[FrankDrebin]

He's a quick thinker, that much is evident. It will take a few weeks for the other players to get onto his wavelength.
He reminds me of Kagawa in that sense, who should've been afforded more time.

 

[Lennon7]

He's a quick thinker, that much is evident. It will take a few weeks for the other players to get onto his wavelength.
He reminds me of Kagawa in that sense, who should've been afforded more time.

He shouldn’t, he was really bad here. Went back to Dortmund and did okay but faded off there too.

 

[Grande]

This is why I said he was a silly signing. His best attributes are off the ball, finding space, linking up with 1-2s and we have enough of them players. We need more midfielders who can take the initiative.

We're going to have the exact same problem as last season. If Pogba and Bruno are off form or aren't playing, we'll have no other central players with any creative ability. We needed a deep cm who can dictate games and cover the pitch defensively, and/or a playmaker to take the burden off of Bruno/Pogba, and Donny is neither.

That’s part of the point isn’t it, that in Pogba and Bruno we have two creative players, so even if one is out, Van de Beek can play with the other. Having three midfielders more creative than Donny, as back up in case of double injury to key figures, is an unusual luxury.

Bruno, Pogba, VdB, Fred, McTom and Matic is a good cover for three positions.

 

[Lennon7]

I think to get the best of him you need to play him alongside a creator like fernandes. He's a poacher type of #10 not a creator.

Yeah, think the best way forward would be him and Bruno ahead of a really strong holding midfielder. Perhaps Pogba can develop into that - he has all the traits.

 

[kundalini]

A bit alarming that both Mata and Lingard were better against Luton. On the limited evidence to date, van de Beek looks more of a goal threat but his style of play, a lot of first time passes, seems similar to Lingard's.

 

[Devil may care]

Not quite in sync with his forward partners tonight but his quality movent and technique are clear.

 

[RussellWilson]

I'd be keen to see him in the double pivot. He's intelligent and we need some brains in there, with the likes of Pogba, Fred and Mctominay who all love a brain fart.

 

[Chief123]

If this was truly the case, why was no one else interested in him?

Arsenal are desperate for midfielders yet didn't think he was value for money.

He's good at playing 1-2s but he's honestly very slow. Also not very strong. Not great shot or dribbling. Since we create nothing and struggle to pass well, I'm not sure his style is going to be efficient for us.

I don’t think you’ve actually followed his transfer situation much. He had a deal pretty much agreed to go to the small club in Spain called Real Madrid. Madrid couldn’t complete the deal due to financial issues.

Arsenal have been desperate to get a creative midfielder and can’t even afford one. They’ve had to extend Cellabos loan another year and are desperate for Auoar but can only do so if they can sell players.

 

[Chief123]

Van De Beek is everything Chelsea are hoping to get from Havertz.

VDB will have a far more successful season than Havertz. Bookmark this and revisit at the end of season. He is a top class player.

 

[sammsky1]

Liking what I see. especially how he pops up in the box and acquires shots on goal for himself.
And its so wonderful to have options in midfield now.

 

[snowkarl]

I don’t think you’ve actually followed his transfer situation much. He had a deal pretty much agreed to go to the small club in Spain called Real Madrid. Madrid couldn’t complete the deal due to financial issues.

Arsenal have been desperate to get a creative midfielder and can’t even afford one. They’ve had to extend Cellabos loan another year and are desperate for Auoar but can only do so if they can sell players.

But the claim was that any top side would want him for the fee we paid. It's objectively false since no one else even tried to get him.

Real didn't want him last year either despite his agent trying his hardest.

You don't find it a bit strange that NO other club even attempted to get him?

The two real stars of that team - De Ligt & De Jong were in high demand and went to Juve/Barcelona for insane fees. Why didn't the top teams challenge us for his signature similarly? They obviously don't rate him, that's the plain fact.

Doesn't mean he's bad, just that no one wanted him despite the cut price.

 

[Chief123]

I’ve just read some of the posts. Some here thinking he’s not a creative player. Ffs unbelievable.

 

[Hoof the ball]

Players not thinking on his wavelength is the only reason to even think about scoring Donny low on tonight's game. Half of those creative flicks and touches would be key passes in a better drilled side.

 

[Bazi]

Van De Beek is everything Chelsea are hoping to get from Havertz.

VDB will have a far more successful season than Havertz. Bookmark this and revisit at the end of season. He is a top class player.

How does that make sense? Havertz was not signed as the finished product who is going to make a big difference this season. He's a supremely talented player who is still somewhat of a project and has a long way to go until he can fulfill his potential. Van de Beek is clearly the more experienced player, but Havertz ceiling is higher and that's what Chelsea is betting on.

 

[Chief123]

But the claim was that any top side would want him for the fee we paid. It's objectively false since no one else even tried to get him.

Real didn't want him last year either despite his agent trying his hardest.

You don't find it a bit strange that NO other club even attempted to get him?

The two real stars of that team - De Ligt & De Jong were in high demand and went to Juve/Barcelona for insane fees. Why didn't the top teams challenge us for his signature similarly? They obviously don't rate him, that's the plain fact.

Doesn't mean he's bad, just that no one wanted him despite the cut price.

Whenever a player signs for a team, you rarely hear about the “other” teams that wanted him. It doesn’t mean there aren’t any.

Spurs tried to sign VDB at the last hour before the news broke we were getting him.

Havertz signed for Chelsea for a club record fee. No one else came in for him. Doesn’t mean he’s crap. Who else came in for ziyech? No one? Because they don’t report all the teams that wanted him but couldn’t.

£40m is a bargain but not necessarily for other clubs as they are all struggling financially.

 

[Chief123]

How does that make sense? Havertz was not signed as the finished product who is going to make a big difference this season. He's a supremely talented player who is still somewhat of a project and has a long way to go until he can fulfill his potential. Van de Beek is clearly the more experienced player, but Havertz ceiling is higher and that's what Chelsea is betting on.

Back to my original point. VDB will have a better season than Havertz.

 

[Bazi]

Back to my original point. VDB will have a better season than Havertz.

Your original point was that van de Beek will be what Chelsea hoped they would get with Havertz which is just nonsense. Havertz is a player Chelsea hopes will one day become a genuine world-class attacking player among the best in the world and they know he will take some time.

Van de Beek is a player United hoped can make an immediate impact as a fourth option in midfield.

 

[Clermontois]

Yeah, think the best way forward would be him and Bruno ahead of a really strong holding midfielder. Perhaps Pogba can develop into that - he has all the traits.

You have the game upside down, lesser players should develop around the better player's best position. So once he remains, Fernandes and Van de Beek should play behind him, they have all the traits.

 

[meamth]

He is like a full potential Lingard. Everything he does is 2x better than Lingard.

 

[Chief123]

Your original point was that van de Beek will be what Chelsea hoped they would get with Havertz which is just nonsense. Havertz is a player Chelsea hopes will one day become a genuine world-class attacking player among the best in the world and they know he will take some time.

Van de Beek is a player United hoped can make an immediate impact as a fourth option in midfield.

Your point is laughable. VDB is 23. And Havertz is 21. They are in the same age bracket. So by your own admission VDB is already the more complete player even though they are similar age.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Only Mata that was trying to find him, nobody else capable of playing forward balls when he was on the pitch.

That's the main reason why he was very good at Ajax but struggled to even get game time as starter at Netherland National team. At Ajax, he has way more players that has ability to create and find him. Very good and intelligent footballer, like him. Moving the ball quick & link up very well. I think his game will suit more playing with Fred & Bruno since they also like to move the ball quick and link up very well.

 

[Top]

He is like a full potential Lingard. Everything he does is 2x better than Lingard.

He is nothing like Lingard.

 

[SambaBoy]

Players not thinking on his wavelength is the only reason to even think about scoring Donny low on tonight's game. Half of those creative flicks and touches would be key passes in a better drilled side.

Type of thing that people said about Mata and Kagawa in the first few games when they joined.

Let's just rate the performance, it wasn't great. Wasn't terrible. 5-6/10. If Lingard had put that performance in, he would be getting criticised.

 

[meamth]

He is nothing like Lingard.

Obviously. That's why he is twice the player.

 

[Siorac]

But the claim was that any top side would want him for the fee we paid. It's objectively false since no one else even tried to get him.

Real didn't want him last year either despite his agent trying his hardest.

You don't find it a bit strange that NO other club even attempted to get him?

The two real stars of that team - De Ligt & De Jong were in high demand and went to Juve/Barcelona for insane fees. Why didn't the top teams challenge us for his signature similarly? They obviously don't rate him, that's the plain fact.

Doesn't mean he's bad, just that no one wanted him despite the cut price.

Even if other top teams didn't rate him, that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Liverpool didn't have much, if any, competition for Salah and Mané, and I'd hazard a guess that they're OK with how those two turned out for them. Van Dijk, too. And there's Gnabry, who couldn't get a game at West Brom and is now regularly destroying defences at Bayern.

If anything, our best hope of ever getting back to the top is to identify players like them: shrewd signings at decent prices - well, Van Dijk aside, obviously - who somehow slipped through the net of other top clubs. Can't build a team exclusively made up of 100m+ players who are wanted by every club under the sun.

Not saying van de Beek will be like that, of course - he could be a flop like Kagawa or Mkhitaryan. Too early to tell either way.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Only Mata that was trying to find him, nobody else capable of playing forward balls when he was on the pitch.

Is he not someone who can find others? Another one who needs service and can't playmake himself? That's one of our issues.

 

[Bobcat]

I missed the game and was curious on how VdB did so i go in here to check out.

First page on the Luton performance he was amazing, average and one of the worst players on the pitch

 

[meamth]

I missed the game and was curious on how VdB did so i go in here to check out.

First page on the Luton performance he was amazing, average and one of the worst players on the pitch

Match day thread...I'm not surprised.

I really like him, he has that body language like saying to his teammates: "Come on, what are you doing? why are you dwelling so much, just pass it, one touch, pass, one touch pass"

Seems like he has better ideas how to play football.

 

[Tony247]

He should play 8 behind bruno and along side pogba. That will get the ball moving quickly during our attack.

 

[red4ever 79]

He should play 8 behind bruno and along side pogba. That will get the ball moving quickly during our attack.

Matic has to start in the Premier league. Brings a discipline and positional awareness to the team no one else can. Based on current forn Matic, DVD and Bruno.

 

[Rajma]

I would give him and Bruno a chance to form a partnership with Pogba’s inconsistencies. Let them fight it out the starting place.

 

[11101]

He should play 8 behind bruno and along side pogba. That will get the ball moving quickly during our attack.

And the opposition attack. We need Matic or another defensive minded midfielder to be there.

 

[LoneStar]

I thought he looked ok. He’s just not quite on the same page as the rest of the team at the moment which is understandable. His link up play seems a lot more intricate than the players around him could deal with.

Yup, he’ll probably benefit from playing with the likes of Bruno and Martial more than our front 3 yesterday. Seems to like his 1-2s a lot, which could help us break down teams sitting back. Needs time to sync up with his teammates though, he looked a bit out of sync to me.

 

[Feed Me]

Famous last words, but I don’t think he’ll be remarkable for us. He will get lost in amongst the uncoached mess of a forward line soon enough.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

He’s an absolute clogger of an attacking midfielder. In time the CAF will learn this. He has moments but is a ghost a lot of the time.

 

[GazTheLegend]

He’s an absolute clogger of an attacking midfielder. In time the CAF will learn this. He has moments but is a ghost a lot of the time.

He played almost as a number 9 last night.

I think he brings something we lack - the ball seems to break to him in the box all the time, he tries to play one touch football and he's got a bit of flair. His partnership with Ighalo simply didn't work though. Both got in each others way more than anything else.

 

[Drainy]

A bit alarming that both Mata and Lingard were better against Luton. On the limited evidence to date, van de Beek looks more of a goal threat but his style of play, a lot of first time passes, seems similar to Lingard's.

Did we even watch the same game?

You mean because they had more touches because they played in the wide and deep positions? Odd way to judge players in different positions.

VDB was more creative and secure in possession with less space and hilariously his lack of touches was being caused by the lack of quality of the ball from the players you are touting since he was mostly taking up good positions higher up the pitch.

 

[Adam-Utd]

He combined well with Mata, Lingard was having a 1 man mission to try and dribble their whole defence and shoot.

Ighalo didn't offer much unfortunately, barely held the ball up and played between themselves.

what I like about Donny is he's always on the move looking for clever positions. Plenty of overlapping runs and offers himself into good positions, the midfield needed to be a bit riskier and give him a pass into his feet around the box.

For a debut it was decent enough, but the team do need to learn to trust him more. The more he plays the better we will see of him IMO.

 

[TR1LL]

Reminds me of Muller in that he seems to always be in and around the box, running into space, laying it off.

I think the #10 role suits him but he needs people ( like Bruno) who can spot him ghosting into the box for the cut back or creating space for quality finishers like Greenwood & Martial to score.

Hopefully we see that against Brighton. Don’t think he’s had a chance with the main attack players yet.

 

[Mcking]

Those that think he played well last night or even thinking about replacing Pogba with him are being ridiculous. Nothing but new player syndrome I guess.

Only Ighalo was worse, and Lingard and Mata looked like world beaters in comparison. Almost every attack died at his feet, he lost the ball most times he got on it, was weak under pressure, didn't really carry the ball nor played many incisive passes, and looked desperate to pass responsibility every single time.

There was nothing promising about that performance. If it wasn't against Luton town, I'd say he looked out of his depth.