Marouane Fellaini | 2013/14 Performances

[finneh]

I second this action. Fellaini completed 63 of 68 passes, but 62 of those passes were sideways, backwards, or less than 10 yards. What's the point in having that in your team?

http://www.fourfourtwo.com/statszon...er-stats/41184/OVERALL_02#tabs-wrapper-anchor

He also lost 2 of 3 attempted headers. As tall as he is.

This is how I saw the game. He was neat and tidy in the first half, without doing anything particularly positive. In the second half he was anonymous apart from nearly getting sent off. It still infuriates me that he ambles around whenever the ball isn't within 5 yards of his person. He reminds me of Berbatov in that sense; he probably covers a decent amount of distance but has absolutely no urgency unless the ball is within tackling distance. If a player is 5 yards in front of him he goes to sleep and ambles back, instead of sprinting to recover, which makes your blood boil as a fan.

He was part of a duo that made McCarthy and Barry look like Martinez and Schweinsteiger. Overall a 5.5/10 performance, 6 being generous.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

Had it tough in the second half as he was doing the Carrick two man job. He's not as good as Carrick and it didn't come off. Giggs really middle fingered him throughout that second half.

 

[shaggy]

This is how I saw the game. He was neat and tidy in the first half, without doing anything particularly positive. In the second half he was anonymous apart from nearly getting sent off. It still infuriates me that he ambles around whenever the ball isn't within 5 yards of his person. He reminds me of Berbatov in that sense; he probably covers a decent amount of distance but has absolutely no urgency unless the ball is within tackling distance. If a player is 5 yards in front of him he goes to sleep and ambles back, instead of sprinting to recover, which makes your blood boil as a fan.

He was part of a duo that made McCarthy and Barry look like Martinez and Schweinsteiger. Overall a 5.5/10 performance, 6 being generous.

Could you actually imagine Fellaini against those two?

Good grief.

 

[The Neviller]

For all the ridiculous scapegoating from the usual suspects, we're really going to miss him against Leverkusen.
But I guess the posters saying Anderson is better will have their day...

Oh how we missed him. It might have been 6-0 had he played, or something.

 

[Revan]

Could you actually imagine Fellaini against those two?

Only for around 10 minutes. Because of the inevitable red card.

 

[Rood]

I second this action. Fellaini completed 63 of 68 passes, but 62 of those passes were sideways, backwards, or less than 10 yards. What's the point in having that in your team?

http://www.fourfourtwo.com/statszon...er-stats/41184/OVERALL_02#tabs-wrapper-anchor

Thats bollocks - it says on the link that you posted that 30 (26 successful) of the 68 were forward passes:
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/statszon...yer-stats/41184/1_PASS_14#tabs-wrapper-anchor
it was always a similar criticism aimed at Carrick, which was also bollocks

it is funny how much he is dividing opinion - many people gave him MOTM for us last night whereas others cant see it

 

[Ronaldo's Mum Eh?]

He makes the Berbatov signing look like a steal.

 

[MikeUpNorth]

He's just a really poor player. His touch is appalling, his positioning awful and his passing extremely limited. And he gives away a crazy amount of stupid fouls.

 

[Freak]

I actually think once we get a playmaker alongside him and just leave him to do a screening job in front of the back four, he'll be fine. He could play a disciplined defensive midfielder role and release our full backs to attack if we change our style.

 

[George Owen]

While he stayed deep, sticking just to disrupt the opposition game and pass the ball to his closest team mate, i thought he was pretty good.

When he start going up the pitch... well...

he should be Jones replacement. Fellaini is a very useful player and will get better in time.

We need one more CM to rotate/replace Carrick, probably of different style than Carrick thought. Hopefully a box to box (Matic style).

 

[Sandikan]

I think he does the simple things well, and uses his strength well in close range tussles.

The slight massive problem is that probably isn't enough for a United massive signing!

 

[Freak]

I think he does the simple things well, and uses his strength well in close range tussles.

The slight massive problem is that probably isn't enough for a United massive signing!

The problem is his price tag and united's expansive style of play which places too much of emphasis on midfielders to be mobile. Play a compact system and he'll be good as a pure makelele type defensive midfielder.

 

[NinjaFletch]

The problem is his price tag and united's expansive style of play which places too much of emphasis on midfielders to be mobile. Play a compact system and he'll be good as a pure makelele type defensive midfielder.

Our what style of play?

 

[Freak]

Our what style of play?

Expansive. You know..make the pitch as wide as possible.

 

[Plugsy]

I think he does the simple things well, and uses his strength well in close range tussles.

The slight massive problem is that probably isn't enough for a United massive signing!

I don't think he does use his strength well at all. His game is improving but you still see him being outjumped at corners and brushed aside my men half his size. He's not as bad as he was but while at times he does impose himself a bit more, at others he very much looks like someone who thinks he's 5ft 6 and 7 stone soaking wet.

 

[Saoirse.]

He's your Andy Carroll.

 

[lem8sh]

Not good enough stop kidding yourselves.

 

[NinjaFletch]

Expansive. You know..make the pitch as wide as possible.

Don't think we even do that anymore.

 

[Commadus]

looks and plays cumbersome, he's Andy Carrol in midfield. Both out of their depths at clubs above their level.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Not good enough stop kidding yourselves.

For what? That still remains the question. Good enough to be a squad player for us? I'd say he looked good enough for that yesterday. He did a decent job - more than decent at times, actually. He looked up for it, in fact. Good enough to solve our midfield problems? Obviously not - but is that really a stick to beat the big bastard with?

"He's shite."
"Nah, he's a decent player."
"We shouldn't pay 27 mill for a merely decent player anyways - and he's shite."
"It's not his fault we overpaid for him."
"Moyes is shite."
"27 million microphones do not a summer make..."
"Woody...fiasco...27 million bottles of Woody on the wall...he's shite...Moyes has a shit afro..."

And...so forth.

 

[Floyd]

Oh how we laughed when Liverpool sold Robbie Keane just 6 months after buying him, at a loss of around £4-5m.

It's obviously never going to happen but I'd be thrilled if we sold him in January for say £18m.

 

[togg]

He's just a really poor player. His touch is appalling, his positioning awful and his passing extremely limited. And he gives away a crazy amount of stupid fouls.

for those actually at the match last night...this is pretty much spot on...he was bloody frustrating and in the end seemed to get into positions where he couldn't receive the ball...almost like he was sinking into his own confidence swamp!!

 

[Raees]

The worrying is at times he looked like our star performer, says it all about how shite we were at times yesterday.

 

[Sir Matt]

Thats bollocks - it says on the link that you posted that 30 (26 successful) of the 68 were forward passes:
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/statszon...yer-stats/41184/1_PASS_14#tabs-wrapper-anchor
it was always a similar criticism aimed at Carrick, which was also bollocks

it is funny how much he is dividing opinion - many people gave him MOTM for us last night whereas others cant see it

Yes, those are any passes that are forward in any degree. The vast majority of those 30 passes went more towards the sideline than forward. Obviously the player isn't going to pass exactly perpendicular to the sidelines. Even still, 26 of his 63 completed passes were in some degree "forward" while 37 were to some degree backwards or "square". The point still stands that he offers nothing going forward, very little protection for the back line or in the middle. His value to the team is nonexistent.

 

[Liam147]

Yes, those are any passes that are forward in any degree. The vast majority of those 30 passes went more towards the sideline than forward. Obviously the player isn't going to pass exactly perpendicular to the sidelines. Even still, 26 of his 63 completed passes were in some degree "forward" while 37 were to some degree backwards or "square". The point still stands that he offers nothing going forward, very little protection for the back line or in the middle. His value to the team is nonexistent.

Pretty much this. Passing isn't good at all. He can't pass to any sort of distance and his short passing often seems quite laboured. He's slow, which means that when he's lumbering about upfield he can't get back into position in time. Cleverley can, Jones can and to an extent, Anderson can. Sadly he doesn't seem to have much positional discipline to just sit in one place and do a job. His tackling is also poor, as I've stated numerous times (I think Theon was one of the many who called me out on that; wonder if they've changed their tune or if they still think he's a good tackler).

Just does far too little well to be considered a midfielder, let alone a Manchester United midfielder.

 

[Jinn]

No

The worrying is at times he looked like our star performer, says it all about how shite we were at times yesterday.

No, the worrying thing is that Moyes rates him. This means that he will always be in the team whenever he is fit.
Moyes, like SAF is a stubbon person who doesn't like to be proven wrong, and he will not accept that his first signing was a bad one.

 

[Raees]

No

No, the worrying thing is that Moyes rates him. This means that he will always be in the team whenever he is fit.
Moyes, like SAF is a stubbon person who doesn't like to be proven wrong, and he will not accept that his first signing was a bad one.

I disagree, I think Moyes has no option but to play him. We really lack numbers in midfield, pretty sure Moyes is concerned with his own back rather than whether he is right about Fellaini. We didn't lose because of Fellaini, he was one of the strongest performers v Everton.

 

[Ramshock]

No

No, the worrying thing is that Moyes rates him. This means that he will always be in the team whenever he is fit.
Moyes, like SAF is a stubbon person who doesn't like to be proven wrong, and he will not accept that his first signing was a bad one.

fecking unbelievable. Has his best game for us and know it all cnuts still wont give him time.

 

[Getsme]

fecking unbelievable. Has his best game for us and know it all cnuts still wont give him time.

Some never will. He was classed as a failure before he kicked a ball for us.

 

[Ash_G]

fecking unbelievable. Has his best game for us and know it all cnuts still wont give him time.

His first half was a good display, with someone like Carrick or a proper playmaker then that would be a good combo, still needing improvement but good enough to match up with the majority of better sides in the league. But in the second half he was poor, he lost that energy he had in the first half and so wasn't as defensively helpful and he wasn't offering much from a creative point all game, which was ok when he was doing a shift defensively but not when that noticeably dropped off.

But sadly you're right that was arguably his best game for us, maybe the Bayer Lev game he first played in was ahead. If he can play like the first half consistently then that would be good, just have to hope that wasn't an anomaly driven by trying to shut the critics up.

 

[Jaap]

Judge him once he's fit - he's been carrying a wrist injury for quite some time and it's obviously restricting him in some sort.

 

[Kostur]

fecking unbelievable. Has his best game for us and know it all cnuts still wont give him time.

Shots were fired even before he kicked off. He's been very good yesterday and yet people complain feck knows about what. More cingeworthy stuff to come I guess, latest was 'he can't pass it for 50 yards, he's not good central midfielder'.

Meanwhile, let's keep wanking at the midfield of Spurs who couldn't really dominate us.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

fecking unbelievable. Has his best game for us and know it all cnuts still wont give him time.

He did have a decent game yes but that's a low barometer in fairness especially as he could easily have been sent off (probably would have done in Europe).

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Meanwhile, let's keep wanking at the midfield of Spurs who couldn't really dominate us.

Has anyone been wanking over Spurs' midfield of late? There is a lot of panting over City and Arsenal but they are two notches above us at least

 

[Annahnomoss]

I couldn't see the match yesterday, how did he perform? I am surprised to see he had 93% passing accuracy and 6/6 long-balls together with second most shots in the team(shared) as well as most tackles and interceptions.

Stat-wise that looks like the best performance of any midfielder we have so far, but stats of course don't tell the entire story as some still don't think he was more than "okay" here so somebody fill me in.

 

[Kostur]

Has anyone been wanking over Spurs' midfield of late? There is a lot of panting over City and Arsenal but they are two notches above us at least

You'd have to check matchday thread really, it was hilarious how the perception of them changed once it ended 2-2. I'm not even aiming at what has been happening prior to season start.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

I couldn't see the match yesterday, how did he perform? I am surprised to see he had 93% passing accuracy and 6/6 long-balls together with second most shots in the team(shared) as well as most tackles and interceptions.

Stat-wise that looks like the best performance of any midfielder we have so far, but stats of course don't tell the entire story as some still don't think he was more than "okay" here so somebody fill me in.

According to some he was even useless...

He played well on the whole, if you ask me. First half he was very good - seemed to lose some steam as the second progressed. He was certainly better than he has been in any game bar perhaps Leverkusen at OT. Did the job of a DM well, intercepted, won duels, kept it simple. I don't know what some people expect from him - it's like they are extremely aware of his shortcomings and yet surprised (and offended) by them at the same time.

 

[Annahnomoss]

According to some he was even useless...

He played well on the whole, if you ask me. First half he was very good - seemed to lose some steam as the second progressed. He was certainly better than he has been in any game bar perhaps Leverkusen at OT. Did the job of a DM well, intercepted, won duels, kept it simple. I don't know what some people expect from him - it's like they are extremely aware of his shortcomings and yet surprised (and offended) by them at the same time.

93% passing accuracy were all keeping it simple or did he try more creative passes as well? 6/6 long-balls is Carrick/Pirlo figures, what kind of long-balls were they?

 

[Sir Matt]

fecking unbelievable. Has his best game for us and know it all cnuts still wont give him time.

His best isn't close to United quality.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

93% passing accuracy were all keeping it simple or did he try more creative passes as well? 6/6 long-balls is Carrick/Pirlo figures, what kind of long-balls were they?

Well - for the sake of honesty, they weren't Pirlo'esque...I remember a cross field pass or two, possibly some of his longer balls forwards count in the stats as well. They weren't great passes, I don't think anyone would say that. But he played genuine forward passes, taking part in the build-up, if you will - it wasn't just five yard support passes.

That said, he is a competent not an excellent passer of the ball - he mainly impressed me with his defensive work, which is what I expect him to do well when playing as a DM.