Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is responsible for his fair share of transfer mistakes, but according to ex-Red Jamie Redknapp, BR's misfires pale in comparison to David Moyes' ridiculous decision to spends tens of millions to bring Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United.
In an interview with Radio Times yesterday, Redknapp labelled the Belgian this year's 'biggest waste of money', adding:
"I was shocked when Manchester United paid Everton £27.5 million for him [Fellaini].
"He’s a good player, but he’s just not a Manchester United player".
After the Fellaini signing, I only have the greatest respect for Agent Moyes, who did LFC a massive favour by flushing almost £28m of United's money down the toilet. That's £28m that didn't go on a player capable of pushing United into the top four, so bravo!
Anfield legend Alan Hansen is also sceptical of Fellaini's ability. In a recent column for The Telegraph, Hansen dismissed Fellaini's chances of making a big impact at Old Trafford, and, like Redknapp, suggested that Moyes wasted £27.5m on the powerful Belgian. He observed:
"The purchase of Marouane Fellaini will continue to prompt scrutiny. Fellaini does not yet look what you would call a typical United player. He is struggling since making the step up. You need to be more technically gifted in central midfield to play for a team like United".
Fellaini always seemed like an impressive player at Everton, so it's a little surprising that he's struggled to make an impact at United. Hansen claims that the Belgian is 'struggling to make the step-up', but is it really a step-up?
Okay, it's a step up in the overall standing of the team, but Fellaini is still up against the same players/teams against whom he excelled for Everton. Isn't it more likely that he's just taking time to settle in/find his place?
I'd compare Moyes' Fellaini transfer with Brendan Rodgers' purchase of Joe Allen.
* Like Allen, Fellaini is something of a comfort transfer for Moyes. He knows him well from Everton, and having Fellaini at the club gives Moyes some immediate, steadfast loyalty in the squad.
* Unfortunately, like Allen, Moyes clearly overpaid for Fellaini, and that may come back to haunt him later down the line.
* Both players excelled at their former clubs, but seem to struggle adapting to a more pressurised environment, where good performances are required in every single game.
Allen and Fellaini are undoubtedly very good players, but it looks like they've both ended up at clubs where they just don't fit. In Allen's case, with Liverpool actively seeking new central midfielders, it's hard to see how he has a long-term future at Anfield. If Rodgers sees Allen as a long-term solution, he wouldn't be looking for new midfielders right now.
As for Fellaini - he arguably has a better chance of making it at Man Utd than Allen does at Liverpool. He is a strong, combative midfielder, which is something United need, but - unlike Allen - Fellaini is versatile in that he can play further forward, and have an impact.
As of next season, though, it's likely that both Allen and Fellaini will be squad players for their respective clubs.
Author: Jaimie K
In an interview with Radio Times yesterday, Redknapp labelled the Belgian this year's 'biggest waste of money', adding:
"I was shocked when Manchester United paid Everton £27.5 million for him [Fellaini].
"He’s a good player, but he’s just not a Manchester United player".
After the Fellaini signing, I only have the greatest respect for Agent Moyes, who did LFC a massive favour by flushing almost £28m of United's money down the toilet. That's £28m that didn't go on a player capable of pushing United into the top four, so bravo!
Anfield legend Alan Hansen is also sceptical of Fellaini's ability. In a recent column for The Telegraph, Hansen dismissed Fellaini's chances of making a big impact at Old Trafford, and, like Redknapp, suggested that Moyes wasted £27.5m on the powerful Belgian. He observed:
"The purchase of Marouane Fellaini will continue to prompt scrutiny. Fellaini does not yet look what you would call a typical United player. He is struggling since making the step up. You need to be more technically gifted in central midfield to play for a team like United".
Fellaini always seemed like an impressive player at Everton, so it's a little surprising that he's struggled to make an impact at United. Hansen claims that the Belgian is 'struggling to make the step-up', but is it really a step-up?
Okay, it's a step up in the overall standing of the team, but Fellaini is still up against the same players/teams against whom he excelled for Everton. Isn't it more likely that he's just taking time to settle in/find his place?
I'd compare Moyes' Fellaini transfer with Brendan Rodgers' purchase of Joe Allen.
* Like Allen, Fellaini is something of a comfort transfer for Moyes. He knows him well from Everton, and having Fellaini at the club gives Moyes some immediate, steadfast loyalty in the squad.
* Unfortunately, like Allen, Moyes clearly overpaid for Fellaini, and that may come back to haunt him later down the line.
* Both players excelled at their former clubs, but seem to struggle adapting to a more pressurised environment, where good performances are required in every single game.
Allen and Fellaini are undoubtedly very good players, but it looks like they've both ended up at clubs where they just don't fit. In Allen's case, with Liverpool actively seeking new central midfielders, it's hard to see how he has a long-term future at Anfield. If Rodgers sees Allen as a long-term solution, he wouldn't be looking for new midfielders right now.
As for Fellaini - he arguably has a better chance of making it at Man Utd than Allen does at Liverpool. He is a strong, combative midfielder, which is something United need, but - unlike Allen - Fellaini is versatile in that he can play further forward, and have an impact.
As of next season, though, it's likely that both Allen and Fellaini will be squad players for their respective clubs.
Author: Jaimie K
Totally disagree, Allen will make the grade and has already proved his worth. Felliaini is not a Utd player but Joe Allen is a quality footballer.
ReplyDeleteLogan?
ReplyDeleteAllen has been more of a success in comparison to Fellaini and is a decent squad player. Although for 15m I will always feel we could have done much better than Allen.
ReplyDeleteI don;t think Fellaini is all that versatile. I think he gets played defensive mid because he is combative and physically imposing, but I think he lacks the discipline and positional awareness to play there. He can play several roles in the centre of the park, as I'd argue Joe Allen can, but can only really play one naturally,
ReplyDeleteI think he works better further forward. He is obviously very good in the air and has (well, had, but skills don't disappear) surprisingly deft touches around the box. He doesn't have the mentality to consistently keep play ticking over in the middle of the park though.
Some players just aren't cut out for the top level and I've thought for a long time that Fellaini isn't one of them. That isn't to say he doesn't have qualities- he does and his skill-set can be devastating when used correctly. His skill set doesn't necessarily suit elite football though. He isn't purely a 'hoofball' player, Everton played nice stuff at times, particularly in Moyes' final season, but at the top where the margins are fine, his skill-set, and more importantly his lack of certain skills, are brought into sharp focus. I genuinely believe it is his mental deficiencies as a footballer that are the greatest barrier to his success.
Haha. Has to be.
ReplyDeleteSent from Samsung Mobile
at everton you are a player doing the kicking at utd your the player being kicked ..some players need to be the underdog out of the spotlight every pass you make is analised at utd the world over
ReplyDeleteI always saw Fellaini as target man up front or just behind the strikers, his strength is plucking a high ball out of the air, then holding it up and laying it off, I think to play him as a defensive midfielder especially at a club like Utd is absolutely braindead!
ReplyDelete'Here we go again'
ReplyDeleteMore of a wrong fit than bad player. Last year had 11 goals, 5 assists - this year 0. His offensive stats went down, defensive stats went up.
ReplyDeleteWaste of money, maybe, not what they needed, but it's all good.
As for the biggest waste of money of the season? Hmm it's a toss up between him and Soldado, only 2 goals from open play. But both are probably a case of wrong fit, wrong tactics not playing to their strengths.
My question is who do you guys think is the best signing of the season?
My pick, Bony - twice now Swansea have best value for money. Other good ones are Ericsson, Fernandinho, and Negredo - but he's gone off the boil.
Whoe are your picks?
I never thought he was so great when he was at Everton. I have to admit to having a chuckle when Moyes took him to Manure
ReplyDeleteDid you have a bad experience with joe Allen or something?
ReplyDelete"If Rodgers sees Allen as a long term solution he wouldn't be looking for midfielders right now. " Why does looking for needed midfield reinforcements to accommodate the increased demands of our obligations in four competitions next year indicate that Allen is not a long-term solution? As it is Allen is pretty much in the spoiler/ link play defensive midfield position, in which we only realistically have Lucas. Gerrard isn't a holding midfielder yet, he's a dictating midfielder, who gets the ball to spray around from the likes of Allen and Lucas, who are not natural ball winners, but who have been made to play that role because of a lack of other options. Adding further to our midfield can only be a good thing, as we only seem to have used 6 midfielders regularly, 2 of whom, Coutinho and Sterling, can double up as wingers. Getting another midfielder in or two only serves to allow squad rotation to deal with the demands of more competitive football, which any club taking multiple competitions seriously ought to think automatically of doing in any case.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about Bony. He has truly been the stand-out bargain of the season.
ReplyDeleteArsenal reportedly looking for another midfielder and looking at their midfield of carzola, Ramsey, ox, ozil, wilshere, flamini. Who is going to be let go? It's about competition. Every time we look for a midfielder it is not always necessary the sign of doom and gloom for Allen. More games next season, bigger squad.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jack. Your talking about Allen as if this was a year ago! Allen had already come on leaps and bounds and is settling very well IMO. Don't compare our möbius to man uniteds failed signings, it just won't stick buddy.
ReplyDeleteOur boys to man u's failures. Plus, it's called depth in squad. We need another central midfielder to call upon should we need to. It doesn't mean the existing ayers aren't good enough. We have a paper thin squad as it is. YNWA
ReplyDeleteAt least Fellaini has shown the ability in the past to score and assist Allen is like a clock arms goin everywhere but does nothing except point,.
ReplyDeleteWith the type of football Liverpool are playing there is no room for someone with no attacking skills and really no defending value whatsoever.
Both clubs will lose out on the deals United will lose the most money of the 2 but finding suitors for Allen maybe more difficult.
To be fair, the Fellani situation as i see it is quite simple. His stregnth and where he excelled at Everton was playing higher up the pitch and using his physical presence almost as a battering ram. It perfectly suited Everton at the time, playing with 1 striker and Fellani behind. It's not being disrespectful to Everton, but their style of play under Moyes was designed for this type of football where balls were hit regularly to fellani. At UTD, that same style of football is clearly not acceptable. And Moyes never really tried to play it to be fair as he cnstantly played a 4-4-2. As a result, Fellani would be deployed far deeper in a central 2. That role requires different qualities than what fellani had shown the previous season at Everton. In a central 2 in a 4 man midfield, you really need to be either a natural defensive midfield type player who covers ground and will happily break up play, or you will be expected to be a creative influence either starting attacks or getting forward. I think its obvious that Fellani is neither of those and this is why he has struggled so much at Utd.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest question is why sign Fellani and then try to fit him into a system he is not suited for. The answer is likely to be as you siggest, he was comfort player at a time when UTD were clearly left ruing other missed opportunities in the transfer market (Fabregas, Thiago etc).
im not a fan of Fellani, but im sure he would be a useful player if he was again deployed in a team and style that suited him. Say perhaps West Ham
Well a fat man running up a hill is an upgrade on Allen not even premier league class let alone Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteIf you think Allen is no good, then you don't know football. Allen fits into our style of play, he provides that bit extra control in the mid. Like I said before for 15m would have wanted more of a player, a player with some pace, height, and strength some of which is much needed when Henderson is not playing.
ReplyDeleteSummer transfers:
ReplyDeleteMateo De Scigli
Marcos Rojo/Lucas Digne
Steven Cualker
Yan M'Vila,
Mateo Kovacic,
Josip Drimic
Yevgen Konoplyanka
Another pointless attack on a good young player...
ReplyDeleteAllen has already contributed to our best season in years whilst Fellaini has been noticeably poor. Not one of your better pieces Jaimie
Josip Drimic is an Arsenal player sorry mate
ReplyDeleteI still feel Rodgers is incapable of picking right players for Liverpool team...He wasted 7 million on Ilori,8m on ASPAS,6m on Alberto,16 m on Allen and moreover sakho and Mignolet are gud but not gud enough....Because Brendan is Successful for reaching Liverpool into top 4 we cannot compromise on his transfer dealings...I am afraid he will waste all the money this time too even though we are in champions league this summer...Brendan is a great Manager no Doubt but He is not even Average in his transfer dealings...Forget about the Title I am afraid Ian AYRE and the Greedy Transfer Commitee will blow us this time too in our transfers
ReplyDeleteBony's a good call. I think Huddlestone is comparable, in that he's lifted the level of the whole team he signed for. And Lovren at Southampton, feels like he's been with them for years.
ReplyDeleteThe loan signings at Everton have been impressive, Barry, Lukaku, Delofeu. And McCarthy has been a consistent performer.
I'm not sold on any of the new City players; Negredo in particular did next to nothing in the second half of the season. Silva has carried the side too often. Though DeMichelis, against all expectation, did come through in the last couple of months.
Hard to choose between Willian and Schurrle at Chelsea -- I'm a big fan of Schurrle, think he's going to be a big player in the league for seasons to come, but Willian has decided a number of big games for them.
So for me Bony, Lovren, Willian.
We all know Man U have been well & truly shafted this season but every pass is Analised ? :) think your spell check went kaput there mate :)
ReplyDeleteI think some of the transfers were about getting in players to make up the numbers. We were reportedly in for Willian, Mkritkryan, two players that would have been very good for our team. That said he also wanted Clint Dempsey. Not all transfers will be successful this is evident with all clubs big or small. Just hope we can get at least 2 players that will add real quality to the first team. OAN, Illori has been sent out for first team experience, he will get his chance next season.
ReplyDeleteI am here :-)
ReplyDeleteNo he is not.
ReplyDelete