[amolbhatia50k]

Another case of bad decision making on face value. There's no contests between him and rooney as central midfielders. But Rooney HAS to play of course because "the captain always plays". Which is fine because rooney should play but not OUT OF POSITION.

 

[NK86]

If you are talking about Rooney in the number 10 position I don't agree he is a very good 10 so I don't think that would be his wrong position. But I asume you mean Rooney in a central midfield role and I do agree that Rooney should play further up the pitch but neither do I think Herrera should play in central midfield in the 3-5-2 formation as his defensive work rate is not good enough. But if we play the diamond which we should in my opinion Herrera would be very well suited as a central midfielder if played next to a more defensive player like Fellaini.

The diamond would work to a tee for us as it would allow our best attacking players to play in their preferred positions where they actually excel. How can LvG not see that. It also gives us better balance instead of the lopsided 352 which leaves us hopeless in the attacking sense.

 

[NK86]

No. They consulted him, but he's not going to say no to quality being added, and I don't think he would have had much choice anyway.
The club needed a marquee signing, and he's not going to turn down Di Maria, even if he doesn't know what he wants to do with him. Or even if he doesn't fit his idea of a midfielder.

But give van Gaal £80 million and he's not buying Herrera and Di Maria, in my opinion.

I'm not saying that he was against signing them, but that he wasn't particularly pro-signing them. And it's bringing about a few issues now.

What about the Falcao loan? You think LvG didn't want that either since that is also causing us immense issues since he is too big a player to bench regularly. What's happening right now is that I feel LvG is struggling to drop the big names and is not able to fit them all in the preferred positions they want to play in. Dropping someone like Herrera is the easier option.

 

[Ødegaard]

Feck it lets just get #FreeAnderson going already.

@DomesticTadpole if you are going to be Ander's MadWinger you need to throw in a few more random stats and percentages. Good work so far though, I see the potential in you.

Can agree to that, not Herrera though.

 

[limerickcitykid]

Can agree to that, not Herrera though.

Nah, we should just put Anderson down. It would be best for all.

 

[roykeane19]

Another case of bad decision making on face value. There's no contests between him and rooney as central midfielders. But Rooney HAS to play of course because "the captain always plays". Which is fine because rooney should play but not OUT OF POSITION.

Sometimes players have to play out of position due to say injuries, or in tight matches in formation changes, but what we are seeing is LVG shunting out Rooney to midfiled permanently almost

I mean a player with such quality and attributes who is highly effective in the final third, and putting him in midfield where tbh hes pretty shit, makes no sense

Playing Rooney as striker is his best position, plus allowing herrera to play , which will no doubt increase our play by alot

Playing rooney in midfield makes no difference as hes not even good there, when you have a ready made player just wasting on the bench

 

[11101]

I suspect part of LVG's issue is that he feels Herrera isn't physically strong enough to hold his own in the centre of an English PL midfield at the moment, which is something that will come with time. He's clearly a more than good enough player technically, but if we're up against it you'd rather the industriousness of Rooney or the presence of Fellaini to keep a bunch of sloggers like QPR under wraps.

 

[NK86]

Sometimes players have to play out of position due to say injuries, or in tight matches in formation changes, but what we are seeing is LVG shunting out Rooney to midfiled permanently almost

I mean a player with such quality and attributes who is highly effective in the final third, and putting him in midfield where tbh hes pretty shit, makes no sense

Playing Rooney as striker is his best position, plus allowing herrera to play , which will no doubt increase our play by alot

Playing rooney in midfield makes no difference as hes not even good there, when you have a ready made player just wasting on the bench

First we didn't have good enough midfielders and now when we do we don't play them. What is with us and hating midfielders?

 

[legball]

This play is funny at times. He's not being humilated by Van Gaal and he won't return to Spain after one fecking season.

 

[Jippy]

This play is funny at times. He's not being humilated by Van Gaal and he won't return to Spain after one fecking season.

Would you rather bareback Fellaini or Herrera?

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Sometimes players have to play out of position due to say injuries, or in tight matches in formation changes, but what we are seeing is LVG shunting out Rooney to midfiled permanently almost

I mean a player with such quality and attributes who is highly effective in the final third, and putting him in midfield where tbh hes pretty shit, makes no sense

Playing Rooney as striker is his best position, plus allowing herrera to play , which will no doubt increase our play by alot

Playing rooney in midfield makes no difference as hes not even good there, when you have a ready made player just wasting on the bench

Di maria and Herrera should play where di maria and mata are. And rooney where di maria is. Strikers playing as strikers as midfielders as midfielders.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

First we didn't have good enough midfielders and now when we do we don't play them. What is with us and hating midfielders?

Strikers should play EVERYWHERE*.

* except upfront where we can play midfielders.

 

[Kakeru]

I suspect part of LVG's issue is that he feels Herrera isn't physically strong enough to hold his own in the centre of an English PL midfield at the moment, which is something that will come with time. He's clearly a more than good enough player technically, but if we're up against it you'd rather the industriousness of Rooney or the presence of Fellaini to keep a bunch of sloggers like QPR under wraps.

So we keep Herrera working things out in training where the intensity is nowhere near what is seen in a real match? I'm sorry, but I just don't believe in that approach. The best way a footballer can adapt and calibrate his play is by having those minutes against genuine opposition.

 

[11101]

So we keep Herrera working things out in training where the intensity is nowhere near what is seen in a real match? I'm sorry, but I just don't believe in that approach. The best way a footballer can adapt and calibrate his play is by having those minutes against genuine opposition.

True, but look at the stick Mata gets on here for being too lightweight, and he's well proven in the PL. I'm certain Herrera will be working hard in the gym and we'll see him getting more minutes once the team learns to defend with a back 4. I'm all for giving him minutes as I'm a big fan of him, but i can see why LVG doesn't want to risk it.

 

[surf]

Nice cameo. Is there a way to have a "not rated" option in the ratings in the match day forum if we feel that the player had no real role in the match?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

You're doing your possible to bring that term into vogue on the Cafe, Pogue.

I hope you succeed. Think what would happen if pundits starting using it on TV. The image of the game would be transformed - no more cloth cap.

It's a great phrase. One of my favourite.

 

[bosnian_red]

So many people with theories of LvG not rating Herrera or whatever. Maybe he just hasn't been that good? As tough as that is for a lot on here to take. He's not done enough to deserve starting.

We have eyes though and most realize that he has been a very useful player and has generally played quite well, bar 1 or 2 games. He's done more then rvp/falcao and some others to start, so that doesn't hold. I understand why he isn't starting every week, with him competing with quite a few others but he's right on the edge imo, or should be at least.

He hasn't been poor when playing at all though.

 

[ZDwyr]

We have eyes though and most realize that he has been a very useful player and has generally played quite well, bar 1 or 2 games. He's done more then rvp/falcao and some others to start, so that doesn't hold. I understand why he isn't starting every week, with him competing with quite a few others but he's right on the edge imo, or should be at least.

He hasn't been poor when playing at all though.

Not poor, but certainly has been not as good as Carrick, Blind, Fellaini, Mata, or ADM (when played as a midfielder). And of course with Rooney playing CM he isn't going to get in the team over him.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

We have eyes though and most realize that he has been a very useful player and has generally played quite well, bar 1 or 2 games. He's done more then rvp/falcao and some others to start, so that doesn't hold. I understand why he isn't starting every week, with him competing with quite a few others but he's right on the edge imo, or should be at least.

He hasn't been poor when playing at all though.

That's true but they don't play in his position.

Has he been better than Carrick, Blind and Mata in midfield? I'm not sure he has. Some nice moments and a couple of good performances against really poor opposition but his general level of play has been below other players that play the same position. Hence he's not playing.

The Rooney in midfield conundrum is an issue, of course but so long as Van Gaal persists with this craziness he shouldn't be dropping Rooney to give Herrera a game.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

He will get a game against Cambridge to blew the cobwebs off, then the next game is Leicester who I want us to stuff. Ander is learning to adapt to the physicality and pace of the PL. He has lovely ball control, but I think has been surprised how little time you get on the ball. That will come. After sleeeping on it, we are making far more of the substitution than it merits. If I hadn't had MUTV radio on I wouldn't have realised it had happened. Nobody else seems to be making an issue of it.

 

[bosnian_red]

That's true but they don't play in his position.

Has he been better than Carrick, Blind and Mata in midfield? I'm not sure he has. Some nice moments and a couple of good performances against really poor opposition but his general level of play has been below other players that play the same position. Hence he's not playing.

The Rooney in midfield conundrum is an issue, of course but so long as Van Gaal persists with this craziness he shouldn't be dropping Rooney to give Herrera a game.

That's why I mentioned he isn't an automatic starter, he's done well, nothing amazing but personally I'd rather push Rooney up top, drop rvp/Falcao and play Herrera alongside Carrick, blind, Di maria and mata with fellaini rotating in. Just a normal 4-2-3-1 basically. All those players have shown a lot more then the strikers who don't really fit in at the moment. Never going to happen though.

Anyways, its not like all the midfielders have been consistently brilliant or even fit. They've all been more or less at the same level so its not so easy to pinpoint the best performer. I definitely understand why he isn't starting all the time, I just don't agree when people say he's been poor or not good enough to start. He's done well, just so have others that he's competing with for the most part.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

That's why I mentioned he isn't an automatic starter, he's done well, nothing amazing but personally I'd rather push Rooney up top, drop rvp/Falcao and play Herrera alongside Carrick, blind, Di maria and mata with fellaini rotating in. Just a normal 4-2-3-1 basically. All those players have shown a lot more then the strikers who don't really fit in at the moment. Never going to happen though.

Anyways, its not like all the midfielders have been consistently brilliant or even fit. They've all been more or less at the same level so its not so easy to pinpoint the best performer. I definitely understand why he isn't starting all the time, I just don't agree when people say he's been poor or not good enough to start. He's done well, just so have others that he's competing with for the most part.

You and me both.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

That's why I mentioned he isn't an automatic starter, he's done well, nothing amazing but personally I'd rather push Rooney up top, drop rvp/Falcao and play Herrera alongside Carrick, blind, Di maria and mata with fellaini rotating in. Just a normal 4-2-3-1 basically. All those players have shown a lot more then the strikers who don't really fit in at the moment. Never going to happen though.

Anyways, its not like all the midfielders have been consistently brilliant or even fit. They've all been more or less at the same level so its not so easy to pinpoint the best performer. I definitely understand why he isn't starting all the time, I just don't agree when people say he's been poor or not good enough to start. He's done well, just so have others that he's competing with for the most part.

I think we have got that used to there being no competition in our midfield, the fact Scholes had to come out of retirement, that we are freaking out when someone isn't playing. It's actually a good thing, that we have real quality in there and lots of options with maybe more to come in the summer.

 

[legball]

Would you rather bareback Fellaini or Herrera?

This is the problem with this place. It's not Fellaini or Herrera. Fellaini didn't start yesterday or againt Sotton, did he? They are different players that can play together. It's Rooney right now, and Matat keeping him out of the side, NOT BAREBACK FELLAINI and I hate this question to be honest.

 

[Litch]

Unless you throw Herrera into the fire again and again like any footballer should go through, we can't expect him to show that improvement at all. If anything, it's LVG's stupid obsession with pointless and gutless ball possession that is the main obstacle to any of our players who is willing to take risks.

That late change just to give him only 20 seconds was extremely humiliating.

I think it's simply Felliani statue and Herrera's lack of it that's created a problem for him. He's a lovely player but I fear like Kagawa will find himself out of favour.

 

[Blue always red]

He is the midfielder the 'Caf wanted, but not the one LVG needed.

 

[Litch]

This is the problem with this place. It's not Fellaini or Herrera. Fellaini didn't start yesterday or againt Sotton, did he? They are different players that can play together. It's Rooney right now, and Matat keeping him out of the side, NOT BAREBACK FELLAINI and I hate this question to be honest.

I think it's as much the formation that gives him the biggest problem....

 

[Speak]

He is the midfielder the 'Caf wanted, but not the one LVG needed.

Very true.
But that's a crazy suggestion, according to some...
Perhaps, just perhaps, Herrera wouldn't have been a midfielder van Gaal would have chosen to spend £30 million on.

I have doubts over a few of these signings, and whether they actually came in because they truly fit into van Gaal's on-pitch vision...

 

[kouroux]

I just wonder why LVG agreed for his arrival then.

 

[Speak]

What about the Falcao loan? You think LvG didn't want that either since that is also causing us immense issues since he is too big a player to bench regularly. What's happening right now is that I feel LvG is struggling to drop the big names and is not able to fit them all in the preferred positions they want to play in. Dropping someone like Herrera is the easier option.

Falcao was pretty much agent politics and a convenient chance to sign a 'Galactico', in my opinion.
Some will disagree of course.

 

[Speak]

I just wonder why LVG agreed for his arrival then.

Well he's a good player. You simply have to 'okay' a deal to sign a good midfielder, and it's almost a no-brainer on the face of it.

I'm not suggesting that he knew he might not be suitable but said "eff it. Sign him anyway". I'm just not convinced that Herrera even enters the equation without him being a club target.

Basically this move was more the club's vision than the manager's, and for a manager as particular as van Gaal (or Mourinho) it's risky.

 

[Sarni]

So many people with theories of LvG not rating Herrera or whatever. Maybe he just hasn't been that good? As tough as that is for a lot on here to take. He's not done enough to deserve starting.

He has been mostly good when played. He can hardly impress when he is not being given the chance.

 

[legball]

The theory that LVG isn't playing him because he might not be the one that signed doesn't hold water in my opinion.

 

[Speak]

The theory that LVG isn't playing him because he might not be the one that signed doesn't hold water in my opinion.

What do you mean by "he might not be the one that signed"?

 

[Summit]

What do you mean by "he might not be the one that signed"?

That he wasn't an LvG buy.

 

[Speak]

That he wasn't an LvG buy.

Oh right, thought so.
Well that's not the theory (I assume it's referring to me)

It's not that van Gaal only wants to play his own players out of ego or something, but Herrera doesn't appear to be the type of midfielder he prefers. I'm basing 'the type of midfielder he likes' on a few things.

 

[ZDwyr]

He has been mostly good when played. He can hardly impress when he is not being given the chance.

Perhaps but I still don't think he has been as good as others.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Perhaps but I still don't think he has been as good as others.

Is he better than what we had last season? That is what matters. Yes he is. You have to have different options to change games, as we are finding with Fellaini. If you only have ones that fit into a certain system, other teams will soon suss you out.

 

[Orton]

A midfield of Carrick/Blind, Fellaini and Herrera would be better right now. Di Maria infront of them with 2 strikers.

 

[DWelbz19]

Nice cameo. Is there a way to have a "not rated" option in the ratings in the match day forum if we feel that the player had no real role in the match?

I think this should be introduced if the player came on/went off too early/late. Smalling against somebody a couple weeks back, Di Maria vs Hull(?) Ander last night...