[AshRK]

If I were him I would just leave this January.

 

[r0663664]

Donny will demand a move as long as Ole is the manager. Donny will only stay if a new manager is at the realm. Pogba will undoubted leave Utd on free. That's mean Ole got to buy 2 new midfielders for sure. I just hope Ole rotate the squad and give everyone a fair chance.

 

[Wilt]

Chucking his gum at Ole and staff has not helped. It’s obvious he‘s not in Ole’s plans and needs to go in January. Although pending results, Ole may be gone before him.

 

[Siorac]

The problem with Donny now is, if he does play a game, he will be judged on that game alone. People won’t factor in he’s hardly played and his match sharpness and fitness will be non existent. He will need a run of a few games before anyone can see what type of player he is, but Ole is not gong to give him that. Think it’s the end of Donnny at this club, under Ole.

Imagine if he gets a chance and puts in the sort of performance that McTominay produced against Leicester, Atalanta, and Liverpool. Of course McTominay can do that three times in a row and still start a fourth time...

Donny is done here - but his and Sancho's predicament does show that we shouldn't spend big on another player under Ole again. If he's still here in January, he shouldn't get a dime. We simply can't afford this level of waste.

 

[NZT-One]

You're taking words out of my mouth that I never said. In fact, I think Fred can be a decent player with a proper coach that knows how to utilize him. Never a United quality, but still good enough to do the job when called for. Problem is that at the moment he is appalling and we have a player, exactly what we need, sitting on the bench and not even getting 5 minutes per game. This is problematic for a number of reasons. Now you talk about Donny not being on the level of Fred in terms of workrate, but you don't know that. You've barely watched Donny. He did an amazing job against West Ham, taking the ball and pressing. How often has Fred ever managed to dispossess someone off the ball? It's one thing to run and have energy, it's another to actually use it. For example, Cavani runs and has energy and often times works for him because he is quite capable of taking the ball. Fred simply runs for the sake of running. You argue that Fred is available for passes, and albeit he doesn't hide like McT from he ball, the problem is that often times - when he gets the ball, he holds it for too long and more than often gets dispossessed. It's a good thing to ask for the ball, but it's also a bad thing when you have zero idea what to do with it and you're easily targeted by other teams.

1) You don't know if Donny is at that level as well. He wasn't known at Ajax to be some sort of workrate monster (while Fred gained that reputation with us), nor with Netherlands. In the few appearances for us, he was tidy, busy, but a workrate monster? I didn't see it. And I would bet serious money on statistics mostly confirming that perception. Again: I want DVB to be used as well. But lets not act as if he would suit the squad so greatly.

2) An amazing job against Westham? I didn't even remember that game. The one in the cup? The one we lost? ^^ I even gave him MotM with a 5.0 rating, that is telling, isn't. People seem to rate only relative, if a bad player plays half decent, people will rate him 7 or 8. Only distorts the ratings in my eyes. When I rated him 5.0, it meant I thought he did his job, without popping up with lots of negative points nor positive points. A 5 is good. If it is amazing for you, ok. Seems like it isn't a good topic to use in a discussion though.

3) Fred is playing usually pretty quickly often with one-touch and pretty progressive as well. Again just look at his fbref scouting profile. He beats Tchouameni, Kante, Casemiro and Rice in progressive passes. In Attempted passes as well. In pass completion he is the second best behind Rices' 85 - Fred with a 84. All that by being the best in terms of pressures, third best in tackles (Fred 88, Tchoua 98, Kante 95, Case 82, Rice 58) and being the best in blocks. Seriously mate, I have no problem with you not liking Fred but depicting Donny to be easily better than him is based on nothing but hope.

The only thing the activity in Donny's thread shows we brought a Ballon D'or shortlisted player for 40 million who hasn't seen the light of day despite our midfield performances being constantly dreadful which leaves fans worried and baffled at what's going on. You wouldn't see nearly the amount of same activity if Donny actually played, but failed and Fred took his chance. But none of that has happened

Just look at how many votes he received, this Ballon D'or shortlisted player. He never was a player for a double pivot, not saying it is impossible for him to become one but his few performances there show that he certainly isn't some sort of hidden genius in that regard. We shouldn't have bought him in the first place, he never was a player that squad needed or could make use of.

 

[TempusFugit]

Surely he's good enough to make a few appearances? What did he do to Ole? Are we supposed to believe that a player who proved himself in the CL and had the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus after him is not even good enough for a sub appearance? We hardly have Scholes and Keane playing for us. Very bizarre treatment from Ole, imagine being Donny training every single day and not getting a single chance to show what you're about. I just hope he leaves and plays somewhere

 

[Sviken]

1) You don't know if Donny is at that level as well. He wasn't known at Ajax to be some sort of workrate monster (while Fred gained that reputation with us), nor with Netherlands. In the few appearances for us, he was tidy, busy, but a workrate monster? I didn't see it. And I would bet serious money on statistics mostly confirming that perception. Again: I want DVB to be used as well. But lets not act as if he would suit the squad so greatly.

Well, all you need to know is that Donny played in a way more intensive and harder system than ours. As far as Fred being known as a workrate monster, you're pulling this out of your ass. Fred isn't known as anything. The most rival fans can say about him is that it's easy to take the ball away from him.

2) An amazing job against Westham? I didn't even remember that game. The one in the cup? The one we lost? ^^ I even gave him MotM with a 5.0 rating, that is telling, isn't. People seem to rate only relative, if a bad player plays half decent, people will rate him 7 or 8. Only distorts the ratings in my eyes. When I rated him 5.0, it meant I thought he did his job, without popping up with lots of negative points nor positive points. A 5 is good. If it is amazing for you, ok. Seems like it isn't a good topic to use in a discussion though.

Go watch the game, I guess. I don't know what to tell you. His performance was great. Much better than anything Fred has shown us this season. At the very least deserving of a run of games considering our midfield.

3) Fred is playing usually pretty quickly often with one-touch and pretty progressive as well. Again just look at his fbref scouting profile. He beats Tchouameni, Kante, Casemiro and Rice in progressive passes. In Attempted passes as well. In pass completion he is the second best behind Rices' 85 - Fred with a 84. All that by being the best in terms of pressures, third best in tackles (Fred 88, Tchoua 98, Kante 95, Case 82, Rice 58) and being the best in blocks. Seriously mate, I have no problem with you not liking Fred but depicting Donny to be easily better than him is based on nothing but hope.

Dude, stop looking at stats and relying on what your eyes can see. He got dispossessed like ten times by Spurs. He makes the wrong passes all the time. When relegation-tier players are telling you "target Fred because he's easy to take the ball away from"... then, i don't know what to tell you.

Just look at how many votes he received, this Ballon D'or shortlisted player. He never was a player for a double pivot, not saying it is impossible for him to become one but his few performances there show that he certainly isn't some sort of hidden genius in that regard. We shouldn't have bought him in the first place, he never was a player that squad needed or could make use of.

And did Fred player as a double pivot in Shakhtar? These are just non-arguments. At the end of the day you have an underperforming midfield and a bench player who hasn't even gotten a minute. You think any decent manager like Conte, Pep, Klopp, Ancelotti or whoever is gonna stand for this? Okay. Let's just leave it at that.

 

[Ralph1386]

Just got to let him go in January, hopefully on loan to a PL club so we can see what he can do in the PL

That’s what should have been done in the summer.

 

[jem]

It's hard to complain about yesterday's game, but I thought it was ridiculous, and borderline antagonistic, not to bring him on for Bruno.

 

[Ronaldo's ego]

He’s gone in January unless Ole goes first. Complete waste of money and everyone’s time the way things are.

 

[SonyaCross493]

I'm still hoping now we can play 3 midfielders Donny will get more chances. Starting against Atalanta. Give Bruno a rest.

 

[lex talionis]

United have perfected the art of wasting money in the post-Ferguson era, going back to the legendary panic buy of Fellaini. But the buy of Donny, who’s a a vastly superior footballer to both Fred and McTominay, takes wasting money to entirely new level. At least Moyes played Fellaini, for better or worse. But this is just tragic.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Look at the games he has actually started Vs the games Fred has started. He should have looked a lot better Vs those poor opposition

 

[Adam-Utd]

When he does leave it'll be interesting to hear what comes out.

The thing that annoys me is Ole always pretends everything is all OK and there's no bad blood etc.

His use of DVB clearly has more than an element of just not thinking he's good enough.

 

[Dobba]

Donny’s performance against West Ham is almost as legendary round these parts as when LVG had us playing nice footy for about two weeks.

A game in which he did feck all is the peak folks on here are clinging to. Nothing sums his time up here better.

 

[GlasgowCeltic]

Abysmal signing and management from Ole, and Mourinho-esqe treatment of those outside his inner group

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Fred is in the team because of Ole's love boner for him. What good has his work-rate done for us? I'd rather have a technical player than a workrate donkey any day of the weak. And given the fact that Donny has performed much better than him in the few chances he's had this season, I think it is at least fair to give him a chance. Nobody is asking anything more than that.

So you want a team that concedes loads of chances to take out Fred and play a player who isn't very good at getting the ball back?

Glad you're not manager.

 

[snk123]

A game in which he did feck all is the peak folks on here are clinging to. Nothing sums his time up here better.

But he's had criminally few chances. I don't rate DVDB at all but you should atleast give him a fair chance.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

It's hard to complain about yesterday's game, but I thought it was ridiculous, and borderline antagonistic, not to bring him on for Bruno.

Why? Jesse has come on and scored and created goals including a valuable winner vs Westham and set up Ronaldo for the crucial goal Vs Villarreal too.

That's more than Donny has done. A lot more. But this doesn't fit well with the Donny must play agenda does it?

 

[Water Melon]

If I were him I would just leave this January.

I am sure he will and it will be the best both for himself and the club. Actually, I am sure Pogba, Martial, VdB and very likely Jesse will not be here very soon, if Ole stays till the end of the season. If we are able to sell a couple in January, we could sign another midfielder.

 

[NZT-One]

Well, all you need to know is that Donny played in a way more intensive and harder system than ours. As far as Fred being known as a workrate monster, you're pulling this out of your ass. Fred isn't known as anything. The most rival fans can say about him is that it's easy to take the ball away from him.

Now systems are harder and more intense? ^^ Because what? Because they press, because they pass and move? Later you will give me tip to trust your eyes. Have you seen Donny look like a workrate monster at any point for us? Probably not. Not an issue, I don't want to beat him with that, I just say, that that is something Fred is. If you don't remember his performances for us, 2 years - 1 year ago, then I am sorry. You are welcome to look at older posts about him, I am sure you will see the comparisons with Kante, with Ji Sung Park. So he has shown that he can be a workrate monster. We have been a better team when he is playing because he links defense, midfield and attack by getting all over the pitch. No issues with acknowledging though, that his form isn't as great since more than a year now. And that he had a particularly disappointing match against Spurs. Where I would have subbed him for Donny, no question about it.

Go watch the game, I guess. I don't know what to tell you. His performance was great. Much better than anything Fred has shown us this season. At the very least deserving of a run of games considering our midfield.

Look at the other comments about that match. Seems like I am not the only one not being able to see the greatness. And for all that greatness we also lost, but thats not necessarily on him. I know you are one of the very vocal Ole critics, is Donny potentially a tool for you to beat the manager with? Because he seemingly is making such a great mistake to not make use of that wonderful player we have? Because that seems to be the most plausible explanation for hyping the player up so much. I am not accusing you, it is only a question. Because I listen to quite a few football podcasts and stuff on youtube and while it has been noted that Ole seemingly doesn't know how to use DVB, nowhere was his greatness ever a topic. So what is more likely - that so many people are not able to something great right in front of their eyes or that a few people think they see something great to use it as a stick?

Dude, stop looking at stats and relying on what your eyes can see. He got dispossessed like ten times by Spurs. He makes the wrong passes all the time. When relegation-tier players are telling you "target Fred because he's easy to take the ball away from"... then, i don't know what to tell you.

If you have to differentiate between stats and eye test then you just don't understand the nature of stats. Stats are based on stuff that happens on the pitch. Stuff you can see. If I can see us making 10 shots and reading that afterwards as a stat, there is no difference, is it? When I am talking about his fbref scouting profile, I talk about his stats based on performances from the 365 days compared to ALL other midfielders. Seeing him coming out quite good and watching our matches where he is very active, very busy but has some mistakes here and there, it just fits together.

And did Fred player as a double pivot in Shakhtar? These are just non-arguments. At the end of the day you have an underperforming midfield and a bench player who hasn't even gotten a minute. You think any decent manager like Conte, Pep, Klopp, Ancelotti or whoever is gonna stand for this? Okay. Let's just leave it at that.

I haven't even used the name of any other manager, don't know what you are trying to pull here. Again, I agree, we should use the player more often. Because of reasons I layed out in an earlier post. You want him to be used more because another player is seemingly shit while holding his ground relatively fine (as I said, I acknowledge his downward trend in form and I agree, particular the second half against Spurs we was pretty bad).

When we stick to this new formation, it opens a few other possibilities, I hope making use of DVB is one of the newly opened doors we give a thorough try.

 

[Andersonson]

It's hard to complain about yesterday's game, but I thought it was ridiculous, and borderline antagonistic, not to bring him on for Bruno.

You lot are actually offended that Donny doesn't play. This thread is weird.

He hasn't had one good game for us and some are feeling sorry for him. Why don't the other squad players get the same "love"

Weird obsession

 

[moses]

Weird obsession

I'm not sure it is a weird obsession. In a way it's an indictment against the way the club is run. If you identify a player, and pay big money for him it's quite odd that he isn't given a chance to perform. If you buy a player and he doesn't settle or perform, that's part of the risk of most purchases. VDB is a curiosity because his failure is to some degree a failure of the management in either the selection of him or failure to give him a chance. If there are other reasons, they'd leak but if anything other squad members also seem to be unhappy with his lack of game time. It's definitely an odd situation.

 

[Andersonson]

I'm not sure it is a weird obsession. In a way it's an indictment against the way the club is run. If you identify a player, and pay big money for him it's quite odd that he isn't given a chance to perform. If you buy a player and he doesn't settle or perform, that's part of the risk of most purchases. VDB is a curiosity because his failure is to some degree a failure of the management in either the selection of him or failure to give him a chance. If there are other reasons, they'd leak but if anything other squad members also seem to be unhappy with his lack of game time. It's definitely an odd situation.

Clubs buy wrong all the time. There is a reason for worst signing of the season-awards.
We simply bought a player who couldn't handle the step from eresdivisie to the prem.

Nothing suggest he has the level of a united player

 

[Sandikan]

So you want a team that concedes loads of chances to take out Fred and play a player who isn't very good at getting the ball back?

Glad you're not manager.

It's this totally.

People can't understand that as poor as Fred might have been at times, he's used in a totally different role the one DVB would have the skillset for.

DVB needs to play where Bruno does. We have Bruno so he won't. It's that simple really.

That does mean it was madness ever buying him, but I can certainly understand why he doesn't get near it.

 

[PlayerOne]

Why? Jesse has come on and scored and created goals including a valuable winner vs Westham and set up Ronaldo for the crucial goal Vs Villarreal too.

That's more than Donny has done. A lot more. But this doesn't fit well with the Donny must play agenda does it?

I would love to know how you think Donny will have an impact when he barely gets a minute. Also, he's not as attacking as Lingard is, so can he even have impact like that?

It's impossible to judge Donny at this point, we don't know if he's awful or decent. All we know is that Ole doesn't rate him at all and would rather pick his favourites every week, the same players who got him sacked last week.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Van de Beek has played less than 5 minutes in the league all season. Really criminal underuse and hard to judge him off that.

 

[moses]

Clubs buy wrong all the time. There is a reason for worst signing of the season-awards.
We simply bought a player who couldn't handle the step from eresdivisie to the prem.

Nothing suggest he has the level of a united player

Maybe. Lots of players do find it hard to step up. I don' think I've seen enough of him to be sure there's not a player in there. Frank De Boer said his best position is as a number 6, I'm not sure he has started there for us.

 

[DRJosh]

My fear is that Sancho will be the next Donny. Ole isn’t versatile enough to include players that he presumes won’t fit his system. I think it’s in part driven by his inexperience at the top level.

I don’t think we can blame the Glazers if they are less willing to work with Ole in securing his shortlist of players in future.

Amateurish stuff really from Ole.

 

[NZT-One]

Maybe. Lots of players do find it hard to step up. I don' think I've seen enough of him to be sure there's not a player in there. Frank De Boer said his best position is as a number 6, I'm not sure he has started there for us.

He kind of did against Young Boys in the Champions League and he was alright there for the 40 odd minutes until AWB red card. He got hooked off immediately after. Having said that, Young Boys were playing a really deep block so Donny looking alright has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

[lex talionis]

The love of Fred here is insane. He’s no defensive “monster”, he struggles to pass the ball and has no game whatsoever the final third. We’ve all been crying out for a midfielder who can pass through lines and create chances and we actually have such a player, yet he has to watch Fred get played through match after match and struggle to get the ball of his feet. What he does do well is bring “energy”, but with no end product. Yep, so much better to waste a space on a player with no defensive or attacking purpose than on a player who’s a substantially superior footballer, at least with the ball at his feet. Our record over the last season and a quarter proves the manager’s genius.

 

[AFC NimbleThumb]

My fear is that Sancho will be the next Donny. Ole isn’t versatile enough to include players that he presumes won’t fit his system. I think it’s in part driven by his inexperience at the top level.

I don’t think we can blame the Glazers if they are less willing to work with Ole in securing his shortlist of players in future.

Amateurish stuff really from Ole.

This is really the point. If 352 was ever on the cards then you don’t pursue a £70mil winger over a proper CM & wing back options.

This is exactly the same trick we’ve seen from OfS before, there’s no actual plan & it’s all reactive to when his preferred tactic runs aground. We’ve bought £100mil+ of wingers & a CM for £40mil he refuses to use. This isn’t getting the best out of the squad available & against better sides will come unstuck.

 

[moses]

He kind of did against Young Boys in the Champions League and he was alright there for the 40 odd minutes until AWB red card. He got hooked off immediately after. Having said that, Young Boys were playing a really deep block so Donny looking alright has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Thank you, good knowledge. So one of his 4 four starts, and for 40 mins, was in what his previous manager says is his best position. That seems like a small sample on which to make a call.

The context for this is the fee we paid and the fact that our midfield is our weakest department. If we're winning games and dominating teams in the centre of the field this conversation would be academic.

 

[dmst]

Clubs buy wrong all the time. There is a reason for worst signing of the season-awards.
We simply bought a player who couldn't handle the step from eresdivisie to the prem.

Nothing suggest he has the level of a united player

And you know this how?

Remember how Mourinho made Shaw look.

 

[NZT-One]

Thank you, good knowledge. So one of his 4 four starts, and for 40 mins, was in what his previous manager says is his best position. That seems like a small sample on which to make a call.

The context for this is the fee we paid and the fact that our midfield is our weakest department. If we're winning games and dominating teams in the centre of the field this conversation would be academic.

Yeah definitely. To me it really is an odd situation all factors considered. You have the big financial outlay to bring in another "10" to have potential to rest Bruno (not having to play Pereira or Lingard anymore) but the player isn't really a 10, he is more like a Thomas Müller kind of player, shadow striker, completely different skillset to Bruno so could only work as a replacement with adjustments to the team. Then there is the myth that the player is supposed to replace Pogba, once he is gone. But again, absolutely different skillsets.
Then it is said that he can play in midfield. He gets tried there (admittedly often with the 2nd string of the team, so not the greatest chance to make a good impression) and while being decent to good he isn't setting the world alight. But now, as Fred and McTominay are really out of form, the player still cannot get any minutes.

Somethings fishy in there. This story makes the club as a whole look pretty questionable. Starting from the manager over the scouting people to the decision makers who signed off the 40 million to Ajax...

 

[moses]

Yeah definitely. To me it really is an odd situation all factors considered. You have the big financial outlay to bring in another "10" to have potential to rest Bruno (not having to play Pereira or Lingard anymore) but the player isn't really a 10, he is more like a Thomas Müller kind of player, shadow striker, completely different skillset to Bruno so could only work as a replacement with adjustments to the team. Then there is the myth that the player is supposed to replace Pogba, once he is gone. But again, absolutely different skillsets.
Then it is said that he can play in midfield. He gets tried there (admittedly often with the 2nd string of the team, so not the greatest chance to make a good impression) and while being decent to good he isn't setting the world alight. But now, as Fred and McTominay are really out of form, the player still cannot get any minutes.

Somethings fishy in there. This story makes the club as a whole look pretty questionable. Starting from the manager over the scouting people to the decision makers who signed off the 40 million to Ajax...

Yeah, it's all quite vague alright.

 

[Foxbatt]

Why? Jesse has come on and scored and created goals including a valuable winner vs Westham and set up Ronaldo for the crucial goal Vs Villarreal too.

That's more than Donny has done. A lot more. But this doesn't fit well with the Donny must play agenda does it?

It is bleedin a lot more than Donny has done of course. It is a lot more than Jones has done too. Simply because he has not played more than 5 minutes in the PL and only for a few minutes in the CL.

 

[spiriticon]

Funnily enough, I think that if the team sticks to 3-5-2 and stays as compact as they were against Spurs, it may really suit Donny's style a lot.

His only issue is begging Ole for a chance.

 

[NZT-One]

In theory yes. Practically that is a big IF I'd say. On paper 3-5-2 gives you lots of options to pass the ball to, being compact makes those passes easier. But yesterday we looked a bit clueless when we had the ball. If we only started working on the system a week ago, that isn't something to be suprised about. But it certainly is a big question if we can come up with a way to play with wingbacks and the lack of numbers playing in wide areas. It is all doable. But if we could find answers on questions like that, we could also apply those problem solving skills on the 4-2-3-1.

 

[Sviken]

Now systems are harder and more intense? ^^ Because what? Because they press, because they pass and move? Later you will give me tip to trust your eyes. Have you seen Donny look like a workrate monster at any point for us? Probably not. Not an issue, I don't want to beat him with that, I just say, that that is something Fred is. If you don't remember his performances for us, 2 years - 1 year ago, then I am sorry. You are welcome to look at older posts about him, I am sure you will see the comparisons with Kante, with Ji Sung Park. So he has shown that he can be a workrate monster. We have been a better team when he is playing because he links defense, midfield and attack by getting all over the pitch. No issues with acknowledging though, that his form isn't as great since more than a year now. And that he had a particularly disappointing match against Spurs. Where I would have subbed him for Donny, no question about it.

When has Donny ever played for us to consider him anything? How can you rate his workrate from the bench? Comparisons between Kante and Ji to Fred is just next-tier lunacy. Kante and Ji know how to play football, Fred doesn't. Kante and Ji don't only have simple work-rate, they knew how to press, they knew how to take the ball away, how to lay a decent pass, etc. Fred knows none of that. Mindless running is not a skill or even something to be praised for, unless it is focused into something. You also argue that we are a better team which him playing and more stable, but is that really the case? Teams ship goals past us for fun. When have we ever looked stable with McFred? Obviously, it's not entirely the midfield's fault. As I said, I do believe they can be useful bench players under a decent manager, but they're so easy to play against right now it is unbelievable.

Look at the other comments about that match. Seems like I am not the only one not being able to see the greatness. And for all that greatness we also lost, but thats not necessarily on him. I know you are one of the very vocal Ole critics, is Donny potentially a tool for you to beat the manager with? Because he seemingly is making such a great mistake to not make use of that wonderful player we have? Because that seems to be the most plausible explanation for hyping the player up so much. I am not accusing you, it is only a question. Because I listen to quite a few football podcasts and stuff on youtube and while it has been noted that Ole seemingly doesn't know how to use DVB, nowhere was his greatness ever a topic. So what is more likely - that so many people are not able to something great right in front of their eyes or that a few people think they see something great to use it as a stick?

I know that. Many people believe that Solskjaer is right because for them - the manager can never be wrong. If Donny is sitting on the bench, it's because he's not good enough. Same thing you're gonna start hearing about Sancho after Donny leaves (if Ole stays here). But regardless of what the argument is, Donny performed as well as it could be expected of him:

Spoiler

As far as my criticism towards Ole, yes, Donny is one of the symptoms that shows how incompetent he is at his job. But obviously he is nowhere near the only one or the main one. If Ole did a good job, or our midfield performed up to expectations, I wouldn't give a single thought to Donny. But the reality is different. Nor would any Donny "fans" would, I'm sure. We just find it unbelievable that a player from Ajax's great team is unable to get in front of our dross. Not only he is unable to get in front of our dross, but he was never even given an actual chance to do so.

If you have to differentiate between stats and eye test then you just don't understand the nature of stats. Stats are based on stuff that happens on the pitch. Stuff you can see. If I can see us making 10 shots and reading that afterwards as a stat, there is no difference, is it? When I am talking about his fbref scouting profile, I talk about his stats based on performances from the 365 days compared to ALL other midfielders. Seeing him coming out quite good and watching our matches where he is very active, very busy but has some mistakes here and there, it just fits together.

Stats do not tell the entire story. I can give you stats that paint Bebe probably as one of the greatest playmakers when he was here. Or that Xavi was nothing player, just a side-ways passing merchant. But would that be accurate to say?

I haven't even used the name of any other manager, don't know what you are trying to pull here. Again, I agree, we should use the player more often. Because of reasons I layed out in an earlier post. You want him to be used more because another player is seemingly shit while holding his ground relatively fine (as I said, I acknowledge his downward trend in form and I agree, particular the second half against Spurs we was pretty bad).

When we stick to this new formation, it opens a few other possibilities, I hope making use of DVB is one of the newly opened doors we give a thorough try.

It's not just that. Generally you want to give your players minutes in every match, as possible. SAF was a master of rotation. Ole seems inclined to give minutes to the grandpas we have on our bench than players that could be useful in the future for us (like our youth or the younger players on the bench). But no, let's give Mata some minutes. That's just bad management, no matter how you see it. That's why I cannot stand the talk of United "way" or DNA when it comes to Ole. He carries none of that as a manager. He's extremely negative and safe in his approach, doesn't trust youth and obviously isn't daring when it comes to playing attractive football.