Ander Herrera did not seem to be in Jose Mourinho’s plans at the start of the season. Indeed, up until the middle of September, the player had completed only one 90 minutes of action with his two other appearances only totaling less than 60 minutes. Marouane Fellaini and Paul Pogba seemed like the preferred combination in the midfield, but a poor form since the derby defeat against Manchester City has forced Jose Mourinho into a rethink. Many players have been reshuffled from their favourite positions and this includes the world’s most expensive player, Pogba.
After having been used to do playing in a more advanced role on the pitch as a playmaker, Mourinho asked Herrera to play a much deeper role. It has certainly brought the best out of the player. Herrera has even managed to secure his spot in the Spanish team back in the last few international games. The midfielder says that he is extremely happy at the moment and just wants to continue helping the club win games. He was at the centre of things in the 1-0 win over Manchester City on Wednesday night.
United were in desperate need of a win just like their ‘noisy neighbours’ but it was the home team’s wish that was granted, courtesy of a goal from Juan Mata. Herrera was partnered by the experienced Michael Carrick in the middle of the park. Carrick’s aging legs may not be able to play 50 games a season, but he can certainly transfered a lot of experience to Herrera. It is precisely what the 35-year-old did and Herrera controlled every aspect of the game. Mourinho later praised the Spaniard for his contribution. Speaking after the game, Mourinho said:
“Ander Herrera brought the team to different levels of intensity in our pressing and then we started recovering balls.”
Herrera has been viewed as a frustrating figure largely because of his inconsistent performances. Even though he has been at United since 2014, he has averaged just over 30 games per season and it is not a sign of someone who is in the peak of his powers at 27. Herrera has to focus on improving his consistency. The midfielder even admits that he has never been a regular goalscorer. Hence, it puts a lot of pressure on him when playing as the number 10 as the playmaker is expected to come up with 15 goals per season.
According to ESPN, he said:
“I think that to be a No. 10 of a big club like this one, you are compelled to score at least 15 goals per season. I’ve never done that in my career.
“I think in this new position, playing ahead of the defence, I help the team a lot. I can win a lot of balls back and can also distribute play more comfortably.”
After the recent success with Carrick, there is every possibility that Jose Mourinho could once again repeat the combination in the forthcoming league match against Burnley. After the 4-0 loss against Chelsea, Mourinho said that the next couple of games appear winnable for United and they need all the help from Herrera.
