Marouane Fellaini image 27

Marouane Fellaini Belgium flag

2014-15 Performances


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5.9 Season Average Rating
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7
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Walrus

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I think its time to try to reintroduce the chant I came up with for him during pre-season;

Afro, Afro-man!
I, gotta be, an afro-man!
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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I think if we were to play a 433 next season, with Fellaini being one of the box to box midifelders, he could easily pick up about 10 goals a season, as he's really got an eye for goal and takes up good positions in the box - similar to Lampard. Although playing a bit further up (off the striker), he shown he could do that when playing for Everton.
 

Walrus

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I think if we were to play a 433 next season, with Fellaini being one of the box to box midifelders, he could easily pick up about 10 goals a season, as he's really got an eye for goal and takes up good positions in the box - similar to Lampard. Although playing a bit further up (off the striker), he shown he could do that when playing for Everton.
That is the sort of role I think he should play - box to box. It does mean he needs a defensively minded player next to him in most games, and ideally an attacking playmaker like Herrera or Mata as well.

Give Fellaini almost a free role in the middle of the park and he will really thrive - not a free role like an attacker with no defensive responsibility mind, but a free role to get up and down the pitch and contribute at both ends.
 

Eric'sCollar

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That is the sort of role I think he should play - box to box. It does mean he needs a defensively minded player next to him in most games, and ideally an attacking playmaker like Herrera or Mata as well.

Give Fellaini almost a free role in the middle of the park and he will really thrive - not a free role like an attacker with no defensive responsibility mind, but a free role to get up and down the pitch and contribute at both ends.
So play as a central midfielder....

I agree though.
 

Empire

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Louis van Gaal always says he likes to develop players, improve them, it doesn't matter how old you are, for as long as you are willing to learn he will have something to teach.

I think Fellaini is determined to succeed and has been very receptive to advice from Louis van Gaal. He has always had the ability he has shown but I think with the aid of instructions from Louis van Gaal he has been able to express his ability well probably because he is more disciplined.
 

Walrus

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Louis van Gaal always says he likes to develop players, improve them, it doesn't matter how old you are, for as long as you are willing to learn he will have something to teach.

I think Fellaini is determined to succeed and has been very receptive to advice from Louis van Gaal. He has always had the ability he has shown but I think with the aid of instructions from Louis van Gaal he has been able to express his ability well probably because he is more disciplined.
It was telling in when the cameras showed LVG talking to Fellaini on the bench, before he brought him on in the West Brom game earlier this season - this probably happens all the time but it was interesting to see LVG clearly explaining his thoughts to Fellaini. He was brought on at half time for Herrera (I think), and had a huge impact on the game.
 

Boycott

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He usually had the better of Toure when he was at Everton. When he signed there were statistics which pointed towards Fellaini being more effective but other than physically they're different players. Toure has that lazy elegance that Thierry Henry had and in lesser games can be very quiet but produce a wonderful moment to bail City out. Fellaini is more combative. Toure is a big game player though which Fellaini was at Everton but severely lacked last season. Going fine now.
 

Pogue Mahone

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He's been really good for us this season. Couple of crap performances (who hasn't) but a lot more very good/important performances. Starting and off the bench. Badly missed him when he hasn't played too. Not a great way to assess individuals but our results with/without him could hardly be more different.
 

Loublaze

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I don't remember Toure making Fellaini his 'bitch'. At Everton, Fellaini quite often had the better of Toure. Plus, as @Boycott said, Toure isn't that type of player, regardless of his big frame.
Toure absolutely killed Fellaini last season in both derby games and he was MOTM for both. Fellaini was so shit he was subbed in the 66th for Valencia in our 0-3 loss at OT and Toure totally bossed that game. Fellaini didn't exactly imposed himself when we lost to them this season either
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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Toure absolutely killed Fellaini last season in both derby games and he was MOTM for both. Fellaini was so shit he was subbed in the 66th for Valencia in our 0-3 loss at OT and Toure totally bossed that game. Fellaini didn't exactly imposed himself when we lost to them this season either
When you say killed, what do you mean? If you mean physically (which I assumed the both of us were talking about), then we both know you're lying.
 

Kostur

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This video is fantastic, he looks the best against City, Liverpool and Chelsea in it. He was doing immense job with tackling against Liverpool, to think he's been on a yellow from like what, 5th minute?
 

Walrus

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I am not a fan of highlight videos but it shows what I have been saying - that a lot of Fellainis best work has been around our box, winning the ball, breaking up opposition attacks, dominating in the air and claiming every 50/50 ball.

He is far more than just an aerial threat and hoofball-target, his best work comes as a box to box midfielder and he has been one of our most important players in all the big games he has featured in (Chelsea, City, Liverpool and Arsenal for starters)
 

RedDevilCanuck

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He was useless last season along with so many other players. This season he is completely different. He is actually playing like a big player instead of the frightened kitten last season but that can be put down to the wrist injury which would not be fun to play with at all.

I thought he was done here but he has been one of our best and most consistent players this season and had chipped in with goals. Some of you on here have been made to look silly. He's always been a very good player and more than a chester down of balls.

We will need him in all of the big games between now and the end of the season.
 

Varun

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He's been superb this season. Also a bit of a cnut which I like in players. Makes his presence felt.
 

Roboc7

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Awful today other than his height he offered nothing, not the only one but just not good enough.
 

Devil may care

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The diamond is not a good fit for him, it requires too much lateral movement for a player with such limited agility.
 

VP

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Presumably he was the right side of the diamond but lacked the mobility or quality to play that role effectively.
 

Cassidy

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Rubbish yet again, hes had quite a few poor games this season. He is a useful player to have in the squad, come on and change the game with his presence, but it makes me sick when a good player like Herrera is twiddling his thumbs on the bench whilst this clown is masquerading as a midfielder.
 

Walrus

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Not one of his better games, he was playing too wide as Cambridge packed the middle of the pitch. We would have been better off just swapping him positionally with Di Maria.

That said, our crossing was atrocious for most of the game so a big strength of Fellaini's never came to bare. I do think it was a mistake to sub him as when chasing a game, his height is always a threat. I would have taken off Di Maria, who was equally if not more ineffective than Fellaini, and whose pace was really irrelevant in that sort of game.

I do find Fellaini being the lowest rated player to be overly harsh. Nobody covered themselves in glory but I thought there were worse performances than Fellaini's tonight for sure.
 

Acole9

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Was in there for his height but that's pretty much all he did offer. Herrera should've played instead.
 

Cassidy

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Not one of his better games, he was playing too wide as Cambridge packed the middle of the pitch. We would have been better off just swapping him positionally with Di Maria.

That said, our crossing was atrocious for most of the game so a big strength of Fellaini's never came to bare. I do think it was a mistake to sub him as when chasing a game, his height is always a threat. I would have taken off Di Maria, who was equally if not more ineffective than Fellaini, and whose pace was really irrelevant in that sort of game.

I do find Fellaini being the lowest rated player to be overly harsh. Nobody covered themselves in glory but I thought there were worse performances than Fellaini's tonight for sure.
Except he created two great chances and almost scored himself?
Not his best game but he was far more effective than Fellaini
 

Walrus

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Except he created two great chances and almost scored himself?
Not his best game but he was far more effective than Fellaini
For the amount he got of the ball and the role he was playing, Di Maria was extremely poor in my eyes. In any formation featuring a #10 and two strikers, the #10 should be feeding balls through, finding pockets of space and basically running the show. We know that our strikers have the movement and make the runs, but nobody supplies them.

I am trying to recall the two "great chances" you refer to (to be honest, the quicker I can forget that match the better), but what I saw was several heavy touches and miscontrols that gave away possession from attacking areas. I really think Di Maria needs to play a deeper role for us - the weird thing for me is I think Di Maria would be perfectly suited to the wide-CM role in the diamond, he fits it down to a tee. Instead we had Fellaini of all people having to operate as some sort of wide target man, and Di Maria as #10 - the fact that we couldnt score against a league two side in 90 minutes says enough about how well that worked.
 

Cassidy

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For the amount he got of the ball and the role he was playing, Di Maria was extremely poor in my eyes. In any formation featuring a #10 and two strikers, the #10 should be feeding balls through, finding pockets of space and basically running the show. We know that our strikers have the movement and make the runs, but nobody supplies them.

I am trying to recall the two "great chances" you refer to (to be honest, the quicker I can forget that match the better), but what I saw was several heavy touches and miscontrols that gave away possession from attacking areas. I really think Di Maria needs to play a deeper role for us - the weird thing for me is I think Di Maria would be perfectly suited to the wide-CM role in the diamond, he fits it down to a tee. Instead we had Fellaini of all people having to operate as some sort of wide target man, and Di Maria as #10 - the fact that we couldnt score against a league two side in 90 minutes says enough about how well that worked.
He created the chance RVP missed, he also had that one 2 with Herrera where he put the ball across the box.
Like I said, he didn't have the greatest game but was more productive than Fellaini, by a country mile.
 

Raptori

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This long ball stuff looks right up fellainis street .
Hasn't really been long ball though, it's been quick passing on the floor through the midfield then crosses from the wing when we can't break through. Lovely stuff.
 

VanGaalEra

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Get it wide, cross it into him and he'll win his fair share of headers by the looks of it.
 

Amar__

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Hasn't really been long ball though, it's been quick passing on the floor through the midfield then crosses from the wing when we can't break through. Lovely stuff.
You are joking, right?
 
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Raptori

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You are jokin, right?
I have no problem with wingers taking players on and then crossing to someone in the box who is strong in the air. Sounds a lot like Fergie's teams to me incidentally.
 
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