The [non] use of Van de Beek - Ole's player?

He'sRaldo

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If Donny can't play ahead of McTominay, then that means we didn't strengthen our weakest position in the first 11.

Not great for 40M, especially is Donny if to be used exclusively as Bruno's backup; which now I think of it is weird since Donny has shown more at a higher level than Bruno.
 

Nytram Shakes

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So many premature posts. Lets revisit in a year when he’s playing every week and Pogba has left.
Or we offer Pogba and absolutely stupidly big contract as we are scared of losing him for free, that means we have him till he is about 35 with zero chance of selling him and he continues to be inconsistent and in and out of the team.

While VDB sits on the bench for a season or 2 before leaving for someone like Everton.
 

Champagne Football

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Takes time to adapt. Lindelof, Shaw, Fred all took time.

Not to mention we're heavily stocked in Central midfield. His chance will come. Ole knows his job is on the line. He needs Fred and McT now to make sure we don't concede and lose games we should be winning.
 

TheReligion

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When discussing VDB in the transfer forum most posters concluded he was signed to make the squad stronger. This has happened and now we're impatient he's not getting into the team. Going by his past playing positions at Ajax he either replaces Bruno, Pogba or Mata. It's only the start of the season and injuries and fatigue is not yet an issue. It's a long and congested season and he'll get plenty of game time once he adjusts to the Premiership and others are not available and need rest.
Very sensible and my thoughts exactly.

For the first time in many years we have a strong bench and plenty of options.
 
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If Donny can't play ahead of McTominay, then that means we didn't strengthen our weakest position in the first 11.

Not great for 40M, especially is Donny if to be used exclusively as Bruno's backup; which now I think of it is weird since Donny has shown more at a higher level than Bruno.
completely different types of players.

furthermore if McT continues to play in light of further competition, that’s good news.

however, as I’ve said earlier his time will come. He’s being integrated into a new club, and we are strong in the middle of the park (although not necessarily having the right mix).

it’s both usual, and no issue for him to wait until he gets game time.
 

Jonno

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Or we offer Pogba and absolutely stupidly big contract as we are scared of losing him for free, that means we have him till he is about 35 with zero chance of selling him and he continues to be inconsistent and in and out of the team.

While VDB sits on the bench for a season or 2 before leaving for someone like Everton.
Pogba was hoping to leave before COVID cash strapped Real Madrid.... we’ve literally triggered his 1 year extension so he has sell on value in the summer.
 

Nytram Shakes

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Pogba was hoping to leave before COVID cash strapped Real Madrid.... we’ve literally triggered his 1 year extension so he has sell on value in the summer.
And the likely hood someone is going to come in with a bid for him in the next year when clubs are likely to be getting more and more scint and Pogba is getting towards his late 20's and not shown any signs of stopping being inconsistent?
 

Jonno

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And the likely hood someone is going to come in with a bid for him in the next year when clubs are likely to be getting more and more scint and Pogba is getting towards his late 20's and not shown any signs of stopping being inconsistent?
He wants to leave and the current management deem him a sub. He’s going.
 

Jonno

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Then why isn’t he replacing Pogba?
Patience, he is replacing him. McTomminay and Fred have played well, 2 goals conceded in 3 games v Newcastle, PSG and Chelsea since they’ve been holding the midfield. Theyre tried and tested in the PL. Foreign imports don’t generally just walk into the team and play brilliantly. Ask most of Chelsea’s arrivals. Have some patience, he’s signed a 5 year contract, not 5 games.
 

MyOnlySolskjaer

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Patience, he is replacing him. McTomminay and Fred have played well, 2 goals conceded in 3 games v Newcastle, PSG and Chelsea since they’ve been holding the midfield. Theyre tried and tested in the PL. Foreign imports don’t generally just walk into the team and play brilliantly. Ask most of Chelsea’s arrivals. Have some patience, he’s signed a 5 year contract, not 5 games.
Should at least come from the bench instead of Pogba then and for a period of more than 5 minutes.
 

wolvored

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He was probably told at the bargaining table when the transfer happened, that he will take over from Pogba as Pogba will be sold by next summer. As the games pass and the pressure mounts, VDB will be coming on instead of Pogba.
 

Valuedrug

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Yeah, it is a bit odd. Though unfortunately I think it happens regularly that the club buys players, the manager didn't really ask for. It would explain a number of the signings that Jose apparently made.

Whether for commercial value or because Woodward considers himself the clubs director of football, if the non-football decisionmakers are buying players for their own reasons, it's a pretty terrible way to build a team.
 

hobbers

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I don't think he's so much the Pogba replacement as the insurance against Pogba leaving next summer. Which is obviously worse as its not a pro-active strategy.

I bet the board wanted Pogba to either be sold last summer or to sign a new deal. As it was coronavirus made selling him really difficult and contract talks were put on the back burner.

So either we'll offer Pogba a ridiculous contract to "protect his value" and VdB will end up shafted. Or we'll lose Pogba for free next summer and VdB will have to put up with a season with a lot less football than he'd like. Either way, shit situation caused by shit management.
 

Borys

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Maybe this was set up before Bruno joined? We thought back then Pogba can play in midfield and agreed with Ajax to get him 2020, but in the winter we went for Bruno which was not a planned move?
 

Nytram Shakes

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Clubs will have money, his target clubs barely spent, they actually sold. Money will be available. I suspect he’s gone in the summer, it’s obvious
everything is pointing towards clubs having less money next summer, and no guarantee they would want to spend big on Pogba even if they did
 

He'sRaldo

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completely different types of players.

furthermore if McT continues to play in light of further competition, that’s good news.

however, as I’ve said earlier his time will come. He’s being integrated into a new club, and we are strong in the middle of the park (although not necessarily having the right mix).

it’s both usual, and no issue for him to wait until he gets game time.
Exactly. The type of player we needed, we didn't go after. And the one we had in excess, we did.

If Donny is Bruno's backup then that means the first 11 wasn't strengthened; especially if McTominay is somehow getting into the starting lineup over the new signing. Reeks of poor planning.

That is, unless Donny can start alongside Fred, in which case it would be a good starting 11 signing.
 

Matt851

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It would be the most united thing to just give pogba a massive contract for no real reason and have him stink out the bench for the next few years
 

Bastian

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I don't think he's so much the Pogba replacement as the insurance against Pogba leaving next summer. Which is obviously worse as its not a pro-active strategy.

I bet the board wanted Pogba to either be sold last summer or to sign a new deal. As it was coronavirus made selling him really difficult and contract talks were put on the back burner.

So either we'll offer Pogba a ridiculous contract to "protect his value" and VdB will end up shafted. Or we'll lose Pogba for free next summer and VdB will have to put up with a season with a lot less football than he'd like. Either way, shit situation caused by shit management.
Pogba has a contract until June '22 so he's not going anywhere on a free next summer. Now, if the club had decided on selling him whilst buying VdB, it will also make less sense prioritising game time for someone not part of the future, over someone who is and at an age where he is developing fast.

If he was bought with that in mind, that Pogba is likely off, then it is a good strategy to do so before selling Pogba when we'd appear more desperate and easier to fleece. His price was modest and his talent there for all to see, whilst he's also lauded for his attitude. He was an uncharacteristically good piece of business on the club's part in my view. And he'll start getting games very soon and play himself into the team.
 

Mr PG

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I am positive that Fred went far longer than this without getting played much at all. I think this thing with Van de Beek is such a non story right now, and I'm pretty confident he'll start one of the next few games
VDB is not Fred and Fred was started ended up not being up to it when he joined

It’s just insane to start Dan James, and Mata over VDB and Greenwood. A guy who gets you a goal every 2 games
 

slyadams

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You'd hope when he came in he was told what his role short, medium and long term would be. If he was told this is a season as a backup player, rotating in for Bruno/Pogba etc. with the expectation that next year he'll be first XI then there should be no surprises for him. He might have made our squad stronger, but given we're saying we don't have enough money to fill actual first team gaps, to spend £40m on a player we fully expect to spend most of his time on the bench seems bonkers.
 

cyril C

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Bruno's instant hit was 1 in a thousand, most European players need at least half a season to adapt to EPL. I hope people are old enough to remember Vidic debut, almost a horror show. Evra as well, so it was funny when he made all those statement about VDB. Give him time to adapt and grow, starting off with cup games and surely Xmas games. Rotation to Bruno is necessary as Bruno can't play 60 games a season.
 

bosnian_red

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Bruno's instant hit was 1 in a thousand, most European players need at least half a season to adapt to EPL. I hope people are old enough to remember Vidic debut, almost a horror show. Evra as well, so it was funny when he made all those statement about VDB. Give him time to adapt and grow, starting off with cup games and surely Xmas games. Rotation to Bruno is necessary as Bruno can't play 60 games a season.
I think the annoyance is that he looked good when on the pitch but just hasn't been used
 

Bebestation

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The one way I'm worried about Van De Beek's transfer so far is that Ole bought him as a midfielder and eventually wasnt impressed at his ability there.

Ole has sometimes shown an ability to change to a different formation before always instantly reverting back to the same old 4231. Where exactly does Van de Beek fit in that formation? His best position has been taken and maybe his CM ability isnt viewed to be as good as the ones he's replacing.

I think alot of us can see that he is better as an AM or even a false 9 than playing the exact role of a CM. I'm not saying he is bad at it but better than Pogba's, Bruno's, Fred's ability to play CM? Maybe but im not so sure.

If this is true then this doesnt highlight Van De Beeks weaknesses but it highlights that Ole has a favouritism towards a single formation that can hold players back. That would be very poor.
 

RkkMan

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everything is pointing towards clubs having less money next summer, and no guarantee they would want to spend big on Pogba even if they did
Juve is the obvious choice Pirlo was a big fan of him when they were team mates and probably still is.Juve were actually set to pay us all our Pogba money back pre COVID but things got messed up. They`ll probably try again with a year left on his deal suspect 50m can get it done especially if as it stands they sell Dybala
 

croadyman

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I think the annoyance is that he looked good when on the pitch but just hasn't been used
Convinced this signing has been made over his head when his heart was set on Grealish, then sadly for him Villa did the great escape and we got priced out
 

Nickelodeon

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Am I the only one who isn't concerned about the Donny situation? He usually comes off the bench and looks sharp. We've played just 5 PL games and 1 CL game. Why is it being portrayed like he's being sidelined or discarded? He's come to a new club and is also just 23. With time, he'll show his worth and get into the team if he deserves it. For the record, I do expect him to start one of our next two games. The only point is that I'd rather have him in the team ahead of James who is as useless as they come.
 

cyril C

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I think the annoyance is that he looked good when on the pitch but just hasn't been used
Even Pogba looked good in Oct. Do you agree with me that Pogba should have trained a few session more before he is ready? Beside, with Bruno and Pogba in the squad, it is a difficult argument to fit in another not so defensive minded player. If Pogba is on the bench, VDB must be behind him. I suppose all argument will disappear when Pogba leaves next season.