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He hasn't been great but he looks more likely to pull something out than Rooney. You have to think about the future is it Rooney or pogba.
 
It's ridiculous! You spend that kind of money on a player that talented... You have to build the team around him. It's that simple to be honest.
 
Agreed. It's the only way forward.we need a defensive midfield player that is more mobile than fellaini. I actually think he has been OK this season but he has always been limited.
 
Agreed. It's the only way forward.we need a defensive midfield player that is more mobile than fellaini. I actually think he has been OK this season but he has always been limited.

He's not done much wrong (Fellaini) until that mess he made to give away the pen. But he doesn't offer enough. He'll try to get around and he'll run all game but that's not enough. This team needs more that that. Get Schneiderlin and Carrick in there and free up Pogba. The dynamic of Fellaini and Pogba is all wrong.
 
I saw very little of his career at Juventus, so my view might be outdated. His performances thus far remind me of his time when playing for the reserves. He would fade in and out games. He strikes me as player who will be on the periphery for large periods but then produce moments of magic. Did he dominate games at Juventus? Is he someone the team should be built around? Is he a luxury player?
 
I personally would get Carrick and herrera in to free up pogba. I would even consider a diamond four in midfield with mata at the tip. It would get rashford up front alongside zlatan. We have 2 attacking fullbacks to give width.
 
I personally would get Carrick and herrera in to free up pogba. I would even consider a diamond four in midfield with mata at the tip. It would get rashford up front alongside zlatan. We have 2 attacking fullbacks to give width.

Hmm... Trouble is at the moment our full backs are having to give us all the width and they are struggling. Both are good at attacking but it should be on the overlap.
 
I don't think it's perfect. In an ideal world you would want two goalscoring wingers out wide. We only really have depay that plays like that but he has shown no formal pretty much since Shaw got injured. Martial and rashford can do a job there but they are not naturals. We have spent a lot of money this season but we still need another 2 or 3 players.
 
Hmm that's the issue... I felt we needed a winger in the summer we it didn't happen so now we have to work with what we've got.
 
I thought Fellaini done alright today but look at both goals, you'd expect your sitting midfielder to be stopping those goals. That's what Carrick at his peak would do, be in the right place at the right time. Defend the space. Lack of defensive intelligence and awareness in our midfield. No balance to our midfield.
 
Fellaini hasn't done anything wrong this season... He's been OK, he's got about, he's put himself about... But he's not good enough for a team who want to challenge for the league.

People can say I'm picking on him and that I have it in for him. But I'm sorry City, Chelsea, Arsenal hell even Leicester, Spurs and Liverpool would not have him in their team and that's just reality.
 
I'd agree. I think he's in because Mourinho wants this presence in midfield with 2 big men. He's not been bad as an individual but I don't think he's good enough to play in that role and his inclusion doesn't benefit the team.
 
I'd agree. I think he's in because Mourinho wants this presence in midfield with 2 big men. He's not been bad as an individual but I don't think he's good enough to play in that role and his inclusion doesn't benefit the team.

Agreed! He's by no means a bad player so I'm not going to argue that. But he's not what this team needs and he's not good enough if we want to compete eventually for the league.
 
I think deep down we all agree. I think he has done pretty well this season and I don't think he was that bad last season. However he will always be limited.
 
What he adds is a player who will sit deep and can pass the ball forwards with variety and accuracy!
 
Carrick needs minutes before he plays Prem football, not played at all yet has he? Has to start against Northampton on Wednesday.

I actually thought the midfield we played with against Feyenoord was the best thing about us in that game. Schneiderlin did OK in his first start of the season. I thought Herrera did what i'd expect Pogba to do more of too. As a trio I think they could grow but they need a run of games together. On paper, it's the most balanced and best midfield we have at the moment in my opinion. If Carrick was still the same player he'd be first name on the team sheet.

One name not been discussed that i've just thought about is Blind back in midfield. With his passing and defensive intelligence maybe he could do what Carrick once did and provide that balance.
 
Carrick needs minutes before he plays Prem football, not played at all yet has he? Has to start against Northampton on Wednesday.

I actually thought the midfield we played with against Feyenoord was the best thing about us in that game. Schneiderlin did OK in his first start of the season. I thought Herrera did what i'd expect Pogba to do more of too. As a trio I think they could grow but they need a run of games together. On paper, it's the most balanced and best midfield we have at the moment in my opinion. If Carrick was still the same player he'd be first name on the team sheet.

One name not been discussed that i've just thought about is Blind back in midfield. With his passing and defensive intelligence maybe he could do what Carrick once did and provide that balance.

Agree that Herrera, Schneiderlin and Pogba probably offer us the most balanced midfield though I think for some games you'd want Carrick as he's much more of a defensive sit deep midfielder. But yeah I like in theory the idea of that midfield 3! Just think its imperative that they start to free Pogba up. If they don't then he's going to be criticised most weeks.

Yeah I had the same thought about Blind earlier... His distribution is spot on plus he reads the game so well.
 
Pogba-Herrera-Fellaini would be my preference. I think Fellaini offers more with the ball than Schneiderlin.
 
Judging by the order, I assume Herrera is the deepest of that 3?
 
Yeah, Herrera would be deepest. He would provide quicker/better distribution than Fellaini. Fellaini would play as the box-to-box nuisance and contribute in the opponent's penalty area.
 
I saw very little of his career at Juventus, so my view might be outdated. His performances thus far remind me of his time when playing for the reserves. He would fade in and out games. He strikes me as player who will be on the periphery for large periods but then produce moments of magic. Did he dominate games at Juventus? Is he someone the team should be built around? Is he a luxury player?

Whenever I have watched Pogba - be it at under 18's and 21's for United, for France, for Juve and now for United again - he has always been a Gerrard/Lampard/Yaya Toure type midfielder who would have moments of brilliance in games that could well decide matches, but he has never been a player who has controlled a match from start to finish.

I think it might have been another thread, but I would agree with the sentiment that a younger version of Carrick would be his ideal midfield partner. The fact Carrick hasn't featured for us since the Community Shield would suggest he is waning (which we saw signs of last season). Therefore the next best option might well be Blind, which was also suggested somewhere. Effectively we need someone to dictate the tempo of the game and perform the quarterback role. Paul Scholes ingeniously suggested we sign Modric or Kroos during the week (good man Paul) but his point was right in that that's the type of player we need.

I would then play either Mkhi or Mata as a 10 against the weaker sides with Pogba + quarterback behind them. Against tougher opponents I would have Herrera/Fellaini as another 8 to accompany Pogba + quarterback in a midfield 3. We need to be more flexible tactically. We can't expect to set up against each team the same way. It's something Mourinho has rarely done though - plan b doesn't exist really.
 
Premier League: Manchester United 4-1 Leicester City - 24th September 2016

Coming to the fore now. Superb today. That dink over the Leicester defence on to Zlatan's chest was magic, shame Zlatan couldn't quite keep it down. Pinging passes out wide straight to feet. Capped it off with a goal.
 
He was excellent and dominated midfield. His vision and passing was top notch. He kept it simple.
 
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He was brilliant today... Once we got that goal he really took the game by the scruff of the neck and controlled it for us. And it can't be a coincidence that it was because he had more freedom and no Rooney ahead of him demanding to be involved and giving the ball away all the time.
 
World Cup 2018 Qualifier: Netherlands 0-1 France - 10th October 2016

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Premier League: Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United - 17th October 2016

Created our best chance, and worked hard, but he was fairly disappointing again, for me.
 
I thought that was his worst display by a long way. Would have preferred see him deeper as part of a 3 in the middle, rather than as a 10 effectively. Although that said our shape/tactics worked well.
 
He was always going to be ineffective or not as effective as he can be because of the way pool play. They pressed him well and gave him no space at all. So yeah a bit disappointed with him not being able to create space but not overly bothered by his performance.
 
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