And had a MOTM performance in the game that meant we got Champions League football this year......
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Gotta love fans that got no idea what football is, but still spit comments like they know better than the manager
We're back to hating Fellaini again I see.
People forgot his Europa League heroics already I see.
I don't understand how you of all people can love Fellaini and hate Smalling???
Like all the fans cussing every time Rooney played last season. You have a short or selective memory.
There is a clear difference between Fellaini and Rooney as a player, one is a fecking United legend with most scored goals ever, another is a guy from Everton that's hated by 80% of the fans, one played because of his status, another played because he actually did contribute. Talking about short memory here is ironic
That's the beauty of a forum like this. If we all agreed on everything, it would be pretty boring.
Yeah, yeah, it was all Fellaini's fault we couldn't put the ball in the net at Old Trafford last season against the likes of West Ham, Burnley, Swansea, Hull, Stoke, 10 man Bournemouth, Watford etc etc which was undoutedly the biggest reason we finished 6th last season, Good one. Ps. I doubt he even started half those games.
He was however pretty decent in the 2 trophies we did pick up, and helped us dominate in the final of the EL to get back into the CL though. So I'm with Mourinho, he has his uses at present.
If by appreciating mediocrity, you mean I don't waste my time making frothing at the mouth ranting, nonsensical posts about our players then yeah? He seems pretty fine playing for Belgium surrounded by Witsel & Nainggolan in the middle and Hazard and De Bruyne infront of him, so I presume he's decent enough to get into Citys Elite Development Squad just fine, seeing as we've seen our own youth dick theres enough times over the last 5 years or so, I guess I don't consider them to be the great shakes you obviously do.
Fellaini has contributed a hell of a lot more than Smalling has.
MOTM in the Europa League final, scored in the semi final, scored in the CL Qualifier last season and scored three times in the road to the FA Cup we won.
Smalling... I can't think of any good moments he's had. Maybe the header against City a few seasons back. That's it.
If by appreciating mediocrity, you mean I don't waste my time making frothing at the mouth ranting, nonsensical posts about our players then yeah? He seems pretty fine playing for Belgium surrounded by Witsel & Nainggolan in the middle and Hazard and De Bruyne infront of him, so I presume he's decent enough to get into Citys Elite Development Squad just fine, seeing as we've seen our own youth dick theres enough times over the last 5 years or so, I guess I don't consider them to be the great shakes you obviously do.[/QUOTE]
And what exactly Belgium has achieved with Fellaini, or even in general? In the last euro they brought Fellaini when the score was 1-1 and they were eliminated by Wales.
And what exactly Belgium has achieved with Fellaini, or even in general? In the last euro they brought Fellaini when the score was 1-1 and they were eliminated by Wales.
Did you read the whole conversation or just lept at something randomly?
Poster A said Fellaini wouldn't get in Citys Elite Development Squad, (Thats their youth team if you didn't know), Poster B responded; If he can get into the current Belgium side, which most credit, player for player as being one of the most talented National teams just now, then you'd consider he might have a fair chance to get in a reserve side, hm??
Smalling played in a team that won the league. Not that I rate him, I think he's just as shit as Fellaini, but don't pretend Fellaini has been a key player and achieved considerably more than him.
Smalling won the PL + he actually had a good season under VG. Fellaini has never been consistently good for a season. He has highs, as all players do, but way too many lows.
Both not good enough for our first XI but if I had to keep one, Smalling all day long.
Smalling was a squad player when we won those leagues. Rio, Vidic and Evans were all ahead of him in the pecking order.
Not sure how you can deny Fellaini has had some brilliant performances for us in big games. He is a key player like it or not.
For the Fellaini fan boys, when has he been excellent for us in central midfield?
He was awesome in the EL final, paying as kind of a hybrid winger, whose sole purpose it was to get it hoofed at him because Ajax were about 12 years old. And it worked. Against Ajax.
And yes, he has scored some important goals for us. He scores roughly 1 in 10 in his United career. In all his years year, he has a whopping 15 goals.
As I've said many times, he's probably a bloody wonderful bloke off the pitch, and he does give his all but he's detrimental to the team when paying in central midfield. If he's only used as an auxiliary battering ram in the final third, great, that makes sense, he's good at that.
But watching midfielders do crazy things like one touch passes and quick movement as he lumbers around until eventually fouling...it's so painful. It's below what should be expected of a team aspiring to greatness.
He was awesome in the EL final, paying as kind of a hybrid winger, whose sole purpose it was to get it hoofed at him because Ajax were about 12 years old. And it worked. Against Ajax.
And yes, he has scored some important goals for us. He scores roughly 1 in 10 in his United career. In all his years year, he has a whopping 15 goals.
As I've said many times, he's probably a bloody wonderful bloke off the pitch, and he does give his all but he's detrimental to the team when paying in central midfield. If he's only used as an auxiliary battering ram in the final third, great, that makes sense, he's good at that.
But watching midfielders do crazy things like one touch passes and quick movement as he lumbers around until eventually fouling...it's so painful. It's below what should be expected of a team aspiring to greatness.
What on earth did you watch?????
Thats absolutely not what he was used for or what he did in that game
What the hell???
Good grief.
Herrera was MOTM, yes.
We shouldn't even have been in the europa league but for the mismanagement of the club! Saying that you are totally right...europa league is his levelWe're back to hating Fellaini again I see.
People forgot his Europa League heroics already I see.
Yes we get it - he's average in all attributes that you need in a central midfielder. But the conundrum faced by every manager since Moyes has been how to use him; he came close to leaving us for Napoli a few years ago but injury scuppered that move.
So as long as we are stuck with him and seeing there are no buyers for the lad, why not try and get the best use of him? He might not be everyone's cup of tea and might give away a few cheap free kicks. While agreeing to all that you said, he still has his uses. He should not be a regular in our side is what probably everyone on the Caf wants; he could be a handy squad player to have nonetheless.
And I am saying again that playing with some talented guys doesn't make you talented. Do you know Pablo Garcia? He was playing in the Galacticos. Was he talented enough to actually play with the Galacticos or other big teams? Obviously not. We had players like Miller, Djemba-Djemba, Bellion etc that played for us but they were non suitable for us. The unfortunate thing is that we persist with him, thus the 7th, 4th, 5th and 6th position in the league.
Can't argue with that and 3 managers later despite all the negativity and booing, he's still here playing regularly. I get the feeling he'll get a reprieve once we sign Matic or Rom doesn't score enough goals as every forum needs a dog to kick.
Behave, he's not the reason we've finished in those positions. Two managers after the one that's bought him, many transfer windows later he's still here and getting game time in big games. Why?
No, of course he is not the only reason. But the 3 managers that trusted him, Moyes, LVG and Wilmots are considered as a failure. If Mourinho persists with him then he will also fail.
So they failed cause they trusted one player?? You are jokin right....
No, they trusted the wrong players (like Rooney) and made many mistakes and one of them was Fellaini. As a said he is not the only reason. The fact that 4 managers have trusted them and the 3 of them are out of job says more than the simple: But if the managers trust him then he is good for us.
I don't think they failed because of him but the fact that failed managers trusted him is not really a ringing endorsement of his qualities.
I still don't think he's technically good enough and used to want him out ASAP, but I really think he's been a real good servant for the club for the last couple of years. He's just gets on with what he's told to do, no matter the circumstances. That deserves praise and I wouldn't lose any sleep if he were offered a new contract as long as it's not for 300k a week!
Was Herrera.
Exactly this. Let's play some football instead of giving every player that looks like they're trying hard or gets stuck in the reward of being a Manchester United regular, based on that alone (or one half decent performance in ten). Being able to break up the opposition's game is great if it comes with being able to play football too.
Not Fellaini's fault, but he's part of a cumulative problem
this time next year you'd expect him to be gone
the fact our other established midfielders are Pogba, Herrera and Carrick who can't play every week means his place is safe
can't fault the guys attitude and his chest control is but he's clearly not good enough to play for a top 4 club which is where we are obviously aiming for
he's physically big and suits Jose's negative long ball tactics in the harder games - im hoping to maybe just see Fellaini in rotation this year, giving others a rest or when we are chasing a game in the last 10 and plan B or C is required
the fact our other established midfielders are Pogba, Herrera and Carrick who can't play every week means his place is safe
can't fault the guys attitude and his chest control is
but he's clearly not good enough to play for a top 4 club which is where we are obviously aiming for he's physically big and suits Jose's negative long ball tactics in the harder games - im hoping to maybe just see Fellaini in rotation this year, giving others a rest or when we are chasing a game in the last 10 and plan B or C is required
this time next year you'd expect him to be gone
the fact our other established midfielders are Pogba, Herrera and Carrick who can't play every week means his place is safe
can't fault the guys attitude and his chest control is
he's physically big and suits Jose's negative long ball tactics in the harder games - im hoping to maybe just see Fellaini in rotation this year, giving others a rest or when we are chasing a game in the last 10 and plan B or C is required
I've been hoping that for years and it never happens.
I'm resigned to him getting a testimonial in 2023.
Probably, and judging by the stick Lindelof got in pre-season, there's one for the more fickle ones to target already.
I think if you look at the managers we had he was Moyes big Summer signing
under Van Gaal he played ahead of Herrera bizarrely as Louis didn't fancy Andre that much. Schweinsteiger was Louis' man but wasn't fit enough to play regularly and Schneiderlein did nothing at United which based partly on Van Gaal's restrictive tactics if you read Morgan's comments on leaving
we've had to shift a lot of shite the last year with Memphis, Januzaj, Schneiderlein, Rooney, Schweinsteiger etc gone so who is left?
One of the liability CBs, Young and Fellaini most likely - next year 4/5 more will come in and it could be curtains then
hoping Pereira gets games ahead of him and I still think we will sign a DM before September
I like him simply because he gives us something that no other club has. I don't know what it is exactly but he is a useful player.
The fact he is starting more than he should says more about the rest of the squad that him in particular.
Same with Lingard and him playing more than mkhitarayan - when mkhi goes missing - he really goes missing; lingard on the other hand may not score the goals or assist but he remains part of the game due to his positioning and short passing.
The fact he is starting more than he should says more about the rest of the squad that him in particular.
Same with Lingard and him playing more than mkhitarayan - when mkhi goes missing - he really goes missing; lingard on the other hand may not score the goals or assist but he remains part of the game due to his positioning and short passing.
Yeah, that's an odd category if they do exist.
Seems to me that the bulk of the criticism he gets on here is directed at his general qualities (or lack thereof) rather than at his actual performances. Which isn’t fair, strictly speaking.
Under Mourinho, at least, he has had a quite particular function and he has - that would be my opinion - done his job adequately, i.e. carried out his instructions, etc.
That many United fans simply don’t fancy him as a footballer isn’t his fault.
Secondly, I think it’s obvious by now that Fellaini, whilst not exactly easy on the eye, does have some qualities the manager appreciates (this was true for LVG and is true for Mourinho, neither of whom is inept when it comes to identifying qualities in a footballer). Now, what you can argue is that we’d be better off with a different type of player to replace him in the squad, i.e. if Fellaini is a Plan B of sorts (and he has functioned as such, you could argue) we’d be better off with a different Plan B - but that’s a very specific criticism which proponents would have to back up: Just pointing out that he isn’t a nippy little fecker with great passing skills isn’t an argument in itself. And, to get back to the quoted comment, you could claim that as the matter stands, it would be more reasonable to give Mourinho stick for his game plan than to vent at Fellaini all the time even when he actually does what he's supposed to do, tactics wise.
He has his uses. He is not a regular starter. He is happy playing that kind of role. Manager is happy to give him chances based on the match.
I don't see why fans should complain.
I can understand if he was like the first name on the sheet, but he isn't.
I don't see why fans should complain.
I can understand if he was like the first name on the sheet, but he isn't.
A few reports in Turkey have said he's on his way to Galatasaray. Would be unreal news but I can't see Jose selling.
Can't see us selling when we barely have enough midfielders to begin with.
Plus he gives us an option few others have to beat the high press.
Very valuable member of the squad.
Plus he gives us an option few others have to beat the high press.
Very valuable member of the squad.
Yup. The regular answer to this given by his critics is that even so, we shouldn't settle for a squad player of his quality, since Real, Barca and Bayern all have superior squad players. While that is a moot point as I think even those teams have one or two very average squad players, it is not relevant to our situation. Historically, the top 6 English clubs have all had very average squad players, and it is not likely to change even if we build a CL winning team. And I'd keep Fellaini as squad player even then.
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