Herrera at Holding

Our best team performance so far has been against Bournemouth and Herrera playing in front of the defence was a big part of that.

I feel Fellaini's performances this season have been overrated and pairing him with Pogba is only marginally less dysfunctional than Rooney and Ibrahimovic up front.
 
TFM holding, Herrera controlling #8, Pogba box to box #8. :drool:
 
Basically Herrera actually tracks his runner which Fellaini struggles with and Pogba doesn't even bother to do. Doesn't make him a great defensive mid but it does make him a necessity against any half decent midfield.

I'm guessing Schneiderlin could also fill that role in protecting the defence but Herrera is a better all round player IMO so when he looks up for it like that he has to start.
 
The only player who needs to be dropped is Rooney.

Play Carrick as DM with Herrera and Pogba in midfield and you have a solid lineup.
 
settembrini said:
Our best team performance so far has been against Bournemouth and Herrera playing in front of the defence was a big part of that.

I feel Fellaini's performances this season have been overrated and pairing him with Pogba is only marginally less dysfunctional than Rooney and Ibrahimovic up front.
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Even having Herrera next to Pogba would help us so much.
 
No. His positioning can be improved with experience in that role, but his long passing isn't close to being good enough. I hope he becomes regular for us but IMO Mourinho is trying to develop him into more complete midfielder by playing him there.
 
Based on what I'm seeing of him so far this season, he really should be starting.
 
snk123 said:
The only player who needs to be dropped is Rooney.

Play Carrick as DM with Herrera and Pogba in midfield and you have a solid lineup.
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This is the one. In fact Carrick is the only holding player we have.

I like Schneiderlin but to get the best out of him (like at Southampton) you have to play him with a holding player and let him be a box to box energetic player breaking up play.

Fellaini and Pogba definitely are not holding players and I don't even think either are great box to box players, they are just central to attacking midfielders. We can play them against weaker teams but together against top teams we lack the defensive player.

Perhaps Herrera can grow into the role as he showed yesterday but in the future I would be inclined to go with the following against top teams:
Carrick and Schneiderlin /Fellaini
Pogba

Ang against other teams
Carrick
Herrera and Pogba

I definitely think to get best out of Pogba we need 3 in midfield now though. You can't spend that money on a player then play him in a way where the game just bypasses him like yesterday.
 
Schneiderlin holding, him and Pogba ahead of him is worth a go.

Long term we do need something more in that DM spot though.
 
The holding player should be someone who never ever leaves his position. Schneiderlin/Carrick is that player. Ander doesn't have that sort of discipline. But he should definitely be a first-teamer after yesterday's horror showing for our middle.

Schneiderlin/Carrick/Fellaini(?) at #6 with Herrera at #8. Play Pogba further up ahead. In some games Mata/Mkhi can play behind the primary forward but Pogba's best when he's attacking. To balance out Pogba's leniency in defence, you've got to have Herrera there as an extra man.

One thing Herrera does better than Fellaini and Pogba imo is that he MARKS opponents better. He can be brainless and leave his position but he follows an opponent he's assigned to. After he was brought on Silva's and KdB's influence became less
 
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Borys said:
No. His positioning can be improved with experience in that role, but his long passing isn't close to being good enough. I hope he becomes regular for us but IMO Mourinho is trying to develop him into more complete midfielder by playing him there.
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Zoo said:
Ander Herrera has revealed to MUTV that a conversation with new Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho led to his deeper position in central midfield, with both agreeing he could be an “important player” this season.

More: http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...ith-Jose-Mourinho-about-his-new-position.aspx
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Herrera feels this is his new position so we should understand this is where he plays from now on. Also his passing is fine. Look at Kante.
 
Emdad Ahmed said:
The holding player should be someone who never ever leaves his position. Schneiderlin/Carrick is that player. Ander doesn't have that sort of discipline. But he should definitely be a first-teamer after yesterday's horror showing for our middle.

Schneiderlin/Carrick/Fellaini(?) at #6 with Herrera at #8. Play Pogba further up ahead. In some games Mata/Mkhi can play behind the primary forward but Pogba's best when he's attacking. To balance out Pogba's leniency in defence, you've got to have Herrera there as an extra man.

One thing Herrera does better than Fellaini and Pogba imo is that he MARKS opponents better. He can be brainless and leave his position but he follows an opponent he's assigned to. After he was brought on Silva's and KdB's influence became less
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Schneiderlin has no confidence and Carrick gives no energy to the team. Herrera gave a MOTM performance against Bournmouth in the DM position and was our best player against City. His tenacity helps up the tempo of the whole team and Schneidelrin/Carrick lack that.
 
I like him there. He has quick thinking and reactions and can start a counter attack from deep. Fellaini has been good but can`t do this.
 
He has a bad game, his previous two were phenomenal, He is more than capable of playing holding, I'ts a question of his consistency which is the problem.
I've seen Herrera play a blinding game, and put in a dismal performance the next (albeit different manager/positions etc). Herrera from what I've seen is not consistent either.
 
Not holding but as a box to box midfielder next to Pogba with a one defensive midfielder in behind them in a 4-3-3. We all know it makes sense but Mourinho has an obsession with 4-2-3-1 it seems.
 
Why don't we recreate the Drinkwater-Kante combo with Pogba-Herrera. It can work, just needs to happen, and we won't have to change the formation.
 
Im not a fan of herrera and usually think he is more of a hinderance. Having said that, it was refreshing seeing him holding against City and for me, he did a great jib allowing fellaini and pogba to push on their centre halves.

If this pushed rooney out then fair enough, we need the most productive 11 and those 3 really struck up angood understanding
 
Thought Fellaini was very good yesterday, he seems to get a foot on the ball in a tackle every bloody time. I'd play him ahead of Herrera for now if we're sticking with 2 in the midfield.

Ideally though I'd play Herrera Fellaini and Pogba in a midfield 3 with Ibra Rashford and Martial or somet upfront.
 
Jacky Quacky said:
Schneiderlin has no confidence and Carrick gives no energy to the team. Herrera gave a MOTM performance against Bournmouth in the DM position and was our best player against City. His tenacity helps up the tempo of the whole team and Schneidelrin/Carrick lack that.
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Bournemouth players didn't have a go at our midfield players. I am certain that won't be the case when we play Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and other teams that press the midfield more effectively.

In those games we need both Herrera's tenacity and a support player behind him and Pogba to provide a second line of defense. We didn't have that second foil against City even after Ander came on. They had a few bum-twitching counters.
 
Emdad Ahmed said:
Bournemouth players didn't have a go at our midfield players. I am certain that won't be the case when we play Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and other teams that press the midfield more effectively.

In those games we need both Herrera's tenacity and a support player behind him and Pogba to provide a second line of defense. We didn't have that second foil against City even after Ander came on. They had a few bum-twitching counters.
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City had a few bum twitching counters as well but they won the game. They have Silva, De Bruyne and Fernandinho in midfield. The weakest midfield in the league (in terms of strength) but overpowered Fellaini shown bu the two goals and the immense pressure they put on us, however they didn't overpower Herrera.
 
Herrera can't be a proper holding MF player, it has to be either Schneiderlin/Carrick with Pogba & Herrera/Fellaini depends on whom we play.

------------------Carrick/Schneiderlin----------------
---------Herrera/Fellani-----------Pogba-------------

Either we need to drop Rooney or move him wide.
 
Mani said:
Herrera can't be a proper holding MF player, it has to be either Schneiderlin/Carrick with Pogba & Herrera/Fellaini depends on whom we play.

------------------Carrick/Schneiderlin----------------
---------Herrera/Fellani-----------Pogba-------------

Either we need to drop Rooney or move him wide.
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Why can't he though? He's proved he can play there in every game he's played there.
 
welshwingwizard said:
This is the one. In fact Carrick is the only holding player we have.

I like Schneiderlin but to get the best out of him (like at Southampton) you have to play him with a holding player and let him be a box to box energetic player breaking up play.

Fellaini and Pogba definitely are not holding players and I don't even think either are great box to box players, they are just central to attacking midfielders. We can play them against weaker teams but together against top teams we lack the defensive player.

Perhaps Herrera can grow into the role as he showed yesterday but in the future I would be inclined to go with the following against top teams:
Carrick and Schneiderlin /Fellaini
Pogba

Ang against other teams
Carrick
Herrera and Pogba

I definitely think to get best out of Pogba we need 3 in midfield now though. You can't spend that money on a player then play him in a way where the game just bypasses him like yesterday.
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Blind?

I'd still go Schneiderlin, but if the passing thing is an issue as people have said, Blind is definitely an option. He looked really good when he played there when he first arrived.
 
Jacky Quacky said:
City had a few bum twitching counters as well but they won the game. They have Silva, De Bruyne and Fernandinho in midfield. The weakest midfield in the league (in terms of strength) but overpowered Fellaini shown bu the two goals and the immense pressure they put on us, however they didn't overpower Herrera.
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Very true. What I am saying is in order for us to not get overpowered in the future, we need more intense players like Herrera in the midfield
 
Mani said:
Because he tend to move out of position more than often and we never played him much there.
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He doesn't really. Never did against Chelsea, same for Bournmouth and same for today. Kante moves out of his position a lot aswell to help progress the attacks.
 
The deeper role is not his ideal position, but against top teams he should be there to break up play when Pogba and Fellaini inevitably get caught too far forward.

Blind is normally quite good at this from the CB spot, but against a side that can really have a go at us it's not enough. It doesn't have to be a perfect DM in our current setup, just a hard worker. It has to be Ander or Morgan out of the current bunch. Hopefully it'll be TFM in the future.
 
It's not his best position and though he's quick he's not a great tackler, isn't particularly strong and is rash at times, diving in.....

At the same time he is probably our most mobile midfielder to play that role if we want Pogba playing box to box

Personally I'd love to see Fosu-Mensah get a shot there...Quick, strong, a good tackler.... I think he's got the skills to do it
 
I think the OP was watching a different match to me. Fellaini was everywhere yesterday, a MoM performance from a United perspective. Herrera did well when he came on as well, nice passing and great composure, but Fellaini is undropable based on performances like yesterday.
 
Herrera will be sold within 3 years if he has any ambition.
 
I think any of the front 6 combinations can be successful, as long as rooney isn't in any of them. That's how much of a hindrance he is to the team
 
Vito Corleone said:
TFM holding, Herrera controlling #8, Pogba box to box #8. :drool:
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This is the lineup we need for the tough opponents, except Pogba should be an advanced playmaker pushing forward in the midfield of 3. This would make so much sense; it hurts me when a manager of Jose's level won't try out this excellent combination of skillsets.

TFM would have canceled out KDB, while Herrera could have kept up with Silva where Fellaini couldn't. Pogba has no interest defending so play him higher up and shove Rooney to the right so he can swing in crosses for Pogba, Martial, & Zlatan.
 
I may have dreamt it, but didnt herrera say himself recently that he prefers the holding role? Anyway, we need more mobility in there. I'd like to see TFM given a shot in midfield in a Kante type role. If not then it may be time to give Herrera or Schneiderlin a shot.
 
We will get away with a 4-2-3-1 against the smaller teams, especially at home, with Blind in defense. For the tougher games, go a 4-3-3 and maybe use Herrera/Carrick/Blind as the anchor in MF. Might have to drop Rooney to give us speed in the flanks.

With the 4-3-3, we have three midfielders protecting the back four and the two wingers also drop back.
 
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I would say Blind. Mourinho was always going to put Smalling back in at the first opportunity, so I don't see why Blind couldn't play that role. We have more than enough height in the team to stop relying on Fellaini. It made sense at times last year, but with the addition of Bailly, Ibra and Pogba it shouldn't be a factor.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Blind always played as one of two midfielders in his first season here. As part of a three his lack of pace shouldn't be so much of an issue and he will certainly be able to read the game and distribute the ball better than Fellaini.
 
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