Maybe I'm just old fashioned but I remember when a player was given by fans at least a season to acclimatise to new country, language, culture, climate, league, team, playing style, player dynamics and politics etc. I'm not a professional footballer but I move from the midlands to up North and 30 years later...I'm still struggling
17
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 48
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 12
- Status
That's the one - He did, I don't think it's that it's too high a level for him, I think maybe the intensity is part of it but mainly just feeling confident and comfortable, which I think is underrated in the difference it can make to player's performance.
It’s grim up north though
Sorry to break it to you, but if you haven't made professional footballer in those 30 years, it ain't gonna happen, mate
Like us?
He was decent playing next to McTominay. It's becoming a trend and not altogether unsurprising. Nobody plays well next to Matic and Fred needs to be in a possession based team.
....still available if we don't sign a midfielderSorry to break it to you, but if you haven't made professional footballer in those 30 years, it ain't gonna happen, mate
Agree. He plays well with Scott and these two had some big performances in Europe.
Know what, you might just have a little more oomph in your legs than Matic.
Our midfield is average especially without Pogba. If we can get Bruno Fernandes it will definitely help but won't fully solve our problems.
One major issue we have is that this summer there were so many holes in our squad (Wingers, rb, cb, cm) that we were never going to be able to fulfill all of our needs in one window. What it looks like to me off the summer tour is that McTominay has a bright future, Pogba on form is a top center mid but inconsistent, Fred is still a question mark, Matic is done, and Perreira imo probably won't make the grade at United. That leaves us with 2 center mids assuming Pogba's is fully committed. One of my hopes is that if we sign Dybala their friendship will help Pogba as he thrives around top class players like he did with Ibra.
One major issue we have is that this summer there were so many holes in our squad (Wingers, rb, cb, cm) that we were never going to be able to fulfill all of our needs in one window. What it looks like to me off the summer tour is that McTominay has a bright future, Pogba on form is a top center mid but inconsistent, Fred is still a question mark, Matic is done, and Perreira imo probably won't make the grade at United. That leaves us with 2 center mids assuming Pogba's is fully committed. One of my hopes is that if we sign Dybala their friendship will help Pogba as he thrives around top class players like he did with Ibra.
He’s above Matic in my pecking order, quicker, hard worker, dynamic, play forward passes but he tends to get panic easily which the downside. But still won’t start him over both Pogba & Mctominay.
Needs confidence. Nothing more.
I'm quietly optimistic about Fred this season. Will be our most improved player if given the chance.
You think he’ll do a Lindelof?
Somewhere between Lindelof and Modric after their first seasons.
What? Are you for real?
He's absolutely shite. He doesn't convince me in the slightest. One of the worst transfers we've ever made.
This sound like the desperate cries of a man who knows we aren't buying a midfielder.
Fred won't even be first choice come January is my bet. I just don't think he's that good or that he's settled with us at all.
Not sure how anyone on here can assess a player after only 26 appearances (not games or starts). Not sure of the stat but all those added up probably doesn't amount to playing 10 full games in his first season of which was toxic under a manager who lost the plot at the end. Not saying he's the answer, just saying it's far to early to say he isn't. Ole seems to rate him and his best games were against good teams especially in Europe.
If you can assess a player after 26 appearances, if you are not in already in professional football, send your CV c/o Ole S....
What did you think about Lindelöf after six months?
The reason City and United wanted him both, and why he has games for Brazil, is because he already has shown more than that.
It’s fairly obvious that the worst we’ve seen from him (losing the ball in dangerous places, being bowled over by midgets, misplacing passes when not under pressure, shots at row Z) is not his level. The question is more why he has played beneath his level. Confidence, higher tempo around him, not knowing the system and players around him by heart, are my bets.
He did show, on occasions, what he is about (quick to press, ballwinner, short and long passing, quick passing, good first touch). The question is more if he will be able to find consistency at United. Lindelöf did. Fred may well do it as well, and he may not. No one should be surprised either way. He is clearly more than an absolute shite player.
So any shred of optimism on this forum is constituted as desperation or clutching at straws. Got it.
You're entitled to have your own opinions, but don't speak on behalf of others as if you know what they're thinking.
He's shite is easier to say but it offends people.
I reckon he is going to be involved a lot more than people think - he has been written off by many - almost a forgotten player.
He cost us over £50m and was sought after by others. He was part of the Brazil World Cup squad in Russia and has played for his country - that is no small achievement. To say he his crap is simply not true.
He came in last year with a very upset, stroppy and moody manager - to a new country and league. He didn’t settle immediately and was cast aside quite quickly by Mourinho and obviously lost confidence. It’s not easy moving at the best of times but when you go and the camp is unhappy and the team is playing poorly is not easy to settle.
It’s not as if Mourinho doesn’t have previous with players he signs and then doesn’t give a chance to and doesn’t play....Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Cuadrado etc
I think Ole rates him so let’s see how he fairs over the first part of the season - although he could have done himself a favour by not getting married in pre-season so he’s already a bit behind the curve.
He could be like a new signing this season?
He cost us over £50m and was sought after by others. He was part of the Brazil World Cup squad in Russia and has played for his country - that is no small achievement. To say he his crap is simply not true.
He came in last year with a very upset, stroppy and moody manager - to a new country and league. He didn’t settle immediately and was cast aside quite quickly by Mourinho and obviously lost confidence. It’s not easy moving at the best of times but when you go and the camp is unhappy and the team is playing poorly is not easy to settle.
It’s not as if Mourinho doesn’t have previous with players he signs and then doesn’t give a chance to and doesn’t play....Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Cuadrado etc
I think Ole rates him so let’s see how he fairs over the first part of the season - although he could have done himself a favour by not getting married in pre-season so he’s already a bit behind the curve.
He could be like a new signing this season?
With no more signings coming in, we have no choice but to hope this is the case.
I do have faith in him. I remember when we first signed him, Fernandinho said something along the lines of he'll look shit for the first few months at least, and that he'll need time to adjust to the English game.
For those who have watched every game of pre-season, how has he looked?
He’s looked every bit as poor as he did last season.
More of the same really, ranging from sublime to WTF?
He just needs to fix his consistency mainly. He's got a high top level but a wobbly bottom level too, and seems to go between both levels through a match.
If we can get him to stay at his higher level, he will be a good player for us.
It seems we're prioritising a 4-2-3-1 and I think the slots will be Pogba/Mctominay so not sure Fred will start anyway. Perhaps if we need Pogba in CAM then he might get the nod, but I fear the coaching staff prefer Matic for some weird reason.
He’s looked dogshit.
I fully expect that in the tougher games of the season we'll be switching to 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 diamond, like we did last season under Ole.
Yes, and he also looked the dog’s bollix.
That must have been on Fifa, because your comment is not based on any type reality and I watched every pre season game.
Fred is the biggest waste of money we have spent in the last 5 years.
Fred in pre-season looked better than Matic but worse than McTominay.
Should be noted that he joined up late though due to that whole second wedding nonsense.
Should be noted that he joined up late though due to that whole second wedding nonsense.
It’s based on two things: A) The combination of poetic metaphor was too tempting to resist, and B) it’s true, based on seeing the best halves he’s played here, and a bit of how he’s played previously, and a bit of trusting people emplyed by Brazzil NT, Man City and Man Utd more than myself and other internet experts.
Fred has probably yet to play a real good 90 mins for us, but he has had a few real good 45 mins among his limited appearances for us, where his quick passes find their target consistently, speeding up our play and making us more direct, and his quick pressing hits it’s aim and makes our pivot harder to penetrate. His best level would be useful for us the way we aim to play now.
The big question is if he can become consistent enough, which is a big if.
He had one good half, one shocking half and otherwise just a guy. Well behind Mctominay. I thought Matic was better on the ball but looked way too easy to dribble past so at the minute I'd probably play Fred unless I was sure we were going to control possession.
But based on preseason, a bang average Prem CM like Propper or Billing or Delph would be ahead of both, for me. Ive not seen him play but based on tackling stats my guess is we'll be screaming about not having signed Gbamin for 25M which we could have paid off 90% of by selling Matic for 8M and giving Gomes' Mata minutes, considering their wages.
This, because maybe others don’t feel this way but I watch him and see something there that makes me think if he can put it together he’ll be a good player. Problem is for 20 minutes he’ll be great, then for 20 he’ll be a liability sort his consistency out and I think there is a player there.
It's a bit of a weird one, cos I remember a game last season (Arsenal away I think?) where I thought he was terrible, one of our worst players in that game.
But then Statman Dave was tweeting about how good he was, and had all these stats to back it up.
I was very confused.
But then Statman Dave was tweeting about how good he was, and had all these stats to back it up.
I was very confused.
Think the main problem for Fred, aside from his issues with consistency, is that while a double pivot suits him, he struggles to play with Pogba. His best performance for us was alongside McTominay against PSG as Scott is more disciplined and will sit back and hold to cover when Fred presses forward. I do think a 3 of Scott, Fred and Pogba in big matches is something we'll see this year.
Exactly. Last time, vs Milan, I thought he was a liability for three mins, then very good after that. That’s 10 per cent liability. If we can squeeze it down to one per cent, we’ll have a very good player
It seems to be a bit of a tendency of his to start shit for the first 10 minutes or so and then come good after that. He did it a few times for us last season, and in both (at least I'm pretty sure it was both) of the matches that he played against City in the CL the season before he joined us.Exactly. Last time, vs Milan, I thought he was a liability for three mins, then very good after that. That’s 10 per cent liability. If we can squeeze it down to one per cent, we’ll have a very good player
Yes, I’ve noticed the same thing. Hopefully he can calibrate quicker and quicker as he gets used to things.
I'm willing to extend Fred plenty more patience, particularly in light of what Fernandinho said about how long it would take him to adjust to the PL. Look at Fernandinho. He's arguably the most respected DM in the league right now, but for a good few seasons he was genuinely crap.
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