There is no degree of prolixity in an assertion that this has not been a good year for Marouane Fellaini. The Belgian’s disastrous first season with Manchester United ended with the Reds trophyless, managerless and the £27.5 million signing roundly criticised for a series of hugely disappointing performances. To cap a miserable 12 months, Fellaini’s Belgium lost to Argentina in the World Cup quarter-final, ending the Red Devils’ hopes after a tournament where high expectations went largely unmet.
The outlook could yet degrade for the 26-year-old former Evertonian, who holds no guarantee that he will start the new season at United – let alone be given the opportunity to justify that hugely inflated fee. Indeed, with Louis van Gaal reportedly unimpressed, and the Belgian certain to miss the Reds’ pre-season tour of the United States, the odds are that he will begin the new campaign squarely on the back foot. If at Old Trafford at all.
Little wonder the midfielder has resorted to desperate measures – restyling his famous Afro-hair.
Over in the Dutch camp, Fellaini’s new manager is dealing with the fallout from Netherlands World Cup semi-final disappointment. Defeat may have come in a penalty shoot-out against Argentina, but progress to the latter stages was much beyond expectations. Louis van Gaal’s youthful outfit will return home after the weekend’s third/fourth place play-off having readjusted confidence in the national side from a public that had little.
If there is an overwhelming facet of van Gaal’s management that the World Cup has brought to the fore it is the Dutchman’s new-found pragmatism. So long dogmatic about the game van Gaal believes should always be beautiful, the veteran coach devised a strategy for his side based largely on counter-attack, while maintaining security with five defenders. It is just not Dutch, claims the local media; van Gaal is happy to glory in proving his opponents wrong.
Yet, reaction to the 62-year-old’s conversion to expediency should say as much about the veteran’s past as it does his future. The contrast with van Gaal’s Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich teams is so significant that it is impossible not to conclude that the coach simply made the best of what he had available in Brazil. He will have greater riches still at Old Trafford. Whether Fellaini is a diamond uncut remains a serious doubt.
After all Fellaini pointedly refused to clarify his future despite questioning through the World Cup campaign. Little wonder – the Brussels-born midfielder was reportedly described by van Gaal as not “a United type of player” during the summer. Shorn locks and an obfuscated commitment will do little to change that opinion.
Indeed, it was a mixed tournament for the player, who scored against Algeria, but failed to impress in a Belgian side that under-utilised the many talents available. The back-to-basics tactical approach brought just six goals in Belgium’s five games – and very little excitement either. Moreover, Fellaini did little to suggest that he has the qualities to make United’s number eight position his own in van Gaal’s probable three-man midfield.
It surprised few that Fellaini’s goal came with his head, nor that Belgium largely sought to play a direct game with the United man available as a very obvious target.
Yet, Fellaini’s team-mates were quick to echo coach Marc Wilmot’s pre-tournament assertion that the player excels in an attacking midfield role. Jan Vertonghen, the Tottenham Hotspur defender, said Fellaini was “very important” to the side and that he does not know if United can get the best out of the player.
“I know there has been a lot of pressure on him from the fans in England, but in Belgium he always does well and scores goals,” said the Spurs player.
“I’m very pleased for him and I gave him a little hug after the [Algeria] game because I know that goal meant a lot to him. Marouane is a very cool guy. We know how to use him.”
In a similar vein Belgium’s captain Vincent Kompany said that Fellaini “is a terrific player” and that United must grant the midfielder “a couple of seasons” before judgement is passed.
For his part Fellaini has offered little in the way of renewed confidence this summer, blaming injury for a poor campaign and offering no guarantees that he will turn his United career around. In truth there are few advocates left for a man who looks very much an expensive error.
“Everybody knows my club season was one to forget, but I’m the same Marouane,” he said.
“United signed me one year ago. There have been some positives and some negatives, like the bad injury I picked up. Also, our team didn’t quite click into place. Now we have a new manager, we’ll see what happens next season. I still feel good at United.”
Logic, however, holds less cause for Fellaini to remain optimistic. While van Gaal’s pragmatic Dutch midfield has relied on Wesley Sneijer to add a modicum of creativity, it is Nigel de Jong and Georginio Wijnaldum that have proffered Netherlands a genuine base. Fellaini fits into none of those roles.
van Gaal will surely build his central midfield around new acquisition Ander Herrara, in an offensive role, together with a box-to-box player – Arturo Vidal is certainly wanted by United’s hierarchy – and a holding player. Michael Carrick may be offered another shot at proving his worth, although the Englishman’s lack of pace and dynamism counts against him. Anderson and Fellaini, and to some extent Darren Fletcher, fit even less into the van Gaal template.
Neither is the Dutchman prone to seek the obvious ‘plan B’ deployed successfully at Everton and with Belgium this summer. Patience, whether van Gaal builds a side to retain possession and dominate games, or one that excels on the break, is still the manager’s principled watchword.
United may even seek to recoup some of the significant investment – certainly if the new coach has little faith in the player’s ability to add value. Fellaini will only be one year older, one season more damaged if he cannot turn it around.
In the meantime Fellaini takes a break after Belgium’s progress to the World Cup quarter final. Most of his team-mates will enjoy pre-season in the United States, seeking to hit the ground running in the post David Moyes era.
didn’t cut his hair sir
Don’t care he can still pissoff
4get bout fellaini’s haircut.lets talk bout rebuildin Man United,are we 2 zip up our mouth bout transfer or its true u gona brin d klass of VIDAL,DI MARIA n VRIJ?if Di maria is nt willin 2 com buy KONOPLYANKA
^ I despair, I really do.
As much as I struggle to see him do an impact at Old Trafford, and therefore maybe should be shipped on as soon as possible, I feel sorry for the guy and I can not escape the feeling of sympathy for his case. His injury came at the worst possible time, he was never really used in the position were he performed so well in Everton and the team did have a nightmare of a season. There were a lot more players than Fellaini who underperformed for United last season, and no one else of them could blame being played out of position in a new team… Perhaps Fellaini were never good enough to be a starting player for Manchester United to begin with, but it would have been nice to make that decision based on him having a more fair shot so to speak. Quite baffling how Moyes could buy one of his own old players and not having the room to deploy him were he thrived in their former team, and instead trying to fit him somewhere else. Always hard to demand something of a player that they aren’t capable to offer and always a bit unfair to blame the player when he fails because of that. Personally I wouldn’t mind seeing Fellaini get a chance under van Gaal, but given that his position is already stacked with talent, that probably won’t, (and maybe shouldn’t), happen.
Fellaini is a relatively slow, lumbering player lacking any great skill or tactical nouse. He can be a nuisance to opposition players when played in an advanced role, by putting himself about a bit when the situation arises.
That is the key, “when the situation arises”. It arose when Everton were chasing the game late on at OT a couple of years ago and he helped them grab a 4-4 draw. Fellaini’s contribution in that game highlighted the weakness in United’s defensive mid-field (Carrick) rather than showcased any great qualities of his own. That was definitely not a justification for buying Fellaini.
The roles, attributes and player types needed week- in, week-out, by a club such as United can be somewhat different to those required in the part-time set up that is international football. Peter Crouch and Andy Carroll are useful at times but I wouldn’t want United to sign them.
Like Moyes and his backroom staff, Fellaini did a decent enough job at Everton without any real success. However, as with Moyes, when you play with the big boys you get found out.
I didn’t see anything really at the WC to change my opinion of Fellaini. He really isn’t a United standard player and the club would do well to cut its losses as best it can and get rid of him. The same goes for quite a few others. Hopefully LvG wont give them too much time to try and prove themselves to him as they already have had years to do just that.
What happened to Samson when his hair got cut by Delilah ?
Who is going to buy this guy ?
He’d be ideal for a BigSamAttack but I reckon that he’d flourish in Italy for one of the mid-table clubs – or maybe Germany where there would be more tolerance for his “physical style”.
as short as his new mop #sellhim
In the right team he’s not a bad number 10, he just needs to find the right team. He did well for Everton – just not a united player innit
LVG will have Fellaini by the short and curlies.