Shame he didn't start and that Valencia is so I effective going forward, involved in some good play today I have no idea why he isn't being given a run in the first eleven.
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Season Average Rating
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- Yellow cards
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How can a manager as good as van Gaal supposedly is not see that the mere inclusion of Ander in our lineup makes us so much better. It's not even as if he is a liability defensively like Mata.
Oof.. Please start him, Januzaj and Rafael against Leicester. 
Played well when he came on. Brilliant use of the ball.
He was very good when he came on. It puzzles me that he finds it so hard to get in the starting xi.
Needs to start, or LVG needs to go.
He should've started.
Starting to wonder what the issue is with Herrera. He is a lovely player to watch, so full of energy and industry. Never static and always looking to make something happen. Should be getting minutes.
He really knits our play together. He is an intelligent passer and has excellent appreciation for weight of pass. He can tackle and score goals. Probably best to keep him on the bench!
He should start every game for us, alongside Carrick in midfield.
He's not Kevin Strootman don't you know. The way it is going Kevin Strootman will never be here, because if Louis doesn't get that Top4 he will be gone. The board cannot be happy with what they are witnessing. Even they, especially SAF will be wondering why Ander doesn't start.
I like fellaini but today showed exactly why we need Herrera in midfield at times too. Today was about playing in tight areas and that's not fellainis bread and butter.
He showed great heart and skill when he came on, and opened up there defence a few times. Should start against Leicester.
He showed great heart and skill when he came on, and opened up there defence a few times. Should start against Leicester.
He just makes everyone around him look better. Must be why van Gaal puts him on the bench right next to him.
Can someone explain to me why he isn't starting games?
@charleysurf ?????
Put in some superb tackles today, not even just going in hard but timed to perfection. Absolutely fantastic, love a good tackle me. Was really good all around too, shame Valencia is rubbish and couldn't take advantage of it. Even play him as a RM or something as he puts in a good cross too. Hope van Gaal can find a spot for him in some more matches.
Played well again when he came on, probably wont see him again for another 3 weeks.
On a serious note a lot is made of foreign players adapting to the premier league and he couldn't have done much more in his first few months here, in the handful of games he's played more often than not he's done well, I'm sure at this point the match fixing allegation is the thing keeping him out of the team.
On a serious note a lot is made of foreign players adapting to the premier league and he couldn't have done much more in his first few months here, in the handful of games he's played more often than not he's done well, I'm sure at this point the match fixing allegation is the thing keeping him out of the team.
Yep. His style of play and constant movement just invite the rest of the team to keep it on the ground and play good football.
I actually agree with this, I hope LvG leaves before we even consider selling Herrera. If Herrera is too much a risk for LvG whose team is creating absolutely nothing without him, then there's not much hope for us with LvG. Herrera is our best midfielder but we aren't playing him and instead are served with horrible football.
he should start every game for us without carrick..
I loved how good defensively he works, he made three brilliant tackles, when he won the ball unlike Fellaini who was completely lost again and always late and almost got sent off as usual.. he is great defensively, maybe sometimes makes a bad pass but who doesn't. Mr consistency aka Mica Carrick today was horrible in his passing but he wil definitely start next game I am sure of it and Herrera will be benched again even a twice footballer like him.. I don't care about that balance its horse shit.. we need to build our team around him he is a key player.. no dimaria no carrick no rooney but herrera, if van Gaal can't get this then he needs to go
Yep, pretty much every game he's played, with the exception being when he broke his rib, he's been one of our best performing players on the pitch and we as a whole have looked much better whenever he's been on the pitch. Mind boggling why he isn't starting as he's our best midfielder IMO, our most dynamic and most all round one as well. If Fergie was manager he'd be an automatic starter IMO, a hard worker, a good tackler, very creative, a good passer, a good dribbler and has goals in him.
Great wee cameo. Thought Fellaini was crap so probably in with a shout of starting the next game. Hopefully he makes the most of it if he does.
Got ahead of Fellaini in the picking order with his cameo tonight, I think.
Put him next to Fellaini. Let the big man do the combative stuff, let Herrera play his natural game and Blind playing deep in a holding role. Blind can do everything Carrick does at a quicker tempo.
I think, Van Gaal thinks Fellainis physicality and the fact that he has been in this league for a bit makes him more useful. In reality though, Fellaini isnt much of a player...
Agree. It's strange really, the way people are defending him is like a lot of people defended at the start of last season, except with Herrera, he proves it every time he's on the pitch. He had one poor game - when he played with a broken rib and was subbed off at half. Pretty much every other time he's played, he's been excellent. Then he's out of the team for a while, people all complain how he isn't playing, Charleysurf or whoever else argue that he's shit or whatever they make up, and then he shows his class again and we look so much better overall. One of the weirdest things this season, him not playing despite performing really well almost every time he plays, even if he scores a beauty or makes a big difference in games.
Classy bit of interchanging between Herera and Di Maria in the box after he came on. When we're playing against teams who are parking two close ranks we need to forget two strikers and play our clever little passers and ball recyclers through the middle:
DDG
Rafael Jones Rojo Shaw
Blind Herera (Blind sitting more, Herera more box-to-box)
Mata Januzaj Di Maria (all three can interchange positions)
Rooney (upfront but allowed to roam an drop with runners going past)
I think this team has the intelligence, movement and firepower to break all these bus parking teams down.
DDG
Rafael Jones Rojo Shaw
Blind Herera (Blind sitting more, Herera more box-to-box)
Mata Januzaj Di Maria (all three can interchange positions)
Rooney (upfront but allowed to roam an drop with runners going past)
I think this team has the intelligence, movement and firepower to break all these bus parking teams down.
In a different thread. Has he been thread banned or something? All the praise Herrera's getting here must be like ants under his skin.
He's like the anti Mad Winger for Herrera.
I agree with Charleysurf...Nonsense to think that picking Herrera is just going to suddenly turn it all around. You look at Ozil and you see a player with a lot more ability than Herrera on the bench at Arsenal...Ozil can do anything and can see things no one else does...But he doesn't get involved enough and is perhaps not dynamic enough and that is why he is often on the bench at Arsenal despite earning more money than anyone else at the club apart from Sanchez
Özil just came back from an injury. No one said Herrera is the solution to all of our problems. Herrera does get involved and is dynamic, dont know what you want to say.
The last 20 mins after he came on were the only mins worth watching. Suddenly we had a midfielder who can pass and move and find teammates with good passes where they want the ball
I dont understand why this lad is not starting for us. He is probably our best proper CM next to Carrick. His primary weakness is his physic but I he more than makes up for it with his movement and passing ability. Unfortunately he is lost in the shuffle with LvG.
You haven't got a clue about anything have you. Ozil has been injured for ages and came back last week.
And I don't think anyone has said he's going to change everything for the whole season, but he's quite literally changed 2-3 games with cameo appearances. He deserves a chance far more than any of the other fannies in midfield.
Herrera gets as involved as anyone and is as all round midfielder as we've had for the past 10 years probably. He's everywhere on the pitch, and has loads of class to boot while also being good actually defensively. He really should be starting, there's no logical reason that he isn't, and he impresses almost every sub appearance without complaining while others have so much shit written about them even if they don't deserve games.
Ozil is lazy that is the problem, you wouldn't get him tackling back and saving Valencia's skins like Ander did last night. That is a big difference. Also all the stuff in the Mata thread about him being rubbish, we could have done with a Mata last night.
It has to be Herrera linking with Rafael, no Valencia please. He is only in the side because he is big and fast. He can't beat a man, can't cross and we now know can't take a throwin.
He improves our play so much whenever he comes on. It's refreshing to see a midfielder who is tenacious, aggressive, can pass and make runs. No clue how he doesn't start.
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