gza the genius
Full Member
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.
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.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.
Among CM. only half joking.He's a good player and can improve but most important player? He's not even top 5.
Let’s be honest, he’s not even top 20!!He's a good player and can improve but most important player? He's not even top 5.
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.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.
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.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.
Let's hope he can resemble something close to a 50m player. It'll be a huge boost.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?
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.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.
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.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?
We could try Jones and see if his loonatic-style running is usefullots 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
Our most important player though? Meaning the first name on the team sheet. I don't think so.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?
He will get game time and it's important that he steps up when he's called upon but our most important player. Seriously.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
Too early to say, and also it will depend on opponents and style of playI 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.