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I'm just thinking out loud here but I see similarities between Donny and Kagawa. Kagawa was obviously a good player who was really technical. However, he was not suited to our system at the time and it's the same with Donny now.
Kagawa played as the hub of Dortmund and a no. 10 in a 4-2-3-1. He moved to United where we played a 4-4-2 and with width; he couldn't play in a similar manner at all and ended up out of position and underperformed for the most part.
Donny played as a no. 10 for Ajax for the majority in a 4-2-3-1 whilst also playing as a no. 8 in a 4-3-3. Yet, in both circumstances he was higher up the pitch, wasn't ball dominant and was a goalscorer/facilitator. He wasn't the principal creator and has never been that.
Our team is quite clearly built around Bruno as being the no. 10. He can drift wherever he wants to, collect how he wants and play with runners ahead. It's not set up for Donny and he is a completely different player to the system we've got much like Kagawa was.
When we signed Donny—I even mentioned this before that—I clarified how Donny was an off-ball player, liked to pass and move, wasn't dominant, etc. I even said he'd be a bench player. Why? Because he was a 3rd option behind Sancho (1) and Grealish (2) and was less suited to us.
Sancho can play as a RM, AM or LM and be completely fine. Grealish can play as a LM or AM and be completely fine. Donny's played in such a specific system and way for Ajax that he can't actually fit into our 4-2-3-1 as a no. 6 nor will he be impactful off a wing or at no. 10.
This isn't a reflection of the player's inherent quality but merely a discussion pertaining to his cultivation. Players are raised differently and some in really specific systems. Donny's a product of that and I don't think fans have fully accepted it for whichever reason.
I don't see Donny being a starter for us at no. 6, nor on a wing nor at no. 10 unless he changes fundamental parts to his game or, in the rare circumstances, some coincidence occurs that he just seems to work somewhere with certain players around him.
However...
However...
Ole doesn't have time to experiment with this as you'll not get it quite right more than you'll get it right. We are 2nd in the league and advancing in cup competitions. There's a lot of pressure on Ole and he needs to do what he knows will work. It's just the way it is.
I don't see Donny leaving us though. That would surprise me. However, I see him being a useful squad player for us—I do think he should be getting more minutes off the bench—and I hope he makes that his thing with us for the time being as he's too inherently good to not play.
These are just some thoughts flying around in my head this afternoon.
I hope you enjoy your day.
I hope you enjoy your day.
Just an addition to this based on a conversation with @SensibleUtd and @UtdApollo: Donny will play much better if we had a higher creator whether that be our CF or a winger. If we signed Sancho hypothetically then it'd definitely help but that's a different discussion.
The point is that we need to factor in how players are cultivated and what their archetypes and tendencies are before they are bought. Their technical ability is merely ONE of their many aspects as footballers.
It's much, much more than that.
It's much, much more than that.
OK. Now I'm done...I think.
Peace.
Peace.
