[Oddboy]

Proving to be fairly effective this season, though not for the reasons that we would like. Regardless of how our team has lined up, we do seem to be playing a fair amount of speculative long balls, which plays straight into Fellaini's hands (chest?). He's not the sort of player to be involved in intricate build up or clever one-twos, and his speed of thought is pretty slow relative to top class midfielders. I'm not sure if that is to do with his size, but he does look clumsy. First touch and passing are not his strengths, and when he plays a deeper role he gets caught out of position a fair bit. Can be decent at defending higher up the pitch though, where his strong tackles are less likely to result in a dangerous free kick, and is actually capable of winning the ball back in dangerous areas.

The funny thing is that Moyes couldn't play him in this advanced position despite it being his best, because he was scared of the press saying that he's turned United into a long ball team. LvG is using him in the only position which really suits him and he looks a better player for it. The problem is that his best position is as an advanced midfielder/sort-of-no. 10, which is exactly where we are overstocked at present. Is a great player at what he does, but is a bit one dimensional to fit in our vision for the future. Who'd have thought at the start of this season we'd see so many posters clamouring to get him in the starting lineup. It's actually hilarious. Fwiw I think that we're going to need him to grind out some ugly results and get ugly points to reach top 4.

 

[kouroux]

Fellaini is better when the ball is played at his feet than when we are bombarding him with long balls.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

How's this going for you? You seem to be sticking with it from what Ive seen.

How's it going? Not great! Still, I've set out to take a long term view and I'm going to stick with it for as long as I can. The fact we've only lost 1 in 17 is a big deal. Becoming hard to beat is a great first step in building any decent team and he's achieved that much already, which is a big improvement on last season. Some of the team selections he makes are really hard to understand but Fergie made loads of strange decisions in his time in charge too. By contrast, Moyes was far more likely than either Fergie or Van Gaal to pick a team that 90% of redcafe would agree with and that didn't end well at all.

 

[Escobar]

Why? He is positionally shite in CM, can't dribble, can't pass and is a liability in the tackle. What possible qualities does he have to play centre mid based on the above?

He's not my preferred midfielder either but I just dont see him playing upfront

 

[ZDwyr]

How's it going? Not great! Still, I've set out to take a long term view and I'm going to stick with it for as long as I can. The fact we've only lost 1 in 17 is a big deal. Becoming hard to beat is a great first step in building any decent team and he's achieved that much already, which is a big improvement on last season. Some of the team selections he makes are really hard to understand but Fergie made loads of strange decisions in his time in charge too. By contrast, Moyes was far more likely than either Fergie or Van Gaal to pick a team that 90% of redcafe would agree with and that didn't end well at all.

Not how people on here felt last season. For what it's worth I agree though.

 

[beergod]

This should be our team:

DDG
Valencia (ergh) - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Blind
Fellaini - Herrera
Mata - Di Maria
Rooney/RVP/Falcao (in that order)​

Blind - Fellaini - Herrera should be the base we build around for the rest of the season. Sadly, I doubt we will ever see it happen on a regular basis.

 

[Shark]

Not how people on here felt last season. For what it's worth I agree though.

We weren't hard to beat last season at all. One things that's been a refreshing improvement is how we've made Old Trafford a bit of a fortress again.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

Is it okay to say he's a good player yet?

 

[Winrar]

Not how people on here felt last season. For what it's worth I agree though.

We were champions at the time, so we should've been well past that stage.

Instead we messed up our transition from the Ferguson Era, so we have to work our way up again.

 

[Hojoon]

Not how people on here felt last season. For what it's worth I agree though.

We actually weren't that hard to beat though, and I don't remember us losing only 1 out of 17, or anything close to that. Plus, Moyes took over a squad that finished as champions. Van Gaal took over a squad that finished seventh.

 

[Litch]

Better with him in the team than out of it. Results prove that.

 

[louvega]

Better with him in the team than out of it. Results prove that.

I have to agree. The best run of 6 wins (Palace, Arsenal, Hull, Stoke, Southampton, Liverpool) came when he was playing 90 minutes. Even a Chelsea draw and the City game that was very close until Smalling got red carded.

 

[drdoityourself]

I'm happy the guy has turned it around. I haven't been his biggest fan but the loud, ironic cheer he got everytime he touched the ball in our friendly at Old Trafford at the start of the season was shameful. When he plays, there actually is some aggression on the pitch and we create a couple of chances (which is a couple more then usual).

 

[Cassidy]

I have to agree. The best run of 6 wins (Palace, Arsenal, Hull, Stoke, Southampton, Liverpool) came when he was playing 90 minutes. Even a Chelsea draw and the City game that was very close until Smalling got red carded.

Indeed, funny how people tried to attribute that all to Carrick

 

[Escobar]

I have to agree. The best run of 6 wins (Palace, Arsenal, Hull, Stoke, Southampton, Liverpool) came when he was playing 90 minutes. Even a Chelsea draw and the City game that was very close until Smalling got red carded.

He played in midfield IIRC and that is where he should play only imo

 

[Distracted Steward]

Fellaini is better when the ball is played at his feet than when we are bombarding him with long balls.

Yep.

 

[JPRouve]

Is it okay to say he's a good player yet?

I have been selfishly harsh on him, but he is a good player and always have been.

 

[Stack]

Fellaini is better when the ball is played at his feet than when we are bombarding him with long balls.

Thank god someone else thinks this. I do think some simply see a big man and go with the cliched assumption.

 

[RoyoftheRavers]

Considering we don't seem to have a plan A at the moment (if we do, I have no idea what it is), Fellaini continues to provide the "best" plan B option.

 

[AngeloHenriquez]

Considering we don't seem to have a plan A at the moment (if we do, I have no idea what it is), Fellaini continues to provide the "best" plan B option.

I agree with you, but where do you play him in the XI for a starting role? When he comes on, he plays almost behind the strikers, so that would be the tip of the diamond..

 

[Chaky_Best]

I think that Van Gaal’s B plan should be tactical changes rather than player changes. Switching from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2, or 3-5-2….

But I really do like what Fellaini became to us. He’s very important for our game. When he started all those games in November/December, he was study, precise and was always a proper player. Now he’s benched sometimes, he proves that he can be trusted and changes things when he plays

I remember that in desperate moments, we had Stevie Bruce upfront, or more glamourous, Sheringham, and we had long balls, so I can’t see what’s really wrong with playing our B plan in this kind of games…

The mistake was not playing Fellaini from the start against West Ham

 

[RoyoftheRavers]

I agree with you, but where do you play him in the XI for a starting role? When he comes on, he plays almost behind the strikers, so that would be the tip of the diamond..

I think playing behind either one or two strikers is where his strengths are best utilised. To be honest, I wouldn't like to see him starting as the default option, but we are so devoid of ideas that there is merit in playing him.

 

[rooney1905]

Agreed. Against a physical side like West Ham he should have started.

 

[mu77]

Agreed. Against a physical side like West Ham he should have started.

agreed , but we were the aggressors in that match. stoke , west ham , everton. but how about him in when facing a team like le arse where he can be aggressive v a team that doesn't like the elbows etc. i think they'd hate playing against him. good option off the bench.

 

[#07]

More effective than most against West Ham, still can't get a game. Big names not big performances are what count at United these days clearly.

 

[Walrus]

More effective than most against West Ham, still can't get a game. Big names not big performances are what count at United these days clearly.

It is starting to look that way. Honestly I am borderline disgusted that RVP and Falcao are both starting again after such a bad performance last weekend.

 

[Kazi]

Don't get why he's not starting tbh. Probably been our best outfield player this season.

 

[bosnian_red]

I've never been a huge fan of his but hell, he should be starting ahead of RvP or Falcao for sure. Still wouldn't be in my first choice 11 ahead of Mata or Herrera but he should be ahead of those strikers we have up front

 

[Boycott]

Don't play RVP & Falcao if you aren't going to play the creative midfielders to supply them.

Looks life another borefest is ahead and Van Gaal will bring on "Mario Fullarney" to save the day.

 

[saivet]

I thought he was going start in place of Adnan today

 

[Kostur]

I thought he was going start in place of Adnan today

Don't think he ever was to be fair, looking at LVG's recent comments about Herrera he sees Rooney, Mata, ADM as his opponents and not Fellaini. No idea what to make out of it though.

 

[saivet]

Don't think he ever was to be fair, looking at LVG's recent comments about Herrera he sees Rooney, Mata, ADM as his opponents and not Fellaini. No idea what to make out of it though.

I'm not sure why I thought that but he's played Fellaini in midfield before, so I'm finding it a bit odd why he's all of sudden seems to class Fellaini as a striker. All a bit strange.

 

[sizzling sausages]

I'm not sure why I thought that but he's played Fellaini in midfield before, so I'm finding it a bit odd why he's all of sudden seems to class Fellaini as a striker. All a bit strange.

Fellaini did a good job in midfield too which makes it all the more strange.

 

[Sam]

He's better upfront then Falcao and RVP

No, seriously.

 

[sullydnl]

This guy.

 

[jeff_goldblum]

Like Herrera he's not had the best all-round game today but has come up with the goods. Made up for both of them.

 

[Red Shorts]

I feel happy to be one of the few who stuck by him through last season. He wasn't good at all, but knew he had a part to play. Hope that's the winner.

 

[Woodenlung]

He's an enigma.

Was pure shite tonight. Couldn't pass, fouled everything and was generally crap. Yet he makes things happen in the box.

 

[sizzling sausages]

He's been crucial for us at times this season.

 

[iammemphis]

Strangest feeling just happened, just felt abit of Love for Fellaini He's actually looking like a value for money signing if he keeps on putting in performances and scoring goals. Fairplay to him. Future key player?