One of the biggest media outlets in the UK released the list of the worst teams in the 2018/2019 season and Fred became part of the team. In addition, the British online media also complete the data with Fred as the top flop player 2018/2019. Not stopping there, he was also criticized by former players.
“United are very incompetent in possession. Fred, it was a joke when he got the ball,” Martin Keown said after the defeat of Man United from Newcastle United last season. Even the United legend, Gary Neville, participated in sending scathing criticism. ” Fred doesn’t play like a midfielder. “He’s not even a good midfielder for a mid-table team or one of the most wasteful teams in Europe,” sneered Gary.
FREDemption, maybe that’s a decent headline for the story of Fred Rodrigues Santos. Fred spent almost two of his seasons at Old Trafford as a netizen mockery. In fact, most supporters of Manchester United do not want his presence. Even though Fred was destined to have an affair with United because of the similarity of the name with the Red Devils mascot. This season might be the season of redemption for Fred.
Champions League 2017/2018 is Fred’s promotion event. It was there that he began to show quality when in uniform Ukrainian champion, Shaktar Donetsk. Aside from UCL, the action pieces are quite viral on Youtube channel. Born in Belo Horizonte as a Brazilian, he should have been blessed with Jogo Bonito’s DNA. Sure enough, Fred made 23 successful take-ons with a success rate of 89% from eight appearances in the Champions League that season.
Another neat note, Fred made 2.88 successful take-ons per 90 minutes, in front of names such as Pogba (2.27), Ilkay Gundogan (1.97), Nemanja Matic (1.27) and Kevin De Bruyne ( 2.44). Furthermore, Fred makes a positive pass, nearly 65% of his passes are made going forward. He also created 1.13 chances per 90 minutes, only Kevin de Bruyne did better than him. With this impressive record, it is only natural that Manchester United redeemed it with a dowry of 52 million.
The steps taken by the management of the Red Devils were in fact not agreed by Jose Mourinho, who in the 2018/2019 season coached Manchester United. Instead of placing Fred in his ideal position in the central field, Jose actually placed him more on the sidelines, precisely on the bench. Even when he played he played a lot as a defensive midfielder, which was not his best position.
The result, Fred who is dynamic looks ridiculous on the field. He ran there and was impressed without vision. Fred is not like a box to box midfielder (his ideal position) who is diligent in defense and is good at helping attacks. He is just like an employee who works unclear when supervised by his superiors. 18 times lost the ball, 17 times fouled, only 13 shots, 4 dribbles in 11 games under Mourinho showed how Fred underwent his debut season not according to the action he offered on the YouTube channel.
The famous Mou never blamed his players to say that Fred is a clueless player. Manchester United’s defeat of Valencia in the UCL group phase of 2018/2019 was Jose’s boiling point for Fred’s performance. Jose replaced it on 57 minutes because of his poor performance. After the match, Mou said that Fred’s time at MU was up. Jose also unmasked that he asked other players at the start of the season, not Fred, despite the fact, Fred was the one who came to Carrington.
In the end, Fred won over Mourinho. Jose Mourinho was fired after losing to Liverpool. The arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was like a savior to Fred’s career at United. In addition, Paul Pogba’s injury this season is a blessing in disguise for Fred. Transforming Fred’s game begins at Miracle Night in Paris.
Left behind 2-0 in the first leg of PSG, United turned things around at the Parc des Princes. Although Lukaku and Rashford were the headlines, Fred was The Unsung Hero that night. 90% successful operands, 7 ball recoveries, 100% accurate long balls, 3 tackles won and 2 fouls won become the first paragraph of Fred’s new born story. Even when losing to Barcelona in the UCL quarterfinals, Fred continued to look impressive (90 touches, 74 successful passes and 15 recoveries).
This season is the redemption and proof of Fred in the media mockery on his behalf. “They have the right to do it (throw criticism), they have won a lot of titles with this club. We have to shut up and work on the pitch,” Fred told Esporte TV. “Some criticisms are of no use – but many can teach me a lesson. I like to read what people say about my appearance. With that, I can try to be better,” he continued.
“I think my ideal position is to attack more as I did with Shakhtar,” Fred opened to UnitedPeoplesTV via Goal International. “At that time I play more like a box-to-box midfielder, so I play more attacking, “concluded Fred. Aspirations that Ole immediately answered with his blessing put Fred as a box to box midfielder.
Last season Mourinho’s tactics did not overload the midfield when attacking. “When the team is stronger and does not need to play a lot in midfield. Players are better off balancing the team than engaging in attack, Fred needs to understand it to add to the dimension of his game.”, Mou explained why Fred experienced struggles last season.
Fred proved that by occupying his ideal position, he was able to unleash his true potential. “Now I can understand the game better and I need to be faster and stronger,” he said recently.
Seen how Fred is optimal as a Box to Box midfielder where he is actively involved in the opponent’s defense. Fred dribbled almost twice as usual and created more chances from open play. In fact, no United player has created as many opportunities in EPL as he has in the past five months.
The price of £ 52 million can now be seen commensurate with Fred’s contribution. He is Solskjaer’s key player in midfield with his ability to win the ball, exert pressure, play vision, pass, and dribble from the second line.
Fred has evolved from both an offensive and defensive side. In comparison, Fred has created 1.3 chances per game, an increase from 0.9 last season. The percentage of operands also became 91.4 percent from 85.3 percent last season. Fred’s dribble per 90 minutes is also 1.7 compared to 0.9 last season with a success rate of 73.1 percent from 64.3 percent.
While in terms of defensive, Fred intercepted as much as 1.7 compared to 1.4 and swept the ball as much as 1.3 compared to 0.7 for 90 minutes. His playing aggressiveness also improved and won the air ball duel of 36.4 percent compared to 21.4 percent.
Maybe there are still many midfielders with determination, quality and skill beyond what Fred has, but another case with the work ethic and steel mental that Fred has proven. He works hard to learn English so that his communication with the coach and other players can run smoothly. “He (Fred) showed toughness, his mentality was very strong and his figure was superior. He was always positive, worked hard, and tried his best,” said Ole.
Matter of mental steel, Fred did not waver even though dogged. Mental that made him able to look excellent in every Big Match party, like when United beat PSG, Spurs and three times silenced noisy neighbors, Manchester City. Even Pep called him an “extraordinary” player.
Fred might be lucky, able to steal a place in United’s midfield due to Pogba’s injury. However. Pogba’s return would not remove the position from Fred’s grasp. The next task, locking one place in the Brazilian national team. Seeing the inconsistencies of competitors such as Fernandinho and Casemiro, maybe soon we will see Fred in a yellow uniform.
Fred has succeeded in changing his position both on the pitch and in the hearts of Manchester United fans. Initially unwanted, it became eagerly awaited. Turning scolding into praise. A story of redemption that should be called FREDemption. And let’s say “As the Fred goes marching on on on!”
