Sure. Allan is definitely more of a 6. But people here claimed VdB was a 10 and couldn’t play as a 6. I always maintained he’s an 8 that can play as a 10 or a 6. Looks like Lamps sees it the same way.
Fair enough. I dont think Donny can play sole #6 (single-pivot) in this league. Double-pivot (#6 / #8) sure if alongside a mobile CDM. Lamps if you have heard him interviewed has a bit of a chip on his shoulder about being labelled just an AM - will point out he played as part of a double-pivot for Chelsea at times. However, was alongside players like Makalele, Essien or Obi-Mikel - so think we all know who did most of the #6 work in those partnerships
Congratulations to @Donny_beek6 and Estelle Bergkamp, who have welcomed a baby girl into the world ❤️🍼 pic.twitter.com/MNCC45hfPR— utdreport (@utdreport) April 10, 2022
And she is a looker too. He will finish strong in the last few games. Plus ETH will definitely find a use for him.
Think I heard somewhere that Donny chose Everton because his wife was due, which at least explains why he turned down Palace
Understandable, but for his career it was the wrong move. Going to Palace would have been perfect. Up and coming team thats starting to develop under a new manager and playing good football. Versus going to Everton and being tossed into a relegation fight with a shit manager and a dressing room that clearly has problems.
At Palace he would have been competing with Conor Gallagher. I'm not sure he'd beat him out for a place. Everton were desperate for a creative player in the middle back in the summer. They simply didn't have anyone for the role.
Yeah I think Conor Gallagher has his position tied down, which isn’t to say Donny couldn’t do as well in the role but that it’s hard to oust someone the team has been built around. And then you’re stuck in Croydon ffs.
Donny van de Beek when he reunites with Ten Hag at Man Utdpic.twitter.com/XLzswYeWMK— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) April 21, 2022
Off topic, I need to go back and watch that series again. The acting by Bryan Cranston in that show is a ********ing masterclass.
Donny played next to Fred in the double pivot in todays open training. He will have license to get forward but not as much as if he were at 10. He’s good enough to adjust his play and I think after a few games our system will take shape and it won’t be as rough as it is for the first few matches.
he's the biggest question mark for me outside of Martial and Rashford. just because ten Hag is here doesn't mean he will magically return to form. he didn't really pull up trees at Everton either. we need him to be good though even if only to avoid defaulting to McTominay + Fred again
It actually seemed more like a 4-3-3 interestingly. There were a lot of moments where Donny was making that underlapping run he used to make all the time at Ajax, and he scored a couple of goals. Ten Hag is recorded saying Donny and Bruno should push up into the half spaces. It seemed like there was some rotation between Bruno/VDB and the fullbacks in terms of who would sit and who would underlap, and also some rotation between the fullbacks and the wingers with who would be wide and who would go inside. edit: see here. Ignore Laurie Whitwell’s comment. Eight attack v seven defence #MUFCTen Hag shouting where he wants his wingers. “Inside!” pic.twitter.com/uDntKbolmb— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) July 11, 2022
Yeah, I think in settled possession, it would make sense that he will push up. The idea is to occupy defenders and force a decision who to leave and who to mark in wider spaces. I assume that settled possession will have a CB wide left, a CB central, RB tucked in, ahead of them and a CM on that same level or maybe edge of the box. Who the deepest CM is in settled possession will probably change but I suspect Fred, by virtue of ground covered, will be that guy most times.