Here's a very good video I stumbled across on Youtube which firstly gives a nice summary of Fred's game, his strengths and his preferred roles, and secondly explains how and where he might fit in in a couple of approaches we might see Mourinho take this season.
I've said before on here that he looks like an old-fashioned number seven to me, belonging bang in the middle of the park, but given that Mourinho (and most contemporary managers) use a combination of defensive sixes, box-to-box midfielders and attacking eights, I'm hoping, like the vlogger, that we'll see him in the role I expected Herrera to fill last season: as the slightly deeper right sided eight in a midfield three.
So Matic sits and shields; Fred does a lot of the legwork, brings energy and covers Pogba; and Pogba starts further up the pitch from where we know he can do real damage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB00_1d7GN8
Fred: where does he fit in?
posted on 7/6/18
comment by Alexis The King Sanchez (U10026)
posted 30 seconds ago
Is that a bad thing?
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Well he won't progress much unless he plays, will he?
posted on 7/6/18
But it’d be bad for United if he’s playing all the time as it’d weaken our team.
posted on 7/6/18
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posted on 7/6/18
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posted on 7/6/18
comment by Alexis The King Sanchez (U10026)
posted 5 minutes ago
But it’d be bad for United if he’s playing all the time as it’d weaken our team.
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And that is a different conversation.
posted on 7/6/18
Dave Sanchez 🤓🦈🐠 (U11711)
We'll see, won't we?
I suspect his involvement in the first team will plateau and therefore is development will too.
He gets to train with the first team - whoopdeedoo.
posted on 7/6/18
It’s an important one when talking about McTominay. I like seeing youth players come through but some just don’t have the quality that makes it worth the detrimental effect their presence would have on the team by playing lots of games. Rashford isn’t such a player, McTominay is.
posted on 7/6/18
Alexis The King Sanchez (U10026)
But that isn't really relevant to my point.
My point is aimed at those who told me that Jose is committed to developing youth and held McTominay up as an example.
Going out and buying a player for that position suggests he isn't as committed to developing him as much as people may have thought.
Time will tell.
The fact you think he's not good enough is a bit of a different discussion, I think.
posted on 7/6/18
Ok yeah I agree with that. It was a token effort on his part. It’s something he can point his detractors to.
posted on 7/6/18
comment by Alexis The King Sanchez (U10026)
posted 3 minutes ago
Ok yeah I agree with that. It was a token effort on his part. It’s something he can point his detractors to.
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Agreed!