In the last few years, Manchester United has preferred to play wingers and forwards in center midfield over actual central midfielders. Going back to the end of the Sir Alex Ferguson’s era, the legendary Scot famously picked the likes of Rafael, John O’ Shea and Ji-Sung Park ahead of Paul Pogba in the center of the park. While United claimed that Pogba’s exit was a result of the-then-19-year old’s pleonexia, the French youngster has constantly maintained that it was a consequence of a lack of playing time. Fast-forward a couple of seasons, after a protracted transfer saga involving fake agents, United signed their first ‘true’ center midfielder since Owen Hargreaves – Ander Herrera. After years of having to watch Darron Gibson, Anderson and Tom Cleverley struggle in the center of the park, we finally had a midfielder who looked the part. Yet, these days, Marouane Fellaini, Adnan Januzaj, Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney – converted central midfielders – are preferred to the ex-Athletic man.
At first, Herrera was a mainstay of the United starting lineup – he played in all of the initial games under Louis van Gaal. However, a rib injury combined with tactical changes has meant the spaniard has been relegated to the bench since December (the start against Preston notwithstanding). In spite of United’s consistently subpar performances, van Gaal refuses to play Herrera. In a recent interview, the boss stated that he believes that the performances of other midfielders are keeping Herrera out of the team. It is certainly true that Rooney’s industry, Fellaini’s physicality and Angel Di Maria’s creativity are assets that have bailed United out of trouble. However, the confounding fact is that Herrera possesses all those attributes. Let’s look at some of the reasons that Ander Herrera should be a starter for Manchester United.
Goals – In the face of underperforming strikers, Herrera continues to provide goals and assists for this United team. Each one of his goals for United this season has been highlight worthy. None more so than his exceptional goal against Yeovil Town – a goal that won him United’s Goal of the Month. Other goals have included a delightful back heel against Leicester City.
Work rate – Herrera consistently harries opponents and isn’t afraid to go into a tackle. While he will never have the aerial prowess of Fellaini, his ability to close down creative midfielders would be an asset in the big games – when he comes up against the likes of Cesc Fabregas. Fellaini (somewhat unfairly) gives up too many fouls, and opposition midfielders are able to run past him easily. Herrera, on the other hand, has the foot speed to make recovery runs.
As a ULF listening and fellow United supporter I have to say that you talk a lot of sense about this iteration of Manchester United.
I would say that much of the problems with this team lie in a very complicated mess of misbalanced players (as LvG continues to say). Included in this is the fact that Falcao and van Persie just aren’t doing their job. There are way too many high priced players in the same positions on the pitch. This includes Rooney who is in the situation of needing to play since he’s the club captain (a role he seems to be embracing more and more).
Now van Gaal is almost forced into shoehorning all of these players into a system that simply isn’t working. At all.
What he needs to do is simply suck it up and play his best 11 in the roles they deserve to be played in. At this point it means dropping some very high priced players and possibly playing younger (more deserving) players in their place.
I can’t help but think that there is something else going on behind the scenes that we fans don’t know about. Whether that is contract related with certain players, contract related with certain sponsors, or meddling agents we may never know.
I do know one thing though, van Gaal has definitely clamped down on the rumours. No more leaks coming out of the dressing room like they did under Moyes. He is ruling that part of the club much the same way SAF did.
Hey Todd,
Thanks for reading and responding. Couldn’t agree more with what you are saying here. Also, good observation on the clamping down of the rumors! Probably a combination of LVG’s power and the fact that Rio is no longer at the club 🙂
Cheers!
great post! thanks
One of the better analyses I’ve read on WST. Thanks! I really like your 4-2-3-1 scheme, but I’d put Rooney in behind Wilson, swap Fellaini for Januzaj (Adnan’s just about the only player left at Utd who’ll run at defenders and pull them out of position to create space), and let diMaria and Januzaj run riot on the wings.
Thanks man! That’s a good shout. I considered that. The only reason I left Janujaz out is that on current form, Fellaini deserves to be in the team – in that position. But, yeah, in general, I would much rather see the younger Belgian #11 start. Your point is well taken. Thanks for reading!
Couldn’t agree more- every time Herrera is on the field, he makes good things happen. His lack of playing time is more evidence that van Gaal is not the genius he frequently tells people he is. In addition, van Gaal’s boast that he “can improve any player” appears hollow as well- several of the current United players seem to be stagnating.
He doesn’t pass backwards enough and he doesn’t spend 10 seconds on the ball before passing it so it makes sense that Van Gaal benches him because it makes to much sense in fact common sense.
One more thing I’ve noticed is that Herrera is one of the few current United players who plays with some fire (the under-used Rafael being another). You can tell it matters to Herrera, while some of the players (yes, you, RvP) seem diffident about the whole enterprise.
Good point. He spent a fair amount of time visiting the museum and learning about the history of the club. He “gets it”.