We definitely deserved something from the game. The major problem was our best chances came from set pieces and we got nothing from balls through the middle it just highlights our dire need for some midfield creativity when Carrick's not available
AWTA. Fellaini is not settled. We need a creative player in the january window. Van Persie must also be fit. He lacked clinical finishing. Rooney and Van Persie must play together.
Fellaini just isn't a holding midfield player. He's too clumsy by far and his feet aren't fast enough. With Rooney out next week I think we should seriously consider playing him further up the field and bring Jones back into CM. Also just to now go back to that discussion we've had a few times on here... Cup win or top 4. I would absolutely 100% go out of both FA and League cups now if it guaranteed top 4 qualification this year.
Told you Fellaini would be a spuds tier signing at that price because his value only shot up that much from his success in the Cahill role.
He's being asked to play a much faster game at United though and it's really highlighting his weaknesses.
I thought he played well last night. He looks clumsy for sure but he barely made an actual mistake all game. It does feel like we're not getting the best out of him though. At Everton it was his aerial link-up play in the final third that made him really stand out. He never gets the chance at CM.
It was really frustrating for me that it was more often than not Giggs first into the box and not Fellaini. I'd much prefer him in there. Another thing we haven't seen from him is his ability to score from set plays. I don't know if it's just a confidence thing atm, or if we're just not targeting him but he never seems to get into a good position anymore. But yeh he was okay last night. Was lucky to get away with the high challenge
Some of the football he used to play on the floor with Pienaar and Baines was superb down the left side. And it was quick. I thought he was OK last night, broke up a few attacks of ours when there was a chance to counter but it's like he hasn't been given a role and told to just contribute. Looks lost at times and the game was passing him by.
I think that's been a problem with our midfield all season. We don't seem to have any defined roles and I reckon it is just down to the fact that unless we play Jones there we don't have a natural ball winner. Carrick will sit and read the game very well but 1) he's not a tackler and 2) he's being relied on to do all the creative work now. Cleverly is a worker but he's not a great defender. So I reckon that's left Fellaini thinking that's his job, what he's been bought in to do and to be frank he's shit at it. He needs to start getting forward more and thinking pass and move but he doesn't.
Yeah, I agree. He was so good in tight spaces too. He almost looks more comfortable getting the ball at an awkward height surrounded by 3 defenders than he does with time and space in midfield. He never receives the ball with his back to goal anymore. He's only had 4 league starts though, I'm still reasonably confident about him. He just has quite unusual attributes and we haven't figured out how to get the best out of them yet.
Now that I think about it, he did really well coming on for the last 15 minutes vs. Arsenal and holding up the ball. He might end up being a plan B forward. At the moment we just send on Hernandez and lose control of the game.
His feet aren't good enough. When he was pulling the ball down and offloading he was excellent but you can't be that physical further down the pitch because you just get pinged for it so he's getting the ball along the ground and it's not his style
Like I said, without Rooney on saturday I don't think our playing style is going to work, so why not try him and RvP up top and hit balls to them from wide areas.
Yeah, I agree with this. We haven't really stuck with a default central midfield pairing this season and I don't think that has helped much either. To be fair to him I thought he had a decent game last night. He broke up play a few times and helped out the defence as well. I don't think his positioning was too good though and we really missed Carrick quite a bit imo.
Yeah maybe. RVP might not be fit either though. Could be a choice between Welbeck (not a striker) and Hernandez (not a footballer).
RvP was optimistic he'd be fit for yesterday so I'm hoping he'll be available. If he's not then all the more reason to start Fellaini higher
His best position is on the wing for me. His final product is too inconsistent to be the main striker at a club like United.