Those are unsellable. Plus Mata signed a new 1-year deal this summer, so I assume he makes a lot less than before.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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I'm going off the Ole quotes where he explained not starting Donny against Southampton as a decision about whether to play him vs. Matic, and "Matic had been our best midfielder in pre-season". If he is deciding between Matic and VDB, that's suggestive that he's looking at VDB in a deeper role. He's also said that "Donny can play as a 1 or 2 in midfield," again suggesting the deep role. VDB's summer bulk up is also supports the view.
Why hasn't he been trusted in yet? I don't know, but maybe it's because Ole wants to feel confident he has got the positional aspects down before he throws him in. And as you rightfully point out, this is not simple.
I wasn't making any claims about whether the experiment will work, only that I think the coaching staff are moving in that direction. My personal opinion is that I don't think he would work at all as a CDM with Pogba and Bruno in front as we'd be really weak defensively. I do think he would work well with McTominay in a two behind Bruno, albeit playing more conservatively/defensively to give McTominay license to bomb forward. I like the thought of that combination more than any other possible combination of Fred, McTominay, and Matic, though I recognize VDB needs game time to properly learn the role. He has also looked good as an 8 with Matic sitting behind, but I think Matic is done so that won't work in anything but the domestic cup games.
There was an video interview with his agent on VI in Dutch, here.
I'm sure someone can pull up some English journo who translated the most important bits.
Basically he wanted to leave and had a lot of interest but the club wouldn't let him.
I'm sure someone can pull up some English journo who translated the most important bits.
Basically he wanted to leave and had a lot of interest but the club wouldn't let him.
Ole is a hoarder. Donny wont start more than 10 games this season, and that will be the useless cups mostly. I dont get it. He has no plan for him or how to use him, he doesnt give him even a chance. Sell him while he is worth something. He blocks a move now and in 2 years he is worth far less, after sitting on the bench for us in 90% of the games
He'll get games once champions league and the cup games get going, then it is up to him to make it count. Fred had a similarly miserable time in his first season and then turned into one of the fixtures on the team sheet since then. Ole was never going to let him leave while being so short on options in midfield.
I have a mate in the Netherlands who is gobsmacked that DVB hasn’t played more often. He is an Ajax fan, and when we signed DVB, he said that there’s 10-15 goals per season. Still unclear why the hell we bought him if he’s bench sitter.
Seems ole blocked his move, which is honestly a trash move. With Fred and MCT missing I'm certain he's still not going to start.
Fred profited from Ole coming in and established himself quite quickly under him, while Jose benched him quite often. Donny under Ole wont have the same faith.
#FreeDonny #OleTheTyrant
I still can't understand why we spent the money on him. He never really got a chance in the team so Ole must really not like what he sees in training.
I think he may. Ole has been in the game long enough to know that you cannot count on your players to stay fit through the whole season. We were lucky with injuries last season, but I do remember the season before when we at some point hardly had one single midfielder to put on - in one game he was actually forced to play Garner. Before we know it, both Pogba and Fernandes are out for a month.
Not surprised. When you see Lingard coming on ahead of you the writing's on the wall. Baffled why the club blocked it considering we needed funds for any additional signings and they clearly don't rate him.
I can’t understand why he won’t play him. He’s looked decent in pre season and Fred isn’t playing great at the moment.
If he doesn’t use him in the near future this is baffling
Clearly Ole doesn’t fully trust him, I think he’ll wait for an easy game to bring him in where we’ll have plenty of the ball and dominate for long periods of time.
If he doesn’t get any minutes or even start against Newcastle I’ll be gobsmacked. If he can’t even get a start against them then what is the point in keeping him here.
If he doesn’t get any minutes or even start against Newcastle I’ll be gobsmacked. If he can’t even get a start against them then what is the point in keeping him here.
You'd think there has to be a plan for him if he's not allowed to leave on loan. So far, nothing points to that plan, though
Either don't sign him, play him, or sell him. Thus far we've just wasted his time and our resources.
Cause he isn’t a DM and that’s Fred’s role at the moment. Firstly Donny is an attacking mid and I am all for giving him a chance playing as a #8 but I don’t get people suggesting he should play over Fred.
Feel for him. He is clearly not in our plans so should have been sold this summer or at least loaned out and we should have got a replacement. It's baffling that he is basically at the bottom selection list.
I always feel like if a player who isn't a regular starter wants to leave, then a club should never stand in their way. How hard is it to get a squad player to play a handful of games.
People kicking off in one thread we haven't signed a midfielder and others kicking off in here that we haven't let one go. 
Doesn't seem he's liking this decision at all.
Feel for the guy
Because Ole doesn't trust him enough to play in midfield, or anywhere else for that matter. Seems a bit unfair that he won't use him or let him leave.People kicking off in one thread we haven't signed a midfielder and others kicking off in here that we haven't let one go.
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From Solskjaer's point of view I kinda understand why he's unwilling to let him go out of loan, even though he rarely uses Donny. We're already thin in midfield. There's no way we'll find a replacement for him on deadline day.
For Donny, it's just a shit move from Solskjaer and the board. Had we purchased a midfielder this summer then Donny could or should have been loaned out, go out and try to revive his stagnant career.
For Donny, it's just a shit move from Solskjaer and the board. Had we purchased a midfielder this summer then Donny could or should have been loaned out, go out and try to revive his stagnant career.
Agent going mad and rightly so.
We need to give him a run of games and be patient, it's such a strange situation given McFred have been bang average for a long time yet are unmovable.
We need to give him a run of games and be patient, it's such a strange situation given McFred have been bang average for a long time yet are unmovable.
Ok, you either play him or give him minutes or sell him or loan him. He is just an young player who is dreaming of playing the world cup next year. With LVG in charge, he won't go if he isn't playing.
Really can't understand the club here.
Really can't understand the club here.
Play him or let the bugger go. It's so bizarre.
He's got to perform when he does play and too often last season he was frankly dreadful. I don't see why we should leave ourselves short incase of injuries/suspensions etc to potentially strengthen a Scouse club managed by the fat waiter.
Free Donny!
The first thing he needs to do to impress Ole is to stop wandering around the place like the depressed ghost of the Milky Bar Kid.
Feel sorry for the guy.
This situation is a disgrace.
This situation is a disgrace.
The less he plays the better he gets.
The sugar tax has ruined the lad.
Kagawa all over again.
Whoscored suggests he played most games for Ajax as a 8 than AM.
Ole 'Daniel Levy' Solskjaer
Not really. He's not better than Bruno and not defensively sound enough to play instead of Fred or Scott.
It's his job to impress Ole enough to get a start and more importantly when he gets another chance don't be as passive and anonymous as he's been previously.
I want him to do well here, but he's got to force his way into the team. Ole isn't going to let him go last minute of the transfer window without a replacement to allow for injuries.
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