You couldn't be further from the mark. Try comparing his stats with KDB's, they're nothing alike. KDB dominates possession and creates a lot. DVB's more like an CAM version of Scott McTominay, which is fine as a back-up as long as the price is low enough. His game is all about driving the team forward. He can't dominate play, he's not a good enough passer.
Donny van de Beek | van de Beek's father: "[Moving to United] a dream come true."
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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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He started of playing as a deeper midfielder in his earlier career but came to prominence as the most advanced midfielder in a 3 at Ajax, similar to how Bayern deploy Muller. He's someone that plays with great intensity with or without the ball and has a very high footballing IQ IMO. He won't be someone that will take the plaudits or adulation from the fans/media most weeks but his value to a coach from a tactical perspective will be very important in implementing a high intensity approach. He also provides tactical flexibilty.
I actually wouldn't be suprised if Solskjaer deploys him as the holding midfielder in a double pivot with Pogba against teams we're expected to beat.
Damn. Since when has Woodward been this shrewd in the transfer market?
Yes. He’s great, I’m happy with this.
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That's a sure fire way to never succeed as a team. I thought by now everyone was past the dumb premier league proven thing? Thats the logic that led moyes to sign Fellaini instead of Thiago
Van de beek excelled in the champions league with Ajax. Comes from an academy that is always one of the best for developing brilliant players. Grealish had a good season don't get me wrong, and is a good player. He's not worth more than Van de Beek is, and is IMO less suited to our needs, and far less proven as a player overall (despite being older).How i see him as a player is a complete midfielder. He can do it all, tackle, pass, dribble, score goals, create. Like a Muller (far less proven and not on that level of course), but one that can play in any of the 3 midfield positions (to varying levels, IMO best as the 8 or 10 but heard he's good as a 6 too), is very intelligent, very hard working and physically good all around to adapt quicker to the prem. And hes composed, which is one of the biggest things that the Ajax academy always teaches, composure and technique to get that football intelligence.
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VdS said a fee of around £35m would prompt them to let VDB leave, right? So basically half what Villa would demand for Grealish. VDB being better suited to the current gaps in our squad and someone who actually pulls his socks up higher than his fecking ankles. No brainer.
As a citizen of Holland and long time follower of the dutch competition, here are my two cents on this potential transfer. Donny is an energetic forward thinking midfielder, who also roams the spaces in front and behind the 16m box to either open up the space for the striker or to run in behind himself to score. He’s a multi functional player. Ajax manager Ten Hag started him as a number 10 and later on he moved him back a line to an ‘8’ as the right fielded midfielder with a more ‘controlling’ responsibility. However in the important games he more often then not plays as a ‘10’, timing his runs, and roaming in and around the 16m box. I’d absolutely approve of a Dutch addition coming to Old Trafford.
From what ive seen of him I'd be more than happy to sign him.
We need competition within the squad. No one should feel they are safe and secure in their own place.
Ole needs to start getting headaches over who to select because currently he knows exactly what his best starting 11 is and there isn't really much competition.
Also the fact quite alot on here are seemingly turning their noses up at VDB tells me we should get him.
We need competition within the squad. No one should feel they are safe and secure in their own place.
Ole needs to start getting headaches over who to select because currently he knows exactly what his best starting 11 is and there isn't really much competition.
Also the fact quite alot on here are seemingly turning their noses up at VDB tells me we should get him.
Ofcourse I agree with the logic with anyother average English midfielder but Grealish does has something special. I just dont think we can classify him as our typical epl proven midfielder.That's a sure fire way to never succeed as a team. I thought by now everyone was past the dumb premier league proven thing? Thats the logic that led moyes to sign Fellaini instead of Thiago
How i see him as a player is a complete midfielder. He can do it all, tackle, pass, dribble, score goals, create. Like a Muller (far less proven and not on that level of course), but one that can play in any of the 3 midfield positions (to varying levels, IMO best as the 8 or 10 but heard he's good as a 6 too), is very intelligent, very hard working and physically good all around to adapt quicker to the prem. And hes composed, which is one of the biggest things that the Ajax academy always teaches, composure and technique to get that football intelligence.
I don't see it really. He's given a completely free role at Villa to do whatever he wants basically, roams around wherever and plays without discipline. His strengths lie with his dribbling but isn't anything special of a passer, is nothing special as a shooter, and hasn't shown anything for any specific system, but more so that he can provide some big moments without being a clearly top player. He's not going to get that sort of situation anywhere else, and he's limited to being purely on the left as a roaming playmaker drifting inwards, or as a 10. Van De Beek plays 6/8/10 but he's excelled at Ajax at a variety of levels is just such an intelligent player, a selfless player, and one that makes sense in every squad building way. Van de Beek has won trophies, excelled in the latter stages of the Champions League... Grealish barely stayed in the premier league but was stuck in the Championship before that, and they want 70m+ now, it's insanity.
As much i would like to see Grealish here, i don't think he's worth 70M+ (50 tops). If VDB cost half of that, is a no brainer.
I'm a fan of buying Sancho and VdB but it's crazy that Lampard is building without retraints, yet Ole is going to have field an unbalanced team despite our revenues, and he'll be blamed when scrapping for 4th is our realistic ceiling when you look at what we are up against Ole is working with one hand tied behind his back.
Pogba drops deep when he partner's Fred or McTominay as neither of them have the passing range from deep, and in that EL semi Pogba covered his fullback well and did his job even though it's not his main role.
I think Fred is a good workhorse #8, like you say he offers little creatively or a goal threat, but he has the energy and ground coverage to have a use as part of the squad if you take the whole "horses for courses" approach but he's not a holding midfielder.
I agree that there's something in the theory but I don't think he was good in the games if you judge him on the role he was supposed to be playing, if you judge him in those games playing as a box to box then sure, he was decent.
How does forcing Real's hand with Van De Beek have anything to do with Villa and Grealish?
I'd take him for the mentioned prices. He has shown real quality the past two seasons and he can play in various positions this season.
If Pogba was to move on next year we'd already have integrated VDB into the team and between him and Fernandes we would still have a hardworking and creative midfield.
Sign him up. I'd pick him over Grealish irrespective of price.
If Pogba was to move on next year we'd already have integrated VDB into the team and between him and Fernandes we would still have a hardworking and creative midfield.
Sign him up. I'd pick him over Grealish irrespective of price.
Do you realise how congested the fixture schedule is going to be considering we're starting the season 6 weeks late??
There's no such thing as a fixed starting 11 this season. Too many games. No summer break. Any teams playing in Europe will need to rotate constantly to keeps the players from suffering injuries and burn out.
You reckon? Seems nothing like Herrera. His technique seems brilliant - can beat a man if needed and seems to have the power that Herrera lacked.
... I should add I’ve not seen him play beyond that vid...
Probably not the Ander now. But the Ander that came we got when he just arrived. Tenacious, can play any midfield position, has decent vision, can grab a goal and good crossing and through ball ability.
Just based in a few videos I watched could be wrong
Confused about this one. He is best suited to playing in one of Bruno or Pogba's positions, not alongside them. He's a very good backup/rotation option though,if that's what he was bought for
I smell what you’re steppin’ in. A versatile, hardworking 8 who should contribute to a goal here and there.
If (it’s always an if now, sadly) we do get him, he’ll start the first game against Palace should Pogba not feel great (God willing, he does). I guess if he scores 2 and then literally shits on the diving twat Zaha, he’ll displace Paul there and then.
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From everything I am reading and the clips I’ve seen, this is a signing we should make. If the question was him for 35-40m or Grealish for 70-80m then it is a no brainer. They are arguably the same quality with him being more experience than Grealish in the highest level (many UCL matches and having played for a better team and also for Holland). As a squad player it is a no brainer especially considering that he costs less than Fred and can cover at least a couple of positions.
The question is who will leave now. Pereira is the easy option but I am not sure that we need both Fred and McTominay. I don’t rate Fred that high so providing that we can get 30m from him, I think we should bite the bullet and sell him.
The question is who will leave now. Pereira is the easy option but I am not sure that we need both Fred and McTominay. I don’t rate Fred that high so providing that we can get 30m from him, I think we should bite the bullet and sell him.
We could use someone who can volley very consistently.. from that video, at least that is his quality that stood out.
First time shot, first time passes, we kinda need that kind of player.
A bit doubtful about the squad space for him though, might need to sell Fred.
First time shot, first time passes, we kinda need that kind of player.
A bit doubtful about the squad space for him though, might need to sell Fred.
Is his passing genuinely good or just average? For the prices quoted he seems to be a good fit. Will suit modern progressive football too. Just hope his ability is enough.
I think we keep Fred and have Matic, pogba, Bruno, mctominay, Fred, VdB. That's 6 players for 3 positions. I think that's healthy with good balance and hopefully quality
Its a matter of consistency and reliability, and he's very good with that. Makes the right decisions all the time, great movement off the ball and very good composure. He won't do crazy de bruyne or Pogba type passes, or the stuff Bruno does, but he'd play a different role anyway. Chance he'd balance out the midfield really nicely regardless of whoever he comes in for.
Yeah, you're right. I think Matic will have lesser role this season.
Van De Beek seems like a physical beast though, at least if you field him with MCT & Pogba, that would be a formidable midfield to play against.
This is what I was seeing too. Blonde & taller version.
Left out of the Ajax team for a transfer but not one source has a deal being close. something seems off.
Tbf we ve done quite a bit of business in recent years where almost no journo was in the know. That's why I see 99% of stuff about us in the transfer thread as bs or mere speculation, nothing more.
Thats the key on why we might be getting him.
Grealish is 25 and very unproven. He has about the same stats as Brooks on per 90 basis. Not exactly special despite what Villa fans would argue. And Southgate and other managers in England seem to agree with that assessment.
The fact that Ole played Fred in the semi final CL against Sevilla next to Pogba should tell you that Ole see the important role of Fred in our squad. The one who is leaving is pretty obvious Pereira since he's linked with Benfica & Valencia at the moment.
How much would he cost? If he is cheap go get him
True. We only played 442 diamond last season once against Everton, it might be another formation that Ole would like to use in certain games.
Sure, but Pereira is not that important anyway, and he hardly played since Bruno came. If Donny comes, then probably one of McTominay and Fred is not gonna have enough matches. I know that the season is very long, but both Pogba and Bruno are extremely fit, and Donny is gonna replace them when we rest them (or they are injured). Which leaves the other 3 players (Matic, McTominay and Fred) fighting for one position.
The news is 40m euros, so slightly more than 35m pounds. If true, then this makes it a relatively low-risk transfer and makes sense even if the entire plan is for him to simply be a squad player.
Isn't that one of the main purpose of signing Donny? We want him to upgrade our squad player (Mata, Pereira & Lingard) so we have no problem when we want to rest one of Bruno or Pogba. Selling Fred just because Donny comes is doesn't make sense. 3 midfielders with 3 players to back them up behind them.
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