I am able to sit back and watch this game objectively as I don't feel invested in it like I usually am. In my mind, and probably Jose's, its a good opportunity to assess the individuals when they are outside of their comfort zones without the likes of Pogba and Zlatan to lean on. Here is what I have learned or had confirmed....
- Bailly actually contributes going forward at RB but wierdly loses some of his defensive instinct
- Smalling is fine when playing up against a centre forward but not at all comfortable when he is asked to run backwards towards his own goal or play the ball out
- Jones will always get embarassinly skinned once per match despite being generally decent
- Blind lacks the dynamism to be a PL LB
- Rooney. Won't bother, it's all been said elsewhere
- Lingard is just not up to standard. I feel of all of our squad players, other than the obvious one, Lingard is most out of his depth. I genuinely think you could stick him in a good Championship side and he wouldn't really stand out
- Mata, sorry this will be the most controversial ones but for me he embodies the problem we have. Too small, too slow, can't press, doesn't have the ability to go past a player. See Carrick, see Rooney, see Blind, etc....too many players who when you compare them to their Spurs counterpart are way inferior physically
- Martial, said it before, will continue to say it, never a #9