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Rewind back to the end of the 2013/14 season and Marouane Fellaini was named as one of the "Top 10 worst buys of the season" by one English paper. It was termed as his nightmare year by another. And it was not only the journalists who had their knives out, the fans had joined in too. He was the centre of all jokes surrounding Manchester United.
He was shown up as the poster boy for all that had gone wrong under David Moyes. It seemed his "dream move" to United would end with just 15 starts. When Louis van Gaal entered the fray and tore up the squad that David Moyes had left behind, Fellaini was seen as one that would also be shown the exit. It was just a matter of time before he was discarded and branded an expensive flop.
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Marouane Fellaini reborn at Manchester United this season
But fate and Fellaini himself had other plans. A loan move to Napoli never materialized and he decided to fight for his place. And boy did he fight!
Fellaini started his first game of the season against Chelsea, the league leaders back in October. He played an instrumental role in containing Cesc Fabregas and also played an important role in the injury time goal. Since then, Fellaini hasn't looked back and has gone from strength to strength, to a point where he just cannot be dropped.
His goal against City was his fifth of the season. His goals have come against West Brom in a 2-2 draw, a 2-1 win over Stoke, against QPR in a 2-0 win and recently against Spurs and Manchester City – both wins. He has scored important goals for the club and his mere presence on the field has helped confuse defenders. He wins more than his fair share of aerial duels as you would expect (60%). From personifying all that was bad about Moyes' reign, he has come to encompass all that has happened under Louis Van Gaal.
His resurrection along with a few of his compatriots has led United to the position they currently find themselves in.The others who are aboard the Resurrection Express? They would be Ashley Young, Juan Mata and Chris Smalling. Quite fittingly, all four found the back of the net in the Manchester Derby at The Theatre of Dreams.
Ashley Young’s versatility a plus point for Van Gaal
Ashely Young was also expected to be shipped out when the Dutchman arrived at Old Trafford. His career at United had a promising start but after his first season it all went downhill. His theatrics and poor performances for the club made him an easy target for not only rivals but also the Old Trafford faithful. He, much like Fellaini, decided to show Van Gaal that he was ready to learn and fight for his place at the club, and that he has done with aplomb!
Initially playing as a wing back in the 3-5-2 system that Van Gaal tried to implement, he has now been reverted into his more customary role of out wide on the left. When Angel Di Maria signed for United, many expected the Englishman to be warming the bench for a considerable time, but Young's performances have meant Di Maria has been left to warm the bench. And there are now calls for Ashley to be considered for a recall into the England squad, one that would be fully deserved.
Juan Mata's resurgence comes at a pivotal time for Manchester United
Then there is the other side of the wing. Juan Mata arrived at Old Trafford in quite dramatic scenes (remember the helicopter?) in January 2014. And till sometime around February, Mata must have been harbouring doubts about his future at United, and he would not have been alone. He wasn't seen as a regular member of the squad and it felt like he was out of favour with the United boss.
The game against Spurs changed everything. Di Maria's red card against Arsenal meant Mata started in the game against Spurs. Prior to that, he had managed to amass a total of just 36 minutes in the league in three months. But he has now managed to cement his place in the squad, also winning the game for United against arch rivals Liverpool – a performance that will be remembered forever by the Old Trafford faithful.
Mata has finally settled into a role and provided the performances that led United to shell out a then record fee for the Spanish player. He had been bundled along with Fellaini by some to showcase the failings of David Moyes with regards to not buying the right players and, of course, over spending. He has now found himself leading the charge up the table at just the right time for the Red Devils.
Chris Smalling sheds early season jitters to rise to the occasion
Chris Smalling has gone under the radar while his more luminous colleagues have received praise, but Old Trafford has been witness to his improvement. He has been the best defender at the club bar none. The game against City at Etihad has been one of the few stains on his playing time this season, and he managed to clean that one up with an impressive performance against the Premier League champions in the reverse fixture, even getting on the scoresheet in the 4-2 win. After a terrible performance against City at Etihad, he was the target of the ire of United fans, and he has managed to show great mental strength to come back and continue performing well!
While he has by no means cemented his place in the starting lineup, he has managed to save his career at United. It will be interesting to see how Louis van Gaal addresses the defensive issues that are still a concern to the club. But his performances this season have ensured that he will remain in the Dutchman's plans for the foreseeable future. His improvement on the ball has been most impressive.
Louis Van Gaal has certainly showed that he can revitalize careers and his "philosophy" of not caring about names or price tags, and providing the players opportunity to show their quality has helped the squad. His next challenge will be to now ensure that the club manages to continue this run till the end of the season, confirm their participation in the Champions League for next season, and then, next season, get the club doing what the fans have come to expect as the norm – challenge for the Premier League title.
