Fred will compete for a more advance midfield position this year, where he can be more box-to-box when needed but not a holding/defensive midfielder for sure. Can't dictate tempo, can't screen the defense, pretty good at advancing the ball and solid work rate. He'll have his uses under Ten Hag, especially if we're building a team that's more than the sum of its pieces.
The McFred midfield duo
- Thread starter kouroux
- Start date
The scenes when this is our midfield on the opening day 
Since you have quoted some figures, would you be able to elaborate on the accuracy of his passing L Vs R?
FBref doesn't have those stats I'm afraid. I would assume his accuracy with his weak foot is probably a little lower than with his strong, but the same would be true for pretty much all players. Actually, maybe it wouldn't necessarily be lower for players who refuse to use their weak foot for anything that isn't an extremely easy pass (such as McTominay). Whereas Fred regularly uses his right foot to play longer cross-field balls or other more difficult passes, so I'd expect his accuracy stats would be more 'true'.
Dread it, run from it, McFred arrives all the same 
Start as you mean to go on, Erik!
I think I'll cry if McFred are starting the first game of the season.
Clean Slate FC.
Clean Slate FC.
I wonder if it'll be as a double pivot or as a 4-3-3.
They are, unfortunately, inevitable.
They will reign Supreme for years to come, watch this space.
Looking at the midfield it looks like he has gone with the double divot.
Don't really think it matters what you call them, it'll be the same disappointment.
What do people expect, we have nobody else?
Two things can be true at once.
1. McFred badly needs to be upgraded.
2. They’re the best options we currently have in the positions they play.
Surely that’s obvious by now?
1. McFred badly needs to be upgraded.
2. They’re the best options we currently have in the positions they play.
Surely that’s obvious by now?
Be more interesting to see who starts the play. Ole often used Fred as the base, especially in his first proper season, with McTominay getting forward more. Rangnick then changed that to Fred being the more forward thinking midfielder. Who will ten Hag use? Guess we'll soon find out.
To me, McTominay is much more suited to that Gravenberch role, where he can use his running power to get in behind and it will also limit his time on the ball. He is also very good in and around the box and has an eye for goal.
To me, McTominay is much more suited to that Gravenberch role, where he can use his running power to get in behind and it will also limit his time on the ball. He is also very good in and around the box and has an eye for goal.
It'll be our starting combo in 90% of games once we realise you can't have two ball playing light weights there.
Fred will be there, not sure Scott will make it under this regime.
Going in to the fourth year now where that's been the truth. We've still not upgraded our midfield and people still think all we need is a manager who refuse to play Fred and McTominay and we're all set... Yeah, not as obvious as you'd think.
Without new players yet. McFred are still the best CM duo. I do agree with the 2 previous head coach and Ten Hag.
The youngster is not ready yet. When the new players like De Jong and Eriksen coming. We will see 433 or 4312 more often.
Ten Hag has said i use a formation that get the most out of the current squad he has in dispostion. And against Liverpool in Thailand 4231 suit United most. And i agree with him.
McFred with a really good defend and attack = good enough for top 4 and champion league spot.
They are not so worst McFred. Because if we compare McFred with top and world class players they are not good enough. But McFred against middle table and bottom or championship level. They are more than good enough.
But in the end. On the long run and term. Ten Hag and United will chase the biggest trophies. Reason why Ten Hag is looking to strenght the midfield and attack. To win the premier league or ch.league. United and Ten Hag need world class cm players. Special in the creative and offensive part of the game.
The youngster is not ready yet. When the new players like De Jong and Eriksen coming. We will see 433 or 4312 more often.
Ten Hag has said i use a formation that get the most out of the current squad he has in dispostion. And against Liverpool in Thailand 4231 suit United most. And i agree with him.
McFred with a really good defend and attack = good enough for top 4 and champion league spot.
They are not so worst McFred. Because if we compare McFred with top and world class players they are not good enough. But McFred against middle table and bottom or championship level. They are more than good enough.
But in the end. On the long run and term. Ten Hag and United will chase the biggest trophies. Reason why Ten Hag is looking to strenght the midfield and attack. To win the premier league or ch.league. United and Ten Hag need world class cm players. Special in the creative and offensive part of the game.
Both belong on the bench at best.
3/3 starts.
They're about as mediocre as it gets but this is the 4th manager who seems to like them
Weird
Weird
It's not like ETH is spoilt for choice at the moment. It does say somethint about VDB though, I suppose
He doesn't "like" them, who else should he play atm, kids? They are promising but you can't make them first teamers straight away.
Is this about to be the 3rd consecutive season with these two as our first choice CMs?
Really mind blowing. Can’t understand why this isn’t being addressed with more urgency
Really mind blowing. Can’t understand why this isn’t being addressed with more urgency
Ten Hag mentioned it in his interview, there is no point signing for signing sake. He wants a specific type of player and FDJ is one that suits the most.
Spending £50m for a Neves is not worth it, its not a big improvement.
True but those kids have looked good thus far in pre season
If Donny for example as a mediocre game he probably wont play yet these 2 dish up mediocre performances seemingly every week and still start
We needed to blow our budget on a CB again so we're stuck with these 2.
VDB needs to take a long hard look at himself. If you can't displace these two, you are done.
VDB doesn’t play in the same position he plays further forward.
ETH already said he plays Donny only at AMF/Second striker role, which he was at Ajax, but you keep saying why is Donny not playing instead of McFred...
I think this is very naive take. He went and bought Martinez for that inflated price, when we have much better options at CB, but Neves would not be worth the same when our best CM duo is McT and Fred?
Well he is. He didn't look an ounce better than our youngsters during pre season. He's just not a very good footballer. Another one of Ole's failed signings.
This is also very true.
Not really, there is a massive difference. ETH knows Martinez so he knows he needed a left sided CB. A CB that has played CL and had some of the best numbers, compared to a player who has not played CL football.
Hopefully with a more structured approach they look better in the PL. Looks likely they’ll be starting the first game at the least.
Can’t quite believe we haven’t addressed the middle of the park through. FDJ isn’t the only midfielder in the world that would suit us as Ten Hag says he wants.
Can’t quite believe we haven’t addressed the middle of the park through. FDJ isn’t the only midfielder in the world that would suit us as Ten Hag says he wants.
I am pretty sure Eriksen will probably play behind in double pivot, he is not strictly AMF.
If ETH thinks that left sided CB was worth it 65m euros but, bringing an established CM who is much much better than the two turds playing in our engine room is not, it would be worrying. And to add to that we won't play CL football next year, and I struggle to see us getting into the competition the year after with our midfield options. On the other side, I don't think ETH will go into the season with these 2, but going into August and then switching to an alternative will definitely add another 15m to an already inflated price, whether that is Tielemans, Neves or Sangare.
McFred will live forever.