Vai Logo! The Andreas Pereira Thread

I'd rather be entertained than watch Matic or Fellaini ******** about on the field

 

It might not be one to blood against City or Liverpool but against a bunker it's plenty. Fred was signed as a defensively disciplined 8, we've seen WC Pogba at work so we know he can do it. AP would need to avoid switching off, but I want to see that midfield outside of friendlies in the US.

 

I'm fortunate to have Carrick as a coach - Pereira

www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/11448760/andreas-pereira-praises-manchester-united-coach-michael-carrick

That's another United player in the last year or so who has praised Carrick's work with them. He's got the knowledge, we know that, but he obviously seems to have the right touch in terms of how to deal with players.
Curious to see how far he can go as a coach/manager, but I wouldn't bet against him going all the way and becoming manager at Prem level someday.
As far as AP goes, there's really no reason we couldn't see him play in the holding role vs lower quality teams offensively/the ones who bunker. Matic and his defensive qualities are rarely needed in those type of games and therefore, I'd have absolutely no issue seeing AP (or Herrera) playing as our 6 in those games, since passing abilities and creativity are what's needed then.

 

So the same as with Matic out there? Cool.

 

I think hes right.

Not to say Pogba cant do both.

 

He can read defensively better than all of them. That does not mean he is quicker, better on the ball, etc... call a spade a spade.

look at squawka between Matic/Pogba/Herrera/Fred/Pereira for Aerial duels/Interceptions/Blocks/Clearances/Tackles won. Matic leads in all categories.

 

First off, I was being hyperbolic. Sort of.

Secondly, of course he leads in defense categories. He's the only one of the guys you listed that play a defensive role. AP played as a winger last season for ********s sake.

Third, you listed totals which are skewed in his favor given he played so many minutes. Switch that to per 90 and Herrera beats him in all categories besides aerial duels. So Matic isn't the best defensive midfielder on the team if you look at the stats.

So your argument kind of collapses when you make a fair comparison.

 

So you are telling me that out of the midfielders you mentioned they are better defensively than Matic. Ok.

 

1) he plays a defensive role because he understands the game better defensively for United. Period.
2) Go take an average and tell me who is a better defender. If you want get some stats from the best defensive midfielders that play his role 6's/8's.

 

As I said, Herrera has better defensive stats then Matic from last season. That's not to say Herrera is an excellent defensive player, it's more of a reflection of how bad Matic actually is at his role. If I would have shown stats on ball distribution and turnovers it only looks worse for him.

 

Another very good display from AP yesterday. Best part is that I really like how he grew into the game in the 2nd half, after a relatively pedestrian first.
As previously mentioned, would not call him a surprise but merely a confirmation. Arguably been the best performer so far for United on the balance of the 3 games. And in the context of making a serious case for a role in the upcoming season from the fringe players, he's been the better one by far.

 

Andy Mitten speaks to Pereira.

www.thenational.ae/sport/football/exclusive-andreas-pereira-on-mourinho-sanchez-fred-and-establishing-himself-at-manchester-united-1.755296

 

I was very impressed with Andreas' close control in the RM game as they pressed. I really hope we add him as a midfield option. He seems like a Herrera like guy that depending on the situation can be used in all 3 midfield positions.

 

IMO, he's more complete than Herrera and in short order could be one of the most players (not just midfielders) we have. His versatility is off the charts and the way he completely took on playing the holding role, following up on what Mourinho started last summer, speaks volume...

 

AP has more playmaking in him as a 10 or a DLP while Ander has more DM and box to box 8 work rate if I had to pin it down but they are both team guys doing whatever the coach asks and that is a beautiful thing.

 

Not sure about his pressing or tackling and positional play. From an effort and talent standpoint, he should be playing 30 games or more this year. But we have a manager who loves Fellaini so....

 

AP may be "naturally" a playmaker, but it's clear that he can effectively play as a 10/playmaker, B2B or holding mid. And last season with Valencia, Marcelino played him wide on both sides of a traditional 4-4-2.
Herrera is versatile as well, but in that department, he's not on AP's level potentially. We also have to keep in mind that there's a pretty solid age/experience gap (6-7yrs) between both players. Nurtured and developed properly, AP can really become a top notch player.
Not to take anything away from Herrera, but I think AP to be a notch above when it's all said and done. And depending on who the next manager will be, could be one of the major beneficiaries. Mourinho may have given him a real break into the first team, but he's likely to really blossom for the next guy...

 

AP by the numbers vs Leicester:
- 58 passes
- 91% pass accuracy
- Gained possession 11x
- 4 clearances
- 3 tackles won
- 3 interceptions

Not bad, not bad at all. And I believe there's more to come the more he learns about the position and gains a better understanding with his midfield partners.

 

His biggest handicap is his versatility. Just in the sense that it will be hard to get a feel as he will be playing between 8 and 6 with different partners so he will have to work to find his best place but he has won Mou over which is a start.

 

@jeff070 I missed the match, how did this go?

 

The link up with the ball at times was sublime. Quick touches, back heel, over the player between each other. We missed that stuff from United.

Pereira did well defensively, kept possession tidy and played Fred and Pogba through. I gotta give it to him, he got stuck, tried to read the game, won a lot of the balls in a system that invited pressure.

I was disappointed of how Maddison was found through the middle though as well. Yes he had a lot of interceptions but Leicester had a lot of the ball and found Maddison countless times.

That is why I thought Fred was the weak link defensively. Even if he is marking he is not effective, and commits silly fouls. The angles of his pressure were not on point and when he presses, it's like he is the only doing it with Pogba and Pereira staying back.

I would say very good first game in a 6 against an EPL side. Keep him in there and as he plays against better 10's and better attacking players, we'll see how he reacts.

 

Actually, Pereira was well north of "not bad at all". He was outstanding in the role, one very few of us imagined him performing ably in at this time last year. And considering it was his first EPL start for United, and against a pesky Leicester City side, it boggled the mind that he played with so much ease, yet with requisite intensity and composure.

 

Mourinho praises Pereira's performance against Leicester.

www.squawka.com/en/news/jose-mourinho-hails-andreas-pereira-phenomenal-performance-post-leicester-win/1052890

 

An entire article of padding around one sentence.

Well, that's Ashur's obit taken care of...

 

Don't really see how his versatility would be a hindrance, for starters. But also, Mourinho does not appear to have showed any inclination to play him anywhere else than at the holding role so far.
He actually could fill in anywhere else in midfield, but we have no idea if Mourinho plans on using him there, given we have other options available, couple with the fact that he simply hasn't done so, so far.