I am a Ajax fan and seeing Donny playing like this really surprises me. Donny certainly has the level to play in this side, the Ajax Squad of 18/19 has an higher level then the United Squad of this year. And in that Squad he was one of our best players. He is a Müller type of player, don”t expect him to go past players in a technial way. He comes in the box very often, and he makes space for his teammates with his runs. Just give him confidence 3/4 games in a row, and he will be one of your best players.
34
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 36
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 1
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
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Donny's problem is that we don't really do tiki-taka like that Ajax side. We haven't played tiki-taka since the days of LvG and even then it was a terrible form of tiki-taka
We are a "heads up, bang, bang, bang, goooal" kind of team and Donny needs to adapt to that speed of thought and movement. Took Fred a while but he did it in the end, I'm sure Donny can do it too.
Definitely a ‘system’ player in the sense that he helps knit things together with intelligent movement and quick accurate use of the ball.
Bruno, conversely, is a ‘moments’ player; give him the ball 5 times and he’ll lose it 4 times but with the 5th he’ll produce a goal or assist.
These contrasting styles mean I think they’d actually compliment each other well if VDB was placed next to Fred, with Bruno ahead of them, in the 4-2-3-1 system; Fred’s energy, Donny’s quick passing, Bruno’s end product.
Not a system to use this season probably given Pogba’s form and the fact McTominay has looked much more effective than VDB but potentially one for next season.
Fred’s trajectory at United should be kept in mind when making judgements on VDB as a signing. It can take a while for players coming from ‘easier’ leagues to fully adapt to the speed of the Premier League so we’ll hopefully see the best of Donny next season.
Bruno, conversely, is a ‘moments’ player; give him the ball 5 times and he’ll lose it 4 times but with the 5th he’ll produce a goal or assist.
These contrasting styles mean I think they’d actually compliment each other well if VDB was placed next to Fred, with Bruno ahead of them, in the 4-2-3-1 system; Fred’s energy, Donny’s quick passing, Bruno’s end product.
Not a system to use this season probably given Pogba’s form and the fact McTominay has looked much more effective than VDB but potentially one for next season.
Fred’s trajectory at United should be kept in mind when making judgements on VDB as a signing. It can take a while for players coming from ‘easier’ leagues to fully adapt to the speed of the Premier League so we’ll hopefully see the best of Donny next season.
Really want to see him tried against 'weaker' opposition a bit deeper. His composure would be really useful in kicking off attacks, and he's never going to be all that useful when we're counter-attacking as he doesn't have much pace.
Can see no reason not to give him more minutes tomorrow. Could give Pogba a rest.
Is he any good in the air? I've not really noticed to date.
Can see no reason not to give him more minutes tomorrow. Could give Pogba a rest.
Is he any good in the air? I've not really noticed to date.
This is one of the best assessments of him. Fans calling him to play CDM insted of McFred is silly IMO, shows lack of information on the player.
At the moment, it is difficult to integrate him, we play a different brand of football, its not suited to him. While we are on this run, I do not see the reason why we need to change. He will have to bide his time unfortunately for him.
What makes VdB such an interesting topic of conversation is that we know he’s a quality footballer and that many of us would like United to play a more structured passing and moving style of play than what United are all about, which is this perpetual hunt for moments of individual genius.
Our last two match winning goals by Pogba and Bruno. Pure genius. The goal by Greenwood, taken beautifully off a long ball by Rashford. The goal by Rashford, taken beautifully off a long through by Greenwood. Both were beautiful goals, but hardly well-worked team goals.
Donny’s game, as many others have discussed here, is tightly knit passing, looking to pick locks. He doesn’t have a long ball in him that I least I’ve seen. That’s an aspect of his game I’d like to see him develop, as the long ball is crucial to our system of attack, whether on the counter (the first two goals v Liverpool) or a cross (the Bruno cross to Cavani, which led to Edinson hitting the post).
I don’t see Donny ever displacing Bruno or Pogba and of course he’s in no way a holding midfielder. We’ll see if Pogba stays at OT next season, but if he does Donny is a squad man for us at best. Whether his ambition as a footballer can be satisfied with being a squad player is an open question.
Our last two match winning goals by Pogba and Bruno. Pure genius. The goal by Greenwood, taken beautifully off a long ball by Rashford. The goal by Rashford, taken beautifully off a long through by Greenwood. Both were beautiful goals, but hardly well-worked team goals.
Donny’s game, as many others have discussed here, is tightly knit passing, looking to pick locks. He doesn’t have a long ball in him that I least I’ve seen. That’s an aspect of his game I’d like to see him develop, as the long ball is crucial to our system of attack, whether on the counter (the first two goals v Liverpool) or a cross (the Bruno cross to Cavani, which led to Edinson hitting the post).
I don’t see Donny ever displacing Bruno or Pogba and of course he’s in no way a holding midfielder. We’ll see if Pogba stays at OT next season, but if he does Donny is a squad man for us at best. Whether his ambition as a footballer can be satisfied with being a squad player is an open question.
but we can’t. Bruno plays this position, and it will not change for obvious reasons. Another position need to be found for VDB
As a CAM I see him always make the runs as a shadow striker. Literally I see it all the time, but there is no one really playing the pass to him.
The Greenwood shot where he could have cut back to VDB for a simple goal is a very basic analysis of it - but the same thing happens throughout the game, you see VDB run to LW, RW, CF, ST everywhere as a ghost that's not seen.
I wonder if its something Ole knows about him because I'd love to see this develop and be used.
That is the problem i think, the United players don”t understand his runs yet or What he is up too. This takes some adapting and training, long passes was never a ability of Donny, if you expect that from him then he is scouted wrong. I still think that a 3 of Pogba-VDB-Fernandes could work but you guys need a world class defender behind that. Ajax had that with de Ligt so they could play with 3 normally not defensively/physical good players in De Jong-Schone-Donny.
Man Utd 1:2 Sheffield Utd
I thought he made a positive influence when he came on, nice touches in and around their box and he created problems. I do wonder if going forward it will be worth it to pick him in these matches at home when we have a lot of the ball.
Finally his runs were seen by his teammates. Unfortunately nothing came out of those runs 
Patience. Let’s just be patient.
Good cameo. The game where he was needed most and he was our only player who actually made some decent runs inside the box.
In 8 mins he did more than what Martial, Bruno and Rashy did in 90 mins.
In 8 mins he did more than what Martial, Bruno and Rashy did in 90 mins.
Should start some games like this, instead of the underperforming trio of attackers.
One of the reasons why I like him is that he is just such a smart player.
I'm not his biggest fan but what's the fecking point in bringing him on with 8 minutes to go?
Honestly think we should have brought him on much earlier. Movement and quick passing around their backs against the wall style can draw defenders out of position
Totally agree.
Thought DvB would have been perfect for this sort of game, intelligent runs and movement without the ball, especially when the team we are playing against is defending all game.
He made more runs in 8 minutes than Martial did all game
It's really pissing me off now that Ole throws Donny on so late in these types of games, where rhythm is out the window and it's desperation time. This was a perfect opponent for him to start against. And even though he was brought on very late he had a couple of nice runs and touches inside the box that presented problems for Sheffield.
Paid 45m for a player to play 6-8 minutes when we're losing.
Well, Ok I guess ? As long as Woodward is happy with throwing money out of the window.
Well, Ok I guess ? As long as Woodward is happy with throwing money out of the window.
He'll feature in the first 11 now, maybe up top just off Cavani.
Martial and Rashford aren't doing anything smart lately. If he's given the chance, now is the perfect time to take it.
Martial and Rashford aren't doing anything smart lately. If he's given the chance, now is the perfect time to take it.
He should have been on by 70 - it was clear things weren't working.
To give him 7-8 minutes at the end is just taking the piss and clearly shows Ole doesn't rate him at all. He doesn't think he can change the game.
To give him 7-8 minutes at the end is just taking the piss and clearly shows Ole doesn't rate him at all. He doesn't think he can change the game.
The one thing I dont understand is how he cannot get into this team when we are losing.
He is by far our most competent passer of a football. Yes Bruno, Pogba are good but they are not good under pressure. Donny will pass out the press.
We had no joy on the wings yesterday, we should have gone to a diamond to get control in midfield.
As soon as we get past the half way line, we cannot put together 5 passes without losing the ball.
Rahsford tries to dribble
Martial just gave the ball away at every given opportunity
Bruno / Pogba were trying too many killer passes with no runners
Greenwood is often isolated on the right / AWB runs down a blind alley
Matic / Maguire just pass to each other until they get pressed and hoof the ball.
Telles was non existent.
He is by far our most competent passer of a football. Yes Bruno, Pogba are good but they are not good under pressure. Donny will pass out the press.
We had no joy on the wings yesterday, we should have gone to a diamond to get control in midfield.
As soon as we get past the half way line, we cannot put together 5 passes without losing the ball.
Rahsford tries to dribble
Martial just gave the ball away at every given opportunity
Bruno / Pogba were trying too many killer passes with no runners
Greenwood is often isolated on the right / AWB runs down a blind alley
Matic / Maguire just pass to each other until they get pressed and hoof the ball.
Telles was non existent.
The arriving midfielder isn’t currently a feature of United’s play, so it will be interesting to see if he can become that kind of figure in this squad with this style of play. None of our wide forwards is a good crosser for a start.
It's his first season but indications are that he's a system player and doesn't have the natural gifts to shine as an individual in the EPL. We play a style that rewards guys who can make individual impressions and he doesn't seem to have that in the locker.
Last night was the perfect game to play him in the pivot, similar to Basakehir at home. Ah well.
You say we play a style that rewards individual impressions, yet, we never see that individual moments of brilliance (ok, Pogba's last goal aside)
Our individual play is hampered, Martial has gone missing for the whole season, Rashford comes alive every third game, Bruno play a percentage game, Pogba only came alive in the last 5 games.....maybe we should shift to the team/system.
VDB has a fluidity to his game, in the course of the 90 minutes, he will produce an opening, a chance, he will make a run....the problem is - he has yet to recieve a full 90' in the strongest team.
He could be this generations Nicky Butt - there when you need him, always delivering. He just needs more trust in him.
It's a patience game now....
We're the only top club side in the world that could waste a talent like Donny.
We really do a brilliant job of wasting talent at this club - it's very frustrating!
I'd be very happy with Donny starting against Arsenal. Unfortunately his only chance of getting on is if there are 10 minutes left and we're 2-0 down.
We really do a brilliant job of wasting talent at this club - it's very frustrating!
I'd be very happy with Donny starting against Arsenal. Unfortunately his only chance of getting on is if there are 10 minutes left and we're 2-0 down.
He was the one player it actually made sense to play again if we were rotating. He wasn’t great against pool but Sheffield United was an easier match with more time on the ball and a chance for him to build on his minutes and hopefully take it up a level. Makes no sense bringing him on at 85 minutes or whatever it’s just pointless.
He’s been getting a few more minutes lately and will get more. He is being patient and we should be patient too. Next year he will start 30 games, I bet.
He wouldn’t be in my first choice 11 just now and it’s not obvious to me what position he will be most effective in. He’s kind of a cross between an 8 and a 10. To get games he probably will end up being a utility midfielder, filling gaps when we rest players or have injuries. He’s clever enough to do that.
Possibly he just needs a few more pounds of muscle on him. He doesn’t look aggressive enough. Hope he turns into a little wild man. That would be fun. He’ll make it here I think.
He wouldn’t be in my first choice 11 just now and it’s not obvious to me what position he will be most effective in. He’s kind of a cross between an 8 and a 10. To get games he probably will end up being a utility midfielder, filling gaps when we rest players or have injuries. He’s clever enough to do that.
Possibly he just needs a few more pounds of muscle on him. He doesn’t look aggressive enough. Hope he turns into a little wild man. That would be fun. He’ll make it here I think.
But, we are constantly being told, we must be patient.
It wasn’t pointless as he played well even in that short time. But otherwise I agree it probably was a good game for him to get more minutes. We could have started him and rested Pogba.
I'm not sure why i'm disappointed because i could've known he reached his maximum monthly minutes limit...
But in all seriousness he's never going to play much for a manager that prefers not losing over winning.
Besides that if Ole prefers changing the system and not using his last sub over playing VDB when we're not winning and playing rather bad, he should leave, no point in waiting, it's not going to happen for him at United with Ole as manager..
People who say he should have patience or that he'll get his chance in a few month are just kidding themselves. They've been saying that since he arrived and it's not changing anytime soon.
But in all seriousness he's never going to play much for a manager that prefers not losing over winning.
Besides that if Ole prefers changing the system and not using his last sub over playing VDB when we're not winning and playing rather bad, he should leave, no point in waiting, it's not going to happen for him at United with Ole as manager..
People who say he should have patience or that he'll get his chance in a few month are just kidding themselves. They've been saying that since he arrived and it's not changing anytime soon.
Surely he will start next game? Surely?
Why ?
Should have played against Sheff Utd to rest Pogba before Arsenal. One of the brightest talents around last season yet can’t seem to play in our team. Wasted here, hope he can get his career back on track somewhere where he is appreciated a bit more.
I just dont get it, we saw him come off the bench vs crystal palace and he scored.
Why has Ole stopped wanting to use him at all?
Why has Ole stopped wanting to use him at all?
This has gone from absurd to parody of player management.
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