I think Afroman has been making leaps and bounds the past few weeks. Really like what we're seeing from him. He hasn't exactly forced us into hoof ball tactics either.
[Poll] Most Improved Player Under LVG
- Thread starter Ji_Maria
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
I'm going for Young. Fellaini's done very well but he wasn't quite as dreadful as people make out last season, and there are a fair few mitigating factors (injuries, tactics). Young on the other hand got a fair few starts in his strongest position and was consistently diabolical. Great to see him turn it round this season.
I voted Valencia. I don't think we can make a proper judgement on Fellaini's level of improvement given that he didn't get consistent run last year. Valencia played virtually the whole of last season and was very low on confidence.
Young purely because it isn't just an improvement in terms of contribution but it is coming in a position that, as far as I'm aware, he's never played in previously.
For as bad Afrotwat was last year, it isn't as if LVG has reinvented him, he just looks like he gives a toss.
For as bad Afrotwat was last year, it isn't as if LVG has reinvented him, he just looks like he gives a toss.
The lack of eboue has really upset me in this poll.
Definitleh Fellaineh
But there is Anderson
Small bump after Young's last couple of performances.
Young went from squad trash to legit very good leftback with attacking assets
Fellaini went from okay CM to fairly good CM
Young for me, its magic
Fellaini went from okay CM to fairly good CM
Young for me, its magic
I voted Mata because he is more and more, more than a simple stats player he is beginning to be important in our link up play, and it wasn't the case at the start of the season.
Young is just being his Aston Villa's self, a very good player who creates a lot of opportunites and works hard for the team, LVG rebuilt his confidence.
Young is just being his Aston Villa's self, a very good player who creates a lot of opportunites and works hard for the team, LVG rebuilt his confidence.
This, although I still think Fellaini isn't very good at all. Improvement from last season? Yes. Good enough? No. Young is actually looking handy, not just improved.
I am not sure personally Young has improved huge amount
He has improved in confidence a bit but It's just that he is playing a new position that suits him as LWB. (Different to LB.)
Actually don't think he would be that good in a back 4 or a midfield 4. Hence us sticking to back 3/5.
Mata has lost nothing, and Young is playing Wingback, there isn't a huge difference between how Ferguson used him (defensive winger) and LVG.
With Ferguson he was oftenly asked to cover for Evra and double team the winger or mark the fullback.
The real difference is that, he is playing with confidence for example Young always had a very good left foot but the more he lost his confidence the less he used it, now he uses it again.
Not going to lie; I was in the Young out bandwagon in Summer, I thought he had no place in the club after our shocking season. Fingers were pointing everywhere and I use to see him as a one dimensional player that would just cut inside and shoot and have a 1/10000 chance of scoring like he did in his first game against Arsenal and never be able to replicate that since.
However, he's shown drive, pace and executed some incredible crosses into some dangerous areas, he's shown some great defensive skills too which I didn't even think he had in his locker. He truly has blossomed into a real Manchester United player.
Another person I would vote for is David De Gea, yes he was excellent last season; however last season he was competing to be one of the best goalkeepers in the league, now it's safe to say he's competing to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He's eliminated his weaknesses and has taken his game to a whole new level, he's a brick wall and despite his improvement not being from as much of a dramatic scale as Ashley Young or Fellaini etc, I still believe his improvement under LvG and the new coaches deserves to be acknowledged.
However, he's shown drive, pace and executed some incredible crosses into some dangerous areas, he's shown some great defensive skills too which I didn't even think he had in his locker. He truly has blossomed into a real Manchester United player.
Another person I would vote for is David De Gea, yes he was excellent last season; however last season he was competing to be one of the best goalkeepers in the league, now it's safe to say he's competing to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He's eliminated his weaknesses and has taken his game to a whole new level, he's a brick wall and despite his improvement not being from as much of a dramatic scale as Ashley Young or Fellaini etc, I still believe his improvement under LvG and the new coaches deserves to be acknowledged.
I would agree with that,I don't think the role is incredibly different from his winger role.I think something that has really helped is the lwb tag has really taken the pressure off him to create.
As a winger you are under constant pressure to assist and score.As a lwb attacking contributions are more of a bonus.For example Valencia didn't really offer anything going forward today but was defensivily sound so as wing back he would have had a solid 6/10 performance.As a winger he would yave veen crucified for such a performance.
There are only two real options there, Fellaini or Young. I voted for Fellaini as he was poor as hell last season, partly because of DM and partly because he became the player associated with DM and his vision. He also had the hardest job this season to turn us around. He has done a good job. Still a few too many elbows for my liking but has kicked on from last season really well.
Young has done well, but he still falls over a bit easily and with the extravagant split leg style. He is still a bit of a question mark for me.
Young has done well, but he still falls over a bit easily and with the extravagant split leg style. He is still a bit of a question mark for me.
How is De Gea not on this?
Fellaini and Young have gone from eye-wateringly awful to decent. But De Gea has gone from very good to World Class.
Fellaini and Young have gone from eye-wateringly awful to decent. But De Gea has gone from very good to World Class.
Surely Young, at this point.
De Gea was awesome for much of last season, but you're right he should be on the list at least.
Changed my vote to Young
Young easily, then Fellaini.
Ha ha. So true. Made two goals and nearly had a third but for Rooney going slightly too early. Played very well today.
Anderson .... he's fecked things up much less this season
It's between Young and Fellaini, but voted Young.
RVP is just coming back to his standard level of performance pre-Moyes and injury/world cup hangover, you can't really say that he's improved. Mata has picked up in the last couple of games and is finally influencing the play, as opposed to just popping up with goals to mask anonymous performances. Which is the real improvement, but it's only come very recently and is probably more demonstrative how underwhelming Mata has been so far, for all his talents, reputation and transfer fee. He's still got a lot more room for improvement in that regard.
Rooney isn't really playing at a higher level too. Perhaps you could argue his finishing is improved, but he's been very clinical for the last five years or so to be fair. I would say he's got a lot more maturity and consistency to his game. He's putting in much more rounded CM performances, whereas he sometimes has tended to go Stevie G hollywood style in there in the past, and has also kept up an admirable goal/assist output despite playing a different position every week.
Valencia hasn't really improved, and you can't really say he has until he starts doing what his did vs Liverpool for the first goal on a regular basis. We've basically just hidden his limitations by putting him in the RWB role, and he's cut out some of the brainfarts he was having at times last seasons when we put him there in emergencies.
So down to Fellaini and Young. I think people forget how truly awful Fellaini was last season. Thinking back to the Bayern game, he gave away the ball every time under pressure, didn't track Schweinsteiger for his goal, got beaten to headers by Lahm and also managed to dribble 50 yards to nowhere and end up slide tackling the ball into touch. I still think he's a flawed player but until recently when he was being played in place of Carrick he's looked vaguely competent, and was very good vs Chelsea and scored a good goal vs West Brom. He's improved, but from a low base and is still a bit of a liability IMO when his passing and technical weaknesses aren't sufficiently hidden.
Tbh Young has been a bit underrated in that he's a mixed bag of some very good match winning performances (e.g. his first season, and a couple of games last season) albeit wedged between performances where he looks like complete dog shit. I would say Young is probably showing as good as attacking displays as we've seen from him, his crossing looks dangerous and he's often beating one or two men without the support of a full back overlapping him. More impressively, he's actually pretty strong defensively - he's not getting caught out and is actually making some very smart interceptions. He's probably reading the game better than some natural full backs. I would say Young's improved to the point where he might legitimately be our best option at LWB, yes even better than Shaw.
RVP is just coming back to his standard level of performance pre-Moyes and injury/world cup hangover, you can't really say that he's improved. Mata has picked up in the last couple of games and is finally influencing the play, as opposed to just popping up with goals to mask anonymous performances. Which is the real improvement, but it's only come very recently and is probably more demonstrative how underwhelming Mata has been so far, for all his talents, reputation and transfer fee. He's still got a lot more room for improvement in that regard.
Rooney isn't really playing at a higher level too. Perhaps you could argue his finishing is improved, but he's been very clinical for the last five years or so to be fair. I would say he's got a lot more maturity and consistency to his game. He's putting in much more rounded CM performances, whereas he sometimes has tended to go Stevie G hollywood style in there in the past, and has also kept up an admirable goal/assist output despite playing a different position every week.
Valencia hasn't really improved, and you can't really say he has until he starts doing what his did vs Liverpool for the first goal on a regular basis. We've basically just hidden his limitations by putting him in the RWB role, and he's cut out some of the brainfarts he was having at times last seasons when we put him there in emergencies.
So down to Fellaini and Young. I think people forget how truly awful Fellaini was last season. Thinking back to the Bayern game, he gave away the ball every time under pressure, didn't track Schweinsteiger for his goal, got beaten to headers by Lahm and also managed to dribble 50 yards to nowhere and end up slide tackling the ball into touch. I still think he's a flawed player but until recently when he was being played in place of Carrick he's looked vaguely competent, and was very good vs Chelsea and scored a good goal vs West Brom. He's improved, but from a low base and is still a bit of a liability IMO when his passing and technical weaknesses aren't sufficiently hidden.
Tbh Young has been a bit underrated in that he's a mixed bag of some very good match winning performances (e.g. his first season, and a couple of games last season) albeit wedged between performances where he looks like complete dog shit. I would say Young is probably showing as good as attacking displays as we've seen from him, his crossing looks dangerous and he's often beating one or two men without the support of a full back overlapping him. More impressively, he's actually pretty strong defensively - he's not getting caught out and is actually making some very smart interceptions. He's probably reading the game better than some natural full backs. I would say Young's improved to the point where he might legitimately be our best option at LWB, yes even better than Shaw.
Great write-up.
Philip BlackLahm for me, he looked so freaking lost last season that we were looking to offload for pennies on the dollar and no one would touch him because of his wages. Now he's working as the main creative outlet while making game winning challenges in-front of goal. I reckon he can still improve and add a goal threat from the left full back spot.
Fellaini could have been a good choice but I think a lot of his improvement is down to getting healthy from back surgery, which almost always takes a lot out of any athlete and Van Gaal making it seem like playing the ball upto him aerially is not a bad option as it seemed under Moyes.
Fellaini could have been a good choice but I think a lot of his improvement is down to getting healthy from back surgery, which almost always takes a lot out of any athlete and Van Gaal making it seem like playing the ball upto him aerially is not a bad option as it seemed under Moyes.
I'm saying Young. Only two seasons ago Fellaini was playing similarly well. It's been a long while since Young has done any good at club level. Rooney, Mata and RvP are expected to be good. Anderson has been above his average as he hasn't played at all so that's an improvement.
Youngnaldo
Young and Fellaini 50/50
Mata has his lowest key passes ever.
2009/2010 - 2.1
2010/2011 - 2.2 (CL = 2.4)
2011/2012 - 3 (CL = 1.9)
2012/2013 - 2.8 (CL = 2.7)
2013/2014 - 2.3 (CL = 3.5) (United after transfer = 2.3)
2014/2015 - 1.3
Almost half of what he has set up in every other season
Mata plays a different role, he was second striker and now he is a CM, most of the time.
This is a pretty difficult question because everyone was below par last season bar Rooney and De Gea. I think its unfair to say Fellaini as although he was poor last season, the ineptitude of Moyes may have contributed as well as joining a new team, suffering that hand injury, adapting to a new role as well as having to play in a team lacking confidence and form.
Valencia is doing ok but he is not the player he was three seasons ago.
Young in my eyes has gone from a diving waste of space into a very good player this season. I was mightily impressed yesterday and I really haven't rated him. He seems to enjoy the new role.
I think the biggest improvement is McNair. A player rarely talked about at Youth level but has taken to first team football with great ease and put in some solid performances. I doubt many knew who he was before he started for the first team but he has done amazingly in difficult circumstances.
Valencia is doing ok but he is not the player he was three seasons ago.
Young in my eyes has gone from a diving waste of space into a very good player this season. I was mightily impressed yesterday and I really haven't rated him. He seems to enjoy the new role.
I think the biggest improvement is McNair. A player rarely talked about at Youth level but has taken to first team football with great ease and put in some solid performances. I doubt many knew who he was before he started for the first team but he has done amazingly in difficult circumstances.
Young, easily.
Yes, Fellaini isn't completely garbage like last season but he's still a poor footballer if we're measuring him up against good/very good midfielders.
Can get away with having him causing havoc in some matches, which we already knew, but it still isn't ideal.
Yes, Fellaini isn't completely garbage like last season but he's still a poor footballer if we're measuring him up against good/very good midfielders.
Can get away with having him causing havoc in some matches, which we already knew, but it still isn't ideal.
Young, easily. He looks a class player at the moment and is one of our best players, if you're talking about whose on form. Fellaini is good but he isn't anything special. He's also only looked good in a number of games. Young's been great the entire season.
It includes his time left and right wing and he gets just as far forward with a deep midfielder and Rooney next to him
Ashley Young. Definitely. He has transformed from a predictable winger to a utility player, Fellaini has been brilliant this season, but that is kind of what we signed him for - he played like that in Everton , he has a strong presence on the field and it was just unfortunate that he couldn't play like that last season other than that i don't really see a major improvement in Fellaini.
Although i do honestly believe that Anderson has shown the most improvement this season, i mean his performances on the bench, in training,on the team bus , in the hotel rooms etc do warrant an honourable mention, you could say he is more than twice the entertainer he was pre-LVG , even the way he sits on the bench has really improved , i can only hope for more of the same from Ando , at least until his contract runs out.
Although i do honestly believe that Anderson has shown the most improvement this season, i mean his performances on the bench, in training,on the team bus , in the hotel rooms etc do warrant an honourable mention, you could say he is more than twice the entertainer he was pre-LVG , even the way he sits on the bench has really improved , i can only hope for more of the same from Ando , at least until his contract runs out.
I almost chose Valencia. I am surprised to see he has only 4.4% of the vote so far.