I don't know if it's carelessness or brainless, but his passing of 5 yards can be absolutely infuriating at times. And this results in the team having to regroup again without the ball with the attack broken down needlessly with his silly passing
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 58
- Goals
- 28
- Assists
- 17
- Yellow cards
- 7
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
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Just because he puts in a huge effort doesn't mean he isn't tired. The little 5% here and there is the difference between him playing the perfect through ball and it going slightly off so the defender can make an interception. Or a shot with a little less power that can't quite push the keeper enough to spill it etc.
I don't think he is tired. He is what we knew he was. High risk high reward, sometimes it comes off sometimes he doesn't whilst also being a bit careless in possession. He may benefit more from having constant runners to find which I don't think we have as our frontline players always want it to feet.
There was a point in second half where he had just pissed away 4-5 possessions in row. He immediately looked to have flicked a switch and went more Thiago style possession. He then started carving key chances 1 out of 5 passes while not giving the ball away.
He’s still missing that maturity that Pogba has developed.
It doesn’t have to be a killer every time Bruno
He’s still missing that maturity that Pogba has developed.
It doesn’t have to be a killer every time Bruno
Perhaps. But by the same token, just because a pass goes slightly off or a shot isn’t quite powerful enough also doesn’t mean he is tired.
Bruno needs a rest, but we need him against a resurgent Arsenal.
Whole the team needs a rest. Count the games they played since the first of december. I don't know how many games you normally play in that period of the season but when I looked it up for this season I was shocked with the number of games played in this time range. At everybody who's gonna look it up take a guess before. How many games did Man Utd. play since 1-12-2020?
Sure but the evidence is there. Ole is resting a little bit so he knows that he needs one. Bruno has played a ridiculous amount of football and considering non of our matches are like City or Liverpool where we finish a team off by half time you can imagine he is having huge emotional and physical up and downs it. He is our hub aswell so add that extra pressure and its not a surprise if he is off 5 to 10% and that's the difference at the very top.
Okay fine. I will just cede that Bruno is simply incapable of playing poorly just because.
Of course he can play poorly and of course he can drop in form but in this situation I believe its pretty logical that he might be tired considering how much carrying he has done for the last year without any break
He is also running for 3 people. In the game V SU, Bruno was making runs behind the defence, while Martial was static. Then he had to drop and create chances, also track back the length of the pitch when players were losing the ball.
When you are running around, youll be tired and the passing wont be as great.
On his awful day, he created 2 of our best chances.
What I’m trying to establish here, just so that we’re all clear, is whether people are indirectly (not very indirectly tbh) trying to say that Bruno Fernandes can only be judged by two metrics - which seem to be ‘brilliant’ or ‘tired’. Because some posters only seem willing to apply one of only those two adjectives to any performance - which in my opinion, doesn’t form a basis for objective conversation.
Alternatively, are the same posters saying that he should be left out (you know, to ‘rest’) against Arsenal on Sunday, and if not - is it reasonable for us to expect a performance for him on the day? Because if he is too tired for us to expect a performance, then surely he should be left out?
Bruno needs intelligent players around him who can make those subtle little runs in behind the defence, or feinted runs to create space, players like Cavani, VDB and Mata all make those runs, then we will create more openings. By the same token, those players can also spot when Bruno makes a run, and have the ability to pick him out. On Wednesday one of the few times we got in behind was a Bruno run that was picked out by Telles, which Martial tried to get on the end of, but was well defended by Jagielka. I was disappointed that VDB was not included in the team, as I felt his abilities around the box were sorely needed against a packed defence.
With a player like Bruno, you will always have hit and miss moments, but I wouldn't swap him for anyone.
If we don't upgrade a couple of positions next season, I could see Bruno get a bit frustrated with United, and possibly look to move on.
With a player like Bruno, you will always have hit and miss moments, but I wouldn't swap him for anyone.
If we don't upgrade a couple of positions next season, I could see Bruno get a bit frustrated with United, and possibly look to move on.
I think its easy to say he is tired when he doesn't play well. He has had a rest against Liverpool, Ole has come out and said he recovers quickly so the him being tired is an excuse from fans for his poor showings.
IMO, Bruno has been poor in the last few games so you cannot just blame him being tired.
Every player should be held accountable for their performances.
It's very possible for him to have bad games and not be tired. But I believe most people who have watched Bruno over the last 2-3 months have seen a gradual decline in his abilities despite the stats being padded in that period. His performance level have dropped gradually and that is normally due to fatigue and not form or the odd off game. Its got to a bit of a head now where he is almost detrimental to the team which yes he is always been sloppy in his passing but now he is much more sloppy than before.
When the sloppiness out weights his number of assists and goals then we can talk about him being detrimental to the starting 11
First name on the team sheet for me.
First name on the team sheet for me.
1 year since we signed him! The impact has been incredible.
19/20 - 23 games, 12 goals, 8 assists
20/21 - 30 games, 16 goals, 10 assists
Basically a seasons worth of games in all comps led to 28 goals and 18 assists. Crazy numbers.
United since he signed:
19/20 - 14 games, 9W 5D 0L, 30GF 7GA, 32 PTS (1st, 2pts ahead of City)
20/21 - 20 games, 12W 4D 4L, 37 GF 27 GA, 40 PTS (2nd, 1pt behind City, City game in hand so could be 4).
Overall since he's joined, in 34 games, United is top at 72 points, GD of +33 (but City 1 point behind with a game in hand so they could be up 2). Pace of 80.5 points a season.
Sure its not yet a title winning side, but you look at the rise, and hes transformed us from a Europa league side to the 3rd best in the league without question.
19/20 - 23 games, 12 goals, 8 assists
20/21 - 30 games, 16 goals, 10 assists
Basically a seasons worth of games in all comps led to 28 goals and 18 assists. Crazy numbers.
United since he signed:
19/20 - 14 games, 9W 5D 0L, 30GF 7GA, 32 PTS (1st, 2pts ahead of City)
20/21 - 20 games, 12W 4D 4L, 37 GF 27 GA, 40 PTS (2nd, 1pt behind City, City game in hand so could be 4).
Overall since he's joined, in 34 games, United is top at 72 points, GD of +33 (but City 1 point behind with a game in hand so they could be up 2). Pace of 80.5 points a season.
Sure its not yet a title winning side, but you look at the rise, and hes transformed us from a Europa league side to the 3rd best in the league without question.
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Bruno did looked fatigued against Sheffield yet was still class, arguably our best player on the day. And not arguably our best player by some distance.
We need to start Bruno against Arsenal, a much tougher opponent that Sheffield. He’ll give us a strong performance and we need the win to right the ship, but I hope everyone here is braced for the impact of his fatigue to impair his performances as we get closer to the end of the season.
We need to start Bruno against Arsenal, a much tougher opponent that Sheffield. He’ll give us a strong performance and we need the win to right the ship, but I hope everyone here is braced for the impact of his fatigue to impair his performances as we get closer to the end of the season.
sheer tactical perfectionI’m not sure If he works as a number 10 against low sitting opponents at home.
He’s pretty weak receiving the ball with his back against the goal. If you look at almost all his goals and assists they are basically on the counter attack or him swinging in a cross. He’s better with a lot of space infront of him.
He’s pretty weak receiving the ball with his back against the goal. If you look at almost all his goals and assists they are basically on the counter attack or him swinging in a cross. He’s better with a lot of space infront of him.
Need him to have a big game today. If he doesn't perform, we very rarely do well so here's hoping he starts to regain to form from today
Arsenal 0:0 Man Utd
Definitely needs a rest. He looks like he’s running on empty at the minute
Almost cost us when he gave up the ball at the end. Luckily, Pepe narrowly missed.
Wasn't bad but looks tired. Really should've at least gotten that chance in the first half where he beat Luiz on target. Unfortunately, he seems to have zero ability to curl the ball with the instep, just hits it straight and it never finds that right corner
He's not doing anything right at the moment. Time to give him a break I guess.
As many have been saying for a while he is absolutely burnt out. He clearly needs a rest and has needed one for months now.
Thinking about, it's actually a near miracle Bruno hasn't have a single injury in over a year since joining us. He plays every game, even when he rests on the bench we ultimately put him on again.
Time for him to get a break. His touches are becoming worse as it goes on.
Time for him to get a break. His touches are becoming worse as it goes on.
Very average today
Quiet game from Bruno today
His second year of stats is going to have quite the drop off I reckon. If he had 45 goal involvements in year 1, what do people reckon he will have in year 2?
I’ll go for 28 combined goals and assists.
I’ll go for 28 combined goals and assists.
I thought he had a good first half. While not as gung-ho, he was clean and efficient and we created a bit.
The second half wasn't that he was bad as much as completely nonexistent.
But so was Pogba, Cavani, Martial and Rashford.
We never were able to get the ball out of our own half.
But I also fail to understand his role.
We're playing 3 strikers.
Why does he need to be up there with them?
It just clogs the space.
Why hasn't this been corrected.
We saw when he first came here were that his best moments were when running from deep.
Now he's just getting stuck out wide or in closed spaces.
None of our front players are effective, nor does it seem anyone can explain what they're doing.
The second half wasn't that he was bad as much as completely nonexistent.
But so was Pogba, Cavani, Martial and Rashford.
We never were able to get the ball out of our own half.
But I also fail to understand his role.
We're playing 3 strikers.
Why does he need to be up there with them?
It just clogs the space.
Why hasn't this been corrected.
We saw when he first came here were that his best moments were when running from deep.
Now he's just getting stuck out wide or in closed spaces.
None of our front players are effective, nor does it seem anyone can explain what they're doing.
He don't create any big chances in the big games?
Also why he plays more as a SS than AMF? Which makes our MF very light as he always with CF.
Also why he plays more as a SS than AMF? Which makes our MF very light as he always with CF.
Going through a bit of a dry spell at the moment, it happens. I’m not even worried about that, I just wish he would simplify his game a bit & try to keep the ball better. The goals & assists will come, but please sort the fundamentals out.
I expected his numbers to drop as he now is the man opposition probably target to stop but it's clear as day he needs a rest. Need the others to step up like Pogba did for a few games.
Anonymous 2nd half, ok in the 1st.
I don't think he should start in any big game the rest of the season.
Number 10s with no pace are a luxury and mostly ineffective in those games.
I don't think he should start in any big game the rest of the season.
Number 10s with no pace are a luxury and mostly ineffective in those games.
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Harsh. He’s not rapid but he can shift a bit. Mata has no pace, Bruno has average speed for a midfielder.
Him playing as a 2nd striker is unbalancing the side. It helps his stats, but it doesn't help the forwards or the midfield.
Then again, we have a loose structure so pulling him back/ reigning him in may not be the solution.
Then again, we have a loose structure so pulling him back/ reigning him in may not be the solution.
Hasn't scored in open play since Christmas. Worrying form because we are very much reliant on him.
Christmas isn’t that long ago to be fair. He’s clearly in a low point, same as Rashford, both need to be dropped/rested for a couple of games. Don’t forget we didn’t get a pre season. Bruno has played almost every minute straight since June. Give VDB & Greenwood or Mata a game or 2, they’ll have something to prove & may drive a rocket up Bruno & Rashford’s ass.
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