Ander Herrera

United needed absolutely of a player with these peculiarites to midfield.
The last year I didn't understand Fellaini's signing since September not because he is scrub ( and probably he is not so ) but because he wasn't the kind of player neeeded by Manchester United.
in last Everton period he played as AM, and you can permitt to do it with Everton because they were scrubs in attack ( after Tim Cahill went away) and so a player good in offensive insertions ( as you say , box to box ? :hmm.) is gold for them.
but in United, where you have real AM ( added even Mata) , where so you have AM capable to play football , create chances and assist ( what Fellaini rarely can do , he is good to score with insertions as against Algeria for example) , basically what an AM must do , you become useful
and so you must come back to midfield, where the United needed of another kind of player, and not another player good mainly to brake the game. A vicious circle . I am not surpried Van Gaal wanted a player as Herrera firstly . I think even Fellaini can benefit from his arrival , at least he can do again what he can do .. while Moyes probably thought he would have created game

After Moyes left Everton, Fellaini was saying I like to play DM etc, this is my favourite position. Martinez used him there at the start of the season and played Barkley as the AM. Then Fellaini played his first game for us at DM vs Leverkusen, he played really well covered the fullbacks when they pushed up, intercepted the ball and his short passing was good. This game was really deceptive because it turned out Leverkusen were just a bunch of chokers making Fellaini look good.

Moyes moved him to play box-2-box, part of the problem was that Fellaini didn't do anything to help Carrick defensively, Fellaini's positioning is awful, which meant Carrick had to cover more ground, and neither did he attack the opponents half enough, he would just play slightly above the half-way line.

He said he wants to stay which is admirable, but he's just not the type of player we need. West Ham should buy him Fellaini + Caroll, Big Sam

We should have bought Herrera instead of Fellaini last season, at least we have him now.

The journalist in the interview I posted earlier said Herrera is one of the most interesting/open footballers he's ever interviewed, many footballers are usually not very open. He said Messi is very boring, doesn't say much, but Xavi is interesting. This is one of the things Herrera said, he's a bit of a football romantic

“Seating has damaged football. Football has got to avoid being turned into the theater. Fans have got to be able to sing." Ander Herrera.

I saw this, I don't speak Spanish but this is the gist of it.

Ander Herrera, as an Athletic player, takes on the Real Zaragoza board for the fans. Says the team is good, the players are great but that the board has let the fans and the club down. It's not his Zaragoza anymore. Story is that Ander is a Zaragoza fan and has been so ever since he was a young boy. After beating them with Athletic, he speaks his mind in an emotional interview.

I think he will be a fan favourite for us.

New interview

He has the right attitude.

Can't wait to see him play for us.

never been outside of europe? Ander ffs what you doing on your holidays?


he has such great demeanour and is so passionate when he speaks, you can tell his love for football and how happy he is to be at United, even after leaving a club so close to his heart like Bilbao

ffs i'm gonna end up buying his shirt.....and Vidals....and Hummels................................................and Reus

Gonna buy Herrera's shirt and get Vidal's haircut ffs

"ffs" you guys

Great interview in the Guardian. It was very long so I tried to only include the most interesting bits.



Ander Herrera: I would never have left Bilbao but for Manchester United


On Bobby Charlton

On the first day Ander Herrera walked into Carrington he was met by Sir Bobby Charlton. Just when he thought it could not get any better. The photograph is one of his prized possessions, his profile picture on Twitter, and Herrera looks almost offended when he is asked if he really knew anything about the man who won the European Cup and played 758 times for Manchester United, the club Herrera had just joined. “Of course,” he shoots back. “Those of us who like football know about him and I love football.”

On joining Man Utd, and what happened last season

Herrera continues: “I’m 25 tomorrow [Thursday] and I thought it was the right time. I wasn’t thinking: ‘The train’s leaving, the train’s leaving … ’ but United is an opportunity you can’t turn down.”

It is also an opportunity Herrera might have thought had passed him by: the train had already left once, last summer.

“Much more was said than really happened,” he insists. “From my point of view, it’s simple: United made an offer to Athletic, I told the clubs to talk, I would listen and Athletic turned it down. United offered a lot of money but not the buyout clause. Athletic said no and that’s it.”

On Louis van Gaal

“I didn’t talk to Louis van Gaal, I spoke to the club but I knew he was demanding, very sincere and direct, and he has shown that. He says things to your face. He protects you and supports you when you’re doing your bit. He’s very disciplined, the team always comes first and he doesn’t let you relax. Every training session has to count and I like that.

“One of the things I’ve liked about Van Gaal is that he gives mucha, mucha, mucha importance to the ball, to possession. He believes that if we have the ball it’s easier to attack. It’s not ‘ball or run’, they’re not separate things. Run, yes but with the ball. I prefer that; you don’t get as tired.”

“Van Gaal’s sessions have some similarities: he’s hands on. Bielsa made me a better player and I’m sure Van Gaal will, too.”

On where he can play

“I like to have the ball, to be available. I try to play and to defend. I’m aggressive. If the manager wants me in front of the defence, fine. If it’s at No10, No10. If right-back, fine but of course my qualities are: offer myself, distribute, construct and last year I worked on improving my llegada, the ability to arrive and join the attack.”

On his personality

Herrera may look slight, young, too, but there is something in his initial response: “winner”.Colleagues say he is pesado: relentless, tough, hard-working, always talking. A pain. He knows referees’ names, linesmen’s, too; he reads the game superbly, both tactically and emotionally. He knows football inside out and has, they say, an innate ability to empathise. He’s a players’ player. A leader.

“It’s very, very, very early to say that,” he counters. “I see myself as a worker, shoulder to shoulder with my team-mates. Responsibility? Yes, always but I don’t see myself as the saviour of anything or more than anyone else. A leader? ‘Leader’ is a big word at United. We have leaders like Rooney, Van Persie, Fletcher, Cleverly … I’m here to contribute. Maybe one day I can be considered a leader. Not now.”

On football owners and money

“I still enjoy football. I love football. I love my profession. What I don’t like is cases where owners prioritise their interests over the club’s. Football can’t be solely about profit. Look, no one’s stupid: no one wants to lose money but nor should it be about people getting rich off people’s dreams.”


On being a football enthusiast

Futbolero, forófo … There’s another Spanish word for people like him too: friki. A bit of an anorak, an enthusiast. The passion goes back a long way. It is not only Zaragoza players he mentions. He talks about Andrés Iniesta, Juan Román Riquelme and Memphis Depay. The PSV player’s first name momentarily escapes him, so Herrera looks it up. It matters.

“I watched a lot of football. A lot. I still do. Last season I watched some pretty friki games. Second division, Copa Libertadores, the Brazilian league, the Argentinian league. I like to watch Boca, for Riquelme. I’ve seen … ” there’s a pause. “Yeah, some friki matches. I watch a lot. I love it.

“I don’t know if my perspective is different because my dad played but I’ve always admired footballers: second division players, second division B players. When I was a kid anyone who played professionally I admired intensely – and now here I am at Manchester United. Imagine.”


http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/aug/15/ander-herrera-athletic-bilbao-manchester-united-sir-bobby-charlton

He's injured. I just...I feel like breaking something, honestly. Our injury problems is so infuriating. There must be something in the water at Carrington.

FFS, we'll be starting with Cleverley and Fletcher on Sunday.

Soon as I saw someone commented in this thread knew he was injured

It's the intense double training sessions. I think the number of injuries will decrease when the matches will be further apart. I don't think pre-season helped with the matches being in close succession. That's why I think LvG complained.

Same ish happened in Fergie's latter years, and last season too. It's just ridiculous tbh.

I think it was bad, but not this bad, because at least we had Rio and Vidic in defence now it was Lingard and Blackett. No Evra either, so Young at LB.

Rumours floating about in Twitter that he is out for 6 weeks.



Emergency buys. Ed, get that cheque book out.

Vidal, Kiedera, strootman, Scholes lol

The Peoples Person ‏@PeoplesPerson_

McDonnell says Herrera likely to be out for 2 weeks rather than the 6 weeks Twitter rumour.

There's an international break after 2 weeks anyway, so he should definitely be back and fit by the 4th match day. Thank goodness for the international break (never thought I'd say that) with all our injuries.

now at least these guys wont be able to escape without buying CMs before window shuts. pay whatever they are asking for vidal and get it done you nuts.. we are in deep shite now

United’s current midfield issues have been eased, however, with £28.8 million summer signing Ander Herrera returning to light training on Monday following an ankle injury.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/11055295/Angel-Di-Maria-closes-in-on-59.7-million-transfer-to-Manchester-United-from-Real-Madrid.html

He talks about his goalscoring and yellow cards, which were both weaknesses of his last season. I think van Gaal has talked to him about this and is trying to improve this aspect of his game.

Class performance.

When we didn't get Kroos and Fabregas a lot of United fans complained, but they're not even similar players to Herrera. Quite clear they didn't fit the 'profile', not saying they would have come here if we came calling, just think there was nothing in the transfers when van Gaal arrived. Herrera still has a long way to go to be held as high as Fabregas and Kroos, but so far has had a great start. He was probably our most important buy, because we've been missing a player like him for years. Damn, great technique, and such high energy. Works his socks off.

Herrera is a brilliant player, he has a better engine then kroos and fabregas which is why i think he was a target ahead of those players, and he has the technique that van gaal requires of his players.


btw....Song is a dreadful player wtf happened to him

B-Mac wrote:
btw....Song is a dreadful player wtf happened to him

He got injected with Barca DNA but wasn't compatible as every ex-Arsenal player not named Thierry Henry.

Manchester United ‏@ManUtd 1h1 hour ago

INJURY UPDATE: Ander Herrera sustained a fractured rib vs West Ham. We'll continue to monitor his progress over the next few weeks. #mufc

Rumoured to be out for 3-6 weeks.

FFS Another injury to a crucial player. Just when he was getting into his stride and influencing games and dictating our play, this happens.

Looks like it may be Fletcher starting on Sunday ffs. What a massive drop in quality that will be.

Edit: Ogden on the Telegraph saying he is out for 3 weeks. If so, thank goodness for the international break coming up.

He should hopefully be fit for the Chelsea home game.

Got to feel for the guy Del Bosque says he was close to getting called up for Spain last time can't because he was injured. Is in even better form right now, gets injured again.

Will miss the Everton game shame, but we have loads of match winners in the team right now, that we can still get a result. Great news if he's back for the Chelsea game. If he isn't, Carrick should be back by then anyway.

On the bright side, at least it's not his back, which could have been much worse.

He'll be a big miss regardless, though.

fracture is better then broken so his recovery is likely 2-3 weeks as i have had the injury before, then getting fitness back