While I'm far from his biggest fan, this simply isn't the role he's being used for. Rooney's often the harder worker, and someone who will create a lot more by moving into space etc. Kind of strange since he's more of a striker than Fellaini admittedly.
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That really annoyed me. But then no one was yelling at him or urging him off. Not the olayers, not LVG, no one. It symbolises our complete change in mentality since Fergie days.Forget his dismal performance, walking off the pitch when we are chasing a game? The feck was that about
Yeah, Di Maria did it too. Poor form from the pair of them.Forget his dismal performance, walking off the pitch when we are chasing a game? The feck was that about
No. 10s in the last few years have made people think one dimensionally in that a number 10 must be a technical player who operates in tight spaces playing amazing through balls and quick one twos. A la silva.
Fellaini is obviously not that number 10, but like you say we aren't using him like that. Just because he isn't that classic 10 doesn't make him a bad option. In the role he is being asked to perform there he actually does it quite well.
People are being ridiculous. He was fine. No worse or better than anyone else out there. Was solid enough. Could have scored one or two if things had been different.
I'd always keep him as a squad player. His skill is pretty limited, but his aggression is something we sometimes will always need.
He's done alright. I do think that, generally, the best no.10's are the much more technical ones who can create and have good skill, but like you say, Fellaini has his uses.
For me this was another example of how Fellaini is an option but not a starter.
Could have, should have but didn't is generally the trend when he starts coupled with large spells of ghosting in games. When he comes on it's impact and drive and direction for the team while scaring the bejesus out of opponents.
As a general rule, with the ball at his feet he lacks the quality required of a Manchester United midfielder or attacker. With the ball away from his feet he works hard, is an imposing beast, a very underrated ball winner (probably from the next point) and intimidates opposition. With the ball in the air, he is a colossus and a battering ram.
Could have, should have but didn't is generally the trend when he starts coupled with large spells of ghosting in games. When he comes on it's impact and drive and direction for the team while scaring the bejesus out of opponents.
As a general rule, with the ball at his feet he lacks the quality required of a Manchester United midfielder or attacker. With the ball away from his feet he works hard, is an imposing beast, a very underrated ball winner (probably from the next point) and intimidates opposition. With the ball in the air, he is a colossus and a battering ram.
Tired of people moaning about him, if we had lost today it certainly wasn't because of Fellaini, he worked hard for the team and did his job out there.
not very effective if you expect him to create chances, but can definitely score some goals if played in that position week in week out
This is true, can't criticize one of them for doing it and not the other. Was rather annoyed.
Because playing behind a striker doesn't make him a #10. He worked drew 2 good saves from Krul, held up the play very well. He played well.
Thought he did ok tonight. Worked hard, held it up and bought players into the game on a couple of occasions and had two good chances where he didn't do much wrong other than not score.
Far from our worst performer but he certainly didn't set the world alight. He's not a pretty or typical 'United' player but he offers something different, is effective at what he's clearly being asked to do and is an agressive presence that we often lack.
Far from our worst performer but he certainly didn't set the world alight. He's not a pretty or typical 'United' player but he offers something different, is effective at what he's clearly being asked to do and is an agressive presence that we often lack.
I thought he did well. Just didn't have much of an understanding with Rooney. To me, it felt like he was instructed do something (drift to the back post) but kinda forgot he still needed to link with Wayne.
I thought he played well tonight, he had a couple of chances on goal which is more than most of them had.
He lost his man on the brilliant De Gea save on the set piece. I really hate his inattention to defending. Still mad about that Schweinsteiger goal.
I think he should have started on the bench and mata played at the start. mata is better when playing from the start for me. Fellaini has a good super sub thing going on
I have been one his biggest critics but I have to say he is playing well this season and today's game he showed quite a bit. Next season he should be our super sub when we need height and aggression.
There are players today who had a bad game but he wasn't one of them.
There are players today who had a bad game but he wasn't one of them.
Agreed, I think if we started with mata in the CAM we would have been more fluid.
Fellaini had a good game tho.
Weird as he's usually assigned to nobody (and so was he yesterday I think) during corners/set pieces and is meant to roam around the middle of the box to head it out of the first post fails to do it.
Wouldn't dismiss it as bullshit though as our defending/attacking during corners has been pretty fecked up at times this season.
Holding up the ball and 2 chances is not really what I'd expect. I also thought that he was way too slow with his play and thinking. It may not be his game or position but I just feel he shouldnt play that role
He's definitely standing next to the Newcastle player (Riviere?) when Herrera is about to be beat for the header by Coloccini, but then Riviere peels off and Fellaini is stationery. Similarly, Sissoko justs waltzes by Valencia.
Why is Herrera even contesting a header with Sissoko?
No idea, as I've said, our tactics overall and especially during set pieces have been baffling this season.
I thought Fellaini did his job pretty well last night. He held up the ball really well and kept possession under pressure high up the pitch on plenty of occasions, could have had a couple of goals.
His role at the moment is confusing though, he's clearly been told to play as a striker when we're in possession, which means we lose a midfielder to help us in the build-up. If we were playing more direct that'd be fine but effectively losing a midfielder when you're trying to play a possession-based game is obviously going to stunt our play.
I think the best way to use him is as physical presence in midfield who picks his moments to get into the box or as a pure striker, he's performed very well for us in both roles.
His role at the moment is confusing though, he's clearly been told to play as a striker when we're in possession, which means we lose a midfielder to help us in the build-up. If we were playing more direct that'd be fine but effectively losing a midfielder when you're trying to play a possession-based game is obviously going to stunt our play.
I think the best way to use him is as physical presence in midfield who picks his moments to get into the box or as a pure striker, he's performed very well for us in both roles.
He's basically playing that "box to box" role Van Gaal keeps banging on about, albeit in a slightly unusual way. Goes from being a target man when we're in possession to a straight forward CM when we're not. It's crude but effective. No matter how unpopular an opinion this might be, we're a better team this season with him in the XI than we are without him.
Be interesting to see what happens if/when we get a legit well-rounded CM like Strootman or Vidal. Poor auld Marouane might be out on his ear.
Yeah I agree with all that, I have no qualms about Fellaini or his strengths/style of play and I think he's been great this season and deserves to start. My issue is more that using him that way doesn't fit into LvG's preferred style, its not really a surprise that we look a bit disjointed going forward when we're telling one of our midfielders to get up front and be a focal point and telling the others to keep possession and not try and be too direct. It's a judgement on LVG's tactics rather than on Fellaini.
If we do bring in a proper box-to-box player I can see Fellaini being kept on anyway, he's a good player and the best in the league at being a massive nuisance in and around the box. He gives us tactical options that the likes of RVP and Falcao can't and we'd be daft to voluntarily lose that.
I think Fellaini's technique and touch is still being underrated by people. He definitely isnt a David Silva or Eden Hazard, but he is competent enough on the ball that he doesnt slow down our attacks or anything, and is happy to simply distribute the ball to other more creative players anyway.
The problem is that he's currently playing as the nearest man to the striker. His only creative teammates are behind him, so he inevitably slows the play down.
I agree that Fellaini's technique is underrated, but he does have ridiculously slow feet. That means he's really plodding when it comes to adjusting his body shape to release a pass.
He has two positions that he should be played in: defensive midfielder, where he can lay off easy passes to the people ahead of him; and target man, where he can lay off easy passes to the people behind him. Making him play anywhere in between gets the absolute worst out of him.
No no, its all pragmatism, and Fellaini is our most improved player.
I still would like to know if it is tactics (which I assume it is ) or Fellaini himself who decides to run up onto the last man when we are in possession. I understand why it happens, but it bothers me. Our build-up is hindered because we lose a midfielder and he just stands up there watching the play. He is more than capable of knocking the ball around. I'd rather see him running into the box from a deeper midfield position than having his starting point being alongside Rooney.
Fellaini going up beside Rooney and into the far post is definitely tactical, but the fact that he does it whilst we're building up and trying to get the ball forward isn't. It looks like Fellaini is completely mistiming it with his run forward, and it leaves the full back/winger with no passing option into the middle, thus slowing down to play a longer square pass to Blind or back to the central defence.
He's been maligned for not being a Man United type player. But his technique is actually very good and his passing rarely is backwards it's usually goes forward. Paul Scholes and Gary Neville have made less than flattering remarks about him and this is unfair. He might not have fitted the class of 92 playing style granted but what he does have is the same aggressive attitude as that squad. And it's an underrated trait we are badly missing in this squad. Fellaini and Rooney give us attitude RVP also no one messes with these players. I'm struggling to think of many more as most of our other players are pretty mild mannered and don't have that aggressive streak. We are currently a better team with Fellaini And he's done very well this season. It would be a travesty to see him sold in the summer even if we buy 2-3 outstanding midfielders.
Fellaini's performances as an individual have generally been good this season. He's kept the ball very well as well when in possession and he's been a threat in the box in the final third. However, Fellaini is a tactic and if there's anything to complain about it's that, not Fellaini himself. He does exactly what's required of him each game, forget having a player that's going to receive the ball between the lines, commit players and thread balls through defences because that's not his game. A lot of people are happy to defend Herrera's underwhelming performances due to him being under instruction, it's the same with Fellaini. Personally, I think it's a good tactic to have this season as well and I'd be playing him against most sides we come up against away from Home.
Fairly one dimensional player, but he does what's asked/expected of him.
Still don't think he's United starting XI quality - or well, shouldn't be, IMO.
I guess even that's debatable with the state/options of our midfield over the past 2-3 years.
Still don't think he's United starting XI quality - or well, shouldn't be, IMO.
I guess even that's debatable with the state/options of our midfield over the past 2-3 years.
Man Utd 1:2 Arsenal
I really don't see much point of him in this formation or the role he's been playing lately. He is neither helping our midfielders dominating the game, or helping them out defensively(I think it's incredible how much of running Blind and Herrera are doing in this formation), and he is stoping Rooney from being involved in the game at all. I really have no idea why van Gaal is insisting on playing him lately when he bringing us nothing special.
So many fouls.
I think he's had a decent half, a bit ponderous on the ball at times but that seems to be the orders for him and Herrera. I am sick of every 50/50 going against him as well just because he's an Ent.
Its not his fault, but he absolutely kills our attacking football playing as a #10.
He just doesn't have the ability on the ball, in a possession based system, for it too work.
He just doesn't have the ability on the ball, in a possession based system, for it too work.
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