That cross he made for Pogba was a peach.
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Kenny Cunnigham on RTE says we should replace Herrera for Oxlaide-Chamberlain, who we should break the bank for 
Didnt think he played very well... Matic is a class player, Pogba has worldclass potential and is worldclass on a good day but Herrera will just be a good player for a club like Manchester United.
He's not that good and it showed. Kroos and Modric absolutely outclassed him.
I've always maintained he is one or two level below top class. Matic will show that this season as he becomes the man left out when we play a midfield 2.
I love Herrera, but looking at him in the grand scheme of things,
What does he actually bring to the table?
What does he actually bring to the table?
Had a nightmare today. One of his worst matches with us.
He'll come good later as the season starts no doubt.
He'll come good later as the season starts no doubt.
Before we all try lynch him after half a games worth of bad football, lets all remember he was against the best midfield 3 in the world.
Only a few months ago after he completely nullified Hazard for 90mins most of you was calling him the new Roy Keane and is pricless.
He is a great player and plays with passion. Lets get the season started shall we?
You people
Only a few months ago after he completely nullified Hazard for 90mins most of you was calling him the new Roy Keane and is pricless.
He is a great player and plays with passion. Lets get the season started shall we?
You people
Obviously shouldn't break the bank for him but Herrera is too similar to Matic and if things continue, Matic looks to do it better. We need a more attacking midfield in that trio who can link up with the forward line more and score goals (Not sure if Pogba will be the one to do it)Kenny Cunnigham on RTE says we should replace Herrera for Oxlaide-Chamberlain, who we should break the bank for
If we want to be ultra conservative in some games, Matic and Ander can play together.
Herrera is fantastic off the ball, but one thing he lacks as a number 8, is the ability to control the game. This is why - yes we needed a holding mid - but we also needed a player to control the game, just like Modric, Kroos, Verratti. We struggled to keep the ball at times today. We needed that player to stitch the player for us.
Are you serious?
I agree with this, it seems to me we expect that from Pogba and he isn't that type of a player.
Reminds me of the West Ham game away in Van Gaal's last season.
Quite poor tonight.
Quite poor tonight.
Pogba was never that type of player, though. He can be, and has done against the lesser sides, but he's more of an advanced number 8.
Not a great game for him.
He's average at best. Like I know it's in fashion at the minute to love him but he was shocking tonight.
Look at the calibre of players Madrid have in midfield who are miles better than him.
Look at the calibre of players Madrid have in midfield who are miles better than him.
Pogba should be that type though and should probably play that role. He isn't creative enough or good enough at the #10 role to play the role that Isco does for Madrid. I love herrera but I'd agree... for most games, not sure what he would bring to the side. Matic and Pogba can play together in midfield with Pogba controlling the game and matic being the defensive shield, but there's no need for another box to box in there for the standard games. In big games (like today) is where we need herrera in there to make it more solid, but Madrid outclassed us, it happens.
Problem is for most games, Matic-herrera-pogba isn't creative enough or attacking enough to start with. Ideally we can put Mkhitaryan in for herrera as part of the midfield 3, and then have 2 proper wingers either side of lukaku (or Martial and rashford picking from what we have).
Come on, he's a class player, but there are some doubts about where he fits in for most games because of the type of players pogba and matic are. Big games he walks in though. But to compare him to madrid? Fecking Pogba would barely get a look in in that team, Modric, Kroos and Isco are pretty much the best players in the world at what they do along with Thiago from Bayern, so it's not a fair comparison. Compare him with anyone in the premier league and he's one of the best here.Right. So being taken to school by by far the best midfield in Europe suddenly makes Herrera average? Seriously?
The problem with Herrera is he's a trier, against the hustle and bustle of the Premier league he's fine.
Against the elite of Europe where the ball is moved at a faster pace, he's average.
Against the elite of Europe where the ball is moved at a faster pace, he's average.
Herrera's a damn fine player. He's up against comfortably the best midfield in Europe, bolstered by Isco dropping in between the lines and having a brilliant match, and also supported by two very, very comfortable passers at the back in Ramos/Varane.
They're just better. Doesn't make Herrera average, he isn't, he's just not Toni Kroos.
They're just better. Doesn't make Herrera average, he isn't, he's just not Toni Kroos.
He won the ball in the first half and if it wasn't for a Lukaku brain fart he wouldve been through on gpal with an easy square to score. He put in an incredible cross which Pogba and then Lukaku should have put away. He has a quiet game and still did this?
His work rate, tackling/interceptions and intelligence is excellent, ever other facet of his game is very good. He's an all round player.
what?Sell Pogba, Herrera and everyone else, because we lost to Madrid.
That midfield can work fine. Matić for defensive duties (although he's really good with ball for that type of a player), Ander connecting things and helping out defensively, Pogba being creative and all. Pogba should be that player but he won't be as good as Luka and Kroos imo, he has his qualities but calming the ball down and stringing passes together, playmaking if you will, they're masterclass at it.
There's no need to panic cause Ander got schooled tonight. It's Madrid after all, that side is out of this world.
Which part confuses you?
Shite today.
Seems to lack that bit of class in his passing and link up play to be truly top level.
Seems to lack that bit of class in his passing and link up play to be truly top level.
None of it confuses me, its just daft. He's nothing like Matic, it's a terrible, terrible comparison.
Every word of that post.
He's a good player and will be fine against most teams we will face during a season but against teams of this class it really shows that he is a couple of levels below the best midfielders. He is fine for now because there are more important positions that needs fixing first but if we are aiming to be up there with the likes of Real, Bayern and Barca we will need an upgrade.
3 of the 4 attributes you mentioned that Herrera excels in, Matic does.
tackling/interceptions and intelligence
That just leaves work rate. You call Ander an all round player but his shooting has been abysmal and he's not linking up with the attack enough, he put in a great cross tonight but that isn't enough.
He'll have some good games where he's the next Roy Keane, some not so good games where he's not even the next Tom Cleverly. Always a bit mental defining a player off of one game - against the best possible opponent at that. He's an important part of our team and he will help us tremendously again this season.
If you're going to be outclassed by any two players, could be worse than Kroos and Modric...
Isco was the issue, couldn't get a handle on him and he kept coming central to make the extra man - he needed a Park Ji on his ass
He's completely different, it takes all of half a minute of watching them play to realise that.
Herrera is all about playing on the front foot, he presses, he plays risky passes, hes more aggressive, he's not nearly as good in the air, he relies on his technical ability to find space further up the pitch, he drifts wide far more often - the list of differences is colossal and I could go on.
Kante and Sergio Ramos are intelligent, tackle and intercept well, do you think they are similar players too?
This. The claim that our POTY is average has no basis in reality. People seem to forget that Kroos, Modric, and Casi did the same thing to Athletico madrids midfield that features class players like Koke, Saul, and Gabi. Herrera is a damn good player. Real Madrid's midfield are just better
This is a good point but we should look at it from the weakest link in the team. Those Madrid trio might be 'better' than Atletico's but then they don't have Ronaldo, Marcelo, Benzema, Isco, Cavarjal etc to feed AND get the ball back from.
Likewise in the Utd team, based on today's game Matic, Herrera and Pogba are not getting much change from Darmian, Smalling, Lindelof and Lingard in terms of on the ball effective possession/chance creation/retention etc.
Individually the difference is neglible/not that much of a gulf in class, it's just collectively, it's add up.
exactly
Had a lot of space to cover today with that stupid 3-5-2 we played today. Played a backline of 5 vs. 2 forwards and we are wondering why our midfield got overrun. Decent game though made some great passes. He always creates quality chances.
I know. feck sake it's Modric, Kroos and Isco.
What do people expect, ffs.
Bravo!!
Kovacic anyone?
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