Something seems to have changed regarding Marouane Fellaini. Accentuate the positive as the song goes and the midfielder’s first Manchester United goal on Monday night at West Brom looks like it could prove the catalyst for a reassessment of what he can contribute to this team. It was evident in the early moments of the game. Headed clearances were cheered. A strong tackle to stop Eden Hazard as he closed in on goal drew loud roars from the Old Trafford crowd. The confidence gained from his performance at the Hawthorns seems to have impacted on the player and the supporters. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho might have anticipated dominating the midfield zone. Daley Blind is a tidy playmaker but far from a powerful presence, while Nemanja Matic has proven himself to be a dominant force so far this season. But the inclusion of Fellaini for his first start under Louis van Gaal changed the dynamic. Playing slightly from the left of midfield but closing down Cesc Fabregas high up the field when he had chance, Fellaini worked hard to stop the man who prompts Chelsea from deep. Fabregas completed only three passes in the first 20 minutes and just 11 in the whole first half. Given that the Spaniard has played more passes than anybody else in the Premier League, it was remarkable that United were able to stop him getting on the ball – and that owed much to Fellaini. He was fantastic, said Robin van Persie of his team-mate. He did a great job on Fabregas.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 20:31:49 +0000
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