[Icemav]

40m for a sub who barely gets as much as a look in. Great planning.

Sometimes things take time. Sometimes signings don't work out. Not the end of the world. What we really need though is a top top DM.

 

[Strelok]

Please play him in the Liverpool game Ole. And rest Bruno, of course.

 

[Bebestation]

He is either being told to wait until next season to play a shadow strike role because we are waiting for a CDM (and Ole is seeing things like if Martial is good enough in similar roles) because Ole wants to use VDB similar to how he used him against Leipzig in a 442 diamond pushing further up the pitch turning in to a 433.



VDB was almost playing as a deep lying CF or a CAM/CF that first half.


The second option is that Ole thinks he isnt that good and doesnt want to use him to keep his hype and price up from his time at Ajax rather than let it go down.

 

[Sylar]

40m for a sub who barely gets as much as a look in. Great planning.

Similar to Fred initially?

I seriously think Ole wanted Grealish (which would have been about 80m) and Ed said, here, have a dutch alternative option :P

 

[Terranova]

bingo. We have lots of midfielders, and they’ve all done well - he’s down the pecking list. You don’t just get minutes because you haven’t had any.

can you justify him being ahead of Bruno. Pogba, McT, Fred then Matic... I can’t.

That's kinda weird. Against Watford he got the chance and he performed better than McTominay. But that didn't change anything for him. So people like you seem to think he's not better, just to justify the decision Ole made.

 

[Strelok]

That's kinda weird. Against Watford he got the chance and he performed better than McTominay. But that didn't change anything for him. So people like you seem to think he's not better, just to justify the decision Ole made.

You're sure about this?

 

[izec]

Most pointless signing ever. Saw it coming as well. The most non United fitting player in the squad, especially currently.

This guy wont have a chance under Ole, not individual enough and not a workhorse like Fred or McTom either. He is pretty much lost and a waste of money for us.

 

[Bilbo]

It is a strange one for sure. I think most of us have this idea of Donny, based on most of what we've seen from him, that he is a very tidy midfielder. Good awareness, great one touch passing ability, and brings a greater goal threat than many of our other midfielders.

He's not getting picked though. Last night looked like a good opportunity to start him, or failing that with how the game was going that last 30 minutes he could have offered something, but somethings wrong there and we have to trust the management on this one. We are winning games. Perhaps he isn't doing it in training, or maybe there is a longer term view to introduce a fresh player from when the Europa games start up. I don't know.

 

[Matt851]

Most pointless signing ever. Saw it coming as well. The most non United fitting player in the squad, especially currently.

This guy wont have a chance under Ole, not individual enough and not a workhorse like Fred or McTom either. He is pretty much lost and a waste of money for us.

Agree it seems like a poor use of funds but still think there is value in him playing as part of a double pivot at times. You are right he isnt as much of a workhorse as mcfred but frankly if he can manage to give the ball away less then maybe he wont need to be.

He is at least been decent when he has played there

 

[crossy1686]

The manager obviously doesn't trust him otherwise he'd play more. It seems his main purpose is to keep Lingard off the bench. Maybe he gets a game against Liverpool this weekend?

 

[romufc]

In my opinion it simply comes down to Solksjaer not having faith in him or not knowing how or where to fit him in regularly. He's a far better midfielder than McTominay for instance who's getting an easy ride at United

In sorry but this is just crap.

It shows clear lack of understanding of roles. Mctominay is a completely different player.

Donny might be better on the ball, finding space but he is not better at hassling opponents, shutting them down.

 

[Godfather]

The worry I have got with Donny is if he cannot get minutes at all in the league then how will Ole ever know what he can produce in it given a run of games. I will admit that he didn't look great against Southampton/West Ham but he shouldn't be discarded just because of those performances.

Maybe he is discarded because he looks shit in training and nowhere near the level of Bruno and Pogba?

 

[Terranova]

You're sure about this?

Oh yes, just look at the stats. He had better defensive/passing stats. Only McTominay scored a goal, so people who only look at the scoresheet thinks that McTominay was better

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

That's kinda weird. Against Watford he got the chance and he performed better than McTominay. But that didn't change anything for him. So people like you seem to think he's not better, just to justify the decision Ole made.

McT has proven himself over the past 18 months to be a good player. One match in the FA Cup means very little. How do you not comprehend that?

I don’t need to justify anything, my opinion is that he’s our 6th choice midfielder at the moment. We have a lot of good midfielders - he just needs to carry on, and I’m sure he will get chances, like I’ve been saying for 3 months.

I don’t support a player, I support the team, and we have been doing very well without him - so I’m not jumping up and down to see him play.

lots of players need time to adapt.

 

[Strelok]

In sorry but this is just crap.

It shows clear lack of understanding of roles. Mctominay is a completely different player.

Donny might be better on the ball, finding space but he is not better at hassling opponents, shutting them down.

Tbh I'm not sure about that either. Yeah it's true that he usually passes and run. But countless times I've seen him running to space where passing to him is impossible. Basically death end. Eventually I got a feeling that he just pass the ball to another teammate for the sake of it, regardless of where and how the situation is. Most of the time there's no idea in that.

And people keep telling he's a smart player. I was of that opinion too until he passed the ball back to Mata instead of to that huge space before Rashford.

He can't defend well, very slow, weak, can't dribble, can't run with the ball, is not smart either, can't shoot - I've never seen him taking a long shot, can't create - I've never seen him creating anything. His passing is meh as well, average short passing and that's all. Tbh I haven't seen anything in him that make me think he's a decent player, aside from his work rate, let alone PL and United quality.

 

[Strelok]

Oh yes, just look at the stats. He had better defensive/passing stats. Only McTominay scored a goal, so people who only look at the scoresheet thinks that McTominay was better

You should go back to the pages where we were talking about him in that Watford match and read them I think.

 

[lost7]

The one thing I'm worried about when it comes to Donny is that this whole time I thought he was Pogba's replacement for next season and Ole was just easing him into the PL, but now I wonder if he can really be Pogba's replacement with the type of characteristics he has. Because truthfully I would feel safer if we got a Grealish....

Still, giving the guy a verdict is impossible at the moment simply because he hasn't had enough game time. I hope he gets his chance to start this Sunday against Liverpool and I'm sure he'll be the first name on the team sheet for Europa Leage games (which will start soon enough). Let's hope he makes the most out of these opportunities and shows his quality

 

[romufc]

Tbh I'm not sure about that either. Yeah it's true that he usually passes and run. But countless times I've seen him running to space where passing to him is impossible. Basically death end. Eventually I got a feeling that he just pass the ball to another teammate for the sake of it, regardless of where and how the situation is. Most of the time there's no idea in that.

And people keep telling he's a smart player. I was of that opinion too until he passed the ball back to Mata instead of to that huge space before Rashford.

He can't defend well, very slow, weak, can't dribble, can't run with the ball, is not smart either, can't shoot - I've never seen him taking a long shot, can't create - I've never seen him creating anything. His passing is meh as well, average short passing and that's all. Tbh I haven't seen anything in him that make me think he's a decent player, aside from his work rate, let alone PL and United quality.

Well, this is what people tell me and I have seen him find pockets of space but its more at the end where Bruno finds space too not where McTominay plays.

This is what I mean, he isnt a CDM, he isn't a CM because he can't play long passes.. someone says he played well in the pre season game v Villa.

His best attribute is being press resistant, he is very good at that. I think he needs to play as the CAM otherwise he cannot get in this team. At the moment, I would have Bruno in CAM all day over him.

I dont understand why fans are crying when we are winning and saying he is playing second fiddle to James and McTominay.. when they are in different positions?

 

[RedorDead21]

Sometimes things take time. Sometimes signings don't work out. Not the end of the world. What we really need though is a top top DM.

we were prob 40m away from the asking price for Sancho...also Haaland would 100% be here if we were dropping that into his or his agents lap. It’s a huge amount of money for us especially in this climate. If Donny doesn’t work out it was a horrendous signing in reality when that position wasn’t even a priority. Time yet agreed.

 

[Counterfactual]

He can't defend well, very slow, weak, can't dribble, can't run with the ball, is not smart either, can't shoot - I've never seen him taking a long shot, can't create - I've never seen him creating anything. His passing is meh as well, average short passing and that's all. Tbh I haven't seen anything in him that make me think he's a decent player, aside from his work rate, let alone PL and United quality.

Wow. Was he carried by Ajax to their first league title in five years and semi-final of the Champions League?

He scored 41 goals in 175 appearances for Ajax, including the QF and SF of that CL run, so he knows where the goal is. He just needs to establish himself in our team, but as an attacking midfielder he cant get past Bruno and Pogba at the moment.

What if Pogba or Bruno got injured? What if Pogba leaves? Donny gives us more squad depth and about time too.

 

[Strelok]

Well, this is what people tell me and I have seen him find pockets of space but its more at the end where Bruno finds space too not where McTominay plays.

This is what I mean, he isnt a CDM, he isn't a CM because he can't play long passes.. someone says he played well in the pre season game v Villa.

His best attribute is being press resistant, he is very good at that. I think he needs to play as the CAM otherwise he cannot get in this team. At the moment, I would have Bruno in CAM all day over him.

I dont understand why fans are crying when we are winning and saying he is playing second fiddle to James and McTominay.. when they are in different positions?

Yeah you're right he's very good at press resistance. Problem is he can't resist a press and pass forward at the same time. His passing is mostly backward or sideway. That'd be never enough to play as a CAM. He was really really bad when deployed as a CAM against West Ham. Ole had to bring on Bruno in the second half.

I don't want to sound too harsh or write him off but tbh I haven't seen anything in him making me think he'd be a good CM/CAM in the PL. Hope he can be like Fred, I was of the opinion that Fred had never ever played professional football just 18 months ago I think.

 

[Strelok]

Wow. Was he carried by Ajax to their first league title in five years and semi-final of the Champions League?

He scored 41 goals in 175 appearances for Ajax, including the QF and SF of that CL run, so he knows where the goal is. He just needs to establish himself in our team, but as an attacking midfielder he cant get past Bruno and Pogba at the moment.

What if Pogba or Bruno got injured? What if Pogba leaves? Donny gives us more squad depth and about time too.

I know his records. But I only judge players based on what I've seen of them playing. And talking about records, do you remember Depay? Blind? Kagawa? Mkhitaryan? Sanchez? Falcao?

Records are pretty meaningless imo, what count is how and what he's showing now I think.

 

[romufc]

Yeah you're right he's very good at press resistance. Problem is he can't resist a press and pass forward at the same time. His passing is mostly backward or sideway. That'd be never enough to play as a CAM. He was really really bad when deployed as a CAM against West Ham. Ole had to bring on Bruno in the second half.

I don't want to sound too harsh or write him off but tbh I haven't seen anything in him making me think he'd be a good CM/CAM in the PL. Hope he can be like Fred, I was of the opinion that Fred had never ever played professional football just 18 months ago I think.

I am in the opinion that he can be a very good player for us, we just havent found the system that suits.

However; I am not going to sit here cry every week why he isnt playing because so far what I have seen has not been good enough and he does not deserve a starting place yet.

I know people say the Watford game, Leipzig and few Cameo appearances but in those games, has he done anything to say, you need to start?

Its always, he played with crap players..

let me remind everyone who Bruno played with when he first came in... Perreira, Mata, James, Lingard, Matic, McTominay, Ighalo and he showed from his first game there is something special about him.... I have not seen anything from Donny to suggest he starts over McTominay, Pogba, Fred or Bruno.

 

[kirk buttercup]

we will definitely See him feature in the next two games. If he can impress in them I expect to see him more going into the back end of the season

 

[Alemar]

we will definitely See him feature in the next two games. If he can impress in them I expect to see him more going into the back end of the season

But whom exactly could he displace from the typical starting XI, going forward? He doesn’t displace either Bruno or Pogba, and he is not a DM either...

If only he plays instead of one of the wide attackers (with some change to a system as a result)

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

I am in the opinion that he can be a very good player for us, we just havent found the system that suits.

However; I am not going to sit here cry every week why he isnt playing because so far what I have seen has not been good enough and he does not deserve a starting place yet.

I know people say the Watford game, Leipzig and few Cameo appearances but in those games, has he done anything to say, you need to start?

Its always, he played with crap players..

let me remind everyone who Bruno played with when he first came in... Perreira, Mata, James, Lingard, Matic, McTominay, Ighalo and he showed from his first game there is something special about him.... I have not seen anything from Donny to suggest he starts over McTominay, Pogba, Fred or Bruno.

it just seems to be people who support other teams that are crying about him not playing.

to be frank, I couldn’t care less if he’s playing or not if we are winning.

 

[Sunny Jim]

when we signed him pretty much everybody saw him as Greaslih-type of player at half price.
With the benefit of hindsight it is clear we should have gone for Grealsih.

 

[romufc]

it just seems to be people who support other teams that are crying about him not playing.

to be frank, I couldn’t care less if he’s playing or not if we are winning.

I dont think so... there is alot of people on here moaning about him not playing..

Like you said, as long as we are winning, I dont care who plays. Even if we played Dan James and we won games, I wouldn't care.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

I dont think so... there is alot of people on here moaning about him not playing..

Like you said, as long as we are winning, I dont care who plays. Even if we played Dan James and we won games, I wouldn't care.

fair enough. It was my perspective that I’ve seen a few Ajax posters winging - they all blur into one!

 

[MS4]

Still so many complaints about Donny?
We are at the top of the league.
Everything is done right. If he does not play, it's because we did not need it.
What's better: Having Donny on the bench and bring him on when we would need him or having Pereira instead of Dunny and having to sub on Pereira?

Relax guys. Even other teams are jealous about our squad depth. Has ManCity done bad transfers because they have jesus, aguero and mahrez on the bench? Simple answer is no. They can play with 3 good players and sub 3 more good offensive players.

 

[kopviolator]

Wow. Was he carried by Ajax to their first league title in five years and semi-final of the Champions League?

He scored 41 goals in 175 appearances for Ajax, including the QF and SF of that CL run, so he knows where the goal is. He just needs to establish himself in our team, but as an attacking midfielder he cant get past Bruno and Pogba at the moment.

What if Pogba or Bruno got injured? What if Pogba leaves? Donny gives us more squad depth and about time too.

This means very little if he's not played at least every now and then. I don't know what he was told when he signed but I think it's fair to assume he was promised he'd get his chance. He could be at risk losing his place at national level with the Euors coming up and Netherlands play at Ajax Arena. I'd be furious if I was him.

 

[Smores]

Looking like a terrible signing right now. If it carries on like this and we miss out on the title then you've got to question what else we could have done with those funds.

For all the 'we won't overpay' talk, that would still be better than money spent on players we won't use.

 

[youmeletsfly]

This means very little if he's not played at least every now and then. I don't know what he was told when he signed but I think it's fair to assume he was promised he'd get his chance. He could be at risk losing his place at national level with the Euors coming up and Netherlands play at Ajax Arena. I'd be furious if I was him.

We're winning games mate, no chance in hell for DvB to play and, honestly, he shouldn't.
It's obvious Ole goes with the tried and tested players. If DvB wants to play he should rip it up in training and take his chance with both hands in his next official game. Until now he showed zero, zero squared.

 

[kopviolator]

We're winning games mate, no chance in hell for DvB to play and, honestly, he shouldn't.
It's obvious Ole goes with the tried and tested players. If DvB wants to play he should rip it up in training and take his chance with both hands in his next official game. Until now he showed zero, zero squared.

No argument from me there. Spending 40m player in a position not needed is however just bizarre to me. And if there were no plans for him then he shouldn't have joined at this point in time. He should be playing, if not here then somewhere else. He's a dutch international ffs.

 

[youmeletsfly]

No argument from me there. Spending 40m player in a position not needed is however just bizarre to me. And if there were no plans for him then he shouldn't have joined at this point in time. He should be playing, if not here then somewhere else. He's a dutch international ffs.

Crazy stuff indeed. There might be a few reasons though:
- Pogba was going
- not Ole's signing
- was intended to play another role, CM or DM most likely



I'd still see him near a quality DM, with Pogba on the left, Bruno in the middle, a new right sided attacker and Cavani/Rashy up top.
Maybe he just needs a season to bed in.

 

[wolvored]

He is either being told to wait until next season to play a shadow strike role because we are waiting for a CDM (and Ole is seeing things like if Martial is good enough in similar roles) because Ole wants to use VDB similar to how he used him against Leipzig in a 442 diamond pushing further up the pitch turning in to a 433.



VDB was almost playing as a deep lying CF or a CAM/CF that first half.


The second option is that Ole thinks he isnt that good and doesnt want to use him to keep his hype and price up from his time at Ajax rather than let it go down.

That only applies if he is selling him in the summer.

 

[pocco]

Thing that worries me about him is that he's a system player, based on what I saw of him previously. He fits into a team playing a "modern" type of football which is built around the team rather than strictly individual talent. We're not that and have took no steps towards that. Last night was as good an example you can give of this, we're entirely reliant on moments to win us games, rather than being drilled to exploit a certain weakness or play a way that will make us hard to play against.

The huge space between our players doesn't lend itself to possession based play. Long balls over the top to break a low block don't suit players like VdB. I could say with conviction that he'll never have enough to challenge Bruno in this team/system.

 

[Scarecrow]

His time will come. I'm baffled that some of you are talking about selling him. We need the depth. We've been unusually lucky with injuries (and covid) so far this season, thankfully, but can't be relying on that carrying on forever.

 

[kopviolator]

Crazy stuff indeed. There might be a few reasons though:
- Pogba was going
- not Ole's signing
- was intended to play another role, CM or DM most likely



I'd still see him near a quality DM, with Pogba on the left, Bruno in the middle, a new right sided attacker and Cavani/Rashy up top.
Maybe he just needs a season to bed in.

irrc it took Fred a few months before settling and he still may come good. But the timing of the transfer just seems so strange and in all honesty he's shown little so far to suggest he can replace Pogba. And he's hardly a DM, not particularly fast or strong. He seems a tidy player with decent close control an good awareness. He could work well in a system where the ball is moved quickly between the middle and front three but that's not how we play. But i'm sure Ole has some plan for him, although I'd be very annoyed if I were him.

 

[Alemar]

Where does all this obsession with playing VDB come from? He is here for depth, that is why he was purchased - it is totally fine. There are no reasons to play him as his peers are better players - but if something happens, then we have better options than Andreas Pereira, that’s his role