Neither do I. It just goes to show how much power the press have. We might sign somebody else, but not sure Ander would go. I love Mata, but I prefer Herrera's work rate. Nani might be gone, we know Cleverley will be gone, some of the defenders will be gone. Anderson will be barbecued sometime before next season, that would be his only use. If RvP doesn't buck up, he might surprise everyone and sell him. Even someone like Januzaj might be loaned to see how he does playing every week. He is not yet good enough to do that here. I worry more that DeGea will leave than if Ander will be sold. If he tears this squad apart again, we will then be in europe but with even more players trying to settle in.
21
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 31
- Goals
- 8
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 6
- Status
Lets recap. A random poster on internet forum pretends to have a superior set of skills on judging footballers' ability. This poster enlists footballers who according to him didnt make it while at United as as proof of his ability.
This poster, however, omits players he got wrong though.
Seems legit.
Yeah, i guess im not naive enough to be lured by your patronising tone.
Later!
Its symptomatic of things here these days. Any thing slightly suspicious will be construed as the world falling down on us. I really don't understand the self pity on here these days.
I dont know why he should start against Hull or Stoke if he hasnt played one of the last 3 games. Our players are not that tired to rotate. Imo he wont get any minutes in the next 2 games and the discussion will never end until we sell him and buy Strootman. I like him, but the signs are there. I dont think van Gaal dislikes him, i just think he isnt what van Gaal wants as a number 8. Therefore, i really think he has no future here.
No argument there.
I disagree that this is actually a problem, you and @Brophs dont buy that this has anything to do with injuries, I can see why you feel that way but to me, even if it seems odd, it makes more sense than the alternatives.
Actually its not that odd, really.
1) He got injured
2) LVG tried to bring him back straight away. Presumably because he saw him as one of his best midfielders.
3) That didnt pan out.
4) Fellaini came in instead and has done really well.
5) A tough run of fixtures has made it difficult to ease him back in.
As you said, the next two/three games will clear this up. If he cant get himself some playing time against Hull or Stoke then Ill accept something is very wrong, even if I find it quite impossible to fathom what that could be. But Ill accept there must be something.
What I expect to happen is for him to get some minutes against Hull and by Southampton to be starting. At that point this whole conversation will be nothing but a rather boring memory.
It's probably an overreaction but if your theory is true , then Van gaal can follow Herrera threw the door we don't need a manager who spend 35m€ for a player and than sell him 1 year later because he don't know how to use him.
Spot on. Its all very easy to explain, IMO.
I can't even...
Quite possibly all correct. Hopefully that's how it pans out. Though personally I don't see it.
That's what I'm hoping for or rather, clinging on to.
If Van Gaal actually prefers Fellaini over Herrera and/or intends to sell him and replace him with a crocked up and overrated Strootman then he's going senile.
Btw, Herrera starts tonight for the U21 match.
Like Falcao?
Interesting. A great opportunity for him to force Van Gaal's hand.
Made to rot in the reserves now, huh? Definitely going to be sold...
Where's all this stuff about selling Herrera coming from? I think I've seen one snippet that originated in the Star of all places. Has Van Gaal actually said anything about this or are we taking a non-story from one of the red-tops and giving it life?
Not sure if that's good news or bad news. Probably lends more weight to the theory of him not being fit enough...
Yes.
The Falcao signing never made any sense for me, not after LVG spent most of pre-season moaning about a lack of balance in the squad. But that's for a different thread...
Sarcasm?
Yup, sorry should have used one or the other smiley.
What the feck? U-21s not being televised? MUTV subscription is a pisstake.
The latter I think.
Or rather, looking at some arguably quite puzzling developments (Herrera being out a lot longer than initially expected, not getting any game time) and coming to the same conclusion as the tabloid hacks did.
Pogue is a racist?
I'm starting to think it has more to do with help him get more weight, he must be fit but not in the "standars" of the EPL.
He must have picked up some other injury in the mean time, that or his original injury was worse then normal or took longer to recover from. Either way, I don't buy that Van Gaal doesn't rate him at all. He started all of our games at the start, got rushed back from injury and he was made to wear a special corset even, just so he can play. Now all of a sudden because he was poor in the game that he was clearly still injured in, he doesn't rate him? No chance.
Since then it's just been unfortunate circumstances that there hasn't really been the ideal game to get him back match fit.
Since then it's just been unfortunate circumstances that there hasn't really been the ideal game to get him back match fit.
If he's starting from the reserves, then it's quite plausible that his injury was the reason why we didn't start him in the previous matches.
I suggested he should do this, this will be the 2 games LvG likes players to have to test their fitness. I knew I was a genius.
Yes it is, according to my Sky schedule 6.30pm. It is an away game, but both them and Blackburn play games at this ground.
Yep. My bad. Saw it was an LSC game and when they didn't say "Live" I assumed it was a replay of a match from a few weeks back.
So this proves that he's not 100% fit yet because van Gaal has previously started other injured players like Shaw, Evans and Smalling in the reserves to help them recover faster from injuries.
You could also use Januzaj as an example of a player playing in the U21 just to get game time though.
And Anderson as a player Van Gaal starts in U21s games after deciding he has no future as a first team player.
Basically, Hererra starting tonight tells us nothing other than he was physically capable of starting against Arsenal.
Hope he has a really good game, mind you.
There again Anderson doesn't even make the bench, they play him the reserves to just prove we haven't bumped him off.
You lot really are making a mountain out of a molehill. He hasnt been 100% and there is no point rushing him back when Fellaini has been doing well and it would mean dropping him to play Herrera.
I hope/expect that if RVP doesnt shape up then we will revert to a 4-3-3 and have a Fellaini/Herrera/Carrick midfield roughly.
I hope/expect that if RVP doesnt shape up then we will revert to a 4-3-3 and have a Fellaini/Herrera/Carrick midfield roughly.
Results matter! nothing else comes close until United are back in the CL. Every fan has their favorites but individual players come way behind the Team.
The drama around Herrera is entirely media driven, a few months ago it was Januzaj, then Mata, now its Herrera's turn. But every story in the press this season has been so weak on genuine controversy or interest it's just boring!
The drama around Herrera is entirely media driven, a few months ago it was Januzaj, then Mata, now its Herrera's turn. But every story in the press this season has been so weak on genuine controversy or interest it's just boring!
Does not have to be racist to prefer British based players over foreign imports. As he said he liked Valencia from the beginning and I think he likes Fellaini too.
Perhaps you should apply to be his agent/personal manager!I suggested he should do this, this will be the 2 games LvG likes players to have to test their fitness. I knew I was a genius.
Yes pleeease.
What more does one expect of someone making his debut in the league ? Like really, Jesus.
I'm not sure, and I wasn't criticising him, I was saying that he hasn't yet shown that he's the answer to our midfield woes that some thought he was. LVG will pick the players that are helping us rack up the points right now, not make us look fancy in our play. Fellaini for example is fulfilling instructions that Herrera and Mata aren't IMO and that's what matters right now. Mata scored a winning goal in his appearance before the International break and still didn't get a look in vs Arsenal, which is why I completely agree with the concern made by Pocco below.
Fair enough.
But see this is something where I feel a disconnect with that sentiment. A subpar midfield (like we had prior to this summer window) isn't improved by adding one quality player, it's much more textured. You have to add multiple players (which we did in fairness), let them develop and get some chemistry together as part of a defined structure that a good manager can lay out.
It's a substantial process and requires time. Ander wasn't and isn't a panacea to single-handedly transform our midfield. There isn't any player in football who could've done that to be honest (not Modric, not Kroos, not Fabregas etc). What he does bring however is a very well rounded skillset - creativity from central areas (something we've lacked since Scholes' retirement and Carrick injury concerns/ relative loss of form), tenacity, a bit of leadership, and a general sense of purpose and drive. Kind of like a cross between a flamboyant Spanish rondo and an industrious English midfield general.
This is why a lot of people prognosticated that we would benefit United, adapt to the league at a faster rate than some others might and conform with what a manager like Van Gaal wants from his players. So it is a bit bothersome that a lot folks are coming up with (mostly unsubstantiated) assumptions that manager who introduced Xavi and Iniesta and made Guardiola his captain at Barcelona and helped mold Schweinsteiger wants rid of a talented midfielder on the cusp of being world class based on his performances these past couple of seasons.
I guess what @pocco said might be true though. Van Gaal certainly has the propensity to be obtuse at times if he feels the team is better balanced by some weird methods. But it would be a crying shame if a midfielder as talented as Ander isn't allowed to fully express himself and is sent packing without getting a fair shot. (Not that I believe the bolloxy press stories mind).
We'll just find new reasons to moan about how players are used. Everybody has their own favorites. It was Mata before, suddenly you had to drop Mata because Januzaj will pine for a transfer, everyone was happy with Fellaini being an oaf because he didn't have to be considered while fitting 11 favorite players together, now he's turned into Groot, now people want to include him in whatever plans. We've all been guilty, I would like Rafael in the squad. This is why I miss Fergie. It was so difficult for anybody to criticize him because he had so much good will and he was Fergie. Now, every decision by the manager is scrutinized and individual opinions thrown in. Confrontations, innuendo and arguments are created where there are none.
The good thing it seems, that the players are happy and working together. Obviously, none of us are involved in daily training ground activities and it's impossible to know one way or other, but leaks coming out of United seem to suggest that, which is nice.
The good thing it seems, that the players are happy and working together. Obviously, none of us are involved in daily training ground activities and it's impossible to know one way or other, but leaks coming out of United seem to suggest that, which is nice.
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