I agree.
I think the mistake he's making is in not playing both Hererra and Fellaini fwiw.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
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I agree.
I think the mistake he's making is in not playing both Hererra and Fellaini fwiw.
So Di Maria on the wing?
Id play Fellaini sometimes but Im not sure Id have him in our strongest XI.
Id have Blind and Carrick in front of the defence and Rooney, Herrera and Di Maria in front of them. With Falcao up front. Or Rooney up front and Mata where he was. Very passe to include Mata I know but I havent given up on him.
Fellaini is a great option to have but I just think we have better players. Though to be fair on form he is worthy of being picked at the moment.
I agree with you, but i have one nuissance it is that i think that Van gaal is not necessarily convinced that Fellaini is a better option but only think that he has to seize the momentum Fellaini is in.
I definitely agree with the general principle that when someone is playing well they should be picked. Selection based on form, not reputation. It seems to me that is the way to keep the squad motivated.
In that sense it is perfectly defensible to have selected Fellaini in recent games, he has done well.
When Herrera gets his chance again he must take it and then he keeps his place.
In that sense it is perfectly defensible to have selected Fellaini in recent games, he has done well.
When Herrera gets his chance again he must take it and then he keeps his place.
Fellaini is in the team because of a lack of a physical presence and a makeshift defence and it makes sense from that perspective but it takes mean changing the shape of the team and it will effect the way we play in terms of how quickly and effectively we can pass the ball in midfield. Herrera will be back in place of or alongside Fellaini at some point. For a top side having Fellaini as a box to box midfielder is a limitation and that is something I have no doubt LVG will correct as he takes the club forward.
That's the bottom line for me. If a player comes into the team and does well, keep picking him until he stops performing at that level.
I've got a few doubts about Van Gaal's team selections so far but his decision to keep picking Fellaini on the basis of what he's produced so far is something I'm really pleased about. I hate it when a player gets a chances as replacement for a big name, does a really good job and gets dropped through no fault of his own. Much rather the team be picked on merit.
If Herrera merits a start I would prefer that Van Gaal looks at re-shuffling things by dropping someone who isn't playing well. The obvious decision is to drop RvP, stick Rooney up top and play Hererra in midfield ahead of him.
I'm not bothere at all by Di Maria playing wide. It's where he plays for Argentina, where he's played most of his career to date and playing him and Hererra in midfield together is a recipe for disaster IMO.
It will be interesting to see what the reaction will be if we actually lose to Arsenal with the same formation used in the previous 3 games. Even David Moyes did well against Arsenal. You can see the headlines now. God help us if Danny scores as well.
Shit will hit the fan mate!
You might see the first "Van Gaal out" thread of the season.
God won't move a finger, we already lost our soul.
I don't think I would take loosing to Arsenal.... 
Would still keep the faith of course.
Would still keep the faith of course.
I'd also like Danny to score, as long as we win.
I think it will if we just go out to stop Arsenal playing without causing them any significant threat. Yes we drew against Chelsea, when we could have been further behind and they had someone sent off and we got as last minute equaliser. City our defensive brainfart came back again through Smalling and we can say all we like about keeping the score low etc, we didn't score and you don't get points for effort. Crystal Palace knew how to defend against us and it took a change for us to score. If we lose to Arsenal, we are still not capable of beating the big sides.
The media are starting to probe more at LvG. It might be more them that starts stirring the pot, rather than us. Then it will depend if he can keep his cool or if the conferences get seriously feisty. It will be interesting no matter what.
This is my opinion as well. The Palace game was the first time where I was genuinely worried with the direction the team were going in. I loved the diamond and the potential of that system if they can find the correct balance is huge but I understood moving to the 4-3-3 for the Chelsea and City games and agree it was the right move.
The take away for me from the City game (when everyone seemed to be losing their collective Sh!t about Smalling) was that in the first 30 minutes when United were on top and controlling the game there was zero creativity. City were really low on confidence and were there for the taking. I felt sure that for the Palace game there would be more creativity in the side.
I've convinced myself now that the more functional central midfield is to protect the inexperienced back 4 and that Fellaini is being picked for his height at set pieces. Once the defence is sorted it's back to ripping opposition defences apart with creative attacking football . . . I hope! That means Herrera back in the side. My biggest worry with Fellaini for the Arsenal game is that he's a penalty waiting to happen.
So the corset caused Herrera to give the ball away a number of times?
Van Gaal didn't mention he took Herrera off due to injury, but because he wanted to get Fellaini on the end of Di Maria's crosses.
It's all well and good to pick players on form and tbf none of us has any idea of how Herrera has been in training. You also make a good point about who should be making way because currently RVP has been one of our worse performers. My biggest gripe is with how we are using Fellaini, we seem to want him in the box a lot which means that our attack is now structured around finding him with a deep cross/long ball, we are playing Rooney (by far the more dangerous of the two) deeper to allow for Fellaini's runs and off the ball teams can play through us at will but we have lost our ability to play through them. Frankly I would rather we go back to the gungho ways of the diamond or for Van Gaal to just do what every other manager is paid to do; make the decision to drop Van Persie and play a proper 4-3-3 with one of Rooney/Falcao/Van Persie as a lone striker.
I know it's a drastic and expensive step to keep £1m/week earners on the bench but we will lose more imo if we don't take the bitter medicine now. With the way our defense is now we need the stability a three men midfield offers more than the short term solace of massaging big egos to avoid confrontation.
We bought Herrera for 30M (could be mistaken) and he's looked class in all the games he's played. I can't believe people are really contemplating that LVG doesn't like him. When he's 100% fit he'll be back in the team.
By experience playing with broken ribs or a trapezius tear is a nightmare. Every movement is really painful.
Don't you think Ander would have had a fitness test before the game, though? It's not like we'd play him unless we knew he was fit enough to start.
Really? Players play all the time with injuries. Sometimes in the game they realise they can't play through it.
Ozil apparent played with a ruptured ligament for Arsenal vs Chelsea
A professional game is on another level though. I wouldn't read too much into it I'm sure he'll play soon. Fellaini can do a specific job but that's about it. Besides that he just doesn't offer enough as Herrera does
You remember last season, Rooney against Bayern, Diego Costa against Barcelona, Aguero in the world cup final, Ronaldo in 98 for the world cup final.
Every scenario is different, if the player is coming back from injury then some precautions will be taken. Sometimes injuries occur during the match and the players still play with them. Just to be clear, I'm agree with you.
The fact Herrera came back into the side ahead of schedule and played with the corset shows LVG rates him highly because he wanted him in the team ahead of his other midfield options, including Fellaini, even though he wasn’t 100%.
Yes, and look at the difference of the games you mentioned, (quarter finals, finals, etc) and the importance of those players to their teams. Herrera's good, but he's nowhere near as missed as the Rooney's, Ronaldo's, Aguero's, etc, of this world, in my opinion.
We played West Brom. If Van Gaal was so worried about getting Ander fit for the Chelsea game, he should have rested him against West Brom.
I also reiterate, Van Gaal did not take Herrera off because he was injured or feeling pain, but because he wanted to utilize Fellaini's height and physical presence. Had Herrera come limping off I could understand, but he didn't.
I agree that Herrera will most likely be back into the team soon, but I don't like how people are playing down Fellaini's performance since he's come into the team. Had Fellaini not come on and did well against West Brom, I honestly think we would have continued to play Herrera with his corset.
The problem I have now is I spend a lot of my day imagining all our players prancing around in corsets. And the later in the day it is, the sexier the corset.
To a certain extent, of course. If painkillers, or in Herrera's case, a corset can be used to lessen or get rid of the pain, I'm sure they can still play. Watching Herrera against West Brom, the physical aspect of his game didn't seem to let him down, he just gave the ball away a few times.
As for Ozil, that was an injury that he picked up throughout game and was asked to be taken off but said no, which is different to Herrera. With Herrera, we knew his injury and were able to treat him accordingly, hence the 3 weeks rest and corset. As for Ozil, once he was diagnosed, Arsenal confirmed he was out for 3-4 month.
That's a bit random. What makes you think he injured his trapezius?
I just mentioned it because i had both and the problem was the same, you only understand your pain and discomfort when you try to go 100%.
Herrera is probably fit now but has simply lost his place to Fellaini. He just put a video playing basketball on instagram the other day and there was no sign of discomfort. I don't think he was 100% fit for that West Brom game and gave a poor performance. Fellaini has come into the team and done well. He has 1 goal and an assist and has not let the team down. It would take a bad performance from him for Herrera to get back in the team.
If is true what they said about his injury, as a medical doctor, I can tell you that he wasn't fit and isn't fit yet. He can run and all this, but contact is a big problem with these kind of injuries.
I suspect its more that LVG is using Fellaini's form to run the rule over him and see what he's capable of and what he isnt. Whether he's going to fit into what LVG wants longterm. While he's in and doing well it makes sense to start him and give him the chance to live up to what you want from your midfielders.
I dont think there's any chance Ander isnt doing what LVG wants and isnt set to be an important starter in his lineups.
Not unless LVG hates football
I dont think there's any chance Ander isnt doing what LVG wants and isnt set to be an important starter in his lineups.
Not unless LVG hates football
If Herrera is fit he should be in our team. I really hope to see him against Arsenal.
After a while, I've come to realise that Fellaini isn't really replacing Herrera per se. Given our different formation, we have 1 defensive midfielder and two central midfielders (1 old-school box-to-box, 1 dictator). Ever since the West Brom match, Fellaini sealed that box-to-box role whilst the dictator role was taken by Mata and Rooney recently.
Now, we can't expect Fellaini to play like Herrera and try to dictate play from midfield. That's what Mata and Rooney were supposed to do. Having said that, though Fellaini still didn't do well enough to support our wingers as central midfielders should in the setup we've had for the past several matches. Same goes for Mata and Rooney as well. This is where Herrera can be very good at as well as dictating our game from midfield. I really don't know how Herrera couldn't get ahead of Mata and Rooney in the deeper playmaker role in midfield. Herrera's done well in the final third as well as from a deeper area.
Now, we can't expect Fellaini to play like Herrera and try to dictate play from midfield. That's what Mata and Rooney were supposed to do. Having said that, though Fellaini still didn't do well enough to support our wingers as central midfielders should in the setup we've had for the past several matches. Same goes for Mata and Rooney as well. This is where Herrera can be very good at as well as dictating our game from midfield. I really don't know how Herrera couldn't get ahead of Mata and Rooney in the deeper playmaker role in midfield. Herrera's done well in the final third as well as from a deeper area.
Ander Herrera faces being squeezed out at Man Utd
Ander Herrera is weighing up his future at Manchester United.
The Daily Express says Herrera could leave Old Trafford as early as January.
The 25-year-old has played five times in the league but four of his appearances came within the club's first six games.
He suffered an injury in the 2-1 win against West Ham at Old Trafford at the end of September and has play just 45 minutes since - in the 2-2 draw with West Brom.
Reports in Italy suggest Herrera could leave the club in January to make way and clear up some funds.
Lol surely these rumours have to be complete BS?? honestly?
He's played well?
Sell Mata and Herrera, bring back Nani and play Fellaini
MAKES. PERFECT. SENSE.
Ander Herrera is weighing up his future at Manchester United.
The Daily Express says Herrera could leave Old Trafford as early as January.
The 25-year-old has played five times in the league but four of his appearances came within the club's first six games.
He suffered an injury in the 2-1 win against West Ham at Old Trafford at the end of September and has play just 45 minutes since - in the 2-2 draw with West Brom.
Reports in Italy suggest Herrera could leave the club in January to make way and clear up some funds.
Lol surely these rumours have to be complete BS?? honestly?
He's played well?
Sell Mata and Herrera, bring back Nani and play Fellaini
MAKES. PERFECT. SENSE.
LVG rushed back Herrera to play against West Brom ahead of Fellaini so unless he's suddenly jumped way ahead of Herrera in 2 games, it's nonsense.
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