Bottom levels

[Solius]

I remember when referring to Scholes, people used to say when he's playing at his bottom level (i.e worst he could possibly play) he still looks comfortably one of the better players on the pitch.

As a club I think we've definitely improved our overall bottom level under Solskjaer. It's clearly the heights we haven't quite reached yet.

Who do we think has the highest bottom level at the club? And whose bottom level is the lowest?

I'd go with Bruno for highest as he's quite productive even when having a stinker. Possibly Martial for lowest but I think AWB has quite a poor bottom level too.

I realise I've said bottom a lot.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Its between Martial and Fred for outfield players. Fred's wastefulness with the ball on his bad days can be infuriating for a DM, as he's basically conceding a counter attack within our half.

de Gea's bottom level is also miserably bad these days. There are games where I'm sure every set piece is the equivalent of an opposition penalty with him in goal.

 

[DWelbz19]

Luke Shaw. If the question is who has the highest ‘bottom level’.
Rashford and Bruno honourable mentions for their abilities to have G/As mask poor performances at times.

 

[bosnian_red]

Luke Shaw. If the question is who has the highest ‘bottom level’.
Rashford and Bruno honourable mentions for their abilities to have G/As mask poor performances at times.

Luke Shaw this season yeah, but generally no for the years before. He's a different player now though and has become so consistent that he doesn't fluctuate much.

Bruno's play varies but he's consistently productive so it covers it up. Same with Rashford. McTominay is quite consistent in what he provides, he'll never really put out a complete stinker. Same with Maguire, though he'll occasionally make a mistake, he'll still tend to have a big impact in build up and generally defensively.

 

[slored1]

Most dreadful bottom level is certainly Maguire. Just remember the Spurs game.

 

[Solius]

Most dreadful bottom level is certainly Maguire. Just remember the Spurs game.

The Spurs game is a bit of an outlier as the whole squad was incredibly unfit due to the lack of pre-season.

 

[Solius]

Luke Shaw this season yeah, but generally no for the years before. He's a different player now though and has become so consistent that he doesn't fluctuate much.

Bruno's play varies but he's consistently productive so it covers it up. Same with Rashford. McTominay is quite consistent in what he provides, he'll never really put out a complete stinker. Same with Maguire, though he'll occasionally make a mistake, he'll still tend to have a big impact in build up and generally defensively.

Something like this then maybe.

HIGHEST
Shaw
Bruno/Rashford
McTominay
Matic/Greenwood
Maguire/Henderson
Telles/Lindelof/Bailly
Pogba/James/Williams/AWB
Fred/Martial/de Gea
LOWEST

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

The Spurs game is a bit of an outlier as the whole squad was incredibly unfit due to the lack of pre-season.

agreed. No one comes out of that game with any credit. Difficult circumstances. Do you think Liverpool fans batter their players still about the Villa game which was 2 hours later than this one?

 

[Mickson]

Quite controversially maybe but I actually think that Martial, Rashford, Bruno etc can have the lowest bottom level. When they are poor, they are incredibly poor. At least regarding passing, touches etc. It might have something to do with their position though. I don't think AWB, Fred or Shaw play as poorly as Rashford did in his cameo last night. The three mentioned at first arguably have the highest top level too.

 

[RedMist99]

Bruno is definitely the power bottom

 

[Eire Red United]

Quite controversially maybe but I actually think that Martial, Rashford, Bruno etc can have the lowest bottom level. When they are poor, they are incredibly poor. At least regarding passing, touches etc. It might have something to do with their position though. I don't think AWB, Fred or Shaw play as poorly as Rashford did in his cameo last night. The three mentioned at first arguably have the highest top level too.

The thing about Rashford and Bruno though is even if they’re playing shite, they’re always likely to have that match winning bit of magic

 

[Brightonian]

This season Luke Shaw has the highest bottom level, no question. Insanely consistent. I wouldn't put Bruno in the mix because even when playing well he concedes possession constantly. When he fails to contribute - which admittedly is only once in three blue moons - that wastefulness can be a real problem.

 

[Brightonian]

Something like this then maybe.

HIGHEST
Shaw
Bruno/Rashford
McTominay
Matic/Greenwood
Maguire/Henderson
Telles/Lindelof/Bailly
Pogba/James/Williams/AWB
Fred/Martial/de Gea
LOWEST

A few bits I'd quibble with in there, but broadly that looks right.

 

[Raw]

Fred, Martial, Pogba and De Gea.

Pogba's is so infuriatingly bad when he dallies on the ball and does feck all. Isn't as capable of magic moments as Bruno or Rashford.

 

[RUCK4444]

Its between Martial and Fred for outfield players. Fred's wastefulness with the ball on his bad days can be infuriating for a DM, as he's basically conceding a counter attack within our half.

de Gea's bottom level is also miserably bad these days. There are games where I'm sure every set piece is the equivalent of an opposition penalty with him in goal.

So very very harsh on Fred to be compared to Martial this season.

Nobody has come close to Tony for ‘bottom level’

Fred has poor games like the rest but overall he’s improved and he’s an important factor when we are playing well with winning the ball back and recycling the attacks. When he’s on it he’s been great.

 

[Tarrou]

Pogba surely has the biggest range between his top and bottom level

plays like Zidane one week and Djemba Djemba the next

 

[Rood]

Surprised to see Fred mentioned, even when his passing is off he works his bollocks off

DDG and Lindelof are the ones who actually lose us points directly from mistakes so I'd say they are the worst. Pogba also had some stinkers at start of season but he had the COVID excuse

 

[ivaldo]

I think Shaw has the best bottom.

 

[Himannv]

I think Shaw has the best bottom.

 

[Mike Smalling]

When Rashford is low on confidence and things are not coming off for him, he can be dreadful. Also tends to make a lot bad decisions, which just makes it worse.

 

[Blueman]

I remember when referring to Scholes, people used to say when he's playing at his bottom level (i.e worst he could possibly play) he still looks comfortably one of the better players on the pitch.

As a club I think we've definitely improved our overall bottom level under Solskjaer. It's clearly the heights we haven't quite reached yet.

Who do we think has the highest bottom level at the club? And whose bottom level is the lowest?

I'd go with Bruno for highest as he's quite productive even when having a stinker. Possibly Martial for lowest but I think AWB has quite a poor bottom level too.

I realise I've said bottom a lot.

For me thats exactluy how a player should be bought, IE what is his value when he's not playing well and the minimum is that they should work hard. KDB when he's having a bad game is still running around like a loon. Opposite to that I suppose would be Martial, when he's not playing well I think utd are playing with ten men

 

[VeevaVee]

If Rashford doesn’t get his goal or assist his bottom level is as shite as anyone’s this season. That said, he still gets in the game (just does awful things), which can’t be said for Martial. I guess that’s why he gets a goal more often, even when playing bad.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

De Gea worst bottom-level performer surely? But that may be because of the nature of his position.

 

[tomaldinho1]

DDG is just worse than he was, I don't think the difference between his high level/low level is that big.

Fred 100% is the most up and down, on some days he looks incredible and then he'll turn into the Bebe of central midfield the next.

 

[MadDogg]

Shaw definitely has the highest bottom level. Even in previous seasons he never had actual shockers, he would just tend to be average when he's not playing well.

As for the lowest, I don't know how to separate any of the other players on the team. Other than Shaw they are all capable of having absolutely terrible matches in different ways.

Bruno and Rashford tend to destroy a staggering amount of our attacking opportunities when they are having a bad day, but they both often manage to score or assist despite that.

Martial, Greenwood, McTominay and Mata just drift completely out of the match and barely do anything on their bad days. The team may as well be playing with a man down.

Matic tries to stay involved but just gets over-run and struggles to keep up with the pace of the game.

On Fred, Maguire, Lindelof and AWB's bad days most of their game stays the same, but they make enough mistakes that it can become a bit painful since it often happens in dangerous positions. Especially the three defenders.

Bailly's bad days are a car crash.

De Gea just gifts the opposition goals and makes it hard for the defenders to do their job since he won't come off his line.

Just realised I forgot Pogba. I guess he has a bit of both the 'drifting out of the match' and the 'mistakes costing us' groups.

 

[harms]

Sadly, we have a lot of players with an atrocious bottom level, especially our defenders.
When they have a bad day, all of De Gea, Maguire, Lindelöf, Wan-Bissaka, Pogba, Martial and Rashford can look horrible (although to a different extent). But I agree that our bottom level as a team has become a bit higher under Ole. That doesn’t mean that all of them should be replaced, of course, but we would really benefit from having a couple more starters that can consistently perform at 6 or 7/10 week after week.