Marouane Fellaini | 2013/14 Performances

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His best isn't close to United quality.


We haven't seen him even near his best yet. He's been highly rated for a long time, not only for his performances at Everton but at Standard and for Belgium he's been quality. It's no coincidence that once he steps into a midfield as unbalanced and mediocre as ours that he suddenly looks less of a player.
 
We haven't seen him even near his best yet. He's been highly rated for a long time, not only for his performances at Everton but at Standard and for Belgium he's been quality. It's no coincidence that once he steps into a midfield as unbalanced and mediocre as ours that he suddenly looks less of a player.

A lot of people would argue we saw his best while he was at Everton and, based off that, they didn't want him. I think he's a lot better than he's shown so far here but that still doesn't mean he's brilliant.
 
A lot of people would argue we saw his best while he was at Everton and, based off that, they didn't want him. I think he's a lot better than he's shown so far here but that still doesn't mean he's brilliant.


He might not brilliant but I would be genuinely excited to see how he would do with better players around him. He's got a unique style of play and is technically a lot better than some give him credit for.
 
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.


Still sounds like a very good performance then if his defensive work was the most impressive part and he still managed to hit 6/6 long-balls, get to two shots and keep a 93% passing accuracy while not just passing side-ways.

Thanks for the info mate.
 
It irritates me that he's never in the box when we cross...
Surely that's one of his strengths as a player.
 
hopefully he can become more of a goal threat soon, 11 in 31 in the league last year was a good return. should be aiming for something similar with us. unfortunately none of our midfielders seem to score or assist with any regularity.
 
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.

What a load of bollocks - he is playing DM so it is not his job to offer anything going forward. He made more tackles than anyone on the pitch plus the highest passing accuracy and his passing was a lot more positive than it has been.
you are clearly one of the dickheads who cant see things objectively and has just decided to slag him off at every opportnity.
 
He could do with a goal, that's for sure. Would give him a bit of a boost, I reckon. I'd consider starting him alongside Jones - see how that works out. We don't have an awful lot to lose at the moment. In theory that combo should leave him a bit freer to get forward too.

Or Moyes could drop Kagawa and play Fellaini in the hole behind Welbeck. Imagine the state of this place.
 
I actually would like to see him play behind the ST and two wingers.. 'cause how I see it, he's not ready to play the "Carrick-role" yet.. Maybe not until a full pre-season..
 
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?


If it helps, I thought he played well and did his bit very well. His touch was excellent and he was winning the ball on countless occasions, not his fault the rest of the team was shite.. he even moved off the ball alot more too. If he's still getting stick after a decent performance like that, it'll be very difficult to win the fans over.
 
He could do with a goal, that's for sure. Would give him a bit of a boost, I reckon. I'd consider starting him alongside Jones - see how that works out. We don't have an awful lot to lose at the moment. In theory that combo should leave him a bit freer to get forward too.

Or Moyes could drop Kagawa and play Fellaini in the hole behind Welbeck. Imagine the state of this place.


Only if it's Young and Valencia on the wings, Smalling at the RB, Büttner at the LB and Rio at the CB.
 
a lot of the crowd were really on his back actually. In the second half he so often put himself in positions where he couldn't receive the ball...




He edged deeper and deeper as the game went on...
I was there and I'd agree the crowd were getting on his back a bit in the second half. He was doing silly things like playing under hit passes that did or almost fell to Everton players in our own half or leaving the ball for someone else when he should have cleared it and an opposition player was closing the ball down.
I thought he was decent first half and went back into his shell in the second half and was really poor.

Oh how we missed him. It might have been 6-0 had he played, or something.
:lol:
 
If it helps, I thought he played well and did his bit very well. His touch was excellent and he was winning the ball on countless occasions, not his fault the rest of the team was shite.. he even moved off the ball alot more too. If he's still getting stick after a decent performance like that, it'll be very difficult to win the fans over.


Certainly helps mate thanks. It was basically my wonder, stats-wise he had a great game and was MOM with Vidic in the commentary-"stream" I watched the game on. Then when I got on here I was completely confused reading some posts that claimed he was still bad.

93% is figures only Busquets and Motta average in the world of all the midfielders so it can't be anything but absolute world-class when he also had the most touches in the team meaning he didn't hide. His interception/Tackling stats was at a level that any player in the world would call an exceptional game.

It would have to be one odd rarity of a performance if you get stats that even Busquets would consider an exceptional performance - but the actual performance was actually bad/just ok.

Could it have been that next to Carrick they get a bit in each others way as they both have a similar style to defend? That with a more offensive partner next to him he took the defensive responsibility not just on the right side of the pitch but both sides?
 
Could it have been that next to Carrick they get a bit in each others way as they both have a similar style to defend? That with a more offensive partner next to him he took the defensive responsibility not just on the right side of the pitch but both sides?

I also believe him and Carrick want the same position. Carrick is a player who is hard to pass and plays the game like chess. He also prefer having players spread out on the pitch and make themselves available once he's in possession of the ball. Fellaini on the other hand tend to just run alongside Carrick asking for the ball, with no clear idea what to do next. In my opinion Fellaini would probably do better as a forward. I just don't understand why he's not dominating more in the air. He even used to feck Vidic up, and now what?
 
He could do with a goal, that's for sure. Would give him a bit of a boost, I reckon. I'd consider starting him alongside Jones - see how that works out. We don't have an awful lot to lose at the moment. In theory that combo should leave him a bit freer to get forward too.

Or Moyes could drop Kagawa and play Fellaini in the hole behind Welbeck. Imagine the state of this place.

De Gea
Smalling-Vidic-Evans-Buttner
Valencia-Cleverley-Jones-Young
Fellaini-Welbeck

Make it so, Moyes.
 
De Gea
Smalling-Vidic-Evans-Buttner
Valencia-Cleverley-Jones-Young
Fellaini-Welbeck

Make it so, Moyes.

Too bad Carrick is injured - we could have fielded him and Rio as the CB pairing. Rio must in at any rate. Ando over Jones too - of course. I'd also have Smalling and Valencia trade positions - go for a super defensive right winger to confuse the feck out of the geordies.
 
Too bad Carrick is injured - we could have fielded him and Rio as the CB pairing. Rio must in at any rate. Ando over Jones too - of course. I'd also have Smalling and Valencia trade positions - go for a super defensive right winger to confuse the feck out of the geordies.

Yes, Valencia would have no problem playing down the left, two footed as he is.

Seriously though, him crossing with his left probably wouldn't be any worse than his right footed crosses, that's the scary thing.
 
Yes, Valencia would have no problem playing down the left, two footed as he is.

Seriously though, him crossing with his left probably wouldn't be any worse than his right footed crosses, that's the scary thing.


:lol: It's so depressing because right now it's true. :(
 
Why are you guys pretending he did a good defensive job?

His defensive work (laziness) cost us the winning goal, he let Barkley stroll past him despite being the holding midfielder time and time again, he strolled back instead of actually trying to get back when they countered - and he should have been needlessely sent off if the ref wasn't an imbecile.

feck me, we've lowered our standards if that was "a good defensive job".
 
Why are you guys pretending he did a good defensive job?

His defensive work (laziness) cost us the winning goal, he let Barkley stroll past him despite being the holding midfielder time and time again, he strolled back instead of actually trying to get back when they countered - and he should have been needlessely sent off if the ref wasn't an imbecile.

feck me, we've lowered our standards if that was "a good defensive job".


I agree with this; too often you see him stroll around without busting a gut to get to the ball. It's very frustrating. I must admit I only watched the highlights on match of the day, so I don't have the whole picture, but so often the Everton player would run past him and once he was beaten, he'd leave it at that and not go after them. It was particularly frustrating when it was right outside our own penalty box. He's just lulling around doing nothing.

What I don't understand is that he was never like this at Everton. He was a completely different player. Aggressive to the ball, much faster than he seems now. He seemed to want to get stuck in.
 
Only if it's Young and Valencia on the wings, Smalling at the RB, Büttner at the LB and Rio at the CB.

DDG
Smalling - Rio - Evans - Buttner
Valencia - Giggs - Cleverley - Young
Fellaini
Welbeck

That would be some team. The matchday thread would be a hoot.
 
DDG
Smalling - Rio - Evans - Buttner
Valencia - Giggs - Cleverley - Young
Fellaini
Welbeck

That would be some team. The matchday thread would be a hoot.


:lol:. Maybe we should give DDG a rest too, and stick Lindegaard in there!

Swap out Fellaini for Evans (because, you know, Fellaini is big and strong) too - seems like a good move!
 
I agree with this; too often you see him stroll around without busting a gut to get to the ball. It's very frustrating. I must admit I only watched the highlights on match of the day, so I don't have the whole picture, but so often the Everton player would run past him and once he was beaten, he'd leave it at that and not go after them. It was particularly frustrating when it was right outside our own penalty box. He's just lulling around doing nothing.

What I don't understand is that he was never like this at Everton. He was a completely different player. Aggressive to the ball, much faster than he seems now. He seemed to want to get stuck in.

He showed more of that on Wednesday night than he has so far. Which is why I thought it was a positive display from him. He seemed to run out of steam in the second half, but in the first half he was a lot more aggressive and mobile than he has looked on previous occasions. I take it as a good sign. But if people need flawless displays from him in order to throw a bit of praise his way, that's their prerogative, I guess.
 
He had a good game, but when the game got stretched both midfields got bypassed.

He was not at fault for any of the goal, Giggs fecked that up by not clearing, and then us giving a stupid free kick on the edge of the box.
 
He showed more of that on Wednesday night than he has so far. Which is why I thought it was a positive display from him. He seemed to run out of steam in the second half, but in the first half he was a lot more aggressive and mobile than he has looked on previous occasions. I take it as a good sign. But if people need flawless displays from him in order to throw a bit of praise his way, that's their prerogative, I guess.


As I said, I only saw the highlights.
 
Can Moneymay or somebody similar make a "Fellaini vs Everton" video please.

The first half alone I can remember atleast 6 times he nicked the ball from Barkley or Mccarthy to stop counter attacks.

His passing was also spot on and a lot more accurate than people are making out to be.

I think when you are at the game you can be effected by the booing crowd, he was 10x more impressive than Giggs was that night.
 
Certainly helps mate thanks. It was basically my wonder, stats-wise he had a great game and was MOM with Vidic in the commentary-"stream" I watched the game on. Then when I got on here I was completely confused reading some posts that claimed he was still bad.

93% is figures only Busquets and Motta average in the world of all the midfielders so it can't be anything but absolute world-class when he also had the most touches in the team meaning he didn't hide. His interception/Tackling stats was at a level that any player in the world would call an exceptional game.

It would have to be one odd rarity of a performance if you get stats that even Busquets would consider an exceptional performance - but the actual performance was actually bad/just ok.

Could it have been that next to Carrick they get a bit in each others way as they both have a similar style to defend? That with a more offensive partner next to him he took the defensive responsibility not just on the right side of the pitch but both sides?


Its hard to read him still as a player, we need to watch him over an entire season to truly judge him. All I know is that was a much more energetic performance and to be fair it was against a strong side. When you consider how shite the likes of Valencia, Welbeck and Kagawa were... it is unsurprising how bad we were at keeping the ball, but as his stats indicate, he certainly wasn't to blame for us not holding onto the ball. In fact if you take the 15 minute spell after the second half out of the game, we could've won... but no doubt that 15 minute spell was truly horrendous, one of the worst spells I've seen from us at home in decades - we made Everton look like Barcelona and they had us at their mercy.
 
His first half performance was decent enough. I remember him intercepting the ball a few times and making sensible simple passes but second half he was really poor imo.
 
What I don't understand is that he was never like this at Everton. He was a completely different player. Aggressive to the ball, much faster than he seems now. He seemed to want to get stuck in.

It might have something to do with the fact he's having to basically cover the entire central midfield area by himself. At Everton he would always have two midfield partners e.g. Osman, Neville or Gibson etc. No offence to Giggs but he is 40 after all and Everton are a sight better than Leverkusen who were complete walkovers.
 
Its hard to read him still as a player, we need to watch him over an entire season to truly judge him. All I know is that was a much more energetic performance and to be fair it was against a strong side. When you consider how shite the likes of Valencia, Welbeck and Kagawa were... it is unsurprising how bad we were at keeping the ball, but as his stats indicate, he certainly wasn't to blame for us not holding onto the ball. In fact if you take the 15 minute spell after the second half out of the game, we could've won... but no doubt that 15 minute spell was truly horrendous, one of the worst spells I've seen from us at home in decades - we made Everton look like Barcelona and they had us at their mercy.

I get it thanks for the input. We of course need to wait a season or even two to be able to make an assessment of his consistent level. But still from having only poor games pretty much to suddenly being MOM and having great stats is a huge step forward for him.


He clearly needs to follow it up as any player can be MOM sporadically.
 
Why are you guys pretending he did a good defensive job?

His defensive work (laziness) cost us the winning goal, he let Barkley stroll past him despite being the holding midfielder time and time again, he strolled back instead of actually trying to get back when they countered - and he should have been needlessely sent off if the ref wasn't an imbecile.

feck me, we've lowered our standards if that was "a good defensive job".


I've literally never read so much bullshit in one post, but the underlined line is something extraordinary.
 
To be honest, the more I watch Oviedo's goal, the more I feel he is accountable, at least partially. he turned his back on Lukaku and got nowhere near tight enough. He should have blocked that shot/cross I believe.

In general though, I can appreciate United fans looking for positives on United players, but he's so obviously not good enough. We'll struggle to shift him anytime soon, and it wouldn't be very 'United' to do so anyway.
 
I've literally never read so much bullshit in one post, but the underlined line is something extraordinary.

He's spot on. It was pathetic defending, just watch it again. He barely even tried to stop Lukaku.
 
I've literally never read so much bullshit in one post, but the underlined line is something extraordinary.

What? I mean what?

Seriously, watch it again. Or feck off adressing other posts before you've watched a whole football match. Seriously, did you start following football yesterday?
 
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