Van Gaal in full on cryptic mode:
27
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 31
- Goals
- 7
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 7
- Red cards
- 1
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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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He has fantastic chest control which he can use at any time up front, but almost never in central midfield as he has to vacate his position and go hang out near the strikers.
He has the strength to hold onto the ball under pressure from physical CBs and just needs to find a square or backwards pass from there to put a teammate into a good position, which is much more suited to his passing range as it generally wont matter if he slightly underhits a pass and he doesnt need to thread the needle with accuracy either.
And this season he's always been a threat when we can get decent balls into the box, he's popped up with some important goals. Some have definitely been from set pieces, but he's less of a liability in the meantime when he's doing a basic target man job up front.
There are obviously limitations to what he can do up front, hes not going to be very good running the channels or threatening runs in behind the defence. Someone else will have to do those things, but you generally wouldnt want him to be doing that anyway as you'd want him making himself available in the middle when you have the ball, not on the wing.
I actually wonder if he might be the best option when we play Wilson up front. Let him shoulder the target man responsibilities and look for flicks to set Wilson free.
Just like Andy Carrol, you can question how good the football is to watch but you cant question whether its effective.
With the shower of clowns we've got in central defence this season, he should start every game for his contribution at defensive set-pieces alone. Could have made all the difference against West Ham, for starters.
jones would have got in the way.
He's basically saying when we are playing so rubbish that we can't work the ball up the pitch, lumping it up big Fella up top does the job nicely.
He is by far our worst passer in midfield, everyone else is on another level.
They're not cliches, they're what Fellaini lacks. He is not good enough to play in midfield for us and never ever will be. His performance against Bayern last year was the first time I had to laugh at a United player, he was on a different level to Carrick, let alone Kroos and Schweinsteiger. That's the level we should be aiming for.
So you say the likes of Smalling and Evans are better passers?
I have seen us shift around our players a lot but never Smalling and Evans into midfield.
He said in his previous post "worst passer ever at United", which I was referring to, not the midfield part...... But thanks for the comment nonetheless, as if I didn't know that.
He can refer to himself as the worst passer as a midfielder, which is probably true considering he would be compared against Mata, Blind, Herrera etc. but he actually is in the top 10 most accurate passers in the team this season, which doesn't really back that ridiculous argument up.
I know it's not a very good way to judge a player but anyone know our win % with/without him? Reckon the difference is huge.
With:
W8 D3 L3 = 57%
Without:
W5 D5 L1 = 45%
so a higher win % with than without, but worth noting that in 2 of the 3 losses he played he was a late sub. No involvement in those two games would have seen a 66% ratio. Win/Loss excluding the draws actually works against him.
He played against "better" opposition too didn't he? I mean he started against Chelsea, City and Arsenal where you would expect us to probably drop more points. So to have a higher win % with him in the team is impressive. He definitely has a role with us now at least, even if just a squad player.
He was playing injured and bereft of confidence last season. If we played them again now I'd be confident he would put in a better performance. Not saying he would run the game, but he would be better.
so Quality > Pressure = Quality.I brought a wrecking ball since you parked the bus. A GIF of LVG operating a crane with Fellaini's head as the wrecking ball would be hilarious.
Edit: This will work
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Swansea 2:1 Man Utd
Could be in for a red today. All he seems to be doing to storming into players. Hopefully that yellow has calmed him down.
Change him now its still possible, shouldnt be more than a sub who comes on when we need a goal.
He is the only guy with some strength in the midfield. He should be a must in away games.
He is what he looks like...Shit on a stick
He's fixing brainless but that's what he's been put into the team to do. We're sacrificing a proper midfielder to play him as a third striker.
Playing Fellaini ahead of Mata is bizarre. This is just normal stuff from Fellaini.
This is the problem with Fellaini. Start him and this is the 2nd game in a row where he has ghosted the first half.
Right now, he'd be the man to be subbed to change it up. In a technical game, he's found wanting, more often than not. But if Swansea score and take the lead, a la Preston, he's the man we need to change the game and go direct with someone else to be the fall guy (probably RVP who has been no more as effective as Falcao thus far).
The Fellaini conundrum.
Right now, he'd be the man to be subbed to change it up. In a technical game, he's found wanting, more often than not. But if Swansea score and take the lead, a la Preston, he's the man we need to change the game and go direct with someone else to be the fall guy (probably RVP who has been no more as effective as Falcao thus far).
The Fellaini conundrum.
It's as if he purposely switches off his brain and decides to just commit stupid fouls after stupid fouls.
Real contrast of opinions on the match day thread
I think he has been pretty good today. Hold up play has been impressive
I think he has been pretty good today. Hold up play has been impressive
He's been shite today and is going to get sent off anyway
I'm one of his biggest critics on here but I thought he was decent in the first half. Better than the other two strikers. If they're actually strikers, I can't really work out our formation.
Agreed but he's a liability now so he has to be subbed off. Shame he's a bit of an idiot.
There's always that criticism of "if you play Fellaini you have to play long ball", but we've not done that at all and he's still been very useful. The only time's we've gone long to him is when De Gea had literally no other options and each and every time he's plucked it out of the sky with ease and started off another attack from a good position. Generally got involved pretty well in and around the box too.
Diamond ? With Fellaini playing just behind RVP and Rooney.
Agreed.
Not being used to his strengths today, he should be ahead of Rooney so Rooney can get onto the second ball.
A bit Jekyll and Hyde today. Some brilliant chest control and turns from him, but he's still a dirty bastard. I'd replace him with Mata for the second half.
Absolutely mental. People just see what they want to see.
Because of the yellow? If not his performance does nowway warrant the hook at half time
I'd love to see mata too though, but for RVP
Having a decent game. His hold up play is excellent
Because I think he's walking the tightrope with regards getting himself sent off, he's made some terrible challenges today, but other than that I think he's been good. I also think Mata would be better suited to the game, we've played some nice stuff in Swansea's half.
Not really. I've praised him a lot this season. He's not played well at all barring a couple of good chest controls
Decent, but he does commit the most pointless fouls. Swansea player facing his own keeper, in his own half, let's just have a kick at his ankles...
Holding things up well. He's always there at the back post but we'd rather give it to Fabianski.
He's been alright first half. Certainly not shite as some people are suggesting.
I'd just personally prefer Fellaini playing a bit deeper. I think the tactics are obviously to play him behind the forwards so he's closer to goal if/when we put crosses in, however the crosses so far have been predictable. The Swansea keeper has worked out when we're going to put it in, hence coming out and collecting it. I think if Fellaini made runs from deep, he can get a run on the defenders (not that he needs it), and the keeper won't be able to read the crosses so easily. His goal against Stoke was a perfect example of this.
I'd just personally prefer Fellaini playing a bit deeper. I think the tactics are obviously to play him behind the forwards so he's closer to goal if/when we put crosses in, however the crosses so far have been predictable. The Swansea keeper has worked out when we're going to put it in, hence coming out and collecting it. I think if Fellaini made runs from deep, he can get a run on the defenders (not that he needs it), and the keeper won't be able to read the crosses so easily. His goal against Stoke was a perfect example of this.
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