peterstorey is clearly going over the top, im not sure its worth it. Fellaini can obviously run, can he do it fast enough to keep up with breaks and to get in the box to get on the end of moves, etc ? Well he's clearly not too speedy so probably not from a CM position. If you want him to be a threat in the final third you'll have to play him where Everton did behind the striker
Fellaini
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I expect Fellaini is faster than Scholes was during his pomp or at least as fast and he did it fine, I have my reservations about him but I still think he would be a good addition, just ideally I wouldn't want him to be our main midfield addition.
Fellaini would obviously strengthen United. Even an idiot can see that. The issue is firstly the price and secondly the fact he's not the flamboyant signing everyone wants.
He isn't what you would call 'pacey' but he is certainly no lug. And as for he isn't mobile? That's hilarious, he is extremely mobile. Maybe some don't actually watch him - in fact, judging by some of the comments in here, it looks like some have never seen him play, ever - and make wild assumptions. Ah he's tall so he must be slow and immobile, ah he has mad hair so be must be shit. You would swear we were being linked with Karl Henry.
Scholes was all about the timing of his runs. Fellaini hasn't shown any hint of having this ability
Well he is a bit slow, but not so much so that it becomes an issue. And I hope you arent going to tell me that running cross country at age 8 is proof he can run fast because that really is a crime against the internet.
The arguments against him that aren't positively unfounded strike me as being nitpicking, really, more than valid reasons not to sign him. He isn't lightning quick, he's not the best passer in the world, he doesn't have Scholes' impeccable timing, etc. We need a reinforcement, not a perfect box-to-box midfielder (there's no such thing around these days anyway). People should stop considering him as the only midfield signing we'll ever make and start considering what he would actually bring to the table. We can buy Gündogan or whoever will be flavour of the month next summer. The fact is we need someone now, it's quite urgent.
Saying he wouldn't close the gap between ourselves and Munich or Barca is neither here nor there. He wouldn't widen it either, quite to the contrary: He would strengthen our options. That will do for now. What is it that people expect? That Moyes, in his debut season, completely transforms the team and overtakes Bayern Munich in style? What we need to begin with is a good league campaign, keeping up with our rivals in that respect. We have the foundations for that already, we just need to add a couple of players to the squad and we're good to go. But time is bloody well ticking.
Saying he wouldn't close the gap between ourselves and Munich or Barca is neither here nor there. He wouldn't widen it either, quite to the contrary: He would strengthen our options. That will do for now. What is it that people expect? That Moyes, in his debut season, completely transforms the team and overtakes Bayern Munich in style? What we need to begin with is a good league campaign, keeping up with our rivals in that respect. We have the foundations for that already, we just need to add a couple of players to the squad and we're good to go. But time is bloody well ticking.
We're generally far too open without Carrick playing in front of the back Four, and it's vital we get cover in that position. He is also different to other players we have already available. Fellaini seems an decent choice as a solid squad player, and most importantly available.
We could do with a reinforcement, but I still think what we need most is a truly world class creative midfielder who is capable of controlling and dominating games against the very best. Carrick had an absolutely fantastic season but we can't solely rely on him, and we could probably do with a player who's really on that top class level which Carrick probably sits below. A player who can play against just about any team and still control the midfield. Fabregas, for example, would be perfect for this.
What I think annoys a lot of people, and I'd say is fair enough, is that if we spend a lot of money on Fellaini then it'll be seen as spending a lot of money on a reinforcement, instead of spending even more on a truly top class player.
I'm also unsure because he's often shown for Everton that his best position was when he was allowed to get forward in an attacking role. Here, Kagawa and Rooney if he stays will walk into that spot ahead of him. Should we be spending £20m on someone who won't get to play in his best position a lot?
£25m been quoted seems very high for a solid squad player? if he was available on the cheap I would probably agree.
I don't think anyone would strongly disagree with that. But as you must know such players don't grow on trees. We tried to buy him, looks like it'll fall through, so what do we do? Refrain from buying anyone at all, because there are no true world beaters available in the position?
I don't think we need a truly brilliant and creative midfielder myself, by the way. If Kagawa starts to look like the player he was at Dortmund we won't look too shabby in that department. In a 4-2-3-1, which I think will be our formation more often than not, an absolute monster of a midfielder is always a bonus - but it isn't really required: If the three in front are good enough (and we are capable of mixing it up with the best there, I really believe that) you don't need a Fabregas type to play alongside the holder.
Anyway, the point is this: What's the alternative? Should we not buy Fellaini because he isn't the type of big box office signing we would all like to see at our club? That isn't really an argument, is it? And it's even less of an argument when we do need, precisely, reinforcements: We have three CMs at the moment. That's critically low, I'd say. To me this is the most important thing: We do lack the very numbers - we're in no position to wait around for the perfect fit. Fergie did that for years - but Moyes isn't Fergie, we need to keep that in mind.
Yeah but he still broke from deep when we made those counters a lot of the time. To me his ability to keep up with the counter from a physical point of view doesn't concern me, I'd be more concerned with what he does with the ball at his feet.
I've always said we needed a more defensive type midfielder, one with some steel and strength, rather than a pure creative player, for our midfield. We need someone to provide the defensive abilities Carrick does, should he be unavailable for whatever reason. And who can also play alongside him, share the defensive burden, and allow Carrick more freedom. I'm not convinced Fellaini is good enough, but for me he's certainly the type of midfielder we need.
He has a £22mil buy-out clause, so I'm not sure where the £25mil quote has come from.
Ideally I think the perfect partner for Carrick would be a carbon copy of himself. Somebody who can read when the other midfielder is going up the pitch and joining in the attack and having the sense to stay back, but can also venture forward with decent mobility and have a good eye for a pass. I don't think Fellaini has the latter two attributes, though in his first few seasons he was a good defensive midfielder.
When you're playing for a side that dominates possession trying to break the other team around 80 % of matches, you're needing people who can pass and run in CM.
Pete's got this spot on I'm afraid.
Pete's got this spot on I'm afraid.
Impressive.. That compilation actually made him look pretty decent regardless of his perceived ability on the caf.
Well my point was simply that, although he's shown ability to get into the box and score from second striker position this season for Everton, its unlikely he'll be able to carry it on from a deeper CM position - unless of course Scholes teaches him those late runs into the box. So if you play him as CM you cant expect him to do a great deal in the final third. With more speed he'd be able to do that anyway regardless of late runs.
Chest control, back heel, header, bundle through tackle.
Goal with the left foot from around 20 yards.
It wouldn't be 2009 Fletcher but he would be a pretty good first team player regardless. I still miss the underratedness of 2009 Fletch.
One of. That video was packed full of the four things I mentioned.
I don't think we will sign him, but I'd be happy if we did. He would get into our midfield and he's good enough for the premier league... would be a gamble in Europe but you never know.
He does a good celebration and is a bit of a cnut too, which I like.
He does a good celebration and is a bit of a cnut too, which I like.
Good celebration? He does the most tame, poofy looking air punch you're ever likely to see.
Does he not usually do that thumb down decapitation circle thing?
I've only noticed him running to the crowd and punching in a very camp manner, flinging his gangly limbs around.
Aye but,
You don't have to dominate possession, though. That's just one way, not the only way. Bayern humiliated Barcelona over two legs last season - and they certainly didn't dominate possession. Nor have we regularly under Fergie. You don't need to protect the ball at all times to control a football match. Our style has traditionally been mainly about open play, often wing play, not about suffocating the opponent through possession. I hope Moyes continues that tradition - in which case we don't need a passing machine alongside Carrick.
I agree with The Nev above. Bolstering up the middle somewhat, allowing both Carrick to perhaps be a little more adventurous - and those in front to work their magic. That's what we should aim for in my opinion.
That doesn't mean I would be against getting in someone like Fabregas: The thing is the balance. A player like him, who has such an ability on the ball and such mobility, combined with the positional awareness of a born midfielder, not least - would also make us tighter, of course. But it looks like that deal won't go through, so we need to look elsewhere.
Why does he have snow spray in his mop?Aye but,
I believe he dyed it silver for Evertons official charity or somesuch.
he's the white Yaya with much blacker hair.
he's the white Yaya with much blacker hair.
We'll make the money back on selling "Microphone headed feck" wigs to the fans.
I think I may well have said that. Might seem harsh when he's banging goals in for us with his microphone headI believe it was you who said 'Microphone headed feck..' A belter..
the gangly big feck.Chester writes words of wisdom.
Of course we'd love to bring in a galactico like Fabregas but Fellaini shouldn't be viewed as a fallback option to Fabregas. Whether we bring in Cesc or not, we could use another mid who could take some of the load off Carrick and, perhaps, be a weapon in those frustrating late game situations against bus parkers like Stoke who shut off all the lanes on the ground and force us to hoof bombs into the box.
The primary object is to lift the prem trophy; Fellaini would help us do that. Fabregas would get us closer to lifting the CL trophy. But even with Fabregas getting past Bayern and Barcelona would be a very tall order for us this season.
There were few games when Carrick was partnered with Jones, allowing Carrick to roam forward more (and he scored a good solo goal in one game). I thought that partnership could be into something there, before Jones got injured.
Also Carrick and Fletcher were good enough together. I think Fellaini is more skilful than Fletcher, and definitely stronger.
Also Carrick and Fletcher were good enough together. I think Fellaini is more skilful than Fletcher, and definitely stronger.
I think it's a league game. And maybe not from last season.
Scholes was extremely mobile and quick over the first few yards. I think the questions of pace are usually confused when everyone talks about it, I do it myself tbh, for a central midfielder it's not sprinting pace that you need, and that's not what a lot of people have in mind when they say pace imo, it's just the mobility and quickness over the first few yards that people are referring to.
I really haven't seen enough of Fellaini playing as a midfielder to judge how quick and mobile he is, when I've seen him play against United he's usually been playing in more of a forward position with his back to goal. He just looked kind of awkward to me, like most players of his size and build. I never thought Vieira or Toure looked really quick and mobile because of their size and build, Pogba is another, I'm sure once they get into their stride they're very fast, they just don't look particularly mobile, and it always puts me off that type of player tbh.
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