So I don’t know if I was watching a different game but Fred was by far our best midfielder last night. Energy, forward passing, tackling, everything.
He was hooked for Pogba when everyone felt Matic needed to go.
Our football got worse as a result in my opinion.
Yet today we get this beauty
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/man-utd-getting-more-out-13654718
“Tuesday night’s recall, then, provided Fred with the opportunity to prove his worth, with Mourinho getting ruthless with his high-profile stars, including Pogba, who dropped to the bench after another ineffective display in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.
But there was little, certainly in his first-half performance, to suggest Fred is about to embark on a regular run in the United side and make himself undroppable for Mourinho.
Too often he played his team-mates into danger with under-hit passes, and although he went close with a long-range first-half effort which flew just over, there was no real goal threat from him either."
Literally not true. Fred was one of our best passers statistically.
Fred: worse than Fred the mascot
posted on 28/11/18
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 14 minutes ago
You really do talk an utter load of crap Rosso.
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What is your alternative theory as to why Fred was sacrificed rather than Fellaini or Matic?
posted on 28/11/18
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 2 hours, 39 minutes ago
You really do talk an utter load of crap Rosso.
==========
Except he's correct.
Fellaini was kept on because, if nothing else, he poses a goal threat in a way that Fred (who is a better player and was having a better game) does not. We can argue whether or not it was a good or bad tactical choice, but the fact that it was a tactical decision isn't seriously in doubt.
We were after all chasing a goal, and Pogba had come on to provide more creativity from midfield. Fellaini staying on was clearly a tactical choice, regardless of the fact Mourinho has his favourites.
Ironically however, had Valencia not injured himself, Fellaini wouldn't have been on the pitch to score his goal.
posted on 29/11/18
What is your alternative theory as to why Fred was sacrificed rather than Fellaini or Matic?
.............
I don't have an alternative theory. My first one was spot on.
If we were not winning he would be the player to come off.
If Herrera had played in place of Fred it would have been him. Or Pereira.
posted on 29/11/18
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 17 minutes ago
What is your alternative theory as to why Fred was sacrificed rather than Fellaini or Matic?
.............
I don't have an alternative theory. My first one was spot on.
If we were not winning he would be the player to come off.
If Herrera had played in place of Fred it would have been him. Or Pereira.
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I’m asking *why* you believe he would have chosen those players in front of Fellaini or Matic.
posted on 29/11/18
I’m asking *why* you believe he would have chosen those players in front of Fellaini or Matic.
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Because these are his favorites.
No matter how poor either of them are, especially Matic, they very rarely come off.
posted on 29/11/18
From the point at which the first two subs were made, we were playing with four up top effectively and the two players who came off (Lingard and Fred) were the runners who had been responsible for the quick ball through the transition.
With Young Boys dropping deeper, Pogba came on with instructions to hit Lukaku and Fellaini over the top or look for Rashford or Martial dropping off. We weren’t in a position where we’d be winning the ball in the middle of the pitch and looking for a quick transition, or playing as much football between the lines. Fred and Lingard, given how we were going to be set up, were the obvious ones to pull.
posted on 29/11/18
Fred and Lingard, given how we were going to be set up, were the obvious ones to pull.
...........
So obvious you could predict it before kick off.
posted on 29/11/18
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
Fred and Lingard, given how we were going to be set up, were the obvious ones to pull.
...........
So obvious you could predict it before kick off.
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Because when chasing a game, Fellaini makes sense.
As it happens, your theory would have been wrong had Valencia not gotten injured because Fellaini was scheduled to come off for Mata until that had to be changed at the last second.
Rosso's tactical reasoning is spot on.
posted on 29/11/18
Because when chasing a game, Fellaini makes sense.
.............
Groot, maybe. Matic? Not in a million years.
posted on 29/11/18
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 30 minutes ago
Because when chasing a game, Fellaini makes sense.
.............
Groot, maybe. Matic? Not in a million years.
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Given that he ended up at CB, in this case it very much did. And given that Pogba was brought in to supply the forwards, and Fellaini pushed high up for the long ball, retaining Matic to give some cover also makes sense.