g = window.googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; window.googletag = googletag; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var interstitialSlot = googletag.defineOutOfPageSlot('/17085479/redcafe_gam_interstitial', googletag.enums.OutOfPageFormat.INTERSTITIAL); if (interstitialSlot) { interstitialSlot.addService(googletag.pubads()); } });
Ander Herrera image 21

Ander Herrera Spain flag

2014-15 Performances


View full 2014-15 profile

6.4 Season Average Rating
Appearances
31
Goals
8
Assists
5
Yellow cards
6
Status
Not open for further replies.

PvsNP

Full Member
Joined
May 13, 2013
Messages
5,507
He will become a fan favourite in no time. Not only is he our best midfielder, he is also a very likeable lad. Great signing.
 

bucky

Full Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2011
Messages
9,620
Really shows how much we've missed a midfielder like him, if he gets so much praise for that performance. By his own standards he was average yesterday. Still better than the rest, but Fletcher was clearly better than him for example. In my eyes it's very obvious that he is still getting used to the system and the team around him. It will come with time.
 

RuudTom83

Full Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2013
Messages
5,666
Location
Manc
It is hard to say for certain, considering all the substitutions, but the midfield has missed him every time he was subbed off during pre-season.
 

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,389
What Herrera does at 2.30 is what he was bought for, turning away from a marker and releasing a quick forward pass (also at 1.25 but that one was intercepted).

Pleased to see Herrera look more like himself last night after a middling performance against Inter. Still not quite there yet but getting there.
 

An Irish Red

New Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2009
Messages
6,294
Location
Ros Earcáin/Tuaim/an Baile Meánach
Really shows how much we've missed a midfielder like him, if he gets so much praise for that performance. By his own standards he was average yesterday. Still better than the rest, but Fletcher was clearly better than him for example. In my eyes it's very obvious that he is still getting used to the system and the team around him. It will come with time.
Agreed.

Athletic Bilbao destroyed us not because of how good they were individually but because they were brilliant as a unit. I have high hopes that Van Gaal can do the same to us.

I'm just hoping that we can pair Herrera with someone like Martinez/Iturraspe here to really get the best out of him.
 

Ash_G

Full Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2010
Messages
7,402
I like him. He makes some sloppy errors but I think that can be ironed out. Whats more important is his positivity and his workrate for me. He's confident on the ball, looks to carry it forward or pass it forward when he can even in tough areas and if he does lose the ball or we as a team lose it he's quick to get back and help close down. I think I'll do well next to either Carrick/Fletch.
 

Minimalist

New Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
Messages
15,091
One thing that I really like about Herrera is that he's not afraid to get stuck in.
Yeah you seen it with his completed tackles stats from La Liga but its already noticeable in these friendlies, he's a proper ball-winner when he wants to be.
 
Man Utd 3:1 Liverpool

Joga Bonito

The Art of Football
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Messages
8,248
Decent performance today. Just concerned with his constant napping at opposition players. He needs to be more decisive and less committal. Could end up racking up fouls and getting sent off more often than not. Tbf most of his fouls today weren't deserving of a yellow card but still he has to alter his game since refs can give a yellow card for constantly fouling. Nice to have a player with a bit of a bite and ability to disrupt the opposition instead of passively stargazing like a few of our midfielders.
 

Kostur

海尔的老板
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
28,749
Location
Poland, Kraków
Fantastic through ball for the first goal. Love his ability to close down players ( even if it ends up with some small foul ) in an aggressive manner and his pressing work. Great player he is.
 

sullydnl

Ross Kemp's caf ID
Joined
Sep 13, 2012
Messages
34,063
Was alright. I like that he's a scrappy nuisance of a player but it might see him pick up a fair few cards throughout the season.
 

saivet

Full Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
25,483
He reminds me a bit of Fernandinho and to a lesser extent Ramires for their respective clubs.
 

kundalini

Full Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
5,766
Interesting performance. Real quality in the build up to Rooney's goal. Rather too many careless passes. Wanted to get stuck in; which I'd say is a good thing but he'll need to get the balance right as don't want to see him sent off for 2 yellows.
 

justboy68

Full Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Messages
7,742
Location
Manchester
Like the fact that he loves to get stuck in. Even if it means a fair few fouls, better than just letting the opposition walk right through you. Spanish midfielder with some proper bite, he's going to be good for us. He showed today that even when his passing radar is way off he can still put in a passable performance overall.
 

NMF

New Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2013
Messages
2,932
His gone off the boil since his galaxy game. He'll need some time to settle but in the meantime we need another midfielder to share the load.
 

Devil may care

New Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
35,976
He's feisty and when LvG moved the team up in the 2nd half he did a good job getting into the pockets of space and breaking from midfield, overall I'm pleased with his start for us.
 

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,389
In the build up to our first goal Herrera showed why we spent nearly £30 million on him. With Liverpool getting tight in midfield we needed someone to lose his man, carry the ball to commit a Liverpool player and open up the space between their lines. Herrera provided that and then played a perfectly weighted pass to Hernandez, which allowed Chico to swing the ball in for Rooney's goal.

I want to see more of that from Herrera. Driving forward from midfield has been hallmark of his game for years, but since we played LA Galaxy he hasn't really done it all that much. I won't criticise him too much because until he pulled that out of the bag we never looked like building a dangerous attack, never mind scoring. But I want to see him use the full range of his abilities more instead of playing it so safe. He has the ability, he just has to show a little more ambition and adventure.
 

EverReddy

Full Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
1,592
Location
A bit fupped duck
Thought he was lucky to escape a card (he didn't get carded did he?) and would have got a yellow in the prem. love him having that edge though - the polar opposite of Cleverley in these last few games. Bodes well.
 

krazyrobus

Full Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2007
Messages
4,751
I'd like to him to advance more, the Galaxy game is the only game where he had a good shot on target and a header in the box. Is it the quality of competition making him not advance? Is it the crazy pre-season schedule? Does he trust his partner's less to cover for him?
 

Carl

has permanently erect nipples
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
45,426
A graduate of the Paul Scholes school of tackling
 

Shark

@NotShark
Joined
Feb 1, 2012
Messages
26,594
Location
Ireland
As others have said, even though he was sloppy and not at his best, he was still able to come up with moments of magic. That's the sign of a very good player and I'm sure LVG will iron the creases out.
 

Lu Tze

Full Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
3,254
It's great how snappy he is. Haven't had a player like that for a while.
 

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,389
I'd like to him to advance more, the Galaxy game is the only game where he had a good shot on target and a header in the box. Is it the quality of competition making him not advance? Is it the crazy pre-season schedule? Does he trust his partner's less to cover for him?
Its strange to see Herrera play so conservatively because he has always tried to get forward from midfield. Also, when he stretches his legs he's a real proposition as we saw last night. He's not easy to knock of the ball and when he works it into space he's capable of playing a key pass or striking the ball from range.

In every game since we played LA Galaxy every player who has replaced Herrera has made more effort than him to get forward. For example, Cleverley against Inter played the #8 role far more pro-actively. Even Lingard last night was keener to get forward. Maybe its just Herrera's interpretation of the tactics? Young was saying after the Madrid game that we've been working on playing it a bit on one side and then switching it quickly to the other side when space appears. Maybe Herrera feels, based on that, that his role is to hang back and be available to switch the play instead of go on driving runs from midfield? Perhaps he feels, or he's been told, if he goes galloping forward with the ball and loses it the team will lose its shape too much? The last time he played in a midfield three he had Iturraspe cleaning up after him, maybe he feels without that holding player it would be irresponsible to drive forward?

I'd love someone to interview Herrera and actually ask him why he has felt the need to change his game so much?
 

Amir

Full Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2000
Messages
25,033
Location
Rehovot, Israel
In the build up to our first goal Herrera showed why we spent nearly £30 million on him. With Liverpool getting tight in midfield we needed someone to lose his man, carry the ball to commit a Liverpool player and open up the space between their lines. Herrera provided that and then played a perfectly weighted pass to Hernandez, which allowed Chico to swing the ball in for Rooney's goal..
I only saw the highlights but that was absolutely the thing that caught my eye. It's the sort of thing we wanted Anderson to do and at time he did. Hopefully Herrera will give us that aspect.
 

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,389

Dunno the lad/lady who makes these Herrera match compilations but I like how quickly he/she gets them out.
 

Shark

@NotShark
Joined
Feb 1, 2012
Messages
26,594
Location
Ireland

Dunno the lad/lady who makes these Herrera match compilations but I like how quickly he/she gets them out.
I love the way he muscles himself away from players, he really is a little bulldog. Exactly what we needed really.
 

marjen

Desperately wants to be like Noodle
Joined
Jul 11, 2009
Messages
8,643
Location
At the back post
Much better second half from him. Drive, determination and took on a bit more responsibility in making things happen.
 

BennyBlanco

fixated with Shaw's bum
Joined
Jul 21, 2011
Messages
5,803
I thought he was quite average last night, his passing seemed off at times, as did most of the team first half in all honesty, he commited countless fouls to boot, it's too early to judge him really, but the Galaxy game aside, I would say its fair to say he hasn't looked exceptional but again.. it's far too early to be overly critical or positive
 

Blue always red

Full Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Messages
3,596
Location
Manchester
I thought he was quite average last night, his passing seemed off at times, as did most of the team first half in all honesty, he commited countless fouls to boot, it's too early to judge him really, but the Galaxy game aside, I would say its fair to say he hasn't looked exceptional.
Aye, but you have to remember he has a league 2 player in the shape of Cleverley next to him.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.