Squad player.
21
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 39
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 5
- Status
I'm not sure he coud do what Mou wants Fellaini to do in the games so far which is to primarily to disrupt the oppositions play and add additional physical presence and height at set pieces. I much prefer Herrera but you have to say Fellaini has done fine every time he's come on.
I'd hope that were we to rest one of Matic/Pogba that Herrera would be first choice and I reckon in big games/europe away
How does someone not being as good all round as a £50 million midfielder make them average? Complete nonsense. I didnt say he was better because he does something better. But he does do something better, and better than almost anyone else in the league. He's nowhere near an average player, but he's not quite the £50 million+ players hes competing with.
Source or rather who did he do the interview with?
Herrera will prove himself again, just as he had done time and time again.
There is no way Herrera can deliver what Fellaini does, in his role as an impact sub. They are very different players performing very different roles.
Of course, he is a wonderful nice chap, works hard and loves the club ... but some of us, myself included have always felt he was a level below the genuine Manchester United MF player. Else, he'd also be fully in the mix with Spain as well.
Seems like no-one wants to admit it ... but Matic is basically a Herrera upgrade. Even if we play a 3-man-midfield, Fellaini may offer better qualities (Eg vs a physical Stoke). Not sure what Herrera's future is, but barring a long term Pogba/Matic injury, he will not play nearly as many games this year as he did last. After that, who knows.
Herrera could comfortably play with either Pogba or Matic in a midfield 2 and with both in a midfield 3. If United play with a 3 or if one of Pogba/Matic is unavailable or out of form then he is likely to start.
Saying that, Fellaini is a better option as an impact sub. He gets goals and is useful defensively on set pieces. I can see why Jose uses him.
There will be plenty of games for Herrera to start this season. He didn't start in the side last season either but played his way in through excellent performances. Hopefully he can do it again this season. I think there will be times this season where he is chosen ahead of Matic on form.
Saying that, Fellaini is a better option as an impact sub. He gets goals and is useful defensively on set pieces. I can see why Jose uses him.
There will be plenty of games for Herrera to start this season. He didn't start in the side last season either but played his way in through excellent performances. Hopefully he can do it again this season. I think there will be times this season where he is chosen ahead of Matic on form.
Cheers! I thought Mourinho actually mentioned he has Herrera in his plans. Was more praising the squad's mentality, which is obviously a great thing anyways.
I really hope that Herrera is the third midfielder for the big games when we go 4-3-3. If it's Fellaini (as it's been when we've gone to three in the middle to shut up shop so far this season), it'll be really frustrating because Pogba, Herrera, Matic is the best midfield three in the league.
He'll get his chance in the coming few games, Jose is just sticking with a winning formula for now to help build some confidence. I can see Darmian, Herrera, Lingard, Fellaini, and either Smalling or Lindelof all getting a start soon just to keep things fresh and re-build some competition for places. It's a shame that he's only warmed the bench so far because we all know what qualities he possesses, but it's a long season ahead of us and he absolutely will get chances.
It's a very long season (again). Andres will play at least 40 gmes this season no doubt. But he's compeltely fresh and he'll work his way into the team especially against big teams in the leauge and the CL. I think Jose is managing his game time pretty well until we need him.
Matic does seem better in a midfield two next to Pogba because he's tactically better and more of a deep lying playmaker, but they are quite different players really. Herrera has more intensity in his game and I'm sure (as with the previous seasons) he'd have more interceptions and tackles per 90mins than Matic if he played. He'd also join the attack more and offer more options in the final 3rd. He had the most assists in our team last season. So yeah he might be an upgrade for a 4-2-3-1 formation but not for every formation.
As for Fellaini's qualities, maybe they are suited to the last 15-20 mins of the game more than Herrera's, but his technical deficiencies and lack of speed/acceleration are very evident in a full 90 mins. I don't really envision any scenario where we have a full squad and we start Fellaini against quality opposition.
As for Herrera's future, I expect us to play 4-3-3 in the CL and a lot of the tough games of this season, with Mkhi on the right and Herrera in the middle. So I'm not worried about him at all. I also expect him to get plenty of games when Pogba is being rested. Less games than last season? Yes most likely so, but that's the result of having a lot of depth. Fellaini and Carrick will get even less starts in my opinion. He will most likely finish 3rd behind Pogba, Matic in minutes.
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good post.
EDIT:
Herrera is no squad player. He is top quality. But Mourinho has clearly decided the teams he wants to play in the League (most matches) and against tougher opposition and CL matches.
Expect the remaining squad to be played in the Cups.
EDIT:
Herrera is no squad player. He is top quality. But Mourinho has clearly decided the teams he wants to play in the League (most matches) and against tougher opposition and CL matches.
Expect the remaining squad to be played in the Cups.
Mourinho loves him. At some point Herrera will come back and show his qualities again.
Since, with the arrival of Matic and Lukaku, the team is already very physically imponent even without Fellaini, I do hope Herrera is the first choice for third midfielder. He's unbeatable in high pressing and ball recoveries.
But if we keep performing like this, trashing teams, etc., he might be tempted to stick to 4-2-3-1, and Herrera would only be used in League Cup games, because even if Matic is injured or suspended, so that he doesn't mess to much with the current balance of the team, a late apparence from Carrick might be expected, because he's the more similar to Matic, according to Mourinho, who called both ”stabilizers”.
It looks obvious now that Mourinho's preferred formation is the 4231
Had we signed Griezmann, he would have replaced Mata as the starter.
Expect Herrera to struggle for game time relative to last season going forward. He will provide decent cover for Matic throughout the season though
Had we signed Griezmann, he would have replaced Mata as the starter.
Expect Herrera to struggle for game time relative to last season going forward. He will provide decent cover for Matic throughout the season though
That 4-2-3-1 is his last seasons preferred system is clear to anyone who followed him in Real Madrid, Chelsea, or the beginning of our last season. He never dropped it, just had to be pragmatic about and twitch it whenever it was necessary. He would do the same now when troubles start, we drop form, or very difficult games away arrive.
Not so sure about the Griezmann thing, I though we were going 4-4-2 or even 3-5-2. Sending Griezmann to the wing, even with liberty to roam, seems a waste.
Herrera suffers from being a good midfielder.
He is not a brilliant defensive mid nor abrilliant attacking mid but all round he is just very good, just not as good as others as n each position.
Jose like specialist Herrera is not a specialist but he is still a very good player
I still expect him to have a big role this season. He is a leader. Leaders do not shirk setbacks they confront them head on. He will I have no doubt an influence on our season in a good way.
He is not a brilliant defensive mid nor abrilliant attacking mid but all round he is just very good, just not as good as others as n each position.
Jose like specialist Herrera is not a specialist but he is still a very good player
I still expect him to have a big role this season. He is a leader. Leaders do not shirk setbacks they confront them head on. He will I have no doubt an influence on our season in a good way.
Griezmann as a 10 basically with Micky on the wing but with freedom to roam into the middle.
Griezmann offers goals which is something our squad lacked severely last season.
In a 433 it will be a choice between Fellaini and Herrera and I can see Fellaini winning a some of those.
While I think Herrera is overrated on here, I am fairly certain Jose will use him in the big games.
I'd be shocked if he didn't.
I'd be shocked if he didn't.
Don't get why Mourinho would play a forward like Griezmann, that drops immensely, as a #10, I mean, do we want him to play in midfield?
Squad player, and a very good one. Nonetheless I think we will see more of him against big teams when we need to be tight in midfield.
I am hoping all of the midfielders play less games than Pogba and Herrera did last season. Late in the season the team was playing 3 central midfield players twice a week with only Pogba, Herrera, Fellaini and Carrick as options. One a part timer and the other a "role player".
The midfield running out of legs was the main reason for "conceding" the league in the end. Jose doesn't normally rotate his teams a lot. This will be a big test for him to see if he can have 3 central midfield players competing for (usually) 2 spots with all 3 feeling they are first team regulars.
Griezmann does the same Job at Atletico. Back on topic I went for him in my match day line up thinking Jose might go with 3 in midfield. He will play lot of games against big teams and will be vital in CL games too.
Herrera will be preferred for games against Chelsea and City where he might be instructed to shadow Hazard or De Bruyne. It requires some pace which Fellaini lacks, whereas Herrera can move around a bit obviously.
As someone pointed out, Herrera is a jack of all trades and master of none. A squad player, certainly a very good one, but not a starter going forward.
Out the team for a short period while he negotiates his contract? Mourinho did the same with a few other players last season didn't he?
I just mean he will play just behind the striker. Just like he does for Atletico.
Who?
I just think he prefers Matic as a CDM and loves the current formation better.
And finally has the personnel to make it work.
Think that will be true.
I hope he excels when he does start. It would be a great problem to have.
We will start playing twice a week from September. He'll start playing more regularly after that. I expect him to start all CL away games and against the top 6.
He won't start against Stoke I suppose but will and should start the Everton game. He should get some game time against Stoke and Basel as a sub to prepare himself for that Everton game.
I'm not worried about his best position because first, tbh I only care about the team winning whoever is playing and second, I'm sure we'll need him a lot later to ease the defensive burden from Matic in some hard games and many away matches. In the home games we need two midfielders only, though, and Matic and Pogba are the best defensively and offensively.
Herrera will be needed and he'll still play an important role this season.
I'm not worried about his best position because first, tbh I only care about the team winning whoever is playing and second, I'm sure we'll need him a lot later to ease the defensive burden from Matic in some hard games and many away matches. In the home games we need two midfielders only, though, and Matic and Pogba are the best defensively and offensively.
Herrera will be needed and he'll still play an important role this season.
There's an entire season ahead of us. We won't play the same team every week!
We shouldn't change a winning side anyway. Matic and Pogba are doing well together. And the important thing is that we keep winning. Some fans care more about who plays than us actually winning.
We shouldn't change a winning side anyway. Matic and Pogba are doing well together. And the important thing is that we keep winning. Some fans care more about who plays than us actually winning.
Again people can't grasp the concepts of depth, rotation and competition. Ander is important and will play plenty of football.
“I’m happy for them – all of them working hard, trying to be in the line-up. They are on the bench, they get one minute on the pitch and ready to give everything. I saw [Ander] Herrera on the bench, screaming, speaking, helping players and he wasn’t on the pitch. This is the group we have and the team we have.”
Soooooo, is it fair to say Herrera is a squad player yet?
They aren't mutually exclusive things. Depth can only exist if you have squad players to rotate and compete. Which Herrera now is. Right?
Like I said last week, too early to answer that question. We'll only know at the end of the season.
I was hoping desperate Barca would offer 120 mill for him 
. He is a great player still though
. He is a great player still though- Status