Marouane Fellaini image 27

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2015-16 Performances


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5.1 Season Average Rating
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33
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4
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1
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ZDwyr

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He got beaten to a header by Joe Allen... His "aerial threat" is the biggest myth in football.
Just because he is tall doesn't mean he will 100% of headers. But 9/10 he would beat Allen for the ball in the air. Lovren is good in the air and he beat him for the ball and almost scored.

But but but phillip lahm out-headed him too so hur dur hur his aerial threat is a myth.
 

iKeano

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Just because he is tall doesn't mean he will 100% of headers. But 9/10 he would beat Allen for the ball in the air. Lovren is good in the air and he beat him for the ball and almost scored.

But but but phillip lahm out-headed him too so hur dur hur his aerial threat is a myth.
Almost. Thus being of zero threat.
 

iKeano

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He's also front post for every defensive corner, stop playing daft
How many goals / assisted does he have?

If you think he's good enough for Utd, then there's no point arguing.

For me, he's not good enough to be a professional footballer let alone a Utd player.
 

drdoityourself

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When he plays he's rarely the worst player in the team. In fact he's usually very involved when he plays. He's also an asset defensively on set-pieces. But when he plays our performances IMO are worse, this hoofing towards him at all times, I can't recall it ever working this season.

It also seems to me that he plays mostly next to Mata leaving the other midfielder with the whole holding responsibility of the midfield. Our midfield becomes vulnerable and more often than not overrun.
He is also a brute and there seems to be a sending off incident every time he plays.
He's more often than not our plan B, so he very rarely gets taken off when we need improvement. For me that speaks off tactical failure for LVG.

We play better without him, we have more room for improvement without him and we have several better players in his position. He should be permanently dropped and sold in the summer.
 

JPRouve

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Just because he is tall doesn't mean he will 100% of headers. But 9/10 he would beat Allen for the ball in the air. Lovren is good in the air and he beat him for the ball and almost scored.

But but but phillip lahm out-headed him too so hur dur hur his aerial threat is a myth.
In terms of percentages Fellaini is fairly average among midfielders, he wins 48% of his aerial duels, that's less than someone like Lucas Leiva.
 

Mozza

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How many goals / assisted does he have?

If you think he's good enough for Utd, then there's no point arguing.

For me, he's not good enough to be a professional footballer let alone a Utd player.
The point I'm trying to make is we don't use what strengths he has properly. If we had a player that was quick or strong we'd want to use it against slower or weaker players. We should be taking advantage of his dominace in the air.

I wouldn't want him in the first team but I don't mind him being in the squad, there will be games over the course of a season where we can use him.
 

stevoc

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When he plays he's rarely the worst player in the team. In fact he's usually very involved when he plays. He's also an asset defensively on set-pieces. But when he plays our performances IMO are worse, this hoofing towards him at all times, I can't recall it ever working this season.
While true i don't think that alone should justify his place in the side, and i know you are not suggesting that either. To be honest while he is good defensively on corners and free kicks we could have signed a number pf players who could have provided that for us who would have cost significatnly less than Fellaini did.

It also seems to me that he plays mostly next to Mata leaving the other midfielder with the whole holding responsibility of the midfield. Our midfield becomes vulnerable and more often than not overrun.
He is also a brute and there seems to be a sending off incident every time he plays.
He's more often than not our plan B, so he very rarely gets taken off when we need improvement. For me that speaks off tactical failure for LVG.

We play better without him, we have more room for improvement without him and we have several better players in his position. He should be permanently dropped and sold in the summer.
This is the depressing thing about Fellaini, quite often when he's played at CM we get overran and are more often than not losing or drawing a game because of it.

Yet he's kept on because the thinking seems to be he has the potential to hurt teams on set pieces. And yet how many games/points have we actually rescued from a losing position because of Fellaini's ''aerial threat''? Very few i would wager.

It's madness and poor management from LVG. And yes i agree as much as i actually don't mind the guy it's time we moved him on, as he's holding us back.
 

Jaapster

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I am dismayed every time I see his name on the teamsheet he is utter shite, Cant pass, cant tackle (without trying to kill someone) has the pace of a wounded
sloth , his heading is poor I cant see any advantage to playing him at all . Oh shit I forgot he can chest a ball , how silly of me to forget the attribute that allows him to play for United .
 

Kaos

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As harsh as it sounds, I honestly thing he's the third worst thing to happen to United since SAF left after LVG and Moyes.
 

dichinero

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I thought it was a fluke when he was outjumped by Coquelin TWICE against Arsenal last season. Joe Allen this season, would it be Lennon next?

I to I'm of the opinion that he's heading ability is a myth. Heading the ball is is not just jumping high to allow the ball hit your head, when in an offensive or defensive position, which is what Fellaini does most of the time. He heads the ball to no one, and has himself or team mates chase the ball. I don't know how many people have a good recollection of this, Van Persie in Fergie's last season, this guy was a beast at defensive headers from corners. It was amazing that was not talked about. Not only was he scoring the goals, he was as effective when defending in the box, saving us many many times. This season, I look at Wjinaldum's attacking heading at Newcastle and realise what a fraud Fellaini is at heading.

The two primary assets for heading is the reach and the ability to control the direction and power of the contact. For Fellaini he naturally has one, you would think he would have less to worry about when he comes to training headers, just focus on direction and power. BUt clearly he doesn't have the technical ability for his fabled, most talked about skill. The guy has no ability whatsoever, in any area of football.

Myth busted!
 
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Roboc7

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Whether he is one or worst players on the pitch or not, we rarely win when he plays and selling him will be a step forward.

He has to play as the third man in midfield to be anything other than a liability, because he lacks so many of the key skills to play there. Playing him and mata together in midfield is something manager should never do again.
 

Shark

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He a tall, lanky reminder of how average we currently are every time he steps out on the field.
 

iKeano

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I thought it was a fluke when he outjumped by Coquelin TWICE against Arsenal last season. Joe Allen this season, would it be Lennon next?

I to I'm of the opinion that he's heading ability is a myth. Heading the ball is is not just jumping high to allow the ball hit your head, when in an offensive or defensive position, which is what Fellaini does most of the time. He heads the ball to no one, and has himself or team mates chase the ball. I don't know how many people have a good recollection of this, Van Persie in Fergie's last season, this guy was a beast at defensive headers from corners. It was amazing that was not talked about. Not only was he scoring the goals, he was as effective when defending in the box, saving us many many times. This season, I look at Wjinaldum's attacking heading at Newcastle and realise what a fraud Fellaini is at heading.

The two primary assets for heading is the reach and the ability to control the direction and power of the contact. For Fellaini he naturally has one, you would think he would have less to worry about when he comes to training headers, just focus on direction and power. BUt clearly he doesn't have the technical ability for his fabled, most talked about skill. The guy has no ability whatsoever, in any area of football.

Myth busted!
This. Of the 48% of aerial duals he wins, I would say 75% of those skim aimlessly off his Afro in any or no given direction.

"Myth busted" :lol:
 

Varun

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In his 3yrs at Utd, he has demonstrated very very clearly that he's good enough in just 1 role. Funnily, LVG employed him in this role last season and with very good results.

So obviously, the logical thing to do now is have him play a role in CM where he is so obviously clueless that it's funny at times.

Fellaini isn't good enough for us but I swear, seeing him at CM, Martial at RW, Rashford at RW etc is indicative of how poorly thought of some of LVG's decision are.
 

stevoc

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In his 3yrs at Utd, he has demonstrated very very clearly that he's good enough in just 1 role. Funnily, LVG employed him in this role last season and with very good results.

So obviously, the logical thing to do now is have him play a role in CM where he is so obviously clueless that it's funny at times.

Fellaini isn't good enough for us but I swear, seeing him at CM, Martial at RW, Rashford at RW etc is indicative of how poorly thought of some of LVG's decision are.
I can't even remember a match this season where we haven't lined up with at least 3-5 players playing out of position. It really is ridiculous, piss poor squad management.

Even against Liverpool by my count we had at least 4 players playing out of position.
 

Varun

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I can't even remember a match this season where we haven't lined up with at least 3-5 players playing out of position. It really is ridiculous, piss poor squad management.

Even against Liverpool by my count we had at least 4 players playing out of position.
Rashford scored 4 in 2 and we had Martial coming back so what did big balls LVG do? Throw one of them out at RW where they look utterly clueless.
 

stevoc

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Rashford scored 4 in 2 and we had Martial coming back so what did big balls LVG do? Throw one of them out at RW where they look utterly clueless.
Yeah between those two Lingard and when he was playing Mata out there. He seems to be hoping someone within the squad will magically transform into a top right winger.

Instead of actually buying a proper right winger in one of the two last windows. Never mind a proper centre back or some fullback cover.
 

NinjaFletch

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Rashford scored 4 in 2 and we had Martial coming back so what did big balls LVG do? Throw one of them out at RW where they look utterly clueless.
Except thats not what happened is it?

Rashford kept his position up top against Watford and had by any definition a bit of a stinker, he then moved out to the right, where he absolutely murdered their left back for about 10-15 minutes in the only spell of the game where we looked half decent. Since then, for a variety of reasons, wherever he's played he's struggled to get into games.

Lets not over-state what we've got with Rashford, he's a good prospect no doubt, and took his goals very well but he's shown no evidence whatsoever of a hold up game, has an erratic first touch, and his best attribute is his dribbling. It's in no way that weird to see him at Right Wing at the minute where he can isolate and run at players, and he certainly has not looked 'utterly clueless' there, apart from times when the expectations on him were ridiculously unfair, such as after Mata got sent off or when he was asked to play right wing back against Liverpool for god knows what reasons.

The exact same sort of stuff was said about Martial at LW the first few times he got moved there, now most would argue thats his best position.
 

Varun

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Except thats not what happened is it?

Rashford kept his position up top against Watford and had by any definition a bit of a stinker, he then moved out to the right, where he absolutely murdered their left back for about 10-15 minutes in the only spell of the game where we looked half decent. Since then, for a variety of reasons, wherever he's played he's struggled to get into games.

Lets not over-state what we've got with Rashford, he's a good prospect no doubt, and took his goals very well but he's shown no evidence whatsoever of a hold up game, has an erratic first touch, and his best attribute is his dribbling. It's in no way that weird to see him at Right Wing at the minute where he can isolate and run at players, and he certainly has not looked 'utterly clueless' there, apart from times when the expectations on him were ridiculously unfair, such as after Mata got sent off or when he was asked to play right wing back against Liverpool for god knows what reasons.

The exact same sort of stuff was said about Martial at LW the first few times he got moved there, now most would argue thats his best position.
What didn't happen? Did he not play Martial on the right first where he sucked to no one's surprise and then moved him upfront and rashford out right where he was poor? It isn't like Martial's situation at all, martial played on the left quite a bit before coming here.
 

NinjaFletch

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What didn't happen? Did he not play Martial on the right first where he sucked to no one's surprise and then moved him upfront and rashford out right where he was poor? It isn't like Martial's situation at all, martial played on the left quite a bit before coming here.
Well what your describing.

Rashford's getting moved to the right was entirely common sense and he's playing there because he showed against Watford that when the teams not playing like a bunch of idiots he can be effective there.

As for Martial, what would you have done? With hindsight the answer is obviously 'drop Memphis' but you can't select a team in hindsight and Memphis was coming off the back of probably his best two games in a United shirt, not only does it send out a pretty poor message about meritocracy, but it does nothing for his confidence either. So that then leaves you the choice of dropping Lingard or Rashford. People would have been absolutely spitting blood if Lingard had started with Martial on the bench and if Rashford had been dropped, so there you go.

I really don't think there's been much, if anything to complain about with LVG's handling of our strikers in recent weeks, with the exception of not taking of Rashford when Mata got sent off. The biggest problems been we've barely gotten them the damn ball. We could have had Messi/Suarez/Neymar up top and they'd have done nothing given how slowly, and infrequently we've gotten the ball to our front 4.
 

Varun

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Well what your describing.

Rashford's getting moved to the right was entirely common sense and he's playing there because he showed against Watford that when the teams not playing like a bunch of idiots he can be effective there.

As for Martial, what would you have done? With hindsight the answer is obviously 'drop Memphis' but you can't select a team in hindsight and Memphis was coming off the back of probably his best two games in a United shirt, not only does it send out a pretty poor message about meritocracy, but it does nothing for his confidence either. So that then leaves you the choice of dropping Lingard or Rashford. People would have been absolutely spitting blood if Lingard had started with Martial on the bench and if Rashford had been dropped, so there you go.

I really don't think there's been much, if anything to complain about with LVG's handling of our strikers in recent weeks, with the exception of not taking of Rashford when Mata got sent off. The biggest problems been we've barely gotten them the damn ball. We could have had Messi/Suarez/Neymar up top and they'd have done nothing given how slowly, and infrequently we've gotten the ball to our front 4.
Memphis should have moved to the right, rashford central, martial left.
 

NinjaFletch

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Memphis should have moved to the right, rashford central, martial left.
So your solution to shoehorning in players is to shoehorn Memphis in to a position that he's never played for us and who's entire game is based on cutting inside on to his right foot?

Anyway, this is the Fellaini thread, so this is definitely the wrong place.
 

Dans

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Definitely not nonsense. Tiny Joe Allen beat him to a header.
I concur. His ability to win the ball in challenges where his opponent and he are going for the ball with their heads is vastly overstated. In fact he's quite crap at it considering his only advantage against any one is his height.
 

ZDwyr

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In terms of percentages Fellaini is fairly average among midfielders, he wins 48% of his aerial duels, that's less than someone like Lucas Leiva.
He would be competing against a lot more difficult opponents in those duels (e.g. Zouma, Terry, Wanyama etc) compared to a lot of other CMs. Also, Lucas is actually quite a good header of the ball for a CM, But anyway, I think Fellaini's heading and ability to win aerial duels isn't as good as it could be (that percentage should be higher) but the way people here isolate three or four instances and use them as their argument is wrong. He is - at the very least - a decent aerial threat. We are much better defending opposition set-pieces with him there.
 

RedDevil@84

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I agree. For all the talk about his height being put to use, he seems to lose at least 60% of all aerial duels with players much shorter than him coz they know when to jump and he only knows to jump.
Maybe many tall players have similar %, but at least his height being a constant threat is not true.
 

JPRouve

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He would be competing against a lot more difficult opponents in those duels (e.g. Zouma, Terry, Wanyama etc) compared to a lot of other CMs. Also, Lucas is actually quite a good header of the ball for a CM, But anyway, I think Fellaini's heading and ability to win aerial duels isn't as good as it could be (that percentage should be higher) but the way people here isolate three or four instances and use them as their argument is wrong. He is - at the very least - a decent aerial threat. We are much better defending opposition set-pieces with him there.
It doesn't make any sense, the other players play against the same players.
 

iKeano

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Ward-Prowse won two headers off Crouch today, one other one a foul on Ward-Prowse. Stop acting like this is some sort of footballing crime to lose headers.
What Croch does, or doesn't do is of no concern of mine, because he does (or doesn't) do it in a Utd jersey.

Fellaini's sole attribute is his height, which he under-utilises at an alarming rate.
 
Man Utd 1:1 West Ham

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Fellaini is a symbol of this period in my eyes.
spot on. the fact that he's our central midfield / long ball target after having two decades of Robson / Cantona / Ince / Scholes / Keane is really beginning to show the difference in class we have now than what we did. And that's not the managers fault, nor Fellaini's, but the board.

His performance today just shows it. No speed / stupid yellow card / we had WH on the break and i'm sure it took around 7 seconds before Herrera / Rashford and Martial had supporting players come up whilst WH sprinted back to get 7 players. This was us, on a break.
 

gza the genius

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Saw this on Twitter:

Fellaini 1st half v West Ham: Zero tackles, interceptions, blocks and clearances. Possession lost 11 times, more than any other #MUFC player.

Can't wait for LVG to claim he was one of the best player's on the pitch again.
 

shaggy

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Just one more year left on his contract after this season I believe. Can't wait til he leaves the club.
 
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