With Smalling back in the team the need for Fellaini in the side isn´t really there anymore. When we had Bailly and Blind at centre-back he was a good choice, because Blind is a midget and Bailly has been quite average in the air so far. But with Smalling back we have that aerial presence in the defence and offense (at set-pieces) that we lacked with the other two centre-backs.
21
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 50
- Goals
- 3
- Assists
- 11
- Yellow cards
- 15
- Red cards
- 2
- Status
With Smalling back in the team the need for Fellaini in the side isn´t really there anymore. When we had Bailly and Blind at centre-back he was a good choice, because Blind is a midget and Bailly has been quite average in the air so far. But with Smalling back we have that aerial presence in the defence and offense (at set-pieces) that we lacked with the other two centre-backs.
That is actually a very good point. I didn't think of it like that.
Anyway, I never got the logic of Fellaini for height when the team already has many other tall players. We are quite an imposing team tbh. Hererra, Mata, Lingard and Blind seem to be the only ones who do not fall within that category.
Hererra is 6 ft and Blind 5'11, they aren't the tallest but they definitely aren't short. They both play a little bit smaller than they really are, but have been among my favorite performers this season.
I agree. Might be interesting. Quite a few coaches in todays game have played for LvG, Biesla and Mourinho. Herrera has played for all of them, and each of them have a seperate approach.
Think he'll end up as a decent mid table manager. Many of our players, I feel will become coaches- Mata, Carrick, Blind, Schweinsteiger, maybe DDG as well
Very good points. Still, Fellaini seems to be a player that many coaches, including Mourhino, seem to love. I think it's because he is a different player and gives the coach the option to mix things up tactically. Or maybe he is good at following coaching instructions. He is not my favorite player either, but I think he will continue being picked for some games by Jose.
Neither Fellaini nor Herrera have the full skillset we need to partner Pogba. We need a Vidal like of player
I couldn't agree with you more. A three man midfield with Pogba pushed to an advanced role seems like a pretty good idea to try out. We all saw what Pogba can do in an around the penalty area in the games against Leicester. His flicks were immaculate, he has quite a shot on him and his first touch is amazing as well which helped players like Zlatan and Rashford to play quick give and gos. Against strong teams, or in games where we are struggling, Pogba may not get a chance to play so further up since Herrera will struggle to shield the defense all by himself.
I would love to see Carrick/Schneiderlin/Blind thrown in there with Pogba and Herrera. I will also point out how Herrera flourished in a three man midfield with Carrick and Fellaini under LVG when we went on that good run against Tottenham, Liverpool and City. At the same time, we can't deny Mata was a key player too in the last game. Even though I am very dubious about this midfield pairing, I would like for us continue with this line up and see if we can go on a sustained run, especially against some strong teams and rack up some points. Or else, try Herrera out in a three-man midfield.
Have you got The Sun's view on this?
Is herrera any worse than Khedira or Marquisio?
Khedira is more defensive + Juventus tend to play in a 4-3-3 system.
Khedira is debatable but he's worse than Marchisio. The latter is a versatile midfielder who can put in more than "good enough" performances either as a more attacking or a more defensive midfielder and on whom you can depend in order to build a well functioning midfield. When they had Pirlo he was playing as an attacking midfielder (or attacking minded b2b) and he delivered. Now that Pirlo's gone they play him in front of the back four and he can dictate the tempo and play the right passes out of the defense,no problem there either. When Herrera finds one role in the team and makes it truly his own, then we'll have something to talk about.
Don't think so. Vidal is way too attacking minded, as is Pogba which imo wouldn't be a good mix. A prime Carrick on the other hand would be the perfect partner imo.
Heavily underrated player.
Serie A tho. You get the time on the ball to "dictate tempo" that you don't get as much in the premier league. Herrera may look like Xavi if given the amount of time you get to "dictate tempo" in Serie A
I agree with this, Fellaini being picked for his height always made me crazy because he never actually jumps, it's almost like he things his height means he doesn't need to. I still think he could come back in for his physicality on set pieces though. I still think we should be playing three in the middle for some games though; Herrera, Pogba, and either Fellaini or Schneiderlin or Carrick depending on what the game requires.
The team should be built around the midfield of Herrera and Pogba.
yeah sure.
Both Marchisio and Khedira have shown better performances over a way longer period of time. Herrera is also 27 and not a young talent anymore. To rate him higher than Khedira, who won almost everything with different clubs and the country, is just pure madness and I am not a big Khedira fan.
Comparing him to Xavi........that is almost ban-worthy.
Now he played a couple of good matches again and gets completely overrated. He is a good player, but hardly special and despite his recent performances he is not a holding midfielder.
Serie A or not, Juventus are a side that would have no problem competing in the PL. They do well in Europe too. As someone else posted Marchisio is very underrated on here andthe truth is that he performs on a very good level since his mid 20's despite changing roles throughout his career. And Herrera can't look like Xavi in any league because he is not that type of player. If he ever becomes a starting #6 for us, he will be one who will press for the ball in our half and then pass it to a teammate. He will always need ball carriers/deep lying playmakers around him. Which is not a bad thing, it's just how it is. If by the end of the season Herrera has become the kind of holding player Mourinho wants (improve on his positional awareness and discipline) and Pogba is feeling more comfortable in deeper positions, we'll be ready for greater things.
Last edited:
Do they? Because they played in 3-5-2 on last Saturday against Palermo. They even announced it on FB.
sorry 3-5-2. My mistake.
http://www.squawka.com/news/ander-herrera-has-similar-traits-to-iniesta-and-xavi-claims-gibson/177303yeah sure.
Both Marchisio and Khedira have shown better performances over a way longer period of time. Herrera is also 27 and not a young talent anymore. To rate him higher than Khedira, who won almost everything with different clubs and the country, is just pure madness and I am not a big Khedira fan.
Comparing him to Xavi........that is almost ban-worthy.
Now he played a couple of good matches again and gets completely overrated. He is a good player, but hardly special and despite his recent performances he is not a holding midfielder.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ited/10930547/Manchester-Uniteds-new-signing-Ander-Herrera-is-the-natural-successor-to-Barcelonas-mercurial-maestro-Andres-Iniesta.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3030266/Ander-Herrera-monitored-Barcelona-Catalan-giants-search-Xavi-replacement.html
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ander-herrera-scouting-report-van-gaal-may-have-found-manchester-uniteds-very-own-xavi-1454039
Take this L!! Please ban this fellow for his blasphemy.
Okay. It must be true, because some articles say so. You totally got me.
Ignoring that Herrera could only dream about passing the ball like Xavi, Xavi was one of the best midfielders of all time, while Herrera isn´t even in the current top20. They don´t have the same skill-set and are in different universes when it comes to quality. They are both Spanish CMs, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. So yes, suggesting that Herrera is anything like Xavi is madness.
But let’s be reasonable: Xavi was unique and it would be unfair to set the bar so high. That said, even the likes of Khedira or Marchisio are clearly a level above him. That doesn’t mean that he is a bad player, just that he needs to play at least one good season for us before he can be ranked along the current top-class midfielders.
Man Utd 1:1 Stoke
I think he is great again. His passing is great, he has become very consistent with everything he does, and very creative from deep role. 21 passes more than Pogba, ridiculous.
He's a very refreshing player to have this season, next to Pogba. Hard to see what we'd do without him right now.
Been brilliant today so far
Far better than his partner. Good first-half.
Just throwing it out there that if Fellaini made the tackle that Herrera did, his thread would have gained a good couple of pages by now.
Does Herrera have Fellaini's history of violent conduct?
So instead of praising him because he is our best midfielder by a mile this season you came here to criticise him for a miss timed tackle?
Nobody cares.
Aye. He has. Made some crucial interceptions and keeps the game moving.
Made some dirty fouls too, not that i complain.
That tackle is a shocker, horrific refereeing not to send him off.
He's kind of our new Keano from an energy and pit bull tackling point of view.
How is he still on the pitch!
ridiculous comment after a game he's having.. it's also great to have a palyer who kicks players asses, herrera is not malicious unlike Fellaini...
and ffs, defensive midfielders do this, not to mention greatest of all midfielders being reckless tackler - Scholes
- Status