31 Jul 2017 12:10:18
Imo the Fellaini bashing is getting real old. I'm pretty sure with every change of manager, every season, we thought that Fellaini would become surplus to recquirements.
First off we judged Moyes for buying him, decided as a group Fellaini is not, nor will he ever be good enough, and assumed the only reason he got in the team is because Moyes is useless.
Then came Van Gaal, one of the pioneers of posession football. He was building the tiki taka before pep had a driver's liscence. What is the first thing we thought? Fellaini has no use in that system and he will be sold. Yet the man manages to crawl his way back into the starting lineup, and become trusted by the one of the most notorious " technicomaniacs " the game has seen.
Then comes a genuine top of the line world class manager, and he also finds use for Fellaini, clearly trusts him in the biggest games and has no interest in selling him no matter who we manage to buy.
Now there are some questions that need answering.
1- why aren't any other big teams in for him?
Well he is not world class, he is a squad player and is not at the level recquired to nail down a starting position at a top club. The managers don't want to sell him, that much is obvious, and he is on relatively high wages.
2- isn't he the opposite of what we are trying to achieve in terms of playing style?
No, not i'm my opinion. Fellaini isn't here to be a starter ahead of more technical players. He is here to bring a plan b when said technical players get bullied and are completely marked out of a game.
3- does he even have a position?
Yes, he is usually given a free role for reasons that will be listed shortly.
4- why can't managers see that he is not good enough to be a starter for us?
They do, which is why he is not a starter for us.
Now to think things through, either 3 successive managers are completely blind to his total " uselessness " or maybe most fans can't notice the subtelty of the reasons why he is played.
Fellaini, as has been said previously, is not a starter. He is a plan B to bring on when things aren't going to plan, or against teams where our usual plan would get us murdered. He does not have a stable position, he is there to bring havoc. Keep the teams capable of dominating us something different to think about, stop them from gathering momentum with constant fouling and such in defense, and completely bypass superior midfields with long balls and break all hell loose in their final third. that's fellaini's role within the team.
Now to be clear, the better our midfield gets, and the less teams are able to dominate us whether through sheer strength or through superior technique, the less Fellaini will have a role to play, the less we need to resort to plan B.
But i honestly can't understand how some people can watch us for 4 years straight, and still come up with " Fellaini is useless and brings nothing to the team ". He does, which is why he is still here, and why he is still picked by manager after manager.
In all honesty, I think Fellaini is not a " fashionable " player, and will always be on the recieving end of critisism, not to say " hateful treatment ". Whether it is his looks or his playing style, fans love to hate on Fellaini and it even reached very embarrasing proportions when he was booed during a game. Our fans can really be a spoilt bunch, giving a Real Madrid like treatment to one of our players, because we don't like him for one reason or another. There are times when its frankly embarrasing.
That is before even mentioning that Fellaini has never stepped out of line, never replied to the VERY unjust critisism he recieves from fans of the club he plays for, always puts his head down and works hard for the team and the manager, which is why he is a very popular figure at the club, and a model professional. Quickly becoming one of my favourite players and one of the few who truly appreciate what it means to be a united player, and will keep fighting for us despite being disrespected and underappreciated. Top bloke imo.
31 Jul 2017 12:38:15
very good post Mick1. Very fair analysis.
31 Jul 2017 12:48:32
Thats the best post of the year, Mick. Keep in mind we have had several from Shappy, but still this tops it. Absolutely agree with everything. The lad deserves respect if nothing else.
31 Jul 2017 12:49:52
Good post. We need a plan b or we turn into aresnal.
31 Jul 2017 12:57:28
Dont disagree with most of what you say but uniteds plan B/ C should be to bring on a hernandez/ solskjaer to finish a team off or a tricky if not frustrating nani type to hopefully do something special or a tenacious tevez type to hound and force a mistake. Fellaini should be plan D when you're in dispair and to be honest i would rather giver tfm 10 games this season than keep fellaini for plan d. Just my opinion of course. Would never boo a player that's pathetic and just not helpful for anyone. Nothing wrong with criticism of players or are we to stop praising them aswell?
31 Jul 2017 13:00:22
Well said Mick. I wish him all the best of luck for what's looking likely to be a move to Galatasary.
31 Jul 2017 13:21:22
I like the guy himself and I don't think anyone an deny that he always gives 100% effort but I don't think he is a very good footballer, his first touch is not good unless it is on his chest. His passing is pedestrian and not the most accurate and he can be terribly clumsy when making challenges all across the park. I don't mind having a plan B but there are big strong players out there that are better footballers in my opinion, I wish him all the best for his future though.
31 Jul 2017 14:09:11
He is rubbish with a touch like a cart horse and goes around elbowing anybody that gets in his way. That is not the kind of football taught by Matt Busby.
31 Jul 2017 14:24:55
Im with you rainfish and Tot. Mick couldn't disagree more.
31 Jul 2017 14:30:26
Mick, you articulated my thoughts a lot better than I could. Easy scapegoat for the failings of the last few seasons. The nerve of the man, not turning down the opportunity to play for Utd. I mean, really. If people actually watched him play, rather than prejudging, they would have seen he rarely puts a foot wrong in most games, but when one pass goes astray, people just jump on him. He doesn't get the, 'bye ball' from some, that other, sexier players get, when they make mistakes. The reaction of some spoilt sections of our fans that day he was booed, was one of the most embarrassing moments in all my time supporting this club.
31 Jul 2017 14:37:06
My god. It's a long post and I read it twice. Basically you're saying he's not good enough to start but we should keep him for plan B or C.
First of all, if he's not good enough to start after 4 years of being here, then we should get rid.
Also, this is Manchester United, our plan B or C should be to bring a tricky player to unlock a defence or a young striker to poach a goal. Not Fellaini so we can pump the ball up to him and hope for the best. It's pathetic.
Can anyone who has watched him really think that he's a Manchester United type player? I must have been watching a different team for 45 years! We used to pump the ball up to Joe Jordan but he had skill to bring it down and finish. We used to push Gordon McQueen up when we were desperately looking for a goal, but he was an excellent centre half and had a definite position within the team.
What in your opinion does Fellaini bring to the side, apart from trying 100%.
31 Jul 2017 14:38:57
Rainfish?
Is it? Could it be?
31 Jul 2017 15:08:24
Mort,
Let's hope not, though first post mentioned Matt Busby so it could be!
31 Jul 2017 15:09:08
I kind of lost faith in Fellaini when we played Bayern. He ran half the length of the pitch with the ball then just kicked it out of play.
31 Jul 2017 15:30:40
So we get rid of Rooney and now we have to have endless debates on Fellaini instead. The manager wants him in the team, end of discussion.
31 Jul 2017 15:35:12
My top post of the year Mick. Fabulous ðŸ‘.
31 Jul 2017 15:38:26
I think that he is good if somewhat risky plan B in tough physical games until we get someone with more technical 'nous'.
As a 'marble top' I can look at his hair enviously, but not change my initial thought when he signed - wigs are overpriced.
31 Jul 2017 15:43:23
Lets see if that's true grim.
31 Jul 2017 15:47:25
Rainfishtrombone
Matt Busby is dead, football evolves, Fellaini serves a purpose, the MANAGER trusts him. Deal with it and move on.
I pray he stays!
31 Jul 2017 15:56:31
If he makes a mistake, he gets hammered for it. But if someone like Herrera does the same thing then there is little to no criticism, and Rashford can do no wrong even when he's had terrible games.
31 Jul 2017 17:39:11
Garr, Hererra tries things, the killer pass for the goal against Chelsea for instance. Inevitably a player like this loses the ball from time to time. Fellaini doesn't have that in his locker. What does he have in his locker? Don't say effort because nobody leaves more on the pitch than Hererra but he's also technically brilliant. What is even Fellainis position? I'm still waiting for someone to tell me?