Marouane Fellaini | 2013/14 Performances

[Jimy_Hills_Chin]

That's not fair really. You can't blame Moyes for pursuing a player who was his best performer, alongside Baines, for the previous five seasons.

Moyes is a manager who employs a percentage style and Fellani is a percentage player. You can't blame Moyes for pursuing a player that fits in to his style of football but you can question if you are happy with Manchester United playing that kind of football.

Fellani has always committed a lot of fouls, he has always been slow, he has always sent beastly headers 50 yards down the pitch and he has always been a great target in the hole for long balls.

Fellani was offered a big pay rise to work for a superior company, a company that also offers much better professional opportunities. He has come here and is doing what he has been bought to do. I don't see how you can blame him for being himself. The truth is that he isn't really capable of much better performances in DM than yesterday.

David Moyes employed Fellani for Manchester United. If you remember in the summer Andy Mitten wrote that Moyes wanted to bring in two players from Everton that most of the Manchester United staff thought were not good enough for the club. Even my friends had long thought that Fellani was a good player but not one who is good enough for a top club. I had somehow convinced myself that Fellani would be a good addition but I was wrong.

If you are criticising what Fellani brings to the team then I am afraid that you are criticising David Moyes. Marouane Fellani is Marouane Fellani and that is what David Moyes wanted.

 

[Nathan]

He actually had a good game in the midfield and broke up the play.

 

[Rozay]

Sadly, I can't help but feel he should be sold as early as possible. I know it would appear 'knee-jerk', but I think we should just get it over with and swallot the £15m loss.

It is sad that, as of today, our last £40m spent in the market seems to have been totally chucked down the toilet. There are never guarantees, but I think this is still largely down to our 'we are United, we don't buy the obviously good players, we go for this niche group of 'United players' that we develop'.

With £40m, we should have just, this time, gone out and bought an obviously top class midfield player, as opposed to the managers favourite student who 'will give us something different' or a winger who cannot even be currently considered amongst our wing options.

 

[Rood]

The point is - given our need of quality in cm, other options, transfer fee he is one of the worst signings can remember.

Yes, he was average to poor yesterday. Like always.

The point is that dickheads like you have been on his case since day 1 and regardless of how he plays are going to slag him off. Idiotic to claim that someone is a the worst signing ever after a few months, judge at the end of the season.

Id give him a 6.5 for his performance yesterday - it is only his second time filling in for Carrick and he did his job - he was hardly at fault for the result and his midfield partner was very poor.

 

[Cina]

Sadly, I can't help but feel he should be sold as early as possible. I know it would appear 'knee-jerk', but I think we should just get it over with and swallot the £15m loss.

It is sad that, as of today, our last £40m spent in the market seems to have been totally chucked down the toilet. There are never guarantees, but I think this is still largely down to our 'we are United, we don't buy the obviously good players, we go for this niche group of 'United players' that we develop'.

With £40m, we should have just, this time, gone out and bought an obviously top class midfield player, as opposed to the managers favourite student who 'will give us something different' or a winger who cannot even be currently considered amongst our wing options.

Are you on about Young? He's not part of our last 80m, let alone 40m!

 

[Rozay]

Are you on about Young? He's not part of our last 80m, let alone 40m!

Seems you have also forgotten that we signed a guy from Crystal Palace in January then. Young, bad as he is, is obviously part of our options seeing as he plays now and then, and makes the bench when he doesn't.

 

[Cina]

Seems you have also forgotten that we signed a guy from Crystal Palace in January then.

You can't be serious about Zaha? He was never likely to be part of our early plans here, regardless.

 

[Adam-Utd]

He made a few sloppy misplaced passes when under pressure, which he definitely needs to work on.

Apart from that though I felt he battled well, and made a few vital interceptions. Was unlucky not to score with that header too!.

People are obviously making Fellaini the new scapegoat, but I felt Cleverley was much worse personally.

 

[#07]

He made a few sloppy misplaced passes when under pressure, which he definitely needs to work on.

Apart from that though I felt he battled well, and made a few vital interceptions. Was unlucky not to score with that header too!.

People are obviously making Fellaini the new scapegoat, but I felt Cleverley was much worse personally.

You're right Cleverley was much worse but what hurts most people is that Fellaini was our big buy of the summer when we should've been in the market for better players.

 

[Carl]

He actually had a good game in the midfield and broke up the play.

Winning the occasional header and tackle does not constitute a good game. Both he and Cleverley were pretty rank.

 

[Adam-Utd]

You're right Cleverley was much worse but what hurts most people is that Fellaini was our big buy of the summer when we should've been in the market for better players.

The fact is though we were, but clearly those deals didn't materialise.

If we had bought Thiago or Fabregas, I doubt Fellaini would have been bought.

It seemed like the Fellaini deal kept being stalled as deep down we didn't probably want him, but I guess Moyes felt we needed more bodies and that he could do a job. I think people were making so much noise about actually signing somebody, he almost felt compelled to sign somebody just for the sake of it.

Anyway I feel its a steady performance increase from him, but he is just not suited to a 2 man midfield at all.

He needs to be played as a specialist DM

 

[Annahnomoss]

He needs to be played as a specialist DM

Can't stress that enough. His best qualities are all utilized in such a role even heading/chesting the ball down. Whenever the opponents launch a long-ball to relieve pressure/counter he will be able to use his chesting and heading ability.

He should be used so the wing-backs can be more offensive instead because they help our offense way more than Fellaini does.

 

[Sunny Jim]

The point is that dickheads like you have been on his case since day 1 and regardless of how he plays are going to slag him off. Idiotic to claim that someone is a the worst signing ever after a few months, judge at the end of the season.

Id give him a 6.5 for his performance yesterday - it is only his second time filling in for Carrick and he did his job - he was hardly at fault for the result and his midfield partner was very poor.

Regardless of how he plays? apart form 20 minutes in the Bayer game he was pants any time he was on the pitch.
Yesterday he was poor, 6.5 performance you say? in inverted scale?

 

[Rozay]

You can't be serious about Zaha? He was never likely to be part of our early plans here, regardless.

It's easy for everyone to say that now. I doubt that was the consensus at the time. He has been in a few full-England squads, and many were saying we were crazy to even let him stay at Palace past January, instead of bringing him straight into the side.

Then some people were apparently very impressed with him in pre-season, and expected a big impact. I'm not buying that revisionism of 'he was never meant to be part of our plans'. He is behind where we would expect, not simply 'on course'. He cost up to £15m. We have an 18 year old in the first-team now, and I doubt many would not have expected a similar impact to Sterling last season, particularly as inevitably, many declared him better than Sterling.

 

[Cina]

It's easy for everyone to say that now. I doubt that was the consensus at the time. He has been in a few full-England squads, and many were saying we were crazy to even let him stay at Palace past January, instead of bringing him straight into the side.

Then some people were apparently very impressed with him in pre-season, and expected a big impact. I'm not buying that revisionism of 'he was never meant to be part of our plans'. He is behind where we would expect, not simply 'on course'. He cost up to £15m. We have an 18 year old in the first-team now, and I doubt many would not have expected a similar impact to Sterling last season, particularly as inevitably, many declared him better than Sterling.

It was for me, and many others.

 

[Rozay]

The fact is though we were, but clearly those deals didn't materialise.

If we had bought Thiago or Fabregas, I doubt Fellaini would have been bought.

It seemed like the Fellaini deal kept being stalled as deep down we didn't probably want him, but I guess Moyes felt we needed more bodies and that he could do a job. I think people were making so much noise about actually signing somebody, he almost felt compelled to sign somebody just for the sake of it.

Anyway I feel its a steady performance increase from him, but he is just not suited to a 2 man midfield at all.

He needs to be played as a specialist DM

So we just spend £28m on somebody for the reasons you gave? Absoulutely ridiculous.

 

[alastair]

You're playing him in a position that he hasn't played in for a long time.

Let's be honest - he was best at Everton behind the striker, bullying centre-halves. Even then, his efficiency was over-stated.

Telling him to be a defensive midfielder is just not going to work.

 

[Theon]

Moyes is a manager who employs a percentage style and Fellani is a percentage player.

What do you mean by this?

Moyes' teams have played some pretty good football. When he was at Preston they were known for being a passing style team

 

[Rood]

Regardless of how he plays? apart form 20 minutes in the Bayer game he was pants any time he was on the pitch.
Yesterday he was poor, 6.5 performance you say? in inverted scale?

Dont agree at all and there are many others who thought he was decent yesterday as well.
He is growing into the role after a nervy start at United but many refuse to see it as they are still bitching and whining about the summer transfer window - get over it FFS

 

[Rozay]

What do you mean by this?

Moyes' teams have played some pretty good football. When he was at Preston they were known for being a passing style team

Yea I agree. I honestly think Everton have played better stuff than United in the last 18 months or so.

 

[Adam-Utd]

So we just spend £28m on somebody for the reasons you gave? Absoulutely ridiculous.

Explain to me then, If Moyes DID want Fellaini straight away and was 100% going to buy him, why did we wait until his release clause expired?. Surely he would have gone straight into it once he officially joined and snapped him up.

The fact we waited so long and even tried to complete other deals first, showed me he was a backup plan.

 

[Rood]

You're playing him in a position that he hasn't played in for a long time.

Incorrect, this is a common myth - he played primarily in a defensive midfield 2 at the end of last season for Everton, that includes their 0-0 match at the Emirates in fact

 

[Theon]

You're playing him in a position that he hasn't played in for a long time.

Let's be honest - he was best at Everton behind the striker, bullying centre-halves. Even then, his efficiency was over-stated.

Telling him to be a defensive midfielder is just not going to work.

The bolded is the relevant part there - he needs time.

Central midfield is notoriously hard to play and he hasn't really played there for over a year at club level. When you combine that with the pressures of 1) the huge transfer fee 2) stepping up to a team like United 3) the responsibility for 'fixing' United's midfield then I'm not overly surprised he's been off form.

No excuses though, I think these things are relevant and somewhat explain how he's been, but overall he's been much worse than he should have. With time I expect him to improve and show more than he did at Everton, but it may well take a season.

 

[alastair]

Incorrect, this is a common myth - he played primarily in a defensive midfield 2 at the end of last season for Everton, that includes their 0-0 match at the Emirates in fact

Only when forced by injury, and I was at that game - he was dire in that position.

 

[Getsme]

Explain to me then, If Moyes DID want Fellaini straight away and was 100% going to buy him, why did we wait until his release clause expired?. Surely he would have gone straight into it once he officially joined and snapped him up.

The fact we waited so long and even tried to complete other deals first, showed me he was a backup plan.

He's probably was, would you rather he didn't have a back up plan?

 

[Adam-Utd]

He's probably was, would you rather he didn't have a back up plan?

I'm not saying don't sign him, but Rozay questions spending 28M on a backup. Unfortunately we took the risk and so far it has not paid off. Fellaini has time to turn it around though of course.

 

[datura]

It makes it more difficult for him that the team is playing so poorly for the most part this season. We've been disjointed and most CM's woudl struggle with the lack of options whenin possession. In saying that though he needs to become more forceful and impose himself more in games.

 

[Rood]

Only when forced by injury, and I was at that game - he was dire in that position.

Actually he was only playing upfront due to injury - as soon as Anichebe was fit then Fellaini played mostly as defensive midfield, usually with Gibson.

I didnt see the game but he was playing DM and you failed to score at home - sounds like job done to me.

 

[alastair]

Actually he was only playing upfront due to injury - as soon as Anichebe was fit then Fellaini played mostly as defensive midfield, usually with Gibson.

I didnt see the game but he was playing DM and you failed to score at home - sounds like job done to me.

The reason we didn't score was in no part down to Fellaini.

I never said Fellaini played out and out striker, but he played just behind on so many occasions. It wasn't an injury thing - look at how he played v United, v City, v Chelsea etc. He scored against us at home from the edge of the box - his position all night.

 

[Eyepopper]

Incorrect, this is a common myth - he played primarily in a defensive midfield 2 at the end of last season for Everton, that includes their 0-0 match at the Emirates in fact

No no no.... he played in a forward position last year against Utd = he's played his entire career there.

 

[Rozay]

Explain to me then, If Moyes DID want Fellaini straight away and was 100% going to buy him, why did we wait until his release clause expired?. Surely he would have gone straight into it once he officially joined and snapped him up.

The fact we waited so long and even tried to complete other deals first, showed me he was a backup plan.

Well I posted my theory in early September, and I'm half inclined to think that we only had £30m to spend, and the talk was all waffle. We made our first move for Cesc, with the highest being £30m (which as we know was still well below his market value). Once £30m was predictably rejected, we pulled out. We then took our money to Everton. Again, we bidded a combined £28m for Baines and Fellaini, which was never going to get them. The same £30m limit was moved to Bilbao, but I believe again, we were only willing to spend £30m tops all summer, so it was Herrera or Fellaini. For one reason or another, we settled with Fellaini.

I believe that all of our bids appeared to peak at around £30m all summer, and none of these deals were pursued simultaneously. Fellaini, despite obviously being on Moyes' list, was not in the picture while we were going after Cesc. I believe that is because we were more willing to spend our £30m on Cesc than on Fellaini. When that broke down, we moved to Everton. But I think if we genuinely wanted Fellaini and Cesc, we would have gotten Fellaini before 23:58 on Sep 2, when it was obvious that nothing else was going to come off, be it in Barcelona or Bilbao.

Just a theory of course, but I don't pay too much mind to lip-service, this interpretation is drawn solely from what I saw happen.

 

[Getsme]

I'm not saying don't sign him, but Rozay questions spending 28M on a backup. Unfortunately we took the risk and so far it has not paid off. Fellaini has time to turn it around though of course.

Fair enough.

 

[Jimy_Hills_Chin]

What do you mean by this?

Moyes' teams have played some pretty good football. When he was at Preston they were known for being a passing style team

What he played at Preston all those years ago is irrelevant now.

Manchester United now play the 4th amount of long balls in the league, we were 17th in that department under Fergie last term. The number of short passes that we play has decreased along with successful passes, we are also top of the crossing chart. Fellani is great for the long ball and clearances. His power headers result in territorial gain too - get in! I am quite sure that you know percentage football works.

Moyes has managed to take our brand of football to a state even less aesthetically appealing than Fergie's worst, with the same players also. I have not enjoyed it one bit so far. Not that I am calling for his head. I hope that we get at least 4th this year and then hopefully Moyes will bring in some players that can bring some style back to our play. I do believe that the players that Moyes had hoped to bring in initially would have been able to do this.

My original point is that only Moyes can be blamed for Fellani playing like Fellani in our team. I don't really see who else can.

 

[Theon]

What he played at Preston all those years ago is irrelevant now.

Manchester United now play the 4th amount of long balls in the league, we were 17th in that department under Fergie last term. The number of short passes that we play has decreased along with successful passes, we are also top of the crossing chart. Fellani is great for the long ball and clearances. His power headers result in territorial gain too - get in! I am quite sure that you know percentage football works.

Moyes has managed to take our brand of football to a state even less aesthetically appealing than Fergie's worst, with the same players also. I have not enjoyed it one bit so far. Not that I am calling for his head. I hope that we get at least 4th this year and then hopefully Moyes will bring in some players that can bring some style back to our play. I do believe that the players that Moyes had hoped to bring in initially would have been able to do this.

My original point is that only Moyes can be blamed for Fellani playing like Fellani in our team. I don't really see who else can.

I wasn't being facetious at all, I just didn't know what you meant by percentage football. I've heard the term but have no real idea what it really means.

On the style of play comments - honestly haven't seen that much of a difference from last season. We played some awful stuff last year as well with Fergie in charge, so Moyes hasn't come in and destroyed us playing fluid, entertaining football IMO. It's really not much worse.

I don't think Carrick has been dominating games the way he was last season, so maybe that has played a part.

Yeah Moyes needs to take responsibility for the Fellaini transfer, but the player himself needs to sort his shit out as well. He's better than this so needs to pull it together. To be fair though, the team as a whole isn't playing well and that hasn't helped Fellaini.

 

[Kaos]

I think I'd summarise Fellaini as being potentially a solid option in midfield, but not the midfielder we need.

Also, we overpaid.

 

[Jimy_Hills_Chin]

Yeah Moyes needs to take responsibility for the Fellaini transfer, but the player himself needs to sort his shit out as well. He's better than this so needs to pull it together. To be fair though, the team as a whole isn't playing well and that hasn't helped Fellaini.

Yesterday though, Fellani did what Fellani does. I don't think that his level gets too much higher than that in a DM position. Personally I didn't think that he was too bad, he looked worse as Cleverley did nothing progressive so we had nothing going through the middle. Fellani is not a progressive midfielder, that is the point. He wins headers, clears the balls, blocks the ball and plays basic passes. I feel that he is most effective in the hole but it will be sad day if Manchester United starts using that type of player in that position.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Well I posted my theory in early September, and I'm half inclined to think that we only had £30m to spend, and the talk was all waffle. We made our first move for Cesc, with the highest being £30m (which as we know was still well below his market value). Once £30m was predictably rejected, we pulled out. We then took our money to Everton. Again, we bidded a combined £28m for Baines and Fellaini, which was never going to get them. The same £30m limit was moved to Bilbao, but I believe again, we were only willing to spend £30m tops all summer, so it was Herrera or Fellaini. For one reason or another, we settled with Fellaini.

I believe that all of our bids appeared to peak at around £30m all summer, and none of these deals were pursued simultaneously. Fellaini, despite obviously being on Moyes' list, was not in the picture while we were going after Cesc. I believe that is because we were more willing to spend our £30m on Cesc than on Fellaini. When that broke down, we moved to Everton. But I think if we genuinely wanted Fellaini and Cesc, we would have gotten Fellaini before 23:58 on Sep 2, when it was obvious that nothing else was going to come off, be it in Barcelona or Bilbao.

Just a theory of course, but I don't pay too much mind to lip-service, this interpretation is drawn solely from what I saw happen.

If your theory holds water we had to settle for Fellaini, as Herrera would've ended up costing us more than thirty million.

However, I don't buy this theory. It entails, essentially, that both Moyes and Woodward were spouting sheer lies over the summer - and still are, for that matter. By all accounts we're doing very well financially. There's nothing to indicate Moyes was on a strict budget. Besides, even if he was, surely you don't identify Fabregas as the man to improve your CM only to go for Fellaini instead - as though the latter is some kind of poor man's Cesc: They're completely different players, filling vastly different roles. It's far more likely that we were indeed after both types (which is what Moyes claimed initially) - but that we simply fecked up in one way or another.

 

[Rozay]

If your theory holds water we had to settle for Fellaini, as Herrera would've ended up costing us more than thirty million.

However, I don't buy this theory. It entails, essentially, that both Moyes and Woodward were spouting sheer lies over the summer - and still are, for that matter. By all accounts we're doing very well financially. There's nothing to indicate Moyes was on a strict budget. Besides, even if he was, surely you don't identify Fabregas as the man to improve your CM only to go for Fellaini instead - as though the latter is some kind of poor man's Cesc: They're completely different players, filling vastly different roles. It's far more likely that we were indeed after both types (which is what Moyes claimed initially) - but that we simply fecked up in one way or another.

I don't believe it is that far-fetched to indicate we were spouting lies though. We should be judged by our actions. When Real come out and say they are looking to bring top players in, they generally do, that is how we verify the validity of their statements. Yes, you may say Real find it easier to attract players than us, but the likes of Napoli or Arsenal came out talking about having lots of money, and they found ways to spend it. We found excuses. Arsenal in the past have also found excuses, which has led people to question whether they had the money.
Our actions at least suggest my theory was a possibility. And as for Herrera costing more than £30m, that is true, although only half a million more. In any case, we pulled out of that deal due to it going over £30m, which supports my point. From what I gather, we never had two £30m offers on the table. It was one at a time, and always capped around the same amount.

Fellaini is not a Fabregas, but our opinions of him and Moyes' are two different things. I mean, he is not a Toure either. Nor is he a Makalele. Between Cesc, Toure and Makalele - Moyes' view must surely have been that he its into one of those boxes. The likelihood is that the manager just thinks/thought he is better than he is, and was also worth such an outlay.

 

[Rood]

The reason we didn't score was in no part down to Fellaini.

I never said Fellaini played out and out striker, but he played just behind on so many occasions. It wasn't an injury thing - look at how he played v United, v City, v Chelsea etc. He scored against us at home from the edge of the box - his position all night.

I am not talking about him playing striker either, by 'upfront' I mean just behind and yes he has played there many occasions over the past couple of seasons but it was largely down to injury. Everton had a tiny squad so Moyes was forced into it, when Anichebe was back fit at end of last season then, apart from a couple of occasions, Fellaini was very much playing defensive midfield.

He also plays midfield for Belgium - although that is part of a midfield 3 so not exactly the same set up.

The whole idea that he rarely played there before this season is complete bullshit - I see people say it again and again but it is just plain wrong.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

I don't believe it is that far-fetched to indicate we were spouting lies though. We should be judged by our actions. When Real come out and say they are looking to bring top players in, they generally do, that is how we verify the validity of their statements. Yes, you may say Real find it easier to attract players than us, but the likes of Napoli or Arsenal came out talking about having lots of money, and they found ways to spend it. We found excuses. Arsenal in the past have also found excuses, which has led people to question whether they had the money.
Our actions at least suggest my theory was a possibility. And as for Herrera costing more than £30m, that is true, although only half a million more. In any case, we pulled out of that deal due to it going over £30m, which supports my point. From what I gather, we never had two £30m offers on the table. It was one at a time, and always capped around the same amount.

Fellaini is not a Fabregas, but our opinions of him and Moyes' are two different things. I mean, he is not a Toure either. Nor is he a Makalele. Between Cesc, Toure and Makalele - Moyes' view must surely have been that he its into one of those boxes. The likelihood is that the manager just thinks/thought he is better than he is, and was also worth such an outlay.

Indeed - and ultimately Woodward et al will be: But this is one window, the very first with Ed n' Dave in charge. I think they still deserve the benefit of the doubt here. We didn't land a great name - but to conclude from this that we are unable to/unwilling to land anyone unless they fit a budget is premature. The unlikeliest aspect of this - to me - is actually the Glazers: If they did indeed tell Moyes that he's got thirty mill to spend, not a penny more, then we're fecked! Nothing less, in fact. Moyes acting all enthusiastic about having no budget, Woodward raving on about big players and being willing to spend seventy million on a single player, etc - and all of it just bollocks to cover up the ugly truth that we're strapped for cash compared to our rivals...I can't bring myself to believe this. Not least when we add the Fellaini purchase to the equation: If you're given thirty million, not a penny more, and you blow practically the whole load on a player like Fellaini, well - then you're insane. And I don't think Moyes is insane. I think he has the means to go out and buy a very different sort of midfielder in the next window(s).

Lastly - if you're limited to thirty million AND you're after a player like Fabregas (some say Modric too - and De Rossi), wouldn't it make more sense to go out and say you're looking at ONE midfielder to strengthen your team? Moyes has repeatedly said he's looking at several. He has even indicated the need to bring in several starters, "world class" types...why would he do that if he knows full well he'll be on a tight budget? He buys Fellaini for an excessive amount - and then goes on to talk about getting in world class reinforcements to be able to compete with the likes of Bayern Munich...it doesn't make any sense to me.