This tournament he's reminded me alot of Carrick, in that he doesn't do the spectacular but he does everything right and effeciently. And even better for us is that he's got good control and he has the legs to run around in midfield like Fletcher and Park.
Tom Cleverley | 2012-14 Performances
- Thread starter Bebe
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I thought that myself.
Agreed. Kept it nice and tidy, didn't get caught in possession when pressured by Uruguay players and only made one or two unforced errors. Not a sparkling performance, which wasn't helped by a 20 minutes after half time when GB decided to go long, but cool, calm and composed.
Good player, he would benefit more if other players used him more. A lot of times he would look for the ball and others wouldn't pass to him and lose it.
Exaclty. Our CM was fine last year at passing and when we have the ball ie when Scholes and Carrick are in there. But as a pair they like a bit dynamism. I am looking forward to seeing a three man midfield of Carrick,Cleverley and Kawaga.
Also Joe Allen and Butland have been impressive.
If he stays fit then he's going to be a very important player for us this coming season. I thought he had another cracking game tonight.
Thought he was very good first half but when Uruguay were on top on the 2nd half he was OK.
Needs to improve his defending. His defensive positioning is good but he's too easy to pass at times. He's great on the ball, we know what he can do going forward.
Needs to improve his defending. His defensive positioning is good but he's too easy to pass at times. He's great on the ball, we know what he can do going forward.
Looking forward to seeing him play with Kagawa.
This is very true especially with the GB full backs who have a tendency just to want to go down the line. When Uruguay started to really apply pressure in the second half there were several times when they should've just gone inside to centre midfield but kept trying to launch it to Bellamy. It wasn't just Cleverley that suffered cos of that, Allen and Ramsey also got taken out of the game too. But then these players are not United standard. Someone like Rafael would have the footballing and attacking intelligence to judge when to go down the line and when to come inside. At United Cleverley won't suffer so much from that.
I think his 2nd half performance is mostly explained by what I said above but I agree with you about his defending. His defensive positioning is great, he gets into excellent positions to make himself an obstacle but he often seems to be a stationary obstacle: the oncoming player simply puts his indicator on, checks his windows and drives around him. On the one hand its good that he doesn't commit himself because very rarely is he completely taken out of the play and can get back to help if a man leaves him but on the other hand it'd help if he could show more of that bite we all remember from the 2011 Community Shield. Its gonna be a necessity if we get past S. Korea cos Brazil's midfield takes no prisoners (and Honduras' certainly don't!)
Carrick is far better defensively to be fair. Cleverley will not solve our defensive problems in midfield but at least he's a positive player who's always willing to drive the team forward and can keep the ball. He'll be a joy to watch next to Kagawa indeed.
Played pretty well. Always looking to receive the ball, got out of a couple of tight spots and used the ball tidily. Didn't try anything overly adventurous and didn't really threaten much in the final third, though Sturridge could have played him in a couple of times. Was a bit more physical in his defending work although there was still a few times when players waltzed past him a bit too easily.
I think by the time the season starts he'll be our sharpest player. The Olympics is a very good pre season for him.
I think by the time the season starts he'll be our sharpest player. The Olympics is a very good pre season for him.
He's definitely looking sharper, stronger and consistent this tournament.
Hope he gets a decent run of games for us, think he'll be able to make a big difference with Scholes/Carrick with him. (That's if we choose to play a midfield 2)
Less of this 'image' shit and more knuckling down and playing.
Hope he gets a decent run of games for us, think he'll be able to make a big difference with Scholes/Carrick with him. (That's if we choose to play a midfield 2)
Less of this 'image' shit and more knuckling down and playing.
Classy player. Was very good tonight. The next step for him, apart from staying fit, would be to either add end product going forwards i.e being more of a goal threat from midfield or to get stronger defensively.
Hopefully they'll come with time. I think Kagawa will be an important player for him. The Allen, Ramsey and Clev trio works well because there's a good understanding there. If Clev gets ahead of Ramsey then he'll drop, having that third guy just ahead of him enables him a lot more freedome to move with the attack. If he can get that understanding with Kagawa then that could work very well.
I thought he looked a lot better than Ramsey tonight.
I cringe every time he goes down because of a tackle. He is going to be very important for us this season. He has successfully survived three games. Two more to go. 
I cringe every time he goes down because of a tackle. He is going to be very important for us this season. He has successfully survived three games. Two more to go.
The second half one on the edge of their box? My heart stopped for a moment.Yeah, was it Sebastien Coates' tackle? The ref played on and then came back and gave him a yellow.
"Keeps it nice and simple" is the new "Puts in a good shift". He's had a solid tournament nad seems to have a good understanding with Allen.
No it's not the same thing given it refers to players who do the basics of the game right more than others. In Cleverleys position doing the simple things well is the most important. Keeping things simple wouldn't really work for a winger or a striker.
Spot on.
I have seen a few on here recently, lambast that particular saying. It means, more so, that he has a very good footballing brain and keeps things moving, rather than trying 'hollywood' balls and possibly losing possession and momentum.
Nothing like, the 'good shift' - lazy saying.
I cringe every time he goes down because of a tackle. He is going to be very important for us this season. He has successfully survived three games. Two more to go.
If he can stay fit then he will become a regular starter for United and England. No question.
The worry is that he's one of those unlucky players who get injured a lot.
Cleverley is currently an above average/good player with an excellent mentality. Encouragingly, he just looks absolutely determined to make it as a top player, and he really ticks the whole "saying the right things" box what with his talk about Scholes, Xavi etc.
Really, he could become like something half way in between Scholes and Carrick if he works on his defensive game and continues improving his movement - two things that are not out of reach given his willingness to improve. Although we've not really seen a lot of it yet, Cleverley posed a clear goal scoring threat at Watford, and what we're now seeing is a willingness to play deep and keep the ball moving. It's still unclear as to how far he'll go, but there's a really good player in there waiting to emerge. He doesn't really at this moment have any outstanding facets to his game, but there's potential for him to become a very well rounded midfielder with many very good attributes.
Really, he could become like something half way in between Scholes and Carrick if he works on his defensive game and continues improving his movement - two things that are not out of reach given his willingness to improve. Although we've not really seen a lot of it yet, Cleverley posed a clear goal scoring threat at Watford, and what we're now seeing is a willingness to play deep and keep the ball moving. It's still unclear as to how far he'll go, but there's a really good player in there waiting to emerge. He doesn't really at this moment have any outstanding facets to his game, but there's potential for him to become a very well rounded midfielder with many very good attributes.
Lets get Allen and play him with Clev and Andow
Yeah, but what's the point in listing him? Why not just use a current top class player as a point of reference?
Cleverley's inclusion in this GB squad could be the making of him. He's played really well. Does he ever give the ball away? He always picks out the right pass, he has quick feet which helps him when pressurised, and he can dribble reasonably with the ball as well. He's a deceptively strong lad too. I've seen some people say he needs to work on his stamina - possibly, but don't forget he's had real injury disruptions and has never really put together a big run of games. I think that'll come.
What's also pleasing is that he's been playing at the base of the midfield; the deepest of the trio. He's picking up experience in the defensive aspect of the game, something he was a little weak on at the start of last season. If Cleverley stays fit, I'm more than happy for United to play him as opposed to buying someone new. He's a really exciting player.
What's also pleasing is that he's been playing at the base of the midfield; the deepest of the trio. He's picking up experience in the defensive aspect of the game, something he was a little weak on at the start of last season. If Cleverley stays fit, I'm more than happy for United to play him as opposed to buying someone new. He's a really exciting player.
Exactly. More often than not 'good shift' is a phrase used to describe running around a lot after the ball, something Cleverley doesn't have to do because he lets the ball do the work for him. That's what seperates Tom Cleverley from someone like Nigel Reo-Coker.
Coming around to that idea...
Its arguably his best position. What Cleverley needs to thrive is the ball at his feet and the further forward he plays the more dependent he is on others to get it to him. Cleverley isn't the kind of player who causes problems just by being on the field like Rooney is. Teams know if Cleverley is far from the ball he's not a threat. But when he comes deep and collects the ball from the defenders and drives forward Tom Cleverley is a totally different proposition. He's not the next Bryan Robson but this generation of England players has few better box-to-box midfielders in it than Cleverley.
I wouldn't say he's playing the deepest personally. Looks to me that him and Allen are the basic two in the middle with Ramsey just ahead. Then if one of them gets ahead of Ramsey then Ramsey will drop and between them if say allen pushes on a little clev will drop a little and vice versa. The three of them have a good understanding and most of their faults are due to their inexperience.
That's why I think Kagawa will be important for him, as he'll play closer to the midfielders by default and enable clev to push forward at times where he makes some really good runs that haven't been picked up enough in the tournament so far.
As for Allen, said it in the other thread that he's decent but I wouldn't say he's good enough for a top 4 club, not as more than a squad player. What he does Carrick can do better imo and with a much stronger defensive game.
That's why I think Kagawa will be important for him, as he'll play closer to the midfielders by default and enable clev to push forward at times where he makes some really good runs that haven't been picked up enough in the tournament so far.
As for Allen, said it in the other thread that he's decent but I wouldn't say he's good enough for a top 4 club, not as more than a squad player. What he does Carrick can do better imo and with a much stronger defensive game.
He looks a bit ordinary to me. He'd be a decent player for us, but you'd hope for something more.
Maybe he has it in his locker, but hasn't yet shown it.
Maybe he has it in his locker, but hasn't yet shown it.
Just said in the newbies, I can't warm to him. Something about him annoys me.
Carrick's a better player than Allen but he's really impressed me this tournament. I think I'll be annoyed if Liverpool sign him. They'll have two players - Leiva and Allen - who would both be good cover for us if/when Carrick is unavailable and we'll have zip, zilch, zero, nada.
As for Cleverley, I'm really pleased to see him playing all these games and playing well. His performances have to be judged in the context of how little football he played last season. You'd expect him to take ages to get back in the swing of things but he's improving all the time. Seems to get a little tired at times in the second half of games (which is to be expected) but he's always looking for the ball, only very rarely gives it away and has previously proved he can be a threat in the final third. He also links up with Welbeck superbly, having played football together since they were nippers. Could be a mainstay of our team this season. Fingers crossed.
He showed that little bit extra against UAE hitting the post and getting and assist but I said at the time he needs to do it against the better teams. I think last night he went into safe mode again where he doesn't do anything wrong but doesn't have that extra bit of magic or craft. That is fine in a three man midfield but you need to show more in a two man midfield. That said, I don't think that his Team GB team mates use him enough in attacking positions as they tended to favour the direct route via the wings or by shooting.
If your confusing keeping posession and not trying hollywood passes and losing the ball "ordinary", then your pretty confused.
Define ordinary.
With his quick passing, movement and link-up play he's a very useful cog to have in midfield to keep the play ticking over. He's not a world-beater by any means at present, but the little things he does improves the midfield much more than you'd think.
Well, J H C touched on it above.
Take Scholes. He can find and make space where none seems to exist. He can hit amazing 50 yard passes and land them on a players toenail. He can hit a volley from 25 yards straight as an arrow. He can even dance through a bunch of defenders in the penalty area if called upon. He's got the x factor.
I don't see Cleverley doing anything that any ordinary good player couldn't do.
Compared to Scholes, most footballers are ordinary.
Bit daft comparing a 22 year old who is only just breaking into our first team with Scholes in his pomp. Wasn't he still playing as a striker at the age Cleverley is now?
Comparing Scholes with most players is a mugs game. There is a point though that a lot of what Cleverley does is very simple. An argument can be made for saying that it shows his intelligence in that football is a simple game when done right but I do think I lot of people blow his performances and what he contributes way out of proportion.
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