Tom Cleverley | Match Performance Thread

[Scholesy18]

Premier League footballers unwind in different ways, some less respectable than others. Manchester United's England Under 21 midfielder Tom Cleverley likes a game of snooker in an unpretentious club in south Manchester. He currently is on loan at Wigan Athletic, where his profile is much lower than at United.

"I was playing snooker last week when one of the regulars at the club came over," Cleverley said in a part-Mancunian, part-Yorkshire accent. "He had no idea what I did for a living and said, 'You're pretty decent. Do you fancy playing with the snooker team on a Tuesday night?' I laughed, said thanks and told him that I had other commitments."

Cleverley, 21, is unlikely to benefit from such anonymity much longer. His value continues to rise, though an agreement between the two clubs means that he will not be playing for Wigan against United at Old Trafford tomorrow in their Premier League clash.

Full article: Full: Tom Cleverley: the rapid rise of United's next star - The National

[Scholesy18]

Very good read. Ive never been more excited about someone at this club for a while. There is something more special about a player coming through the ranks at the club than a signing. Its reported Ferguson holds back on some signings because of his development and he may even come back in January.. I watch Wigan's games especially to see him and just get more impressed.

I do hope Tom can continue to develop as I see in his play reminders of a young Paul Scholes and Wesley Sneijder. If he can then we could have the perfect attacking central midfield player to replace Paul. It depends on how long Paul continues to play to his high standards and how quickly Tom can become a complete footballer.

[dalegute]

He def is the real deal...This guy and the hopes of anderson coming good as an AM, almost makes up for losing Scholes..

[g@mb!t]

Cleverley, Welbecck and Diouf all doing well on loan, can't wait for them to return, i think we should send Kiko, Obertan and Matt James on loan to prem clubs next season for some experience, especially Matty James, i'm intrigued whether he'll be good enough to make it in the Prem, he has all the right attributes and talent, but can he perform?

[worriedturkey]

Cleverley is one player I do not want to lose. His vision and workrate are second to none for is age and the amount of experience of first team action. I for one will be glad to see him back in January. For one reason is Gibson just isn't good enough and is not a player that i think is going to go any further at United. Shame really because the potential was there but doesn't seem to have pushed on.

[Wez]

Hoping this guy gets some game time when he returns in January, will the many "average" players we currently have on our books we could do with an emerging ray of light.

[g@mb!t]

Hoping this guy gets some game time when he returns in January, will the many "average" players we currently have on our books we could do with an emerging ray of light.

i am not replying to any more of your posts! keep getting infuriated as i keep opening a new thread and your comments on our "average" youngsters!

[dalegute]

looking at last nights game we might need him back in january

[Wez]

i am not replying to any more of your posts! keep getting infuriated as i keep opening a new thread and your comments on our "average" youngsters!

I'm just glad you aren't the United manager as we would still have over rated players like Richardson & Chadwich playing for us if you were. I just call a spade a spade and if they not good enough I say so. Rumour has it there will be many players on the way out of our squad at the end of the season and we can chat again then

[JSNFRMN_MUFC]

Shame they can't do it in games, eh?

Class though and the 2 main men were Welbeck and Cleverley.

[Geoff]

Awesome.!

Some goal- bit like the 1970's Brazil side!...Cleverley was something else.

[JSNFRMN_MUFC]

This footage shows to me that it was just so bizarre to not play Cleverley in the last game. Best midfielder they've got in my opinion... I don't think i'm being biased here either. I think Martinez has helped him quite a bit at Wigan, he was the only one who came close to matching Spain's midfield the other week because he's technically very good compared to the rest of England's midfield.

[se7en]

Wigan want Man Utd's Cleverley back | The Sun |Sport|Football

WIGAN are keen to get Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley back to the DW Stadium for another season.[/h] The England Under-21 ace spent a successful campaign with the Latics and helped Roberto Martinez's men beat the drop. But Wigan fear his success during his time with them may move Cleverley, 21, up the United pecking order.

Latics chief executive Jonathan Jackson said: "Tom has returned to United having done very well for us.
"As for what happens next, it depends what Alex Ferguson's views are. Maybe the time is right for him to step into their squad."

[Geoff]

It's going to be interesting to see where Tom ends up this season.

[JSNFRMN_MUFC]

We need a CM as we are, if we loan Tom out, we'll need 2 especially if we're selling Gibson.

[Geoff]

Cleverley is looking likely to be a midfield option for us this season.

Which is a good thing, he should have been with us last season in my view.

[se7en]

My view also

[JSNFRMN_MUFC]

I'm looking forward to seeing him, I think if he hadn't got injured last season, he'd have impressed more last season, around Christmas I was very impressed and then as soon as the new year came he got injured, without that injury he could have already made his competitive debut for us as it seemed he was coming back to us until that injury.

[metatron06]

Cleverley was quiet in his earlier appearance during the summer tour but really came into his own against Barca. Against a midfield of Iniesta and Thiago (and Busquets when he pushed up), it was a tidy and confident performance by Tom. He is a different player than those we have now in midfield (Carrick has the passing but not the mobility, Anderson has the flair but not the passing consistency, Gibson has the shooting but not the pace, Fletcher can be careless in possession). He has some attributes of Scholes (not saying he is as good as, before I get flamed) in that he moves well and can keep the ball in tight spaces.

[Sideshow Bob]

[JSNFRMN_MUFC]

I'm back for a bit. How did Cleverley do defensively? From what i've seen of him, that part of his game is underrated.

[MUFCbell]

I'd like to see him be given a chance. He did well at Wigan and his spell at Watford. He can play on the wing too can't he?

[JSNFRMN_MUFC]

Yeah can play in a lot of positions, has played at LB before too I think. Best in a central role in my opinion but did look good on the left last summer on pre-season tour.

[metatron06]

Watching that clip gave me the shivers. Even his tackling reminds me of Scholes! LOL!

[worriedturkey]

It's time we started giving the lad his head ....if he's good enough he's old enough as 'Sir Matt' used to say , and it still stands nowadays....bringing trough players like young Cleverley and letting him play with good players will bring him on leaps and bounds and in the long run save United in the region of 70 mill...What would you rather have a 'reluctant Sneijder' or someone young potentially as good as and will run through brick walls for United....oh i know 'you don't win out with kids...lol'