I agree. He needs time to settle in and find his feet and he hasnt had alot of Game time to do that. I thought he was very good last night and I expect him to build on that as he gains confidence and becomes more tuned into The players around him. Well done Donny
34
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
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He needs regular minutes, im sure he has had less than 400 this season. It is very clear that he is talented and without going intonthe debate of what position or which players place he should have, as a minimum he should have had much more minutes. Hopefully next season it works out for him, otherwise I would like to see him move on for himself. I really rate Donny, even before he joined us and at 35m, he was a steel.
Well he’s had almost three times that many minutes. It’s up to him to earn more. He was better last night though.
It was an encouraging performance. The preseason will be massive for him and Amad, their intensity levels need to improve and how they tactically fit in to the team.
Yep, probably feels a bit under pressure to perform so he's looking for any clues from the management to see if they're reacting good/bad.
I too thought he was guaranteed to start, we really didn't need Fernandes or Pogba to play this one. I'm glad Ole chose him as the first replacement though.
It was definitely one of his better cameos anyway, he looked fitter which helped him look more busy and his runs were noticably more 'intense'
That is incredibly harsh given his cameos at the start, he was very good, then he just didn't play for ages, came back and was lacking match fitness. Given Mctominay is bang average and Fred cannot pass the ball and are given more chances in the middle, Donny should have been given more time.
Good to hear he did well!
He’s been average at best all season. He just had that new player armour protecting him from the judgement that existing players get. Ole obviously doesn’t rate him as a central midfielder given he almost never plays him there.
The cross wasn't perfection. It was a nice cross but it was slightly behind his run. Perfection is a stretch.
OK, perhaps the wrong word to use, but it was a good cross.
I think the thing with VDB is that he rarely gives the ball away, and technically he is almost certainly one of the better United players, similar to Mata, in that respect, but he may have been lacking a bit of physicality to compete in the Prem, but last night he certainly looked more physical. I would like to see him alongside Fred or McTominay in a two, just to see how that would pan out, but not until we have (hopefully) cemented 2nd place.
He had a couple of memorable very good games for us. Leipzig and Southampton come to mind, and I think when the Turkish team played us at OT he was decent enough too. Sure he was poor in others, such as West Ham and one in the FA Cup latter stages. But the others were all cameos with barely any meaningful minutes, when the game is pretty much done and we just want to give players a rest.
Thankfully Beek wasn't annoyingly cautious with the ball last night. Refreshing to see him finally being positive with the ball and understanding the quicker tempo we want to play at.
Granted, it wasn't an amazing performance but it's one where you could ague that it may be the turning point for Beek here.
Granted, it wasn't an amazing performance but it's one where you could ague that it may be the turning point for Beek here.
Agreed. Mata is always looking out for him and they linked up well in the short time they had with each other.
What worries me is the guys confidence seems absolutely shot. The positive thing about yesterday was he came on, did a great cross to Mason, and began to play well from then onwards. I even saw a smile from him rather than looking lost and depressed. There was also that little jump in annoyance when he was clear and free and Williams failed to play him through.
it looks positive - I really hope he can get more minutes and build on this
I liked his response when Williams failed to make that pass to him. He looked livid. Good. Finally looks like he wants something to fight for.
He wasn’t good against Leipzig at all. Bruno came on and within a minute completely changed the game. There’s a reason he is only getting cameos and no meaningful minutes. He hasn’t done enough to earn more. If that changes, great. If it doesn’t, he’ll need to take responsibility for that.
He was fine against Leipzig, yes Bruno put them to the sword when they had the high press, but VDB had a strong outing nonetheless.
Regarding your "there's a reason he only gets cameos", I'd accept this point better if Ole didn't make bizarre selection choices over the course of the season. Dan James did feck all to earn his minutes up to where his form started getting a bit better, but he was still given start after start nonetheless. Tuanzebe was dropped straight after PSG and never got a look in, VDB was dropped straight after Southampton (where he was very, very good). It's not easy to get any form of continuity together from that.
Dan James started a grand total of 6 games before February when his form improved. In the same time Van De Beek started 7. You can’t just make shit up. People can check.
He also wasn’t dropped after Southampton. He started our next league game and was so bad he had to be taken off at half time with us losing. His replacement was much better.
Aside from getting the back-to-back start point slightly wrong, I'm not making shit up.
Dan James started opening day vs Palace, was shit.
He started vs Newcastle, was shit.
He started vs Chelsea, was shit.
VDB hasn't got nearly as many lifelines as his peers in that regard. Dan James did well against Leeds and that was his turning point, and the same goes for McTominay, who was also broadly average up to that point. And yet, if VDB had a bad performance he did not get the same chances. He started Southampton, was brilliant, then was poor in the 45 vs West Ham and dropped like a sack of potatoes for the foreseeable future.
There’s a definitely a player here if Ole will just let him play and develop more chemistry. Next season we will all be like... Donny! We’re sorry! 
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Lot more positive performance.
Anyone think this dude could act as a false 9?
Because Martial was suspended and Greenwood was injured. When they returned he didn’t start again until the Leeds game. Which he played well in and scored. If Van De Beek was a winger in those circumstances he’d have played. He isn’t. He competes with Bruno and Pogba. And he’s nowhere near either.
Fact is, he started more games than James prior to James finding some form. Even now there is a grand total of 180 minutes between them. For those minutes played, James has five times as many goals.
Whether you think it's an accepted necessity of being at man utd or not, surely everyone understands it's very tough for players like him to find any form. Dropping in and out of the team is tough.
I'd like us move towards finding sequences of games within the season where some of the squad players can get a number of games. Give players a rest like Fergie used to do.
The aim isn't to replace the superior player (in this case Bruno) or to be fair, it's jusf to give them that confidence and form so if they're needed they're ready.
I'd like us move towards finding sequences of games within the season where some of the squad players can get a number of games. Give players a rest like Fergie used to do.
The aim isn't to replace the superior player (in this case Bruno) or to be fair, it's jusf to give them that confidence and form so if they're needed they're ready.
Either this or as an second striker i'd say would be his best role (with us anyway)
Maybe he's been brought in with the idea of changing Utd's approach to games where they face a low block (games we struggle in). His ability to find space and move the opposition into areas they dont want to go opens up spaces for others. Depending on who we sign in summer maybe there a plan or maybe not.
Pogba had a long spell out, and VDB still didn't get a look in. James plays when we want natural width it seems and I agree he's not like for like. However he certainly has the attributes to play in an inside right role (although he has not been given this responsibility).
I'm not saying he hasn't started enough games, I'm saying that he hasn't started enough to develop any continuity. Ole's patience with VDB is far, far more thin than with other players in the squad. One bad 45 minutes after a great 90 and he's dropped like a sack of potatoes. That doesn't happen with James or McTominay or Pogba etc.
Even when it's pretty obvious to rest players, he still doesn't play VDB. You can talk all you want about him not being good enough, but Ole himself has made selection errors over the course of this season where VDB could have quite obviously benefitted without adverse impact on team performance.
That’s your opinion. I don’t think Van De Beek has had anything approaching ‘great’ since he’s been here. Ole clearly feels the same way or he would play him more. The facts are he doesn’t trust him to play that often. He’s essentially fulfilling the role Pereira did last season. With similar results.
He obviously doesn’t think James is good enough to be a regular starter either. Which is why he isn’t, and why we spent the summer trying to sign a winger.
Donny needs to play with smart players like Mata, Bruno, etc. He plays a lot better around them, a lot of one-touch passes.
People don't understand the huge difference in the way we play and the way he is used to playing at Ajax.
A very good example was Brandon Williams. He carried the ball. Most United players do that. They don't do it at Ajax the way we do. They pass the ball. Make the ball do the work. It's their culture of Cruijff's football. It's going to take some time for him to change the way he has been playing since he was a kid.
Also look at the mess Fred gets into midfield by trying to beat three or four players. The same with Pogba.
A very good example was Brandon Williams. He carried the ball. Most United players do that. They don't do it at Ajax the way we do. They pass the ball. Make the ball do the work. It's their culture of Cruijff's football. It's going to take some time for him to change the way he has been playing since he was a kid.
Also look at the mess Fred gets into midfield by trying to beat three or four players. The same with Pogba.
Looked good yesterday, seemed to play more like a United player than and Ajax one, it was nice to see. Players often take a while to settle, I'm sure he'll be a good player for us.
With McTominay out tomorrow, I’d like to see VdB given a game.
It probably won’t happen and it’ll be Rashford on the left and Pogba pushed to CM with Fred.
It probably won’t happen and it’ll be Rashford on the left and Pogba pushed to CM with Fred.
This is prob our best team with cavani and greenwood
Possibly but I’d like Rashford to be rested until Leeds.
Would be a good birthday present for him. So let's hope it'll happen
Against a physical team like Burnley Ole will go with the taller, stronger midfielder I think so either Matic or Pogba. Shame though because I think VdB showed real spirit in his game the other day and would do well I reckon.
Knowing Ole he’ll probably be subbed on for the last 5 mins again. I agree he deserves to be getting more minutes and we should taking advantage of his fresh legs
Man Utd 3:1 Burnley
Pretty good 10 min cameo imo
Thought he died after that tackle 
Very nice assist
Very nice assist
Delighted to see Donny get an assist. Showed great determination running from deep to get involved in that attack.
His last 3 games have all been very positive. Very happy for him
His last 3 games have all been very positive. Very happy for him
Came on and turned the game around
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