It's not the same thing of course but in principle you're absolutely right, some of our players are just happy to be Man Utd player, whether that means staying on the bench or not.
Tom Cleverley | 2014/15 Performances (on loan at Aston Villa)
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It's not the same thing of course but in principle you're absolutely right, some of our players are just happy to be Man Utd player, whether that means staying on the bench or not.
He was looking to be a fine player until that Kevin Davies tackle/injury. Since then he's never been able to get back to where he was. Shame.
It's very strange. I remember thinking that he was the fastest thinking player in our team and knew what he wanted to do well before he got the ball.
The Kevin Davies tackle was hardly a Ramsey/Eduardo leg breaker. I think he got hyped on the basis of appearances for Watford and Wigan (a lot of which we didn't see) followed by a brief purple patch at the start of 2011-2012 (even though some of those performances are now viewed through rose-tinted nostalgia and don't stand up to much scrutiny - see v Spurs for example). Still, I thought he could at least become a squad player. He has become truly mediocre without even a distinguishing feature like Gibson's shooting.
He's someone you'd let date your daughter.
There'd be no penetration.
He seems the kind of guy that would blame the woman for it too.
Has he played a game as good as Gibbo vs Schalke in the champions league semis?
No, or Gibson v Bayern Munich the year before for that matter. Plus Gibson didn't set up his own brand or claim he would be more appreciated in Spain. All round, he has become a bit of a poster boy for unwarranted entitlement.
It always seems like an odd thing to criticise someone for but he looks so ridiculous that it makes him impossible to watch even when he's having a good game. Henderson and Glen Johnson also have similarly awful styles that make them look terrible even if they're doing something good (which admittedly is rare).
The thing with Cleverley is his technique and style of kicking means that passes are always underhit and always curling away from the target meaning that when they take a touch the ball is still rotating. Harder to control and therefore even his simple sideways passes are utterly shite in their effectiveness. The amount of times you want him to strike through the ball like Scholes used to and then he uses his instep to curve it and ruin a move is so bloody annoying it's terrible.
Just fecking get rid of him.
I know it's not required, but that reads like you talked yourself into that final sentence.
I know it's not required, but that reads like you talked yourself into that final sentence.
It's very easy to talk yourself into that sentence when it comes to Cleverley
True.It's very easy to talk yourself into that sentence when it comes to Cleverley
I was screaming at the TV, "Look at him hiding behind Sunderland players!" and "Pointing out passes, instead of demanding the ball!"
Properly lost it with him and Fletch.
It's interesting how in the 2nd half Phil Jones largely ignores his repeated request for the ball and opt to pass to other players instead.
Wonder if we'll allow him leave should we sign Vidal and Blind? I wouldn't bet against it.
Haha he was screaming for it and he was right next to jones. Jones passes it to someone 20 yards away instead and Clev went into meltdown mode.
Yeah he was stamping his feet and swinging his arms around.
The only way we can ensure that Fletcher-Cleverley in CM will never happen again is by selling one of them. And when I say "one of them", I don't mean Fletcher.
To be fair he wasn't exactly melting down, but he did express frustration.
I can empathise with Jones though. "Why the hell should I pass it to you only for you to pass it back to me a few seconds later?
Should we laugh ?
You know you're really terrible when (and this goes for Fletcher as well) that I'm sure I'm not the only one who contemplated giving Anderson his 10000th chance if it meant replacing one of them.
Nope. Im well passed that point. At least Cleverley and Fletcher have a bit of match fitness. When was the last time Anderson even played a game?
As other people have said the thing that irks me the most about Cleverley is that he's just a huge pussy. Always shies away from the ball when the team needs movement from the midfield. Never has the courage to take a game by the throat and do something or make himself useful in any way.
I can understand if you're not good enough for the team, but if you shy away from taking responsibility and are afraid to get involved then I will never respect you as a player. It's infuriating.
I can understand if you're not good enough for the team, but if you shy away from taking responsibility and are afraid to get involved then I will never respect you as a player. It's infuriating.
Someone here commented earlier that they always preferred the likes of Anderson and Nani when compared to cowards such as Cleverley, Valencia and Young. That poster did have an extremely valid point. If you try and fail, fans will be disappointed but if shirk away and are a coward, then fans would be downright pissed off.
Agree completely. Fans always love the players that give their all and make the most out of their opportunities. Nani has always had a great work-rate and Anderson typically hasn't been afraid to get involved - even if he wasn't that good most of the time.
Tom Cleverley is the definition of a passenger on the field.
Giggs: "FFS Tom"Why do people keep calling them cowards? I am miffed by that.. Especially Cleverley, he was stood arms out calling or the ball every time a pass was on for an entire 10 minute period on the first half against Sunderland. If he doesn't get the ball when he's in space, how is that his fault?
Coward as in he doesn't try risky passes or shots enough. He's afraid to take responsibility.
I'm fairly sure they are two separate incidents. The Giggs and LVG laughs were directed at a throw-in awarded to Sunderland when it should have been our throw-in instead
Fair enough, I don't really think that is his role though.
What's his role then?
Tackling? Apparently not, he shy's away from that.
Taking players on to drive us forward? Don't be daft, why do that when you can pass horizontally.
Shooting? If by shooting you mean floating the ball well wide of the far post then yes, he's nailing that.
Picking up the space around the oppositions area? His current favourite after releasing the ball is to make what looks like an attacking run towards the box but in reality is just him running away from the ball into a crowd of players where in reality he is never going to receive a return pass.
TC23(™)
"My job goes under the radar at times. I am not a player who's going to beat three or four people and stick it in the top corner or go round tackling people like Roy Keane.
"I feel I've been made a scapegoat a little bit. A few people in the media certainly seem to have a perception of me not doing much in the team.
"Don't get me wrong, I know I can do better but people are making a big thing about how I don't score enough goals when that is not necessarily my first job in the team."
"I watch Spanish football a lot," Cleverley says. "If they pass the ball sideways but keep possession, the fans clap them.
"Their attitude is that as long as you have got the ball, the other team can't hurt you.
Maybe it's time we start building up with 'ooooooooh' when the ball is being passed to Cleverley and then break into a rapturous applause every time he makes a routine 5 yard pass.
Quick pass and move, interact with the 10 and give a second option. I think, anyway..
Put in a couple of good challenges on Llarson at the weekend. Fought hard in a 50/50 in front of our box which was handy at the time.. Don't think I really saw him shirking his defensive responsibility if I am honest.
He is the main short pass facilitator and I found against Sunderland that a lot of the time the wingbacks were playing catchup and he was nullified by that. His simple ball is often the inside pass which Fletcher and sometimes even Mata facilitated often.
That shot in the first half that went over was hit a yard behind him and was a decent chance. He was in the perfect spot for a cutback when we scored as well. His usual movement forward is often nullified by the sideways pass to the wingbacks as well. I saw him a few times have to jog back after Mata came deep into his position after a pass from Fletcher that went wide or bypassed to Mata.
Fergies system suited him a lot better than Moyes and this 3-5-2 of Van Gaal's but I am not really seeing any signs of cowardice if I am brutally honest. I think the fans are making things up to have a go at him with that one.
Lol is that an actual reaction to that play? Funny if it is but I think it might not have been. Anyway funny video.
Making things up? Lol did you see his "efforts" against Sunderland? I've got guys who play in my local all age team in Australia that would have been more effective in midfield against Sunderland.
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