Manchester United and Marouanne Fellaini arrive at Goodison Park on Sunday in a good run of form as they bid to consolidate their place in the top 4 which has become very familiar for them over the last 20 years. However when the teams met last season it was a very different story. 

  Last April they came to a very hostile Goodison Park under the stewardship of former Everton boss David Moyes and were swept aside as it was the Blues who were chasing the top 4 and United were in an very unfamiliar position of aiming for the Europa League. In their squad that day was Fellaini who had not enjoyed a successful season following his move from the Blues and struggled with the transition from being a very important player for Everton to being a bit part player for United.

What was remarkable for me about the Fellaini transfer was that despite working with the talented Belgian for many years and helping him hone his skills in a new position, Moyes tried to use him differently for United and it simply didn’t work. Even when United were crying out for a physical presence Fellaini was ignored. After that comprehensive defeat at Goodison Park, David Moyes was removed from his position and Fellaini sort of disappeared into the background even more.

This trend continued under new manager Luis Van Gaal and there was even talk of the Belgian leaving the club on loan in January but a foot injury scuppered that particular move. As football often does though there is more often than not an opportunity to redeem and Fellaini took that chance with both hands. Shunted back into a familiar role playing off the striker the one with the massive wig started to make a difference in the final third, not surprising to most Evertonians to be honest as that is now his most effective position, for United and they began to win games. He turned around a sticky FA Cup tie at Preston and then seemed to go from strength to strength resulting in a derby goal a fortnight ago and his form is now very impressive. All of a sudden the £27.5m man isn’t a flop anymore he is an important part of LVG’s side and one which Everton will be only too aware of on Sunday.

Onto to Sunday and the debate of whether Fellaini will be booed or not. I personally hope that he receives a good reception because in my opinion he deserves one. When he arrived at Everton he took some time to settle but he very soon turned into an important player for us. However, as with all Belgians he liked to talk to the media and about his urge to play in the Champions League which led to many stories of him leaving the Blues. That fueled the speculation that he would be leaving the club in every transfer window and so that kind of prepared me for the day that would see him leaving the club. He did not however,unlike a lot of other footballers would do,  spit the dummy out of the pram and even signed a new 5 year contract despite speculation about him moving at that time, when he was really under no pressure to do so and thus strengthened Everton’s hand in the transfer market when it eventually came time to sell him.

He scored some very important goals for us during his career and I can only really remember that game against Wigan Athletic in the cup as a time when he threw his hand in. He came back a week later though and dominated Manchester City in a 2 nil victory.

The way I look at Marouanne Fellaini’s Everton career is that he was a foreign player who gave us 5 years and didn’t really cause us too much of a fuss when he wanted to leave. He could have spat the dummy and made life difficult for us but he waited until we received an acceptable fee from United and then he got the transfer he wanted. Don’t forget that us receiving that fee enabled the club to complete moves for James McCarthy, Gareth Barry and Romelu Lukaku who all still remain at Everton.

However, I do understand that some people will still be upset with a player wanting to leave us, I always take it a bit to heart but I am starting now to think of players only being at Everton for 2 years before they move on so that way I never get too attached.

So this Sunday don’t boo Felli, if you don’t want to clap him that is fine simply don’t give him any attention. I think personally he handed the transfer situation well and that is something we can only hope every player does in future because that way we get the very best deal for the club. Also ask yourself this, ‘Do you really want a player that doesn’t want to be here?’ it is the nature of the game.

So come on let’s get behind the team and give our attention to them rather than booing players like Fellaini and Wayne Rooney.

Just my take on it …

COYB

Baz

(@THT1878)