[Sir Scott McToMinay]

I was under the impression that Jose bought Matic to continue with the 4-1-4-1 we played in the EL final.
A Matic Pogba Herrera midfield could’ve been great when all 3 are on form, quite balanced too.
However, Herrera is having a difficult season, bad luck with injuried too.
If it is between Herrera and Matic for the starting spot in a 2 , I’d go with Matic every day of the week.
He’s quite a special player in his role.
He has good positional understanding, good passer, strong on th ball, and his dribbling skills started so many of our best attacks this season that I’ve stopped counting.
I mean, his dribbling skills are almost as good as Dembele’s, he’s a great player Matic.

 

[Nate Dogg]

I heard he should be back for the Swansea game.

Good, thanks

 

[Web of Bissaka]

When is the amigo due back?

I heard he should be back for the Swansea game.

Yeap, he's back training with the squad now. Very close to full recovery. Should be ready for the end of March game.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

I was under the impression that Jose bought Matic to continue with the 4-1-4-1 we played in the EL final.
A Matic Pogba Herrera midfield could’ve been great when all 3 are on form, quite balanced too.
However, Herrera is having a difficult season, bad luck with injuried too.
If it is between Herrera and Matic for the starting spot in a 2 , I’d go with Matic every day of the week.
He’s quite a special player in his role.
He has good positional understanding, good passer, strong on th ball, and his dribbling skills started so many of our best attacks this season that I’ve stopped counting.
I mean, his dribbling skills are almost as good as Dembele’s, he’s a great player Matic.

Love to see that again. I think we've played with that midfield three for 1-3 games, maybe, don't quite remember, but at least one game.

On paper, would also help both Matic and Pogba more, as Herrera is more creative and better defensive ability than Scott.

 

[Giggsyking]

Herrera

I feel really good,” he said.

“I’ve been training with the team for five days now, and I feel good, I feel fit and ready to help the team after the international break,” he said.

“It was a pity to not be able to help the team after Sevilla away because I was feeling good before that, but football sometimes has these stops. Fortunately, I haven’t had too many.

“Now is the time to finish the season as well as I can and help the team and we want to try to win the FA Cup and keep the second place in the league.”

 

[BigBebe]

Really hope he gets some time on the pitch tomorrow. In my head, Matic, Pogba and Herrera is our best midfield combination.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Not a bad performance, but could've solidify our right side much better. Swansea delivered many crosses there.

As usual, energy, high workrate, and that cynical fouls. Typical Herrera.

I like the many combo passes between the Midfield trio after Ander comes on. Good signs.

 

[TheFlagStaysDown]

Good to see him back, hope he stays injury free till the end of the season, he will be an important player

 

[criticalanalysis]

The key player in the derby?

Likely if he starts.

 

[Oscar.Z.Acosta]

Injuries have curtailed his season. Badly.

Does he ‘work’ in a Pogba/Matic midfield? I’ve not seen enough to say that should be our midfield 3, but he should definitely be given a run when fully fit.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

Really hope this guy can get back to his best soon. His passion for the club is brilliant.

 

[automaticflare]

Think he will get a man marking job on the weekend

 

[roonster09]

Think he will get a man marking job on the weekend

Which player? They have far too many good players to create. They have KdB, Silva, Sane, Sterling who all are capable of creating.

 

[GBBQ]

Which player? They have far too many good players to create. They have KdB, Silva, Sane, Sterling who all are capable of creating.

Depending on tonight's result we might not see all of them play.

 

[Canagel]

We need more quality in midfield. Herrera isn't of the required standard to compete with the best in Europe unfortunately. He is mediocre in my opinion. Watching Real Madrid last night showed how far ahead they are and players like Herrera although hes a decent guy aren't going to help us bridge that gap. Buy some real top class playmakers in midfield and sell players like Herrera, Fellaini, and Mata.

 

[buckooo1978]

We need more quality in midfield. Herrera isn't of the required standard to compete with the best in Europe unfortunately. He is mediocre in my opinion. Watching Real Madrid last night showed how far ahead they are and players like Herrera although hes a decent guy aren't going to help us bridge that gap. Buy some real top class playmakers in midfield and sell players like Herrera, Fellaini, and Mata.

disagree in the sense that Herrera is an excellent squad player

we could get better box to box midfielders, destroyers and playmakers but Herrera provides good all round backup to those positions in my opinion - he's shown he can do a job, he's a very decent passer and he had a good goalscoring rate under Van Gaal

certainly wouldn't put him in the same category as Fellaini

 

[Witchking]

We need more quality in midfield. Herrera isn't of the required standard to compete with the best in Europe unfortunately. He is mediocre in my opinion. Watching Real Madrid last night showed how far ahead they are and players like Herrera although hes a decent guy aren't going to help us bridge that gap. Buy some real top class playmakers in midfield and sell players like Herrera, Fellaini, and Mata.

You buy and sell whoever you want, unless the style of the team changes, you won't see much of a change in the way we play.

We are heavily dependent on long balls and individual skills to win a match, we have no structure of a passing game. Hopefully this improves next season and you will see a definite improvement in players like Herrera and Mata.

Fellaini has to go. He has been a decent player for United but he simple cannot be compared with Herrera or placed in the same bracket as him.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

You can't let players like him leave and then complain about lack of character in the side. If you need 5 midfielders competing for 3 spots, he's perfectly good enough to be one of them.

 

[Tony Clifton]

I promise you, if Herrera hadn't been forced off with injury, we would've scored that crucial away goal at Sevilla. He's by far our most efficient player when pressing, especially high up the pitch.

Good to have him back.

 

[prath92]

I promise you, if Herrera hadn't been forced off with injury, we would've scored that crucial away goal at Sevilla. He's by far our most efficient player when pressing, especially high up the pitch.

Good to have him back.

Nope

 

[Canagel]

disagree in the sense that Herrera is an excellent squad player

we could get better box to box midfielders, destroyers and playmakers but Herrera provides good all round backup to those positions in my opinion - he's shown he can do a job, he's a very decent passer and he had a good goalscoring rate under Van Gaal

certainly wouldn't put him in the same category as Fellaini

I think Fellaini has done more than Herrera in their times here so far. Fellaini has scored more goals than Herrera from the same position. Don't get the hype with Herrera. He does have a lot of passion for the club and he does show fight but that isn't enough. He doesn't show any adventure in his passing which is not acceptable for a midfielder and he isn't composed either. Always passes backwards. Remember his pass for Mata at Anfield or Rashford against Chelsea .Why doesn't he do that more often? His shooting has gotten worse since he came. Im really sure what hes good at apart from being a nuisance to opposing teams. I rate Fellaini higher than Herrera as a player but ultimately both are not good enough to start for United. Squad players play more regularly nowadays and and there is a big drop off from Matic and Pogba (when on form) to Herrera and Fellaini. I'd rather bring back A Periera. Think he's got a lot of potential and if he was here would definitely play a lot of games due to lack of quality in our midfield.

 

[TheFlagStaysDown]

We need more quality in midfield. Herrera isn't of the required standard to compete with the best in Europe unfortunately. He is mediocre in my opinion. Watching Real Madrid last night showed how far ahead they are and players like Herrera although hes a decent guy aren't going to help us bridge that gap. Buy some real top class playmakers in midfield and sell players like Herrera, Fellaini, and Mata.

I think you are mediocre poster at best. It was just last year he was our best player. Unlucky with Matic coming in as Mourinho likes tall players and when Serbian hit the ground running in the fresh team with really easy fixtures. Lost his confidence and underperformed because of that, also the reason Matic was established in that role and Herrera was a bit too similar and had to adjust to a new role. But there's not much in between them imo. We played some decent football in big games with him often getting MOTM and holding the midfield on his own. Matic has nowhere near legs to be mobile enough to support Pogba in midfield in big games. So stop this nonsense.

If anything he is just a great squad player with a great passion for the club. Fellaini should be sold because he simply makes us play some shit football even though his character and contribution wasn't that bad either. Mata should also be a squad player, Good technical player with an eye for a goal to change the game. Not a starter for me for sure but with noone around and Mou's declarations that we won't buy an attacking player, hope Gomes can be Mata's successor or Chong another player on the right

 

[TheFlagStaysDown]

I think Fellaini has done more than Herrera in their times here so far. Fellaini has scored more goals than Herrera from the same position. Don't get the hype with Herrera. He does have a lot of passion for the club and he does show fight but that isn't enough. He doesn't show any adventure in his passing which is not acceptable for a midfielder and he isn't composed either. Always passes backwards. Remember his pass for Mata at Anfield or Rashford against Chelsea .Why doesn't he do that more often? His shooting has gotten worse since he came. Im really sure what hes good at apart from being a nuisance to opposing teams. I rate Fellaini higher than Herrera as a player but ultimately both are not good enough to start for United. Squad players play more regularly nowadays and and there is a big drop off from Matic and Pogba (when on form) to Herrera and Fellaini. I'd rather bring back A Periera. Think he's got a lot of potential and if he was here would definitely play a lot of games due to lack of quality in our midfield.

- hardly the same position. Herrera played a holding role deeper in midfield. Fellaini an extra midfielder a target man.
- Herrera had somehting like 11 assist last season best out of all CDMs in the league, with the best defensive stats, interception and tackles, even better than Kante, that's a fantastic contribution and his play style is just to win the ball keep it moving, while other players who dwell on the ball too long could create, like Pogba, not everyone can drag the ball from midfield and playmaker, it would be just too slow and even that Herrera showed numerous times he can play a great through ball to Mickhtaryan/Rashford or others if you didn't see that your memory is either too short or you don't seem to understand football.
- Pereira is nowhere near ready to play a role similar to Herrera in midfield, he's just a fancy player with some nice youtoube compilation and nice skills to watch but not the best passer - not consistent enough and too lightweight, he could be potentially great there but even if he sorted. He would be like ROoney there, playing a nice pass here and there but also being dispossesed often, again maybe try to watch him in a full game against a good side, maybe there's a reason he's not deployed there in Valencia and hardly starts lately. Even if he sorted his passing he's got positionally a lot to do and is far from being anywhere near good Herrera in terms of break up play

Sorry I'll probably don't reply as I have limited number of comments. Don't feel like wasting time on you, it feels like I explain basic things and facts to a kid who don't see basic things. I never understood that there's always someone who will start to criticise player who's been injured and couldn't prove himself. The time Herrera got his games this season our team overall played some terrible football so I am not sure if he deserves over the top criticism

 

[Canagel]

- hardly the same position. Herrera played a holding role deeper in midfield. Fellaini an extra midfielder a target man.
- Herrera had somehting like 11 assist last season best out of all CDMs in the league, with the best defensive stats, interception and tackles, even better than Kante, that's a fantastic contribution and his play style is just to win the ball keep it moving, while other players who dwell on the ball too long could create, like Pogba, not everyone can drag the ball from midfield and playmaker, it would be just too slow and even that Herrera showed numerous times he can play a great through ball to Mickhtaryan/Rashford or others if you didn't see that your memory is either too short or you don't seem to understand football.
- Pereira is nowhere near ready to play a role similar to Herrera in midfield, he's just a fancy player with some nice youtoube compilation and nice skills to watch but not the best passer - not consistent enough and too lightweight, he could be potentially great there but even if he sorted. He would be like ROoney there, playing a nice pass here and there but also being dispossesed often, again maybe try to watch him in a full game against a good side, maybe there's a reason he's not deployed there in Valencia and hardly starts lately. Even if he sorted his passing he's got positionally a lot to do and is far from being anywhere near good Herrera in terms of break up play

Sorry I'll probably don't reply as I have limited number of comments. Don't feel like wasting time on you, it feels like I explain basic things and facts to a kid who don't see basic things. I never understood that there's always someone who will start to criticise player who's been injured and couldn't prove himself. The time Herrera got his games this season our team overall played some terrible football so I am not sure if he deserves over the top criticism

Herrera was signed to be a box to box midfielder/number 8 and has played in that position for the majority of his time here. First two seasons and also this season. Only last season did he play for an extended period at DM which he performed well but not like Matic is doing now or Carrick did before him. He doesn't get into this team as a DM because Matic does it much better. If he was so good at DM last season why did Mourinho then go and sign Matic? Fact is that as a box to box to midfielder you need to show personality on the ball but all I'm seeing from Herrera is sideways and backwards passing. He is too comfortable with passing the responsibility to others and sometimes ive even seen him playing a quick short pass when he has time to compose himself and and make a better pass. I know he capable of playing through balls like the Mkhi and Rashford ones but he doesn't do it enough. I thought he did very well at the back end of 14/15 but that's the only time I've seen him taking risks and being adventurous in his passing.

I'm only being critical because we need our midfielders to do more than just running for the sake of running. Herrera hasn't locked down a position in the first team so of course we can speculate and discuss on his status in the team. We can do better and maybe A Periera isn't the finished article but I'd give him an extended run as a squad player and see if he can break into the team.

 

[TwoSheds]

- hardly the same position. Herrera played a holding role deeper in midfield. Fellaini an extra midfielder a target man.
- Herrera had somehting like 11 assist last season best out of all CDMs in the league, with the best defensive stats, interception and tackles, even better than Kante, that's a fantastic contribution and his play style is just to win the ball keep it moving, while other players who dwell on the ball too long could create, like Pogba, not everyone can drag the ball from midfield and playmaker, it would be just too slow and even that Herrera showed numerous times he can play a great through ball to Mickhtaryan/Rashford or others if you didn't see that your memory is either too short or you don't seem to understand football.
- Pereira is nowhere near ready to play a role similar to Herrera in midfield, he's just a fancy player with some nice youtoube compilation and nice skills to watch but not the best passer - not consistent enough and too lightweight, he could be potentially great there but even if he sorted. He would be like ROoney there, playing a nice pass here and there but also being dispossesed often, again maybe try to watch him in a full game against a good side, maybe there's a reason he's not deployed there in Valencia and hardly starts lately. Even if he sorted his passing he's got positionally a lot to do and is far from being anywhere near good Herrera in terms of break up play

Sorry I'll probably don't reply as I have limited number of comments. Don't feel like wasting time on you, it feels like I explain basic things and facts to a kid who don't see basic things. I never understood that there's always someone who will start to criticise player who's been injured and couldn't prove himself. The time Herrera got his games this season our team overall played some terrible football so I am not sure if he deserves over the top criticism

Not that I either agree or disagree particularly with either of you, but consider that being patronising to other posters for little reason might not be the best way to get promoted.

 

[TheFlagStaysDown]

Not that I either agree or disagree particularly with either of you, but consider that being patronising to other posters for little reason might not be the best way to get promoted.

fair enough, however don't think more than 5 posts per day would be healthy for me anyway. cheers:-)

 

[TsuWave]

big game player

 

[sullydnl]

Opposition players/fans must absolutely detest him.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Phenomenal performance.

 

[DWelbz19]

Mega performance. Like the Ander of last season.

 

[Baxter]

Such a shithouse. It’s great

 

[Idxomer]

Dark arts master

 

[Art Vandelay]

Great performance, if he'd been fit and producing that all season it would have been a huge help to Pogba and Matic.

 

[limerickcitykid]

Last season Ander today. He's been shit this season but today he showed up. He should have wummed the shit out of Jesus and got him sent off at the end

 

[arnie_ni]

Said it in match thread. He's a cnut but he's our cnut. Love him!

Motm today i thought

 

[Ivor Ballokov]

He's a Victorian villain of a footballer and I fecking love him.

 

[#07]

Play him! In games like this he just comes alive.

 

[villain]

He’s a warrior, great performance.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Motm.

Absolutely fantastic

 

[ivaldo]

No suprise, yet again, that when he is played in his favoured role he delivers.

Repeatedly we've heard about how shit he's been this season, and those criticisms are based on his performances while occupying Pogbas role when Pogba had been out. Of course he isn't going to be able to excel in that type of role, but ask him to win the ball back for you and move it on quickly then he'll by and large deliver.