Mitten: Ander Herrera comes in from the cold to lead MUFC

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,258
 

cyril C

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2017
Messages
2,634
Herrera is always a big mystery to me. When he is good he is really good. But Mourinho would drop him for a few months during which he was not injured, so what went missing? Or put in in another perspective - why can't Herrera keep playing consistent football week in week out?

p.s. we all know Pogba can be a great player when and if he set his mind on the job, just hope he will switch on during big game.
 

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,258
Herrera is always a big mystery to me. When he is good he is really good. But Mourinho would drop him for a few months during which he was not injured, so what went missing? Or put in in another perspective - why can't Herrera keep playing consistent football week in week out?

p.s. we all know Pogba can be a great player when and if he set his mind on the job, just hope he will switch on during big game.
I've heard Howson from Full Time Devils say Mourinho dropped Herrera cos Herrera refused to sign a new deal.

That's another reason I found this piece from Mitten interesting, since Andy's saying Ander has no intention of leaving United.

Who knows what the truth is? I guess both have their sources.
 

Judas

Open to offers
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
35,964
Location
Where the grass is greener.
I honestly thought he was destined to leave in the summer, but can't for the life of me see him going anywhere now, and rightfully so. He's delivered.
 

devil in me

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2011
Messages
6,603
Location
Hereford
He was brilliant V Spurs, and I really like him as a player. When he is on form he gives a lot of balance to the midfield, and our best team atm is surely with him in a midfield 3 with Pogba and Matic. He has been poor this season though, his worst season for us imo, and thats probably the simple reason that he got dropped.
 

acnumber9

Full Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
22,253
He was brilliant V Spurs, and I really like him as a player. When he is on form he gives a lot of balance to the midfield, and our best team atm is surely with him in a midfield 3 with Pogba and Matic. He has been poor this season though, his worst season for us imo, and thats probably the simple reason that he got dropped.
In some games maybe. At home to West Brom it was a waste of time having three midfielders.
 

Denis' cuff

Full Member
Joined
May 13, 2007
Messages
7,769
Location
here
Really don’t know with Herrera but there’s a distinct possibility that his mind hasn’t been on the job with serious legal stuff hanging over his head. There’s definitely a player in there, so just hoping it’ll come out now.
 

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,258
In some games maybe. At home to West Brom it was a waste of time having three midfielders.
It depends on how we play. City always play with a three man midfield and it doesn't harm them.

Honestly, I didn't think the first half against West Brom was that bad. In my opinion, Mourinho blinked first by switching to 4-2-3-1 at half time. That left us vulnerable to the counter attack and we were no more of an attacking threat, as our full backs either could not or would not try and take on their opposite numbers. Had we stuck with the 4-3-3, as we did a few days later against Bournemouth, I'm sure eventually we would've ground West Brom down and escaped with a 1-0.

4-3-3 should be our default shape.
 

acnumber9

Full Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
22,253
It depends on how we play. City always play with a three man midfield and it doesn't harm them.

Honestly, I didn't think the first half against West Brom was that bad. In my opinion, Mourinho blinked first by switching to 4-2-3-1 at half time. That left us vulnerable to the counter attack and we were no more of an attacking threat, as our full backs either could not or would not try and take on their opposite numbers. Had we stuck with the 4-3-3, as we did a few days later against Bournemouth, I'm sure eventually we would've ground West Brom down and escaped with a 1-0.

4-3-3 should be our default shape.
Not with players like Herrera and Matic they don’t. It works for them because they play attackers there. We lost any attacking threat because within ten minutes we took off another midfielder and lost any shape at all.
 

Shark

@NotShark
Joined
Feb 1, 2012
Messages
26,416
Location
Ireland
I like him, but he's too inconsistent to be starting in our midfield. Let's be honest here.

We can't be relying on players that put in a shift for a few big games, then revert back to nothing form. That's been Herrera throughout his United career.
 

el3mel

Full Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Messages
43,735
Location
Egypt
Even though his form was poor earlier in the season, he's still the very definition of a big games player.
 

Dolf

Full Member
Joined
May 27, 2016
Messages
2,887
Location
Amsterdam
I like him, but he's too inconsistent to be starting in our midfield. Let's be honest here.

We can't be relying on players that put in a shift for a few big games, then revert back to nothing form. That's been Herrera throughout his United career.
Might as well sell Pogba then
 

Random Task

WW Lynchpin
Joined
Feb 7, 2010
Messages
34,503
Location
Chester
Herrera showed genuine leadership qualities with the way he stepped up in that second half, a proper captains performance that (minus the armband of course).
 

Class of 63

Sourness
Joined
Aug 15, 2017
Messages
9,028
Location
Going through the Desert on a Horse with no Name
If Herrera could play like he did from 25 minutes onwards @ Wembley on Saturday he'd be one of the first names on the teamsheet, if he plays like he did in the first 25 minutes, or how he's played for most of his time at United he's not even worth a place in the squad.

Maybe we should put him in cold-storage, and just bring him out when we're playing sides from the Capital in must win games.
 

devil in me

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2011
Messages
6,603
Location
Hereford
In some games maybe. At home to West Brom it was a waste of time having three midfielders.
wouldve been absoutely fine if we had 2 proper wingers. Problem wasnt the 3 in the middle, it was the lack of balance, pace and creativity. But thats for another debate!
 

cyril C

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2017
Messages
2,634
I've heard Howson from Full Time Devils say Mourinho dropped Herrera cos Herrera refused to sign a new deal.

That's another reason I found this piece from Mitten interesting, since Andy's saying Ander has no intention of leaving United.

Who knows what the truth is? I guess both have their sources.
Come on. Fellaini refused to renew and Mourinho still started him ahead of Pogba. I don't think Mourinho would take this into consideration unless you refuse to train etc. I really like to know what was the missing factor on a Herrera down day, that somehow the coaching team fail to ignite it on a consistent basis.
 

Smores

Full Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
25,496
See him as rotation option for Matic and a tactical option in certain games. Basically the new Fletcher.

He'll probably suffer when we bring in a new midfielder but hopefully he's willing to play the squad role
 

cyril C

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2017
Messages
2,634
If Herrera could play like he did from 25 minutes onwards @ Wembley on Saturday he'd be one of the first names on the teamsheet, if he plays like he did in the first 25 minutes, or how he's played for most of his time at United he's not even worth a place in the squad.

Maybe we should put him in cold-storage, and just bring him out when we're playing sides from the Capital in must win games.
Playing 433 against WBA was a practise match for Spurs. In fact, I think Mourinho would have rested most of the key players during mid-week game if the Sat game wasn't such a disaster.
 

arthurka

Full Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2010
Messages
18,667
Location
Rectum
Herrera showed genuine leadership qualities with the way he stepped up in that second half, a proper captains performance that (minus the armband of course).
Valencia and Young have got that covered.. Hasn´t Smalling been captain couple of times? I think Jose thinks the captain must speak English if he isn´t Valencia..