[King.of.Red]

so happy for him to score the goal yesterday. very good for his confidence although I doubt he really needs it since he has very strong mentality. he indeed has limited abilities, but very useful player for our team, especially when we need to add more threat in penalty box. hopefully he can score more goals for us. go big Fella!

 

[devilish]

He scored a goal and then he nearly injured a person. Its a reflex for him

 

[antohan]

Is the same not true for his other roles as well?

Second statement was my opinion, not an attempt to explain what Mourinho values in him.

 

[BenjaminP]

Yes there are some qualities he lacks to be playing in United starting lineup, however it is true that he can be an asset to our team and can contribute here and there once in a while. Maybe Moyes paid a little more than he should have with Fellaini, but it's not like he is costing us a huge wage budget or disharmony in the dressing room.
With the right management (meaning not overusing him like Moyes and LVG did in past few years), he can put in a different dimension to our attacks that no other players are capable of. I have been a non-believer with Fellaini for the past few seasons, but now with the Special One, I believe Fellaini staying put can do more good than harm.
Mourinho trusts him to some extent, we all trust Mourinho, so why not get behind Fellaini and support this guy and see what he can do for us!

 

[TheSweeper]

Sure we wouldn't buy him now but I feel the lot of the anger that comes from him is because it reminds us of a tougher time - fellaini being the biggest signing.

You put money aside - there is always room in a squad for 1 fellaini - because it gives us something different/ a plan C. The problem is if we have more than one fellaini or he becomes an automatic starter. Glad that it has stopped from the start of the season.

 

[Full bodied red]

He's not the sort of player we've come to expect and know at OT, but I've always supported him 101% because he gives everything, every match.

It's never been pretty, he just tries to keep it simple - control the ball and pass it asap to someone else who can do something more creative.

And he never hides, no matter how poorly he or the team are playing - even in the darkest days of Moyes and Van Gaal, he was one of our more reliable players.

I'll be happy to have him for as long as he wants to stay.

 

[Adam-Utd]

People that said Jose can no longer be a man manager; that with Fellaini showed that he's still got it. You can see as soon as the adrenaline of scoring died off his first thoughts were to go and find Jose.

He clearly respects how he protected him and gave him another chance after the Everton feck up.

 

[AR87]

And he never hides, no matter how poorly he or the team are playing - even in the darkest days of Moyes and Van Gaal, he was one of our more reliable players.

This. He makes mistakes and is clumsy in challenging quite often, but he's actually quite tidy in possession and though he won't do anything spectacular with the ball he's aware of his limitations and is quick about getting the ball to the more creative players. Weirdly I think he can be more of use to us late in matches now when Pogba is on the pitch because of his truly amazing chest control even a ball is absolutely smashed at him.

Mostly I just don't see the point in constantly moaning about the guy. He's not ideal, but he gives his all, doesn't complain and seems to earn the trust of every manager he plays for.

 

[BringNaniBack]

Great option form the bench and a great squad player. His treatment has been unfair and to here him being booed by our own fans a few weeks back was bang out of order. Happy for him after his goal against Hull.

 

[Steven Seagull]

This is because we booed him

 

[Snowjoe]

Contract extension here...

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/mar...onth-contract-extension.425478/#post-20309495

 

[iKeano]

No way is he starting ahead of Pogba, Carrick, and Herrera.

Is a contract extension worse than a start on Sunday?

Surely he can't have both.... please tell me it's just José taking care of business to hopefully get a fee off Moyes for this lanky fraud in the summer!

 

[Ashley R1+O]

Is Carrick fit for Sunday? Can't see us not going three in midfield with Zlatan if he is back. Happy with Fellaini to come in for Carrick if he is not fit for the game, he's shown quality playing as the deepest player in midfield and reads/interchanges with Herrera quite well.

Pogba has shown he needs the space that the #10 occupies to be vacated for him to be free to move into. A couple of nice little shuffles paying off for Jose, I bet he's pretty pleased with the outcome.

 

[iKeano]

Is Carrick fit for Sunday? Can't see us not going three in midfield with Zlatan if he is back. Happy with Fellaini to come in for Carrick if he is not fit for the game, he's shown quality playing as the deepest player in midfield and reads/interchanges with Herrera quite well.

Pogba has shown he needs the space that the #10 occupies to be vacated for him to be free to move into. A couple of nice little shuffles paying ofyf for Jose, I bet he's pretty pleased with the outcome.

Haha WUM.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Haha WUM.

Actually I'd agree with him. Shown quality, different from, is quality. Also if anything is to go by, he played a very good game alongside Herrera against Liverpool at Anfield.

I'd doubt we'd be deploying the same tactics but it would still be pretty compact and he should be able to hold his own in a midfield three, where the game is not as expansive; he will be able to use his size/body and legs to close space well imo and provide energy for the likes of Herrera and Pogba to be on the ball/front foot more.

 

[iKeano]

Actually I'd agree with him. Shown quality, different from, is quality. Also if anything is to go by, he played a very good game alongside Herrera against Liverpool at Anfield.

I'd doubt we'd be deploying the same tactics but it would still be pretty compact and he should be able to hold his own in a midfield three, where the game is not as expansive; he will be able to use his size/body and legs to close space well imo and provide energy for the likes of Herrera and Pogba to be on the ball/front foot more.

Playing a s the deepest midfielder is his worst position... And thats saying something.
When he plays in a midfield three, Pogba and Herrera have to concentrate on covering for Fellainis pointless marauding around midfield 2yards off the lace.
Also when he's deep, he's a complete liability giving awyset pieces in and around our penalty area.
He's "shown quality" in the same way a broke clock is right twice a day. TFM offers the same in height and strength, but has actual ability on the ball that isn't chest control... Really... A professional footballer who's praised for chest control?! Its like a baseball player that's good with his head.
Fellaini is the worst utd player to get over 100 appearance hands down. I care not for chest control or mental resolve. Pick a competent 6'5" Sunday league midfielder and they would do EXACTLY what Fellaini does. He's stealing a living and so limited it beggars belief.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

Actually I'd agree with him. Shown quality, different from, is quality. Also if anything is to go by, he played a very good game alongside Herrera against Liverpool at Anfield.

I'd doubt we'd be deploying the same tactics but it would still be pretty compact and he should be able to hold his own in a midfield three, where the game is not as expansive; he will be able to use his size/body and legs to close space well imo and provide energy for the likes of Herrera and Pogba to be on the ball/front foot more.

Yep, not my (or Jose's it seems, Carrick was injured at the start of the season iirc) first choice to put in a combination if C/P/H are fit but he is definitely capable backup in all three positions if one of them goes down. (Anchor, MF2 or further forward he's fine in any of those roles). I just asked because I think Carrick is injured, I think I prefer him at the base like at the start of the season and have Herrera beating the press from further up with Pogba. Pogba has the ability to hold the ball up further up the field but he might go with Fellaini in that role (similar to Val Gaal where he would play over the press) and they both work well with Herrera in a pass and move sense. Even if Fellaini doesn't venture forward much from the anchor position at 6, if he can transition the ball forward like he did from there at the start of the season then he will be fine. Carrick should start if he is fit though, no denying that.

Anyway, that user just posts relentless amounts of unending drivel when it comes to the players that they don't like. Case and point above, not a coherent argument or anything worth engaging in, just a torrent of bile and if you don't think the same way then it must be a WUM. Tiresome and not worth engaging with so I wouldn't bother.

 

[iKeano]

Yep, not my (or Jose's it seems, Carrick was injured at the start of the season iirc) first choice to put in a combination if C/P/H are fit but he is definitely capable backup in all three positions if one of them goes down. (Anchor, MF2 or further forward he's fine in any of those roles). I just asked because I think Carrick is injured, I think I prefer him at the base like at the start of the season and have Herrera beating the press from further up with Pogba. Pogba has the ability to hold the ball up further up the field but he might go with Fellaini in that role (similar to Val Gaal where he would play over the press) and they both work well with Herrera in a pass and move sense. Even if Fellaini doesn't venture forward much from the anchor position at 6, if he can transition the ball forward like he did from there at the start of the season then he will be fine. Carrick should start if he is fit though, no denying that.

Anyway, that user just posts relentless amounts of unending drivel when it comes to the players that they don't like. Case and point above, not a coherent argument or anything worth engaging in, just a torrent of bile and if you don't think the same way then it must be a WUM. Tiresome and not worth engaging with so I wouldn't bother.

Glad you didn't bother engaging. Anyone who thinks Fellaini can transition a ball forward is delusional.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Glad you didn't bother engaging. Anyone who thinks Fellaini can transition a ball forward is delusional.

Fellani doesn't need to be passing the ball forward that much. He just needs to be a busy body in the centre of the park and pass the ball to Herrera, Pogba and recycle the ball, which I think he more that capable of doing.

I actually think his weakest position (for us i.e a team not set up for him) is further up field because he has no/lost all attacking positional sense. As the deepest lying he can do a decent job imo as a replacement, not first choice obviously.

Yep, not my (or Jose's it seems, Carrick was injured at the start of the season iirc) first choice to put in a combination if C/P/H are fit but he is definitely capable backup in all three positions if one of them goes down. (Anchor, MF2 or further forward he's fine in any of those roles). I just asked because I think Carrick is injured, I think I prefer him at the base like at the start of the season and have Herrera beating the press from further up with Pogba. Pogba has the ability to hold the ball up further up the field but he might go with Fellaini in that role (similar to Val Gaal where he would play over the press) and they both work well with Herrera in a pass and move sense. Even if Fellaini doesn't venture forward much from the anchor position at 6, if he can transition the ball forward like he did from there at the start of the season then he will be fine. Carrick should start if he is fit though, no denying that.

If he starts tomorrow at the base, I have no qualms and worries as I'd think he'll do a good enough job not to be a liability and contribute as well, which is as good as a 2nd choice can get.

 

[dichinero]

Fellaini, reads the game, transition and interchange in the same sentence?

 

[Ashley R1+O]

Fellani doesn't need to be passing the ball forward that much. He just needs to be a busy body in the centre of the park and pass the ball to Herrera, Pogba and recycle the ball, which I think he more that capable of doing.

Yeah he certainly did at the start of the season in the first three games. It wasn't inventive, amazing passing that blew your socks off. It was just quick positional transitions and moving the ball on. Okay like I said it isn't magnificent playmaking spotting and lasing passes in the mould of Carrick but if there was a player who could do that as well as him then we're definitely going to bring him in.

If he starts tomorrow at the base, I have no qualms and worries as I'd think he'll do a good enough job not to be a liability and contribute as well, which is as good as a 2nd choice can get.

Yep, he or Herrera from one of the more recent games can offer a stand-in effectiveness from there. Fellaini has had some good games in deeper positions against Liverpool in the last couple of years.

 

[Freak]

I think he'll play later. We'd try to bypass the Liverpool press and we might go direct.

 

[iKeano]

Fellani doesn't need to be passing the ball forward that much. He just needs to be a busy body in the centre of the park and pass the ball to Herrera, Pogba and recycle the ball, which I think he more that capable of doing.

I actually think his weakest position (for us i.e a team not set up for him) is further up field because he has no/lost all attacking positional sense. As the deepest lying he can do a decent job imo as a replacement, not first choice obviously.

If he starts tomorrow at the base, I have no qualms and worries as I'd think he'll do a good enough job not to be a liability and contribute as well, which is as good as a 2nd choice can get.

So, basically any half decent Sunday league midfielder has a place at Utd providing they're busy and just pass it to someone better?!

Genuinely don't understand how excuses are constantly made to accommodate his blatant and many limitations. Yes he tries hard, yes he has thick skin, but to play for Utd, any one of us would try hard and be thick skinned.

Really hope we don't see him at any stage today, makes me anxious whenever he's on the pitch, let alone in such an important game.

 

[AndyJ1985]

I think he'll play later. We'd try to bypass the Liverpool press and we might go direct.

That would make me happy. Seeing us play hoof ball against Liverpool at Old Trafford, with Fellaini our key player up front.

 

[Nighteyes]

We have better players so he should be on the bench. But wouldn't be too bothered if he started. The last 2 times we won at Anfield he played a key part in 2 different roles but I suppose we're not supposed to mention that.

 

[Nighteyes]

Done his job to perfection since coming on. Well done!

 

[Sammyjunn]

He's still very useful, good for him to respond to some of the abuse our fans gave him.

 

[FC Ronaldo]

Ugly football extraordinaire.

 

[Amadaeus]

Mostly useful as a target man and showed it again today. Put him in the opposition box and they will have a hard time defending him.

 

[adexkola]

Awaits caveated praise given through gritted teeth.

 

[Yorkeontop]

Would have loved for him to score that.

 

[manutddjw]

He did very well when he came on. Well done to him.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Hero.

 

[saivet]

As Neville alluded to, we went too direct when he came on. Useful, but we were just lumping it at times.

 

[ManUtd1999]

Really did what he had to do. A tough back header led to our equalizer.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

He did good.

 

[VivaRonaldo7]

Go on the bog brush

 

[K2K]

Awaits caveated praise given through gritted teeth.

He's done well.


But ...but...tree lump, hoofball, Moyes..Stoke type player etc

 

[PoTMS]

As Neville alluded to, we went too direct when he came on. Useful, but we were just lumping it at times.

We were too direct long before he came on. It's just our hoofs were more successful with two monsters to aim at instead of just the one.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

The season we battered Liverpool under Van Gaal was because they couldn't handle Fellaini. Today was the same. Just a shame his attempt didn't go in. Did very well, though.