I don't think he can play even that role as so far I have not seen if he can make long passes. He seems to be someone who loves to play slow football. We play direct football and this is not suiting him.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
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I’d take the loss in summer. He’s not worth wasting a squad registration slot on. Pereira offers more if you are desperate for depth. Lingard will displace him if finds his form and drive again too. Neither of them have cut the mustard in recent years either.
Such a cringe moment Tyler is no doubt proud of!
Totally agree, if he wants to play then he needs to step up and take what chances he’s given. We aren’t going to build a team around him.
He’s not out performing any of our midfielders and that includes Matic and Fred who offer very little, but what they do do we need.
Said similar in the match day thread, but he's used to such a different style of football. Either he has to adapt his game quite significantly, or Ole eventually is hoping to play more one-touch football with much higher tempo. We do that maybe in 2-3 minute patches here and there, but by and large we play very slow, with almost no movement and players dwell on the ball for ages (presumably because of said non-movement).
He might be regretting this move already. Like Tony, when he's not in the game the minimum requirement is still to work hard and he doesn't really do that (at least not tonight). And he's quite obviously not the creative spark in front of two defensive midfielders in a team that doesn't have an attacking focal point, like we begun the match. So not best served, but still should work a lot harder.
I can see now why the Dutch are concerned. I wasn't reading much into the lack of game time, but I am wondering into what sort of style of play Ole sees him fit.
He might be regretting this move already. Like Tony, when he's not in the game the minimum requirement is still to work hard and he doesn't really do that (at least not tonight). And he's quite obviously not the creative spark in front of two defensive midfielders in a team that doesn't have an attacking focal point, like we begun the match. So not best served, but still should work a lot harder.
I can see now why the Dutch are concerned. I wasn't reading much into the lack of game time, but I am wondering into what sort of style of play Ole sees him fit.
Made me laugh that did. Like the whole team would collectively decide not to pass to him, regardless of his position
The sensible thing would be to sell him this summer now whilst he still holds value. It’s never going to work for either party here.
He’s a decent player in a particular system, but he’s not good enough to be worth changing how we play or waiting for him to hit form for it.
He’s a decent player in a particular system, but he’s not good enough to be worth changing how we play or waiting for him to hit form for it.
I hate sporting clichés but he really does look like a competition winner out there. No idea what he's doing in the role he's been given. Basically that kid on Fifa, running around with his arm up all the time. He's never where he 'should' be. At times, he's following another player around like a lost dog, at others he's running away from the action.
Often, he doesn't make himself available for the pass. And when he does get it, he makes the most obvious pass available - frequently straight back where it came from. This might work in an LvG type system, but not for us.
I was actually quite angry with him today, it's gone beyond disappointment for me now. What a waste of a transfer.
Often, he doesn't make himself available for the pass. And when he does get it, he makes the most obvious pass available - frequently straight back where it came from. This might work in an LvG type system, but not for us.
I was actually quite angry with him today, it's gone beyond disappointment for me now. What a waste of a transfer.
He kept looking at the bench hoping he would be withdrawn. Very timid player with poor physical attributes. Struggle to see a long term future for him here. Worrying situation. Another very, very shrewd acquisition by those responsible for our transfers.
It isn't Donnys fault, it's our recruitment teams fault. They should have realised that he's very much a player who's skillet is tailored to a certain system, one which we don't play.
If Ajax offered €20m in the summer, I think we should take it, I see him as a very Kagawa-esque signing.
If Ajax offered €20m in the summer, I think we should take it, I see him as a very Kagawa-esque signing.
Gave an exhibition on passing backwards.
Maybe shift him beside fred or Mctominah and see if he can do it there.
Too safe in the ten.
Maybe shift him beside fred or Mctominah and see if he can do it there.
Too safe in the ten.
Tries to make runs in behind the defence, but we dont find him. I would say its a bit concerning for him that McTominay is the one we can bring on and he might grab a goal and DVB isnt doing that at the moment.
For me he hasnt looked good in the AM role, but he's had a couple of good games in a deeper CM role being the one starting and setting the tempo in our moves. Right now I'd prefer to see him playing that deeper role, or on the sides of a diamond rather than behind the striker like Bruno
For me he hasnt looked good in the AM role, but he's had a couple of good games in a deeper CM role being the one starting and setting the tempo in our moves. Right now I'd prefer to see him playing that deeper role, or on the sides of a diamond rather than behind the striker like Bruno
I don't think he suits the present United setup. I really think he's probably more suited to a more pass and move system (City, Barca).
Pointless.
the worst commentary of all time
I think he'd be overrun and pushed off the ball in that position.
They probably want to pass to somebody who’ll try something, not somebody who’s just going to pass it straight back to them. If the players don’t trust him, it’s up to him to actually do something to show he should be trusted. It’s up to him to find a way of playing to our strengths.
My thoughts exactly. You'll get everyone giving different reasons to why he doesn't look good, but really he just isn't good enough to make it here in the system we play.
Big chance for him tonight and he didnt take it. rarely does he run with the ball, it looks like a hot potato when it lands on his feet, he cant wait to get rid off it.
back and to the side, its like watching that JFK movie. hopeless
So far we have leanrt that jest not #8,#10,#6...hes not a winger either.
Just not happening for VDB. He looks low on confidence, the quick touches we saw at the start of the season have gone (and they were about his best feature) and he never tries anything risky. He seems to be on a different wavelength to his team mates, constantly going to the wrong bit of free space and never getting the ball, or running wide as play goes central (or vice versa).
He needs a run of games to get going, but we’ll soon be at a point in the season where the stakes are too high to gamble on him. Ole has to take some responsibility for this to be honest, he could have done with more minutes earlier in the season. Still, I suspect he wont feature much more this season than he has done so far. Just praying for some long term development, since he’s shown at Ajax he had quality.
He needs a run of games to get going, but we’ll soon be at a point in the season where the stakes are too high to gamble on him. Ole has to take some responsibility for this to be honest, he could have done with more minutes earlier in the season. Still, I suspect he wont feature much more this season than he has done so far. Just praying for some long term development, since he’s shown at Ajax he had quality.
Exactly, if you pass to him then you always have to consider it may straight back. You hesitate, second guess.
With Bruno, you pass to him and then spin around and make a run into the box. Completely different dynamic.
I'm worried now.
I haven't been impressed either but let's not forget how Vidic and Evra started.
He tends to do that when he’s surrounded by three opponents. And given that he does absolutely nothing with the ball on the rare occasions he does find himself in possession in space, it’s no wonder the team-mates aren’t keen on playing those balls into him.
He doesn't have to though, Fred doesn't do the long balls when he's deputizing for Pogba. He just needs to keep it safe and get it to Bruno/Pogba/Mata whoever is ahead of him. I was led to believe that he was very much a transition player rather than a 10, he only played there for Ajax becasue, well it's the dutch league.
It genuinely beggars belief that anyone at Manchester United could have scouted this guy and thought “yup, he’s what we need as cover for Bruno”. Not that he’s a crap player but he’s an absolutely terrible choice for that role in our squad. Truly awful decision.
I would never play him in attack again. It just doesn't work at all. Even if he gets the ball very rarely something good happens.
He's so out of form I wouldn't trust him in midfield, but he looked worse much worse today than usual to that's partly on Ole.
But I have to admit, I'd consider selling him in the summer. Seems like another special player who doesn't fit.
He's so out of form I wouldn't trust him in midfield, but he looked worse much worse today than usual to that's partly on Ole.
But I have to admit, I'd consider selling him in the summer. Seems like another special player who doesn't fit.
It beggars believe. Not exactly cheap either
As I said before the game... No point in playing him as a #10. Maybe in other systems he can do it. At United, he can't play the role, he doesn't know how. If we are to play him, play him as a 6 or an 8 next to McTominay or Fred. One where he can use his passing (once his confidence recovers a little bit... it is good), his touch and quick thinking and awareness under pressure to progress it up the field. Ole basically uses the midfield 2 as support pieces, while the front 4 all have to be key/individualistic types. Van de Beek is a support type player, but he has no chance of ever doing anything as a 10 for us as he's not that type of player. We wouldn't play Fred up there. Don't play VdB there.
He's such a boring player.
No spark whatsoever
No spark whatsoever
Very disappointed in his performance tonight, you're given the chance to do something, just take it.
He is tidy and he does make some good runs off the ball around the box. However there is almost zero evidence in a Utd shirt of him possessing any independent creativity in his game. When he gets the ball in space with time to turn and make something happen he looks uncomfortable and uncertain, looking for someone else to be the creative spark.
You can't play an attacking role at Utd with that mindset. Appears to be very much a guy suited to a particular system and a little redundant out of it.
You can't play an attacking role at Utd with that mindset. Appears to be very much a guy suited to a particular system and a little redundant out of it.
He's not a #10. United should play him further back in #8 position.
Let him go the summer if a half descent offer arrives. Like £20m+. United have younger midfielders waiting for their chance, like Garner, Galbraith, Mejbri, ... If we need a #10 to sub for Bruno, then I think there are some Bosmans going. We still have Mata.
Let him go the summer if a half descent offer arrives. Like £20m+. United have younger midfielders waiting for their chance, like Garner, Galbraith, Mejbri, ... If we need a #10 to sub for Bruno, then I think there are some Bosmans going. We still have Mata.
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Would like to see him play deeper in midfield and linking up with Bruno.
Hoping he gets some more game time in the upcoming Europa League games.
Hoping he gets some more game time in the upcoming Europa League games.
Vidic and Evra's starts are exaggerated. There elements in both their games that suggested they were quality. Even the Kagawa comparison is unfair, he was present in games, just not as decisive as we would have liked. VDB is like playing with 10 men. Its not like this is only for United either, he's the same way nationally.
I don´t care if he Donny himself says nr. 10 is his best position. He can´t play that role for us. His best games have been as one of the two sitting together with McTominay, and that´s the only hope I can see for him in this team.
I have no idea what he's supposed to be and with each passing game I care a little less.
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