I love Fred to bits. My United supporting brother, doesn't rate him at all and I'm constantly defending him. He's a Duracell bunny. A pressing machine. Those who don't rate him, acknowledge this part of his game but view it as a pre-requisite for a United player, or indeed any professional footballer. Fact of the matter though is that if we could bottle Fred's work rate, tenacity and stamina and gave some of it to Pogba, then he would be the best midfielder in the world. Anyway, I digress. This isn't about bashing Pogba because I'm a fan of his also.
Truth is, aside from Fred's world class work rate and stamina, he's also very good at other things. He has an element of the famed 'Brazilian flair' and imagination in his game, which allows him to manipulate the ball when in tight situations. It's quite an unusual, but welcomed attribute for a player with his skill set. He can keep it simple, but is also brave in possession when the occasion calls for it and is very adept at threading a ball through the eye of a needle. On top of this, he has a decent turn of pace and is a good dribbler of the ball. This is very useful, as he occasionally bypasses the press completely, purely by driving through teams.
Before I come across as blinded by my admiration for Fred, I can accept that occasionally his passing can be inconsistent and his first touch a little loose. He has also shown himself to be a poor finisher. At times he will over-commit himself, but this is a high risk/high reward approach and generally benefits the team more than it costs us. Ultimately, no player is perfect and I don't see too many players of his type in Europe that offer what he does. I honestly feel that he could play for any team in Europe and aside from perhaps two or three clubs, he'd be a starter at all of them.