Yeah, this.
This signing hasn't worked out at all. Wouldn't surprise me if we loaned him out in the summer. Kind of reminds me of Klassen at Everton.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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This signing hasn't worked out at all. Wouldn't surprise me if we loaned him out in the summer. Kind of reminds me of Klassen at Everton.
Although it's ridiculous that Van De Beek is only being given garbage time, this isn't a problem we need to worry about right now. We're in a good position in the league table. Let's see where we end up before making a decision on whether to sell Van de Beek to Real or Barcelona.
He seemed to come on and play up front? It was bizarre. He just seemed to either be not involved or getting in the way.
Still give him the benefit of the doubt and we'll see how he does next season, but to come on in a game like that and just really make zero impact is disappointing, you can't say anything more than that.
Still give him the benefit of the doubt and we'll see how he does next season, but to come on in a game like that and just really make zero impact is disappointing, you can't say anything more than that.
Is this a joke? More like Real sociedad and Valencia..
There was quite a lot of smoke about Real Madrid going after him but couldn't due to their financial situation.
Real Madrid had a deal lined up in summer 2019 but Zidane was only interested in getting Pogba for that role, so the Madrid board didn't force the issue. The price agreed was about £50m. Marca wrote lots of articles about the deal that summer, detailing why van de Beek was a much better option than Pogba. Real Madrid opted to bring back Odegaard from his loan at Real Sociedad in summer 2020; I don't recall any van de Beek to Madrid articles last summer. Hence his decision to join United.
Having said all that, I doubt Real Madrid would be even remotely interested now. I think United would struggle to find a buyer at the price we paid, in the current financial environment. So Donny is likely to be stuck at United for a while.
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So like a lot of posters, I thought he had great movement and was largely being ignored in previous games so I decided to watch him when he was on today. I’ve come to the conclusion this is NOT the case at all - his runs are never runs in to any real space. They are largely in places that would require a pretty intricate pass to find him and even then he is often close by or in front of defenders. On the odd occasion he does make a good run in behind but again I watched the timing of these runs and they were quite often when the player in possession of the ball was either not looking in that direction to start with or was closed down quickly by the opposition. I noticed only twice where I thought someone SHOULD have played him in. His positioning as the highest man running across the line was truly bizarre IMO.
I’m starting to think there was just a lot more time on the ball at Ajax for players to find him unopposed and the marking wasn’t tight enough. It’s like he’s making runs not expecting players to track him but they do! They’re right behind him and then rightfully our players think “I’m not gonna pass to Donny there, he’s marked”.
I think part of this is a recalibration needed by him and also our players to understand him a bit more. This is perhaps why Ole says he’ll play more next year - perhaps the jump up to 38 very hard games rather than just the odd champions league game here and there is a challenge.
I’m starting to think there was just a lot more time on the ball at Ajax for players to find him unopposed and the marking wasn’t tight enough. It’s like he’s making runs not expecting players to track him but they do! They’re right behind him and then rightfully our players think “I’m not gonna pass to Donny there, he’s marked”.
I think part of this is a recalibration needed by him and also our players to understand him a bit more. This is perhaps why Ole says he’ll play more next year - perhaps the jump up to 38 very hard games rather than just the odd champions league game here and there is a challenge.
More like Real Ale Madrid (got to be one of the most commonly names 5 a side teams).
It's called dodging a bullet.
There must be a reason why United and Madrid rate him. Just because he doesn't suit us at this moment in time it doesn't suddenly mean he's a pub footballer.
I'm not calling him a pub footballer but it's not beyond the realms for big teams to rate players who don't actually push on and come good. It's actually quite common.
I'd be very shocked if Madrid or Barca wanted to sign him regardless of finances.
Shit post of the day goes to you
Jesus, have some patience. I agree he hasn't done anything yet. But you think Ole signed a £40m player and is going to give up on him after one season in which he doesn't play him very much? Of course not. Times were you would basically give foreign signings a year's grace to bed in before even worrying about them.
He was signed first and foremost to improve the quality of our bench. Unless you think he's a worse option than Lingard or Pereira, then he's doing his job. Over time, he will start to get better for us, and will offer more of a serious rotation option for Bruno.
Again, patience.
Bit of an overreaction on here he’s played sod all , all of a sudden he starts in a high tempo cup game v Liverpool and is expected to be doing Bruno things. Tonight he had a quiet 45 mins but I’m still holding out on him. Ole has said it’ll be next season before we see the best out of him . People looking for him to be sold already need their head checked . Last season we had Pereira and Lingard coming on.
Let’s be patient
20 (with 2 goals, and as an actual striker). Van de beek definitely played as more of a midfielder, or at least in the bruno position with bruno dropping deeper. Either way, he doesn't know how to play a #10 position/shadow striker position and generally never gets involved at all. Being praised for being good off the ball with his movement is just because somebody didn't do anything on the ball, and that's been a common trend with him this season.
Didn't get involved at all. There is loads of time for VDB to turn things around I just hope he isn't our Pogba replacement if he goes in the summer.
If he is we will be in trouble.
If he is we will be in trouble.
Maybe he'll come good but with every appearance he makes it seems like he's just not the right player for us.
He's shown he's a good player and in another team he might be that guy but he looks like a square peg in a round hole.
He hasn't been terrible but that's as much as I can say.
He's shown he's a good player and in another team he might be that guy but he looks like a square peg in a round hole.
He hasn't been terrible but that's as much as I can say.
Real Madrid had a deal agreed to sign him (for more than what we paid) but had to pull out because of the hit they took from Covid. Of course that doesn't mean they would still want to sign him, but they definitely did 12 months ago.
It could have been media shite but Donny was linked with Real and there was some rumbling about Barcelona being interested as well. Memories are short around here, but VdB was outstanding with Ajax. But that was then. Now, Donny has been reduced to cleaning McTominay’s boots.
The way things are going for Donny at United, which is basically nowhere, it’s extremely unlikely either Real or Barca would be interested in him at anything other than a basement price.
I've literally answered this in the very post you've quoted.
So what if Madrid wanted him before?
You'd think tonight was ideal for him but he came on and did basically nothing.
No wait sorry he got a daft booking and got in the way when Martial had a chance to make it 5-0.
It's still very early and I'm not writing him off but he's really got to be doing more, he's been a nothing player this season.
No wait sorry he got a daft booking and got in the way when Martial had a chance to make it 5-0.
It's still very early and I'm not writing him off but he's really got to be doing more, he's been a nothing player this season.
He's just not very good.
Should have saved the VDB money for Grealish.
Should have saved the VDB money for Grealish.
I hope he can use the Euro league to kick on. Get lots of minutes.
That performance actually gets me quite excited for VDB next season.
I hoped to see him as a shadow striker at United rather than a creative CAM or CM and it looks like Ole might use him there.
He wasnt really involved in anything to the eye today, but watching him make runs in different positions inside the box usually led to 2 CB'S trying to hold him back and it made Martial have less defenders on him with the more space and time to finish his chances.
If he is an Ole signing then this means we possibly looking at a CDM and a ST before we implement him more (aswell as him feeling the tempo of the squad).
I hoped to see him as a shadow striker at United rather than a creative CAM or CM and it looks like Ole might use him there.
He wasnt really involved in anything to the eye today, but watching him make runs in different positions inside the box usually led to 2 CB'S trying to hold him back and it made Martial have less defenders on him with the more space and time to finish his chances.
If he is an Ole signing then this means we possibly looking at a CDM and a ST before we implement him more (aswell as him feeling the tempo of the squad).
Been completely invisible again and almost fecked up Scotty's goal.
A nothing player.
Yep.. Agreed. Even Barcelona was boring 80% of the time during their prime. It’s ok when the last 20% is amazing
He's been such a disappointment. Was our major summer signing as well. Maybe we should send him out on loan if he simply isn't able to cope. Right now, we really don't need passengers. Evn squad players should play with a level of drive and dynamism. Hopefully he picks up some confidence in coming weeks but I'd say that was as good a game as any for it.
Isn't performing under pressure sort of necessary to make it as a top player? Not everyone can handle it (the Saints tackling guy comes to mind). Thing is, Donny is not croaking under pressure, this is just what he is. He makes runs into the box. That's all he does and all he can do. He doesnt bring anything else to the table. He's simply not that good, or rather, versatile. If Ajax had another player on Ziyech / De Jong / De Ligt's level instead of him, they might have actually won the CL. He made some important goals for them, but he brings nothing else. He has no passing range, can't beat a man, he's not a tackler (showed that with the yellow), he's just adequate in most things.
I feel bad for him (well not really, boohoo you play for Man Utd), but he is completely out of his depth at United. He should go to Werder Bremen or where ever Davy Klaassen went after Everton.
I hate coming to the defence of fecking Ajax, but that team that made the CL semi's was pretty good.
The only team that managed to smash them 6-2 was, well you knooow
(it was Feyenoord)
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With the praise for VDS on his arrival I thought he would be an instant impact. Really hope he does well and settles in eventually, Ole has made it clear he wasn’t a signing he has made.
It was Lucas's Hattrick that got spurs in to the final wasnt it? Arguably it was the defense that was crap that day.Isn't performing under pressure sort of necessary to make it as a top player? Not everyone can handle it (the Saints tackling guy comes to mind). Thing is, Donny is not croaking under pressure, this is just what he is. He makes runs into the box. That's all he does and all he can do. He doesnt bring anything else to the table. He's simply not that good, or rather, versatile. If Ajax had another player on Ziyech / De Jong / De Ligt's level instead of him, they might have actually won the CL. He made some important goals for them, but he brings nothing else. He has no passing range, can't beat a man, he's not a tackler (showed that with the yellow), he's just adequate in most things.
I feel bad for him (well not really, boohoo you play for Man Utd), but he is completely out of his depth at United. He should go to Werder Bremen or where ever Davy Klaassen went after Everton.
I hate coming to the defence of fecking Ajax, but that team that made the CL semi's was pretty good.
The only team that managed to smash them 6-2 was, well you knooow
(it was Feyenoord)
Yeah, mostly the fact that Ajax kept all out attacking at 2-0 up leaving so much space. Generally though, they were playing with one man short in mid field since Donny doesnt add much aside from runs. He didnt cost them that game or anything, just think they were a better 8/10 short of being a truly top team that season. Though even with him beating Real and Juve over 2 legs is no small feat.
Though regarding the spurs tie, they shouldve also gone 3-0 up in the away leg. They wasted so many chances in London.
He makes so many good runs but the others dont seem to even know where he is. He'd score at least two if they were paying attention to him, I really hope the coaching staff notices this.
He played 45 minutes in a 9-0 thrashing and did absolutely nothing. He reminds me of an early Vidic and Evra, decent player but way off the pace of the league. Hopefully he can sort it out like they did, start passing it forward more and force things to happen.
Can he kick a ball harder and longer than five yards? All he pretty much do is just short passes here and there in the entire time he has been here so far
We shouldn’t sell him just yet, it’s still early and we haven’t seen enough. He was poor last night though and you really should be having an impact on that game. I just don’t think he’s an attacking midfielder at this level. His best performances for us have almost certainly come in the deeper 2 positions where he can show his passing and press resistance. I’m willing to bet if he has a future here it will be in the deeper role.
Based on my observation, DVB came into the game from the start of the second half (replaced Luke Shaw and Fred moved to Left back positions), with the result being 4 nil and Southampton with 10 men on the pitch.
It seemed that Ole wanted to pin down Southampton and not allow them to come out of their own half, Rashford & Greenwood stayed wide, DVB went in as 2nd striker together with Martial, Bruno stayed very close to the edge of the box & McTominay was the one playing in the center, Maguire & Lindelof pushed very high, so there was not much spaces to work with in Southampton's final third, in that case, DVB's job was to occupy the defenders together with Martial.
He wasn't bad, he kept active and recycled the ball, made few runs into the box behind defenders.
But I still think he does not assert himself enough, doesn't enough risks for my liking (Fernandes basically tries everything and anything to create a chance, a polar opposite of DVB).
It seemed that Ole wanted to pin down Southampton and not allow them to come out of their own half, Rashford & Greenwood stayed wide, DVB went in as 2nd striker together with Martial, Bruno stayed very close to the edge of the box & McTominay was the one playing in the center, Maguire & Lindelof pushed very high, so there was not much spaces to work with in Southampton's final third, in that case, DVB's job was to occupy the defenders together with Martial.
He wasn't bad, he kept active and recycled the ball, made few runs into the box behind defenders.
But I still think he does not assert himself enough, doesn't enough risks for my liking (Fernandes basically tries everything and anything to create a chance, a polar opposite of DVB).
He's hardly played this season, yet some fans expect him to be world class when he plays.
Can't make a proper judgmenet until next season.
Can't make a proper judgmenet until next season.
I have patience, I'm simply saying there's shades of Klassen at Everton about him. The lack of minutes Ole has given him is fairly damning. I don't think he's been atrocious when he's played, more that he's just been fairly anonymous.
Can't assert himself if he's being ignored. The whole time he was on the pitch he asked for the ball or coached his teammate where to pass. But if they ignore him, it's really hard for him to do something about it.
Someone here posted that he always runs in the wrong direction, which is only the case when someone with limited vision is at the ball. Because this is what he's good at, making a run in an unexpected place for the defender. But that's not gonna work if he doesn't get the ball.
Which in turn makes him "anonymous"
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