That's why you have doubts about a lot of articles most of the time. Just pot stirring. They have absolutely no idea what is going on at the clubs. They write articles almost under the pretext," If I was Ander I'd be pissed", with absolutely no knowledge as to if he is or not. They do it with all the clubs. Do any of the attacking midfielders/forwards know what their roles are, I doubt it. The DM's do, it just stand there. They know Ander is popular and people will click on the article. If it was some obscure reserve, nobody would care less.
21
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 41
- Goals
- 5
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 9
- Status
You just have to look at the other stories on the page at that link to see The Express is basically caughtoffside level journalism at this point.
It's not going to stop people getting outraged at Van Gaal for it though.
Don't you think this is a deliberate attempt by the press to provide another stick to beat him with. Yesterday it was the Valdez story, today Herrera, tomorrow somebody else. Some fans are up in arms about how we are playing anyway, so they have ready targets to increase the umbrage.
Any idea how long he's out for? Really want him and Martial to be given a shot as a combination over the next few weeks if Rooney is injured. It's about time Herrera was first choice.
-------Martial--------
Depay-Herrera-Mata
Young/Darmian RB, Rojo/Blind/Darmian/Young LB.
The Spanish ace reckons his career has stalled under Van Gaal this season and is planning to discuss his future with the Dutchman.
Herrera joined United from Athletic Bilbao for £29m in June 2014 and was hailed as one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe.
But he has made just 32 appearances and become frustrated at his lack of game time at Old Trafford.
Herrera had to wait until the end of August to make his first Premier League start and has found himself in and out of the team ever since.
Starsport understands Herrera is concerned about his role in the team and how he is asked to play when he is picked by Van Gaal.
A source said: "Ander is worried about his lack of progress at Manchester United under Louis van Gaal.
"He feels like he's lost his identity as a player and doesn't know what his role is anymore.
"His situation appears to be getting worse and he's worried his career is going backwards, so there will have to be a chat with the manager."
Herrera is under contract at Old Trafford until 2018.
He was hoping that joining United would boost his chances of forcing his way into the Spain squad ahead of next summer's European Championships.
But he is still waiting to be called up and now fears he will miss out on the finals in France.
To make matters worse Van Gaal signed fellow midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin in the summer to make competition for places even harder.
He has started six Premier League games this season, but is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury he suffered in United's recent win at Watford.
News that one of his stars is unhappy is the last thing Van Gaal needs as he faces increased criticism about his tactics.
United are struggling to score goals and have been accused of playing boring football after drawing six of their last nine matches, with home fans booing them off following last week's bore draw against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
Herrera joined United from Athletic Bilbao for £29m in June 2014 and was hailed as one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe.
But he has made just 32 appearances and become frustrated at his lack of game time at Old Trafford.
Herrera had to wait until the end of August to make his first Premier League start and has found himself in and out of the team ever since.
Starsport understands Herrera is concerned about his role in the team and how he is asked to play when he is picked by Van Gaal.
A source said: "Ander is worried about his lack of progress at Manchester United under Louis van Gaal.
"He feels like he's lost his identity as a player and doesn't know what his role is anymore.
"His situation appears to be getting worse and he's worried his career is going backwards, so there will have to be a chat with the manager."
Herrera is under contract at Old Trafford until 2018.
He was hoping that joining United would boost his chances of forcing his way into the Spain squad ahead of next summer's European Championships.
But he is still waiting to be called up and now fears he will miss out on the finals in France.
To make matters worse Van Gaal signed fellow midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin in the summer to make competition for places even harder.
He has started six Premier League games this season, but is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury he suffered in United's recent win at Watford.
News that one of his stars is unhappy is the last thing Van Gaal needs as he faces increased criticism about his tactics.
United are struggling to score goals and have been accused of playing boring football after drawing six of their last nine matches, with home fans booing them off following last week's bore draw against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
And he's already rubbished that story.
Standard hamstring is about 28 days. Maybe 21 if it was a minor one.
Could you blame him if he wanted to leave? He's at an age when he should be pushing for a national team spot and he has the talent to do it. Plays well whenever given the chance yet finds himself riding the pine for quite possibly one of the worst performers in the league.
fecksake. So Rooney gets injured and the guy who should be starting ahead of him is injured too. What timing for Herrera (and us ).
I predicted that would happen. Didn't you just know that Herrera would be injured the moment Rooney was?!
Herrera's talent will shine through and we will enjoy his flair for years to come......
Wait what , Rooney injured?? He is still going to play, isnt he
Just look at him here.
This + Gündogan, a couple of wing-forwards, and a less possession-focused manager would be
They'd just be flicking, dinking, chipping the ball in little triangles all over the park. It would be awesome to get players in who can play at his (and Martial's speed) and build on it.
---------Schneiderlin
------Herrera---Gundogan
Griezmann--Martial--- ?
Throw in Tielemans too, for good measure.
Poor Ander, he came here for champion league and now we're out. How many games did he play ?
Maybe he should step up his performances and help us achieve champions league? Just a thought.....
He did it last season.
I actually think he's done pretty well to adapt when you think of his natural game and the totally contrasting styles of play he was used to under Bielsa. That's the player we paid the money for. LVG has told him to do literally the opposite of what I would like to see him (and our team) do.
We're not forcing teams into mistakes. Our none existent movement off the ball creates no space for anybody to play in and we're left waiting for a massive brain fart from an opposition player.
That is a fabulous point. The Ander Herrera who played against United, the one SAF was scouting, the one he told Moyes to sign. That is the kind of player this team needs. LvG is an idiot.
Is he capable of fixing this mess?
surely Carrick and Herrera partnership we will create more chances.
surely Carrick and Herrera partnership we will create more chances.
What an absolutely terrible time to get injured for a player who is still trying to establish himself in the team. This would have been a perfect opportunity for him to nail a spot in the team.
When he is fit he will get back in. There is nobody deserving of keeping him out.
When's he due back? Everything's gone to shit without him.
Let's have it right, it's clear the manager doesn't fancy him and he takes the view that he's only as good as his last performance. Where others are given the benefit of the doubt if they have a bad game, he's often on the bench the following game. Herrera is everything that represents a Utd player so it doesn't surprise me that LVG can't see that....
Can we please play him as one of our 2 deep lying players? Playing 2 of Schweinsteiger/Schneiderlin/Carrick is too defensive IMO. Playing one of the 3 alongside Herrera would be better I say. Herrera can at least use his energy and passing ability to bring the ball forward and link up with our attack. Also has more goals in him than the other midfielders we have.
Well, we could. But it would appear he's not allowed to do those things. Last time he played in that role was away in Brugge I think and he had a stinking 45 minutes until we moved him slightly further forward
That certainly was the case.
But prior to this latest injury he started 5 of the previous 7 and came on as a sub in the other two. So I'm a little optimistic that LVG may be warming to him.
He had good position last season(1 defensive midfielder with two ahead of him - one of them was Herrera) which actually fits lot of our players and made them play good stuff but by the looks of it Louie changed that because it made lot of sense.
Have no idea why we do not try a 4-3-3 again! With Carrick/Basti being our deepest midfielder and Schneiderlin and Herrera just ahead could work wonders.
Front 3 would be Martial furthest up top, Memphis/Young/Lingard on the left and Mata/Young/Lingard on the right
Wasn't that his first appearance this season though?
We were playing decent football and getting results. Hateful stuff. Hope i
This never happens again.
This. But I'd have Schneiderlin as the deepest - Since that's his job - and Herrera + either Carrick/Schweinsteiger just in front. No coincidence that our best football under LvG was when we played 4-3-3 and we had a holding player and two Box to Box players assisting both the attack and defence.
It should be even more effective now in that we actually have a specialist CDM in Schneiderlin. Freeing up Carrick/Schweini to concentrate on feeding the forwards and Herrera to join the forwards in attack.
Yeah I guess you're right. I was thinking Schneiderlin a bit further up so he can use his energy to get into the box, even though he needs to improve his attacking aspect of the game. Playing a bit higher up would allow him to use his energy to press higher up the pitch, which Carrick/Basti would not do as well IMO.
However, since Carrick and Basti are better passes than Schneiderlin, they should create more chances for our forwards with pinpoint passes.
He does like a bribe.
I would like to see this given a go, think we need to keep the energy of Schneiderlin and also the discipline - it allows Carrick a bit more freedom. Herrera playing in his favourite position as the attacking midfielder of a 3 man midfield..
--------------DDG----------------
Darmian--Smalling--Jones--Blind
--------Carrick---Schneiderlin---
------------Herrera--------------
Lingard--Martial----Memphis
Agreed.
This formation also gets the best out of Fellaini if he needs to play, giving him that free #8 role which doesn't result in him abandoning the midfield and leaving us wide open, nor does it result in longball target man play. Basti could also play a role there as he likes to get forward and attack, he's not the type to sit and control.
Those triangles out wide that we had between Blind, Young and Fellaini on the left and Valencia, Mata and Herrera on the right would also benefit Memphis, give him support and allow him to make runs into the box and down the line rather than expecting him to do it all on his own. It could hopefully bring back Mata's best form too, as he needs support and runners around him.
Our squad looks incredibly suited to that style of 4-3-3 that we got a lot of joy from in the 2nd half of last season, Especially now we have Schneiderlin to play at the base of it, and Blind to step out from the back four and hit those delicious direct passes. Even in the games we didn't win and struggled a bit playing 4-3-3, it still looked like the approach that best suited our players, and it looked like we were moving towards something positive. Why did we abandon it?
Giggs and the "united way" IMO. I think LVG saw how City and liverpool played fairly gung-ho styles and did well, and he's tried to recreate it. Problem is though we lack the players and LVG doesn't truly believe in this way of playing.
It's a good point actually. I forgot about Fellaini but he was as vital to that system as anyone last season. He gave us a quick out ball from defence to build attacks from. It was a good blend between passing football and direct football. I miss it
It's a good point actually. I forgot about Fellaini but he was as vital to that system as anyone last season. He gave us a quick out ball from defence to build attacks from. It was a good blend between passing football and direct football. I miss it
Definitely. I would rather go back to a 4-3-3 with Fellaini in the squad than the 4-2-3-1 it seems that we are playing now without Fellaini.
- Status