Credit: the42.ie
Over on Reddit, Manchester United fans have been having their say on the season so far, and of course the derby win over Manchester City which precedes a clash with top of the table Chelsea this weekend.
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So lets take a few points raised by them and give some opinion on their opinions.
Fellaini is very unpredictable, and so teams do have to factor in what role he might be deployed in when deciding how to line up. Against Manchester City, Yaya Toure was forced to drop back and mark Fellaini out of the game which ultimately did not happen. This left City short of options going forward and also allowed other United players to become viable options instead of just Fellaini making the City defence stretched.
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As mezan said above, it is quite something to hear the debate surrounding how the league leaders will deal with this player, who was indeed maligned by all last season and on many peoples lists, pundits and fans alike to be among those sold when Louis van Gaal arrived. This did not happen and since then, everything has changed vastly, now one of the key players in the side.
So, will Chelsea be able to deal with Fellaini? If so, how?
Kurt Zouma could be the man tasked with doing so. Although a centre-back by trade, the Frenchman can play in midfield and started the Capital One Cup final in that role to great success. Matic of course is another obvious option, the no nonsense Serbian midfielder more than able to match Fellaini for physicality. Ivanovic too will be looking forward to the prospect of going up against Fellaini. It could be a match with quite a few bookings, for both sides.
It is important not to rely solely on Fellaini, nor is it right to deem him the focal point of Chelsea’s game-plan. They want to win and so will do everything in their power to do so; they are not concerned about singling out one opposing player because they are in good form. Both teams need 11 players on good form on the pitch in order to get the win, not just one good one. Even if it is Fellaini.
Louis van Gaal has indeed shown his managerial skill by turning this United team around, and indeed should establish a legacy for when he steps down.
This of course means bringing through the youth players, who are the next generation of Manchester United and he has obliged, signing Luke Shaw and bringing James Wilson, Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett into the first team at various stages in the season for vital experience. This is invaluable for them at this early stage of their careers and means they can make that step up to the senior team much easier.
It also helps make the team cohesive, and the much touted ‘philosophy’ is now starting to become clearer. Everybody has a role, and everybody is able to fulfill a number of roles if needed. Daley Blind is perhaps the best example of this having played at left back, central midfield, and winger so far this season.
Bayern Munich and Barcelona are among the very best teams in Europe and Louis van Gaal is the right man for the job to restore Manchester United to that elite group.
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