Fellaini's best moments

[Annihilate Now!]

Nothing was built around him. He was a bad midfielder in a poor team that resorted to hoofing for the last 10 minutes because they couldn't break down defenses. You speak of him like he was here a couple of seasons like Lukaku or Sanchez. He was here for 5 and a half seasons and he had a handful of good games.


There's what, one winner there? A goal in a 4-2 win. A goal in a 3-1 win. A goal after 90 minutes in a 3-1 win against Club Brugge, a tie we won 7-1 in total. This twitter thread is clutching straws.

There's 3... Arsenal, Young Boys and he didn't score that Juve goal but it was basically his presence that caused it. Plus there's the goal against Palace which was late on which I remember quite fondly.

 

[Member 113277]

Fellaini didn't have the image of a Utd player and was unlucky enough to be with the club in a poor performance period.

So he'll never be remembered as a great favourite, but should be respected as a professional who also gave his best and played for the team/club as well as he could.

In short, a model pro.

 

[Shane88]

Old Trafford were at their spiteful worst for a player who tried his heart out despite his limited ability.

 

[Snow]

There's 3... Arsenal, Young Boys and he didn't score that Juve goal but it was basically his presence that caused it. Plus there's the goal against Palace which was late on which I remember quite fondly.

So 3-4 and not 18 like the thread claims. 1 in every 40 games or so. What a player.

 

[EwanI Ted]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Good Twitter thread on all the times Fellaini “saved us”. More than you’d think.

Its a bit of a stretch to call some of them "saves". The third goal in a tie we won 7-1 on aggregate? The 2nd goal in a 3-1 win against Preston? Even the goal vs Everton, it was the first goal of the game, scored in the first half, in a game we were dominating, not exactly plucked from the jaws of defeat. In football, a game of few goals, most goals have some impact on the final result. Most of these goals mattered, but not many really saved the day.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

So 3-4 and not 18 like the thread claims. 1 in every 40 games or so. What a player.

I mean if you think about it, thats quite a lot of late winners... Rashford and Martial for example both also have 3.

 

[stevoc]

There's 3... Arsenal, Young Boys and he didn't score that Juve goal but it was basically his presence that caused it. Plus there's the goal against Palace which was late on which I remember quite fondly.

Was the goal vs Young boys actually a winner though? Weren't we already 2-1 up when he scored?

 

[Snow]

I mean if you think about it, thats quite a lot of late winners... Rashford and Martial for example both also have 3.

2 is not a lot.

Was the goal vs Young boys actually a winner though? Weren't we already 2-1 up when he scored?

It was a last minute winner and prolonged Jose's tenure.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

2 is not a lot.

It was a last minute winner and prolonged Jose's tenure.

I'd call it 3 (if we go "late winners") which is the same number as both Tony and Rashford. Might not be a lot but ya know, considering he was predominantly a midfielder it's a solid effort.

 

[VP]

I don't know why but I just could never warm to him. Maybe it's because I see him as stinking symbol of our decline post-SAF.

 

[Ryan Bobson]

Best moment ............... Leaving

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Might not be a lot but ya know, considering he was predominantly a midfielder it's a solid effort.

Kind of. Sort of.

But this is the old "Plan B" discussion all over again.

The fact is that Fellaini was - as you say - predominantly a midfielder for us. He was never used exclusively in the only role he ever truly excelled in, i.e. as a physically dominant AM/SS of sorts (someone capable of causing havoc in the opposition box as a target).

He mainly played as a midfielder (a CM - even DM at times). And he was utterly mediocre in that role.

Using him regularly, in his best role, would've meant going for a brand of football hardly any United fan would fancy. And keeping him on the books as a pure "Plan B" (a big fecker you send on to cause havoc in the opposition box and/or to defend on set pieces) was never...well, let's just say that his proven effectiveness in those situations was never outstanding enough to make a compelling argument for keeping him.

Bottom line: as a midfielder, Fellaini was never anything but mediocre at best. The most you could say about him in that capacity was that he wasn't significantly worse than the other fairly shite options we had at the time.

 

[CG1010]

Nothing was built around him. He was a bad midfielder in a poor team that resorted to hoofing for the last 10 minutes because they couldn't break down defenses. You speak of him like he was here a couple of seasons like Lukaku or Sanchez. He was here for 5 and a half seasons and he had a handful of good games.

No manager did that explicitly but the only strategy LVG and Mourinho had, especially in their first seasons, to beat the opposition pressing was to lump it to Fellaini. And Fellaini was a key starter for both of them during their best seasons and performances. And during our goal droughts, there was a phase during which we just looked for Fellaini to give us some inspiration and opening for us to score.

Yes he was here for 5 and a half seasons and he never deserved to play for a club like United. But its not his fault that he was signed by the club and given such a prominent role in the team.