Tom Cleverley | 2012-14 Performances

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He's like a ticket tape timer... he clocks the team pretty well... he is not the best athlete nor the best technician but has the best ability to control the midfield... Carrick and him will prove to be a solid partnership...
 
He's basically our in house Michael Carrick replacement and hopefully he will learn how to dictate the tempo as he gets older. Still needs a superstar next to him abit like Carrick.
 
Mainoldo said:
He's basically our in house Michael Carrick replacement and hopefully he will learn how to dictate the tempo as he gets older. Still needs a superstar next to him abit like Carrick.
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He's got a fair bit to go to be Carricks replacement. Carricks defensive game was/is better and he has a range with either foot that Clev simply doesn't have and that's hard to develop. I think Clev will become a good squad player for us though. I suspect though we'll need someone better to take Carricks spot long term.
 
Mainoldo said:
He's basically our in house Michael Carrick replacement and hopefully he will learn how to dictate the tempo as he gets older. Still needs a superstar next to him abit like Carrick.
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He's nowhere near Carrick's ability at the equivalent age. And I seriously doubt he will ever reach the same heights. Carrick's eventual replacement should be absolute top-drawer.
 
He's had some really strong games in his career, when he's on form he's pretty darn good.

Haven't seen him have a strong game this season, though. And that's coming from a fan of his.

I expect, as often happens, he's trying to expand his game into places where he's still fairly inexperienced and untrained, and is looking worse while trying to get used to incorporating more into his game.

But I'm certainly not excited about him being a first choice central midfielder. What we really need to do is replace Paul Scholes, or at least try to, by signing a world class midfielder.

Or just turn Rooney into a midfielder the same as was done with Scholes the striker..
 
Cleverley and Fletcher partnership :P I still think Cleverley is at his best when he has somebody mobile next to him.
 
Mainoldo said:
He's basically our in house Michael Carrick replacement and hopefully he will learn how to dictate the tempo as he gets older. Still needs a superstar next to him abit like Carrick.
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Dont think thats his game at all. Cleverley's natural game is very differnet to Carrick's. Even when he was younger Carrick had a totally different style of play to Tom.

The ability to dictate the pace of a game isnt someting that just automatically happens with age. Look at Gerard for example.
 
Good squad player, nothing more or less. He is only getting in the team regularly because of the lack of quality we have in the position. I like him but there is a massive gulf in quality between where he is now and where he has to be to cement a starting position for Manchester United in the long term.
 
Sylar said:
Cleverley and Fletcher partnership :P I still think Cleverley is at his best when he has somebody mobile next to him.
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Maybe in certain aspects to his game, as I've always said I think that speaks more of his limitations that anything else. But the main area's he needs to improve, defensive positioning, his general movement and his choice/range of passes are all individual problems that would be there regardless of who he plays with. He's shown he can do these things better in his last few games and before that he's shown that he can play a disciplined role well, but he needs to do it a lot more often. If he can then he'll be a good option to have.
 
Mainoldo said:
He's basically our in house Michael Carrick replacement and hopefully he will learn how to dictate the tempo as he gets older. Still needs a superstar next to him abit like Carrick.
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Not seen much to suggest any of that. Looks a decent 4th choice midfielder to have around at a big club.
 
If he improves in the final third then we can call him a (very) poor mans Vidal.
 
Decotron said:
Dont think thats his game at all. Cleverley's natural game is very differnet to Carrick's. Even when he was younger Carrick had a totally different style of play to Tom.

The ability to dictate the pace of a game isnt someting that just automatically happens with age. Look at Gerard for example.
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Give him time you'll see. It did for Scholes (dictating games). Carrick is different to Pirlo and Xavi but they do the same thing, i wasnt talking about style.
 
People are so impatient... Remember the stick Fletcher got? I was confident he would grow into a good player for us, possibly even a great one, as he seemed to have what he nedeed in his locker. In his earlier seasons he seemed to be JUST off the pace, only just not passing quickly enough, or being slightly to slow on his turns or attempts to win the ball, but once he sorted out that he looked every bit a United player.

People seem to forget that it's very much a role that requires maturation, the central midfield role. I don't know if it's the odd Scholes or Fabregas that seems to skew people's expectations, but you rarely see central midfielders looking like first team options for top teams until they reach their mid-twenties.

Cleverley has everything required, he just needs the right guidance and to get games and seasons under his belt.
 
Maybe most players do come into their prime later but, unfortunately as a CM where literally you are in the middle of everything, so much rides on their performance each game - they don't have to be great but, need to be solid each game. In other positions, it would be okay to be "still getting there" - maybe even okay for a CM at lesser clubs to grow into becoming that player their potential showed. However, at clubs like United growing into CM I feel is something they can't afford.

Not everyone can be a phenomenal at a young age but, if they are not then sad truth is then they can't be a regular starter for us. We need at the minimum a player centrally that will at least be solid most games - even if that just means running around like mad and getting stuck in. Hopefully, Cleverley won't sink back into the "safe" game the next time things get difficult, as long as he is working hard and continues to try make things happen - then yes he deserves to grow into the player that he has shown signs of being able to be.
 
I thought Clev had a good game yesterday... Massive improvement from on his form! Played some great stuff...
 
A good squad player - Yes
Two good games - Yes
Future starter - No, not in a million years.

Clev is loyal and a United boy. That's why we all like him.
 
I preferred his sunday performance, but another good one yesterday. He's been really cracking on.
 
A good squad player - Yes
Two good games - Yes
Future starter - No, not in a million years.

Clev is loyal and a United boy. That's why we all like him.
 
I'll be interested to see how good he is when he is 29. He's got 5 seasons ahead of him until he can be considered the finished article and peaking. I think people forget that sometimes. I expect him to improve greatly in the next 2 seasons though.
 
7even said:
A good squad player - Yes
Two good games - Yes
Future starter - No, not in a million years.

Clev is loyal and a United boy. That's why we all like him.
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7even said:
A good squad player - Yes
Two good games - Yes
Future starter - No, not in a million years.

Clev is loyal and a United boy. That's why we all like him.
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Another Striker10? Please god!
 
BD94 said:
Another Striker10? Please god!
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iPad, Tapatalk, 4G and sitting on a flight is not a good combination. Sorry for double posting.

Either the moderators fecks with me or this site is like walking in syrup. I'll wait and wait and wait...... :-(


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Always find it strange how people's opinions on a player can change in the space of a week. For what it's worth, I thought he played well last night. Did his job well and looked sharp. I think a big issue with Cleverley is that people have different opinions on exactly what he is. Some appear to consider him as a box to box (hence the goals issue), some see his future in a deeper midfield role, and others are somewhere in the middle. Perhaps that's the potential problem when a player doesn't have a particular 'characteristic' that's marks them out, as others have been referring to.

He's at best when partnered with a Carrick: a player who will sit deep, pick the ball up off the back four and control the game from that area of the park, allowing him to link up a bit higher up the pitch. I didn't pick up on it at the game, but after watching it back I thought we looked a bit short on options higher up the field, playing with three in the middle and Welbeck up top.
 
He really has started to battle and fight it out in duels and that has created a presence for him that he lacked three matches ago. Playing like he has the last two games, I would not mind him starting any match for us. He has most required for a central midfielder apart from that.

Lots of better players out there and I hope we buy a new Central midfielder. But, if this is his playing style for the future, I'm glad to see him on the field.
 
Still not sold on him. It's fair to say he's had a couple of good games, but he's nowhere near good enough at the moment.
He wouldn't get into any other top 4 team, I don't think he's even make the bench if I'm honest. Saying that I think it's only fair he is given a chance and he could become a good squad player, however I don't think he will be here next season.
 
The fact he acknowledged he's been shit and since then has been playing with some balls is a good sign.

Sure he's no world beater...but this improvement has been much needed. All about maintaining it and hoping he isn't actually playing out of his skin and there is more to come.
 
I think he will play along side Fellaini against West Ham, so it will be a real test to see how he performs with Fellaini next to him.
 
He has stepped up at just the right time and helped ease the pain of Carrick being missing. Hopefully he can keep it up till Carrick is back.
 
Stack said:
He has stepped up at just the right time and helped ease the pain of Carrick being missing. Hopefully he can keep it up till Carrick is back.
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Well he's stepped up sadly came about two weeks to late, could have used this cleveley against Newcastle and Everton. Still better late than never.
 
Thought he was good against Newcastle and great against Villa & Stoke. Has stopped giving away stupid freekicks which was really annoying me earlier in the season. He definitely has a role to play in this squad
 
Comsmit said:
He's nowhere near Carrick's ability at the equivalent age. And I seriously doubt he will ever reach the same heights. Carrick's eventual replacement should be absolute top-drawer.
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What you posted is not really true Cleverly was playing as a regular for a top side at the age of 22 Carrick was in middle of an in an out season for west ham at same age. In fact if you look at their records they are very similar in the progress they have made.
 
Of course he's a good player, nobody can deny that. The issue remains he's not good enough to be a regular starter in a team challenging for trophies.
 
His workrate is amazing. The way he pressed them in the first half fantastic to see.
 
Good workrate but still lost the ball once or twice in dangerous areas. Doesn't have the awareness of someone like Rooney even though he isn't a midfielder by trade.

Needs to pass the ball forwards rather than sideways. Other than that he is definitely improving.
 
Played well I thought, there was one moment when there were three or four west ham players around him and he just kept passing and moving, with little one touch passes until we could get free and switch it. Was great to watch.
 
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