Is Bruno Fernandes the answer?

[moses]

Until this season Bruno was the brightest light at United for years in my opinion. Should we not try everything to rekindle the spark. Before we drift into ancient history and evoke the spirit of Bryan Robson, only last year we had possibly the best player in the division.

Yes, he's way off that now, but instead of slinging insults, why don't we try to find a way back to what he was?

Barney Ronay is always a good read.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ster-united-body-language-digital-revisionism

https://www.otbsports.com/soccer/ma...yHoG_AitSEkvVUiOKOywDX1pX8#Echobox=1641312561

 

[Ixion]

He has earned himself a lot of credit to get things right and ideally who we would build around. Selling him would only start to cross my mind if he was still playing at his current form this time next year, until then give him the time to find form again but use him from the bench more in the meantime.

 

[rooney2009]

Probably not the answer but he is definitely not the problem at the moment
We can create different threads but we won’t get better until the umdroppables becomes droppable
The team should be more important than any individual

 

[Kablamo]

Until this season Bruno was the brightest light at United for years in my opinion. Should we not try everything to rekindle the spark. Before we drift into ancient history and evoke the spirit of Bryan Robson, only last year we had possibly the best player in the division.

Yes, he's way off that now, but instead of slinging insults, why don't we try to find a way back to what he was?

Barney Ronay is always a good read.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...ster-united-body-language-digital-revisionism

https://www.otbsports.com/soccer/ma...yHoG_AitSEkvVUiOKOywDX1pX8#Echobox=1641312561

To give my outsider two cents, I think the Ronaldo transfer stunted Bruno Fernandes, Sancho and Greenwood, and will probably cost you any chance of signing Haaland (because Ronaldo won't be easy to shift and won't want to leave on a downer).

You should have just let City take him, if that was ever their plan.

 

[lost7]

Bruno hasn't played consistently well for over a year now. I honestly think we are ruining him just like we ruined all the other promising players that have come to us in the last 5 years.

I'm hoping Rangnick can change whatever it is that causes our players to just fall into mediocrity

 

[devilo]

Say what you like about playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, but I'd say that it's almost certainly the best system for Fernandes with him playing the 10 role behind the striker.

Our bigger challenge has been providing the right midfield two to sit behind, but that's not going to be a surprise to anyone. I still think if we'd strengthened the midfield in the summer then we wouldn't be having half the difficulties we're experiencing at the minute.

 

[Withnail]

If we're going to persist with 4222 then I think we'd be better off playing him as one of the CFs and letting him have a bit of a free role.

He's not suited to the CM or AM come Winger roles in the 4222.

 

[FriedClams]

Is the question “Who is the most frustrating player in our squad this season”?

 

[moses]

Is the question “Who is the most frustrating player in our squad this season”?

If only there was another thread for people to highlight the problems with the squad.

 

[Bebestation]

We just have the Portuguese national team version of him now.

The sporting Lisbon and United version has gone.

 

[moses]

We just have the Portuguese national team version of him now.

The sporting Lisbon and United version has gone.

Why? And can we get him back?

 

[Red the Bear]

He not doing himself any favors by trying to force everything through and his horrendous ball retention. Needs to notch it down a bit and be more composed as his attitude seems to be infectious and when he plays erratically so does the whole team.

He is the spark and soul of our team and we need him to get back to his best asap, but I think our lack of success has gotten to him he seems conflicted and stressed can't be good.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

We just have the Portuguese national team version of him now.

The sporting Lisbon and United version has gone.

Why? And can we get him back?

I think we all know the answer to these questions but saying it out loud would inevitably derail the thread.

Bruno’s form was poor towards the end of last season as well tbf. But I put that down to him being absolutely knackered and the verve he showed in scoring a (superb) hat-trick on opening day was hugely encouraging.

Then something changed…

 

[DickDastardly]

It's a good try as any other.

I quite liked the good times with peak Bruno.

 

[sullydnl]

Depends why we think his form has dropped off I guess.

I'm sure there are some who would say his initial impact was part of a purple patch that exaggerated our impression of how good he actually was, that it was never going to last, that he always had very significant flaws in his game, etc etc. In which case the answer would probably be no.

On the other hand, there's also the argument that Ronaldo's arrival is the prime cause of the problem. In which case I would 100% take the Bruno we initially saw over this version of Ronaldo, happily dropping the latter quite safe in the knowledge the team would be better for it. But Bruno would really have to go back to delivering at that point.

Or it's a complicated mix of the two and I dunno what happens.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Yeah he's been the best player post-Ferguson at his best and got us to the closest point/hope of being a top team again. Goes to the Euros and struggles to link up or play with Ronaldo. Relieved to be back from Portugal, he starts the season with a stunning hat-trick. So of course United then buy the player who got in his way for Portugal and takes all set pieces off him. Can always rely on United to choose the worst possible option at every given opportunity.

 

[Marwood]

He should always be in the team for me because two things are constant. His workrate and threat.

However, not to drag the Ronaldo debate into here, he did struggle badly the second half of last season. What we're seeing now is just a continuation of that.

I'd love the solution to be just dropping Ronaldo as that's simple.

But clearly, looking at 2021 as a whole, something else is affecting his game. I think it's mainly our passing in the opposition half but whatever it is it needs sorting because he's our best player.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

I don't think he is that good.

 

[elnorte]

Bruno's form has been on a decline for a long time last season.

 

[Idxomer]

Maybe if we just want to get back to our form before Ronaldo but I don't believe he has it in him to be an essential part of a great team, a bit like Coutinho in Liverpool.

 

[golden_blunder]

Good player on his day but by god he’s become a right moany little fecker

 

[kps88]

He's looked exhausted and frustrated for a long time now. I also think teams have figured out he is our only creative outlet so it's a lot harder for him to find the sort of space he was getting when he first joined.

 

[DWelbz19]

The answer to what, exactly? There's plenty to like about Fernandes and he's clearly one of the better players in the league when he is at his best (which he hasn't been for months, but as you've said that's for one of the other 30 threads).

I just feel, fundamentally, there's an element to Fernandes' game that's lacking - and that's that of variance. As a player it doesn't seem like he has the innate capacity to vary his game where it's needed. He'll set up and play the exact same infuriating way against Norwich at home as he would against Liverpool at Anfield. That tweak in mindset and playstyle is sort of what separates him from the De Bruyne's of the world. Well that, and his complete inability to dribble.

 

[FrankDrebin]

He's clearly a good player, erratic at times though.

Yeah he's been the best player post-Ferguson at his best and got us to the closest point/hope of being a top team again. Goes to the Euros and struggles to link up or play with Ronaldo. Relieved to be back from Portugal, he starts the season with a stunning hat-trick. So of course United then buy the player who got in his way for Portugal and takes all set pieces off him. Can always rely on United to choose the worst possible option at every given opportunity.

Pretty much.

 

[Eleven-Eighteen]

For what it's worth, I thought he was transformative for our offence against Wolves (which is to say that he got us from a 2/10 to a 6/10)

 

[Bebestation]

Why? And can we get him back?

Well first I agree with your OP, even if you don't agree with my reasoning. When you look at last season - who did people want as our captain instead of Maguire? Who was playing like the captain at United? It was Bruno.He was our main man. Everything was running through him just as much as for him. Playing centrally almost as part of our core, hard working and all.

For me this changed when Ronaldo entered.
Do you remember how Bruno Fernandes missed the first penalty he took when Ronaldo was on the pitch. He looked a different player as he went to take it, like he was different player. He knew Ronaldo was there and was wanting to take/has history with the penalties.

Who do people want as a captain now instead of Maguire? It's turned to C Ronaldo rather than Bruno. Some people pick De Gea because it's wrong to pick Ronaldo over Bruno or vice versa.

Our main man is now Ronaldo. Our tactics have turned to getting the best out of him than last years - getting the best out of Bruno and for him to get the best out of everyone else.
People are now talking about how Bruno's not passing well (because now he is heavily perceived by his passes to our central striker), for losing possesion, not assisting or playing like he used to. No one complains about Ronaldo losing possesion with a first touch that bounces off his knee though.

Why do people want Bruno dropped unlike last season? I said this in the Ronaldo thread- we didn't play like a team that played with a sole number 9 requiring the creativity from the rest of team last season. Did Cavani or even Martial need that? We instead had inverted forwards, a ST who tried to hold up play and play interlinking passes inbetween the IF's, all trying equally to score a goal whilst Bruno would either be trying to also score or assist them.

Our attack has gone more simplistic, turning from a 3 forward team set up by Bruno - to a team that all now tries to get the best out of one player in Ronaldo.
Ronaldo is now the main man at United and Now Bruno plays like how he does for the Portugal, not how he did with Sporting Lisbon and United where he was the main man of our team.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Imagine being a footballer who consistently puts out superb numbers in club football (even after moving to a fairly dysfunctional Manchester United team) yet has never been able to show what he can do for an international team that is set up exclusively to plonk chance after chance in Ronaldo’s direction.

Imagine how frustrating that would be?

Now imagine your club signing Ronaldo. Aged 36 years old.

 

[SadlerMUFC]

Say what you like about playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, but I'd say that it's almost certainly the best system for Fernandes with him playing the 10 role behind the striker.

Our bigger challenge has been providing the right midfield two to sit behind, but that's not going to be a surprise to anyone. I still think if we'd strengthened the midfield in the summer then we wouldn't be having half the difficulties we're experiencing at the minute.

I would like to see us play a 4-3-3 with Bruno on the left wing. I don't like him in the midfield. He gives the ball away to cheaply in bad areas at times. I'd rather 3 proper midfielders and see what he can do in a more attacking position. My guess is that in a proper 4-3-3 he will score and assist even more than he already was...

 

[Van Piorsing]

When the actual tactic is pass to Bruno and hope for the best then we've created a paradise for passengers. The problem starts when Bruno is struggling physically and mentally then passengers have to take responsibility for creating and scoring. Add to that our defense being a flying circus.

When good player plays bad you can bench him, but by the looks of it, we have no one to carry the weight. 34 years old Cavani playing Bruno's role is wishful thinking to say the least. Both Donny and Pogba failed to provide emergency backup, because believe it or not Bruno can look like a shite player at times.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

For what it's worth, I thought he was transformative for our offence against Wolves (which is to say that he got us from a 2/10 to a 6/10)

It’s the same every single time we start without him and he comes on off the bench.

 

[Ali Dia]

To give my outsider two cents, I think the Ronaldo transfer stunted Bruno Fernandes, Sancho and Greenwood, and will probably cost you any chance of signing Haaland (because Ronaldo won't be easy to shift and won't want to leave on a downer).

You should have just let City take him, if that was ever their plan.

This

This is the thread for me. Bruno was a major step in the right direction. A player entering his genuine prime who didn’t cost the world and left it all on the pitch. Wow we’ve finally figured it out. Then we go and revert to type and sign Ronaldo Varane (and even Sancho) on stupidly huge wages and the whole thing falls apart again.

The hoarding of fringe figures hasn't helped either. Will someone please call a taxi for Matic Mata Ronaldo etc? They gave their best years to other clubs and we owe them nothing. We need to stop signing stop gap players and look at the bigger picture. We get so bogged down in ourselves that we’ve been ignoring the major trends in football to just go and sign another throwaway name. It’s a real shame because managing this club and turning it around is actually a piece of piss with the money we can spend and the exposure we can give the right players.

We are probably spending double what Liverpool do and doing half the work. Total shame that is. It’s not like their team grew up wanting to play for Liverpool. They just found extremely hardworking and technically above average players coming into their prime. That’s all successful recruitment is. It’s actually really simple if you’re prepared to write off a few duds along the way. We just can’t seem to get our heads around it or stick with any proper plan for long enough to see it through.

 

[Eleven-Eighteen]

It’s the same every single time we start without him and he comes on off the bench.

So...give him the captain's armband and build the team around him?

 

[Abraxas]

What is the question?

Does he have the footballing ability to be a part of a team that challenges for trophies, maybe?

I think ability wise, he has shown that he most certainly can be. In terms of operating within a team or being proven to be able to function cohesively in such a team, this is as yet unproven at this level.

However, I don't think there's a player in our squad you couldn't fire the same question at. That's why we've been consistent underachievers, players of questionable ability mated to suspicious choices of manager. As it goes, I'd have Bruno pretty far down a list of people we need to be shipping out, there are certainly bigger priorities.

 

[acnumber9]

I think we all know the answer to these questions but saying it out loud would inevitably derail the thread.

Bruno’s form was poor towards the end of last season as well tbf. But I put that down to him being absolutely knackered and the verve he showed in scoring a (superb) hat-trick on opening day was hugely encouraging.

Then something changed…

Nothing had changed for the Southampton and Wolves games when the team and he were just as shit. Leeds was great and all but Leeds don’t even try to make themselves difficult to break down. Their tactics played to United’s strengths just like they did last year.

 

[RedKnight88]

This is my dream midfield.


Jude Bellingham --------------------------Aurelien Tchouameni
------------------------------Frenkie de Jong------------------------------------

But any two of those plus Bruno Fernandes should work too.

 

[Lemon Moon]

I'm in the camp that formation doesn't really matter. Or should I say, the formation should be ever-changing & fluid depending on moments in the game... As long as the players apply themselves!

This (in my opinion) isn't valid for Bruno, he simply needs to play centrally & forward (ish) to have any effect on a game.

 

[moses]

What is the question?

Does he have the footballing ability to be a part of a team that challenges for trophies, maybe?

I think ability wise, he has shown that he most certainly can be. In terms of operating within a team or being proven to be able to function cohesively in such a team, this is as yet unproven at this level.

However, I don't think there's a player in our squad you couldn't fire the same question at. That's why we've been consistent underachievers, players of questionable ability mated to suspicious choices of manager. As it goes, I'd have Bruno pretty far down a list of people we need to be shipping out, there are certainly bigger priorities.

Should we be rebuilding around the talent and energy he brought to the side when we signed him?

 

[Nickelodeon]

The one change we don't need is him moving away from the #10 position. He has always been a frustrating player but he's super productive. The Atalanta game at OT is a clear example where he frustrated yet ended up being the game changer. He has 6 assists in 5 games in the UCL plus whatever half decent numbers in the PL. One of the main reasons why we haven't scored enough under Ralf is the unnecessary movement of our most productive player. He has enough credit in the bank to be given the license to be played in his best position.

 

[harms]

I certainly think that the criticism of him had been exaggerated (although you can make an argument that his best form was also exaggerated... a little bit; and this is compensatory). He's still out best creator by some margin and is still quite threatening in the box (it was Bruno who had been unlucky not to score in, what, our only moment against Wolves?).

Alas, I'm not sure if he's the answer, but he's certainly not one of the questions — at least he shouldn't be. But I think that some rest (and some time on the bench) may end up as a positive for him.

 

[Deery]

Great when he’s on it but I think he’s been used wrong Ole and now Ralf have pushed him out to the wings to much. Get him central and back in the goals even give him a free role.