24 Jul 2022 13:20:00
Van de Beek's future looks uncertain at best. Doesn't look to have the physicality for the prem yet Bernardo Silva ain't exactly Schwarzenegger and he's been a star. New manager coming in could well rejuvenate him but signing Eriksen suggests he's just a squad player. Potential for a VDB + cash deal for Antony given our valuation is still way off Ajax's?
24 Jul 2022 14:48:08
VDB was pretty anonymous in the game yesterday. I think he'll get a chance this season but he has to take them. He has seemed out of his debt at times but he's also on a different wave length to the midfielders he's plays with. Fred takes 3 or 4 touches to settle and his passing is atrocious. McTominay takes 56 mini steps before he passes. Not exactly the Ajax way.
If he can't preform under Ten Hag then he only has himself to blame.
24 Jul 2022 14:54:52
I read on here too often in the case of Donny people have a pop at Fred and mctominay as a way of deflecting some blame from Donny! After listening to game yesterday and since watching extended highlights he was anonymous, nothing to do with anyone else, he is playing central midfield and barely does anything!
Fred and mctominay have got enough problems they shouldn’t be blamed for Donny too ?.
24 Jul 2022 15:17:13
Donny does need to show more ambition when playing, looking for a productive pass instead of the easy sideways ball. He can still shine even with useless players next to him. I do think it would be interesting to see him in a fully functioning midfield, but i also believe he should work hard for it to become that.
Question is do you wait for the midfield to be functioning and even then he might not sort himself out or do you say sort yourself out with the players around you or find a new club?
24 Jul 2022 15:17:38
Fred is a much better player than people give him credit for. Donny has been nowhere near deserving of a place ahead of him.
This 3 or 4 touches nonsense is not at all how he plays. His issue is that he has a bad pass in him, sometimes 2 or 3 times in a game and in key situations. But take those clangers out and his general play is very good both with and without the ball.
He seems to have become a pantomime villain on here, but I love watching him play. He has been involved in a lot of our better play this past 18 months.
24 Jul 2022 15:22:49
Spot on Chris. Fred seems to get criticised even when DVB plays utter rubbish.
Yesterday, three players were absolutely useless. Ddg, Shaw snd dvb, yet Fred seems to be first on some posters for criticism.
24 Jul 2022 15:28:20
Have to agree with Chris. You can't blame McFred for the fact that Donny has not shown himself to be capable of playing a half way decent game of football in the EPL either for United or Everton.
In fact it's a testament to Donny's failure to impress that the McFred partnership continues to be played. Maybe EtH can bring out some qualities that have not yet revealed themselves, but my guess is that another loan or sale would not be resisted by manager or club.
A return to Holland would probably be a good outcome both for Donny and United.
24 Jul 2022 15:37:50
Fred is rubbish?.
24 Jul 2022 16:02:50
I brought it up because if Donny is zipping the ball into either of those and expecting it back, he's going to be disappointed.
Fred wouldn't get a game for any team in the top 10 in this league, either would McTominay. We were consistently outplayed in midfield everywhere we went because our options there are horrendous.
I don't rate Donny that highly and wouldn't mind him moving on one bit but the football we play doesn't/ didn't play to his strengths at all.
24 Jul 2022 16:18:30
In many instances in games last season Fred received the ball then hung on to it, he got pressured by a couple of opposition and he lost possession. He was so frustrating to watch due to his inconsistency.
There’s a decent player there with Donny, maybe he lacks confidence at the moment but I really hope ETH can get him playing well.
24 Jul 2022 16:37:14
Reluctantly Donny doesn't seem suited to the Prem. I really wanted it to work as there was a great player in there, overshadowed in the end by the bigger names of de Ligt and de Jong who got their big moves. In the end he was a 'gift' from the board to Ole who probably didn't ask for him.
Poor old Fred gets dragged into every discussion on here. I think even a debate about the canteen menu would end up being a Fred slanging match.
I don't think either have impressed at Utd although there were plenty of games last season when Fred was our best player. The general consensus is that this was because everyone else was so bad. Maybe that's a disservice to Fred. He has played in a different position for Brazil and his previous club and been pigeon-holed by us into. whatever he is now.
Long story short, I don't see either being sold right now with a lot of other things to address. I think/ hope both will improve this season.