A bit disappointed he or Rothwell didn't make the squad for America given that Carrick is injured and Ando/Fellaini aren't included. By my reckoning there are only 3 CM's in the squad - Herrera, Cleverley and Fletcher.
Ben Pearson
- Thread starter samabachan
- Start date
We will surely keep him.
We'll keep him, no need to worry about that.
Might have been deemed a season too soon for him, or it might be that he's been left behind so we have plenty of quality and experience in the team for the reserves pre-season games (which seems to be what's happened with Wilson and Lawrence.)
Someone needs to tell Van Gaal if doesn't want new transfers to perform 'The Seedorf manuever' on that kid and bring him on already just to show him how things work in the first team.
We already risking by selling Rio, Vidic and Evra. I think we could at least try something new in midfield, too.
We already risking by selling Rio, Vidic and Evra. I think we could at least try something new in midfield, too.
I don't really buy that (the second bit anyway, first bit could well be right) - we've only got five pre-season games scheduled and four of those are against non-league (or equivalent calibre) opposition. It's just a numbers game I think - with LvG assessing what he has available, all the fit senior pros were always going to travel and it just didn't leave many other spots.
Can anyone who saw the match, let me know how Pearson went? All that's out there is Wilson's 4 goals and rightly so but would like to see how Pearson went.
As for the team, it was a game of two halves for him. Poor first half, very good final 45. A lot of people talk about Harrop's performance - and rightly so - but Pearson upping his game was the single most important factor in our dominating midfield in the second half.
Majestic final 45 minutes. A real warrior-type performance.
Very impressed.
Very impressed.
He was great 2nd half.
His involvement in the Wilson 3rd goal being the highlight. Body checked the big City player, winning the ball back with a excellent first touch skipped to his left and had the vision and ability to pick out Wilson first time off his left peg.
Actually in the first half he was average, but not that bad either. Remember him playing couple of good long balls to Lawrence and Wilson. Made a mistake for their goal though which he can do as he isn't really a proper holding mid.
His involvement in the Wilson 3rd goal being the highlight. Body checked the big City player, winning the ball back with a excellent first touch skipped to his left and had the vision and ability to pick out Wilson first time off his left peg.
Actually in the first half he was average, but not that bad either. Remember him playing couple of good long balls to Lawrence and Wilson. Made a mistake for their goal though which he can do as he isn't really a proper holding mid.
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Disagree. He was one of our worst players. Needlessly lost the ball a couple of times in very dangerous areas and lacked energy.
Second half was typical Ben Pearson. He's a joy to watch at times. Breaking up the play and starting off our attacks. A prime example being him winning possession then assisting Wilson for the third goal. An energetic performance with some good passing and moving. He's a little fighter which is my favourite quality of his and it's just a bonus that he is so good on the ball as well.
Haven't seen any of the other U21s reserves games this preseason so I'm not sure how his overall preseason has gone but that second half performance was brilliant. Him and Harrop seemed to compliment each other nicely.
Anyone know if Goss is fully playing with the U21s now as well? Pearson, Rothwell, Harrop and Goss all have very good potential imo.
Haven't seen any of the other U21s reserves games this preseason so I'm not sure how his overall preseason has gone but that second half performance was brilliant. Him and Harrop seemed to compliment each other nicely.
Anyone know if Goss is fully playing with the U21s now as well? Pearson, Rothwell, Harrop and Goss all have very good potential imo.
Wilson mentioned a change of formation at halftime.
Did they switch from a two man to a three man midfield?
Did they switch from a two man to a three man midfield?
I don't think they really changed formation so to speak, they just made sub changes at fullback and centre mid. When Harrop came on he changed the game really, he and Pearson started getting a hold of Bofana and their number 10 much better.
Pearson certainly has fight about him, but IMO still has a way to go yet to be near the first team.
What's this guys prominent position?
He's defensive Box to Box midfielder. Pretty Similar to Roy Keane in sort of player.
A lot of comparison's with Keane are fair…but Keane was much better getting forward than Pearson and definitely more of a goalscorer. Pearson's goalscoring record is very poor to be described as a box-to-box midfielder.
Let's give the lad time though as he has all the makings to become a fine player.
I think his aim was to try an give me an image of what he's like. By saying he's similar to Keane, it tells me he won't be playing a similar role to say Kagawa.
Yep, Keane is a decent but not perfect comparison. In style Pearson is very similar, but in position he is slightly less box to box, slightly more reserved. More likely to release the ball and then pull back to cover a player running forwards to join the attack than join the attack himself. Although he's perfectly capable of doing that when the situation requires it.
Partly it's down to the fact that his best football has all been played alongside Rothwell, who is better suited to being the more forward-thinking of the two.
Partly it's down to the fact that his best football has all been played alongside Rothwell, who is better suited to being the more forward-thinking of the two.
Nicky butt then?
It seems to me as if Pearson still has to improve his awareness and reading of the game. So far, he has the energy and tenacity to win the ball along with the technique and skill to start off attacks and keep possession. However, he seems to struggle playing deep into Man. Utd.'s half as he isn't disciplined enough to do so. I see why Joyce has set up our midfielders to play deeper than they did in the U-18's: he wants them to develop the discipline, awareness, and reading of the game that will help them function well in a midfield 2.
Having said that, Pearson has the qualities to operate in a more defensive role in midfield. Not only is he good at winning the ball, his passing and technique isn't too bad either. If he starts to develop the discipline in his game, he can make it at this club.
Having said that, Pearson has the qualities to operate in a more defensive role in midfield. Not only is he good at winning the ball, his passing and technique isn't too bad either. If he starts to develop the discipline in his game, he can make it at this club.
Can't really compare him to Keano as Keane always got you plently of goals. Pearson doesn't really score too many. So I guess the deep lying playmaker role would be the role he would be most suited to.
No, not at all. The position may be somewhat Nicky Butt but the football is all Keane.
ahhh, really excited to see if he makes the step up then. We need someone like a more defensive minded keane to partner herrera anyway. I stopped following youth football after the disappointment of the pogba generation and sale of daehli.
now only read the threads here. who would you rank as a better prospect out of him and Rothwell?
You'll hear differing opinions because they're very close. Personally I've thought Pearson had a certain x-factor from the first time I ever saw him. A sort of instant 'this kid will make it' feeling that I don't remember having about an English youngster at such a young age since Wilshere (and before him, since Rooney). His steady progress since then has had a sort of inevitability about it. Rothwell, by comparison, seems to have made dramatic steps forward quite recently. He's probably as good on paper, but I still think if I had to choose one Pearson has that extra little spark. He's mentally the strongest youngster I can remember watching. Sometimes he drags us into games purely by force of will.
It's hard to compare them though because they're so complementary. They're both generally at their best when they partner one another in midfield. Their different qualities fit together very nicely, and they're always on the same wavelength.
If you can find compilations for either player from the semi-final against Liverpool last season, that was a great example. I lost count of the number of times Rothwell was there to go into a tackle or stretch to make an interception, and then Pearson seemed to materialise out of nowhere to scoop up the loose ball before anyone else composed themselves, and ping off a pass to set another attack in motion. And every time Rothwell drove forwards, starting an attack, and Liverpool got the ball clear, Pearson would be in the right place at the right time to take the ball straight back and recycle it into another attack.
Either way, I'd put money on Pearson being the first to get serious chances, because he's the more defensive of the two, and thus more what we need based on our current resources. Rothwell is a lot like Herrera in role and position.
Thanks for the information, if we manage to bring both through and pair them in midfield,with wilson,daehli and januzaj in front of them.
Got some news for you.....Thanks for the information, if we manage to bring both through and pair them in midfield,with wilson,daehli and januzaj in front of them.
He's gone.
What impressed me was the way he went from struggling to gradually imposing himslef on city midfield. In the past he tended to get a little wild as frustration grew but he showed maturity last night.
On the Pogba bus?He will come back
pogba isnt at a relegated club though, if daehli fulfills his potential he will be back.
Mats has said since leaving that he still dreams of playing for United's first team. If he makes it there is a good chance he'd look to come back.
Yep, after he got booked I was waiting for an immediate second yellow, like he got in the Sociedad game.
Must just be me who is shit at predicting the future!
Maybe in Butts last couple of seasons...yes! But Nicky was a regular goal scorer at youth and reserve level...very box to box in fact.
ahhh okay, I was way too young to see the early stages of butt career. Exciting times to be a united fan, if we dont sign anyone and just promote the kids I wouldn't be against it.
Many forget just how good Nicky Butt was going forward in his younger days.
Thanks for the vid @FromTheBench
Was a positive to see him being very direct with his passing, looked to transition forwards very quickly and picked his runners out well.
Was a positive to see him being very direct with his passing, looked to transition forwards very quickly and picked his runners out well.
Very classy performance. Controlled the play effortlessly but never slipped into the trap of just keeping the ball - his passing was incisive and aggressive.
He looks more ready for the step up than I expected him to be. For one thing, he's definitely noticeably taller. It's starting to look like a real shame than Van Gaal didn't take him on the tour. He could already be ahead of Cleverley in the pecking order.
He looks more ready for the step up than I expected him to be. For one thing, he's definitely noticeably taller. It's starting to look like a real shame than Van Gaal didn't take him on the tour. He could already be ahead of Cleverley in the pecking order.