It's one performance, at a level he was comfortable at, against a side that were ultimately proven to be very poor. Thus far there is nothing solid to suggest he'd be capable of playing that role at the level we require, much less doing it consistently.
Marouane Fellaini | 2013/14 Performances
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It seems as if Wilmots uses Fellaini in a similar manner to how Moyes used Fellaini. However, I was very surprised that he would sacrifice de Bruyne's work rate in the attacking areas for Fellaini to play higher up in the second half. de Bruyne was clearly knackered as the second half passed on, and Fellaini wasn't useful up ahead.
I understand why Wilmots plays him though. He likes to have aerial threats in the box, and Fellaini is perfect for that along with Lukaku.
I understand why Wilmots plays him though. He likes to have aerial threats in the box, and Fellaini is perfect for that along with Lukaku.
I disagree. It wasn't one performance though. If we're talking about this season for Everton - there were two others, against West Brom and Cardiff. And there are other performances in midfield prior to this season, some of which against top opposition. As for with us, his first half performance against Everton (H) - in a role I believe to be his best - gives me some hope.
Maybe he's too tall. At United perhaps more so than Everton you need to be quicker with the ball at your feet either due to pressing from opposition or the quicker pace of play that's expected and at which your team mates will be striving for. His height perhaps means it's difficult for him to get the ball and get it out from under his feet as fast as he needs to here.
Has he ever played center back in his career? Not thinking that he'd slot in there easily, just wondering.
Ideally, he'd be fourth choice next season, with Carrick third choice and new amazing player first and new kinda amazing player second.
Ideally, he'd be fourth choice next season, with Carrick third choice and new amazing player first and new kinda amazing player second.
Agreed.
I reckon if you ask the Everton fans on here about his performances in midfield prior to being moved forward, they'd probably consider them pretty mixed, or at least not particularly indicative of a player destined to play for a top club. He can play different roles to varying extents, but in terms of being as the level we require, I don't think he can play a single one well enough to be anything other than a squad player. And even at that I think that's more to do with where we are rather than being indicative of his quality.
I doubt it. He's far too slow - physically and mentally - too easy to beat, and far too much of a hazard in the box. Imagine the fouls he'd commit every single game.
Ideally, he won't be anywhere near the team.
Fourth choice striker it is then, if Hernandez is sold - oh no, Wilson.
4th choice midfielder
5th/6th choice striker
or LVG performs a miracle
or plays like Moyes's Everton
Fifth choice #10, too.
This is going great, I reckon we're up to maybe 10 games over the season for him.
He's a great centre-back in FIFA 14. That leads me to believe that he will also be great in real life.
His abilities clearly aren't up to par for a first team midfielder at the highest level. His skill set is better suited to a role where he doesn't need to think very much.
Had Fellaini never played behind the striker he wouldn't have been such a 'big' name clearly. He was largely mediocre in midfielder - at around the Mulumbu or Yacob level. Let's not pretend that he was incredible in midfield before moving further forward.
Well if saying that it's nothing more than a tidy performance that two dozen midfielders in the league could match, and another dozen could surpass in that same role in that same team in the same game is considered 'downplaying the performance' then yes.
A quick look at Everton's bench that day and there's your main answer to why he played - not a centre-midfielder listed. He was the best they had available, they didn't have McCarthy or Barry at that point, and Martinez was in the middle of telling the world that Fellaini wasn't coming to United. He wasn't going to call up a kid from the reserves.
Moyes used him behind the striker (the reasons for this are irrelevant) and he looked much more at home. Yes he's had some good performances in midfield in his time in England, but not as many or as impressive as the performances in second striker (and it is possible to be as impressive playing there).
His 'good' performances (such as the one versus Norwich) are so basic that so many players in the league could match it or do better.
People aren't saying he's one-dimensional. He can do other things, it's just that the other things he can do aren't noteworthy and aren't things that Fulham or Sunderland's midfielders can't do just as well.
He's not great at any one thing other than being a target man really. He's not a great tackler (Mulumbu and Yacob are better), he doesn't pass beyond the easy passes (even then he often needs a few touches or just slows the play down), his reading of the game is extremely poor for a defensive midfielder.
It's not that he can't be played in a proper midfield role (one that requires quick and secure passing, good reading, good tackling and just general quick thinking) it's that he wouldn't do a very good job consistently.
He's shown nothing to suggest he can do the business in any kind of tricky game.
Van Gaal may well get something out of him, but it'll almost certainly be in a role where the quick-thinking most top midfielders display is unnecessary.
The thinking part of football, the knowledge of where to stand and move to, who to pass to when given the options - those are things that no manager can teach a 26/27 year old. Any role that requires that, Fellaini will look below what other top clubs have. His best role in midfield will probably be replicating his number 10 "make your presence felt" role in a deeper position and putting himself about. Because the passing and tackling and shooting is nothing that you can't get from a Sunderland or West Ham midfielder.
We'll have to agree to disagree here. For me he's definitely not afraid to work hard. The problem is he hasn't a clue what to do half the time. His old role required little football brain. He basically challenged for everything, flicked it on, made a nuisance of himself, and occasionally chested it and passed it five yards. He's now deeper and required to think about the ball coming to him. He can't just flick it on like he could as a second striker, he actually has to keep possession. And the only way he can do that is by taking four slow touches half the time.
Off the ball he's often clueless, so he just jogs about trying not to overcommit or run about aimlessly.
He sometimes completely chooses not to bother, but most of the time it genuinely seems like he's just oblivious to what's going on. He's often behind the play. Part of defending well is being aware of where the pass could go and anticipating the opposition. Fellaini lacks that. He jogs about thinking (hoping) he's covering the space, but he has no clue.
He may well have been solely a midfielder before, but he's not even showing the midfield skill set or natural ability of Alex Song or Gareth Barry. Both of whom few would have welcomed here. He made his name as a second striker for a reason.
Having said all of this though, he's better than what he showed last season. And the midfielders he played beside were often as clueless as he was (for different reasons). In a team less disjointed and with him hopefully playing with less fear, as he did last year, he should look quite a bit better. But I still don't see the technique and awareness in him that a first-team midfielder would need here. And those things are usually developed pretty early on.
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@MoneyMay bringing out the one-two jab with the knockout right cross. Get in son.
Someone needs to educate him. There's only one King...
Nice to see him and Januzaj getting along well though. See them together in most training and matchday pictures as well. Reason enough to keep Fellaini
That's fair enough. I've not watched as much of Fellaini with Everton as some of the Everton fans here obviously, but I do think he can perform a good role for us. Marínez started him in three consecutive gams at the start of the season and he performed well in central midfield - at a level I expect him to replicate for us. I want to heavily criticise him, but I can't say that he's not good enough for us with certitude. Just watching over our games again last season, and it's clearly evident that he was lacking in confidence. We'll see next season if he can perform a good role for us or whether he's in need of congenial company.
Has a calf knock and probably won't play against the USA. That's a bit of a shame.
Fellaini starts
LALALALA TARGET MAN LALALA FURTHEST FORWARD MIDFIELDER LALALALALA PUNT BALLS TO HIM LALA KNOCKDOWN MERCHANT!!!
Is it just me or are Belgium just incredibly ordinary?
I like him. I don't know what it is about him, but I really want him to do well at the World Cup and do well for us next season.
That being said, if he was sold for 15 million in the morning I wouldn't shed a tear.
That being said, if he was sold for 15 million in the morning I wouldn't shed a tear.
If we got £5m for him we should snap their stupid hands off and run away laughing and pointing.
LALALALA TARGET MAN LALALA FURTHEST FORWARD MIDFIELDER LALALALALA PUNT BALLS TO HIM LALA KNOCKDOWN MERCHANT!!!
Are you implying that he's playing well today, or that he has played well during this World Cup? Even the commentators have picked up that he cant get up and down the field well.
The only reason I want him to do well in this WC is in the hope that it entices someone to bid for him.
Is it just me who has noticed that this guy doesn't attack the ball in the air? For his sheer size and strength he should create havoc but I've certainly noticed if the ball isn't in his "area" he will just stand still.
Am I?
I think he's a big reason why they are quite ordinary. A player better on the ball would offer more for a team with so much attacking talent - he doesn't offer enough all round the pitch and basically only comes alive in attack despite the fact he's quite ordinary at that.
No you aren't. He's patently shit
Benteke and Lukaku are injured and Origi is raw.
He's been penalized a couple of times already for literally nothing. I'd say that has a bit to do with it.
Fellaini looks totally lost in the role he's playing. Doesn't know if to twist or stick. When to run forward, when to track opposition midfielders. The US are finding it relatively easy to get bodies forward down the middle when they counter. If the US' final ball was better...
...All in all this has been a bad night at the office for Fellaini. Needs a high ball to header in so everyone forgets how rubbish he's been tonight, and in this World Cup.
Totally out of his depth at the highest level.
...All in all this has been a bad night at the office for Fellaini. Needs a high ball to header in so everyone forgets how rubbish he's been tonight, and in this World Cup.
Totally out of his depth at the highest level.
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It's the first half not second half of extra time. His fitness has nothing to do with it. He's playing the same as he did for us last season.
LVG will probably be watching this...hope so, coz on this showing he'll hopefully sell him..
He's carrying a calf injury and hasn't trained much..
27.5 million? Bloody hell we were shafted....
He hasn't trained much in the last day.
Are you his agent or something? Do you see any difference between his current performance and his performances for us?
Now now. Don't say that or his agent goldenstatesplash will be calling you spoilt.
he's not done much really - I dont know how his stats are for pass completion, touches etc
still interesting to see how Belgium utilise him in quite a free midfield role - clearly not a target man as some suggest.
Witsel sits as the main DM with Fellaini and De Bryne in front of him making a midfield 3
still interesting to see how Belgium utilise him in quite a free midfield role - clearly not a target man as some suggest.
Witsel sits as the main DM with Fellaini and De Bryne in front of him making a midfield 3
He's "good" at heading the ball when it requires no brain. When it's in the air and any contact is job done (in his second striker role) he's fine. In fact he's very useful.
But when the ball is dropping in the centre of the pitch, and he needs to use his brain to actually time his jump and direct his header, he's pretty clueless. He actually jumped straight past the ball a handful of times last season.
Same with his strength. He's "strong" when it comes to shield an aerial ball in the final third - when there are people close by for him to put his weight onto.
But with the ball at his foot he's weak as anything.
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Hence, y'know underdone?
Not really, it's the same role he always plays for Belgium. Up when up, back when back. Like I said, carrying an injury and playing a more free role without emphasis on attack or defense. Witsel is a much better defender than anything we had on our books last season.
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