It's clear that he's defensive game has improved, clearly he's playing to instructions.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 31
- Goals
- 8
- Assists
- 5
- Yellow cards
- 6
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
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Can pass it better, if he'd done so that would be a 10/10 performance, guess he'll have to settle for 9/10. Wonderful stuff.
He's always been good defensively. I really can't see why he hasn't been playing all season.
This. I just think back to Monday's half time sub and think to myself we'd be winning the F.A. Cup this season if it never happened, we were well on top at the end of the first half.
Favourite Herrera moment today, the slide tackle and then scooped pass off the floor to Mata. Composure.
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I may be overrating his performance but he was outstanding IMO
Those are good numbers. Still amazed he was subbed against Arsenal.
Really good today I was surprised Neville didn't mention him, he was going through so much work.
You don't think Herrera has improved as the season's gone on? I do. Still gets out of position occasionally but generally much more aware of his defensive chores than he was when he started. Hence he's racking up interceptions now, as well as tackles.
Clearly the most important player in the team, he links everything everywhere on the pitch, great numbers mentioned above. The thing I like the most about him is his sliding tackles, you can see he wants to win the ball for the team. He deserved a goal for his complete MOTM performance, he was edged by Carrick, Fellaini and Smalling..
This. I wasn't a fan of Herrera before these last few games. He used to be indiscipline; all action and getting stuck in, just like seeing the young Gerrard in CM.
Kudos to his willingness to learn and adapt. Now he is more intelligent with the ball, more restrictive with his passing and going forward, but still make an impact to the fluidity of the team play, as a good CM supposed to do.
Brilliant today. I just love how quickly he does things. The first time passes, the split second touches/decision making, it adds something we sorely lack.
Loved that. Great tackle it was too. Didn't expect that pass to follow. Supreme.
We look better when he plays. We have an actual midfield, and he can do things quickly. Like Carrick, he's usually already picked his pass before he even gets the ball, but he has a more attacking head on his shoulders. Hard to believe we had a spell where he couldn't get on the pitch.
Now he has improved his defensive game, he looks like a proper all-round midfielder. Only thing that is lacking is long passing. Not sure he can’t do it or it isn’t part of the philosophy.
He’s also very reliable player, always delivers. I reckon he’s one of our most important players and still improving.
He’s also very reliable player, always delivers. I reckon he’s one of our most important players and still improving.
I very much agree with you. Playing Rooney out of position to try and squeeze Falcao and Van Persie in would be the other big one but you can at least understand why you'd try to do that. I think Herrera has been extremely good in his appearances for his first season in English football. Offers us so much in the middle and makes us play better as a team.
He was making plenty of tackles at the start of the season before he was dropped
Just love watching him play, he sets the tempo of the team perfectly. The way he keeps the ball under pressure is great.
I remember reading an interview with Herrera where he mentions that long passing is something he needs to work on.
Fantastic today, complete performance from him.
He was amazing today. One of the most exciting midfield performances I've seen from a United player in years. Some of his touches and turn were on some Zidane level, he took the absolute piss at times. I loved every minute of it.
Can we get one of them highlights videos of every touch he made today?
Gem of a player. Him and Mata are just so easy on the eye and on the same wavelength. Love the pair of them.
For a CM there's a hell of a lot more to defending than making tackles.
Yep agree with that.
This guy is built for Champions League football. It would be such an incredible shame if we do not get into the Champions League next season. I can see him really kicking on and being in team of the year next year
As far as I'm concerned he's basically been the same player all season, and for some reason it just took Van Gaal six months to get comfortable with the idea of him as a regular starter. I don't care though - he's a starter now, and that's what matters.
I love how he's able to go into a tackle knowing he won't be first to the ball, but still be the one to win it. He reads the opponent's intentions and positions himself to make the block, rather than trying in vain to get to the ball first. He's also got the knack of sliding in such a way that he can be back on his feet instantly to gather up the loose ball.
Brilliant footwork
Agreed. It's not like he's changed his game drastically to start being played in the side. It was evident very early on that he was going to be a good player for us and one of our best midfielders. I still not convinced LvG is fully on board yet. Once Shaw or Rojo are back I'd imagine Blind goes back to midfield. Then LvG has to make some decisions. At the moment I would drop Blind or Fellaini to keep Herrera in the side. He really is a fantastic player. Some people have to remember this is his first season in the EPL. So yes there is a learning curve but he has come on far better than any of our other first season players bar maybe Blind.
He's my favorite United player.
Yes, he has a lot that he can improve on, but I really think he is a great all round midfielder.
He can play as a deep-lying playmaker, as well as further up the pitch and is not scared to put in a challenge.
Yes, he has a lot that he can improve on, but I really think he is a great all round midfielder.
He can play as a deep-lying playmaker, as well as further up the pitch and is not scared to put in a challenge.
Yep. I'm a big fan of Blind but he has to be in competition with Carrick, not with Herrera. If LVG wants Carrick in the starting XI then it's clearly Blind who has to make way (either to the bench or into LB like today.)
I reckon Rojo, when fit, is first choice with Smalling, narrowly ahead of Jones. As for Shaw, I like him but at the moment I doubt LVG would start him at LB ahead of Blind, and given how solid Blind has been there recently, I wouldn't argue.
Nice problems to have, anyway.
Loved his performance.
So one game we're all complaining that Van Gaal has changed his game, the next we're saying he's always played this way. Make your mind up, redcafe.
I think he has tweaked his game. He definitely has more discipline about him.
He has become my favourite player too. It is the touch and technique. His weight of passing as well.
Agreed. Better player for it too.
The club didn't fork out 30m on this guy for nothing, he's a talent. It takes some foreign players longer to settle than others, and he's starting to find his pace now. Next season he'll be brilliant.
I do think he's improved since the beginning of the season. He's more positionally disciplined as you say and he seems to be pushed off the ball a lot less now, and generally he seems more settled, but I think he's generally been one of our best players in almost every game he's played right from the start.
I think he played a riskier game earlier on as part of the diamond, which made us fluid but a bit less solid, and also affected his defensive stats (obviously) and his edge in attack positively. I still maintain that he was still, on balance, our best CM back then, just playing a different role.
As one of the two CM's in this formation he's tweaked his game and he's still a brilliant little player.
I will never understand Van Gaal and his reasoning for benching Herrera in favour of playing people like Rooney, Mata or Fellaini in CM. I also will never understand those who didn't see his qualities earlier on, even though he did play a different game.
Yup. My thoughts excactly.
He misplaced more passes when playing a riskier game. Got more assists and goals for it, though, so it depends on instructions, formations and roles. Still been one of our best players in most of the matches he's played.
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