How times change! This time last year Marouane Fellaini was coming to the end of a hugely difficult debut season at Manchester United and looked set to be booted out of Old Trafford.
But in the 12 months that’s followed, the Belgian has reasserted his dominance over United’s midfield and in the process has scored some very important goals for his club.
Fellaini joined United in the summer transfer window last year for a fee of £27.5million in what turned out to be the only signing for the Red Devils. Last season, Fellaini only made 16 appearances without scoring and, according to the Daily Mail, the 27-year-old has confessed that he felt the media had made him a scapegoat for United’s failings under David Moyes.
Understandably, when United went from current Premier League champions to a squad that were putting in disappointing performances and ultimately finished seventh, supporters and the media were going to find people to blame. Those people were Moyes, who lost his job, and Fellaini who was labelled a waste of money.
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After impressing for five seasons while playing under David Moyes at Everton, many speculated that it was perhaps an injury and lack of confidence that was causing the player’s form to dip, and therefore less being less effective for his new club. Now, 18 months since his arrival, Fellaini seems to have regained his previous self-belief and is back to being his typically aggressive self, which is reflected in his more positive performances recently.
Fellaini uses both his strength and tall 6ft 4in frame to his advantage, easily able to overpower the opposition off the ball and winning headers particularly in the box. He can be very dangerous from corners and set-pieces, which he has proven numerous times this season.
At first it seemed that manager Louis van Gaal did not see Fellaini as part of his regular starting XI, but due to several injuries the midfielder got his chance to prove he does in fact deserve his place. Now with only eight games of the season left, Fellaini has found himself starting in big games, such as United’s 3-0 win against Tottenham, in which he scored their opening goal, and their 2-1 victory over long time rivals Liverpool last weekend.
Although he’s used to playing as a midfielder through-out most of his career, Van Gaal has been using him in a more advanced role and this seems to suit the player to a tee. When United need a player to power through or get on the end of a long ball then Fellaini is the man they call on.
As United enter the international break sitting comfortably in fourth and only two points adrift of second place, the club seem to be on their way to delivering on their promise of Champions League football next season. So despite his tough first year, if Marouane Fellaini can continue bullying the opposition and scoring important goals, then the Old Trafford faithful will forgive his dodgy first 12 months and Fellaini should be a Red Devil for some time to come.
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