From Ben Hibbs (in house journalist at United):
Tom Cleverley | 2010/11 Performances (on loan at Wigan)
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So no move to Wigan or anywhere else, he's staying. But Welbeck and Diouf are both going out on loan, but (depsite the Sunderland story) United are saying that nothing's been agreed yet.
He might be versatile but he won't get anywhere enough games here to actually develop. He developed so well because he played regularly at Watford, he won't get that game time at United. With N'Zogbia on his way out, I'd have thought that Wigan would have been an ideal place for him but maybe they were never interested.
I think there were definitely teams interested, but with Hargreaves still in the USA, Carrick & Anderson out for the start of the season, and (despite caftards' fantasies) no Ozil or Gourcuff arriving I think he'll get games.
Look at Gibson last season, and Cleverley is (obviously) a very different player to Gibson - gives us some options. If he's not getting playing time, he can always be loaned out in January.
Look at Gibson last season, and Cleverley is (obviously) a very different player to Gibson - gives us some options. If he's not getting playing time, he can always be loaned out in January.
Very good point on the injuries front. January loans are all well and good but teams who would have had a space for Cleverly to play a big role, would have already bought someone in though, but his versatility may come in handy there as well. He was great in preseason but I think that this season is a season too soon for Cleverly in the first team. I'd be delighted if I'm proved wrong.
He looks like someone who would fit straightaway. He's comfortable on the ball , full of running and energy, and fearless. Not sure he would get enough games. Let's hope we go far in the cups.
Repeat of what I said in the other thread but does anyone think fergie sees him as good enough to become the attacking midfielder everyone is in favour of us buying?
I think his form in pre-season and last season may have been enough to make the management think twice if faced with any difficulties in bringing a player in. Especially if taken in conjunction with some of our other young players, and the fact that we have a big squad.
Maybe Everton ? I'll tell you one thing, if he is loaned out to another club where he is going to get first team action I'm throwing him into my fantasy football team !
So, he'll be with us for the season which is good news indeed.
Great news that he is staying if reports are to be believed.
Well when the report comes from Fergie on the official website it's a fair chance of being believable.
Good stuff. Hopefully he gets a proper chance.
i don't think he is the type of player I think we need, but he is suited to that position.
I think he is more of a Milner, Lampard type AM. A (potential) goalscoring one, who can pass the ball a bit. I don't think he has the vision, dribbling ability or intricate passing skills of the AM I feel we need (Ozil for example).
That said, I don't see him playing through the centre (as a starting position) that much - he will be blooded out wide.
That was my main point of contention, so I'm really pleased the club were thinking about that.
I am really happy he's staying put though. His versatility could well see him thrown into the fray more regularly than we think.
A goalscoring midfield player is something we haven't had for quite a while. Let's see if he can cut it.
This is fantastic news.
Can see him getting plenty of games as the attackng midfielder in a 4-5-1 for us. We don't really have an outstanding candidate for the role at the minute, and Cleverley looks to have far more to his game than Gibson and should offer more in the final third than Park.
great news, shove him straight into the team
I'm torn. We only really play 451 in the big games or away in Europe and isn't it a bit of a jump playing Championship football with Watford to the games against Pool and Chelsea etc? I don't think a season on loan in the Prem would have been a bad thing.
Park is an international class footballer. At this stage, he's so far ahead of Cleverley it's untrue. Underrated player.
He is yes at this moment in time. I do see Park continuing to get action in certain games for us but he'll still be consdered a squad player for us like he's always been.
I've higher hopes for Cleverley
1 question. Do you think that he can play as a central midfielder in a 4-4-2 formation?
same here.
To be honest, even right now I would prefer to see the ball dropping to Cleverly on the edge of the box for a shot than Park.
Depends on his midfield partner.
Personally, I am not sure. He could well develop that way.
He has played many a year as a full back in the youth sides, before progressively moving forward so the defensive side of his game must be some way decent at the least. So, I do feel the potential is there for him to play there if needed. In terms of tackling and putting himself about I would have more faith in him as a CM than Gibson. However, I would question whether he could adapt himself enough to play that role as a first choice at this stage. Again though, Scholes burst into the United side as a withdrawn striker - now he is a deeplying CM. So who knows what the future holds for Cleverly.
In terms of youth prospects - i would hold more hope for James and after him Pogba as long term CM prospects.
O'Shea can play as a midfielder in 4-4-2. Most players can. You do not have to be Essien or Scholes.
So, yes.
I must say i'm delighted Fergie has taken the decision to keep him. Hopefully he'll play his way into serious contention.
Plenty of things to be excited about this season
Plenty of things to be excited about this season
Scholes has underperformed in a 442 over the last season, O'shea is a decent back-up but he has always lacked ball retention skills- this makes him completely unsuited for a central midfield role in a 442. I've said it before but we only have Fletcher who can perform at the highest level in that formation, the rest are 433 players now.
Anderson clearly has the ability to play in a 4-4-2, but is very inconsistent. Hargreaves could too if he wasn't dead.
How much fecking stick did i get? I guess I don't look so dumb now...
"He is such a mobile boy who can play wide on either side and in central midfield".
"He is such a mobile boy who can play wide on either side and in central midfield".
Carrick and Scholes too, they just need the right partner.
I think Scholes is getting on a bit for a 4-4-2, he clearly was fantastic in a 2 man midfield, but with ageing legs etc. I'd say it's certainly no longer his best position.
Doesn't seem like he has much choice but to go with what we've got - that said I hardly think chelsea and Arsenal will be shitting themselves when we have to keep a young lad becuase we can't afford to buy anyone else.
Hope he gets a few games.
Not any more, Carrick especially was woeful whenever he was asked to play in a 442 last season. I admit that I haven't seen enough to Cleverly to properly judge if he could play alongside Fletcher in that two man central midfield, all I can say is that it would be bloody useful if he could.
If Carrick can't, then you only have to use a little common sense to realise that a player that is comparable to Park can't either.
In any case - it's elementary, because Carrick clearly can play 4-4-2.
Who is this mythical right partner? Fletcher is all we've got who you can rely on to perform in a 442, Scholes could in the past but he isn't mobile enough to get box-to-box and Carrick has done nothing in the last year and a half to give us confidence he's capable of performing alongside Fletcher.
Maybe that's because he was out of form generally?
I know it's fashionable to talk up Carrick and I like him as a player but are we really going into the new season with a first choice central two of Carrick and Fletcher? Why should it suddenly start working now?
Just because his form hasn't been the best the last year, doesn't mean that he suddenly can't play in a 442 system.
Both Scholes and Carrick can play in a 442 partnered with Fletcher.
I wouldn't play Scholes and Carrick together in a 442 though.
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