 4-5-1/4-3-3 too with wingers, wich has shown promise at times.

[Owenzy]

The only reason I want another defender is because Rio and Wes can't be trusted to stay fit.
Berb's 3 month injury ( if true) will either be the making or breaking of him. Diouf, Macheda or Welbeck might cement a place in the starting 11 or Berb will come back determined to prove us all wrong.

[Adam]

it is one of those situations where the club in question can't really win can they.
if we go out and buy, let's say a striker because the berbatov case is more pressing than the injuries which should ease over the next month. say we buy a striker, then berbatov comes back and you've got an extra striker. let's say for arguments sake that the player is a hit and we win the league though
or, you go with youth, and it fails. macheda is a bit too arrogant and never replicates the match winning ability of his 20 minutes of fame last year, and welbeck isn't cutting it either.

some will say to the first option: "you've got too many players. should have tried an in-house solution."
others will say to the latter: "you should have brought someone in."

it's no win really, unless you look to do a larsson-esque loan deal. 3 months, bring someone in who is proven. turned out pretty well didn't it. however, then you are looking at someone older, and people will criticise them and say they are past it.

i see the point you're making, and i do agree that suggesting we sign a defender is ridiculous, but it's a tough situation, more specifically in an area like attack, where the options are more limited

[hdcantona]

But what happens to that new striker once Berbatov gets fit again?

Says a lot to Welbeck and Macheda, doesn't it.

Plus, we can play 4-5-1/4-3-3 too with wingers, wich has shown promise at times.

Indeed. Welbeck/Macheda still may not make it, nothing's set in stone, 4-5-1 doesn't really work or 4-3-3 with wingers, which is basically the same thing because off the ball it becomes 4-5-1 anyway. Rooney can't play up front on his own, none of our strikers can tbh, maybe the solution would be a temporary signing, like a loan deal? Bring back Larsson

[Owenzy]

Indeed. Welbeck/Macheda still may not make it, nothing's set in stone, 4-5-1 doesn't really work or 4-3-3 with wingers, which is basically the same thing because off the ball it becomes 4-5-1 anyway. Rooney can't play up front on his own, none of our strikers can tbh, maybe the solution would be a temporary signing, like a loan deal? Bring back Larsson

Welbeck and Macheda are unlucky as they are breaking into a club that is in the middle of a domination period. They can't be trusted to consistently produce the goods every week as they are still only teens. Rooney, Fletcher and Ronaldo were lucky as they were given their shot at the big time when we were going through a rebuilding process. Their was no pressure on them to win the league at first, we were just looking for development each season until they finally matured and showed their true value and class. This isn't the case for our two lads, expectations are high having been very successful over the last three seasons. We're going to have to be patient with them, when they turn 21, that is the time to really put the pressure on them. Remember Rooney didn't win the league until he was 21, Fletch and Ronaldo were 22. Stay patient with them as SAF has a vision for them and the Da Silva twins, hopefully Cleverley is a part of that plan as well.