Fellaini vs Herrera

[Silent_Running]

There seems to have been a lot of comparisons between these two players recently. Of course they employ different styles and skillsets.

As a manager, it's useful to have versatility, so I imagine Van Gaal would use them alternatingly in different kinds of matches, but at the moment at least it seems to be one or the other.

With that in mind, who do you prefer?

Personally, I feel they are about equal. I really like both of them.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Herrera. Fellaini is more Phil Neville than Michael Carrick.

 

[Silent_Running]

Fellaini reminds me of the dinosaur with the frill that spits acid but instead of a frill it has an afro. Herrera on the other hand reminds me more of a human being.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Pretty hard to answer. Better at what?, heading? chest control? Fellaini.

1 touch passing, through balls, shooting? Herrera. Both are good at different things.

If you ask who I would prefer in midfield? probably Herrera.

 

[Invictus]

Fellaini is a much better footballer than Herrera IMO. Dude is a physical beast, better defensively, has more stamina and is aerially dominant. Ander is ok but not as good as Marouane. He is too lightweight and played very poorly vs West Brom and Leicester where we conceded 5.

 

[bosnian_red]

Herrera by far. Fellaini is better at bringing down long balls, heading, is taller and stronger.

Herrera is quicker, better dribbler, better touch, a better passer, more intelligent on the pitch... Just all around a better player unless you want to hoof. Fellaini is a useful player, but just not close to Herrera.

 

[Gerald G]

Fellaini has his uses but Herrera is easily the better player in my eyes. He's better than I thought he was and I am dumbfounded that he's been an unused subbed for the past few games.

 

[Cooksen]

Both have their strengths and weaknesses.

Both should be in the starting 11 as Fellaini brings a presence and is a major handful in both boxes while Herrera is a smart, active footballer who can bring an intensity and calm to the team.

 

[Borys]

In my opinion Herrera is the footballer who will be very important for our team in the future. I don’t think Fellaini will be that important for us in the long run, I treat him more like a stopgap- right now very useful player but not someone we should build our team around. That said, I was hoping we can play both Fellaini and Herrera in midfield, in front of Blind. That would be pretty good I think. It’s a shame Blind is injured now though.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Different players. It's like comparing Ramires to Fabregas, in my opinion. Like many have said, both have their strengths and weaknesses.

People keep saying Fellaini is not a long term option for Van Gaal, and he may well not be, but he also said that he's realised that you need a 'physical balance' in the EPL, and Fellaini gives us that, so I don't know why people are trying to force Herrera back into the team when we've been putting in some good performances of late.

So far, Fellaini is on a good run of form and deserves to be playing.

 

[thelemon]

Fellaini is in good form. That's it. He won't be here long term, we should get rid in the summer. Herrera is a fantastic player who we will build our team around over the coming years.

 

[Raw]

Herrera's the better player, but Fellaini serves a good purpose for tough game where we need more physicality and height in midfield/defence, something Herrera doesn't have.

I voted Herrera anyway.

 

[charleysurf]

The less he plays the better Herrera seems to be getting. I couldn't care less who plays as long as they do well. I'll trust in VG to make the right choice.

 

[GE]

Big Felli for me.

Can't fault the shifts the lad has put in since the West Brom game.

Definitely gives us that bit of steal we lack in the middle of the park.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Totally different players, but I think Fellaini does his role better than Herrera does his one, everything we require from Fellaini, he has done it since his return. He has been so important, and adds the physique/presence we miss in the side. Ofcourse Herrera is smarter, has better vision, dribbling etc.

 

[Sally Cinnamon]

The boy Herrera. There's absolutely no question about that, in my mind.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I put "too different to compare" not because I think they really are too different to compare (both central midfielders) but because it's too soon to compare (for anyone who doesn't watch La Liga anyway)

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

I think it's strange that people believe that Van Gaal has some sort of preference for Fellaini when in reality he just seems to be playing people on form. Herrera was a regular before his injury and was brought straight back in after he recovered but he played poorly in that half and his replacement Fellaini took his chance and hasn't looked back. I am pretty sure that if LVG feels that Herrera can do a better job than the ones already playing then he will bring him in.

 

[Kazi]

Too different to compare

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Totally different players, but I think Fellaini does his role better than Herrera does his one, everything we require from Fellaini, he has done it since his return. He has been so important, and adds the physique/presence we miss in the side. Ofcourse Herrera is smarter, has better vision, dribbling etc.

Fellaini has done well, but there are things Herrera does better and the team are lacking when he isn't in the side. They need to find space for both. Totally different players. We are not creating the same scoring chances, so are now relying on not conceding. It would have been interesting to see what happened if Arsenal score first last weekend.

 

[Silent_Running]

I put "too different to compare" not because I think they really are too different to compare (both central midfielders) but because it's too soon to compare (for anyone who doesn't watch La Liga anyway)

thank you for your explanation pogue and for your effort to not to distort the results of this poll in any way

 

[Raoul]

They are simply different tools Van Gaal can deploy for different jobs. If we're up against a side where Herrera's strengths (his passing) are required to unlock the opposition then he should be used. If we're up against a side where Fellaini's height and physicality are needed to offset taller, more physical players then he should be used. The important thing is we have options, which is better than only having one available player for all situations.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Fellaini has done well, but there are things Herrera does better and the team are lacking when he isn't in the side. They need to find space for both. Totally different players. We are not creating the same scoring chances, so are now relying on not conceding. It would have been interesting to see what happened if Arsenal score first last weekend.

The same can be said about Fellaini, we also lacked things in the side when he wasnt playing, we were much more vulnerable, lost more duels and just looked unbalance, I think place for both of them is best for the team, something like Blind, Fellaini, Herrera and di Maria as CAM.

 

[charleysurf]

thank you for your explanation pogue and for your effort to not to distort the results of this poll in any way

I thinks it's great that you regard RedCafe polls with scientific seriousness.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

They are simply different tools Van Gaal can deploy for different jobs. If we're up against a side where Herrera's strengths (his passing) are required to unlock the opposition then he should be used. If we're up against a side where Fellaini's height and physicality are needed to offset taller, more physical players then he should be used. The important thing is we have options, which is better than only having one available player for all situations.

Isn't it great that we actually arguing about the attributes of our midfielders? That hasn't happened for a while, they were just all rubbish.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

The same can be said about Fellaini, we also lacked things in the side when he wasnt playing, we were much more vulnerable, lost more duels and just looked unbalance, I think place for both of them is best for the team, something like Blind, Fellaini, Herrera and di Maria as CAM.

Exactly, we need them both and both will get their chances.

 

[Revan]

Herrera and it isn't even close. However, Fellaini has changed my opinion for him this season. From an absolute waste of money, to 'can used on some type of games'.

I still hate us to see playng hoof the ball to him, an attacking 'tactic' which we used during the last 3 matches. Looked awful, although we got good results.

In the games Herrera played, the team played better IMO. He was making the team tick.

 

[charleysurf]

Isn't it great that we actually arguing about the attributes of our midfielders? That hasn't happened for a while, they were just all rubbish.

We argue about the relative merits of the defenders as well, but it's still not as though we have a great selection.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Can't we just try:

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Carrick
Di Maria - Fellaini - Herrera - Mata
Rooney


​

 

[FacerTheRed]

Completely different players. Herrera is about passing, linking up with players and technique. Whereas Felliani is all about physical presents and useful for set plays.

 

[Raoul]

Can't we just try:

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Carrick
Di Maria - Fellaini - Herrera - Mata
Rooney


​

Mata as a LW. Looks entirely plausible.

 

[FacerTheRed]

Can't we just try:

De Gea
Rafael - Smalling - Rojo - Shaw
Carrick
Di Maria - Fellaini - Herrera - Mata
Rooney


​

Rooney as lone striker.. no, i rate Rooney more as a supporting striker and Mata on the wing just doesnt work in my opinion, He comes to life when he's in that no. 10 role. Moyes tried to play him out wide and he was just not involved but soon he went in no. 10 role he started creating and scoring goals.

 

[Borys]

Herrera and it isn't even close. However, Fellaini has changed my opinion for him this season. From an absolute waste of money, to 'can used on some type of games'.

I still hate us to see playng hoof the ball to him, an attacking 'tactic' which we used during the last 3 matches. Looked awful, although we got good results.

In the games Herrera played, the team played better IMO. He was making the team tick.

Exactly. Fellaini is great at this chaotic football we've been playing lately. Herrera will be first-teamer one we find our feet and decide to play football on the ground, what I'm sure is LvG's aim.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

thank you for your explanation pogue and for your effort to not to distort the results of this poll in any way

It's the least I could do.

 

[Raoul]

Rooney as lone striker.. no, i rate Rooney more as a supporting striker and Mata on the wing just doesnt work in my opinion, He comes to life when he's in that no. 10 role. Moyes tried to play him out wide and he was just not involved but soon he went in no. 10 role he started creating and scoring goals.

I rate Rooney as a lone striker more than anything else, with the likes of Mata and Di Maria playing behind him. It would be far more effective than attempting to shoe horn in, an out of form RvP every week.

 

[manutddjw]

Too different to compare.

I don't see why we don't play a midfield 3 of Herrera, Fellaini and Carrick/Blind. It has more than enough defensive cover and we get the creativity that Herrera brings.

This also puts Di Maria centrally and plays Rooney up top where he's best.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Mata as a LW. Looks entirely plausible.

Well its a left midfielder, which is a complete different role to a winger. I'd have him playing how Silva plays for City on the left (roaming inside), with Di Maria keeping the width.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

They could both fit in a 3 man midfield, with Carrick or Blind at the base of an inverted triangle, and provide us with different options. The same thing could be said about the diamond formation.

Herrera can carry the ball out of our third when playing deeper and link with others/create numerical advantages in the midfield and in the final third. Fellaini can close down the first attacker which gives our defense time to get organized and provides some breathing space for the holding midfielder. Up front he can be an excellent choice in the box when when the opposition has chosen to park the bus.

I believe we may see a diamond of Carrick-Herrera-Fellaini-Rooney with Falcao-RvP up front in one of our next two home games.

 

[Raoul]

Well its a left midfielder, which is a complete different role to a winger. I'd have him playing how Silva plays for City on the left (roaming inside), with Di Maria keeping the width.

It could work if Fellaini and Herrera were less high and more deep in support of Carrick, which would then allow Mata and Di Maria to play more centrally behind Rooney.

 

[SharkyMcShark]

Who voted for Fellaini? I want a name.