I remember the City game where we got hammered at the Etihad. After we went four down, Moyes changed it up, moved Rooney up front with Fellaini in behind him, and we looked a much better side.
27
Season Average Rating
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- 7
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Don't agree if he can consistently find his A game he is more than capable of being one of the first names on the team sheet in Europe or in the PL. I would say he is as unplayable as anyone outside the top few players in Europe at his best and I don't think we have seen his best yet either.
He did have some strong matches the second half of last year, but they were dismissed as only being due to poor opposition because it wasn't fashionable to give him any credit at the time.
Yep - in fact many were still rolling that out earlier this season after West Brom etc but now he has proven he can do it in the big games as well
Imagine his good form has transformed into something permanent. If he raises his game a level he will be unstoppable, although even in this form he's beast. He may be still quite young one never knows when a certain player reaches his potential. Yaya Toure started to be world beater around this age. I hope Van Gaal make him even better player in the years coming because it will be joy to watch such special and extraordinary tactics with Fellaini in the team which no one can use simply because Fellaini is one of a kind..
Always thought he's the best as10, Van Gaal deserves credit after all because he had balls to play him there ahead of Mata, Rooney or anyone, well it took him time and we got lucky with RVP's injury but still good job manager..
Always thought he's the best as10, Van Gaal deserves credit after all because he had balls to play him there ahead of Mata, Rooney or anyone, well it took him time and we got lucky with RVP's injury but still good job manager..
First name on the team sheet for who? He's doing well and his strengths are clear but he's a level below some of the midfielder's already at the club, never mind the best ones in Europe.
Fellaini wouldn't play in front of Modric, Kroos or Isco at Madrid, or Rakitic or Iniesta at Barcelona. He doesn't displace Vidal and Pogba at Juventus, nor does he displace Matuidi and Verratti at PSG. You get my point.
That's the standard the club clearly aspire to reach and Fellaini, as unplayable and awkward as he can be to play against, just isn't up to the mark against the very best players in the long run, and I think he'll be reduced to more of a squad man as a result of that in the coming months.
That doesn't mean to say that I don't rate him, or that football manager's do not either, but I think they'll all wanted something more, a little more nuanced, if possible, if they aim to be the best.
I think it's fairly obvious that Fellaini isn't among the very top class of midfielders.I think it's also fair to say though that there arn't many in that top class of midfielders and they are all very difficult to sign.
If we are able to sign someone like Pogba or Modric then fantastic,great improvment to the team.Otherwise I'm happy for Fellaini to continue as a starter.Either way Fellaini has proved his doubters wrong this season and has shown that he can be a great asset to the squad at the very least.
I think what he means is that when Fellaini is having a great game there's not a lot you can really do to stop him. It's a bit like when Valencia was at his best a few years ago. Everyone and their dog knew what he was going to do and what was going to happen you just couldn't stop him because he was that good at doing it.
Whilst I agree with the general notion of your post, I disagree with your opinion of him not being a real box-to-box midfielder. Not all box-to-box midfielders are 100% defensively reliable. See Pogba, Modric, box-to-box Rakitic, Nainggolan, Witsel, etc. He may be easy to get past at times, and he may not be good at reading the game and positioning himself, but his aggression, anticipation, and ball-winning abilities still make him useful at our end. His stamina is also very useful in tracking back and adding numbers to the midfield, which he has done in the past couple of matches for us.
Yes, he's definitely not as defensively reliable as, say, Strootman, Matic, or Vidal, but he's still useful in winning the ball and recovering possession as demonstrated countless times in his career.
This is something that I've noticed with Fellaini. With his set of skills and qualities, when he's performing well, he's difficult to contain and suppress. Even during his first season at Everton, he was causing problems for many defences, including ours. For this reason, I find him to be a very valuable player for the first team. He may not be a regular starter, but he can be like Park and O'Shea were for us if he doesn't drop his performance levels.
In his current position using this system none of them would replace him more to the point. He's playing behind a striker in a dual role like a Number 10/CM hybrid and doing it as well as they ever could. If a man is unplayable, it really doesnt matter if its finesse or a hammer blow thats achieving it.
I've been a big defender of the big man. I was disgusted by the abuse he was getting on here. But strangely I wouldn't even be that upset if we decided to sell him. If LVG wants to go for some new players, and thinks Fellaini does not quite fit with his vision, then fair enough.
Because Fellaini has proven himself a very good player, and stuck it to the pricks who abused him. He could leave here with his head held high, and plenty of teams would love to have him.
I think it would be a mistake to sell him. I am a big fan and want him to stay obviously but he has such unique qualities that would, at the very least, be useful as an option off the bench.
Definitely. He will always be useful in certain types of games and he'd be a very good squad player. Park Ji Sung wasn't the most talented player we had but he was a great squad player and contributed so much.
I can't believe what I am about to say given how I felt 18 months ago, 12 months ago and even 8 months ago.
It would be a mistake to sell Fellaini. Hats off to the lad in a big way. I can imagine most wanting to run and hide given the stick he took in both the stands and the media. I'd have understood if he wanted to get the hell out as soon as he could. It's a real show of the mans balls that he still here, and more so than that performing.
He is vital to our side right now...it's as simple as that. I'll maintain one thing from the moment we bought him. He is no centre mid, and he is no holding mid. I'm sorry, there isn't alot to convince me otherwise even if he does play there for Belgium etc. I think he has been poor there for us in all honesty.
What he is however is an absolute pest in the final 3rd. Defenders hate him and you can see it. He is incredibly difficult to deal with in and around the box. He is a totally different type of threat to others around him and, to me at least, is just a different weapon in the armoury. I like the fella. I never wanted him to be bought...but after a very rocky start he is showing his worth.
He's never going to be the prettiest, or most technically gifted...and it might be that as our style of play develops and LVG brings other players in..he will see less first team football. I don't know. For now he is a goal threat, he brings others into play well and is a target for balls into the box, especially if the tippy tappy stuff is failing.
It's interesting. Teams love to drop deep against us and defend especially at Old Trafford. Someone like Fellaini is the perfect answer to that if plan A isn't getting the desired effect. He is more than just an aeial threat though...as shown against West Brom and Spurs for example...add QPR to that. 3 really really good goals.
It would be a mistake to sell Fellaini. Hats off to the lad in a big way. I can imagine most wanting to run and hide given the stick he took in both the stands and the media. I'd have understood if he wanted to get the hell out as soon as he could. It's a real show of the mans balls that he still here, and more so than that performing.
He is vital to our side right now...it's as simple as that. I'll maintain one thing from the moment we bought him. He is no centre mid, and he is no holding mid. I'm sorry, there isn't alot to convince me otherwise even if he does play there for Belgium etc. I think he has been poor there for us in all honesty.
What he is however is an absolute pest in the final 3rd. Defenders hate him and you can see it. He is incredibly difficult to deal with in and around the box. He is a totally different type of threat to others around him and, to me at least, is just a different weapon in the armoury. I like the fella. I never wanted him to be bought...but after a very rocky start he is showing his worth.
He's never going to be the prettiest, or most technically gifted...and it might be that as our style of play develops and LVG brings other players in..he will see less first team football. I don't know. For now he is a goal threat, he brings others into play well and is a target for balls into the box, especially if the tippy tappy stuff is failing.
It's interesting. Teams love to drop deep against us and defend especially at Old Trafford. Someone like Fellaini is the perfect answer to that if plan A isn't getting the desired effect. He is more than just an aeial threat though...as shown against West Brom and Spurs for example...add QPR to that. 3 really really good goals.
Quite right
Louis van Gaal likes this.
Another convert has seen the light - welcome to the Church of Afro
But as far as I can see he is now playing for us in the exact same midfield position he plays for Belgium? Box to box as part of a 3 man midfield where he contributes both to attack and defence. He is often more advanced than Herrera when we attack but in fact if you look at the average position charts they are virtually in line.
As good as he has been, I think he'l move back to the bench once Van Gaal gets the kind of midfielder he wants. Herrera or Mata would be our long term No 10.
Looked very much like one against Spurs and Liverpool.
Agree he's not great when he's the deepest midfielder. A bit too reckless for the role and needs to have the freedom to get up and down the pitch.
I understand that and partially agree, but I think Van Gaal, and most other top teams, will alter tactics to accommodate a midfielder less limited. So while Fellaini is very good for now, I think the role he's playing right now will change when more players are brought to the club and Van Gaal fully sets the team up the way he wants it.
The big man has been good, sometimes very good, but he hasn't been unplayable either. Difficult to deal with, at times, certainly, but this isn't as good as it gets. We can do better, and that isn't intended as a slight on Fellaini.
But then I could be wrong. Perhaps Van Gaal rates him more highly than this. We'll have to wait and see.
We're bringing in a box-to-box CM who's good defensively, van Gaal confirmed this. Since he always plays with 2 defensive minded midfielders, Carrick/Blind + Fellaini, we lack backup for the big man. If he gets injured we have to shove Rooney there or play both Carrick and Blind in midfield which isn't ideal.
Fellaini will get his games and be a perfect plan B, although he'll probably be backup in the long run to the new CM.
A defensive-minded, box to box midfielder is exactly what we need so if that is truly the case then I'll be pleased.
He's said we're bringing in a midfielder to bring balance. If you know that he always plays with 4 defensive minded players (2CB+DM+BTB) that's the only missing piece of the puzzle. He wants an all rounder who does his job in defending, a Strootman type.
So you'll be pleased
He's just scored again for Belgium against Israel away.
Afro-Man strikes again
There's no stopping this man.Confidence must be so high right now.Great for him and us.
It's a joy to check livescore and see that he's scored for them again, fantastic.
Oh good. Glad to see he's continuing his best player in the world form.
If can do that in the club we won't have to think about signing new striker.
Lionel Messi is an afroman.
This guy will destroy Villa at the weekend.
Dead cert for the ballon d'or at this rate.
What a strike!
Wait, did it just hit his without him knowing? Shades of Ronaldo right there.
Villa apparenlty missing a few defenders this weekend, the afro man will score.
Need a picture.
easily goal of the season.
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