[Bobski]

Underrated performance today, he pressed well throughout and pulled off some nice one touch passes. He's an unflashy, subtle footballer who's never going to be anyone's favourite but he's the best deep-lying midfielder we have currently IMO (that's not saying much of course).

But he played as a 10 and was the majority of the time the highest of the 3.

 

[Trex]

But he played as a 10 and was the majority of the time the highest of the 3.

It was double 8/10 hybrid role with Garner at the base. Eriksen looked to drop deeper more often so yeah he played as the highest midfielder.

 

[Olecurls99]

Underrated performance today, he pressed well throughout and pulled off some nice one touch passes. He's an unflashy, subtle footballer who's never going to be anyone's favourite but he's the best deep-lying midfielder we have currently IMO (that's not saying much of course).

Yes, absolutely. Delighted for him because he looked lost before this. Hopefully the Gaffer sees the benefit in playing him deep.
Let's kick on from this Donald

 

[Santoryo]

He is pointless. Came on the same time as Eriksen and we all noticed Eriksen. In true VdB style, he offers nothing on the pitch and the game just passes him by.

If we get a new midfielder, all of Donny's minutes should go to Garner, I'm sure he'll make more use of it.

Garner is another Donny. His presence in midfield isn't felt and just like Donny is too scared to take any responsibility on the ball and would rather leave it to anyone else with those few yards passes they make to other players.

Garner is as much a ghost as Donny is.

 

[Trex]

Yes, absolutely. Delighted for him because he looked lost before this. Hopefully the Gaffer sees the benefit in playing him deep.
Let's kick on from this Donald

He didn't play deep at least not until we made subs. Initially it was Garner as the single pivot, Eriksen and Vdb as an 8/10 hybrid duo. Even then it was Eriksen dropping deeper to support build up.
Later on it was Zidane and Vdb with Hannibal ahead. Zidane being the deepest midfielder.
He played at a respectable level today, showed with his pressing and was involved in some triangle passing with Eriksen.

 

[OrcaFat]

He was kind of okay today. He didn’t look terrible but had almost no influence on the game. Possibly he would be useful to come on and recycle possession in the midfield and hassle the opposition in their no6 area if we are protecting a 2-0 lead.

Eriksen is so much better. Most players are.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Had some decent moments with the ball, but just doesn't cover enough ground.

 

[Van Piorsing]

He'll stay one more year, then re-join Daley in Ajax.

 

[OrcaFat]

He'll stay one more year, then re-join Daley in Ajax.

Yeah.

Totally different players of course but since you mention Blind, I thought he was really good (and a class above Donny), just lacked a little pace, and looked a bit short when at CB. I liked him a lot.

I just can’t see anything at all in Donny. Hope he keeps working and has some sort of breakthrough.

 

[Van Piorsing]

I just can’t see anything at all in Donny. Hope he keeps working and has some sort of breakthrough.

Some time ago Donny was scoring vs Juve & Chelsea in Champions League, so Ten Hag knows his role, but since there's no midfield reinforcements, this year he has no choice but to keep him filling gaps here and there.

 

[OrcaFat]

Some time ago Donny was scoring vs Juve & Chelsea in Champions League, so Ten Hag knows his role, but since there's no midfield reinforcements, this year he has no choice but to keep him filling gaps here and there.

It doesn’t help him, being used as a gap filler, I’m sure. On the other hand, if everyone is fit he’s 3rd choice at best.

 

[Van Piorsing]

It doesn’t help him, being used as a gap filler, I’m sure. On the other hand, if everyone is fit he’s 3rd choice at best.

Ten Hag cannot fully play his system without choices that will execute it for him. Donny despite not playing is closer to a system player than let's say McTominay or Elanga.

August will definitely bring answer if he'll be needed less or more.

 

[AgentP]

He is just not good enough. Time to move him on if possible.

 

[CloneMC16]

I was actually impressed with him in the 1st half. He got about the pitch a lot and did some good defensive work. He also had a couple of good forward passes. Didn't see the 2nd half. I think that half is the best I've seen him play for us.

 

[Mickeza]

I thought he pressed very well second half. If we are controlling the game, pushing high and playing in the opponents half it definitely suits his game more. He helped us pen them in quite a bit last 20 minutes. He’s far better running forward than he is when trying to cover the whole pitch like he’s asked to do in a low-mid block - he just hasn’t got the dynamism for that.

 

[Gandalf]

Underrated performance today, he pressed well throughout and pulled off some nice one touch passes. He's an unflashy, subtle footballer who's never going to be anyone's favourite but he's the best deep-lying midfielder we have currently IMO (that's not saying much of course).

It was certainly his best performance so far but he was still fairly average overall and your comments about deep-lying midfielder are positively head scratching. He played as a 10 which is his best position for us but still offered less there than Bruno does or Eriksen would in that slot, in games where he has played a deeper role he has been overwhelmingly terrible and is not only behind Fred and McTominay there but frankly has shown less than Garner, Iqbal and Savage. If he is happy to be third choice for the attacking mid role then he will be ok but I don't see him getting many minutes and although I am sure we will keep him for depth this season due to all the turnover I would bet my house he will be gone in 12 months time.

 

[SWE-Chucky]

He is just not good enough. Simple as that. Not if we wanna build a team to fight for PL in 2.3 years - cash in while we can.

 

[Olecurls99]

He didn't play deep at least not until we made subs. Initially it was Garner as the single pivot, Eriksen and Vdb as an 8/10 hybrid duo. Even then it was Eriksen dropping deeper to support build up.
Later on it was Zidane and Vdb with Hannibal ahead. Zidane being the deepest midfielder.
He played at a respectable level today, showed with his pressing and was involved in some triangle passing with Eriksen.

I know he wasn't the deepest but with his tackling ability and quick passing I think he'd be a very good 6. I think his game would grow if he just got 5 games in a row. Jeez we gave Scotty 105.

 

[Abraxas]

I thought he was average. Albeit above his personal baseline average.

The weird thing about him is he never looks up for it to me. He just has this permanently nonplussed disposition. I get that his confidence has been zapped, but he never busts a gut, never puts himself about, never really tries anything. Just sort of floats through games.

 

[SirScholes]

I thought he was average. Albeit above his personal baseline average.

The weird thing about him is he never looks up for it to me. He just has this permanently nonplussed disposition. I get that his confidence has been zapped, but he never busts a gut, never puts himself about, never really tries anything. Just sort of floats through games.

How he has been since he joined
For a man that should be trying to prove a point he looks bang average
We’d not of noticed if he were to be sent off

 

[Varane around town]

I guess we're going to finally find out if he's good enough.

Donny has everything he needs to be successful now.

 

[Devil81]

Yeah.

Totally different players of course but since you mention Blind, I thought he was really good (and a class above Donny), just lacked a little pace, and looked a bit short when at CB. I liked him a lot.

I just can’t see anything at all in Donny. Hope he keeps working and has some sort of breakthrough.

I've always maintained Blind technically was absolutely outstanding, his pace destroyed his progression though.

He read the game so well and it would get him out of trouble. Unfortunately you just can't get away with being so slow in modern football.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

I thought he was good at against Rayo Vallecano, made a number of good tackles in their 3rd, made some good tackles back on our penalty area line, gave the ball to Eriksen at the earliest opportunity when he received it. I think he's a more stable player than some of our other midfield options who can be erratic in both their passing and tackling. Donny is already performing better in the ETH system that he knows than he did with us before his loan.

 

[Diamond Chap]

Offered nothing that any number of the younger squad players could offer.
Given his age, experience, salary and transfer fee, he should really be offering more.

 

[Olecurls99]

Kept the ball very well in midfield against a very good press.
Won plenty of tackles.
Made some lovely progressive passes.

What are people actually complaining about today?

 

[AndyMUFC]

Definitely had a better game today then he has in a while and throughout pre-season, especially first half when he was playing with Eriksen and Ronaldo. They linked up well.

Him looking better with Eriksen in particular is just further proof that he is 100% a system player for me because his strengths (pressing and link up play) depend on the way the team is playing and his teammates being on the same wavelength. Silly bit of recruitment at the time for an Ole team, but as we start to become more comfortable with this style there's still hope for him.

 

[Red the Bear]

I liked some of his pressing and he seems to link up well with Ronaldo which is plus i guess, I doubt he'll get much starting time if we get de jong so he'll should be content with starting europa gland the early league cup games.

 

[Baneofthegame]

He was much better today.

 

[sglowrider]

Kept the ball very well in midfield against a very good press.
Won plenty of tackles.
Made some lovely progressive passes.

What are people actually complaining about today?

If this is a positive performance it's only because his baseline is so low at the moment. If you did a Rorschach test of Donnie, I would be stumped.

 

[Bulldog United]

The Donny fan club look even more ridiculous now. He's fecking useless. Another player to lob on the billion pound bonfire of waste.

 

[sglowrider]

The Donny fan club look even more ridiculous now. He's fecking useless. Another player to lob on the billion pound bonfire of waste.

And based on his performances so far, he probably will be lost getting to that bonfire.

 

[tenpoless]

I dont know what he does differently here than when he was at Ajax. Maybe Ajax were just that much better to the point where a player without any standout ability like him was able to thrive.

 

[SoCross]

We absolutely have to keep him this year and hope he shows something. We don't have numbers in midfield to just be letting people go. This year or bust for Donny while I hope Murtough behind the scenes plans for midfield reinforcements for 2023.

Plus we will have this season to integrate Hannibal & Iqbal hopefully. Will have a clearer picture for recruitment.

 

[Bebestation]

I feel like his best and only asset is that he make passes continuously faster for a team by playing one-twos.

Adding speed to the passes of a team can be very useful in breaking down the opposition almost like playing one two’s continuously past the opposition.

Maybe that looked good at Ajax because their possession play had a bit more “maturity” to it.

But still I doubt we can use a player with just one or few assets to them like VDB or Wan Bissaka.

 

[Gurtej]

Include in cash plus deal for Antony back to Ajax?

 

[Shakesy]

I remember when most of us were clamouring for him to be included in the team and lambasted Ole for not picking him. How times have changed.

 

[Bestie07]

I hoped and prayed for two summers not to sign him when us and Real kept on getting linked with him, and once he did, I hoped he would prove me wrong. He did prove me wrong as even I did not expect him to be this bad.

We need to learn to cut our losses and sell players like him when they still have some market value, rather than keeping them in the hope that they will come good while continually eroding their market value.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

I dont know what he does differently here than when he was at Ajax. Maybe Ajax were just that much better to the point where a player without any standout ability like him was able to thrive.

I thought he did quite well yesterday in a position not to the best of his skills.

However, he shined at Ajax because he essentially plays as a 9.5 and his value is closest to goal, Ten Hag even said so and then continues to play him deeper, probably because we have feck all in terms of midfield options beyond Scotty and Fred. If you play him as a support striker, he’ll score goals because he has a nose for the ball, the bounces, deflections and all that.

This was a puzzling transfer as Van Gaal said because he is an economy version of Fernandes, as he takes fewer risks and offers fewer rewards.

 

[Olecurls99]

If this is a positive performance it's only because his baseline is so low at the moment. If you did a Rorschach test of Donnie, I would be stumped.

Our midfield baseline has been lower than that for 3 years. If we gave him a run over those years that level might have risen a bit.

 

[2 man midfield]

Include in cash plus deal for Antony back to Ajax?

The fact he’d be our second Ajax signing in 5 years that we’re sending back after they flopped, to me suggests we shouldn’t be buying a third. Tricky though if Ten Hag is demanding him and only him.