[Pogue Mahone]

But that’s part of our problem isn’t it? We couldn’t even dominate possession against Southampton with Fred replacing Pogba. And given we play against teams like Southampton more than we play against teams like City it’s a pretty big problem to have a midfielder who is not good in possession. He’ll do an alright job as a third body hounding teams when we’re looking to play on the counter. In a midfield two when we need to keep the ball? Forget about it.

That’s fair enough but who do we have that you would trust in a midfield two when we need to keep the ball? They all have a terrible habit of losing the ball cheaply.

Matic (post-covid) and Fred (pre-covid) have probably been the most reliable and consistent CM performers. McT would maybe run them close but we basically don’t have anyone who will consistently complete 95%+ of their passes the way Scholes and Carrick used to do. That may or may not be a problem. It does look as though we’re still capable of beating anyone, without any midfield metronomes, provided we’re set up properly and everyone performs on the day. Obviously that hasn’t happened in our last three fixtures.

In a way it’s not surprising. Bruno has made us miles better at beating crap teams but we struggle when we have to revert to the approach/system that helps us beat good teams. Flipping between two very different approaches seems to be messing our team up. I do kind of feel Ole needs to find a system, line-up and approach that works against everyone and stick with it. It all feels a bit reactive. The best teams inflict their game on the opposition.

 

[Nori-]

I seem to be the only United fan who really dislikes this guy. Almost as much as I disliked Anderson.

He wouldn't get into any Top 6 first team. People are constantly saying he had a great first half of the season but that's only because everything before that was SO bad. He's constantly making simple mistakes, offers no threat in front of goal, not a particularly good defensive midfielder like Kante or Matic, endless side passes. You just know when he's playing there's a big chance we will lose or draw.

If we can get anything close to the £52m we paid for him, please take it and re-invest

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

Better game than Pogba. Both were shit though

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I seem to be the only United fan who really dislikes this guy. Almost as much as I disliked Anderson.

He wouldn't get into any Top 6 first team. People are constantly saying he had a great first half of the season but that's only because everything before that was SO bad. He's constantly making simple mistakes, offers no threat in front of goal, not a particularly good defensive midfielder like Kante or Matic, endless side passes. You just know when he's playing there's a big chance we will lose or draw.

If we can get anything close to the £52m we paid for him, please take it and re-invest

wasnt he creating the most chances in our team pre Bruno and wasn’t he destroying Kantes numbers and stuff in tackles and ball recovery?

People underestimating how good he was mid season. Easily our best player at the time. However today he just looked unfit. Didn’t have his usual buzz of getting in and about people.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

Caf is suffering from amnesia. fecking hell

 

[Offside]

We were going well before the lockdown as we had the fringe players like Fred and McTominay, Ighalo playing well. James and Williams too. They had a run in the team so were playing well.

Now Pogba and Rashford are back and they can’t get a game so when they come in they’re rusty as hell.

Fred is a decent player as a starter but I don’t think he can be reliable enough to come in and do a job.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

wasnt he creating the most chances in our team pre Bruno and wasn’t he destroying Kantes numbers and stuff in tackles and ball recovery?

People underestimating how good he was mid season. Easily our best player at the time. However today he just looked unfit. Didn’t have his usual buzz of getting in and about people.

Is this not going overboard?

Fred was fairly good, but Rashford was clearly better than him.

 

[acnumber9]

That’s fair enough but who do we have that you would trust in a midfield two when we need to keep the ball? They all have a terrible habit of losing the ball cheaply.

Matic (post-covid) and Fred (pre-covid) have probably been the most reliable and consistent CM performers. McT would maybe run them close but we basically don’t have anyone who will consistently complete 95%+ of their passes the way Scholes and Carrick used to do. That may or may not be a problem. It does look as though we’re still capable of beating anyone, without any midfield metronomes, provided we’re set up properly and everyone performs on the day. Obviously that hasn’t happened in our last three fixtures.

In a way it’s not surprising. Bruno has made us miles better at beating crap teams but we struggle when we have to revert to the approach/system that helps us beat good teams. Flipping between two very different approaches seems to be messing our team up. I do kind of feel Ole needs to find a system, line-up and approach that works against everyone and stick with it. It all feels a bit reactive. The best teams inflict their game on the opposition.

That’s one of the big issues our squad has. Matic and Pogba are good enough, despite the odd mistake, but one of them is the wrong side of thirty and the other is notoriously unreliable. I’m obviously being more emotive because of a very poor performance today, but Fred may be good enough for a team hovering around fifth with the occasional game raising performance but our aspirations are naturally higher than that.

 

[Nori-]

wasnt he creating the most chances in our team pre Bruno and wasn’t he destroying Kantes numbers and stuff in tackles and ball recovery?

People underestimating how good he was mid season. Easily our best player at the time. However today he just looked unfit. Didn’t have his usual buzz of getting in and about people.

I would love for him to be a great player, we need one alongside Pogba.

Is there a link or stats somewhere showing he created the most chances and crushed Kantes numbers? Genuinely want to read them as I can't see how that's possible. Saying that though, Kante has had a bad season, I'm referring to his previous highs.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

That’s one of the big issues our squad has. Matic and Pogba are good enough, despite the odd mistake, but one of them is the wrong side of thirty and the other is notoriously unreliable. I’m obviously being more emotive because of a very poor performance today, but Fred may be good enough for a team hovering around fifth with the occasional game raising performance but our aspirations are naturally higher than that.

You could be right. But I still think there’s room in any top club’s squad for a player that’s shown what Fred has shown this season. He’s certainly not far off the likes of Kante, or most of Liverpool’s CM’s. Although you’d want him to be able to perform consistently despite being in and out of the team. That’s the real worry here. It took him so long to reach the required standard it would be a disaster if he’s regressed completely after a relatively short spell out.

 

[Manny]

Fecking madness the way some people in this thread are trying to rewrite history so they can pretend they were right all along about him, after he shoved their past criticism right up their arses in a season where he’s been one of our best players. Weirdos.

Agree. He was comfortably was comfortably one of our best performers in early and mid season.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Is this not going overboard?

Fred was fairly good, but Rashford was clearly better than him.

Sorry I’m in the camp that Rashfords performances have been overhyped this season and it’s not been the all conquering Roy of the rovers stuff the media would have us believe.

He’s had a good Season but I’m not seeing this massive improvement from last season in his performances.

For me Fred is probably still just hanging on to POTY but no one has really been that outstanding.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Sorry I’m in the camp that Rashfords performances have been overhyped this season and it’s not been the all conquering Roy of the rovers stuff the media would have us believe.

He’s had a good Season but I’m not seeing this massive improvement from last season in his performances.

For me Fred is probably still just hanging on to POTY but no one has really been that outstanding.

I can't agree with that at all.

Rashford has clearly improved in his application of his talent. Not only have his performances been better, but so has his production.

I mean post restart, only De Bruyne has created more big chances than him in the league.

Also re: your point on Fred creating the most chances in our team, he was nowhere near it.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I would love for him to be a great player, we need one alongside Pogba.

Is there a link or stats somewhere showing he created the most chances and crushed Kantes numbers? Genuinely want to read them as I can't see how that's possible. Saying that though, Kante has had a bad season, I'm referring to his previous highs.

I read it in a news story. He I’m sure had the best ball recovery stats in the league this season At the time of reading it. It was the point of the news story about how he’d turned the perception of him around.
There was a point also where he would have walked in to any of the teams in the premier leagues midfield. City and pool included.

 

[USREDEVIL]

Kind of a whatever’s player. Schneiderlin 2.0

 

[Get In Scholesy]

Seems to be a player who needs a run of games in order to be a positive impact on the pitch. Not sure playing one off games does him any justice.
But then again, no one did themselves any justice today imo.

 

[acnumber9]

You could be right. But I still think there’s room in any top club’s squad for a player that’s shown what Fred has shown this season. He’s certainly not far off the likes of Kante, or most of Liverpool’s CM’s. Although you’d want him to be able to perform consistently despite being in and out of the team. That’s the real worry here. It took him so long to reach the required standard it would be a disaster if he’s regressed completely after a relatively short spell out.

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head of the problem. He seems like a player that needs to be playing regularly to be effective. And we can’t afford for him to be starting regularly if we want to move forward as a team.

 

[11101]

Said it a million times before, he doesnt play well next to players like Matic. He needs quick passing and to keep the ball moving, which is the total opposite of how Matic plays, and he always gets lost covering for Matics lack of pressing ability.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I think he struggles when not up to match speed. It took him a while to get going at the beginning of the season too.

Has he always been slow though? Or is Willian just rapid? He went past him like he wasn't even there at one point.

 

[wythyred]

Kind of a whatever’s player. Schneiderlin 2.0

Harsh. He’s a lot better than Schneiderlin.

He and Scott have both been unfairly dropped by the manager.

 

[UncleBob]

Harsh. He’s a lot better than Schneiderlin.

He and Scott have both been unfairly dropped by the manager.

Nah.

 

[romufc]

It is hard for someone like Fred as he is being compared to Pogba.

Fred is a good player when he gets a run of games, he is not going to get this with Pogba and Bruno in our team.

He should start ahead of Matic in some games, we need to win those games to give Fred confidence.

 

[UncleBob]

It is hard for someone like Fred as he is being compared to Pogba.

Fred is a good player when he gets a run of games, he is not going to get this with Pogba and Bruno in our team.

He should start ahead of Matic in some games, we need to win those games to give Fred confidence.

By who?
It's hard for Fred because his passing is erratic as feck.

His positioning and decision making was a disaster yesterday.

 

[Based Adnan]

What's the point of keeping a squad player around if he needs a run of games to resemble a football player?

 

[romufc]

By who?
It's hard for Fred because his passing is erratic as feck.

His positioning and decision making was a disaster yesterday.

His position in the team. he isnt a DM and can mainly play as a 6, we have Pogba there.

Pogba on a off day is better than Fred on a good day. So, I am not sure what he offers this team?

 

[UncleBob]

His position in the team. he isnt a DM and can mainly play as a 6, we have Pogba there.

Pogba on a off day is better than Fred on a good day. So, I am not sure what he offers this team?

So no one is actually comparing him to Pogba.

 

[romufc]

So no one is actually comparing him to Pogba.

Did I specifically say someone is? on the position he plays he is.

 

[Bebestation]

For me Fred plays the best with Mctomminay simply because they become two pressing and chasing rabbits together.

Fred with Matic seemed like two different types of midfielders that doesnt complement a particular tactic as it highlights the flaws in each others games - Matic's energy when it comes to pressing, Fred's inability to be creative with much of his passing etc.

 

[limerickcitykid]

wasnt he creating the most chances in our team pre Bruno

No, no not even fecking close actually

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

His position in the team. he isnt a DM and can mainly play as a 6, we have Pogba there.

Pogba on a off day is better than Fred on a good day. So, I am not sure what he offers this team?

This is so wrong on so many levels. The Caf talks alot of nonsense and suffers amnesia after a bad game

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

So no one is actually comparing him to Pogba.

He plays in Pogba's position. He's a box to box like Pogba

 

[SATA]

There was a moment where he screwed up a simple square pass to no one after a corner routine and then we were unnecessarily being counter-attacked. What the heck was that? Really pissed me off that bit of play by him and sums him up the whole game

 

[romufc]

This is so wrong on so many levels. The Caf talks alot of nonsense and suffers amnesia after a bad game

No, Pogba had an off game against Southampton when he kept losing the ball.

Pogba in that game created both goal scoring chances we got.

He still makes things happen, he is a matchwinner.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

No, Pogba had an off game against Southampton when he kept losing the ball.

Pogba in that game created both goal scoring chances we got.

He still makes things happen, he is a matchwinner.

And what of the crap performance of yesterday. Is that better than Fred vs City?

 

[romufc]

And what of the crap performance of yesterday. Is that better than Fred vs City?

Pogba didnt start yesterday, he came on when we were 2-0 down, surely you are not judging him on that?

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

Pogba didnt start yesterday, he came on when we were 2-0 down, surely you are not judging him on that?

Why can't I judge him on that? It's a perfect example of how Pogba plays on his off day. That's basically how he plays when he's shit unless you've forgotten

 

[Mainoldo]

And what of the crap performance of yesterday. Is that better than Fred vs City?

I smell Pogba agenda

How weak.. came here to see what people thought of Fred’s performance and someone actually had the audacity to criticise a 15 minute cameo from Pogba in a 3-0 down game.

 

[bosnian_red]

For me Fred plays the best with Mctomminay simply because they become two pressing and chasing rabbits together.

Fred with Matic seemed like two different types of midfielders that doesnt complement a particular tactic as it highlights the flaws in each others games - Matic's energy when it comes to pressing, Fred's inability to be creative with much of his passing etc.

Yeah. And mctominay next to fred works quite well tbh. Definitely good enough to be useful squad players. It doesn't work to mix them though. Fred and McTominay behind Bruno or Pogba, or matic behind Bruno and Pogba. That's what the combinations should be with what we have.

 

[#CR7]

What's the point of keeping a squad player around if he needs a run of games to resemble a football player?

Agree.

I like him but he will never be good enough to be a starter.

If we cant rely on him to deliver in a squad role then there's literally no point in keeping him at the club.

 

[romufc]

Why can't I judge him on that? It's a perfect example of how Pogba plays on his off day. That's basically how he plays when he's shit unless you've forgotten

We were 2-0 down, Pogba when shit can still do things. Fred needs to be having his best game to do anything.

You named 1 game where Fred had an amazing game.

If you gave me in form Fred, or Pogba who is 50/50, I would take Pogba without a doubt.