Some people have made a life through deferring to authority so I guess it shouldn't be surprising to see such comments. The boy makes a massive difference to our team such that it should be obvious what he brings to the side but some are too defensive because admitting his quality will automatically make them question the deficiencies found in certain untouchables who are done at this level.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 41
- Goals
- 5
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 9
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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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Some people have made a life through deferring to authority so I guess it shouldn't be surprising to see such comments. The boy makes a massive difference to our team such that it should be obvious what he brings to the side but some are too defensive because admitting his quality will automatically make them question the deficiencies found in certain untouchables who are done at this level.
It's ridiculous how he's not cemented a spot in the starting eleven because he deserves it, I can't recall a match for us where he's been poor. He always seem to have some sort impact in every game he plays for us and he tends to score as well.
Ah right, did not know he was injured, my bad. No excuse from VG why Morgan was left out. Those 2 have to start in a 3 man midfield, we say we lack goals, well herrera seems to be the go to guy who can chip in with the goals. VG talks about philosophy hammering it home, well herrera fits it perfect in that 3 man midfield. Bastian, herrera, morgan, mata and Martial in a midfield 5 can ruin city, by the sheer numbers and speed in the way they could attack, use it VG
It seems like he just needs a bit of time on the training ground to understand what LvG requires of the role he has to play, it was the same last year suddently he just got it and had a superb second half of the season. Very likeable player, it helps that he tries to understand what the club is about and you can see his passion on the pitch, also being vocal giving instructions to his teammates on the pitch.
Really hope he can nail down that #10 position, it would save us having to buy a new one in the summer.
Really hope he can nail down that #10 position, it would save us having to buy a new one in the summer.
Herrera was injured against Arsenal, he wasn't even in the squad and Morgan was unused substitute. Maybe he has a niggle, you never know. I don't believe if they were fit and available, he will choose not to play them. He's not a fool you know.
Honestly, he seems like he's one of the best players on the pitch every time he plays. I don't think he needed time on the training ground to understand what Van Gaal wants (apart from when he first came to United probably), but I think he's just not starting every game because of the competition we have for the 3 in the middle. For the holding midfielders, we all know that's not his best position, though he's decent at it. Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin should be starting there when fit. Mata has the right wing spot his own, so to play, he needs to start as a #10. Performance wise, he is fully deserving of starting every game, but his problem is he needs to compete with Rooney basically. To have herrera in, we need to play either Rooney or Martial on the wing, or bench one of them, and Rooney won't be benched as he's the captain. I'm sure Van Gaal does rate him highly, it's just he values Rooney's presence as captain really highly so doesn't want to drop him.
I think you are talking about me in which case I never said he shouldn't be picked. All I said was that this season before yesterday's game, he didn't do enough in the games he played to show he was integral to the team. A lot of other posters also agreed that he hadn't really played well this season before yesterday even though in September, he was on the bench only for one game out of the 5 he was available for (which was against Sunderland). And I said pretty clearly that he will get his chances and he will prove himself and get back into the team both of which he did.
I think this is spot on. He can only play in the AM role for us regularly, and it’s a pity because a) Rooney will always play b) Martial is by far our most threatening player so he shall always play c) Mata is our best player on the right wing and d) Memphis is very highly rated by van Gaal, hence he got so much time to find his feet (I disagree with this tactic btw).
I really think Herrera is extremely unlucky. In a normal, healthy team I suppose Rooney would find himself on the bench, so would Memphis- replaced by Martial and Young respectively. I think it would make much better team with Herrera behind the front trio than what we’ve been playing recently. I guess that until Young/Memphis comes back, Herrera will get his chance. But unfortunately I wouldn’t bet on him staying in the team longer, he’s the victim of circumstances.
I don't think it's spot on. Before we bought Martial, Rooney was used as the main striker and one of Depay or Januzaj were starting in the second striker role. VG has mentioned multiple times that he prefers "his number 10" to be a SS. He doesn't see him as a 6 or "his 10", and we don't play with a 8. Don't think he was the victim of circumstances, more a victim of the manager's vision for his team.
Hopefully, Herrera has forced the manager to change that with his superlative performance in the last game, and we'll see more of him in the first XI as an attacking midfielder, bridging the gap between the midfield and the attack.
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He's always been good enough, his problem is Rooney. With Rooneys position in the side beyond contestation someone has to miss out and that someone has been Herrera.
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No.
Yes? Eh?
he is our best midfielder by a mile at the moment. The only one showing pure world class.
Rooney was not the only reason keeping Herrera out.Yes? Eh?
Fair enough.
We should not play Herrera in every match we play now to prevent burnout. He should play regularly in the second half of the season, he'll be fresh and not fatigued then.
If we play him now and then don't play him for the second half of the season we can have him properly refreshed for the start of the 2016/17 campaign.
Who/what else was? Herrera is by far the better #10, Martial by far the better #9 yet Rooney always starts.
Was reading the match report in the Express today and for all Herrera and Smalling put in fabulous performances it is mainly about Rooney. Sigh.
I don't believe it's all doom and gloom for Herrera. After all, he did get a special mention for his performance at Goodison from LvG which is something that doesn't happen very often. As for the personnel i think Martial, with his performance on the left wing, kind of "opened up" a spot for the #10 position. He really made Coleman look like a championship player and we have to take into consideration that a natural dribbler, more so someone who can ridicule the opposition FB on his strong foot is something that we desperately need in the wide areas. If that's the case, Rooney will be pushed up front.
Tactically wise, i think Herrera will always be a candidate for the starting xi as long as LvG continues to set his team to press and defend a bit deeper than usual. After the fiasco at the Emirates and with the fear that Lukaku would beat our defenders to the ball and invite runs from the players around him LvG decided to go for a more cautious approach off the ball. When you give the opponent a few yards on the pitch and do your defending right, then you can be more direct on the ball cause there are more spaces to exploit. Under these circumstances Herrera can thrive.
That special mention from the manager wasn't a coincidence. The assist came from what LvG describes as "half zones" in between the opposition lines and it's where he believes that the best assists/through balls can come from because the player on the ball can see all the off the ball movement and make the right decision. Mata starts from the right and has absolute freedom to search for this kind of passes. The goal was an excellent run towards the far post, a "classic" second striker move.
Add his nearly perfect passing percentage and the fact the he did much better at protecting possession in the attacking half and you have the whole picture. The only issue here is that probably LvG doesn't expect that these spaces behind the defense will always be there. I doubt he'll ever choose to defend even deeper and go for a more gung ho style as he desires/demands control of the tempo. In that case the spaces have to be found in between the lines and it's pretty obvious why he'd prefer a Bergkamp-Litmanen-Mueller type of player there. I like to think that the manager is on the verge of accepting the fact that Rooney, with his current woeful first touch and his inability to play with his back to goal, isn't suitable for that role. Instead, he still has pace to look for runs off the shoulders of the defenders. So, the different tactics we use whenever we have to deal with a very physical forward (Goodison, St Mary's, Liverpool game) could be used more often and with Martial showing ability on the wings, Herrera will get more playing time.
Well your first mistake there was buying the Express.
Could be right, one day I read the Mirror one day the Express. I think I'm just confused.
Martial
Depay/Young/Rooney (in that order)
Herrera
Mata
is how we should line up v CSKA as our front 4.
Depay/Young/Rooney (in that order)
Herrera
Mata
is how we should line up v CSKA as our front 4.
We should go 4-3-3 against most teams in the PL and in Europe. That not only helps us to control midfield better but also enables playing our best players in their best positions (bar Martial as we still have Rooney who will play regardless). That will surely give Herrera more chances and I think with him being at the top of a centre 3 with BFS and Morgan behind will be brilliantly balanced.
From F365
Is there a bigger idiot than Garth Crooks?"Garth Crooks" said:
No.
We should go 4-3-3 for each and everyone of our games, it's the most balanced and adaptable system, you keep the system and change the personal depending on how attacking or how solid you want to be.
Herrera also plays as an 8 and we brought in a few CMs in the summer. His competition is not only Rooney
Hope we not gonna see same thing again, Rooney taking his place and LvG putting him in midfield 2 where he does not look that good,which will lead to LvG dropping him on the bench.
He can play as an 8, much like Smalling can play as a right back but we certainly wouldn't consider the signing of Darmian as reason of his exclusion from the starting line up. LVG considers Herrera an attacking midfielder, it also happens to be by far the best we have.
Last season he played most games as an 8, I agree hes the best we have at 10 right now, but please lets not reinvent. He is not an 8 like Smalling is a RB. The guy has played most of his career as an 8.
He was playing as the attacking midfielder for Bilbao and that's what we signed him as, an attacking midfielder. Do you believe LVGs preference would be to play him in place of Schneiderlin/Schweinsteiger or behind the striker? I know what my money is on.
He played ONE season at 10 for Bilbao, and I never said anything about LVG preference, only that he has more competition tha just Rooney since he is not only a 10. Infact LVG only started playing him at 10 this season. For me he should be in the team either at 10 or in a midfield 3 with Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger.
However last season he was one of our betters players playing at 8, not sure why people are now trying so hard to forget this.
Why does that hold any relevance that ONE season was his most recent there and he's been identified as an attacking midfielder ever since.
LVGs preference is a rather significant factor seeing as he is the manager. If he sees him as an attacking midfielder (which he does) then he's going to be competing with other attacking midfielders ie Rooney.
Sigh.... ok. You know LVG played him as an 8 and also a 6 last season.. I'm only saying that he is not only a 10 and so is not only competing with Rooney. Infact he has also played 8 this season. I don't see why that is so hard to grasp, also he was already identified as a United target before that season he played at Bilbao btw.
I'm fully aware of him having played in different positions, you seem to be struggling to understand my original and very simple point that if Rooney didn't exist he would be starting every game, how do you not understand this?
Yes and in that time we changed managers, what does Moyes' view on a Herrera have to with how LVG views Herrera? LVG has always identified Herrera as an attacking midfielder.
You know that is asking for trouble here don't you?
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