Why did we buy Fred?

[MadDogg]

I’ve not watched our game but have no idea what to think of Fred’s performance. Really has polarised opinions. You’re saying he was our best player, then I read from a journalist who gives him a 1/10 player rating.

Very confused! May have to just watch the match myself.

Basically, he won the ball quite a lot and played some good passes to create half-chances.

However, the reason he won the ball quite a lot is because he was pressing up quite high, leaving himself somewhat out of position defensively if they got past him. He also gave poor passes at other times which just turned over possession.

Anybody who is just focusing on either aspect (most of the media seem to be only talking about the latter) is missing half the story. Hence many comments are saying he is raw and inconsistent but is also providing some good stuff. If the team as a whole was set up to press like he does it should work well, but Matic doesn't really suit that. If we played both Fred and Herrera though (or even Pereira)...

 

[Ekeke]

I’ve not watched our game but have no idea what to think of Fred’s performance. Really has polarised opinions. You’re saying he was our best player, then I read from a journalist who gives him a 1/10 player rating.

Very confused! May have to just watch the match myself.

A lot of people don't seem to value hard work and winning the ball. He made 5 tackles and 1 interception in the first half way beyond anyone else in the team. Our DM was 1 and 1 for example.

He made it to 5 and 2 before he was taken off.

On the ball he tried some good positive passes but the big ones didnt come off. Players offside, or well defended when he tried to play them through.

So yeah overall he was probably our best CM in the first half but far too many people only look at what players do with the ball and neglect what they do without it. Plus your eyes can play tricks on you and if you aren't all that interested in it, you aren't exactly counting the amount of times each player is winning the ball. If you don't check the facts afterwards its easy to feel like a player won the ball more or less than they actually did.

 

[KennyBurner]

I’ve not watched our game but have no idea what to think of Fred’s performance. Really has polarised opinions. You’re saying he was our best player, then I read from a journalist who gives him a 1/10 player rating.

Very confused! May have to just watch the match myself.

Samuel luchkurt is an idiot and some have to be wuming. Watch the game yourself. He was very good when all our players couldn’t get a grip of the game. Only bad thing was he made some sloppy passes but you could see the intention. Put Sanchez through twice in the first half after making great interceptions.

The boy is good and Jose has to persist with him. His style and energy is what we expect of a United midfielder.

Side note, I also feel there might be a divide on how most of the caf thinks we should be set up. I personally want us to play attacking football while pressing the opponent. Caf might be more counter attacking which is why they don’t appreciate the style from him.

 

[Judas]

I just don't think he's settled in yet. Doesn't seem to be on the same wavelength as most of the team. But it's very early days, and he's barely played.

 

[padzilla]

I remember Andy Mitten writing in UWS that the word from Russia was that Fred was average to good, not exactly going to set the world alight but he does not seem to be a hindrance either.

 

[Canagel]

I don't know what to make of him. At times he seems very skillfull showing interesting qualities. Other times you wonder how he's a 25 year old. Everything about him seems to be very raw and frantic.

That's just his style of play. He likes to play quick and aggressive so when you put him amongst slow players or a team that plays a slow tempo he'll stick out like a sore thumb. It's not a problem with him. I'd imagine whenever we play quick one touch football with lots of movement Fred will be at the heart of it

 

[Class of 63]

Thought he did okay on Saturday, in fact struggling to think of anybody in a pink shirt that played better than him in the first-half.

 

[deafepl]

I’ve not watched our game but have no idea what to think of Fred’s performance. Really has polarised opinions. You’re saying he was our best player, then I read from a journalist who gives him a 1/10 player rating.

Very confused! May have to just watch the match myself.

Yeah, he was by the best player in the first. Don't believe anything from a journalist called Samuel who is up licking City ass and hate us. Even the commentator said he's so poor.

You can watch it yourself and decide for yourself.

 

[gerdm07]

Yeah, he was by the best player in the first. Don't believe anything from a journalist called Samuel who is up licking City ass and hate us. Even the commentator said he's so poor.

You can watch it yourself and decide for yourself.

The two passes to Sanchez running behind the defense were really frustrating. He seems to over hit passes like that too much. What the video doesn't show is his, at times, poor positioning when supporting the ball. Sometimes his angles are all wrong and is not using the space he has to full advantage. I'm still hoping he can prove to be a good player.

 

[tidraKS]

I generally liked what I saw from him on Saturday. He was a 7/10 to me, there is still a lot to improve but he's getting there. I was a bit mad when he was taken off for Herrera because I though Matic should was way poorer. Definitely not a 1/10, that's a joke.

 

[Mcking]

You must be watching the wrong game. The miss aside he's been our best player. Won the ball back high up the pitch several times, moved the ball quickly and played te delight throughballs to Mata and Sanchez; Mata was offside but Sanchez was not.

Thought it was bay watch. Didn't know it was football.

 

[GiddyUp]

Brazilian player coming from an eastern european league to a fast passed aggressive league, playing for a team in turmoil who have no consistency, are full of individual mistakes, are playing cowardly football that makes the eyes bleed under a manager that has gone to war with anything with a pulse.
Give him a fecking chance lads.

 

[Volumiza]

Thought he did okay on Saturday, in fact struggling to think of anybody in a pink shirt that played better than him in the first-half.

I agree, he showed glimpses of something we've missed for a long time. Someone hassling opponents, getting stuck in and quick to run forward if given the opportunity. More of this over time and he'll improve and we'll improve end.

Some of his play wasn't totally unlike Makalele.

 

[shamans]

Brazilian player coming from an eastern european league to a fast passed aggressive league, playing for a team in turmoil who have no consistency, are full of individual mistakes, are playing cowardly football that makes the eyes bleed under a manager that has gone to war with anything with a pulse.
Give him a fecking chance lads.

I just don't know what purpose he serves. Is he an attacking midfielder? box to box? defensive? I can't really judge him either since I don't even know what his point is.

 

[DCP]

Jenas just talked about how poor Fred was in commentary, it got me actually thinking about what the hell he was talking about because he was our best player for most of the first half.

Think he was being judged for the miss and dive.

 

[GiddyUp]

I just don't know what purpose he serves. Is he an attacking midfielder? box to box? defensive? I can't really judge him either since I don't even know what his point is.

Welcome to this current bastardization of Manchester United. We have a winger from Wigan playing RB, a winger from Villa playing LB, a striker with no ball control, a WC winning CM who is all over the place and I could go on and on.
I do see Fred as a box to box but with shite players behind him and no attacking football in front of him it would be a struggle for any player to show his worth. Mourinho has given his pets so much game time to play to play themselves in to form but to no avail. So it's pretty hard for Fred and Herrera to come in and show their worth knowing that Matic and Fellaini will come in refardless of how they play.
Pogba, Fred and Herrera should be given a 10 game stretch to see if we can put something together.

 

[RedorDead21]

Hard to judge whether he did well when we don't know what his instructions were.

 

[RedorDead21]

Jenas just talked about how poor Fred was in commentary, it got me actually thinking about what the hell he was talking about because he was our best player for most of the first half.

Think he was being judged for the miss and dive.

Coming from the ultimate anonymous footballer that was Jenas. He spent years getting paid to be completely and utterly invisible on a football field more than any player I can remember!

 

[Kag]

The midfield might pull off something special today but I can’t help but find it frustrating that - even with Pogba out - we’re still playing three other midfielders ahead of a guy who cost over £50 million.

All that money spent and so much of it sits on the bench or in the stands.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

Starting to look to me like a club signing rather than a Mourinho signing...

I mean, there was a bad atmosphere between Mourinho and Woodward this Summer, with Mourinho basically adopting the stance of a manager who hadn't been backed at all - yet we signed Fred for 50m...

But then Fred doesn't get minutes and doesn't feel like a Mourinho signing to begin with.

 

[Ekeke]

Starting to look to me like a club signing rather than a Mourinho signing...

I mean, there was a bad atmosphere between Mourinho and Woodward this Summer, with Mourinho basically adopting the stance of a manager who hadn't been backed at all - yet we signed Fred for 50m...

But then Fred doesn't get minutes and doesn't feel like a Mourinho signing to begin with.

True. Perhaps Mourinho trying to prove a point again. Show that we have better CMs and didnt need him.

 

[Amadaeus]

Fred doesn’t suit Mourinho philosophy. Most if not all other top team with this type of squad, Fred will be starting consistently.

 

[Loublaze]

Starting to look to me like a club signing rather than a Mourinho signing...

I mean, there was a bad atmosphere between Mourinho and Woodward this Summer, with Mourinho basically adopting the stance of a manager who hadn't been backed at all - yet we signed Fred for 50m...

But then Fred doesn't get minutes and doesn't feel like a Mourinho signing to begin with.

True. Perhaps Mourinho trying to prove a point again. Show that we have better CMs and didnt need him.

For me there's nothing that suggests he was a club signing. Mourinho has generally been given autonomy over transfer signings save for the few the club apparently refused to sanction.

 

[Adisa]

There's no chance we paid £50m for a player the coach doesn't want...none.

 

[Stringer]

Don't worry guys, if he starts playing well then it will suddenly be revealed he was a Mourinho signing all along.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

He's been here 3 seconds, why would he be starting an important derby?...

 

[Revan]

Starting to look to me like a club signing rather than a Mourinho signing...

I mean, there was a bad atmosphere between Mourinho and Woodward this Summer, with Mourinho basically adopting the stance of a manager who hadn't been backed at all - yet we signed Fred for 50m...

But then Fred doesn't get minutes and doesn't feel like a Mourinho signing to begin with.

Yeah sure, the club payed 50m+ pounds for a midfielder playing in Shakhtar. Let's continue with the conspiracy theories, what's next, Ed wanted to give De Gea for free to Madrid, but Mourinho didn't allow him to do so.

 

[arthurka]

I hate our recruitment policy if we have one.

 

[Silas]

He's been here 3 seconds, why would he be starting an important derby?...

Because we spent 50M on what should be an upgrade to our midfield.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

Because we spent 50M on what should be an upgrade to our midfield.

He's clearly not worth 50m. Nor should the fee paid have any effect on whether the player is ready yet, he's not ready. He's not playing, it is pretty simple.

 

[Minimalist]

Might as well just claim every fecking signing is a club signing if you're so desperate to excuse Mourinho of his responsibilities.

 

[Kag]

He's been here 3 seconds, why would he be starting an important derby?...

Because he cost fifty fecking million.

 

[Silas]

He's clearly not worth 50m. Nor should the fee paid have any effect on whether the player is ready yet, he's not ready. He's not playing, it is pretty simple.

I'm saying that a 50M signing should be ready to slot in and improve the team. Why spend so much on someone that's a work in progress? I'm not trying to blame Fred here.

 

[Castia]

Another expensive signing that can’t replace our mediocre squad players, it’s ridiculous at this point.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

Yeah sure, the club payed 50m+ pounds for a midfielder playing in Shakhtar. Let's continue with the conspiracy theories, what's next, Ed wanted to give De Gea for free to Madrid, but Mourinho didn't allow him to do so.

Club signings do happen in football. It would be foolish and naive to presume that they don't ever happen at Utd.

Whether Fred is or isn't one, I don't know, and neither do you.

 

[Ekeke]

For me there's nothing that suggests he was a club signing. Mourinho has generally been given autonomy over transfer signings save for the few the club apparently refused to sanction.

How do you know that? Where has Mourinho said that he has chosen each and every player? Where has he said he chose Fred?

 

[Ashley R1+O]

I'm saying that a 50M signing should be ready to slot in and improve the team. Why spend so much on someone that's a work in progress? I'm not trying to blame Fred here.

No idea, ask Woodward. I wouldn't have spent it, I've said in the past he looks like a raw 15m punt on an unknown. So I am not really surprised he's not playing.

 

[PoTMS]

Why are all our signings expensive duds?

 

[Silas]

No idea, ask Woodward. I wouldn't have spent it, I've said in the past he looks like a raw 15m punt on an unknown.

Yep, agreed.

 

[Ekeke]

Club signings do happen in football. It would be foolish and naive to presume that they don't ever happen at Utd.

Whether Fred is or isn't one, I don't know, and neither do you.

No, but we can see the patterns of what Mourinho likes in a midfielder and what type of midfielders are left out. Ander was soon out of the team, Andreas doesnt get a game. Nobody loves Fellaini or Matic more than Mourinho and we also play with Pogba who is tall and strong too. Then theres the player Mourinho created an award just to praise, McTominay.

So does Fred fit the profile of the players who lost their place with him as manager, or didnt get much of a chance like Ander and Fred, or like the players who Mourinho hypes up more than anyone else - Fellaini, Matic and McTominay?

I think its pretty obvious Fred doesn't fit the mould of Mourinho's midfielders at United. Now if he was playing every week regardless of form like Matic, then it would suggest he's Mourinho's pick and he has a plan for him. But he doesnt play much.

Games like today are why you pay £50 million for a player. They are players who are going to get you a result in a big game. Mourinho clearly doesnt trust him to do that