Tom Cleverley | 2011/12 Performances

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Cleverley's got that nice Iniesta-like ability to pull of those turns on the ball that seem ridiculously hard, but aren't actually that difficult minus the pressure of the situation. It's a nice attribute to have - he's actually becoming very skillful on the ball, though he's always been at least decent in this aspect.

Great short range of passing and all. Today was the sort of performance that made our persistence last year with Gibson slightly baffling, in my opinion. It wasn't top draw by any means, but he's just so much more of a fit for United.
 
Anderson and Cleverley have United on right track
One of the main themes of discussion over the off-season, in the wake of Manchester United's defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League final, has been how United can close the gap to Pep Guardiola's side. According to some, it is the final challenge of Sir Alex Ferguson's career.

United were certainly taught a footballing lesson at Wembley in May, but it is important to point out that 'closing the gap' is not necessarily the same as replicating Barcelona's style of football. Attempting to ape the style of Barcelona is likely to play into their hands. When Guardiola's side are finally knocked off their perch, it will probably be by a side using a tactic that defeats tiki-taka, rather than an imitation of it. Their most notable loss, to Inter in the 2009-10 Champions League semi-final, was to a side that didn't even attempt to retain the ball by the second leg.

That said, ball retention is something Ferguson feels United need to improve on, and the statistics from the 2-1 win over West Brom indicate that things are on the right track. Anderson completed 55 of his attempted 57 passes throughout the game, while his central midfield colleague Tom Cleverley finished with 58 from 64, giving an impressive combined completion rate of 93%. By way of contrast, in United's previous trip to The Hawthorns on New Year's Day, also a 2-1 United win, Anderson's figure was down at 76%, demonstrating a marked improvement.

--Guardian Chalkboards
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;)
 
Jesus some fecking morons on here.

Tom was fine. Nothing spectacular but fine. He's playing his way in and doing the right things. he doesn't give the ball away too often and is keeping things ticking over.

Half our problem away from home last year was giving the ball away in midfield. Wake up folks.

Tom will get more adventurous I'm sure. But for now he's doing the right things.
 
They were fine (more than fine in the first half) when we had the ball. When we didn't it was the same story as what was happening in the early part of last season - the opposition team were simply getting in behind the midfield and getting easy runs at the defence far too often. Last season it improved significantly as soon as Carrick got back, and I expect the same to happen this season. The question is - who drops out?
 
I think Tom drops out before Anderson but they will essentially be rotated so he will still get starts, I think we've seen in the CS that Tom can be a pretty good impact player as I think his energy can be infectious.

I think Anderson has to begin to be considered a starter in big games as thats what we will have hoped for when we bought him.
 
BAMSOLA said:
I think Tom drops out before Anderson but they will essentially be rotated so he will still get starts, I think we've seen in the CS that Tom can be a pretty good impact player as I think his energy can be infectious.

I think Anderson has to begin to be considered a starter in big games as thats what we will have hoped for when we bought him.
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Tbf to ando, he started a few big games in his debut season. But youre completely right in your point.
 
golden_blunder said:
thought he had a good match. Very impressed with his first touch yesterday, killed some awkward passes easily. His touch and go movement was very good too
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Agree with this.

You don't have to be spectacular always to have a good match.

However one problem is that Cleverley is the type of player who will be way better in a 3 man midfield and we really don't do a 3 man midfield often.
 
londonredmaniac said:
Jesus some fecking morons on here.

Tom was fine. Nothing spectacular but fine. He's playing his way in and doing the right things. he doesn't give the ball away too often and is keeping things ticking over.

Half our problem away from home last year was giving the ball away in midfield. Wake up folks.

Tom will get more adventurous I'm sure. But for now he's doing the right things.
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Yep. I can't believe some people are saying he isn't creative. They should watch more of him. When he's fired up he's an accelerator of the game. He has the Iniesta-esque ability of quick, incisive passes and continual movement. I remember reading an interview he did a while ago where he said he wants to learn to control the tempo of the game better because he usually likes to play so quickly.

Sir Alex has hinted he will get plenty more games this season by picking him in such an important opener. So a quietly effective senior debut is a good start for him.
 
Did well. I don't get this lack of invention thing. In fact he seems to be a player who will be creative through link up play rather than an incredibly creative pass that noone else sees. He did drift out a little bit at times but I like how he started to come deep to collect the ball when we were in trouble in the second. Looks very promising.
 
Raven Blade said:
Yep. I can't believe some people are saying he isn't creative. They should watch more of him. When he's fired up he's an accelerator of the game. He has the Iniesta-esque ability of quick, incisive passes and continual movement. I remember reading an interview he did a while ago where he said he wants to learn to control the tempo of the game better because he usually likes to play so quickly.

Sir Alex has hinted he will get plenty more games this season by picking him in such an important opener. So a quietly effective senior debut is a good start for him.
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Agreed.

Cleverley is the best prospect to come through the ranks in over a decade. I remember during the first half there was one moment he plucked the ball out of the air Berba style with an outstretched leg. Left me dumbstruck, didnt know he had it in him.

Its ridiculous to say he isn't creative. How can he play a ball in behind if nobody is running in behind? Why play the defence splitting pass to nobody when you can keep possession? People look at Cleverley and think because he didnt hit raking passes he isnt creative but look at the Guardian chalk board most of his passes were forwards. Taking players out of the game by beating men and then finding a red shirt (something he did 91% of the time) creates space for others. How do people not see that?
 
Sunny Jim said:
a very good performance, very assured and composed. didn't loose a single ball there. I would expect him to lead the team though, to be the team's brain. Today he only supported other people but all in all 7/10 performance.
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If he can maintain that for the rest of the season then it'll be perfect.
 
Ball retention is particularly important in away games and the Guardian chalkboard shows that Cleverley and Anderson did that very well. The other side of their game is what they do when the opposition has the ball. It was OK-ish yesterday, but they could learn something from Carrick and Fletcher in that regard.
 
He drifted in and out of the game I thought, especially in the first half. In the second half there was a period where he was basically controlling the midfield and all of our play started with him, and even if it never resulted in a goal I thought he did very, very well.

It's ridiculous to read people suggesting he's not a creative player. His speed of thought is marvellous, and he always looks like he's thinking a few moves ahead with his passing game. The fact that he doesn't necessarily opt for Hollywood-passes does not equate to a lack of creativity. What makes it even more humorous is the fact that he's essentially being criticised for doing the exact thing that Anderson is always criticised for not doing, ie. laying off the Hollywood-balls.

From what I've seen of him I also fully expect him to become more adventurous with his passing as he gels and gets more comfortable in the team.

Well and truly excited about what's to come from him!
 
RedLars said:
He drifted in and out of the game I thought, especially in the first half. In the second half there was a period where he was basically controlling the midfield and all of our play started with him, and even if it never resulted in a goal I thought he did very, very well.

It's ridiculous to read people suggesting he's not a creative player. His speed of thought is marvellous, and he always looks like he's thinking a few moves ahead with his passing game. The fact that he doesn't necessarily opt for Hollywood-passes does not equate to a lack of creativity. What makes it even more humorous is the fact that he's essentially being criticised for doing the exact thing that Anderson is always criticised for not doing, ie. laying off the Hollywood-balls.

From what I've seen of him I also fully expect him to become more adventurous with his passing as he gels and gets more comfortable in the team.

Well and truly excited about what's to come from him!
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spot on
 
RedLars said:
He drifted in and out of the game I thought, especially in the first half. In the second half there was a period where he was basically controlling the midfield and all of our play started with him, and even if it never resulted in a goal I thought he did very, very well.

It's ridiculous to read people suggesting he's not a creative player. His speed of thought is marvellous, and he always looks like he's thinking a few moves ahead with his passing game. The fact that he doesn't necessarily opt for Hollywood-passes does not equate to a lack of creativity. What makes it even more humorous is the fact that he's essentially being criticised for doing the exact thing that Anderson is always criticised for not doing, ie. laying off the Hollywood-balls.

From what I've seen of him I also fully expect him to become more adventurous with his passing as he gels and gets more comfortable in the team.

Well and truly excited about what's to come from him!
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Excellent post! Sums up the debate on creative midfielders for me in one.

I'd add that Giggs, who is certainly a creative midfielder, always gets criticised for to often trying the killer pass or the one touch back heels or flashy flicks as well.
 
Do you know how Barcelona win the ball back so quickly? It's because they don't have to run back more than 10 metres as they never pass the ball more than 10 metres--Johan Cruyff
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Playing the Hollywood pass against the best teams is suicidal unless you know it'll be accurate and that the man receiving the ball will be in the clear or quickly supported otherwise you will lose possession.

What we see in Cleverley is the application of Cruyff's principle. In the same way you rarely see Xavi or Iniesta launch raking passes you will not see Cleverley do it either. Its tactical, its about maximizing your team's chance of keeping the ball and ensuring if you do lose the ball there are enough red shirts nearby to make it hard for the other team to play out.

Both this week and last week our best play came in quick short passes that allowed our attacking players to move as a unit towards the opposition goal and Cleverley, with his ability to take the ball in tight spaces beat players and move it on quickly and accurately is key to that.
 
Yeah for all this talk of 3 man midfield, Cleverley has played well in a 2 man midfield alongside someone who isn't a holding player.
 
:lol:

Why would he beg some hideous fat slapper for sex when he's banging a page 3 model? I call bullshit, it's just another fame seeking nobody.
 
"I asked why he needed a bodyguard and he said it was because he was a footballer. He took my phone and typed his name into Google and all these pictures came up. It was a bit awkward."
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:lol::lol::lol:
 
If you give a 20 year old teen without any big plans or goals in live 500 bucks, tell them to put some nice make up on for a shoot, they tell you exactly what you dictate them...

Cant wait for similar stories from Pogba or Welbeck next week
 
I thought he did well. Drifted in and out of the game at times but that is acceptable at his age. The only problem i noticed was He and Anderson used to both get caught ahead of the ball a lot of times. They need to have an understanding amongst themselves that when 1 goes in front the other will stay back.
 
Escobar said:
If you give a 20 year old teen without any big plans or goals in live 500 bucks, tell them to put some nice make up on for a shoot, they tell you exactly what you dictate them...

Cant wait for similar stories from Pogba or Welbeck next week
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Twenteen? :smirk:
 
I think the image needs to be posted so people know what we're dealing with.



:eek:
 
Raven Blade said:
Yep. I can't believe some people are saying he isn't creative. They should watch more of him. When he's fired up he's an accelerator of the game. He has the Iniesta-esque ability of quick, incisive passes and continual movement. I remember reading an interview he did a while ago where he said he wants to learn to control the tempo of the game better because he usually likes to play so quickly.

Sir Alex has hinted he will get plenty more games this season by picking him in such an important opener. So a quietly effective senior debut is a good start for him.
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Bang on the money.
 
he will, of course, be rotated and then the seagulls/shitehawks will be calling him a flop
 
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