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To be fair, in Bilbao, especially under Bielsa, it wasn't as if he was so cavalier and free in his game. I remember, in the matches against us, de Marcos, Muniain, and Susaeta were the really free attacking players in the team. Javi Martinez was the energetic midfielder in the side whilst Ander Herrera was the main playmaker in the team. It wasn't as if Javi Martinez was doing all of the defensive work all by himself, either. Ander was also useful defensively with de Marcos being very free and aggressive in his game.To play as an 8 it's not just bulking up but he needs better positioning for that position and also he needs to know when to join the attack, i don't think he has the balance like a strootman, he is more attacking.
Well if he can do the job of Strootman then we've got nothing to worry about but I suspect he isn't that type of player.To be fair, in Bilbao, especially under Bielsa, it wasn't as if he was so cavalier and free in his game. I remember, in the matches against us, de Marcos, Muniain, and Susaeta were the really free attacking players in the team. Javi Martinez was the energetic midfielder in the side whilst Ander Herrera was the main playmaker in the team. It wasn't as if Javi Martinez was doing all of the defensive work all by himself, either. Ander was also useful defensively with de Marcos being very free and aggressive in his game.
It's only from his Zaragoza loan spell and his last season at Bilbao when people thought that he is a #10 sort of player who plays with too much freedom for a central midfielder. If that really was the case, he should have more goals and assists to his name than he has in his time in Spain.
Okay, I see your point now that you've clarified it a bit more. I thought you were talking about him playing a very free role in central midfield like Iniesta did for Barcelona. However, I agree with you in that you can't expect him to have a great reading of the game from central midfield. Strootman definitely offers that, but Herrera, for an advanced central midfielder a.k.a. #8, has pretty good defensive reading of the game thanks to Bielsa and Valverde. I do agree with you that him alongside Strootman with Blind behind him would be the best approach as you can't expect Herrera to read the game from midfield excellently. However, I would say that he's a better option there than Rooney and Mata whilst reserving di Maria for a winger role under van Gaal's system.Well if he can do the job of Strootman then we've got nothing to worry about but I suspect he isn't that type of player.
In the diamond with Full Backs ferociously attacking down the flanks, there will be left the goal keeper, the two centre backs and the 6, the number 8 has to be solid defensively whilst supporting the offence otherwise we risk being exposed.
It's one thing doing the job at Bilbao but if we want to compete with the best club as is Louis van Gaal's ambition then either he is of the highest quality as an 8 or he isn't, from what I have seen of him he looks to be that quality slightly more advanced because even the advanced central midfielder needs to contribute much more defensively than your 10 in the 4-2-3-1.
Louis van Gaal will know whether he can perform the role I'm talking about, perhaps in a 4-3-3 he could play as the 8 due to the wing backs having more support down the flank but I still think in the diamond with Carrick, Herrera, di Maria, Rooney, RVP, Falcao (my guess on LvG's preference) we are too attacking.
EDIT - In my initial post you would see me refer to him as an advanced central midfielder, not your 10 like Ozil, but in a 4-3-3 with carsick anchor and two ahead, I would see his best position as alongside a strootman like player as the most attacking of the three but still contributing much defensively so the wingers can do less.
erm...He's going to destroy Yeovil if he starts today.
He's not really the kind of combative defender to easily handle the situation. And its certainly a new experience for him. However, if Yeovil tire a bit, he should come into his own more. I think the fullbacks have been the bigger issue in the game though.He better book his ideas up, otherwise he'll be strapped to the bench.
Only if he starts the next game!What a beauty...will do his confidence a world of good
You have to be kidding nothing has ticked for our midfield today. Him and Rooney has been very poor they are constantly to far up the pitch when our defenders have the ball. Time and time again when our defenders had the ball there was just a big empty hole in the middle because Rooney and Herrera was stood to far up the pitch.Best player on the pitch today. Midfield ticks so much more smoother with him on.
O I'm not saying it was a good midfield performance, for from. But what I meant that Herrera's control and forward passing makes us look a lot more positive. Plus Herrera was getting stuck in and winning challenges, good to see.You have to be kidding nothing has ticked for our midfield today. Him and Rooney has been very poor they are constantly to far up the pitch when our defenders have the ball. Time and time again when our defenders had the ball there was just a big empty hole in the middle because Rooney and Herrera was stood to far up the pitch.
Can't believe how poor he was in the first half. Smashing goal though.erm...
No chance.Best player on the pitch today. Midfield ticks so much more smoother with him on.
He does not seem geared for that. He's not a Carrick. He seems to be competing with Mata for his place.No chance.
Scored a good goal but otherwise he was thoroughly average. Invisible for most of the first half, he came into it a bit towards the end as did most of the team, as Yeovil started to tire, but that isn't a good enough standard.
I would like to see Herrera operating a bit deeper, he plays too much like a #10 and we have a team overloaded with attackers already, but that is up to LVG
You got it right after all!Can't believe how poor he was in the first half. Smashing goal though.
There seems to be this bizarre division between DM and AM at our club, either you have to be a Carrick or a Mata - what happened to just being a good old central midfielder? Look at Fabregas at Chelsea, he normally plays deep alongside Matic. That is the role I would like to see Herrera in, alongside Carrick or Blind.He does not seem geared for that. He's not a Carrick. He seems to be competing with Mata for his place.
ah yes, Chelsea should now be our template in all things. We don't have a Matic-style player, never mind trying to map Herrera to Fabregas.There seems to be this bizarre division between DM and AM at our club, either you have to be a Carrick or a Mata - what happened to just being a good old central midfielder? Look at Fabregas at Chelsea, he normally plays deep alongside Matic. That is the role I would like to see Herrera in, alongside Carrick or Blind.
what a shot