I agree there was a clear positional change but even saying that he was the last one who deserves any real criticism he created our best 2 chances of the match.
21
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 41
- Goals
- 5
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 9
- Status
He had a good game. Always available for the pass, reads the game well further forward and brings a calmness to the side.
Quite a few times the ball was fired into him following a press and he controlled it got away from his marker and ensured we kept possession.
Invaluable qualities in this system.
Quite a few times the ball was fired into him following a press and he controlled it got away from his marker and ensured we kept possession.
Invaluable qualities in this system.
I thought he was solid. Nothing more, nothing less.
He needs to play in every game, he's a player that can make things happen. In the final third he knows how to make that killer pass, more so than any other player. And he's good for a few goals.
For sure there was a formation change. He and Fellaini played as 8's in the second half which I think is his best position.
No he wasn't, all he did 90 odd percent of the time was pass it side ways, backwards and to the wing. No forward through balls or penetration and he completely lacked any goal threat.
I think you need to learn the intricacies of playing in midfield. He was extremely effective in speeding up our tempo. Was very aware of what was going on so he rarely dawdled on the ball. Was always showing for the ball and was directing people to keep moving and not be so static.
Too much sideway passing? Generally happens when the team decides to stay wide and not try to play through the middle. And before you start saying that it's his job to do so, it's the job of the entire team to offer off the ball movement. He can't be expected to do everything on his own.
No penetration? It was him who set us up with our two clearest chances and played an important part in the equaliser.
I don't need to learn the intricacies of midfield, don't insult my intelligence. He did nothing for most of the game.
Well he saw a lot of space on the right so he passed it to Valencia/Lingard a lot, if we had more functioning right wing he would've been much more effective. Pretty average game overall, I think CSKA were good defensively and very compact. We could only hurt them from the wide.
Except create our two best chances and be our most influential creator?
You are going to blame Herrera for Rooney being shit.
Herrera showed only a few days ago against Everton, that if Rooney moved his ass, he'll find him.
Was fantastic tonight I thought apart form 2 sloppy passes in the first half. He knitted the midfield together really nicely, found space very well and supplied the wings with plenty. On the odd occasion Rooney managed to lift his knees high enough to make movement in the box he generally found him, the cross for his header was particularly nice.
He should definitely keep the 10 role, with martial ahead of him they could make a nice pair.
He should definitely keep the 10 role, with martial ahead of him they could make a nice pair.
I've got to agree, Rooneys movement was appalling at times. Rooted to the spot when he should have been busting a gut to get in behind or drag a CB out towards the channels.
sorry if you couldn't see what he does and provides you obviously have a big lack of football knowledge. I think it's pretty obvious. Rooney didn't provide any runs for him to make a pass nor he was able to control ANY balls played from deep. Also CSKA were very organized so once the ball was played to Herrera all the spaces were closed down quickly, and he's great on turn.
You could see the difference between the game against Evrton and today's match. Herrera quickly released Rooney who was in a good position and scored, although it was after a big Jagielka's mistake, he found so many other creative passes and also scored as the opposition pressed high and there was space where to run. Tonight he couldn't find anyone because everything was too tight. CSKA didn't press like mad like Everton. Anyway we controlled the ball fantastically well thanks to Schneiderlin and Herrera and passed it around not in a bad tempo, but we lacked at least decent striker who could make runs , proper leftback who could support Martial. The right side played quite well and the result was our scored a goal. Herrera the main creator.
If he has one key pass which leads to goal in every game than he will be a massive player. We just need other players to up their game and get rid of deadwood (Rooney) because we play with ten men and we can win these games in even a better fashion than we did under Fergie, all those 1:0 away wins, after, boring performances, but we had higher quality players (or more in terms of numbers) in the final third. We missed Shaw and good striker and we could win it. Herrera was one of our best players
Yeah. He got out of some tight spaces a few times. Played well, but not brilliantly. 7/10 type thing.
Herrera was one of the only players in that first half that looked comfortable on the ball. Kept the ball really well in tight areas, unfortunately no one around him could take any advantage of the space that created. Rooney was too static, and Lingard didn't do enough when he got the ball. Add to that the lack of full-back overlap and Martial's initial struggles, there really wasn't anything for him to aim at.
Thank you
Well if he had tried to force the issue and play forward balls to static Wayne I bet you'd be giving him stick for unnecessary loss of possession, all creative players are dependent on the players they create for to look effective - if Valencia had fecked up that cross or if Martial had not scored the oerception would have been that he's done nothing in the match.
Well you clearly have no idea how things are conducted in midfield.
Grew into the game, aside from one or two iffy first touches and a couple of misplaced passes he also failed to get his head up on a couple of occasions which I think Mitch is probably referring too only in his own way.
Neither of the 3 behind Rooney were helped by his lack of movement however. I like him (Rooney) but he has too start getting his head out of his arse.
Neither of the 3 behind Rooney were helped by his lack of movement however. I like him (Rooney) but he has too start getting his head out of his arse.
http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/d...e-to-Sacrifice-Control-Stifling-Ander-Herrera
Interesting article.
Interesting article.
The article illustrates his situation pretty well. It was said already a lot of times on here, but he sacrifices his instincts and risks to stay in the team. I dont know how many times he just passed it back yesterday in a decent position, without even looking if there was someone available/willing to try something.
Thought he was fantastic in the second half, exactly what I'd like to see from a #6, alongside Morgan it was a balanced midfield. Now all we need is Mata to be thrown in at #10 and we'd have it all.
Herrera....Schneiderlin
1 Mata
1 Mata
Man Utd 0:0 Man City
Been pretty quiet this half, although to be fair their we're mostly bypassing his zone and look for the space on the wings. They're too compact in the middle. I don't think this is his kind of game, but we'll see. He's usually better in the second half.
You could say he needs more movement in front of him but I'm tired of the "blame others" excuses for Rooney so I'm not cutting him that slack either, needed to do more offensively but was strong and held it up well.
Wasnt his best but very tight space and little actual movement in front of him. Had a half chance I'm surprised he didnt do better. But love having him in there anyway.
As someone said with Smalling and Jones, then Schmidfield and Ander you don't need Rooney. I bet he would have loved Martial in there. With Rooney fluffing every pass forward to him, eventually you give up and sideways and backwards are the only options. Mata wasn't a great help today.
His touch is second best only to Mata. He came better in the second half when he dropped deeper. There was no space in between Fernanduo, Kompany, Otamendi these four could bully anyone.. anyway no movement ahead of him is the biggest issue for sure.
He was quiet today but still did alright, with Mata having an off day and Rooney playing like he always does it was always going to be tough for him to create much.
The two populists didn't do very much.
Neither did the unpopulist, in fact even less so.
Okay?
Mata did not play well, neither did Rooney, Also Fernandhino and City's CB played well. Ander did OK. He was not awful like The Untouchable upfront. If Martial had been in the centre I think we would likely have won.
He and Mata need runners ahead of them. Martial as the #9 making runs would be much better than Rooney standing marked for 90 minutes. But everyone has said that a million times. Not sure how we are to create chances if nobody makes runs. We put some great crosses into the box but nobody goes for them. Herrera was at fault for one of those, as he was at the back post, but it just floated through everyone.
I'd still rather he starts as a #10 than anyone else, but there's just so little movement for anyone to create something.
I'd still rather he starts as a #10 than anyone else, but there's just so little movement for anyone to create something.
Its very difficult to do well as part of our front four when Rooney is leading it (unless you are superman or Martial). He did okay in midfield.
I agree, I don't think Ander and Mata played well, I thought Rooney played bad also. And it's impossible to tell, we also could of won today if Lingard's flick was a few MM lower, Smalling's shot a little harder etc.
Mata was definitely worse. He isn't great against side with a lot of physical players. He's been off for a few games now. Remember he was taken off against Everton.
I'm not quite sure the no movement argument fully absolves Herrera, I'd much rather see him try some through balls and then to blame Rooney if he's not in the right place rather than just use Rooney's mediocrity used as a blanket excuse.
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