Why did we buy Fred?
- Thread starter Josep Dowling
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
If that is true everyone on the player committee who did not vote against buying him must be sacked ASAP. Incompetence I can forgive. Vainglorious, wilful idiocy I cannot.
Many people on here thought that Fred was a great transfer and the "City wanted him so he must be good" argument was stated by many users as for why Fred was a good player.
He was on our radar for far longer than City were known to be interested. I can recall reading some threads on here (well before I registered) that were quite enthusiastic about the possibility of us signing him too. I think Fred had some decent performances in Europe with shakhtar that grabbed people’s attention.
Obviously when City became interested then we had a decision to make. We went for it, it clearly hasn’t worked out. The fee now looks insane, but in the context of where the transfer market has gone - it didn’t seem wholly unreasonable when the deal was done.
He wasn't the worst last night
I would say Fred is worse. It's pretty close though
In January, 2018, according to MEN, Manchester City offered - "... a very big figure,” Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov confirmed: “They offered us around 50 million euros for Fred".
I think that's just Shakhtar hyping a player they wanted to make a nice profit on. I find it almost impossible to believe Shakhtar would turn down a real bid of €50m in January 2018; because I calculate it's about 4 times Fred's value.
I think that's just Shakhtar hyping a player they wanted to make a nice profit on. I find it almost impossible to believe Shakhtar would turn down a real bid of €50m in January 2018; because I calculate it's about 4 times Fred's value.
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So does he not pass forward because he can't do it, or because there's no movement in front of him? Was watching a Keane compilation a while ago and the forward passes were sooo smooth.
I honestly have no idea anymore. I used to think there must be a player in there - give him a chance, he needs a run of games. But no, he's dire.
Why do we buy mediocre Brazilians.
Not sure he is even worth that unfortunately.
Weren't Fiorentina sniffing around him in the Summer window? Bah. Lets pump some steriods into Garner + Gomez and get em in the first team.
He fluctuates from looking a really good player to a pitch invader. More often than not plays like a pitch invader. I’m hope he can develop something between the two, as it’s one of the other since he signed.
It was a “tongue in cheek” comment
I think we needed a Brazilian in the team..
He's one of the worst players I've seen wear the jersey. He offers nothing to the team; horrendous. Incredible he cost fifty million; it has to be one of the worst pieces of transfer business ever.
Fred, the 17 year old 26 year old. He's like this young talent who sometimes (10 mins spells) shows his ability and the rest of the time his lack of development, maturity, composure and intelligence, leaves you knowing he has a long way yet to go to fulfill the potential you knew you saw. Except when you realise he's not a kid and this is his grown version, and we million pounds in this crap.
This could work. There is supposedly something really good there. Maybe a steady run of games will bring it out.
You know the guy's bad if Lee Dixon gets it spot on:
- "What's Fred good at? He almost never passes the ball forward - squares, squares, always squares."
- "United may grow desperate and Fred might start passing forward, you never know!"
- "Fred's lined up for the free-kick, but doubt he would take it, as it would mean playing it forward."
He's bang on. Ray Wilkins was called the crab because of his sideways passes, but Fred is more like a crab with no legs: in his shell and going nowhere.
We thought he was the next Fernandinho, turns out he’s barely the next Djemba.
To stop man city buying him wasn't it?
Don't want to make him scapegoat of everything wrong at the club.
I am not even a tinniest fan of mata, lingard, perriera, but boy Fred makes them look miles better. Soon Fred will become phrasal verb - "he fred the pass", "today team is fredding" , "goalkeeper made a big fred of the situation" , "what a miss! he completely fred the opportunity", "manager must shed the fred of player's mind"
I am not even a tinniest fan of mata, lingard, perriera, but boy Fred makes them look miles better. Soon Fred will become phrasal verb - "he fred the pass", "today team is fredding" , "goalkeeper made a big fred of the situation" , "what a miss! he completely fred the opportunity", "manager must shed the fred of player's mind"
He’s not even half as good as the Djemba Twins. At least Djemba Squared showed some energy, enthusiasm and tenacity. Unfortunately Fred has the same poor skill set, but without an ounce of application as Djemba x2.
Well, sometimes even the blind squirrel finds a nut.
Fair amount of posters on here were adamant that he was overrated and his perceived ability was a product of the system and league he played in.
Messy player. Could see it just by watching some videos of him on youtube. When a player has to adjust himself after a less than ideal first touch at that level as often as he did, then something is wrong. And we are not giving him the same "nutrition" he was given in the oblast of Donetsk.
Maybe we shall start doing it then, perhaps it’s one of the reasons we were left behind.
Given how outdated and infrequent the "nutritiontesting" is in the modern football we certainly should, if we are not doing this already only badly.
Pitch invader is probably the best player insult I’ve ever heard.On topic. Some players would be good under other circumstances. A new manager, new system, better team mates etc. Fred is not one of those players. Get rid.
This is what happens when someone who knows nothing about football is in charge of transfers.
You could have bought Moutinho, Neves and Tielemans for the same fee.
You could have bought Moutinho, Neves and Tielemans for the same fee.
He wasn't even turning to look for openings... Newcastle midfield wasn't bothered with him at all.
Isn't we bought him as a mascot?
He should be tried in free role. He couldn't be worse than Mata, Lingard, or Pereira there.
Not on CM, where discipline and game control are mighty important.
Not on CM, where discipline and game control are mighty important.
I think even with inflation he's definitely up there. But personally I think Andy Carrol and Torres was worse. 50 million for Torres at the time was a huge fee and he just became a running joke.
Di Maria awful as well, but at least we recouped a lot of the money.
Fred reminds me of Ali Dia. Something is terribly amiss here. Whoever scouted Fred and thought he was worth £52m+... is in the wrong job.
That's not Fred's fault, though. And at least he gives everything he has got on the pitch (not much) when he plays. You can say that about very few of this current squad.
That's not Fred's fault, though. And at least he gives everything he has got on the pitch (not much) when he plays. You can say that about very few of this current squad.
I'm fairly certain that the team will never sponsor such a program, but it won't matter, because such programs are already used rampantly by individuals in all top professional sports, and up through whatever feeder leagues support those top leagues.
He played so much flair and freedom at Shakhtar, it's hard to believe this is the same player. It's also fair to ask what has happened to a lot of our players since the start of last season? He isn't the only one playing poorly but could definitely be the worst of the lot.
Does he become the player we bought him to be under a new manager, can we even wait for that to happen? Giving him the preseason off to get married was a diabolical decision as he clearly needed a lot of work doing over the summer. Now he will probably struggle to get games as we can't trust him to deliver.
Does he become the player we bought him to be under a new manager, can we even wait for that to happen? Giving him the preseason off to get married was a diabolical decision as he clearly needed a lot of work doing over the summer. Now he will probably struggle to get games as we can't trust him to deliver.
He’s had, what, one game where he looked good?
He’s not even picked most days so must be bad in training too
He’s not even picked most days so must be bad in training too
In my opinion our worst signing in uniteds history. He’s an absolute fraud. Sanchez was better even Bebe and Obertan I rate more than this guy. If he somehow comes good I’ll eat a sock. Safest bet I’ve ever made..