Frenkie De Jong | Performances

Frenkie is an amazing talent. Unfortunately he couples it with subpar mental resilience. He's the kind of player that allows you to easily win the easy games but who struggles in the hard ones. I like him best paired to a more resilient midfielder like Koopmeiners for the NT or, you know, Casemiro at Manchester United.
 
One of his strength is supposedly as ball carrier. He hides it pretty well during this WC.
Modric has shown what a ball carrier supposedly do.
 
We’ve just watched 120 mins of what a midfield with FdJ looks like. Just endless recycling of the ball in the middle of the pitch. Even his pass map which others were making a mess of their pants about demonstrates what he does, short or sideways, usually both. Great, he doesn’t give the ball away, he doesn’t give it away because he takes the easy short pass over and over.

I’m not saying he’s rubbish he’s obviously a decent player, but I don’t want him here, he doesn’t want to be here and he doesn’t really suit what we want. With a bit of patience and some scouts worth their pay, we can undoubtedly do better for that kind of money.

He's a good individual player. In the sense that, he can keep the ball himself, he can drive the ball, but I'm not sure how influencial he can be for a full team. He would be a great player to have for any squad. However, for the quoted price, he would need to be a star man. Much like Pogba, I don't think his general influence would be worth the fee. He would make far more sense in a team that is already established like City or Real Madrid, where they have other features helping to control the game.

I would go a step further, but I would need a bit more evidence to prove this. I'm not sure how he would handle the intensity of the league. He seems like his game can be ruffled. He would do brilliantly in Italy, as he would have the time and space to play. But in England, particularly in midfield, I'm not sure he has the intensity to succeed. Casemiro is a juggernaut, and even he struggled with this initially.
 
100% bullet dodged in my book especially on the quoted prices and salary. Added into the fact that he prefers to sit on Barca bench and his wife loves living in Spain. Leave him alone and forget about him.

We can definitely do better and it will not be difficult for our scout to find someone else with the budget we are willing to spend 80mil and 400-500k p/w salary.
 
I gotta say the more I watch Frenkie, the less I’m impressed with him. I know what he’s done in the past and I’d break the bank for that player, but he’s really crawled into shell the last year and a half or so. The ability is there, but he almost looks like a footballer who’s done with football.
 
I gotta say the more I watch Frenkie, the less I’m impressed with him. I know what he’s done in the past and I’d break the bank for that player, but he’s really crawled into shell the last year and a half or so. The ability is there, but he almost looks like a footballer who’s done with football.
The biggest indication that he was done with football for me was his refusal to leave Barca. No self respecting footballer in his prime chooses to fight for his place when another top team coached by a manager that you trust and respect is willing to give u a way out. The " his girl loves living in Spain" is BS to me.
 
I gotta say the more I watch Frenkie, the less I’m impressed with him. I know what he’s done in the past and I’d break the bank for that player, but he’s really crawled into shell the last year and a half or so. The ability is there, but he almost looks like a footballer who’s done with football.

Me too. Especially the passing. I don't see him running the game, the same way as Enzo does.

Much prefer Enzo like others in here
 
I don't think we can judge any dutch player based on the international team.

They're told to play in first gear by LVG.
Class players shows up for anytime he plays. Just look at the Modric, that is MF maestro.
FDJ is all fart no shits.I will be probarly baned because of this but he reminds me of Carrick. Good at spraying passes against lesser teams but always get dominated by dinamyc teams.
 
We’ve just watched 120 mins of what a midfield with FdJ looks like. Just endless recycling of the ball in the middle of the pitch. Even his pass map which others were making a mess of their pants about demonstrates what he does, short or sideways, usually both. Great, he doesn’t give the ball away, he doesn’t give it away because he takes the easy short pass over and over.

I’m not saying he’s rubbish he’s obviously a decent player, but I don’t want him here, he doesn’t want to be here and he doesn’t really suit what we want. With a bit of patience and some scouts worth their pay, we can undoubtedly do better for that kind of money.

feck me, how has anyone watched us and come to the conclusion that we wouldn’t be absolutely miles better if we had a midfielder as press resistant as Frenkie :lol:
Have people already forgotten half of our games this season with so many of our non press resistant players?
That pass map shows he’d constantly progress the ball to Bruno, Anthony and the left wing, that he’d be twice as involved in doing so as any of our current midfielders and a lot more accurate at it too.
Holland’s problem isn’t their defence or midfield, their attackers are absolute pants. One of their wing backs is a centre half for heaven’s sake.
Oppositions simply couldn’t do a “Brentford” on us with someone like Frenkie in that midfield. We’d be a shit load better vs. City’s press also.

He’s not coming mind, that ship has long sailed but he’d be an incredible addition, ETH isn’t some absolute dummy who wants him so badly despite him being “meh”.
 
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feck me, how has anyone watched us and come to the conclusion that we wouldn’t be absolutely miles better if we had a midfielder as press resistant as Frenkie :lol:
Have people already forgotten half of our games this season with so many of our non press resistant players?
That pass map shows he’d constantly progress the ball to Bruno, Anthony and the left wing, that he’d be twice as involved in doing so as any of our current midfielders and a lot more accurate at it too.
Holland’s problem isn’t their defence or midfield, their attackers are absolute pants. One of their wing backs is a centre half for heaven’s sake.
Oppositions simply couldn’t do a “Brentford” on us with someone like Frenkie in that midfield. We’d be a shit load better vs. City’s press also.

He’s not coming mind, that ship has long sailed but he’d be an incredible addition, ETH isn’t some absolute dummy who wants him so badly despite him being “meh”.
Have you seen his performances in the CL v big teams? We don’t need what ifs, we’ve seen seen Barca being pressed off the pitch with De Jong in the side many times
 
Have you seen his performances in the CL v big teams? We don’t need what ifs, we’ve seen seen Barca being pressed off the pitch with De Jong in the side many times

Is there a single magical midfielder in the World that would’ve stopped that?

We’re building on more and more players that are better at it, Martinez & Antony are incredible good, De Jong would be a massive upgrade in another area of the pitch in that respect, clearly. It’s our weakest area by far, none of Fred, McTom, Eriksen or less importantly so Cas are very press resistant, it makes it much easier to put a squeeze on us.
 
Have you seen his performances in the CL v big teams? We don’t need what ifs, we’ve seen seen Barca being pressed off the pitch with De Jong in the side many times
I'll again say when it's time for him to step up and really leave a mark on the game and exasperate the opposition, he doesn't want that responsibility anymore and far too often goes down with the ship or fades into the background as a tidy, decorative piece who may have good stats, but barely any impact on the game and certainly not the influence he has shown he was capable of.

Part of what was/is supposed to make him special is being able to knit the midfield whilst driving forward with penetrative runs deep into opposition territory that disrupt their tactical plan and force them to come towards him and address the problem he is supposed to be. At which point, having left massive openings for others, laying the ball off whilst looking for the next optimal, penetrative option in the playing sequence; showing the drive and character to make the biggest impression he can. He doesn't. He's far too happy to fade into the background with inferior players, players who need him to show why and how much better he is than them.

Does this guy feel content being a coaster relative to his talent or does he actually want to leave an indelible mark on the game like his Ajax self did? I expect far more from him than has been seen lately because he's already displayed he can deliver to the level that made Barca fork out such an obscene contract for him at the time - a time when nobody really thought it outrageous given his performance level and supposed upward trajectory from that point onwards.

They've misused him and treated him poorly, but he also seems to have lost some of himself in the process, which knocks his value down from superstar, games changing player to a tidy one who can help a side, but doesn't want to determine anything anymore. That's tens of millions in difference.
 
100% bullet dodged in my book especially on the quoted prices and salary. Added into the fact that he prefers to sit on Barca bench and his wife loves living in Spain. Leave him alone and forget about him.

We can definitely do better and it will not be difficult for our scout to find someone else with the budget we are willing to spend 80mil and 400-500k p/w salary.
Yup
 
Nice player but I’m glad we got Casemiro who more fits the profile we need.

I said at the time Casemiro AND De Jong would be ideal although some suggested it would be one or the other as they both occupy the same spaces. I disagree. They’d be an excellent combination.
 
The fact that he's happy to stay at a club that treated him like shit, and even sit on the bench, says a lot about him and is more than enough of a red flag to stay well clear. We want more Martinez and Casemiro type characters, and less fair weather Lukaku, Pogba and de Jong types
 
I gotta say the more I watch Frenkie, the less I’m impressed with him. I know what he’s done in the past and I’d break the bank for that player, but he’s really crawled into shell the last year and a half or so. The ability is there, but he almost looks like a footballer who’s done with football.

I think this is it. He doesn't seem to be particularly interested in football and his performances reflect that. Goes in, does the minimum required of him, doesn't leave any impression on the game, and leaves. He seems to be perfectly fine sitting on the bench in Barcelona and cashing in his checks. I say let him. That's a massive bullet dodged in my books. People on this forum love hyping him up, though. VdB also looked a different player in that Ajax team.
 
100% bullet dodged in my book especially on the quoted prices and salary. Added into the fact that he prefers to sit on Barca bench and his wife loves living in Spain. Leave him alone and forget about him.

We can definitely do better and it will not be difficult for our scout to find someone else with the budget we are willing to spend 80mil and 400-500k p/w salary.
Crazy to think about when put this way.
 
Is there a single magical midfielder in the World that would’ve stopped that?

We’re building on more and more players that are better at it, Martinez & Antony are incredible good, De Jong would be a massive upgrade in another area of the pitch in that respect, clearly. It’s our weakest area by far, none of Fred, McTom, Eriksen or less importantly so Cas are very press resistant, it makes it much easier to put a squeeze on us.
Is there a single midfielder that could stand up to City?
This is a De Jong who has under performed for Barca by the way, it’s not even discussing a player at the elite level but someone who has flattered to deceive
 
He is just not that good. That Ajax SF team needs to be rejudged. Whatever quality they had really hasn't translated elsewhere.

Funnily enough Ziyech is one of Moroccos best players this tournament and they're doing very well for themselves so hold your horses
 
Is there a single midfielder that could stand up to City?

No, you need a team capable of it. Barca have been particularly weak at it in their back five with Pique and Busquests playing in many of their CL failures, age catches up to all.
But not having a single midfielder capable of doing what Frenkie can is certainly a massive weakness of ours.
We have a couple of fullbacks and one centre half who in particular is brilliant at it, but when a good press is really on us, our midfield is a monumental weakness.
 
A weird player that has a need for a certain manager. If he ever really wants to become top top class then he needs to move where ETH is. Has very unique skills for a midfielder and to be honest ETH is the only one who ever unlocked it. He won't make the move but unfortunately, for him, playing with Casa and ETH is the best choice for his career. Otherwise he'll be good to almost great at Barca.
 
I think the direct comparison with the majestic Enzo Fermandez shows he is able to do a good work overall, yet the end product and the influence on these games at the pinnacle level still seem a bit overrated?
 
I like him a lot. I think he is a really good player but since he doesn't want to join us, I think we should look elsewhere. No point forcing a player to come. The backslash from this fans and media on him when he doesn't put up world class performance from the start will be huge. I'm sure there are cheaper and younger options that we can tap into.
 
Worth a punt again with Barca in tatters?
They way ten hag begs on this guy like he's a mix of prime Zidane and Vieira is absurd and foolish. Its the equivalent Pep begging for City to get him Messi. He's a great player but do any of you think he's gonna make our forwards score more ? Its the Onana argument all over again. If his system really dependent on this guy then its a shit ass system. Also considering his transfer track record if ten hag asks me to buy an orange in one store I would check the whole city before deciding
 
FdJ would be terrible in this current United side. He would get overrun and caught in possesion.

We also should be going nowhere near players who don't 100% want to be here, these days should be over.

Casemiro
Mainoo
Eriksen / or Bruno

That is the midfield 3 we need to be playing.