He played all the carabou cup games last season up until the semi finals then ole dropped him. Then got a few appearances end of the season when it was all wrapped up. Totting up minutes like that and sparse sub appearances is disingenuous
34
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 14
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Status
I think rather like Ole, the fan base is split on Donny. You’re right that there’s many clamouring for him to start, but I’ve seen many posts that have already written him off. The manager says he’s crap so he must be crap….
With regards to Sancho, I was just him using as a reference point for people displaying hypocrisy, they slate one player and praise another, when both are largely underwhelming. I’m not going to go too hard on Sancho this season, though I hope he does pick it up soon as I think he has been a bit disappointing.
There’s no comparison to be made between Sancho and VDB … the latter is just a slow no 10, a position we have a far superior player for.
That’s not Donnie’s fault but it’s obvious and why people are crying out to see Donnie in a midfield two I will never know
That’s not Donnie’s fault but it’s obvious and why people are crying out to see Donnie in a midfield two I will never know
Don't sell yourself short.
The Donny thing is honestly perplexing. Half of this sub and Ole don’t rate him, and don’t think he can get in the team ahead of McFred. But then why wasn’t he allowed to leave? Donny is basically behind Fred, McT, Pogba, and Matic so it’s not like we don’t have the squad depth.
The other half of the sub (me included) rates Donny and doesn’t think he’s been given enough chances in the team to be judged fairly. McFred has been terrible and Donny deserves a start. He said himself he’s willing to play in the double pivot and he’s been working hard on it in preseason. And again, if him being so bad in training is the reason why he’s not starting, then why wasn’t he allowed to leave? Poor from Ole.
The other half of the sub (me included) rates Donny and doesn’t think he’s been given enough chances in the team to be judged fairly. McFred has been terrible and Donny deserves a start. He said himself he’s willing to play in the double pivot and he’s been working hard on it in preseason. And again, if him being so bad in training is the reason why he’s not starting, then why wasn’t he allowed to leave? Poor from Ole.
Call it what you want Daz, facts are facts. The numbers don't lie. I don't think that I am being disingenuous or using any confirmation bias as I really dont care either way.
I think people that think Donny is the second coming are in for a huge shock if he gets regular game time. He has had more than enough minutes and chances in training to show what he is about and I have only seen a few glimpses. I get the consistency argument and hopefully a good run for the lad will put that to bed once and for all. Up to now, he has been average at best. I reckon he could throw a tantrum and be gone in January though. I don't think he has the minerals to stay and fight for a place or the quality to force the manager to pick him. Then again, I am more than happy to be proved wrong.
As for Ole not letting him leave in summer, I think he thought we would need a deeper squad because of covid. They didnt know if half the squad would be wiped out at any point. I think Ole did the right thing for United here.
Absolutely no one thinks he's the second coming.
He cost us £40m and he plays for 10 mins fortnightly, or starts a monthly game usually classed as unimportant.
Ole talks a good game about the United way, so if Donny doesn't fit the bill, ship him out. If he's no use to the squad and cannot challenge as a starter, you can't just keep him on the bench because you think you might need numbers. This was an established international and established Champions League player.
It is incredible, you would think he is some kind of Iniesta/Matthaus hybrid the way some talk. Have never know a player who has been so average to actually have his reputation soar as much as this. Especially considering the demand is he plays an orthodox midfield role which he has very rarely done in his career.
But hell, this is the same fanbase who convinced themselves that Alan Smith would make a good midfielder because he ran around and did lots of slide tackles.
He wasn't allowed to leave because the only offer that came in for him was a late loan offer from Everton just before the window closed. I don't think they even offered to cover all of his salary.
Had it been an offer to buy and VDB asked for it we might have considered it more seriously.
But that late in the window for a bad loan offer to a potential top 4 rival it wasn't worth it to us. We probably think he's past the stage where a loan with regular playing time will significantly improve him like we do with youngsters. Nor are we worried about increasing his value as we aren't looking to give up on and sell players after just one season (unless the player asks for it, and a good enough offer comes in at the right time).
That late in the window we wouldn't find a good replacement to be backup if there are injuries. And yes, maybe the Pogba situation also entered the equation, that Pogba could threaten with forcing a move in January to get a better deal, and we could counter with saying we'd like to keep Pogba, but not at any cost because we have a tidy player in VdB that we could play instead of him.
So yes, the situation isn't ideal for VdB. But it's a good situation for the club, and then it's up to himself to impress enough in training and then on the field in the chances that he gets.
People say he doesn't get chances, but in the past weeks he has started twice, in the CL he was unlucky to be sacrificed at half-time for a change in tactics after the red card. I thought he was gonna get another chance against Villareal, but I guess with the makeshift backline and the last match against them in mind he was weighed too light. He'll likely get additional chances to impress against Atalanta and the next Young Boys match. Do well there and he'll get opportunities in the PL.
Why can't you? Why's Martial here for example? We might need numbers and someone needs to make us an offer that makes us rethink that position.
Martial has been here for 6 years
Martial has been here for 6 years
So? Why does that make a difference? He's well paid and if he takes opportunities when given then he can get in the side. In all likelihood he won't, but like I said, he's well paid.
If these guys want to go they need to find a club willing to pony up the cash, if they want to stay then they've either got to take their chances or sit on the bench. That's the game.
The only relevant difference here is that one of them plays a position where we're stacked and one plays a position where we're short. But we're not short of numbers, we're short of quality. If he can't bring that then it doesn't help. I think Van Der Beek is a good player by the way, I would like to see him get chances to start. Not sure he's a Man Utd player though, but I did like his bite against West Ham at least.
No, McTominay's any half against Villareal was mediocre, constantly hiding, running away when his teammates were finding an option in midfield to pass the ball and when McT had the ball, he passed sideway or backward, the only noticeable situation was in 2nd half when he charged a Villareal player with his whole body near the halfway line and sprinting forward yet doing nothing useful right after
Donny is neither an attacking midfielder in the same class as Bruno or Pogba. He also lacks the positional awareness and pressing capabilities of (Fred). The team at the moment lacks a pure defensive-minded player to play alongside him for the coaches to be comfortable with his inclusion.
No disrespect to Donny, but to be fair he's come to the club at the wrong time and will probably work a lot better in teams playing with different formations and requirements than at United.
No disrespect to Donny, but to be fair he's come to the club at the wrong time and will probably work a lot better in teams playing with different formations and requirements than at United.
I think rather than think of him playing cause we are tired of McFred, would be useful to think realistically can say him and Matic play together in a competitive match....I guess Ole is fearful of getting it wrong as the margins for error are so small in this league..
Hope Donny stocked up on the chewing gum for the match today.
So you're saying he was good in those games?
Fair enough, I haven't.
Double standards again.
The form of Martial but gets chance after chance.
Donny, no chances.
Our manager at his best.
The form of Martial but gets chance after chance.
Donny, no chances.
Our manager at his best.
Ole has his favourites. Every manager has. They all talk about fairness and chances and what not, but in reality, they have their favourites. Ole likes Martial, due to the past, but still.
Shocking that throwing chewing gum around like a little brat didn't get him a spot in the first XI.
The question I have then is why did we buy him? Either we knew what you just said and bought him anyway, or we didn’t know that and discovered it when he got here. Neither reflects well on Ole.
Little bit harsh. The lad has been here 18 months and cant get a run of games. If he hasnt performed well enough to get in the team then fair enough, but the fact Ole blocked his deadline day move to Everton seems ridiculous. Also you have to remember when Covid started, the Dutch league didnt restart, so even before he joined Utd he hadnt played for 6 months. Lad has barely kicked a ball in 2 years.
It's ridiculous, though.
Fred has been a calamity. Mctominay has been dreadful.
That's just our midfield.
Martial actually does more harm to the team when he's played over the last season.
It's annoying that these players get to continue being a liability on the biggest stage at our club.
They let us down constantly but keep getting in the team.
One of McFred can be tested with someone who has a little more composure and technical ability.
How is any of this in the best interests of the club?
Ronaldo 
12.7 rotting on the fantasy bench.
12.7 rotting on the fantasy bench.Why does Ole hates this guy so much ?
The only conclusion I can draw is this. Donny is dating Dennis Bergkamp's daughter. Dennis Bergkamp was a much better forward than Ole and played for Arsenal. That must be it.Why does Ole hates this guy so much ?
Great man management apparently, im sorry but he's been treated horribly.
Maybe Ole doesnt like chewing gum? Must be a reason why Donny doesnt get picked
Then Ole hates Sir Alex too ?
But I think the debate here is whether he’s already getting it wrong. McFred were the safe, if sometime iffy, choice last season, but I think we’ve been getting bailed out by our attack so far this year, as both have been in erratic form, and teams are waltzing right through them. And yes, i know Mctominay has been injured.
I don’t think any of his defenders (myself included) think he is the saviour, just that he might be worth giving a chance over the other two considering how poor they’ve been. I think Matic and DVB is a sensible suggestion.
Give the lad a chance Ole! He isn’t prime Xavi but in no way can he be any worse than Matic, Fred or McT, they have all stunk up that midfield regularly over the last few years.
We have a desperate need for ball retention in midfield, just give him a run of 5 games in a set position, see how he goes, if rubbish then fair enough but we have to give players a fair chance if others aren’t hitting the required standerds.
We have a desperate need for ball retention in midfield, just give him a run of 5 games in a set position, see how he goes, if rubbish then fair enough but we have to give players a fair chance if others aren’t hitting the required standerds.
Yes I’m sorry for your cousin.
Yes quite obviously.
I think we thought that Pogba would have left by this point and Van de Beek was an attempt at getting ahead in partly replacing him. Lingard had just finished the season prior to his arrival with no goals and no assists and Bruno had no cover in the event of injury. I can see why we decided to bring in an attacking midfielder.
It’s turned out that Van de Beek hasn’t really contributed when asked to stand in for Bruno, Pogba is still here, and Lingard has managed to worm his way back into the set up and appears to be more productive.
Sometimes things don’t pan out as you’d hope. This might be one of those times.
Hope he gets sold in January. Must feel sick not getting a chance while McTominay and Fred offer next to nothing week after week.
Frankly I never saw it with him but considering Ole's starting a player who won't look out of place in Norwich, it's painful that he doesn't see any more minutes.
Time to start playing him alongside McTominay. Freds been given his run of games and he's not been upto the task this season, you cannot reward mediocrity.
I'd be kicking down doors if I was him and I saw Fred playing in front of me every week
Won't play regularly unless we switch to a more traditional 4-3-3, and we won't do that because of Bruno even though Bruno would actually be fine deeper.
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