[georgipep]

I understand that but as much as Ole can be a defensive manager at times I do see a manager who has been very flexible with his tactics (almost too flexible at times).

I say this because you wonder if getting that CDM helps change our tactics.

I have wanted us to play 433 for absolutely ages, maybe it will happen or maybe not but you wonder if getting that pure CDM allows us to play that one day.

We get that CDM and maybe we switch to something like 433 rather than a 4231 and we are able to hold on to our possession a bit better than usual.

You look at how our squad is possibly may turn out to be with some transfers in and out - Pogba is not a hard working player who is maybe replaced by a CDM. Van de Beek may take Pogbas place who in my opinion can be a more attacking minded player than Pogba further up the pitch, whilst a more team oriented player from deep though Pogba is a better deep lying playmaker. Then to me Martial to me is another player who suits counter attacking football alot, drops deep and makes the passes to the wider forwards alot on the counter rather able to take a chance that is created to him when the possession is with us. Ole had targeted Haaland in his first transfer window, targeted Cavani this transfer window and even started to use Rashford and Greenwood in a striker Partnership.

I just think that a CDM gets VDB's ability to play with another attacking minded midfielder like Bruno in the same team - Bruno can play as a CAM to utelise his creativity further up the pitch whilst we can use VDB shorter build up play at CM; or like for Portugal occasionally Bruno's creativity can be dropped a little deeper (especially when Pogba leaves) whilst someone like VDB can play to get more clinical. Then we may change the way we use our strikers aswell, let him play like as a SS behind a big built up striker like Haaland/Cavani, or a false 9 behind a striker partnership like Rashford and Greenwood.

However, I don't think none of this can happen until a CDM is bought and VDB adapts to the league's physique aswell. The difference in the formation and tactics that Ole uses gives me a bit of hope that it can click one day with the ability to variable aswell when needed.

You may be right. I'd like us to have a younger, more mobile version of Matic but I'm not sure who that player could be. Especially if we need to be realistic. For me, that's not Declan Rice, for example.

And you may have a point about Donny although I think Ole is still trying to figure out how to get the best out of him. He cannot put him in the #10 position which seems to suit him best and he cannot rely on him as partner for Fred or McT because we do not dominate teams as much. I'm sceptical that it will work much better with a good CDM because of the tactical connundrum I've described in my previous post. But I'd love if proven wrong and we get this one player that transforms our style!

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

You may be right. I'd like us to have a younger, more mobile version of Matic but I'm not sure who that player could be. Especially if we need to be realistic. For me, that's not Declan Rice, for example.

And you may have a point about Donny although I think Ole is still trying to figure out how to get the best out of him. He cannot put him in the #10 position which seems to suit him best and he cannot rely on him as partner for Fred or McT because we do not dominate teams as much. I'm sceptical that it will work much better with a good CDM because of the tactical connundrum I've described in my previous post. But I'd love if proven wrong and we get this one player that transforms our style!

I think Donny will be fine in here unless if we change to manager who doesn’t like his style of play. He needs time to adjust his playing style to PL and the manager’s style. Whether it’s double pivot, box to box, no 10 or even wide area, he has the ability & intelligent to adapt in those positions. His lacking physical strength and pace what takes him bit longer in here.

 

[iammemphis]

Starting to become weird this lack of game time.

 

[laughtersassassin]

Starting to become weird this lack of game time.

Somewhat but not really.

Not better than Bruno at 10

Not better than Pogba at 8.

So if we aren't playing a diamond he is first choice backup.

Shows that we will need to replace Pogba when he goes cause Donny is good but he can't replace Pogbas long passing and no one else in our squad can either.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Donny issue is, if he's played in his best position, he's competing against the clubs current best player.

And he's still yet to make a big impact for people to lose their marbles.
He's come in and just been tidy.

 

[Renegade]

We must have imagined him having that MOTM game in the #8 position a couple weeks ago. Home game vs bottom of the league and he can’t get a start vs the player who is planning to leave ASAP.

 

[FrankDrebin]

We must have imagined him having that MOTM game in the #8 position a couple weeks ago. Home game vs bottom of the league and he can’t get a start vs the player who is planning to leave ASAP.

When the heck was that ?

 

[DickDastardly]

We must have imagined him having that MOTM game in the #8 position a couple weeks ago. Home game vs bottom of the league and he can’t get a start vs the player who is planning to leave ASAP.

Mind boggling.

Instead of building his confidence and team play, we play Pogba who's about to jump ship.

Ole needs a slap. Full face open hand wake the feck up slap.

 

[laughtersassassin]

We must have imagined him having that MOTM game in the #8 position a couple weeks ago. Home game vs bottom of the league and he can’t get a start vs the player who is planning to leave ASAP.

True.

But that player who wants to leave has outperformed him these past few games.

It looks like if Pogba was the one to come on at half time against Leizpig we may not be out.

No point dropping points over it.

 

[Ralph1386]

Donny issue is, if he's played in his best position, he's competing against the clubs current best player.

And he's still yet to make a big impact for people to lose their marbles.
He's come in and just been tidy.

His best position is not number 10, it's number 8. His competition is Pogba and he is not the current best player.

 

[laughtersassassin]

Mind boggling.

Instead of building his confidence and team play, we play Pogba who's about to jump ship.

Ole needs a slap. Full face open hand wake the feck up slap.

Yous didn't watch the Leipzig game did you?Until we can replace Pogba we need him. Maybe not every game but we need him.

Donny simply doesn't possess Pogba long ball ability which wouldn't be an issue if we had a deep lying playmaker who did but we don't.

That leaves us in a position where without Pogba we have little to no ability for playing long through balls or switching the play etc.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Pogba's better and more effective player than Beek at the present. Sure, Pogba wants to bugger off but that's the reality.

 

[Samid]

Let's be honest he's a square peg for a round hole.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Let's be honest he's a square peg for a round hole.

Odd signing.

 

[spontaneus1]

Let's be honest he's a square peg for a round hole.

He is essentially Pogbas replacement signed a summer early.

 

[Idxomer]

I've seen enough, he isn't very good.

The failure to play those two consecutive easy through balls would make Lingard blush.

 

[Terranova]

He should run. Those 10 min shifts will never lead to anything. Most of the time the match is done so there's no chance he can do anything.

Doesn't matter if he's being ignored because he's not Ole's signing or that he's not good enough. This is not doing anything good for him and his career.

Besides that, some fans like to judge a player on only 1 moment. So yeah this won't do him any good.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

That was an awful cameo

 

[Matt6677]

Back to Ajax Donny!

 

[acnumber9]

I've seen enough, he isn't very good.

The failure to play those two consecutive easy through balls would make Lingard blush.

Summed up why he won’t get much game time. Pogba or Bruno play that pass. He’s far too happy to keep it safe.

 

[matsdf]

Almost cost us the game.

 

[Terminator]

Unbelievable how much of a quality gap there is between him and Bruno.

 

[Steven7290]

Was in no man land the entire cameo with bad touches and decisions every time he got the ball. Not great.

 

[Godfather]

We must have imagined him having that MOTM game in the #8 position a couple weeks ago. Home game vs bottom of the league and he can’t get a start vs the player who is planning to leave ASAP.

That cameo explains everything. He just isn't very good

 

[Reddevildans]

Hes too risk averse. A bit like herrera.

 

[El Zoido]

He played ten minutes, and is also not a direct Bruno replacement. Nothing really to infer from this.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

How he didn't play the ball to Rashford when he would have had the whole half to himself i'll never know

 

[bosnian_red]

Awful sub appearance. I just don't like him as a 10. Deeper midfield he is fine, but as a 10 he is ineffective and way too risk-averse. Ignored playing in Rashford on a very easy and obvious pass, and then didn't do much else.

 

[Nicolarra90]

Very poor cameo, the difference was huge with bruno, and failed to feed rashy an easy ball

 

[DWelbz19]

Confidence and match rhythm is at an all time low for him, but the profile of player he is doesn't really fit. He's a cog in a system midfielder; moulded in the Ajax style. We're a side of individual brilliance and off-the-cuff magic.

When Rashford was running through the middle, instead of attempting high reward low percentage pass, he opted to pass back to Mata with a snappy 1-2 and to push play forward like that.

 

[sillwuka]

Hes too risk averse. A bit like herrera.

Ander would at least play through balls

 

[Bebestation]

He was never a passer from CAM he was a player who made runs and scored goals.

Anybody who saw him during the CL matches for Ajax would know that he was not the creativity type and more a player that made the runs and needed the creativity himself.

 

[AshRK]

He looks lost. His time will come but has to be patient.

 

[HowYouDoin]

How the heck didnt he see that run by Rashford.
Useless player at the AM though.

 

[Tony247]

Play him 8. Make that his position. He is not a 10 for sure. He can compliment bruno, but should not be replacing him.

 

[NinjaFletch]

I feel bad for slagging him off after every game, but I just don't see a player in there.

I wouldn't even call it a refusal of a pass to Rashford because he just didn't see it.

 

[el3mel]

Shockingly poor and disappointing for me. Zero vision at all in this particular ball. This ball just gave me full Lingard vibe with the lack of vision and killing pass.

 

[Bobski]

Just a bit meh, not enough there do be a difference maker with his and our current style.

 

[Dearg hÉireann]

I think it's safe to say by now that he's not a Solskjaer signing. Basically he's a younger, blonde version of Mata, without his ability of course, just has the same physical attributes!

 

[Highfather_24]

From "why is he not starting" after every game to "he's shit" at the drop of a hat.

That's caf for ya.