I thought he did well but a lot of his 1-2 passes didnt come off which I think is not yet being fully in tune with his team yet.
34
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 36
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Status
He is much better in midfield, people saying he is this phenomenal number 10 that is amazing around the box have fooled us all.
Donny is smart around the edge of the box, but he lacks the killer instinct. I can never picture him being consistently productive in terms of goals and assists, which is what we need from the number 10 in our system.
Donny is smart around the edge of the box, but he lacks the killer instinct. I can never picture him being consistently productive in terms of goals and assists, which is what we need from the number 10 in our system.
Good anti-jinx for when Bruno needs a rest and DvdB starts and gets 1 goal and 2 assists.
Knew he would be an instant fan-favorite. Fred-Donny-Bruno midfield seems very doable too.
Yep, people worrying he doesn’t have a passing range sure don’t need to anymore! He can hit it long and short like the best.
I think by the end of the season D and Fred will be undisputed first choice.
Yesterdays game didn't really answer any questions about whether he can be a long term fixture alongside Fred. I'm not saying he can't, but clearly Ole has similar doubts because he felt the need to put Matic in there too, and the resulting formation was really a bit of a hybrid. We struggled with width at times, but we seemed to be able to play through Southampton quite regularly so it was a smart move and a positive performance.
VdB is the key to unlock high press. His one two touch forward passing is important. Also, Fred is on fire these days.
He simply must start from now on, just hope he’s ok for the PSG game really need his ability to retain possession.
Agree this is a key requirement to beat a high press, but also his movement and ability to make himself available for the pass is pivotal in that as well, he does that better than most of the midfielders in the squad.
He is a very intelligent player but calling for him to start every game is a bit premature.
We will have to rotate our players and in certain games, he would not be used because we need to be a bit more defensive.
Like PSG, I think we need 2 combative midfielders and 3 upfront to hurt them.
We will have to rotate our players and in certain games, he would not be used because we need to be a bit more defensive.
Like PSG, I think we need 2 combative midfielders and 3 upfront to hurt them.
He's been impressive so far. He's got a better range of passing than he was credited on here, he also wins the ball back well and in good areas, he's smart protecting it when he has it too.
I'd like to see him take a shot here and there when he has the opportunity, couple of occasions at the weekend spring to mind but this will probably come as he gets more confidence playing in the team.
I can see him becoming a fan favourite because he seems to have a high work rate too.
I'd like to see him take a shot here and there when he has the opportunity, couple of occasions at the weekend spring to mind but this will probably come as he gets more confidence playing in the team.
I can see him becoming a fan favourite because he seems to have a high work rate too.
This pretty much. I love Fred, VdB and Bruno but that won't work every match. For PSG I'd go for Fred, McT and Bruno or Fred, Matic and Bruno.
Reckon we might have actually found our replacement for Herrera (if you don´t count Fred)
Reliable 7-8/10 player every game which gives our midfield good balance, not fast, but very tidy and overal great technique, likes to stuck in, moves the ball quick, without dribbling too much
Too early to say if he can up his game against the top sides like Ander used to do though.
Reliable 7-8/10 player every game which gives our midfield good balance, not fast, but very tidy and overal great technique, likes to stuck in, moves the ball quick, without dribbling too much
Too early to say if he can up his game against the top sides like Ander used to do though.
Yup thats the way I see it too. Where did the number 10 stuff come from anyway?
He is clearly more of a CM which just happens to really work in our favor.
He is much more Hererra than Bruno.
Maybe he knows how to get at the end of things but he doesnt play like a number 10 at all.
He isnt a creative number 10, he is a goal scoring number 10. That's why he gets called like Muller and for example not Ozil.
However, I also heard varyious things from Ajax fans - some arguing that Number 10 was his natural position and some arguing that he was a better CM that was pushed up due to De Jong breaking through near the same time.
I guess we just have to wait and see how he develops here. Hope he gets some good game time for that to happen.
Should see an experiment at some point with DVB as the no.10 and Bruno playing in midfield as, going off what they've said and I've seen/read, both players actually see those as their natural positions. Bruno's attacking output has just been so epic that Ole understandably doesn't want to fck with the one area of the time that is performing at a consistently high level but I know our kid Donny can also be an absolute beast closer to the penalty area. Just ask Spurs fans about that first leg in 2019...
This is what I've been saying.
The 4312 we played yesterday turned in to a 4222 whenever Van de Beek pushed forward from CM to CAM with Bruno as the other CAM.
Bruno Fernandes would also occasionally push from CAM to CF.
If we swapped Bruno Fernandes and VDB around what we get is VDB as the AM who moves in to CF spaces at the right time and aims to get clinical whilst triying to interlink the front line with the midfield like he did with Ajax with his one two passing.
Bruno Fernandes may start a bit deeper but I really doubt this makes a huge difference to his play because the guy literally moves around everywhere to find the pockets of open space for players like Fred or Matic to get the ball in to him at which time he finds himself as the most advanced CM out of the lot except Van de Beek.
Van de Beeks gameplay tends to be to receive the ball from Bruno Fernandes before possibly playing him back in further up the pitch anyway so again - Bruno will find him in those CAM positions due to his runs and the intelligence of VDB.
Its something I really want to see for atleast one game before I call it off however, it's very tricky because Bruno is well and truly our best and most influential player - changing his position in a game an losing it can put significant pressure on Ole's job and as you say f*k everything up.
Bruno is the more creative out of the two and has the better long distance shots and whilst that clearly has people wanting him as the number 10, I feel he doesnt have to play so far high up the pitch because he can get up there with a little bit of cover from players like Fred, Mctomminay and even VDB who would be playing in front of him and able to drop back when needed. Maybe I'm wrong but his tendency to lose the ball with risky passes might go down a little playing just a bit deeper than he does right now without effecting his output. Playing one twos and getting played in short and quick by VDB to Bruno who can pick out those spaces and runs can be good for each others outputs.
You've basically fleshed out what I was alluding to but was too lazy to actually fully elaborate on. Thank you.
Unless I am mistaken Bruno played left side MF in a 4-3-3 for Sporting and still currently plays in that system for his national team (could be wrong here as haven't watched Portugal so feel free to correct me) and also played deeper when in Italy so I'd be amazed if Ole hadn't considered trying this out. Is Bruno defensively proficient enough for this in the Premier League (like DVB has now proven he is) is the question but I wouldn't put it past the tough little bastard and he has a super footballing brain so positionally I would hope that there wouldn't be too many issues, at least not any that he couldn't quickly work out.
It's just something to definitely consider and, who knows, little tinkers like this can end up propelling a side occasionally.
I agree with both of you. I feel our midfield's problem progressing the ball to the attack would be solved with Bruno staring a tad bit deeper, instead of having to come all the way from pressing as a forward to get the ball deeper. It would allow us the privilege of not having to wait on mostly average passers to progress the ball higher up the pitch. VDB isn't a playmaker, his top skills are finding space and having a brilliant first touch, which would mean that simply having him in and around the box would cause confusion amongst opposition defences. Without the supply line of Bruno or equivalent deeper, at United, vdb would struggle getting the ball enough to influence games as his off the ball skills are what make him a no.10, but with Bruno feeding him from deep and the option of bruno simply creating more space for maguire lindelof awb telles fred and Mctominay/matic would make it easier to pass in between the lines and get quicker access to our attackers.
However, this would only really work with a brilliant and creative threat like bruno playing deeper. VDB has a few top level skills that make him a good no.10, but not enough to make him a playmaker or and independent threat in attack. Due to this, his accurate passing, good off the ball movement, work rate, team work, composure recieving and releasing the pass and good balance make him a better cm than cam. He can provide more impact independently in that role.
Good past thanks for contributing.
It's just so easy to imagine VDB running riot (provided he gets the service a la Bruno) with guys like Cavani and Martial to link up with. Admittedly Martial has been off the oil but when he is on his game his one/two touch combination play in the box can be exceptional and that's what Donny is all about.
You are right, lets wait and see but again I just dont see it based on what I've seen of him.. Dont see him as a modern number 10 at all of any kind.
Looks fairly natural at CM and I think his game will take similar progression as the likes of Herrera and Rakitic. Sure they started out in more advanced roles but over time it just became clear they were better suited to play in the central midfield.
I see VDB developing the similar way. His skill set is just so much better utilized as a CM.
I would say it isnt even close, I see him as 80 % CM, maybe 20 % AM.
Absolutely agree.
And another thing to point out is - as simple as it sounds do we want VDB playing in Bruno Fernandes or Bruno Fernandes playing in VDB?
As @tjb Said what makes VDB interesting is that he is going to be a confusing playing to deal with, a player that had most likely found the right spaces to move into 2 seconds before the attack has started. It's that confusion and annoyance arising from the hard working intelligent nature of VDB I want to see playing right in the area of not only the opposition defenders but our teams best forwards both clinical aswell as the more fast and technical ones.
VDB can play like a ghost that the opposition hardly catch but someone we always end up seeing when he ends up tapping an easy looking goal.
Bruno Fernandes is a completely different level. The guy is energetic enough to be running around to play like Kante even if he is no where near a CDM. You see him make the runs forward in to space asking the ball to his feet trying to create something one minute, next minute he has let it roll by and taking a shot, next minute he is dropped back deep again trying to make a tackle. He is more well rounded and can take shots or pass from anywhere so I dont know why we shouldn't let him do that atleast for one game.
I think he can play deeper without it effecting his output and performances whilst the whole he is our captain type comments that has been said recently will be felt even more from just a little bit deeper.
Like you said, at the moment Bruno is insanely productive and you just can’t fiddle with that. He’s a difference maker in attack for us. I almost expect him to pull something for us when we need a goal. DVB will be fine a little deeper in the midfield.
The thing is he could have just the same impact from a midfield 3. He’s a lot more dynamic than DvB and offers more getting back too.
Fred, Mct and Bruno please
If it was in my power I would grant you your wish!
Man Utd 1:3 PSG
The only one of the subs that really got into the game for me, even though I know Pogba had the volley.
Our attacks have more proper build-up higher up the pitch when he join in and helped conducting it.Aaah so good to watch.
Really need Ole to start trusting and playing him more. Play him next with McT at CDM^2, try it!!!
Absolutely. He makes football look like proper football. Immaculate technique, first touch and ball protection
Aaah so good to watch.
Really need Ole to start trusting and playing him more. Play him next with McT at CDM^2, try it!!!
It's interesting how we had a really good summer window in retrospect. If Diallo comes in and performs like his skills suggest, this may be the summer that actually takes us to the next level ironically. We would also have extra funds due to selling Pogba, which can be used to further improve on what could be an already class squad.
I agree, I meant my original post in the sense that I think it can make him a bit of an easy target for criticism if we play badly, because he doesn't take massive risks.
West Ham 1:3 Man Utd
He is a nice and tidy player but he really hasn't shown enough to justify the hype or hold down a place. Nowhere close to Bruno higher up and for all Pogba's flaws he still has game-changing ability from deep.
That's him back on the bench til' Jan.
He's just not Bruno Fernandes unfortunately
Well deserved as well. Complete passenger
Shocking lack of quality on the ball.
He let's himself be cut off from the other 2 midfielders. He should learn from Bruno and be all over the place, don't be held down to one area of the pitch.
He's a continuity player.... exactly the style we don't play.
He plays a lot like Lingard. Obviously his goal record in the Netherlands was much better, so I'm still hoping he can recreate that here.
He wasn't anything more than 'neat' with the ball today.
He wasn't anything more than 'neat' with the ball today.
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