Donny Van De Beek

Originally Posted by Lok

We have plenty of players who can do something further up the pitch. We desperately need someone who can protect the back 4. Fred does that better than Beek. Beek is competing with The Scottish Player, Pogba and Bruno. He is worse than all 3. He has been given little game time but he has been poor-average when he has played.

We urgently need an upgrade on Fred but if we replace him with Beek we're left with very little protection for the back 4. Teams sit deep against us and look to break at speed (like Villa did). We would be even more vulnerable to this with Beek replacing Fred.

He’s competing with The Scottish Player, Pogba and Bruno if we dismiss him as a deeper lying midfielder, which we shouldn’t be. Which is my point. He should be considered an option with Matic and McFred.

Fred protects the back four better? Does he? Because we’ve never looked more exposed and he’s there most games. This is again an issue. We like to say Fred does a job, but he doesn’t. Which is a big reason why the midfield looks so hopeless and why we all agree we have problems.

He has been poor to average in his handful of starts. So have the rest, in many more starts.

For all arguments for or against him, you can also level at any of the others in terms to their suitability, shortcomings and ability to do their job. The difference is that the others are given chances to get it right, while Donny isn’t.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

They really didn't. We should have won comfortably.

If Greenwood took that chance in the first half or squared it Bruno it would have been a comfortable win. The longer the game went on the more villa grew into it.

Perhaps all along he was Pogba insurance so maybe if he is £#%&!ed off in January....

Originally Posted by redhegemony

They really didn't. We should have won comfortably.

We weren’t outplayed and we shouldn’t have won comfortably. It was a fairly even match that could have gone either way (which is an issue in itself considering the line ups) but Villa created the better chances.

Most games we play could go either way. Our shortcomings reduce our games to fine margins.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

They really didn't. We should have won comfortably.

Ok.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Perhaps all along he was Pogba insurance so maybe if he is £#%&!ed off in January....

This makes the most sense. We thought Pogba was going and now we have no room for him. Never fancied deeper and never dislodging Bruno or Pogba.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Perhaps all along he was Pogba insurance so maybe if he is f***ed off in January....

pogba can’t play the number 6 CM role himself

Bringing him in may have probably been a Bruno cover , even then , let’s face it if ole hates VDB this much he clearly wasn’t oles signing . Reeks of Woodward wanting to coming Monday morning acting all cool and suave because he managed to sign someone.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

This makes the most sense. We thought Pogba was going and now we have no room for him. Never fancied deeper and never dislodging Bruno or Pogba.

Bruno stays very fit but would be nice to give him some rest.. Pogba going and DvdB rehabilitated would be a good Jan window in part.

Regardless of where he plays, why he isn’t playing…. It’s such a £#%&!ing shame it hasn’t worked out. I was delighted when we got him

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Bruno stays very fit but would be nice to give him some rest.. Pogba going and DvdB rehabilitated would be a good Jan window in part.

Donny is actively looking to leave in Jan....

Timings won't match, unless he's given further fake assurances

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

Regardless of where he plays, why he isn’t playing…. It’s such a f***ing shame it hasn’t worked out. I was delighted when we got him

He probably works best in a midfield three when doesn’t have to defend as much. Why did they bother to sign him? Either the scouts gave some unreliable reports or utd are just idiots. They should have let him leave in the summer if he wasn’t going to get games.

Originally Posted by Dasilvatwins

He probably works best in a midfield three when doesn’t have to defend as much. Why did they bother to sign him? Either the scouts gave some unreliable reports or utd are just idiots. They should have let him leave in the summer if he wasn’t going to get games.

It’s bizarre and unfair we didn’t let him go. If he doesn’t like him for whatever reason then he should just let him go.

I don’t think “he’ll get chances” should equate to a start in the league cup and playing 30 minutes with ten men in the CL.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

It’s bizarre and unfair we didn’t let him go. If he doesn’t like him for whatever reason then he should just let him go.

I don’t think “he’ll get chances” should equate to a start in the league cup and playing 30 minutes with ten men in the CL.

I’ve got a feeling he didn’t want to deplete squad “depth” anymore than we already have. There was expectations on lingard leaving too and who knows maybe talks of even pogba leaving as he had 12 months left at the time?

It’s hard to tell, Woodward is a businessman, ideally we sold him at the start of the window and used that to get a player on loan or even towards signing another player.

The bid came very late and the option was sell him for 20 million without reinvesting right away or keep him. From that perspective you’d keep him in the unlikely event we have an injury crisis and 3 of our CM get injured. Which isn’t far fetched when you see Utd’s injury record over the last decade( it has been decent under ole)

Originally Posted by Dasilvatwins

I’ve got a feeling he didn’t want to deplete squad “depth” anymore than we already have. There was expectations on lingard leaving too and who knows maybe talks of even pogba leaving as he had 12 months left at the time?

It’s hard to tell, Woodward is a businessman, ideally we sold him at the start of the window and used that to get a player on loan or even towards signing another player.

The bid came very late and the option was sell him for 20 million without reinvesting right away or keep him. From that perspective you’d keep him in the unlikely event we have an injury crisis and 3 of our CM get injured. Which isn’t far fetched when you see Utd’s injury record over the last decade( it has been decent under ole)

I guess so. Shame for the lad though.

It was a loan deal to Everton, agreement in place with player and club, United stopped it.

Originally Posted by Bunker Buster

It was a loan deal to Everton, agreement in place with player and club, United stopped it.

weird ...why?

Originally Posted by redhegemony

weird ...why?

Assured his agent and player he would get more game time....

That's why they are absolutely livid now.... Was told this week January would see a likely move...

Gutted but understand....

Originally Posted by Bunker Buster

Assured his agent and player he would get more game time....

That's why they are absolutely livid now.... Was told this week January would see a likely move...

Gutted but understand....

It makes no sense to pay him not to play - be interested to know who's decision that was.

Imagine wanting a player in a football team who is very good without the ball literally the only thing Fred can offer to this side is chasing after people and occasionally winning a tackle (when he isn't bouncing off physically average sized players)

Poor Donny

Originally Posted by dinger

Imagine wanting a player in a football team who is very good without the ball literally the only thing Fred can offer to this side is chasing after people and occasionally winning a tackle (when he isn't bouncing off physically average sized players)

Poor Donny

Would prefer one that is good with and without, but we haven’t got any