Dang. Fellaini looks like our best CM at the moment. MOTM last night for me. I didn't expect that at the end of last season...
27
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 31
- Goals
- 7
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 7
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
It was a bit of, 'I have bought you as a defensive midfielder and also told everyone that, but I also want your massive head which got me 12 goals last season in the box as often as possible'. Which probably confused the guy.
I know he did a good job yesterday but let's not get overboard, shall we?
Was very good both defensively and going forwards. Absolutely dominated the midfield and matched Matic in performance, which is great considering Matic is arguably the best CDM in the country, if not world.
I think it's no coincidence that Fellaini's best performance came when he was under obvious instructions.
He was obviously told to man mark Fabregas, so while defending he followed him all the way. This almost solves his "spacial awareness" problem he has.
When attacking he was getting behind the midfielders really well, and our defense/blind were finding accurate passes to his feet/chest which he likes.
The thing that impressed me the most though was the lack of silly fouls he usually does, and he really ran his socks off. Loved the bit when he and Matic were wrestling over the ball. At first he lost it, but he worked hard and won it back - something our players have lacked recently.
Really pleased for the big man, he might just win people over if he carries on...
He was obviously told to man mark Fabregas, so while defending he followed him all the way. This almost solves his "spacial awareness" problem he has.
When attacking he was getting behind the midfielders really well, and our defense/blind were finding accurate passes to his feet/chest which he likes.
The thing that impressed me the most though was the lack of silly fouls he usually does, and he really ran his socks off. Loved the bit when he and Matic were wrestling over the ball. At first he lost it, but he worked hard and won it back - something our players have lacked recently.
Really pleased for the big man, he might just win people over if he carries on...
As good a big-game performance I can remember from one of our midfielders in recent years.
Great week for the big man. Hopefully he can do the same in the Derby next.
Great week for the big man. Hopefully he can do the same in the Derby next.
People clearly had their blinkers on last season. For the most part, yes he was shite but I remember he put in decent performances agaisnt west brom away and palace away. Now granted they aren't the worlds best opposition but the point is he had it in him to play like that. He just needs a consistent run of games and more importantly, he needs to get his confidence back!
This. All the talk before the game was how Matic was going to massacre our midfield. What they didn't count on was Big Felli tussling with Matic. If ever there was a man who deserved the phrase - a big unit - it was Fellaini. His passing was good and he was a real handful for Fabregas, who couldn't handle his power. If he keeps this up, he's going to keep a few players out of the team! For there's not anyone in that team who can match him in the air or physically. So when he does a good job of marking and taking opposition players out of the game, Herrera will find it tough to break in with Carrick almost back into the fold.
He definitely adds something different for our team. We are a team of mini-men and Fellaini gives us height and strength. Also, having Blind as the more defensive player means Fellaini can get up with the striker.
I just hope he can keep improving.
I gotta hold my hands up. I didn't expect him to put that kind of performance in and I thought he'd be gone come january.
Fantastic performance. Very well utilized by Van Gaal and he'll be needed for that physicality of his in the big games.
Fantastic performance. Very well utilized by Van Gaal and he'll be needed for that physicality of his in the big games.
That was a great tussle against a physical beast in Matic. More of the same against Toure please.
It's baffling that people didn't think he could put in a good performance, I know he had some poor games last season but they were in games where every one of our players were poor? He's been doing this for years at Everton and he walks in the belgian national team? I'm starting to think people just never watched him before last year's deadline day. Amazing how people can fool themselves into thinking he was the worst player in the league his whole career and LVG has just reinvented him. That said, obviously credit to LVG and to Felli himself but this whole season is like an experiment on self deception. We've just had our worst ever start to a prem season with a very easy run of games and having spent 150m and everyone is bouncing up and down - don't stop btw it is fantastic, but it really does show a predisposition to hate moyes and love lvg no matter what
He might do better this year with Toure's massive loss in form, last season I don't think anyone was able to tussle with toure but Alex Song yesterday made him look like an average player
funny 'cos it's true!The attacking tactical nature of LVG is much more exciting to watch than moyes's depressing, drowsy style. Last minute goals against big teams rather than huge 3/4-0 spankings reminds me of the old united.
Id be disappointed in finishing below 4th this season, very. But this team is a progressing one, Moyes's was a declining one. That's why fans are happy. There's belief, there's a CV of a manager, world class players, exciting football, and ever progressing football to back that belief up.
In context, we're 8th. But before this game we didnt know what to expect playing the bigger teams. Now we do, and its probably the best performance this season.
Good to see the word 'dominant' used in conjunction with one of our central midfielders again. Guaranteed starter next week on the back of that. Fair play.
That was really pleasing. Great fight and desire. Just read that Cesc only made five completed passes in the first half. Fellaini did a brilliant job.
EDIT: Also saw this "The Premier League tracking data shows that Fellaini covered 12.17 kilometres in the match, the most by any United player, and made 70 high-intensity runs. That was more than anyone else on the pitch and, tellingly, the most he has made in any game in a United shirt." He works very hard.
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He proved me wrong yesterday, and i hope he keeps performing well.
I thought he still looked really slow and clumsy....gave us physical presence which was required so therefore not saying he wasn't worth his weight as also got assist. But defensively looked so slow and although it was a better game didnt think he gave Blind much support positionally and would 100% want Herrera back long term when fit, after this and we may need a physical presence vs city he should keep his place though.
I hope he finds form, he just doesnt look up to speed with others around him, in my view. But improving and LVG using him in better way than previously.
I hope he finds form, he just doesnt look up to speed with others around him, in my view. But improving and LVG using him in better way than previously.
Sometimes I'm not sure buddy with some posters and haven't really encountered you but point taken
Oh god I'm starting to like him.
Was watching the match with fellow united mates, and I was surprised every time fellaini drove the ball forward and dribbled past players, was very dominant, and a key reason, for the first time in along time, we actually outplayed chelsea, and brang the game to them, instead of letting them attack us, and we sit back and defend as has been case last 2-3 seasons
He was very good yesterday. I, like many, have been a huge critic of his, and am still unsure whether he will ultimately prove good enough to be a regualar, but he was good. I have long complained that our team is too soft, especially in comparison to a side like Chelsea, which is why I wanted him and Smalling to play yesterday. Both did very well.
My only concern yesterday, is that he wasn't playing in 'central midfield' often enough. Too many times, Blind was in there on his own, with Fellaini and Mata 25 yards ahead of him. Perhaps that is as a result of instruction to go and press further forward. If we are to play Fellaini in a three, I don't think Mata can be one of the others. Blind, Herrera and Fellaini would have been much better yesterday I think, as we would have had two people actually in central midfield in Blind and Herrera.
I think Mata is really struggling to justify selection at the moment, and I'd say he's the odd man out. Blind, Herrera and Fellaini is a solid base at PL level.
My only concern yesterday, is that he wasn't playing in 'central midfield' often enough. Too many times, Blind was in there on his own, with Fellaini and Mata 25 yards ahead of him. Perhaps that is as a result of instruction to go and press further forward. If we are to play Fellaini in a three, I don't think Mata can be one of the others. Blind, Herrera and Fellaini would have been much better yesterday I think, as we would have had two people actually in central midfield in Blind and Herrera.
I think Mata is really struggling to justify selection at the moment, and I'd say he's the odd man out. Blind, Herrera and Fellaini is a solid base at PL level.
I wish I could quote a certain post I wrote about Fellaini in the newbies. This thread is a breath of fresh air at the moment. So happy for him and so happy he is proving people wrong. If he carries on like he did yesterday he is well on his way to becoming a fan favourite.
Good to see he's changing opinions here. Feel a little proud at myself for standing by him last season while some people were utterly pathetic in booing and lambasting him over even the most trivial of things.
He might not be "our Yaya Toure" but with proper tactical work on the training ground, he can definitely be an important player in our engine room. Physically he's an animal, he's a beast in the air and his stamina is ridiculous. When he was at Everton he frequently covered 10km distances in a match in his box-to-box role. Against Chelsea he covered a whooping 12.17km and made 70 sprints in total, beasting even the mighty Matic himself - source. In the first half, Fabregas hit a new low in making only 5(!) passes in our half, and overrall had a game to forget. He just couldn't cope with Fellaini's athleticism.
He might not be "our Yaya Toure" but with proper tactical work on the training ground, he can definitely be an important player in our engine room. Physically he's an animal, he's a beast in the air and his stamina is ridiculous. When he was at Everton he frequently covered 10km distances in a match in his box-to-box role. Against Chelsea he covered a whooping 12.17km and made 70 sprints in total, beasting even the mighty Matic himself - source. In the first half, Fabregas hit a new low in making only 5(!) passes in our half, and overrall had a game to forget. He just couldn't cope with Fellaini's athleticism.
Fantastic performace both today and agaisnt WBA. If he can contain Toure/Silva, I will never say anything bad about him every again.
Oh and remember the booing in the preseason game at Old Trafford? Right now, those fans look more foolish than they ever have.
That's the one. Thanks Summit.
I loved LvG's interview last week where he said that he has learnt that in the Premier League you need to have different types of player and you can't just have a team of 11 technical geniuses you need a player like Fellaini. I thought it was a backhanded complement towards Marouane. And his response? well yesterdays performance.
He's not and never has been 'shit'. And that's not just hindsight speaking.
I said in August that I 'personally think he could be useful for us', even if 'most don't rate him'.
He does have some great attributes. It's easy to be sniffy, but he's always a danger when played further forward. He can pluck balls out of the air with consummate ease, and then bring others into play or have an attempt on goal. He's a danger at set-pieces. He's big, strong, has a good engine, and is a decent ball winner - he easily matched Matic yesterday, and not many can. And his technical ability isn't as lacking as some have made out.
Two swallows don't make a summer, but if you forget the price tag, then he is a very handy player to have around.
I said in August that I 'personally think he could be useful for us', even if 'most don't rate him'.
He does have some great attributes. It's easy to be sniffy, but he's always a danger when played further forward. He can pluck balls out of the air with consummate ease, and then bring others into play or have an attempt on goal. He's a danger at set-pieces. He's big, strong, has a good engine, and is a decent ball winner - he easily matched Matic yesterday, and not many can. And his technical ability isn't as lacking as some have made out.
Two swallows don't make a summer, but if you forget the price tag, then he is a very handy player to have around.
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I thought he did well yesterday, not oustanding but a decent performance. Won a lot of headers and really should have scored from the cross that RVP buried. Good to see him in there. He harried and chased the Chelsea midfield, Fabregas and Matic in particular. There's hope yet.
Some of the criticism Fellaini has gotten over the last year has been so absolute and bombastic that many probably feel compelled to keep it going, albeit in milder forms, rather than putting up their hands and admitting that he may actually have a future with United.
The fact that Fellaini can play a bit of football - and has a bit of talent beyond being a big fecker with big hair - has got nothing to do with either Moyes or LVG. It may well be that LVG now uses him more wisely than Moyes did (would be odd if he didn't), but Fellaini's most vocal detractors on here have never claimed that his problem was being used unwisely (by Moyes) or anything of the sort. They have claimed that he's a useless streak of piss who has no business being a United player. That's not even an exaggeration - it's precisely the sort of abuse he's been getting. And backing down from that sort of extreme position is probably impossible for some.
I know people joke about his chest control, and it probably isn't the first attribute you'd take if you were a pro footballer but his really is brilliant. He can kill any ball from any angle straight to his feet off his chest. Anyway, if he does continue this form and turn it around then he will be forever grateful for picking up that ankle injury when Napoli were looking at him during the transfer window.
Yeah, he has great chest control.
Anyways, the biggest change from what he did last year is that he's finally able to impose himself. Instead of always lagging half a second behind, he's getting into situations and utilizing his physique. I think the stats from yesterday give a hint as to why as well, because he's playing with a completely different intensity to what he did last year.
I still think his passing can look incredibly sloppy at times (less so these last two games than overall last season), but Blind's current role means that we're not relying on him to be the one who distributes the ball around from deep. It was always inexplicable to me why we would put Fellaini in that position, because he has a tendency to be aloof in his passing at the most inconvenient of times (doesn't strike the ball cleanly so it wobbles, over- or underhitting it and making it unnecessary difficult for the team mate receiving the pass), so he should never be the deep laying distributor that you require a very low-risk passing game from.
Hopefully this marks a turning point for him.
Not trying to compare them, but isn't that what Vidal is as well?
Not sure who drops out when Herrera comes in. Is Fellaini just a player who comes in to do a job in certain situations?
Absolutely fantastic yesterday. Part of the reason was because we were playing with 3 man midfield so he didn't have to cover bigger spaces quickly than when he plays in a midfield 2. This compact midfield system will suit him. When Mata went off and we switched to a 442 he wasn't as good even though he was still good.
Fair fecks, the big guy had a really, really good game yesterday. By far the best I've seen him in a United shirt.
He offered a safe passing lane between the Chelsea lines and distributed the ball decently enough, but the number he did on Fabregas and Matic was what impressed me the most. And finally his work rate was great as well, which has been lacking in his game.
If - and it's a big if - he can turn his fortunes around at United he's twice the player I thought him to be, both mentally and ability wise.
He offered a safe passing lane between the Chelsea lines and distributed the ball decently enough, but the number he did on Fabregas and Matic was what impressed me the most. And finally his work rate was great as well, which has been lacking in his game.
If - and it's a big if - he can turn his fortunes around at United he's twice the player I thought him to be, both mentally and ability wise.
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