When he was healthy, Zlatan.
Does Man Utd have a player(s) that other teams fear?
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
Rashford. His pace causes defences an absolute nightmare. They know he will take them on and look to get in behind too. I'd be bricking myself if I knew I was tasked with trying to keep him quiet all day because at some point he will be taking you on and barely any central defender out there can match him for pace.
Fellaini.
The local Facial Reconstruction Dept are notified when he comes on, just so they have at least a consultant on-call.
The local Facial Reconstruction Dept are notified when he comes on, just so they have at least a consultant on-call.
As an opposition fan, it should be Martial and/or Rashford, but the player I most hope is missing when City play United is Herrera.
Fellaini, our nasty cnut player. 
Where to start. If i were the opposing team i'd be scared if i were going up against Mourinho.
You have the likes of Rashford/Martial with their pace and dribbling ability. Pogba to back that up with his passing and dribbling. Herrera/Bailly behind them fighting tooth and nail for every loose ball, and Valencia just dominating the opposing winger. Somehow if you manage to get past everyone, you have the simple job of trying to put one past the best goalkeeper (arguably) in the world.
Now imagine adding a lethal finisher such as Morata this season, and perhaps Griezmann next year. With the exception of Valencia, we are a scary talented young team. Just need to figure out how to stop missing so many chances next year.
You have the likes of Rashford/Martial with their pace and dribbling ability. Pogba to back that up with his passing and dribbling. Herrera/Bailly behind them fighting tooth and nail for every loose ball, and Valencia just dominating the opposing winger. Somehow if you manage to get past everyone, you have the simple job of trying to put one past the best goalkeeper (arguably) in the world.
Now imagine adding a lethal finisher such as Morata this season, and perhaps Griezmann next year. With the exception of Valencia, we are a scary talented young team. Just need to figure out how to stop missing so many chances next year.
Martial - as mentioned gets double or triple teamed up on when he gets the ball.
Fellaini - you know if you're up against him you will get clattered into a bit.
Would also add Valencia just for his pace and upper body strength
Fellaini - you know if you're up against him you will get clattered into a bit.
Would also add Valencia just for his pace and upper body strength
I wouldn’t necessarily use the word fear, but in terms of players we have where opposition teams would look to man mark out of the game, i would definitely say Pogba.
Despite some of the shite that is written in the media, he’s easily one of the best midfielders in the league. The negative impact on the team when he’s not playing is evident, as we lack the creativity that he supplies.
Targeting him disrupts the flow of the midfield and generally has an adverse affect on our potency as an attacking force. For that reason i would probably say him
Despite some of the shite that is written in the media, he’s easily one of the best midfielders in the league. The negative impact on the team when he’s not playing is evident, as we lack the creativity that he supplies.
Targeting him disrupts the flow of the midfield and generally has an adverse affect on our potency as an attacking force. For that reason i would probably say him
ah yes! Knew there must have been someone after Ronaldo.
Did. Zlatan
I rarely fear true quality, I fear unpredictability. To be unpredictable you must take risks, in order to make it worth the risk, you've either got to be so good that it comes off regularly... or you've got to have a dominant midfield & solid defence to reduce the risk actually being taken.
Perhaps if we are more solid at the back, and dominant in midfield, we will start seeing our attacking players taking more risks.
I would say, I truly believe the man we have that the opposition (not the fans) fear the most is Jose Mourinho.
Perhaps if we are more solid at the back, and dominant in midfield, we will start seeing our attacking players taking more risks.
I would say, I truly believe the man we have that the opposition (not the fans) fear the most is Jose Mourinho.
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Fellaini and Rashford are probably the one the players worry about
Martial is most definitely not a scary proposition to come up against.
Martial is most definitely not a scary proposition to come up against.
With De Gea in goal every team knows its going to be an uphill struggle to score with an individual moment of magic as he's equally adept at negating those opportunities with his ability.
Fear isn't the right word, like teams would fear Messi, ronaldo or suarez, but as a few have said, fellaini is somebody opponents will find incredibly frustrating, but the closest we have to the intended focus of discussion is probably Martial of a year ago although thats not what he is today, or at a stretch pogba.
Fear isn't the right word, like teams would fear Messi, ronaldo or suarez, but as a few have said, fellaini is somebody opponents will find incredibly frustrating, but the closest we have to the intended focus of discussion is probably Martial of a year ago although thats not what he is today, or at a stretch pogba.
Not really that's what we are missing. That's why I wanted Greizmann so much. We are hard to beat and the players we have been linked with would be really good additions for us and we'd become a solid unit. But we need that star quality. Pogba and Martial potentially can give us that though.
What's the criteria here? A player in our team that others will fear over the other players, or a truly top class player?
If it's the former, then I think Mkhitaryan, Martial, Rashford and Pogba are our troublemakers, if it's the latter, I'd say only Sanchez and Hazard currently fit the bill in the entire league.
Aguero, Silva and Toure used to be it for City, and I thought De Bruyne was going to be during his first few games, but I don't think they really have a standout.
Kane, Alli, Eriksen, Coutinho, Mane, Firmino, Ozil, Lukaku and Costa all fall in the same rung below category as the United lads.
If it's the former, then I think Mkhitaryan, Martial, Rashford and Pogba are our troublemakers, if it's the latter, I'd say only Sanchez and Hazard currently fit the bill in the entire league.
Aguero, Silva and Toure used to be it for City, and I thought De Bruyne was going to be during his first few games, but I don't think they really have a standout.
Kane, Alli, Eriksen, Coutinho, Mane, Firmino, Ozil, Lukaku and Costa all fall in the same rung below category as the United lads.
DdG is the only name i look at.
With him, a likely loss will be a draw. A draw , a potential sneaky 1-0.
Been like that for the past 5 years.
Never seems to get injured, never fazed, consistent, reliable, unhyped.
Generally others elicit 'meh', 'woohoo' or 'better get the bandages ready' thoughts.
With him, a likely loss will be a draw. A draw , a potential sneaky 1-0.
Been like that for the past 5 years.
Never seems to get injured, never fazed, consistent, reliable, unhyped.
Generally others elicit 'meh', 'woohoo' or 'better get the bandages ready' thoughts.
Yep, it's Bailey and Pogba. We do not have an attacking player who scares other teams enough to fully commit to stopping him, however, Bailey and Pogba are huge problems for opponents. It's actually why signing a guy like Fabinho would be so huge to go along with the Lindelof transfer.
Pogba and Herrera were terrific midfield players for us. Having a guy like Fabinho, who is one of the best, young defensive holding midfielders in football, would give us a terrifying control game. I find it hard to believe that Pogba-Herrera-Fabinho, with Fellaini and Carrick as support, would ever lose control of the midfield against a Premier League club.
Furthermore, when the other team does win a midfield battle, they need to get past Bailey and De Gea. This season, opponents would use the man not being marked by Bailey to create an attack. With Lindelof, hopefully that cannot happen anymore, and our defense will be a wall.
Truthfully no you don't.
If teams dont fear Pogba now they will in coming seasons.
De Gea definitely - he won't be man-marked by obvious reasons, but after a while of playing on ridiculous level his reputation began to scare forwards who run at him with the ball.
Zlatan was one. And Pogba already has some reputation that precedes him before he steps on the pitch
Martial/Micky/Rashford have been/have the potential to be
Zlatan was one. And Pogba already has some reputation that precedes him before he steps on the pitch
Martial/Micky/Rashford have been/have the potential to be
If you talk as someone as Hazard, that can dribble and destabilize any defense or score out of nowhere I don't think Manchester United have that type of player since the decline of Rooney although I think Pogba should become that type f player eventually. It isn't as bad thing as you're trying to picture as if you're too dependent on a single player it would become a problem for the team the moment that player isn't performing to his standards and can't carry the attack anymore.
This.
Rashford's pace, Pogba's skills and passings, Fellaini's header and his ability to bring the ball down from long ball, Valencia's run & strength. I think those four players are the ones other clubs fear about.
Martial 2015/2016 as well.
Martial 2015/2016 as well.
And Granada were scared as shit in that one game when that Ronaldo guy scored 0 against them.
Am surprised to see Fellaini mentioned by several posters. To a certain extent, he does pose a tactical conundrum for rivals but still seems off when we speak of the likes of Hazard and Sanchez.
Zlatan was the only one I feared.
Pog, Rashford and Martial I'd say.
Im much more concerned with being feared as a unit rather than attacking players.
Sanchez being feared is a joke because you can score 1 goal on that Arsenal team and they capitulate, Sanchez ability has done nothing to save them from europa league football. Hazard without a solid defensive unit is invisible because he doesnt influence the game when his team are on the back foot.
The best teams do not have a specific player to fear, they have quality throughout the whole squad. When you are defending you fear their forwards, when you are attacking you fear their defenders, when you are trying to gain control of the midfield you fear their midfield.
Luckily our manager has a habit of creating teams that work extremely well as a unit.
Sanchez being feared is a joke because you can score 1 goal on that Arsenal team and they capitulate, Sanchez ability has done nothing to save them from europa league football. Hazard without a solid defensive unit is invisible because he doesnt influence the game when his team are on the back foot.
The best teams do not have a specific player to fear, they have quality throughout the whole squad. When you are defending you fear their forwards, when you are attacking you fear their defenders, when you are trying to gain control of the midfield you fear their midfield.
Luckily our manager has a habit of creating teams that work extremely well as a unit.
Fellaini's elbow
Man United no longer have a Best Law Cantona or Van Nistelroy. Out of the current bunch and on his day it would have to be Martial.
Mata and Pogba are the type of players i'd be wary of if i was playing against them.
They can deliver at any moment.
Rashford, Mkhitaryan and Martial can are also tricky to play against.
They can deliver at any moment.
Rashford, Mkhitaryan and Martial can are also tricky to play against.
Indeed.
Can't stop watching that over and over.
Love the way Zabaleta goes down, losing his balance and his footing. Fellaini knocked him down properly there
Soon something to fear, cos Perisic is near
Sad that it's only Marry-my-elbow Fellaini at the moment, sadly. I'm glad he's in our team though.
Rooney in an old folk's home.
If Neymar and Suarez are 'maybes', then no.
Rooney (They fear he will be sold to them).
Was only Zlatan to some degree for me. Right now I don't think you have anyone. Good players sure, but not similar with going up against a Keane or Vieira, Aguero, RVP, Ronaldo, Bale.
There's no player who you think might dominate you or suddenly score out of nothing.
There's no player who you think might dominate you or suddenly score out of nothing.
Ding ding ding
What players in the PL do you fear?