Cleverley certainly had a very weak mentality; that was even evident against the bigger sides when he repeatedly pulled a Houdini. Fellaini - bar the booing against Valencia that time - has never really gotten a hard time from the crowd. It's more in the media and on here.
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Cleverley certainly had a very weak mentality; that was even evident against the bigger sides when he repeatedly pulled a Houdini. Fellaini - bar the booing against Valencia that time - has never really gotten a hard time from the crowd. It's more in the media and on here.
Bloody hell FellainiThat video is ridiculous. I can make a compilation of any player like that.
Not sure what I said has to do with hating any player. That a player should be able to play football with his brain without exerting excessive force on another player is hating? Just because we are used to see that kind of football doesn't make it OK, which is my point. I would like to see players win the ball clean and fair without hurting other players, that is skill and technique.
With that many bloopers from one single match, doubt it.
Ah, we are onto youtube videos now.
I would say it is impressive the lengths people go to, to try to discredit him. It must really kill some of you guys to see LVG sticking with him.
I would say it is impressive the lengths people go to, to try to discredit him. It must really kill some of you guys to see LVG sticking with him.
From one random match? Nah
That video only highlights the bad of course but it sums up the majority of Fellaini's United career in a nutshell. Sadly.
I don't hate Fellaini and i think he can be an effective player at times. But what other midfield options do we have right now though?
If Carrick and Bastian were both fit do you think Fellaini would still be in the team?
What's wrong in saying that? Fellaini has been integral for us in every game against the scouse ever since LVG took over. He is physically imposing and he gives us that added bite and extra ball-winning ability in both the air and on the ground, something which none of our midfielders are capable of. People seem to have forgotten how many times Liverpool turned us over when we couldn't cope with their intensity and aggressiveness in midfield. Even when we were under Fergie, they still gave us an absolute hiding on several occasions. They don't have any particularly creative or skilful midfielders, but their strengths lies in their workrate and high-intensity game. With Fellaini in the team we have someone who can combat it. Yesterday the whole team played shit and it was a cagey. However I don't think there were better performers in the team than Fellaini.
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I dont think Fellaini is first choice in this system no, and nor should he be. That said, he is essentially keeping Mata and Memphis out of the starting XI at the moment (as Herrera could drop into the deeper position instead of Fellaini).
If LVG really thought Fellaini was doing even 25% as badly as some of you lot suggest, he wouldnt be playing, simple as.
Oh I'm pretty sure you are done with me because I keep calling you on your bullshit, just like with the 'games we've lost when he starts' shit.
If you think that it's not worth debating Fellaini in the Fellaini thread then why won't you just feck off to some other thread then?
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Or any other system to be fair.
What? How the feck is he keeping Depay out? That would be Martial.
We play with 3 in midfield and we really only have 3 midfielders fit. It's not rocket science mate. Mata for various reasons is woefully out of form and Van Gaal prefers Herrera at 10 so he is arguably keeping Mata out i'll give you that.
But having said that i don't envisage us lining with up with both Herrera and Mata in a midfield 3, while Van Gaal is in charge so who else is there who could play there?
But he is playing badly, it's not some sort of mass hallucination mate. Are people exaggerating how bad he has been yes some are and he had a decent second half yesterday, but in central midfield he's been awful for weeks.
This is it. The video that sums up what Fellaini gives us. Everything he does has to turn into a physical battle, usually with him giving away a foul.
I remember thinking during the Newcastle game that he might not care about retaining possession as it allows him to show his "qualities". Stupid, I know, but I wouldn't put it past him.
Well I haven't done it but I'm sure it's possible. Fellaini has had his bad games but even when he has his good games you hear people say "lost the ball so many times". Same with Rooney sometimes. People will just over exaggerate the negative.
And this is why I very rarely bother engaging in any sort of discussion in this thread. Because about 90% of Fellaini critics cant seem to bring themselves to type more than about a sentence without feeling the need to add some sort of exaggeration or insult to their post.
Come on now. If we wanted to play Memphis we could drop Herrera to a holding role. LVG has played Memphis centrally before, or even better would be to play our best front two of Rooney behind Martial, giving Memphis the left wing (players in their natural positions? Madness!).
Again, there are other options if LVG thought he was half has bad as those on here make out. Fellaini has been no worse than the rest of the team - and no, that isnt the most glowing endorsement, but it is sad that he is continually singled out, abused and insulted by 'fans' to a far greater degree than anyone else in the team.
There is no mass hallucination. Most in this thread, even those that criticize him all the time, are giving him credit for his performance yesterday against Liverpool. You still see people saying he was complete trash/useless and what not. Clearly they either have an agenda or just hate them man if they think he was the worst on the pitch after yesterday.
Integral for us in every win against the scousers
That's a good one...
He was pretty mint when we won at the end of last season. Apart from that, nah.
I'm not entirely sure why he'd get some sort of credit for his performance against Liverpool. He wasn't the worst player on the pitch for us, is that why he's supposed to get credit ?
He wasn't good and he wasn't shite, he makes a boatload of bizarre decisions, like not going up for headers in midfield against Lucas because Fellaini prefers to chest the ball down, so he lost a few of those. His passing generally puts teammates under pressure, likes to pass it the same way as an opponent is running, so the teammate that gets the ball has to get rid of it quickly as an opponent is coming charging in straight at them. His positioning is Anderson-like, just leaves massive gaps and is caught running between opponents passing the ball.
He does well towards the end, when they pump the ball towards our defence, and he did well for the header which ended up with Rooney scoring. Apart from that, overall it's not exactly a good performance.
He was still crap v Liverpool, just not as crap as he has been. His Newcastle performance was so bad and probably the worst I have seen from a united midfielder. He does give us some fight and steel but still he should never start for us when we have other options fit.
He was truly awful against Liverpool albeit he technically got the assist I assume.
They do i agree and have said as much a few posts above.
But Fellaini is too clumsy for me to play in Central midfield. You could even go through his good matches and make a video with stuff like that. And there in lies the problem really.
But i don't happen to be one of those people i have already said i thought he was decent in the second half.
I was referring to this notion that the majority are being unfairly critical of him. Which is just not true we are all watching him and we (well most of us) can see he is not playing very well in CM.
I can't contain my bias anymore:
The best part of his game is his movement in the box, he gets into some great attacking positions. Apart from that he's possibly the worst premier league footballer i've ever watched.
He's reckless, he's slow, he's lazy. He can't mark, he can't dribble, he can't tackle, he can't shoot, he can't pass more than 20 yards, he can't control his elbows. His hair doesn't even look good. Worst of all, despite his height and strength, he's heading ability is average at best, which - incidentally - is probably hindered by his absurd hairstyle.
I'd honestly prefer Djemba-djemba, at least he ran properly.
I don't care what contribution he has had for us this season or last, I don't care how many points he has salvaged for us, he is the antithesis of everything I hold dear about this beautiful game.
The best part of his game is his movement in the box, he gets into some great attacking positions. Apart from that he's possibly the worst premier league footballer i've ever watched.
He's reckless, he's slow, he's lazy. He can't mark, he can't dribble, he can't tackle, he can't shoot, he can't pass more than 20 yards, he can't control his elbows. His hair doesn't even look good. Worst of all, despite his height and strength, he's heading ability is average at best, which - incidentally - is probably hindered by his absurd hairstyle.
I'd honestly prefer Djemba-djemba, at least he ran properly.
I don't care what contribution he has had for us this season or last, I don't care how many points he has salvaged for us, he is the antithesis of everything I hold dear about this beautiful game.
Well I don't know about you but I do think the majority are being unfairly critical of him. Most on here are not criticizing his game for the most part but are making statements as to just how bad of a player he is. An example is the poster above me who says he's possibly the worst premier league footballer he's ever watched. Tell me that is not unfair criticism.
A pity this beautiful game has such a one dimensional and distorted shape to your eyes.
This
and this
..and this
aaaand this.
Okay, yesterday he won that header which lead to Rooney's goal, so credit where due. But overall his heading win ratio and accuracy thereafter is absolute hump. Other than that he's an ambling neanderthal. Useful when we need someone hitting with a metaphorical club, but offers nothing towards any footballing intellect. Please sell him on, please, please....please
I hate player bashing myself, i like to think i am never too harsh on a player beyond pointing out if they are playing bad or deficiencies in their game. I never make it personal or go on nonsensical rants. And i have been on the other side defending players like yourself, including believe it or not Fellaini at times last year.
Listen mate i would classify myself as nothing more than a mild Fellaini critic. I don't hate him and i have no idea where you think i have exaggerated or insulted him?
He isn't first choice in any system or position really, you might disagree and thats fine. But if we are using Van Gaals team selections as evidence then when everyones been fit this season he hasn't picked Fellaini.
You're stretching.
We play 433 with 3 CM's, the third player being Herrera, Rooney or Mata sometimes. Depay is a winger and has played no more than 2-3 games at no10 in his career, Fellaini is currently playing in midfield. He is not keeping Depay out of the team in any way and even if he was with with how badly Depay is playing it's not exactly something to be crowing about. Or held up as an example of how well Fellaini is playing.
Out of Fellaini, Mata and Depay Fello is the only one who can play in CM thats why he is currently in the team. And out of Fellaini and Herrera he is more physical which is why he is preferred in CM to Ander. The minute Carrick or Bastian are fit he will be out again. Harsh but true.
A lot of that is shit play by him but there's also a number of fouls there which really weren't, plus the bit where he was waiting for the ball, so were two others.
Hes clumsy. He has a worse first touch than Rooney after a pub night. He isn't even exceptionally good in the air for his height. Complete waste of space for us.
What??
I enjoy watching Messi effortlessly glide past players.
I enjoy watching the power Ronaldo.
I enjoy watching the silky passing of Ozil
I enjoy watching Glenn Whelan whom understands his limits and keeps his passes safe and tidy.
I enjoy watching Phil Jones tackle people with every part of his body and soul.
I enjoy watching Cattermole kick the shit out of everything that comes near his 18 yard box.
I enjoyed watching Christopher Samba utilize his strength
I enjoyed watching Titus Bramble scramble back to recover his mistakes again and again
I enjoyed watching Scott Parker tirelessly snuff out chances and close opposition.
I enjoyed watching Andy Carroll climb highest to win headers
I enjoyed watching the savage enthusiasm of DJ Campbell.
I enjoyed watching defenses try to organize themselves as Delap prepares a throwing.
I enjoyed watching Tipton Town vs Dudley Town in the West Midlands Regional League on a cold December day on a pitch that was more mud than grass.
I love this game, but Fellaini offers nothing to admire. Despite what some people claim, he's far from an arial specialist and to me signifies what has been wrong with English football for the last 15 years - if he was 3 inches shorter, would he be playing in the premier league...most likely not.
Some are unfairly harsh on him no doubt. But thats whats happens when people get frustrated watching the same player perform poorly every week. I don't like it myself but it is what it is. I get very frustrated watching him if i'm honest.
As for being the worst PL footballer he is obviously not. He has attributes that make him a very good and effective player in the right set-up.
But that type of exaggeration stems from his actual skill on the ball i think. In terms of ball control and passing he is one of the worst i have seen at this level certainly at United. It always surprises me how he can train everyday with a football and yet have so little control over it and such a poor first touch.
Personally I would have him as first choice along with Herrera in front of one of Carrick/Schneiderlin in a proper 4-3-3 like we played last year, with Schweinsteiger able to cover any of the three midfield roles very well.
Perhaps I overreacted on that comment, but this thread tends to have that effect at times
Nah, 4-3-3 is what we played last season, this is a 4-2-3-1 with two holding mids and a #10 (although recently with Fellaini he has operated more in a box to box role than as a pure holding player).
Personally I vastly preferred the 4-3-3 of last season, but that is a different debate.
Fellaini "keeping Memphis out of the team" is not quite what I meant, but rather that if LVG felt Fellaini's performances were not up to scratch then we do have other options - and this is because unlike you I believe that Herrera can play in the deeper role (although neither that nor #10 is his best position - it is the same as Fellaini's, operating as an advanced #8 with a dedicated holding player behind him).
Ive watched him terrorise us on many occasions. Play him in his best position and he's an handful. Does help if you can actually have people who can cross the ball though....
Personally I would have him as first choice along with Herrera in front of one of Carrick/Schneiderlin in a proper 4-3-3 like we played last year, with Schweinsteiger able to cover any of the three midfield roles very well.
Perhaps I overreacted on that comment, but this thread tends to have that effect at times
Fair enough mate no worries.
I preferred the formation we played towards the end of last year as well. But this is where we get into formation debate territory and after a while we all realize most of these formations are basically the same 433 but with subtle differences.
For the record Van Gaal describes this formation as 433 with the point in midfield facing forwards, hence the the two DM's. Last year it would have been 433 with the point facing backwards, only one DM. But then the way we were playing towards the end of last season was described by many as 4-1-4-1 and to be honest thats not wrong either.
I actually like Ander in there, i just don't think Van Gaal does probably takes too many risks for his liking. He continually left him out of CM last year in favour of other midfielders and even Rooney. I can't recall Herrera playing in CM too many times this year at all. I don't think he really likes Fellaini in there either so he is playing both along with Schneiderlin to give us numbers in midfield.
I reckon Van Gaal thinks this is the best combination currently available to him considering our injuries. I do know Fellaini hasn't played in a CM too much for Van Gaal either.
For what it's worth i actually agree with you on where both are best deployed, but for now at least Van Gaal thinks differently.
He was better than schneiderlin. He made mistakes and was clumsy, but later on in the second half improved and held the ball a bit better and had a role to play in the goal. Whereas Scheniderlin was invisible throughout.
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