It may well come down to a case of simple economics. Manchester United were prepared to pay more than anyone else in times of need.
But it’s still fantastic to see a brief interval to the persistent drain of top talent out of The Premier League into Spain. With the likes of Falcao, Di Maria and Fabregas, England has brought some A-list talents back to the EPL this summer. And the league will be all the better for it.
Louis van Gaal has brought in one of the best strikers in the world in Falcao – a player who could feasibly win the World Player of The Year award in the next few years if Manchester United keep him and he takes the club back to The Champions League.
But ‘The Tiger’, as he is known, is going to need great service if his talents are to be properly exploited and, over the last few years, there has been a paucity of top quality distribution into the front men – particularly from the wide areas.
Which is why we believe that Angel Di Maria, nicknamed ‘The Noodle’ for his stringy shape, has to be deployed out wide. He’s a wonderful passer of the ball and can certainly do a job in a more central position.
But with LvG bemoaning the lack of ‘wingers of the highest level‘ in the summer, it would be strange if he finally snared one and then didn’t use him out wide.
Watching Di Maria destroy Germany from the right flank last week gave us all the ammunition we need to believe that he has to play on the wing. With his pace, ability to get behind defences and distribution he can be the perfect ally to RvP and Falcao who will end the season as high scorers with that sort of assistance.
Valencia and Young have decent engines but their crossing is poor for wingers and Shaw and Di Maria must surely stake their claim to the flanks now, on the left and right respectively.
Manchester United fans: Di Maria out wide or in the midfield?
