Our most important player this season: Fred?

gza the genius

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Any success we have this season is going to depend largely on whether or not Fred (Mctominay and to a lesser extent Andreas as well) can step it up a level or two so yeah I'd say he's one of our most important players.
 

RedCurry

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I look forward to seeing this thread being bumped every time Fred has half a decent game and fans to create some echo chamber whereby we will convince ourselves that Fred indeed is the most important player for us.
 

King7Eric

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How do you see a 4-3-3 with Fred, McTominay and Pogba working out. I wouldn't be opposed to that midfield, but I guess we may not see it just yet partly because we're still trying to define what Fred's role is within the side.

Do I think he's our most important player this season? Honestly, no, no I don't. I think Maguire keeping our defence tight and Pogba creating in midfield will be our two most important players and I think we will miss one or both of these if they were out injured. There's question marks whether we missed Fred yesterday because there's no guarantee that he would have been that ball-winner or the one keeping things ticking in midfield. However, Pogba assisted two goals yesterday, so we would have missed him for sure.

I do think that Fred does deserve a chance within the side, and Pereira will most likely be the one to miss out, unless there's an injury.
It could work if we play Pogba as the LCM with Rashford playing as an inverted forward ( kinda similar to what he did yesterday), but we'd need an inverted forward on the other side as well( Greenwood perhaps?), to allow Fred to play as a RCM. Having proper full backs this season will allow the likes of Pogba and Fred more pockets of space in this formation. I'd play McTominay as the deepest of the 3 because his ball retention under pressure and concentration is better than Fred.

But to be honest I would like us to persist with 4-2-3-1 for a while, but with Lingard through the middle and James/Greenwood out wide right as I think it allows us to press further up the pitch. If we are gonna play a high pressing game this season, then Pogba has to play deep as he simply doesn't press well enough. But he has shown in certain games for us and with France that he can play as part of a midfield 2. Giving him license to venture forward from time to time coupled with his passing ability makes him an ideal player for that position. Of course he will give away possession in dangerous areas but will create loads of chances as well. So if you live with him making mistakes, he can be an asset in that role.
 

RussellWilson

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He's our best ball circulator. He's just inconsistent. If we can him get to cut out the brain farts, I think him and Mctominay in a double pivot with Pogba further forward and James right might be our best 11 until we can integrate Gomes and Greenwood.
 

ZIDANE

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Most important player because our midfield is the weakest area and he could make a major difference.

I still have hope after Ole made positive comments about him and the fact that City wanted him, there's a good player in there somewhere if he can cut out mistakes and build some confidence in a consistent team.
 

simplyared

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Strange thread title. To say the player has been disappointment would be an understatement. To say he's our most important player with the hope of him coming good is pure naivety. Putting Fred in our starting line-up is nothing short of high risk which we cannot afford. I reckon he's uncoachable and is just not up to it.
 

Red14Devil9

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I think that it will depend on Pogba being fit and in-form. Fred could prove to be an important part, but I don't think that he is going to be more important than Pogba.
 

Solius

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Let’s be honest, he’s not even top 20!!

He’s shown nothing to suggest he’s going to be an important player for us.
I wouldn't say nothing. He was excellent against PSG and Arsenal last season before the whole squad tailed off. He's shown what he can do in glimpses but he had a very stop start season and some bad luck. I've still got faith in him.
 

UpWithRivers

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Weirdly put best player but I get what you mean. I think Sanchez will be key as well. If they both step up and be the players we thought we bought then we will be sorted. Lack of signings means the club is praying and believing this too
 

Crashoutcassius

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If he can take pogba out of the double pivot and into 10 for games where we need to control the ball he will be vital. That line up yesterday isn't going to easily break down a parked bus
 

BlackBen

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I think people are missing the point. Our midfield is weak with Pogba in a more defensive role and we need Pogba to play higher up the pitch like he did when Ole initially took over.

So what I think the OP is implying is that if Fred can up his game and turn in consistent performances for us, he and McT in a double pivot would free up Pogba from defensive duties and enable him to create and score more.
 

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You don't pay £50 million for nothing. He was in a toxic environment last season and not really given a chance. I think he can step up this season, he just needs to be eased in gradually and I'm convinced he'll be an important player for us. Just not sure about most important. :lol:

He's gone under the radar but he has attributes that may help us get a grip of the midfield.
 

fps

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I think people are missing the point. Our midfield is weak with Pogba in a more defensive role and we need Pogba to play higher up the pitch like he did when Ole initially took over.

So what I think the OP is implying is that if Fred can up his game and turn in consistent performances for us, he and McT in a double pivot would free up Pogba from defensive duties and enable him to create and score more.
Yeah and if I step up and play consistently for Man Utd, Pogba can similarly do that. But the "if" considering the calamity that was Fred last season is colossal.
 

Crackers

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This is an extremely naive thread. He's been blowing hot and cold since he joined and hasn't played much in pre-season. I know he has the potential to fill a missing position, but that doesn't mean he'll do it, or even do it well.
Too early to tell.
 

Sandikan

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You're missing my point. We looked pedestrian in that first half because when we had the ball we didn't seem to have a clue what to do with it, and if we take that same form in to the game against Wolves with the same tactical set-up and the same players having a similar level of performance (which outside of Pogba, is most definitely possible) we'll be on the wrong end of a result to the likes of Wolves, Leicester, Everton, Arsenal etc. Fred has the attributes to do that dual-6 role well. He has played it to an accomplished enough degree in both the Champions League and for the Brazilian national team.

The other alternatives are who, exactly? Pereira? Matic? Anyone else? Garner? It's not exactly a tall order to say that Fred has it in him to force his way in to the line up. And I feel his inclusion will then allow Pogba to push further forward in to the 10 position and help us break down those defences which are compact and hard to break down, because outside of him, we have no one else who can. It's all well and good having mobile forwards, but if they aren't being fed the ball in the right areas, they are pointless.

Surely after everyone wrote off Lindelof in his first season (hell, never mind his first season, people were writing him off after Brighton away in the second game last season), people would have learnt their lessons by now with foreign players who are struggling to adjust to the Prem?
Let's hope he can resemble something close to a 50m player. It'll be a huge boost.
But our most important player? Only in dream world.
 

BlackBen

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Yeah and if I step up and play consistently for Man Utd, Pogba can similarly do that. But the "if" considering the calamity that was Fred last season is colossal.
The "if" is more of Fred replicating his performances for Shaktar and some games especially against PSG. You're not playing football at that level so I don't get why you're trying to be petty and contrary to what you may believe Fred is actually a good midfielder who has proved it at the champions league and he's just struggling to settle in, in a new culture and environment.

What happened to giving players time?
 

bosnian_red

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For bigger games I'd definitely prefer Pogba as the 10 and Fred deeper. He needs a massive step up though. In most other games, hes a squad player only and its Mctominay and Pogba, with hopefully Lingard as the 10 and James/Greenwood rotating on the right.
 

P-Nut

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I don't get everyone's obsession with moving Pogba further forward.

Sure when he first came I believed he'd be more productive higher up the pitch, but whenever he has played at 10 he seems to over complicate things and get too flashy.

He's got license to get forward at times even whilst starting deeper, and I see no starting 11 we can put out that is stronger with him at CAM than at CM.
 

NoPace

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It does seem like the obvious sub moves for us are going to be to have:

1. James or Greenwood play 30 minutes with the other one or Pereira starting.

2. Lingard coming off after running hard for 60-70 with Pogba moving up a bit and Fred, Garner or Matic (is it possible he won't look so slow against dribblers if he knows he can sprint since he only has to run for 20-30 minutes?) coming on to play 20 minutes with McTominay.
 

acnumber9

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Presumably Fred is the answer because he loses the ball quicker than Matic who takes his time before losing it. It’s all about playing quicker.
 

fps

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The "if" is more of Fred replicating his performances for Shaktar and some games especially against PSG. You're not playing football at that level so I don't get why you're trying to be petty and contrary to what you may believe Fred is actually a good midfielder who has proved it at the champions league and he's just struggling to settle in, in a new culture and environment. What happened to giving players time?
I'm playing around, mostly. I would like to see Fred succeed. I just can't get out of my head how poor he was last season in such concerning ways - bad touch, awful simple passing, poor positioning, bad decision-making. For a player who is now 26, especially the basic issues of technique looked unsolvable.
 

buckooo1978

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lots of ridicule for the idea in the OP - including from myself

Nevertheless Fred will be important and he will play 20 games plus such is the lack of depth in our midfield.

if only one of our 14 defenders was a midfielder :lol:
 

UNITED ACADEMY

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Well, Pogba actually lose a lot of possession in the Chelsea game playing deeper role. I don’t see why Fred cannot make it to the XI by pushing Pogba further as no 10 if he can make improvement in his composure on the ball. The reason we signed him was for that reason to push Pogba in the 10 role.

So I believe ya. There is potential in him, might not be the important player but he can be like a new signing.
 

Crackers

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lots of ridicule for the idea in the OP - including from myself

Nevertheless Fred will be important and he will play 20 games plus such is the lack of depth in our midfield.

if only one of our 14 defenders was a midfielder :lol:
We could try Jones and see if his loonatic-style running is useful
 

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Fred is 100% a very important player. We can’t expect to go a whole season without injuries, for starters. Also we can’t expect McT not to have a dodgy spell or two, considering his age. And we’re not exactly spoilt for choice in central midfield, are we?
Our most important player though? Meaning the first name on the team sheet. I don't think so.
 

Fully Fledged

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lots of ridicule for the idea in the OP - including from myself

Nevertheless Fred will be important and he will play 20 games plus such is the lack of depth in our midfield.

if only one of our 14 defenders was a midfielder :lol:
He will get game time and it's important that he steps up when he's called upon but our most important player. Seriously.
 

slored1

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No fecking chance. Although I agree he should play in the big games, Pereira doesn't cut it for me.
 

NoPace

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I don't get everyone's obsession with moving Pogba further forward.

Sure when he first came I believed he'd be more productive higher up the pitch, but whenever he has played at 10 he seems to over complicate things and get too flashy.

He's got license to get forward at times even whilst starting deeper, and I see no starting 11 we can put out that is stronger with him at CAM than at CM.
Too early to say, and also it will depend on opponents and style of play


Back 5 (including De Gea) picks itself, and Rashford, Martial, Pogba and Mctominay do too, but spots 5 and 6 in the front 6 really are a complete clusterfeck:

Lingard in big games or against teams that will press high and open up space seems like the obvious choice for 5 but he's bad in games where we're breaking down a team sitting back, and everyone else is basically unproven (James, Greenwood, Pereira, Gomes, Garner) or washed (Mata, Matic) or having an existential crisis (Fred).

The moves we did make in the summer look great, but the two glaring weaknesses we didn't address were a decent CM to backup McTominay and Pogba (selling Matic for peanuts and taking Everton's offer for Rojo and getting off their wages would have completely covered the cost of a highly rated 30M midfielder in his mid 20s from France or Germany like Everton did in signing Gbamin), and then a RW or #10 who can press but has real quality, leaving the 6th spot to rotate between James when we want a winger, Lingard a pressing #10, Mata a creative #10 and Greenwood another goal threat.
 

Classical Mechanic

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Sometimes you see him in the DLP kind of position and he looks alright, he's small and controls and turns quickly. His work rate is good. But most of the time his passing has been awful and he's been a liability.
 

Red4Life_#7

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Fred has a lot of talent, we have to give him the environment to show it. His quick passing is exactly what we need as it was way too slow overall last season.
He needs to work on his defensive game thou lets opponents through too easily.
 

Santoryo

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I think some people are missing in what context OP is evaluating Fred importance. If like mentioned by OP Fred help unshackle Pogba from playing that deep in a 2 then he'll be that important. Because with a midfield 3 if we manage playing Pogba as the furthest of the 3 than would be ideal but that would also requires Fred to step up several notches from what he's shown so far. No sloppy plays and passes, especially being 1 of the 2 deeper midfield.

Also some people have to understand that plating with a midfield 3 doesn't mean Pogba plays at number 10. What are people even on about. The idea is that Fred and McTominay form the pivot which would allow Pogba to play as the furthest and most attacking midfield of that trio, preferably from the left. Only problem with that, like already mentioned we would need Fred to step up from what he's shown in order to be trusted in that role.