DCJonah Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I'm looking forward to seeing what he can offer once we stop playing champions league teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SikhInTrinity Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 (edited) And KEA also played as the most advanced midfielder also and everybody used to criticise him for not really offering enough on the ball (including yourself if I remember correctly) due to that. You seem to have a hard time distinguishing between being the most advanced midfielder in a midfield-three and playing in the hole which nobody has claimed Cleverley is doing. Anyway, I haven't got time to waste going in circles so I'll leave it there. Tom Cleverley and Fabian Delph Pro Stats, doesn't look like he is the most advanced midfielder to me. http://tinyurl.com/Delph16 http://tinyurl.com/Cleverley08 Edited October 7, 2014 by SikhInTrinity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 To be fair, those pass charts don't tell the full story. As I said, often when we have been on the offensive, he has been furthest forward out of the midfielders. If you watch back the Arsenal first half in particular, you'll see what I mean. Unfortunately Squawka have stopped doing those charts which show the percentage of time spent in certain areas of the pitch which I believe would've reflected this more. I do think that this will become more obvious in games where we are not being so dominated in possession though as the onus in the last few games has been on keeping a compact defensive shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Brilliant today. A calmness I haven't seen since Petrov. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Brilliant a touch OTT, but he was our best player, lots of energy and was very neat and tidy, but not a real incisive forward pass to be seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Brilliant a touch OTT, but he was our best player, lots of energy and was very neat and tidy, but not a real incisive forward pass to be seen. There was never anybody available tbh. Static movement from most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunnski Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 (edited) Did well in a defensive sense but offered little going forward, not entirely his fault as he is obviously under orders to track back but I still thought he had a few chances to play killer balls but didn't look like he had it in him and instead just played the easy ball. edit: Thinking back to early in the game and he did put in some nice crosses for Benteke and also had one of our only 2 shots on target so maybe I'm being a bit harsh saying he looked bad in an attacking sense and hopefully he can produce for a full 90' next time out with The Rock playing as DMF allowing him to be more attacking. Edited October 18, 2014 by Bunnski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROTTERDAM1982 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Doesn't help when you have 2 players up front who make no movement, and don't offer anything. Gabby , Westwood, Richardson and NZog were all poor today, and offered not enough going forward.Back to square one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Doesn't help when you have 2 players up front who make no movement, and don't offer anything. Gabby , Westwood, Richardson and NZog were all poor today, and offered not enough going forward.Back to square one. I agree, apart from Westwood, he played deeper than Cleverley. Hard for him to be more advance, it would leave space. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted October 18, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted October 18, 2014 (edited) I like him. But he's not a difference maker. Would hang onto him nevertheless. He'll be important to us going forward, especially if Delph leaves. Edited October 18, 2014 by AVTuco 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I like him. But he's not a difference maker. Would hang onto him nevertheless. He'll be important to us going forward, especially if Delph leaves. This is true. I've yet to see a good forward pass from the lad, but he is very neat and tidy and plays with a lot of energy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I like him. But he's not a difference maker. Would hang onto him nevertheless. He'll be important to us going forward, especially if Delph leaves. This is true. I've yet to see a good forward pass from the lad, but he is very neat and tidy and plays with a lot of energy. I think the lack of a forward pass is down to having stupid players ahead of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poitier Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Tidy and works hard, but less influential than his stats might tend to suggest. As others have said, he doesn't seem to make a lot of difference. He is a useful player if he has better players to give the ball to that will make things happen, he doesn't seem to be able to do it himself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingram85 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Tidy and works hard, but less influential than his stats might tend to suggest. As others have said, he doesn't seem to make a lot of difference. He is a useful player if he has better players to give the ball to that will make things happen, he doesn't seem to be able to do it himself. But that's just it, he is doing what he was brought here to do and by all accounts is doing it well. What it does do is highlight the death of talent around him. He can't do it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Tidy and works hard, but less influential than his stats might tend to suggest. As others have said, he doesn't seem to make a lot of difference. He is a useful player if he has better players to give the ball to that will make things happen, he doesn't seem to be able to do it himself. Yep, I'd agree with that having seen him live a few times now. He's not a terrible player by any means as he passes quite well and works hard. But at the same time you can see why it never quite happened at United as on quite a few occasions he was a step behind in thought of when to pass it or latch onto a flick. Certainly compare him and Westwood to Barkley and McCarthy and there was a huge gulf there. I'm fine having him in the team...but the thought of losing Delph on a free, signing Cleverley for 7m and then repacking him as some sort of Delph replacement dosen't sit well with me. As we saw today our midfield lacks pace and drive that Delph provides and Everton just passed for fun around us all day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted October 18, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted October 18, 2014 Tidy and works hard, but less influential than his stats might tend to suggest. As others have said, he doesn't seem to make a lot of difference. He is a useful player if he has better players to give the ball to that will make things happen, he doesn't seem to be able to do it himself. Yep, I'd agree with that having seen him live a few times now. He's not a terrible player by any means as he passes quite well and works hard. But at the same time you can see why it never quite happened at United as on quite a few occasions he was a step behind in thought of when to pass it or latch onto a flick. Certainly compare him and Westwood to Barkley and McCarthy and there was a huge gulf there. I'm fine having him in the team...but the thought of losing Delph on a free, signing Cleverley for 7m and then repacking him as some sort of Delph replacement dosen't sit well with me. As we saw today our midfield lacks pace and drive that Delph provides and Everton just passed for fun around us all day. Honestly, I don't see Delph making any difference if he played today. He's not that creative either. And yes, I agree with you guys that better, or more mobile and intelligent, players up front would help Cleverly, as they would help our midfield in general. I'm not happy with the level our midfield is playing at the moment. By all accounts we should have a decent midfield on paper. Somehow it doesn't translate into a good performance on the pitch. I think it is because of what you guys are suggesting: we don't have the mobility or intelligence up front. We really need Benteke at his best, but that alone won't save us. Gabby or Andi has to step up aswell. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I like him. But he's not a difference maker. Would hang onto him nevertheless. He'll be important to us going forward, especially if Delph leaves. This is true. I've yet to see a good forward pass from the lad, but he is very neat and tidy and plays with a lot of energy. I think the lack of a forward pass is down to having stupid players ahead of him. It's a fair point but he was well known for not having a forward pass in him at United, and he certainly didn't have stupid players ahead of him there. I don't really think it's his game to make incisive forward passes and create chances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Still don't see anything aside a work horse 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumstopdogs Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 We needed to sign somebody who would influence the team in the final third of the pitch and this lad IMO is not that player. Would be happy if we didn't waste any money on him as he looks average. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROTTERDAM1982 Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 A £4/5 million player imho, a bit like Steve Davis, but not as many goals in hi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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