We need to grow out of this caveman view of football, if we aren't winning let's just hoof it up to a tall guy. As if Silva wouldn't have just dominated him anyway, Fellaini was average in the air for someone so tall.
Selling Fellaini was a mistake
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Fellaini was a great plan B. If People cant admit or see this, i give up. No one is debating wether he should be a starter for United or not, I think its pretty Clear he shouldnt be first Choice, but when Things isnt working you need to shift the approach sometimes, and he was brilliant at this.
I've watched Solskjær managing many times, and his biggest flaws is changing when plan A doesnt work. Fergie also changed to "hoof-ball" in the last 10-mins sometimes.... You need gamechangers
I've watched Solskjær managing many times, and his biggest flaws is changing when plan A doesnt work. Fergie also changed to "hoof-ball" in the last 10-mins sometimes.... You need gamechangers
If the quality of players and tactic are good and strong, one Plan A is enough. Look at Pep's Barcelona, now Man City and Liverpool, they don't need a big, tall guy as their Plan B, because their Plan A already dominate most of the games. If we always say missing Fellaini, it just reflects that our team's Plan A is not strong enough, we should buy players to improve our Plan A, instead of keeping Fellaini for Plan B. So selling Fellaini is an improvement, it means we finally understand we shouldn't rely on him to break up the game that often, and the next step is to get rid of the useless players, spend money to bring in quality players next season.
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PSG did not create much in the first half. What was their plan B?
Funny how City, Liverpool, Barcelona, PSG, etc seem to be able to cope without hoofing to some mediocre beanpole as "plan b". We don't miss him at all, he was woeful.
Who would we replace them with?
How many teams have 5-6 forward players who are better than the likes of Mata and Sanchez?
The problem is that when we lost Martial and Lingard our weaknesses in midfield and defence were exposed. You cant rely on your attacking players scaring the other team into not trying to put pressure on you.
People are quick to point the finger at the likes of Sanchez, but he came on because a first choice player was injured. In midfield and defence we have players who are first choice and aren't good enough in games like this.
he did his job here, but I agree with this. I have nothing against Fellaini, but imo he wasnt some wonderful who we could then use in a different way when needed. He was also an easy option and our football almost always became a problem when he was on the pitch.
Honestly, I think giving youth a chance might have been a better option. I have no issues with Mata but if hes part of a 4231 (or hes top of a midfield three in a 433). Having him out wide hasnt worked for ages now.
Sanchez I had no issue with coming on tbh and seemed the obvious one, but once again, he was dreadful. He has no excuses cos hes not even doing the simple stuff right.
I'm surprised this thread has such a response. I like Fellani, as a character and a former player.
But he isn't the solution. Like Mata, a signing that highlights all that needs fixing at Old Trafford.
But...it is getting fixed. It will take a bit of time.
But he isn't the solution. Like Mata, a signing that highlights all that needs fixing at Old Trafford.
But...it is getting fixed. It will take a bit of time.
PSG wasnt troubled either, so why change something? They were away from home and knew space would open up for counters...
Also, games can evolve in a way you can't predict. For instance, I really dont think Solskjær's tactics were to score goals from crossing, but PSG Limited us to only make efforts from the side, as they knew we dont have any threat in the air.. If Fellani and Lukaku wouldve been in the Box, they would struggle alot more
Michael_Scott_Please_God_No.gif
There was enough big lads on the pitch to launch it to if we wanted. Silva was swatting away everything anyway. It was going to take something a bit smarter to get in behind them. Fellaini wasn't the answer.
Finishing the game with our first choice front 3 may have helped more. I'm not saying we'd have won, but that game doesn't finish 0-2 if we're not hampered by 2 injuries before half time. The high press was bothering them, and forcing them to punt it in to touch. We don't have players who could come in and keep doing that.
There was enough big lads on the pitch to launch it to if we wanted. Silva was swatting away everything anyway. It was going to take something a bit smarter to get in behind them. Fellaini wasn't the answer.
Finishing the game with our first choice front 3 may have helped more. I'm not saying we'd have won, but that game doesn't finish 0-2 if we're not hampered by 2 injuries before half time. The high press was bothering them, and forcing them to punt it in to touch. We don't have players who could come in and keep doing that.
Why god why??
Fellaini was here long enough, we didn´t want him and he is now gone.
Next up Rojo and Sanchez.
Fellaini was here long enough, we didn´t want him and he is now gone.
Next up Rojo and Sanchez.
Its quite funny. We still have no style of play and look exactly as we did under Mourinho last season. In truth, we still struggle to pass one from player to another and rely on De Gea more often than not.
Fellaini definitely, definitely could have helped yesterday. Mind boggling is the reaction in this thread.
Getting rid of a mediocre backup player is the sign of a "selling club" now? Who are these absolute lunatics?
It's a game mate, football manager. It has a 'social' section now that's just random tweets from nobody.
Our default setting whenever we are chasing a game is to lump crosses into the box. Until that changes it was a bad decision to let him go.
He needed to be sold, given that he doesn't suit the team we want to be.
But selling him mid season was a mistake according to me. With Fred not even making it to the bench most days, we are seriously short of numbers in midfield.
We should have sold him in the summer after getting some reinforcements in.
But selling him mid season was a mistake according to me. With Fred not even making it to the bench most days, we are seriously short of numbers in midfield.
We should have sold him in the summer after getting some reinforcements in.
This is peak Caf. The fact this conversation is even happening is mental.
Him getting silly money in China actually proves his worth. And just because he ended up there doesn't mean he had no interest elsewhere, look at some of the other guys who've ended up in China recently.
Usual extreme bollocks on here. Sure, Fellaini wasn't what we want to shape our future on, but I doubt the OP is saying he should have stayed forever.
What he is pointing out is Ole hinting our backup upfront is dire and unable to do much of use. That also is true.
In the face of injuries and with our play out of the window, would Fellaini give us a different and useful option last night? Yes, I'd much rather play Fella than Alexis, and Lukaku isn't exactly in top form as a CF.
With the offer made I would have sold him too. It's extremely unlucky we got them injuries against PSG and right before Chelsea/Liverpool. Any other time and you would happily say "time for Greenwood/Chong/insert youth player".
Are they mentally strong enough to get over a stinker of a debut? Rashford's debut worked out fine. Serious question, don't follow reserves closely.
What he is pointing out is Ole hinting our backup upfront is dire and unable to do much of use. That also is true.
In the face of injuries and with our play out of the window, would Fellaini give us a different and useful option last night? Yes, I'd much rather play Fella than Alexis, and Lukaku isn't exactly in top form as a CF.
With the offer made I would have sold him too. It's extremely unlucky we got them injuries against PSG and right before Chelsea/Liverpool. Any other time and you would happily say "time for Greenwood/Chong/insert youth player".
Are they mentally strong enough to get over a stinker of a debut? Rashford's debut worked out fine. Serious question, don't follow reserves closely.
We lost a game so it was a mistake selling Fellaini? Can't agree with that.
We don’t have enough quality in our team, but the solution to that isn’t to not start getting rid of the deadwood.
We did the right thing selling him. It might actually force us to look for a solution for why we needed to hoof it in the last 10 minutes, rather than continue relying on him as a crutch to rescue late points.
We did the right thing selling him. It might actually force us to look for a solution for why we needed to hoof it in the last 10 minutes, rather than continue relying on him as a crutch to rescue late points.
We already know there was no discernible interest in him when he was a free agent last summer. When he held the club to ransom and refused to re-sign unless he got a big pay rise. And Mourinho indulged him.
Us selling him for £7m just cements it.
Amazing thread.
Because what we lacked yesterday is a big guy to punt it too?!
Because what we lacked yesterday is a big guy to punt it too?!
PSG's midfield and defence were playing in synchronised motion throughout the game. I doubt the palm tree would have made a big difference in this game. He is however useful to bring on while protecting a lead, with 10-20 minutes left in a league game and Herrera tired from running his socks off but I guess that duty falls to McTominay now.
You're making a cataclysmic mistake of equating worth with value.
If that was the case, sanchez would be the best player in the league by a mile, ramsay would be the top centre midfielder in the world, and fellaini would have been targeted by every big club in the world.
Rather than going to a comedy league with a recruitment style that made moyes look a don, when any club could have had him for free last summer pre contract extension.
I stand corrected, you're right.
Would he have made a difference last night? Yeah I think so. Is he the answer and should we be resorting to that sort of tactic? No.
Yep this sounds like the suggestion I would take. An option that to opposition would be an unknown quantity, someone hungry and able to maintain our quality plan A.
Yesterday we didn't need a plan B, we just needed players to come in who have the ability to maintain Plan A.
Plan B should be subtle deviations to Plan A, e.g. if we had a proper right winger you could bring on Lukaku and try more wing play, whilst still trying to maintain the quick counter attacking style of Plan A.
This type of deviation develops the team and makes them more dynamic. Throwing on a big lump can be effective in short stints, but probably does more damage longer term from a problem solving dynamism point of view.
Yesterday we could have swapped Lingard for Chong and Martial for Greenwood and pushed Rashford out to the left wing. This would have maintained the energy and added a lot of uncertainty to the opposition. Yes we might still have fallen short, but Mata has shown he is no good aside from maybe playing the bottom 10 teams and Sanchez is pretty much useless.
Both of these players stifled the play and resulted in our whole team being pushed back. An energetic outlet would have changed the completion of the game and even if those players weren't good enough they would pull the game forward and allow players like Pogba to shine.
Instead Sanchez gets in Pogbas way and indirectly resulted in Pogba being in the frustrated position to pick up a second yellow.
No it wasn't, we have needed more players coming and desperately require a decent RW for about 4 seasons.
We have bought in a CM and a RB this season only. The CM is deemed not good enough and doesn't even make the bench. The RB has been bought for potential, so basically neither have improved the first 11. Net spend is about £40m this season, complete joke. This club needed investment in the summer and it didn't happen. If we qualify for the Champions League this season I expect minimal investment once again. The Glazers only care about the Adidas contract terms not being met, they have no interest in this club winning big prizes anymore.
Look at our history in recent season, we only invest big when we haven't qualified for the Champions League.
The random fans always seem to lose their shit about the dross players leaving
Yeah it's from Football Manager. Saw the thread here and it seemed so apt.
Ajax faced Fellaini and lost. He was an important part of the squad when nothing else works. The problem was he was used as a first choice.
By using Fellaini we would have bypassed the midfield and negating their tactics of hobbling Pogba.
It shows we need to upgrade a lot of players and sell a lot of players too.
I would rather have Rene instead of Mike Phelan. We can't outplay PSG and we tried to do that.
As for Fellaini going to China it's all about his final paycheck. The Barca's, Reals, Citys don't need him because they have quality players who can outplay most teams.
We don't and until we get those quality players Fellaini would have been useful in some cases.
By using Fellaini we would have bypassed the midfield and negating their tactics of hobbling Pogba.
It shows we need to upgrade a lot of players and sell a lot of players too.
I would rather have Rene instead of Mike Phelan. We can't outplay PSG and we tried to do that.
As for Fellaini going to China it's all about his final paycheck. The Barca's, Reals, Citys don't need him because they have quality players who can outplay most teams.
We don't and until we get those quality players Fellaini would have been useful in some cases.
I thought they were both pretty bad when they came on. if anything Sanchez was better as he was at least offering something.
You can't pin the way the team struggled on those two though. The midfield and defence looked out of their depth and we were relying on the forwards to keep the opposition at bay, as opposed to relying on them to win the game.
I thought he'd be kept tbh. Maybe the player wanted out.
My man. Fellaini was our plan A+1 for years and he was the reason we didn't have good plan A because everyone stopped playing football once he subbed in
Cut the loss, build a real good foundation is the correct move. Short temp it will hurt us but we'll try to do new things from now and it's not going to be hoofball.
At least we'd have had the long ball to Fellaini's head option...which is significantly better than anything Sanchez and Mata offer.
We did not have any presence in the box which makes other players wonder why they need to cross at all. His presence in box would have been worth it. Maybe it would not have turned the match, but we'd have had a better chance of nicking one in.
We did not have any presence in the box which makes other players wonder why they need to cross at all. His presence in box would have been worth it. Maybe it would not have turned the match, but we'd have had a better chance of nicking one in.
No.
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