[Djemba-Djemba]

Terrible, and I thought he was doing his best. I don't even really blame him.

He was slow and incredibly clumsy, how many dangerous free kicks did he give away?

Shouldn't be playing in games like this, shouldn't be playing for Utd at all in my opinion but there you go.

 

[LuisNaniencia]

But he did read opponent's passes and intercepted a few.

Doing one of the requirements a couple of times isn't enough in that position. It's possibly the most important position on the pitch and if you compare Fellaini to other teams DM's he's miles off.

 

[NinjaZombie]

Your last paragraph covers the main problem, he can and does play well but him playing well still doesn't give us what we need. He was fine today yet we lacked in the middle because he offers nothing going forward.

Definitely. Pogba suffers from playing with Fellaini, I think. I don't know if it's frustration at how little the Fellaini contributes to attack, but he seemed to be in a hurry to want to do something with the ball. Lost it a number of times today trying to do something positive.

 

[harms]

Some bizarre criticism here. He looked forward like a hundred times in this game alone

 

[Devil may care]

He's just not good enough on the ball for a team that's aiming for where we want to go, I am sure he's obeying his orders and those orders are to drop it off short because Jose knows he has no passing game, which is unacceptable for a United CM.

 

[togg]

Yea, he wasn't bad or something but I don't think it was the game for him, probably could've and should've played Carrick tonight for the passing solely.

I have a feeling Carrick might play on sunday...Jose probably didn't want to use up his energy tonight.

 

[harms]

So what's the game plan there? You gotta ask the manager. The elbow man did his job decent enough with what he is decent at.

Are we judging players by what they can do or what they should do?
We can say that Rooney played better today than Griezmann did against Bayern, because Rooney's ceiling is somewhere around the basement now and Griezmann can do much better.

Players should be judged on the same scale. Yes, you would expect someone like Messi to get 8-9 out of 10 every game and you'd be happy with a steady 6 by Cleverley but that won't make Cleverley a great player.

 

[K2K]

I have a feeling Carrick might play on sunday...Jose probably didn't want to use up his energy tonight.

Herrera will play

 

[The United]

Are we judging players by what they can do or what they should do?
We can say that Rooney played better today than Griezmann did against Bayern, because Rooney's ceiling is somewhere around the basement now and Griezmann can do much better.

Players should be judged on the same scale. Yes, you would expect someone like Messi to get 8-9 out of 10 every game and you'd be happy with a steady 6 by Cleverley but that won't make Cleverley a great player.

Don't make things complicated.

It is simple. When you play him, you know what you are going to get. If you want something else, you play someone else who can give you that something else.

Simple enough no? I don't think jose is stupid enough to play him to expect like how a prime carrick would.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Was alright, maybe this is bad criticism from my part but something just feels off with him in midfield, it's something we had with Van Gaal and it causes our transitions from midfield to attack very slow. That's not because he's slow or a big player, because so is Carrick. It's just that the pace of his passing and the amount of time he takes to pass the ball can be frustrating. I see the same issue for Schneiderlin. When you go from Herrera, an all action midfielder; quick to recover the ball, quick to make a pass, to this, it's very noticeably detrimental.

 

[FromTheBench]

If Jose thinks we can be successful with him as our starting 6 and that too partnered with someone like pogba who is not great positionally then god help us.

He can do a job for game or 2 but he is so clumsy. Slow and positionally all. Over the place while covering defensively. On posession is limited too.

 

[hirotan69er]

Doing one of the requirements a couple of times isn't enough in that position. It's possibly the most important position on the pitch and if you compare Fellaini to other teams DM's he's miles off.

Since when the fulfilling the requirement became not enough? I think he did a lot more than Pogba tonight. Don't blame Fellaini for Pogba's performance either. Fellaini has nothing to do with Pogba trying to play fancy compared to how he played against Leicester. Maybe he played fancier tonight, because Pogba thought Fellaini will have his back.

 

[a_devil_inside]

May as well just stuck another centre back on tonight for where he was playing.

 

[LuisNaniencia]

Since when the fulfilling the requirement became not enough? I think he did a lot more than Pogba tonight. Don't blame Fellaini for Pogba's performance either. Fellaini has nothing to do with Pogba trying to play fancy compared to how he played against Leicester. Maybe he played fancier tonight, because Pogba thought Fellaini will have his back.

Maybe re read my post because your reply has nothing to do with what I said.

 

[tomaldinho1]

He's just not good enough on the ball for a team that's aiming for where we want to go, I am sure he's obeying his orders and those orders are to drop it off short because Jose knows he has no passing game, which is unacceptable for a United CM.

Can't help but agree - I kept shouting at him to move the ball on or move into space for a pass quicker before realising he was trying his best. I simply don't think he has the quality to play at this level. Think I have said it a few times on here, he is average (in a positive way) at everything but Man Utd should never be an average team.

 

[J-Stander]

It's the managers job to decide which games he'll be useful in. Everyone knows he's a limited player, sticking him in against a team who plan on sitting back is simply poor team selection.

 

[hirotan69er]

Maybe re read my post because your reply has nothing to do with what I said.

Sure it does. Did he fulfill the requirement or not? I was making a counter argument by asking a simple question, since you know so much football. Probably more than Fellaini himself if you just read what you wrote.

 

[ZDwyr]

He's the worst midfielder at the club. Comfortably at that.

This kind of criticism just annoys me. It isn't even true? Even if he is the worst midfielder (which I don't believe so), he is certainly not comfortably the worst. Schneiderlin has shown nothing. Far less than Fellaini has in their respective United careers. Herrera has been the same as Fellaini. Up and down with some good spells and some poor ones. Then you have Carrick who most thought was finished last season and Jose evidently only feels comfortable playing against League 1 standard. And an overweight German banished to the reserves.

He was average tonight anyway. He did the defensive things rather well, except for a few careless freekicks he gave away. But we lost some of the attacking side of the game with the slower build-up he brought.

 

[An Irish Red]

This kind of criticism just annoys me. It isn't even true? Even if he is the worst midfielder (which I don't believe so), he is certainly not comfortably the worst. Schneiderlin has shown nothing. Far less than Fellaini has in their respective United careers. Herrera has been the same as Fellaini. Up and down with some good spells and some poor ones. Then you have Carrick who most thought was finished last season and Jose evidently only feels comfortable playing against League 1 standard. And an overweight German banished to the reserves.

Herrera is much better than Fellaini as he's actually got flair and technical ability as well as tenacity. Carrick and Schweinsteiger are much better than him as well. Even now.

Schneiderlin has the positioning and discipline that Fellaini lacks. Physicality is all that Fellaini has and that might do for a mid-table Pulis side but it's not enough for us.

 

[Acole9]

He did nothing to change the opinions of fans who want him gone. Him and Pogba do not work well together at all, apart from his height and being a nuisance I'm struggling to see what he actually brings to the team that benefits us. He gives away so many fouls in every match and the majority of those are needless.

 

[Oneunited26]

Like I have said time and time again, we don't need fellaini never have, never will. His only thing he has to offer his so called height and strength, well signing pogba, baiily and zlaten, defeats the very point even needing the guy, we have smalling for extra aerial ability, signing Pogba should tip the balance of the team where we need flair around Pogba where you have the balance. If there is too much power especially in the middle it makes us very brain dead, and fellaini just makes the team very disjointed, because there is no one in there to channel and balance the team's calmness on the ball, to hold the ball calm the team down and look to get the clock ticking, without a carrick or herrera the team is just lacking the brain. He's a liability and so prone to picking up yellow cards, and wreckless free kicks, he also represents what has been wrong with the team the past 3 years, has anything good come out of his signing week in week out? no, because there is so many better options out there than fellaini

He did nothing to change the opinions of fans who want him gone. Him and Pogba do not work well together at all, apart from his height and being a nuisance I'm struggling to see what he actually brings to the team that benefits us. He gives away so many fouls in every match and the majority of those are needless.

Funny thing is, we have pogba, smalling, bailly, zlaten who offer physical strength and can be a nuisance, but offer top class ability, fellaini offers us height if we were a midtable side, Jose needs to ask himself has the season progresses, he is looking to progress? and evolve the team? because fellaini is not offering anything that's going to evolve and be a game changer for this team, only be a anchor holding us back. Keeping fellaini around is like if you had flying powers, but decide hey I will take the plane, why? what is the point? that is what fellaini is like, when we already have enough physical elements in the team in Pogba, zlaten, bailly and smalling, fellaini is totally redundant for any of that when there is employers at the club who do a better job, in many other jobs they would say fellaini, bye bye

 

[sincher]

He won the ball back quite well today. He did feck all of any use with it mind you.

I always come back to what Brian Clough would think of him.

Not much. The ball is not his friend.

 

[tomaldinho1]

This kind of criticism just annoys me. It isn't even true? Even if he is the worst midfielder (which I don't believe so), he is certainly not comfortably the worst. Schneiderlin has shown nothing. Far less than Fellaini has in their respective United careers. Herrera has been the same as Fellaini. Up and down with some good spells and some poor ones. Then you have Carrick who most thought was finished last season and Jose evidently only feels comfortable playing against League 1 standard. And an overweight German banished to the reserves.

He was average tonight anyway. He did the defensive things rather well, except for a few careless freekicks he gave away. But we lost some of the attacking side of the game with the slower build-up he brought.

Even having barely seen Scheiderlin this season I think he offers more all round than Fellaini. Fellaini is what he is but it just isn't good enough. As soon as the ball goes through him it gets covered in treacle and our attack grinds to a near halt.

 

[ZDwyr]

Herrera is much better than Fellaini as he's actually got flair and technical ability as well as tenacity. Carrick and Schweinsteiger are much better than him as well. Even now.

Schneiderlin has the positioning and discipline that Fellaini lacks. Physicality is all that Fellaini has and that might do for a mid-table Pulis side but it's not enough for us.

There really isn't much of a difference between Herrera and Fellaini. They both have strengths and weaknesses that the other one does not. While most people won't see it (because they love Herrera and do not like Fellaini) their form lines at United have been pretty similar. Jose clearly doesn't think that Carrick and Schweinsteiger are better though. You have clearly been watching a different Schneiderlin than me.

Even having barely seen Scheiderlin this season I think he offers more all round than Fellaini. Fellaini is what he is but it just isn't good enough. As soon as the ball goes through him it gets covered in treacle and our attack grinds to a near halt.

That is literally the exact same thing that happens with Schneiderlin, except he gets on the ball far less than Fellaini.

 

[K2K]

Herrera is much better than Fellaini as he's actually got flair and technical ability as well as tenacity. Carrick and Schweinsteiger are much better than him as well. Even now.

Schneiderlin has the positioning and discipline that Fellaini lacks. Physicality is all that Fellaini has and that might do for a mid-table Pulis side but it's not enough for us.

He really didn't play well tonight but it's such nonsensical criticisms which are just annoying.

There is nothing that Schneiderlin has done in a United shirt that has had him better than Fellaini. Two managers have thought that too.

Some people are simply blinded by hate that they refuse to see that.I don't necessarily think he should be starting every game in a two with Pogba but he has a better season than both Herrera and Schneiderlin last year.both were abysmal against West Ham last season.That perfomance is as bad as anything Fellaini has put out at United.

It's just that some here will simply refuse to give him any credit whatsoever.That is a bit pathetic really.

 

[An Irish Red]

There really isn't much of a difference between Herrera and Fellaini. They both have strengths and weaknesses that the other one does not. While most people won't see it (because they love Herrera and do not like Fellaini) their form lines at United have been pretty similar. Jose clearly doesn't think that Carrick and Schweinsteiger are better though. You have clearly been watching a different Schneiderlin than me.

If you honestly think there isn't much difference between Herrera and Fellaini then it's clear that we have drastically different assessments of Fellaini.

Herrera is better than him at everything except being tall.

 

[ManchesterUnitedFan]

I've said before that Bogbrush is not the answer to our DM problems (from the very first EPL game), but of course because we won people just looked at everything through rose tinted glasses and tried to overstate his talents and impact in the team.

 

[Name Changed]

He's too slow, he can't pass, and he can't control the ball. The only thing he is good for is fouling players in big games. He should never ever play against weaker sides.

 

[klayton88]

In all seriousness he doesn't get in most premiership teams if he's not 6ft3ish. He offers nothing on the ground that I've not seen a championship player offer. The only use I see for him is to use him in the last 5 mins of a game, brought on to protect a lead from an aerial bombardment, and I don't agree with him being in the squad just for that.

 

[ZDwyr]

If you honestly think there isn't much difference between Herrera and Fellaini then it's clear that we have drastically different assessments of Fellaini.

Herrera is better than him at everything except being tall.

I do not think Herrera is as good defensively as Fellaini. In terms of tackling, positioning and tracking runners. Yes, I know you disagree but I will wait for a few more matches of Herrera playing the DM role against sides better than an atrocious Leicester team before seeing how he goes in that position.

 

[Grylte]

If you honestly think there isn't much difference between Herrera and Fellaini then it's clear that we have drastically different assessments of Fellaini.

Herrera is better than him at everything except being tall.

To be fair, Fellaini got alot fluffier hair than Herrera!

---------

Matches where Fellaini is one of our best players, we don't play good football.
Too slow and clumsy, and slows down the game.
Pogba, Herrera and Mata, in front of Carrick, with fast players on the sides, makes us play alot faster and more fluid attacking football. The Spanish lads and Pogba have alot better football brains.
I'd love to see Micky get into the team, with either Rashford or Martial on the left.
Still got plenty of physical players, and won't need Fellaini at all.

 

[Bugshot]

Why where they singing 6 foot 5 hard as feck for him, he was poor.

 

[Ekeke]

If he was playing for Zorya, how many people would want to sign him after that match?

The only thing he brings to the team that the other options (Ander, Carrick) dont have is a presence in the air. But in matches like this one, he was wasnt very impressive with that himself. And perhaps with the addition of Zlatan and Pogba this season, its not needed in the team.

 

[prath92]

Wasn't at his best yesterday, after s good start to the season. For now I think he should be benched to be used in later games as required

 

[Kazi]

If you honestly think there isn't much difference between Herrera and Fellaini then it's clear that we have drastically different assessments of Fellaini.

Herrera is better than him at everything except being tall.

Lol at that last sentence, the bias is unreal.

 

[NK86]

eh? He is a pretty good finisher and makes some smart runs off the ball, peeling off and isolating himself against the smaller defenders. If he is anything, its an AM in a midfield 3.

Doesn't matter if he is best as an AM in a midfield 3. Point is he is not good enough to be an AM for us. He is an average finisher and his movement off the ball is actually not that great. He almost always peels off at the far post for a header, that does not equate to great movement.

He could be used as battering ram against some teams or when we are chasing games but for games like yesterday, he is a poor choice in any position since he is not a very good CM in the Carrick mould and he ia definitely not good as an AM, the kind we need.

 

[NK86]

Wasn't at his best yesterday, after s good start to the season. For now I think he should be benched to be used in later games as required

Fair assessment

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

He was decent.

 

[The Mitcher]

If you honestly think there isn't much difference between Herrera and Fellaini then it's clear that we have drastically different assessments of Fellaini.

Herrera is better than him at everything except being tall.

Herrera is 6 foot tall

 

[Sereques]

Wasn't at his best yesterday, after s good start to the season. For now I think he should be benched to be used in later games as required

Was it? He's a very limited player.