[khoazany]

His golden chance to stake his claim in the XI but he failed miserably.

 

[Natener]

I was surprised at the timing of his substitution actually. He was certainly very poor in the first half and I wouldn't bat an eyelid if he was taken off during the break. He started the 2nd half very well though. A lot of pressing, was quick to move the ball forward and I thought our best player in the 15minutes til he was substituted. That's one thing I don't get about LVG recently. He seems to keep taking off the player I least expect him to whenever a substitution is made.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I was surprised at the timing of his substitution actually. He was certainly very poor in the first half and I wouldn't bat an eyelid if he was taken off during the break. He started the 2nd half very well though. A lot of pressing, was quick to move the ball forward and I thought our best player in the 15minutes til he was substituted. That's one thing I don't get about LVG recently. He seems to keep taking off the player I least expect him to whenever a substitution is made.

I was surprised he started with Fellaini. I thought it would have been BFS and Herrera with Pereira playing where Ander played. Two holding midfielders against a Sheffield United side who offered nothing was madness. What idea does that put in the players heads. That the game will be more difficult than it was. Then when he made the subs I thought Mata and Fellaini would come off. Ander was not good yesterday, but Mata has been bad the whole season. This manager has no idea where to play his players or even seems to know what their best qualities are.

 

[Lawman]

I was surprised he started with Fellaini. I thought it would have been BFS and Herrera with Pereira playing where Ander played. Two holding midfielders against a Sheffield United side who offered nothing was madness. What idea does that put in the players heads. That the game will be more difficult than it was. Then when he made the subs I thought Mata and Fellaini would come off. Ander was not good yesterday, but Mata has been bad the whole season. This manager has no idea where to play his players or even seems to know what their best qualities are.

As much as I agree with what you are saying Herrera should have played better. The guy gets better every match he doesn't play. He has had enough chances time to start producing imo.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

As much as I agree with what you are saying Herrera should have played better. The guy gets better every match he doesn't play. He has had enough chances time to start producing imo.

I am not arguing that he should have played better. He has been very sporadic. Did well against Everton and then against Watford and got injured. I think he needs consistancy, but there is a deeper problem with the whole team and that is down to the manager. United know what this lad is about that is why we went after him. So why does this manager insist on trying to change every player he buys. Just play to their strengths you bloody clown. If LvG stays I doubt we will sign any decent players. Who would want to play for him and foreign players must be getting feedback from our players when they go home. Not about the club, I think they all love the fans and the club, but about the manager and his coaches.

 

[Irrational.]

Responding to Scholes' comment yesterday: what is his actual position?

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Responding to Scholes' comment yesterday: what is his actual position?

In LvG's setup, goodness knows. This setup just isn't working. Isn't he a No.8 who can play at 10 at a push? This is what I mean about not playing players in the positions to get the best out of them. He played in a side who hunted in packs. Problem here is that his teammates are either too slow to do that or on their last legs. They actually need another midfielder who can join in and a No.10 who can as well. As someone said a counter attacking side. Which with a couple of quick wingers we could be. Just not with LvG. A good attacking RB would be needed as well. Shaw is capable of overlapping on the other side, but unfortunately Darmian isn't.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

But isn't an 8 supposed to be capable of playing in a midfield 2? which he hasn't been able to. And if everyone is suggesting he isn't a number 10 either, where the feck does he play?

 

[Bob Loblaw]

But isn't an 8 supposed to be capable of playing in a midfield 2? which he hasn't been able to. And if everyone is suggesting he isn't a number 10 either, where the feck does he play?

He had the same problem at Athletic Club. Moved between two positions without really being able to nail down one role (Bielsa and Valverde preferring him in different areas).

It's not really a van Gaal thing in this case. He basically needs a lot of freedom without having the quality to be afforded that luxury.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

But isn't an 8 supposed to be capable of playing in a midfield 2? which he hasn't been able to. And if everyone is suggesting he isn't a number 10 either, where the feck does he play?

What set up in midfield did Bilbao have? It may have been that both of them, hunted players down together. I don't think Bilbao have ever been bothered about conceding as long as they get more. I am only going on what other people have said. We are too concerned about not conceding first that attacking is a sideline.

 

[prath92]

But isn't an 8 supposed to be capable of playing in a midfield 2? which he hasn't been able to. And if everyone is suggesting he isn't a number 10 either, where the feck does he play?

he can play at 8 but not consistently well. That is all. He will have a very good game here and there but his problem is consistency. I dont think his problem has anything to do with the system. He just isnt as good as people here think (that is there is no way Barca or Pep will buy him) but still a good player to have in your squad.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

he can play at 8 but not consistently well. That is all. He will have a very good game here and there but his problem is consistency. I dont think his problem has anything to do with the system. He just isnt as good as people here think (that is there is no way Barca or Pep will buy him) but still a good player to have in your squad.

If we had got a Gundogan or a top midfielder and he had strengthen the squad in numbers as he should have then Ander likely would be a squad player, we would be in a position to rotate with quality and would be getting more out of everyone. The problem we have is it always seems there is either someone injured or coming back from injury and have to resort to kids who are not up to it as yet. We might be over doing the praise for him, but the same counts for the kids who are getting praised to the heavens, are not that good but I suspect think they are.

 

[prath92]

If we had got a Gundogan or a top midfielder and he had strengthen the squad in numbers as he should have then Ander likely would be a squad player, we would be in a position to rotate with quality and would be getting more out of everyone. The problem we have is it always seems there is either someone injured or coming back from injury and have to resort to kids who are not up to it as yet. We might be over doing the praise for him, but the same counts for the kids who are getting praised to the heavens, are not that good but I suspect think they are.

Yes thats a point to be fair. A player like Gundogan or Kroos would bring the better out of him. Ideally, Mata Rooney should be doing that. But hey. We alll know how thats going

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Yes thats a point to be fair. A player like Gundogan or Kroos would bring the better out of him. Ideally, Mata Rooney should be doing that. But hey. We alll know how thats going

Was he with Javi Martinez at Bilbao? I know he played midfield and CB. Pity SAF didn't go in and get both straight away. Instead we dithered. Martinez went off to Bayern to spend most of his time injured and it took ages to get Ander. If Moyes hadn't dithered he might have had that extra year to settle before the turmoil.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Was he with Javi Martinez at Bilbao? I know he played midfield and CB. Pity SAF didn't go in and get both straight away. Instead we dithered. Martinez went off to Bayern to spend most of his time injured and it took ages to get Ander. If Moyes hadn't dithered he might have had that extra year to settle before the turmoil.

As far as I remember, when Javi Martínez was there, they played together with Iturraspe. That was 4 or 5 years ago so could be wrong. He definitely made a switch from number 8 under Bielsa to number 10 under Valverde though.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

As far as I remember, when Javi Martínez was there, they played together with Iturraspe. That was 4 or 5 years ago so could be wrong. He definitely made a switch from number 8 under Bielsa to number 10 under Valverde though.

Crikey Herrera seems to be the fittest of the three, as Martinez and Iturraspe have both been plagued by injury.

 

[arthurka]

Sadly he and Mata seem to have lost any spark they had, there seems to be a bad case of Rooneytanidis flowing through the squad.. And that Surgeon General Dr Louis Van Gaal seems out of ideas how to cure it. Just a couple seem immune to that with Smalling and De Gea as our only hope.. Dark days are surely at Old Trafford these days.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

Given his skillset, and given our midfield issues since his arrival, if he is unable to hold down a place in the base of that midfield then i doubt he's good enough, he's certainly proved he's not good enough to be a top teams no.10, so it leaves the question of where does he actually fit in once again. another 31m bench player.

 

[pocco]

He is suited to a team that plays a good defensive midfielder behind him and has an attacking midfielder in front of him and width outside of him. He's a link up man, a no.8 in a midfield 3.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

He is suited to a team that plays a good defensive midfielder behind him and has an attacking midfielder in front of him and width outside of him. He's a link up man, a no.8 in a midfield 3.

But surely that is the way we have set up in the past and it was still shit. I think the fannying around about minute positional details is sugercoating the fact he hasn't been anywhere near good enough in any position over any consistent period.

I get that a load of players are playing within themselves and the coaching staff is a massive problem right now, but if a lot of these players were half as good as we seem to think they are cracked up to be they would at least be showing more glimpses of their ability, like Martial, smalling, schneiderlin and De gea are doing.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

But surely that is the way we have set up in the past and it was still shit. I think the fannying around about minute positional details is sugercoating the fact he hasn't been anywhere near good enough in any position over any consistent period.

I get that a load of players are playing within themselves and the coaching staff is a massive problem right now, but if a lot of these players were half as good as we seem to think they are cracked up to be they would at least be showing more glimpses of their ability, like Martial, smalling, schneiderlin and De gea are doing.

Problem is he has Rooney in front of him. We all know we need the wide men. I was surprised at LvG's comments about wingers yesterday. If I was Mata I would be worried. Yet he left Young out completely and Memphis and Lingard on the bench, they would have been an outlet for BFS and Herrera. There was no need for Fellaini yesterday.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

Wish we had build on the triangle from last season with Carrick - Herrera - Fellaini. Instead of Schneiderlin we should have bought a creative midfielder to partner Herrera with.
He was doing fantastic in the run we had last year, really looked like a top midfielder and the misplaced passes seemed to vanish as he got played consistently. I have defended LvG alot on some points, but the decision to change to a 2 man midfield was annoying as we now don't know where to fit in Herrera, a man we bought for 30m, not a small amount.

When we search for a new manager i hope we have someone in mind that knows how to use a player like Herrera to his full strenght, technical players like him is what i want to see in a United side.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

He was bad again. Im a fan but its really time to stop blaming Rooney and Depay all the time.

Herrera, BFS, Mata and Fellaini have been just as bad and lately worse as Rooney has improved a bit.

Im also sick of hearing about how Herrera or other players would be better under Klopp. feck KLOPP. He chose Liverpool so feck him. He will never manage here. And he is also showing himself to be a douchebag too.

 

[Red_toad]

Agree the golden one is playing just as bad as anyone else in the team. I'm amazed at how much of a free ride he gets. Really nice guy etc etc etc, but hasn't performed at a consistent high level since he joined the club.

 

[kafta]

Has been crap lately, though he is one of the few players who i will find excuses for because i think he's undoubtedly talented.

 

[Norris]

He hasn't been that good in the last two games I watched him. He still doesn't look match sharp. And his passing is waywayrd (that has always been a part of his game actually, but atleast he takes such risks).I know people on here say he works best as an 8 in a midfield 3, but I think he can do just as good a job in a midfield 2 as well. The key is to complement him with the right player.

The way I see it, he can thrive with either one of the two types of midfielders.
1)Someone who will press really high up and offer the same level of high energy as Herrera. This can be really devastating, if successful. But on the flip side, if a team manages to break free from the shackles, our CB's will be heavily exposed and we could easily concede a goal.
Ideal Player from our team: Morgan Schneiderlin
Ideal Player in general: Verrati
Realistic Player in general: Gundogan/Sven Bender (Is he actually getting much game time these days ?)

2) Allowing Herrera to press against the midfielders and having an intelligent player behind him to complement him who can anticipate the opposition passes and intercept at will. His positioning (not Herrera) will be key here. As he will be able to quickly retain possession and recycle the ball into Herrera's feet (who usually does well in tight spaces, better than Mata anyway) and who is further forward.
Ideal Player from our team: Daley Blind
Ideal Player in general: Busquets
Realistic Player in general: I can't think of anyone actually.

Ideally, I prefer the first even if it comes with some risk. High Energy and quick circulation of the ball is what we need.

 

[Escobar]

Agree the golden one is playing just as bad as anyone else in the team. I'm amazed at how much of a free ride he gets. Really nice guy etc etc etc, but hasn't performed at a consistent high level since he joined the club.

His concentration level needs to become much better and nowadays he floats around and sprays it side ways. His passing is just not good enough right now

 

[Rossa]

Playing really well. Some exquisite passes.

 

[dichinero]

Keeping things ticking today

 

[Scarecrow]

Didn't deserve to keep his place in the team but I'm glad he did. Much better today.

 

[Cutch]

His weight of pass has been brilliant. Finding space well in this game.

 

[Sied]

Didn't deserve to keep his place in the team but I'm glad he did. Much better today.

My thoughts exactly. I'd predicted Mata would take his role, but I suppose he didn't do any more to deserve that spot.

 

[LeChuck]

He's been excellent today.

 

[Lennon7]

Great to see him play well.

 

[2mufc0]

On point today. Well played.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Please for the lad today. He was one of the main reasons we were 2-0 up. Let him do that to Liverpool on Sunday as well.

 

[Cheesy]

Looked quite good, had some nice passes and touches. Should've probably stayed on.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Looked quite good, had some nice passes and touches. Should've probably stayed on.

He'd have scored that Fellaini header.

 

[Cheesy]

He'd have scored that Fellaini header.

Probably. If he'd been the only one on a yellow then I'd have understood it a bit more, but there was no reason for taking him off instead of Fellaini, who's more rash than Herrera.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Too good to remain on the pitch for the full 90 minutes.