You got your first wish anyway.
34
Season Average Rating
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- 36
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- 2
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- 1
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No this is plain wrong:
First of all he has mainly been poor-to-average and barely earned appearances based on his match performance.
Secondly he was bought as a squad option. That doesn’t mean he has to be on the bench but he will be unless he can earn a place in the starting 11.
Thirdly, you cannot reasonably expect to get a league-title-challenging, guaranteed first team-starter for £40m these days. It’s not impossible but £40m doesn’t by you a Sure Thing, which was known by all and Ole particularly downplayed Donny’s chances for the time being. The first season was about adjusting, he will play more next year I am sure.
I'll say it again, this summer is our only chance to recoup a big chunk of the fee we paid for him.
If we "give him more time" like we tend to do around here we will inevitably end up struggling to offload him in the next years.
Passiveness is killing us.
If we "give him more time" like we tend to do around here we will inevitably end up struggling to offload him in the next years.
Passiveness is killing us.
Or we play him more and he becomes a star and everybody is happy?
He was never as bad as people made out, and it was clear he was ALWAYS better in a deeper position where he can use the ball in tighter spaces.
Playing him on the wing is ridiculous, and playing him as an ADC in this team just doesn't really work as we don't keep possession well enough.
We either play him in midfield like we did against Wolves (he played well) or we change our tactics which obviously won't happen.
IMO though he's more than good enough to play midfield for us, Ole just needs to stop worrying about being so defensive, hopefully with a new CB he won't be.
If Chelsea can win the CL with Jorginho in CM I think we are OK with Donny.
How many times has that happened? I mean a player that looks a total waste on his first season becoming a star?
Most times they come bad, sometimes they come average and a some really strange times they come really good. I mean Im sure there must be some cases but I cant think of anyone in particular.
I find hard to believe that he'll go from a total waste and can't even play in a midfield composed by McFred to a star.
The thing was that VDB scored against crystal palace the way I saw him score for Ajax.
On his debut, a smart run that bypasses everyone and he hits a nice finish from some angle to grab a goal.
That was his debut and it sucked that we never saw him more play like his Ajax ways.
I hope he gets a pre-season. I can understand why Ole may not use this shadow striker all the time but neither do I agree with him not being used at all.
If he isn’t in the plans then sell him whilst he looks like a bad fit.
If Ole decides that he needs a pre- season with a squad, potentially with certain players we don’t have yet that could help VDB’s game then so be it - I’m happy to see what VDB can bring to our game.
On his debut, a smart run that bypasses everyone and he hits a nice finish from some angle to grab a goal.
That was his debut and it sucked that we never saw him more play like his Ajax ways.
I hope he gets a pre-season. I can understand why Ole may not use this shadow striker all the time but neither do I agree with him not being used at all.
If he isn’t in the plans then sell him whilst he looks like a bad fit.
If Ole decides that he needs a pre- season with a squad, potentially with certain players we don’t have yet that could help VDB’s game then so be it - I’m happy to see what VDB can bring to our game.
Has he ever been first choice for the Dutch so far? I followed it a bit since his move and he seems to be a bench option, nothing more.
It is quite clear that Ole has a veto on incoming transfers. Still surprised people dont know it and keep on with the 'never an Ole signing'.
I dont think he was first choice, but Ole still agreed to sign him, no doubt. Why he doesnt get played is simple. Not good enough compared to Bruno and Pogba. I also believe he struggled to adapt to Ole's style of producing something out of nothing. In the end, questions need to be asked why Ole bought him when he is not suiting us/him. I mean they had discussions and talks about his role and impact before the signing for sure.
I dont think he was first choice, but Ole still agreed to sign him, no doubt. Why he doesnt get played is simple. Not good enough compared to Bruno and Pogba. I also believe he struggled to adapt to Ole's style of producing something out of nothing. In the end, questions need to be asked why Ole bought him when he is not suiting us/him. I mean they had discussions and talks about his role and impact before the signing for sure.
It still suprises me that people don't know that "it's better than nothing" doesn't mean that it's an Ole signing because he approved it, he just as likely approved it because well, it's better than nothing.
It is not better than nothing, as he was useless this season. You could have played Pereira or someone else instead with zero difference. If you dont get who you want, you dont buy someone you dont want for 40m ffs.
That’s the strange thing. The word was Donny and Ole had a good chat about how he was going to use him and integrate him. I can’t imagine Ole said 300 minutes and a run out once second is in the bag. Donny clearly can’t be happy with what Ole has given him. I’m sure ole signed him and wanted him and then basically froze when it came to developing him. I think it’s just another quirk of his that the final majorly highlighted. He’s not a aggressive rotator or a risk taker which means Donny is shit out of luck. I personally fear it’ll be exactly the same next season if Pogba stays. There’s just no place for him apart from as Fred’s rotation and Ole loves to run Fred into the ground…. I reckon he’ll start about 10 games next season and be sold in the summer of 22
This was when Ole "approved" the transfer.
Of course you do. You think Mourinho wanted Fred? Every manager has had to put up with second or third choices. Obviously he didn't expect him to turn out worse than Pereira, or Lingard to finally find his form.
As much as I hope Donny comes into his own after a season of hard training, and he did show signs of it as the season ended, I wouldn't be heartbroken if he was sold so we can get more of Ole's top priority signings.
Bit of an understatement. He's not a rotator at all, unless it's the GK. Bruno, Rashford, Fred, AWB and Maguire in particular were played until they dropped and then continued to be played afterwards.
Ole must have approved the signing. Perhaps we brought him in a season earlier than we planned in anticipation of other big clubs showing interest this summer. I'm sure he will be much more integrated next season.
yeah it’s madness really. I knew there was something wrong with the way he used the squad players and his refusal to change up his favourite players as long as they were able to stand up but the final just cemented it. How are players going to develop form without minutes? If he’s playing the same out of form or tired players in every single game possible, when the season is crammed together, what’s he going to be like when things go back to normal and they get longer rest between the games? Or is it because he doesn’t have enough time to fully integrating the new players due to the overly intense workload? It makes no sense either way. Donny should have been risked in a few more games even if he was absolutely woeful in training. He probably cost more than the whole Villarreal team
and I feel like we would have done better with a bit more control in the middle and Pogba on the left.We need to sell if possible and immediately reinvest the proceeds. If we hadn't bought vdb but Grealish we'd probably have won the league or cl.
Judging a player in his first in the worst year ever for football is weird. Of course we give him another season. If our main man was injured we would have seen a lot more of him, and needed him
At a big club you will be judged every year. Nothing weird about that.
If we sign Sancho and keep Pogba, his minutes will be more limited than this season. I doubt VDB’s ambition is to sit down on the bench and wait until our main men get long term injury. He will need to make big decision in this summer and knocking the manager’s door about his status in the club and the manager’s plan. The most sensible action if he wants regular playing time for him is to send transfer request because with additional of Sancho in the squad and keeping Pogba means he won’t get that regular playing time.
All depends on what impression he is making in training, as his performances have been trash. If he looks equally talentless in training, then it's best to get rid asap.
I think in most of the games he’s played he has shown what he is about and unfortunately he probably has a more cultured approach to how football should be played, and that doesn’t fit in with how we play.
I do think if he’d gone to City he’d have played more and we’d probably all be sitting here asking why we didn’t move for him. Generally I was impressed with what he was doing against Liverpool earlier in the season, we just didn’t use him and that’s been the case in many of his games. Then that performance at Wolves with that midfield trio was probably more like the football he is used to. It’s just does our football as a club change to get the best out of him or is he going to adapt to fit in to our style of play.
I do think whatever happens our football needs to change to be at a higher standard and I think he’ll play a part in helping us with that so I don’t see why we would sell someone who so obviously is a good footballer.
I do think if he’d gone to City he’d have played more and we’d probably all be sitting here asking why we didn’t move for him. Generally I was impressed with what he was doing against Liverpool earlier in the season, we just didn’t use him and that’s been the case in many of his games. Then that performance at Wolves with that midfield trio was probably more like the football he is used to. It’s just does our football as a club change to get the best out of him or is he going to adapt to fit in to our style of play.
I do think whatever happens our football needs to change to be at a higher standard and I think he’ll play a part in helping us with that so I don’t see why we would sell someone who so obviously is a good footballer.
He is dependent on the class of individuals to bail him from his poor tactical set up and his inability to train patterns of play into our team. So he trusts only the best players in the squad to get us over the line.yeah it’s madness really. I knew there was something wrong with the way he used the squad players and his refusal to change up his favourite players as long as they were able to stand up but the final just cemented it. How are players going to develop form without minutes? If he’s playing the same out of form or tired players in every single game possible, when the season is crammed together, what’s he going to be like when things go back to normal and they get longer rest between the games? Or is it because he doesn’t have enough time to fully integrating the new players due to the overly intense workload? It makes no sense either way. Donny should have been risked in a few more games even if he was absolutely woeful in training. He probably cost more than the whole Villarreal team
People say he is like SAF in the way he motivates players, but his complete lack of trust in the squad outside of the starting 11 in general just shows his lack of quality even in that respect. SAF could play JOS in midfield and still win matches.
No, he's always been behind Wijnaldum in the order of things.
He was an occasional starter in the early days of De Boer, slowly gaining more starts. But then the lack of appearances for United cost him his place in the starting XI, because Klaassen did get that spot. So it probably was going to be his starting XI spot.
Wishful thinking maybe but a new DM, VdB and Bruno could actually work.
Hopefully Bruno and VdB have some dates on the training ground where they can learn from each other. Bruno can show VdB how to play more aggressively and take more risks and VdB can show Bruno how to be less Hollywood and improve his ball retention.
And then I woke up ...
Hopefully Bruno and VdB have some dates on the training ground where they can learn from each other. Bruno can show VdB how to play more aggressively and take more risks and VdB can show Bruno how to be less Hollywood and improve his ball retention.
And then I woke up ...
Can you recall some player that after such a bad season managed to be special?
I mean he still can be useful something like Fred, but great? I just don't see it. I think we continuously make the same mistake. Bring players who are not up to it but keep giving them chance after chance until they become deadwood, Rojo, Bailly, Darmian, etc come to mind.
I think it’s much more likely to work than Pogba in any 2.
Yes. Anyone can see that we don't play the way Ajax plays. Even a blind man can see that. I think Ajax needed the money. DVB is not going to turn into a Rashford or brilliant individual player. He is going to pass and move. I really don't know what Ole told him to come to United.
It's best for everyone that DVB is sold. Sell him to Barca and cut our losses.
Or we just get better at football maybe instead of selling. People hark on about 433 with Pogba, Bruno and a DM but personally I think the key to that is Bruno, VDB and a Dm and keep Pogba out on the left if he is staying here.
For this team to start winning it’s basically going to have to get better at passing and moving and controlling the tempo of the game anyway, and again VDB will probably help more with that than Bruno and Pogba currently do.
Pogba would surely compliment VDB better then Bruno?
With CL we will actually need to rotate Bruno next year unless we want to play him into the ground. I guess keeping him us more reliant of us getting an actual DM because if we want to keep the same 4-3-3 with a holding midfielder and two free roamers it’s clear the starting two attacking midfielders but they can’t play every game. Slotting Donny into one of those is the most natural fit. Hell even if Pogba and Bruno both need a rest a holding midfielder could play behind McTominay and DVD imo. With an actual RW and a new striker that setup should honestly be enough with a lot of the cup games or lesser premier league sides if we are resting for CL.
in other words since we need a RW, a Striker, and a DM we shouldn’t be offloading Donny just yet. We have three midfield positions with really only five options, Pogba, Bruno, Fred, McTominay and Donny. Donny being the only similar to Pogba and Bruno. If we sign a DM, that’s six midfielders for six positions- think about that. I’m not counting matic since he has to be moved on.
Like I said above we have five capable midfielders for three positions currently. Our rotation and substations have been abysmal. Many games bruno looks exhausted and DVD should have been brought on for him.
An interesting observation that I've been wondering about myself this season as we kept winning all three points or dropping points depending on whether we turn up with moments of brilliance or not.
We need to improve all facets of play to be a top PL trophy contender, but among our key deficiencies is short passing in the final third. This happens to be a key attribute of Donny Van De Beek, the ability to pick out and make himself open for short passes inside the box. You could say that about Bruno as well but not about Pogba or any of our forwards.
Whether there is room for Donny, Bruno and Pogba in the starting XI is an open question, but I worry that because Ole relies so heavily on a core group of players that players like Donny can't develop into players who can be called upon when needed.
We don‘t play 433 mate.
In this case the problem is not DVB. He was playing the same way in his last PL game. He passes and moves into a new space. He doesn't get the return pass. Our players take an extra touch, look up, take another extra touch, slow down and the moment is gone.
Darren Fletcher.
While I agree that rotation is much needed to keep Bruno fresh and optimal I dont think VdB is our answer for that. He doesnt have the creativity to fill Bruno's shoes. While I do think there's still hope he can turn to be a good player I dont think hell become a great one, and at this point I think we would be better at selling him and trying with someone new who can be great. We have McTominay and Fred filling the "kind of good but not good enough" department.
Darren Fletcher was an academy lad therefore he'll have many admires but I dont think if asking someone from other teams that they'll classify him as "special" by any means.
I always felt Fletcher was finally coming into his own when his prolonged stomach issues destroyed his career. But to each their own.
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