Anderson v Fred

simplyared

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Thought it would be interesting to see how caf members compare the two. Both Brazilians, both play in the middle of the park, none of them known for getting on the scoresheet. Neither of them regular members of the national side.

Anderson was younger when he came to us (around 20yrs). Both came with high expectations.

Anderson was with us for quite some time and was a SAF-signing. (Rumour has it he had a soft spot for him) Spent many seasons with us and had injury problems later on.

Fred not been with us too long but even so enough to get a picture of what he can do.

Would also add both of them quite popular with the fans.

So who is the better player? Or would you swap Fred for Anderson (as he was when he played for us)?
 
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Rood

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apart from both being Brazilian midfielders there is not much to compare as very different in playing style - can add Kleberson to the list as well, played the most for Brazil but least for us
 

Deery

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Fred playing well is a lot better than Anderson ever was apart from maybe 2 games at the start of his United career against Liverpool and Arsenal
 

Ryan Bobson

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Anderson far more prolific on the scoring scene ........................especially with the north west escorts
 

SalfordRed18

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Fred playing well is a lot better than Anderson ever was apart from maybe 2 games at the start of his United career against Liverpool and Arsenal
Are we rewriting history then?
 

harms

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Ando had more talent in his pinky toe than Fred ever had, but God, I forgot how unfit he was, he's about 2 Giggses wide.
 

harms

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Do you think Anderson was better than Fred then?
Of course. He had 38 appearances for us in both 2007/08 and 2008/09 season; he was majestic in the beginning of 2011/12 season and it was after his injury that everything began to fall apart. Fred had never reached that heights and he doesn't have it in him. But it's possible that Fred can have a better career with us still.
 

el3mel

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Anderson had much more potential and talent, but unfortunately never managed to reach it. A lot of problems with his fitness as well. But he won a lot with us and scored a pk in our CL win tbf. Fred has been consistent this season but it's one season and still early to judge his career here, though I doubt will reach the same peak as scoring a pk in CL final.
 

Deery

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Of course. He had 38 appearances for us in both 2007/08 and 2008/09 season; he was majestic in the beginning of 2011/12 season and it was after his injury that everything began to fall apart. Fred had never reached that heights and he doesn't have it in him. But it's possible that Fred can have a better career with us still.
Fred was our best player and carried us for large parts of this season, don’t remember Anderson ever doing that.
 

ShinjiNinja26

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Fred playing well is a lot better than Anderson ever was apart from maybe 2 games at the start of his United career against Liverpool and Arsenal
Really? Anderson at his best showed far more than Fred has so far in a Utd shirt. Think people forget how good he was when we first signed him.
 

JJ12

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Really? Anderson at his best showed far more than Fred has so far in a Utd shirt. Think people forget how good he was when we first signed him.
How often was he at his best though?

Ando was a wasted talent.
 

YooNow

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Anderson was a starter for us in the champions league final in 08-09. Let that sink in fellas.
 

SalfordRed18

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Do you think Anderson was better than Fred then?
Is that a serious question?

Fred has only come along this season, and he's still argubly not first choice.

Though he never reached his potential, Anderson was class from the off in multiple title winning teams and CL to boot and faded towards the end.

To say Fred now is better than Anderson ever was is incredibly short sighted.

It be like saying mason greenwood is better than Nani ever was.
 

Deery

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Really? Anderson at his best showed far more than Fred has so far in a Utd shirt. Think people forget how good he was when we first signed him.
At his best Anderson played unreal, but Fred played more consistently.

Anderson would lose the ball a lot where as Fred retains it more I think that’s why I prefer Fred more for midfield.
 

SalfordRed18

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At his best Anderson played unreal, but Fred played more consistently.

Anderson would lose the ball a lot where as Fred retains it more I think that’s why I prefer Fred more for midfield.
Eh? He's not even had a full season of playing consistently yet how have you come to this conclusion?
 

Deery

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Is that a serious question?

Fred has only come along this season, and he's still argubly not first choice.

Though he never reached his potential, Anderson was class from the off in multiple title winning teams and CL to boot and faded towards the end.

To say Fred now is better than Anderson ever was is incredibly short sighted.

It be like saying mason greenwood is better than Nani ever was.
I was never really a fan didn’t like the way he always tried to play loopy balls forward and lost it more times than none..
 

harms

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Fred was our best player and carried us for large parts of this season, don’t remember Anderson ever doing that.
Anderson had been a starter in a team that had won titles season after season. I actually went into the YouTube rabbit hole a little bit, can you remember Fred doing something like this in a CL semi-final? Fred has been very good this season, but in the period when he had carried us we were a mid-table side.
 

Red Stone

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Anderson would arguably have been the most talented teenager in the world when we signed him if it hadn't been for a certain Argentinian at Barcelona. He played almost 40 games for a team that won The Double in his first season here, as an 18 year old, shoehorned into central midfield. That's special. Sadly his lack of dedication combined with injuries and always being played out of position eventually caught up to him, but Fred isn't even close to matching Anderson at this point in his United career.
 

Deery

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Anderson had been a starter in a team that had won titles season after season. I actually went into the YouTube rabbit hole a little bit, can you remember Fred doing something like this in a CL semi-final? Fred has been very good this season, but in the period when he had carried us we were a mid-table side.
Didn’t he do it against Man City?
 

ShinjiNinja26

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How often was he at his best though?

Ando was a wasted talent.
I agree he never fully fulfilled his potential and was injury ravaged during his time here, but to suggest Fred’s best performances are better than anything Anderson showed is simply untrue.
 

ShinjiNinja26

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At his best Anderson played unreal, but Fred played more consistently.

Anderson would lose the ball a lot where as Fred retains it more I think that’s why I prefer Fred more for midfield.
Of course, Anderson was injury ravaged during his time here which meant he never reached his potential. But saying Fred at his best was better than than anything Anderson showed is simply untrue.
 

Champagne Football

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The difference is that Anderson was a massive flop who's heart was never fully in it. He had 4 or 5 outstanding games in his Utd career, mostly garbage for the rest of his Utd career and absolutely stole a living from the club. But Fergie enjoyed having him around. I honestly think Fergie felt having Anderson and Nani around, might help Cristiano stay longer in Manchester. Fergie gave the boot in the past to players far quicker than Anderson, despite far more to offer than Anderson, the likes of Stam, Hughes, Beckham etc so there must be some unknown reason why Fergie kept Anderson for so long.

Fred is a rock solid Man Utd player, with the right attitude, mentality, and desire to have a long career at Utd. You won't hear about him crashing his Lamborghini at 3am coming home from some tittie bar in Spain.
 

Deery

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Of course, Anderson was injury ravaged during his time here which meant he never reached his potential. But saying Fred at his best was better than than anything Anderson showed is simply untrue.
Anderson would do the attractive things and catch the eye when it worked he would look amazing but it rarely worked that was my jibe with him.

Where as Fred is a solid midfielder when playing well and can carry that game after game.

I think when it’s all said and done Fred will be remembered as the better player
 

tenpoless

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One attacks the space.
The other covers the space.

Different type of players. Not sure how to compare them.
 

King7Eric

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Bizarre to see people genuinely arguing for Fred. Maybe one day Fred will be thought as or remembered as better, but I very much doubt it.
I've come to the conclusion that either a vast majority of the Caf are quite young or either they only remember the latter years of a player's career with us. This thread is a perfect example of it. On another thread I saw people saying RVP was a better player than RVN. Seen so many people on here vastly underrate Rooney based on his last 2-3 years with us.
Suppose it won't be long before we have a "Is Bruno better than Cantona/Rooney thread?"
 

manutddjw

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I’d take Fred. Fred seems ambitious and takes his career seriously, where’s Ando was happy to be here and play the odd game.

It’s a shame because Anderson looked quality at times. I’d say he cheated himself out of what should’ve been a great career, yet listening to his interviews he seems completely happy with his time here, so bless him if he’s happy with it.
 

Stacks

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Fred playing well is a lot better than Anderson ever was apart from maybe 2 games at the start of his United career against Liverpool and Arsenal
I disagree. Anderson did well and held down a place in some of our title winning campaigns playing over 2500 minutes(more accomplished). Fred looks set to be kept out by 40 year old Matic in a team fighting for 4th. I feel both players look like they have the minds of more technically gifted players but not the execution. I also feel a lot of Fred praise is hyped because of how bad he was initially. Both players I feel are better off the ball and a bit erratic in possession and neither had my full trust. Fergie seemed to like Anderson though.
 

Annihilate Now!

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I've come to the conclusion that either a vast majority of the Caf are quite young or either they only remember the latter years of a player's career with us. This thread is a perfect example of it. On another thread I saw people saying RVP was a better player than RVN. Seen so many people on here vastly underrate Rooney based on his last 2-3 years with us.
Suppose it won't be long before we have a "Is Bruno better than Cantona/Rooney thread?"
I'd say it's more that the way a players career ends with us tends to over shadow / take precedent over their entire career... it's why some people underrate Rooney, or say Valencia was crap for us for example.
 

King7Eric

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I'd say it's more that the way a players career ends with us tends to over shadow / take precedent over their entire career... it's why some people underrate Rooney, or say Valencia was crap for us for example.
Indeed. But some of the comments one reads on here are quite mind boggling. Someone in one of the comments above was saying Anderson stole a living from the club and only ever had 4-5 good games. I don't know what Man Utd these guys used to watch. :houllier: