He's my dream midfielder still. Out of any out there. Love watching him play and he'd fit us perfectly next to Casemiro. Ridiculously press resistant and composed, and is brilliant running through the lines with the ball. feck his love affair with Barca... Hopefully they bench him the 2nd half of the season so he thinks about leaving.
Frenkie De Jong | Performances
- Thread starter Cait Sith
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
To the Jude thread. 
Seriously though, the fact that ten Hag nearly always uses Eriksen in the deeper role suggests that he wants a ball player or an all action player as the 8.
In terms of possession based players, you don't get much better than De Jong. Wasn't great against Senegal today but he's phenomenal at keeping the ball.
However, I look at someone like Bellingham, and just think he has more strings to his bow than De Jong and believe he would suit that 8 role down to a tee.
Either way, I'd be over the moon if we were to get either of those players.
Seriously though, the fact that ten Hag nearly always uses Eriksen in the deeper role suggests that he wants a ball player or an all action player as the 8.
In terms of possession based players, you don't get much better than De Jong. Wasn't great against Senegal today but he's phenomenal at keeping the ball.
However, I look at someone like Bellingham, and just think he has more strings to his bow than De Jong and believe he would suit that 8 role down to a tee.
Either way, I'd be over the moon if we were to get either of those players.
Tbh a more press resistant Pogba (and one who is more controlling and less key pass focused) next to Casemiro would be pretty much a perfect midfielder for us right now...
It's the modern day Scholes vs lampard or Gerrard conversation. Bellingham isn't as good on the ball or with his passing or controlling games, but is more impactful in the final third and with his off the ball bursts to make decisive moments. Frenkie is 100% who we need more IMO. Someone who can pick the ball up off the defenders and progress into the final 3rd constantly.To the Jude thread.
Seriously though, the fact that ten Hag nearly always uses Eriksen in the deeper role suggests that he wants a ball player or an all action player as the 8.
In terms of possession based players, you don't get much better than De Jong. Wasn't great against Senegal today but he's phenomenal at keeping the ball.
However, I look at someone like Bellingham, and just think he has more strings to his bow than De Jong and believe he would suit that 8 role down to a tee.
Either way, I'd be over the moon if we were to get either of those players.
I look at that Ajax midfield last season under ten Hag and they didn't really have a ball playing midfielder.
They had:
Berghuis
Gravenberch Alvarez
Now, you'll have to correct me if I'm wrong, but despite Gravenberch being technically very good, I wouldn't put him in the category of a ball playing midfielder. He's more of an all-rounder for me, and I feel he and Bellingham share very similar traits. Yet, despite that, they dominated most teams regarding possession.
Ten hag is flexible but the way he's used Eriksen (and how much he loved Frenkie) to me definitely points to he wants a proper press resistant, deep playmaker. Bellingham is class, but I don't think he's a natural ten hag midfielder. He'd want to push him higher I think, which is where he has Bruno... ten Hag loves players who can progress the ball up with their passing and moving, Frenkie is elite at that, while that's not necessarily Bellinghams strength (not bad at it, but it wouldn't be using him to his best).
That looks good on paper, we've got to find a ball controller to help us dictate tempo of games.
I can't help but think we need to let go of Fred to make room for an addition, what you reckon?
Jude has and can play deep (did it today), though. Do you not think he's capable of playing the same role Gravenberch played for Ajax under ten Hag with Bruno higher?
Bellingham (8) - Bruno (10)
Casemiro (6)
Nice prospect if we can secure the services of either Bellingham, or finally land de Jong in January.
Yep, which is what we absolutely do not need with a no.10 like Bruno Fernandes.
There's only a few midfielders in world football better than De Jong on the ball, though. That doesn't make Jude bad. He'd be a massive improvement on someone like Fred or McTominay on the ball, and at 19, he can only get better. The boy is made for Old Trafford!
Would love this.
I don't think the way Ten Hag set it up for Ajax can work the same in the Prem. But yes that could work, but I think Ten Hag just wants a more natural playmaker more than an all action midfielder. (As in, he'd pick a Scholes over a Gerrard or Lampard type for his team).
It's better to start finding reasons to dislike him IMO as he's probably going to City or Liverpool
We will go big on a CF, we won't have money for him while City and Liverpool have him as their #1, 2 and 3 transfer priority.
True. But we have Bruno, so... 1 step at a time.
I do think Bruno is class, and we'll see how we look with a better CF and then next step would be a press resistant deep playmaker. Plenty of time to address that most advanced midfielder and what we want from it.
I'd have to disagree. People used to say that about Barcelona until Pep came in and squashed all those opinions.
I agree that ten Hag could want more of a Scholes over a Gerrard and I did identify that at the start, however, I think his ability to be flexible would allow us to use Bellingham in midfield and still dominate the ball as he did when he had Gravenberch and Alvarez in midfield.
What forward out there is worth spending big on?It's better to start finding reasons to dislike him IMO as he's probably going to City or Liverpool
We will go big on a CF, we won't have money for him while City and Liverpool have him as their #1, 2 and 3 transfer priority.
ten Hag has always said he'll only buy players that will fit the criteria. I can only think of Toney and possibly Gakpo who could come in as our CF, and I can't imagine we'd have to break the bank for them. Bellingham, on the other hand, is a 19 year old centre midfielder, who has literally every attribute going. But as you said, I shouldn't get my hopes up just in case.
You’re right, it doesn’t. It just means Bellingham isn’t super compatible with our ideal style of football. I’d take an inferior quality player than Bellingham if it meant a better overall cohesive fit. We need to move away from the idea of signing “very good” players for inflated figures and not having the ideal platform for them to perform. We’d be much better off targeting a player whose skillset is at its best in the middle third of the pitch, not the final third like Bellingham.
I'm not sure if he progresses the ball enough tbh. He seems too satisfied playing the ball around between his CBs when he's got the chance to really impose himself - he had a lot of space today, and I don't think he did anywhere enough with it.
I don't get where the final third stuff is coming from. I'm hoping this isn't the narrative that we're going to run with because he literally does everything. Has he mastered one thing? No, but he's 19. Despite being Iran, today was as all round a performance that you'll see from a midfielder.
When does he actually impress when not playing Levante etc? Even then it’s sporadic
Stop it, it’s clear what Bellingham’s strengths are. Let’s not be obtuse about things. No central midfielder “does everything”.
I'm trying to have a discussion with you. Please don't patronise me!
Would you not class Bellingham as an all-round midfielder? Has he got an glaring weaknesses?
Watching him at world cup, I don't see any reason why he was worth the drama last summer. I kind of understand why Barca want to get rid of him with his crazy wages.
Glad that we didn't signed him considering his enormous wages and 80 - 100 mil transfer fees.
Glad that we didn't signed him considering his enormous wages and 80 - 100 mil transfer fees.
Yeah, he hasn’t played especially well. There are glimpses of genuine quality and I think we’d see a lot more of that as part of ETH’s double pivot. He has shown a fantastic turn of pace here and there and I think his strength is breaking through a press from deep.
I think FDJ and Casemiro would be a great blend in the double pivot but I’m not sure about the overall shape and balance of the team in that case. It could be too “bottom heavy” in a 4231, with too great a gap between defence and attack, unless FDJ is also the solution to that by stepping out with the ball.
Anyway, I agree he doesn’t look worth the big money so far. Pretty small sample of games though.
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Then we'll get even better Frenkie, with blackjack and hookers!
But...he can't get in the team consistently right
I thought Barca really wanted to build around Gavi and Pedri.Or hookers and blow?
Jordi is not going to say that he is crap and we want to get rid of him is he?But...he can't get in the team consistently right
Nope, but there seemingly was/is such a disparity between what he's saying and the reality though.
Hasn't he been playing quite a bit after a slow start to his season? Maybe not a consistent starter, but I wouldn't take Jordi completely literally here anyway. ('Key player' and 'important to us' could be used for anyone that plays regularly.)But...he can't get in the team consistently right
He's played really well for the Netherlands in this World Cup.
Cannot wait to see him on the bench/forced into a more muted role for Barcelona 
Cannot wait to see him on the bench/forced into a more muted role for Barcelona
Pretty poor tonight, hasn't taken the game by the scruff of the neck at all
Does he ever do that? Genuine question, not snarky. Just looks like a different version of Pogba
Happy we ended up with Casemiro instead of him
VDB II. Avoid.
Enzo Fernandez is the better option.
I am not sure what people see in him, really… he is neither fish nor flesh atm.
Bullet dodged?