Fred - £47m well spent

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Jackal981

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Fellaini was mostly very good for us, people just refused to appreciate him just because he doesn't play Tiki Taka football in midfield. I have nothing but respect for him. Could never fault his efforts.
Could use someone like him instead of Fred. Fellaini in retrospect is good for us only Woodward’s incompetence regarding his fee and his Moyes association make fans oppose him from day 1
 

NewGlory

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Just read the beginning of this thread to see how ridiculous post-Leicester comments are. Fred is not world class, he is not anywhere as good as Kante or Ndidi, but he is most definitely not a bad player. He was horrible yesterday - that is one game. He was most likely burnt-out and out of form. Manager should have known that and not have started him, esp with Matic. It was Ole's fault more than Fred's
 

Dansk

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When 80% of your signings turn out to be flops, it's worth considering if the problem is with the club, not the players. Especially when they did very well before coming here, and go back to doing well after they leave. How many times has this happened at United? How many dozens of players have we signed after they were great at Dortmund or wherever, only for them to fail here, and then they bounce right back when we sell them on? It's so exceedingly rare that one of our big signings actually succeeds at this club.
 

DSG

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Just read the beginning of this thread to see how ridiculous post-Leicester comments are. Fred is not world class, he is not anywhere as good as Kante or Ndidi, but he is most definitely not a bad player. He was horrible yesterday - that is one game. He was most likely burnt-out and out of form. Manager should have known that and not have started him, esp with Matic. It was Ole's fault more than Fred's
Players should have accountability for their performances. Blaming Fred’s poor performance on Ole is ridiculous. We can see that Ole has to play Fred, he has no choice. Matic is through, McTominay needed a rest, and Fred’s one skill is work rate. Pogba isn’t fully fit and had to cover for Rashford.

Fred is a decent squad player, but for 47m vs Tielemans for 20?
 

lawliet354

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One of the most important skill for DM position is first touch and composure under pressure. Fred does not possess any of that, and yet he's one of the mainstay of the starting XI. Don't think any of the top teams have DM as bad as him
 

SeeMe

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remind me another Brazilian Anderson. From Attacking Midfielder to more Defensive role.
 

MadDogg

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He's been bad for a while, if this game doesn't prove it to his fanboys then nothing will. Many on here genuinely believe he's better than Kante and Ndidi.
Most of his 'fanboys' have been saying he's been in poor form for the last month or two. It's the 'haters' who try to make out that this is his normal level and he's always this bad.

God I hate those terms.
 

Kostov

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When 80% of your signings turn out to be flops, it's worth considering if the problem is with the club, not the players. Especially when they did very well before coming here, and go back to doing well after they leave. How many times has this happened at United? How many dozens of players have we signed after they were great at Dortmund or wherever, only for them to fail here, and then they bounce right back when we sell them on? It's so exceedingly rare that one of our big signings actually succeeds at this club.
Because we don’t buy the absolute quality out of Dortmund and the likes instead settle on the mediocre or one season wonders like Mkhitaryan for example. If we went and bought Lewandovski for example he would have been fine here. Fernandinho and Fred is of similar nature.
 

NinjaZombie

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Was this intentional? I mean he literally got nicknamed ‘Calamity Jones’
I personally think it's an unfair reputation he got. Jones' big problems are his injuries, not his abilities.

That video of him on the heading the ball on the floor against Giroud is funny, but people try to make it out like it's a sign that he is this terrible defender. If anything, it showed him preventing Giroud from scoring a goal or getting a shot in.
 

dogwithabone

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That was as poor as I’ve seen him yesterday but, come on, he’s had a very decent season. Him and McTominay, especially, work really well together and I thought a problem yesterday every bit as bad as Fred - if not worse - was Matic. He just looked cumbersome and there’s not the zip in the midfield there is when McTominay and Fred are paired together.
 

vanderpants

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Worst game in a Utd shirt yesterday, even though he has been with us a while I'm still unsure of him at times, always a starter for ole though
 

shabz

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That was as poor as I’ve seen him yesterday but, come on, he’s had a very decent season. Him and McTominay, especially, work really well together and I thought a problem yesterday every bit as bad as Fred - if not worse - was Matic. He just looked cumbersome and there’s not the zip in the midfield there is when McTominay and Fred are paired together.
Arguably got us knocked out of 3 cup competitions now. Red card vs PSG, gave stupid free kick away against City in league cup which led to a goal and played a part in all three goals for Leicester.
 

norm87cro

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I honestly feel that it is his decision making and awareness thats probably the worst in the squad.
 

Gehrman

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It's amazing that we never seem to have our midfield fixed. When was the last time we had a midfield we could be proud of?
 

Renegade

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remind me another Brazilian Anderson. From Attacking Midfielder to more Defensive role.
Andersons issue was more fitness rather than his actual ability. Anderson could at least control and pass within 2 touches. Fred with Anderson’s fitness issues would be barely premier league level.
 

Mastoness

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We really need to upgrade on him. He is a solid player but for that money that we paid for him I expect a great midfielder, not a solid one.

Marcelo Brozovic from Inter is entering the last year of his contract, we could get him for a cut-price and have a versatile midfielder who can protect his backline, contribute to attack and actually has a passing range and can play with both of his feet.

Heck, we could've bought Brozovic instead of Fred in the first place.
 

Mart1974

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He can't pass the ball. Winning a few tackles and running around a lot does not make him a good player when he has this one glaring, rather important flaw.
His passing is so bad that opposition teams are starting to target him specifically now.
His energy and tackles are a good contribution. Does he frustrate me? Yes, so does McTom. But we need what he does. He can and normally does perform at a higher level than last night.
 

Cassidy

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How many goals have we conceeded because Fred doesnt have the composure to recieve the ball under pressure near our box?

Honestly I miss Herrera, this player isnt fit to lace his boots. (And Herrera isnt even a top player)

Freds best attribute is his energy and tenacity. From a technical point of view he is one of the worst CMs we have ever had. His first touch is poor for a DM
 

Cassidy

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His energy and tackles are a good contribution. Does he frustrate me? Yes, so does McTom. But we need what he does. He can and normally does perform at a higher level than last night.
Its below minimum contribution for a player playing his position for a side of our level. Which is why we have to play 2 holders
 

RaddyRed

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Fred has gone back to his 1st season form, but instead of being dropped, is staying in the team. I would rather see VDB play in his role, as he is far more composed on the ball and the run of games would do him good.

Even out of his natural position, VDB wouldn't give me the same fear as Fred does everytime the ball comes near him at the minute.
 

Judas

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VDB has looked bleak in defensive duties so far, Fred gets bullied easily enough, same would happen to him. At least VDB can control the ball and make sideways passes though.
 

#07

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How many goals have we conceeded because Fred doesnt have the composure to recieve the ball under pressure near our box?

Honestly I miss Herrera, this player isnt fit to lace his boots. (And Herrera isnt even a top player)

Freds best attribute is his energy and tenacity. From a technical point of view he is one of the worst CMs we have ever had. His first touch is poor for a DM
When we played John O'Shea in midfield in 2005-06 he looked a far better defensive midfielder than Fred and Sheasy was a full-back. Fred is, to my mind, the least gifted United midfielder in my lifetime. He's like a smaller, weaker, less technically developed version of Alan Smith (and Alan Smith was really a forward doing a Roy Keane tribute act!)

If we had renewed Herrera after Stockholm, when he had two years left on his deal and hadn't been approached by PSG, we'd have saved £50m and kept a superior player. The planning and thinking around our recruitment has been unexplainable. Signing Fred is just another example of that. One of the most expensive transfers in the history of this club and this lad, if he was put up for sale, wouldn't interest any of the big clubs in England or Europe.
 

KeanoMagicHat

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Fred and McTominay as one player would be Ndidi, that's the problem is that we are playing two players to do the job of one. It's a fundamental problem in the team for chance creation, they're just too limited creatively.
 

#07

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Fred and McTominay as one player would be Ndidi, that's the problem is that we are playing two players to do the job of one. It's a fundamental problem in the team for chance creation, they're just too limited creatively.
Fred and McTominay as one player would still be inferior to Ndidi and that's the bigger problem.
 

Ekeke

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Fred and McTominay as one player would still be inferior to Ndidi and that's the bigger problem.
I've been an Ndidi fan for a long time but I dont think thats true. Its close enough thats its concerning though

If you add them together maybe defensively he is both or even better than both, but going forward McTominay has goals he doesnt have
 

IncyWincySpider

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He's 28 now, is he likely to improve? It's a difficult one because he clearly has a lot of heart and desperately wants to make an impact in games, and yesterday he was eager to try and make up for his catastrophic error, but I'd like to see him play less games for us next season. Gives the ball away too much, frequently sprints up the pitch and waves his arms around for the ball then does nothing with it when he gets it, I think we should expect better.
 

markhughes

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He has a great attitude and amazing energy, I like the guy but that is pretty much all he brings I am afraid. We need a much better DM if we are going to improve.
 

AFC NimbleThumb

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Arguably got us knocked out of 3 cup competitions now. Red card vs PSG, gave stupid free kick away against City in league cup which led to a goal and played a part in all three goals for Leicester.
Calm down mate, don’t use facts in your argument; on the caf only biases matter.

How anyone can claim this guy has been good this season is beyond me. He’s the archetype of an Arsenal demise; the same nonsense they spouted about the likes of Ghendouzi is repeated in here every time he runs about lots & we don’t lose.
 

acrebo

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It's been summarised over and over but... how on earth we keep playing a midfielder who can't control, pass or shoot is beyond me.

Genuinely, our standards are such that the only prerequisite for becoming a 'holding' midfielder in our team is to run around lots. Not necessarily at the right times or places, but just lots.
 

#07

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I've been an Ndidi fan for a long time but I dont think thats true. Its close enough thats its concerning though

If you add them together maybe defensively he is both or even better than both, but going forward McTominay has goals he doesnt have
McTominay is a bigger goal threat. However, Ndidi has better touch, he looks less clumsy carrying the ball forward and his passing is at least as good as McTominay and Fred's.

We, not you particularly but our fans in general, massively overrate our squad. McFred only looks half decent when the whole XI is extremely compact and their tendency to go chasing the ball can be compensated for by our lines being tight. They leave too much space in more open contests and their use of the ball invites constant pressure. Even McFred's best attributes combined are inferior to Ndidi's.
 

Red_Heisenberg

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That was as poor as I’ve seen him yesterday but, come on, he’s had a very decent season. Him and McTominay, especially, work really well together and I thought a problem yesterday every bit as bad as Fred - if not worse - was Matic. He just looked cumbersome and there’s not the zip in the midfield there is when McTominay and Fred are paired together.
Personally think Fred and mctominay are an horrendous pairing in midfield which makes it easy for the big teams to play against and one of the main reasons for so many 0-0s in the big games.

Neither have the ability to turn on the ball and play an accurate forward pass consistently. This in turn allows other teams to smother Bruno out of the game because they don't fear what Fred and mctominay can do to them.

If we have any ambition to be winning the league, we will be looking to replace Fred in our starting XI ASAP.
 

Cassidy

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I've been an Ndidi fan for a long time but I dont think thats true. Its close enough thats its concerning though

If you add them together maybe defensively he is both or even better than both, but going forward McTominay has goals he doesnt have
Hes still better because the defensive part of his game way surpasses both of theirs put together and hes plays as a 6

McTominay is one reason we should sell Fred though IMO. He is much the better CM and more useful to us than Fred as a squad member if we can get a 6
 

bsCallout

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Just read the beginning of this thread to see how ridiculous post-Leicester comments are. Fred is not world class, he is not anywhere as good as Kante or Ndidi, but he is most definitely not a bad player. He was horrible yesterday - that is one game. He was most likely burnt-out and out of form. Manager should have known that and not have started him, esp with Matic. It was Ole's fault more than Fred's
Fred's performance was Oles fault more than Fred's? :lol:
 

thesheriffjw

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Fred's performance was Oles fault more than Fred's? :lol:
Sums up the absolute embarrassment of so called fans.

Freds performance in his favoured position is freds fault and his only.

He is a donkey. Plain and simple
 

shabz

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Calm down mate, don’t use facts in your argument; on the caf only biases matter.

How anyone can claim this guy has been good this season is beyond me. He’s the archetype of an Arsenal demise; the same nonsense they spouted about the likes of Ghendouzi is repeated in here every time he runs about lots & we don’t lose.
Tell me about it. The problem is when he's supposed to look a level above against lesser teams he normally does. But when it comes to the crunch he is no good.

Even worse is the manager could have saved the team and Fred from himself on a number of occasions and has chosen to leave him to self destruct.
 
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