Tom Cleverley

[mlyons]

Don't make me bring out the goals conceded stats Friend

Please do.

 

[Zatara]

Please do.

 

[orly]

???

Even the Zatmeister at a loss to describe how poor Cleverley is

When games get rough, Clenevilley goes missing.

Welcome home Scott Gemmill

 

[Zatara]

Some phone issue on last message...


@orly here's my take...

Cleverley in the centre is a good all rounder...nothing special at anything though a great option off the bench...not good enough to displace Barkley.

On the left hes a good player and he can launch these long passes really accurately to Lukaku / Barkley / Deulofeu..... @LinekersLegs has praised him a few times and im starting to take notice that he isnt just a good player but can be a very good player if he has intelligent players alongside him. I think he would actually be perfect in Spain.

As for yesterday, he made some driving runs and passed well but was closed down alot and it wasnt suited to him offering the industry which benefits us against teams who open up.

Also, his long passes were pointless as hes hitting it at 9ft ogres or at lukaku who was double marked.


As i keep harping on...this season im happy with top half, get the team playing together and then add in the three players we need to take us into top 4 realm. This will mean Cleverley wont be a starter but a very good player off the bench or in case of injuries.

squad game.

 

[cronullasharks]

I don't mind him but he was rank average yesterday. Was still better than Kone though

 

[Parkender]

@orly Pipe down you beaut. Everyone has said he's half decent. No more than that. He gives us good options. Who on earth cares that much to spend that much time quoting people?

 

[Arteta2391]

Solid player

what is his natural position?

 

[bluewally]

I think he's a good squad player but doesn't add much on the pitch

I'd rather see Mirallas or del on the left tbh

 

[BlueToff]

I think he's a good squad player but doesn't add much on the pitch

I'd rather see Mirallas or del on the left tbh

Cleverley adds a real balance and it's horses for courses.

For me, Mirallas is always just too predictable on the left in that he constantly looks to cut inside and shoot or dribble his way in-field.

He's better - as a winger - on the right, and when he does start on the left he always almost is only then really effective when he plays mostly as a second striker and Baines/Oviedo pushes up - like he did at Chelsea in order to latch onto Lukaku's flick-ons etc.

Cleverley offers solid workrate and reliability but also a real sharpness and speed to his play - always looking for a forward pass etc. It's typical of players who came through Utd's academy learning from the likes of Carrick and Scholes.

In the centre, for me, he isn't as effective as he tends to prefer to get forward and that exposes gaps around Barry and also negates space for Barkley - who is most effective when he has a link-up player (Cleverley, Lennon, Pienaar or even Osman) to combine with in tight areas. Stoke and Newcastle are perfect examples of that.

For me, if we are to start two wingers, then it has to be Lennon on the right to keep the balance and link up with Barkley, and then Kev on the left to basically drift inside and be the player to get in and around the box with Lukaku, allowing our left back to push on.

 

[bluewally]

Cleverley adds a real balance and it's horses for courses.

For me, Mirallas is always just too predictable on the left in that he constantly looks to cut inside and shoot or dribble his way in-field.

He's better - as a winger - on the right, and when he does start on the left he always almost is only then really effective when he plays mostly as a second striker and Baines/Oviedo pushes up - like he did at Chelsea in order to latch onto Lukaku's flick-ons etc.

Cleverley offers solid workrate and reliability but also a real sharpness and speed to his play - always looking for a forward pass etc. It's typical of players who came through Utd's academy learning from the likes of Carrick and Scholes.

In the centre, for me, he isn't as effective as he tends to prefer to get forward and that exposes gaps around Barry and also negates space for Barkley - who is most effective when he has a link-up player (Cleverley, Lennon, Pienaar or even Osman) to combine with in tight areas. Stoke and Newcastle are perfect examples of that.

For me, if we are to start two wingers, then it has to be Lennon on the right to keep the balance and link up with Barkley, and then Kev on the left to basically drift inside and be the player to get in and around the box with Lukaku, allowing our left back to push on.

Are you just following me around disagreeing with me

 

[BlueToff]

Are you just following me around disagreeing with me

No mate haha

And I wasn't meaning to be argumentative.

Just putting my opinion forward. I think Kev, as much as he is a good player, is overrated by our fans to an extent. For me for all of his good moments they are equalled out by the fact he is so predictable at times when played out on the left.

For me, he is either like an inside forward on the left of Lukaku, or he should be played out right.

I do hope gets a start against Bournemouth though.

 

[BlueToff]

Solid player

what is his natural position?

I think naturally he's a central player but for me he always seems to be better suited for us when he's played in an advanced role on the left and given free-reign to link up with Barkley and Lukaku.

In central areas he tends to go missing a bit, imo.

 

[Groucho]

I don't recall him going missing in a game, even when things aren't going to plan. He tries, I like that, even if not the most talented player.

 

[BlueToff]

I don't recall him going missing in a game, even when things aren't going to plan. He tries, I like that, even if not the most talented player.

Maybe not going missing per-say, but I just meant that IMO he has more of an effect in a wide position with the ability to drift inside.

I think it's as much to do with the system we play in that we're better with a player to break up the play (Besic or McCarthy) next to Barry.

For me Cleverley is at his best when he is able to link up with our attacking players without that negating the space for Barkley, which I think sometimes happens when Clevs plays centrally.

A good all-round option though and for me it's been a good free signing.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

He's the new osman, but in a good way. I like ossie. He was a clever little player who did lots of good stuff down the years. But not a world beater. Cleverly is the same. Decent squad player but not top 4 quality as a starter. Positions wise, he can definitely do a job on the left. Delivers a nice cross and can link up with the full back. Villa used him to very good effect as an attackng centre mid at the end of last season. He would be my choice to cover for Barkley if god forbid he gets injured.