Not at all. I was spot on with my assessment of him. He wandered between false nine and number 10 all game. Even playing right wing. Quick short passes, and good at that he is. But that also looses balance in the middle. He played very good. Finally hard to drop. But that doesn’t make him a contender for central midfield. If so, we need to go 4-3-3. Just check his ball involvement heat map.
34
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 14
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 1
-
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.
- Status
Well done Donny. Should have started.
Makes him a contender for our CM spot when we play the likes of McT and Matic who were atrocious as usua.
Really played well when he came on. Great to see a midfielder capable of passing a football
I have criticized him in the past for not taking his opportunities but Donny showed up tonight. One of the handful that did. How has he not had chances before now this season?
Get better eyes
Going 4-3-3 was needed long time ago. Bruno doesn't justify a fecked up system. Not in the form he is in anyway.
You've been brainwashed. Midfielders don't have to stay tied together in the middle of the pitch and never move.
There's a reason we looked brighter and more offensive with him on the pitch, he actually created space with movement.
How can you say he is better than McFred but not a CM
Do we actually need to play 2 dms together though? It's not as if any of the ones we have are that good. I'd rather see us playing one of them with Donny as a deep lying playmaker or box to box like he was today
McFred does not work. Matic is finished. Personally I'd prefer to see Donny playing than not.
The away end was loving his performance and rightfully so
Again McFred mentioned as it is a one player, really take the quality of the comment down
Like if McTominay has ever been on the same level as the Brazilian international. Took us few seasons to figure out that good lad from Scotland is not good enough, despite absolute ridiculous praise & protection from Mourinho and SAF. But that's nothing against him. He certainly has done well enough to keep himself around, the manager should take responsibility for playing him week in and out being so inept to figure out he's just poor. Donny on the other hand should have been tried there for ages despite his not very promising cameos.
Albeit promising, one game against Watford proves nothing, hopefully he keeps getting himself motivated and never puts his quality out of question, because for me the tools are there but like with so many footballers before (notable mentiones like Mkhtaryan, Kagawa, di Maria) the mentality wasn't htere to play consistently on the biggest stage of world football) - so wishing DOnny well to start the next game and me personally I hope we have another at least Herrera level/type of player to be looking forward to be playing for us.
People acting like this was his first strong performance for us 
Regardless, he should have been played more. I'm not saying he is "the answer" but he has obvious qualities and never even got a fair shot. And it's not like we've been playing so well it was hard to fit him in, our midfield has been wank all season and Bruno should have at least been rotated a bit as well.
We shouldn't even need 1 dm against Watford, but under Ole we need 2...
Looked like a Man Utd player which is more than I could say to anyone else out there today.
It's a crime that he has hardly played, he's so good on the ball.
What do you mean by his best game? I do not think he has even played a full 90 minutes for United this season yet. 5 mins here and a 10 mins there is not a game.Probably his best game for United. Showed more passion for the club and ability than the rest of the team today - incisive passes, great instinctive finish and took out 1 or 2 Watford players with crazy challenges that still look somewhat controlled
Bravo lad, to come back after all the shit Ole has done to you. Magnificent effort.
Good game. Best player for united second half!
Should definitely get more gametime
Should definitely get more gametime
Just shows how much of a cnut our manager is for not playing him.
Turning point ?
Stellar performance, scored a goal and his passing was top notch
Who gives a shit what position he plays he has a brain and can pass a football which is good enough for this club currently.
He really could be one of our star players if we get a good manager. Him and Sancho are absolute class, we just need someone that knows how to utilize them. To sell him without even giving him a chance would be criminal
I think I saw what I always thought- VDB is better with matic than when he played with Fred or Mctominay. It's the same with Pogba, better with Matic than with Fred or Mctominay.
None of them are CDM and the only one is Matic, a CDM is needed to get the best out of players like VDB or Pogba.
None of them are CDM and the only one is Matic, a CDM is needed to get the best out of players like VDB or Pogba.
Instantly looked a world beater by virtue of simply trying.
He was good today. Kind of reminded me of why I thought he was a decent player at Ajax.
He is however, not a cm. The goal he scored today. That perfectly encapsulates what he is. A sort of poaching attacking midfielder who "attacks the space".
He is however, not a cm. The goal he scored today. That perfectly encapsulates what he is. A sort of poaching attacking midfielder who "attacks the space".
Piss take that he hasn't played more.
Disgrace when you see some of the clowns starting ahead of him.
It was his best by a distance.People acting like this was his first strong performance for us
It is by far his best performance for the club.People acting like this was his first strong performance for us
A quick google shows 2 websites(Footmob + Kickest- not sure how reliable they are) having him at 3 key passes in the PL all of last season, he must have had 4 or 5 in a half today.
Not with Ole. A new manager might give him a run though
His 'treatment' last season was fine. At the start of the season he started most cup games and came on as a sub in most league games. Fairly normal for a player who doesn't hit the ground running. After a while his continual poor and timid performances ended up with him dropping down the pecking order and his chances declined a fair bit.
However his performances at the end of last season and in his few opportunities this season have definitely warranted more chances than he's had this season. He's been showing much more aggressiveness, been much more forceful in making things happen and just been looking far more promising in general. Not amazing or anything, but it's been enough that (combined with how poor the rest of the midfield have been) he should have been given more opportunities.
However his performances at the end of last season and in his few opportunities this season have definitely warranted more chances than he's had this season. He's been showing much more aggressiveness, been much more forceful in making things happen and just been looking far more promising in general. Not amazing or anything, but it's been enough that (combined with how poor the rest of the midfield have been) he should have been given more opportunities.
I can see him becoming a proper cult hero once Ole goes and he fights his way into the team (if he doesn’t leave).
Scoring the last goal of Oles reign would be quite something
Brutal.
If Pogba and Lingard decide to leave (likely), we're not in a position to let VDB go. Assuming we even get a DM in, we're still a midfielder short IMO.
Yeah it could be, I meant it wasn't his first strong performance for us like some posters are making out.
This could be the best day for Donny as a Manchester Utd player. Gets a goal and puts in an excellent performance when he came on and now it could all be topped off with the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
- Status