Couldn't agree more and have thought this myself. That in itself tells me it was too big for Moyes.
Well done to Fellaini, an asset if used correctly.
27
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 31
- Goals
- 7
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 7
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
Couldn't agree more and have thought this myself. That in itself tells me it was too big for Moyes.
Well done to Fellaini, an asset if used correctly.
Doing a great job for the team, we've struggled to move the ball out of defence quickly. When you have 4-5 players pressing our key players Blind/Carrick/Herrera, Fellaini provides a great option of a long pass. Still lacks the mobility or raw ability to consistently impress in that position but I can have no complaints for now.
Beautifully taken goal today, didn't think he had that finish in him.
Beautifully taken goal today, didn't think he had that finish in him.
Excellent peformance. Bullied the Spurs players at times and his finish, which really set our win in motion, was top notch.
So much more useful/threatening in the final third when we're not just pumping it up to his head.
It makes a huge difference if we have several options and playing high to Fellaini is one of many instead of hoofing it towards him is the only one. You could see today that because Spurs didn't know what we would do next, Fellaini had all the time once he got the ball
Love the way he goes mental when he scores, he probably knocked out a few in the attendance with that right uppercut of his. He really is an asset when he's used correctly, he even looked fecking quick during the run leading up to the goal.
In pre-season, when he came on, every one of his successful touches were ironically cheered. By the home crowd. Now, a little over half a season later, he played a huge part in winning what was essentially a must-win game in the race for fourth (or better).
Say what you want about him, but the story speaks favorably of his character. Also, there a fine margins between heroes and losers in football.
Say what you want about him, but the story speaks favorably of his character. Also, there a fine margins between heroes and losers in football.
His finish really got us going today, great goal, fair play to him.
His first good game in a while, but I hate when he is receiving very good pass into his feet from our midfielders and he just stands there waiting the ball to reach him and opposition press him and we lose the ball in very dangerous situation which usually results in counter attack at least two or three times per game. The type of mistake like the one when we conceeded second goal against Swansea when they nicked the ball and Shelvey scored.
Love his celebration!
Really good performance. I gave Carrick MoTM but Fellaini was a close 2nd. Dropped away a bit in the 2nd half but the match was already won by then. Really good finish on his left foot for the goal. Proved what I have been saying all along, he is more than just a tall player we can hoof the ball too. He is more than capable of playing with his feet. His runs in behind were very pleasing.
Imagine if he scored the winner against Liverpool? God status.
I am begrudgingly starting to be convinced that perhaps he and Mata being platooned as the 10, depending on the opposition, would not be the end of the world. If we spend the entire summer budget on making De Gea the highest paid keeper ever, signing Bale, getting a rightback to cover Rafael and a massively expensive CB like Godin or Hummels this would minimize disruption in the squad.
-----Rooney-------- (RVP, Wilson)
DiMaria-------Bale (Nani, Young, Januzaj)
------Mata---------- (Fellaini)
--Carrick-Herrera- (Blind)
Shaw-------Rafael (Fullback, Blind)
-Godin-Smalling- (Rojo, Jones)
------De Gea------ (Valdes)
-----Rooney-------- (RVP, Wilson)
DiMaria-------Bale (Nani, Young, Januzaj)
------Mata---------- (Fellaini)
--Carrick-Herrera- (Blind)
Shaw-------Rafael (Fullback, Blind)
-Godin-Smalling- (Rojo, Jones)
------De Gea------ (Valdes)
Goal and an assist, lovely taken finish; complete contrast to when he bottled it in the Arsenal game which shows great character and confidence.
Calling it now, he's going to do something massive for us in the Dippers game.
Calling it now, he's going to do something massive for us in the Dippers game.
Yeah he was magnificent.
Using his strength in the final 3rd isn't a bad option if you aren't constantly trying to hoof the ball to his head.
We've fallen into that trap a few times this season.
Using his strength in the final 3rd isn't a bad option if you aren't constantly trying to hoof the ball to his head.
We've fallen into that trap a few times this season.
The ovation when he left the field was one of those moments that you would not have believed would ever happen less than one year ago.
From the Beeb:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31901145
I agree with that analysis for the most part. The key part that I want to reiterate (and have said a multitude of times already this season) is that United have always played direct football. As Phil says though, direct football =/= hoofball. We are at our best when we are moving the ball around the pitch at speed, swinging in crosses and attacking from both wide and central positions. Fellaini is fast becoming key to that strategy in the way he plays, and today was a very good example of this.
Not once have I watched us this season and felt we were playing hoofball to Fellaini (except as a short term measure when chasing a game, for example) - we have used his presence to vary our attacking options and when it all comes together as it did today, it produces some excellent football.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31901145
Phil Neville: How Marouane Fellaini became key for Man Utd
There were lots of positives for Manchester United to take away from their impressive win over Tottenhambut the most pleasing thing for me was to see Marouane Fellaini get a standing ovation when he came off near the end.
It was something he fully deserved, the same as it had been for Juan Mata a few minutes earlier.
I was at United as a coach when both players were signed and neither of them have had an easy time of it at Old Trafford.
Last season, Fellaini was probably getting ridiculed a lot of the time. People were saying that he is not a United player.
The way he has come back from that has been fantastic.
Marouane Fellaini's goal against Spurs was his fifth of the season
At the start of this season he was out for two months with an ankle ligament injury and had to fight to get into the team.
Not only has he done that, along with Ashley Young he has been United's most improved player over the last few months, and also one of their most consistent performers.
'Fellaini needs the freedom to get forward'
Fellaini has won people over by being brave about the stick he was getting and never going missing in games, even at times when things were not working for him.
You also have to give United manager Louis van Gaal a lot of credit. He has not been afraid of playing to Fellaini's strengths, despite being criticised for doing so, and I think he has come up trumps.
Fellaini operated on the left against Spurs and ran on to Michael Carrick's pass to score
Whenever I have seen United play this season, Fellaini has had an effect on the game - for example when he came on against West Ham and helped rescue a point.
I do not see a problem with getting the best out of him, and this is something I argue about a lot with United fans.
United have always played direct football, and that does not mean long ball. It means passes forward and runs forward.
Part of playing that way is putting lots of crosses in and then you need somebody in the box to get on the end of them. Fellaini is probably as good as anyone at doing that.
He is developing a really good partnership with Wayne Rooney and probably the only thing that has been missing from his game recently has been goals - for me he has not scored enough this season.
Fellaini put that right against Spurs, and United saw the benefits of playing him in a position that suits him - he needs to have that freedom to get forward and get on the far post.
Marouane Fellaini's touches vs Tottenham
He is at his best in a midfield three with a licence to get from box to box, like he does when he plays for Belgium.
Part of that role involves defensive work, and he did that really well on Sunday, when he mainly operated down the left channel.
He dropped in on Ryan Mason when Spurs had possession but, when United had the ball, he sprang away from Mason really well to find space himself.
There were lots of positives for Manchester United to take away from their impressive win over Tottenhambut the most pleasing thing for me was to see Marouane Fellaini get a standing ovation when he came off near the end.
It was something he fully deserved, the same as it had been for Juan Mata a few minutes earlier.
I was at United as a coach when both players were signed and neither of them have had an easy time of it at Old Trafford.
Last season, Fellaini was probably getting ridiculed a lot of the time. People were saying that he is not a United player.
The way he has come back from that has been fantastic.
Marouane Fellaini's goal against Spurs was his fifth of the season
At the start of this season he was out for two months with an ankle ligament injury and had to fight to get into the team.
Not only has he done that, along with Ashley Young he has been United's most improved player over the last few months, and also one of their most consistent performers.
'Fellaini needs the freedom to get forward'
Fellaini has won people over by being brave about the stick he was getting and never going missing in games, even at times when things were not working for him.
You also have to give United manager Louis van Gaal a lot of credit. He has not been afraid of playing to Fellaini's strengths, despite being criticised for doing so, and I think he has come up trumps.
Fellaini operated on the left against Spurs and ran on to Michael Carrick's pass to score
Whenever I have seen United play this season, Fellaini has had an effect on the game - for example when he came on against West Ham and helped rescue a point.
I do not see a problem with getting the best out of him, and this is something I argue about a lot with United fans.
United have always played direct football, and that does not mean long ball. It means passes forward and runs forward.
Part of playing that way is putting lots of crosses in and then you need somebody in the box to get on the end of them. Fellaini is probably as good as anyone at doing that.
He is developing a really good partnership with Wayne Rooney and probably the only thing that has been missing from his game recently has been goals - for me he has not scored enough this season.
Fellaini put that right against Spurs, and United saw the benefits of playing him in a position that suits him - he needs to have that freedom to get forward and get on the far post.
Marouane Fellaini's touches vs Tottenham
He is at his best in a midfield three with a licence to get from box to box, like he does when he plays for Belgium.
Part of that role involves defensive work, and he did that really well on Sunday, when he mainly operated down the left channel.
He dropped in on Ryan Mason when Spurs had possession but, when United had the ball, he sprang away from Mason really well to find space himself.
I agree with that analysis for the most part. The key part that I want to reiterate (and have said a multitude of times already this season) is that United have always played direct football. As Phil says though, direct football =/= hoofball. We are at our best when we are moving the ball around the pitch at speed, swinging in crosses and attacking from both wide and central positions. Fellaini is fast becoming key to that strategy in the way he plays, and today was a very good example of this.
Not once have I watched us this season and felt we were playing hoofball to Fellaini (except as a short term measure when chasing a game, for example) - we have used his presence to vary our attacking options and when it all comes together as it did today, it produces some excellent football.
Again, all credit to him. I put my hands up, I wrote his United career off in the summer but he has done very well. Would love to see him elbow a goal in from an offside position in front of the kop.
I disagree. I don't think Moyes wanted to play him as the most advanced midfielder. At the time, we had Rooney, Kagawa and Mata, who I doubt he would have bought if he had any intentions of playing Fellaini further forward.
From the players we went in for, it was clear Moyes wanted a defensive midfielder and a ball playing midfielder, hence the bids for Khedira/Fellaini and Herrera/Fabregas.
Afro-man at his very best. We need him to continue his bullying against liverpool. I was amazed at the space he created in dangerous position and was heading, chesting and controlling those long balls with utmost ease. With Mata able to play on the left, he can really make no.10 his position. Has scored 5 goals and would love to add more by the end of the season. Would love to see him climbing on top of Skrtel to head one pass Mignolet at the Kop end! Common Fellaini!!
what a finish.
hope we can use him to great effect for the liverpool game.
hope we can use him to great effect for the liverpool game.
Was he teaching Rooney how to box the right way
Just imagine the hurt from Liverpool fans if Fellaini scored. RAWK would shut down.
Loved his celebration and overall passion he has been showing last few months.
That ball Rooney played into his chest - wish he volleyed it. 
The goal was a very nice finish, with his "weaker" foot. Something that gets overlooked a lot when Fellaini is discussed is that he's extremely comfortable on either foot. Almost as ambidextrous as Carrick. Which is a great attribute for any CM yet nowhere near as common as you'd think.
Deserved standing ovation for him yesterday.
First really good game in a while from him. He didn't constantly foul ppl for once, wasn't using elbows and was actually good with the ball at his feet.
First really good game in a while from him. He didn't constantly foul ppl for once, wasn't using elbows and was actually good with the ball at his feet.
What excites me now about Fellaini is he can be a useful weapon in europe next season whether it be euro league or proper europe. His aerial threat will give us the edge in quite a few games
These two, definitely. I was very impressed by how calm he was for the finish. I'm actually really excited about seeing him play these days - which is quite incredible when we think about last season.
For me, Fellaini looks just a bit sharper and more mobile than he used to. He's given a very decent overall performance this year and deserves his place in the starting eleven. Looked tired towards his substitution and probably went off at the right time. I think he must have turned a few heads this season that gave him the stick a year ago.
I know people dislike the idea of us playing long ball, but if we were to face a tiki-taka side tomorrow, Fellaini would be my first name on the teamsheet. There are few players in the world better at doing what he does and it would be silly to ignore that. He'd be the perfect player to knit together a counter-attacking system.
Drogba did it a couple of times against Barca in their prime. Fellaini could do it for us.
Drogba did it a couple of times against Barca in their prime. Fellaini could do it for us.
My big concern about afro-man in Europe is falling foul of fussy referees. He's such a big, awkward looking fella he's always going to be under scrutiny and does seem to keep getting booked for fouls that a smaller player might get away with.
Thought he was outstanding yesterday, by far and away his best performance so far in his United career for me.
He was pretty much unplayable for that first 45 minutes.
He was pretty much unplayable for that first 45 minutes.
Yea it's annoying as feck that fouls are called against him even when he's visibly not fouling, players know that they can drop around him and ref will give it most of the time.
Him and the refs must be equally frustrated by each others. Fellaini gets loads of nonsense calls against him (half his fouls against Arsenal weren't fouls), but at the same time he's often lucky with his reckless use of elbows and studs.
Anyway, it's great to actually have one aggressive player it hurts to play against, we've become such an overly nice team full of schoolboys.
This.
Been saying this for ages now. Slowly but surely everyone will back him now and when he has a shite game like all players do we wont say he's useless
I too was one of the many on here calling him a waste of space. He's done really well for us in the last few months.
He got sent off in the Champions League last season in exactly the manner you're talking about. It's definitely an issue to think about next season.
What a performance yesterday, he was fantastic. More of that please.
- Status