We all have our own thoughts on how Bruno can improve his game, but we should accept that he is who he is and what we see now is what he's going to deliver for the rest of his career.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 59
- Goals
- 14
- Assists
- 13
- Yellow cards
- 12
- Status
The slight flaw in this theory is De Bruyne got 20 PL assists in 19/20 - a PL record - with Gabriel Jesus up top. It’s clear he plays in a better team with better support, but putting it down to Haaland is a bit silly. Along with that greater support he plays with greater demands and expectations. And generally he excels in a wide range of scenarios. We do Bruno no favours in comparing him to de Bruyne.
The slight flaw in your theory is that we are not talking about past seasons - we are talking about *this* season.
But if you want to talk about a season from years ago, he had Aguero and Jesus up top who combined for 30 goals that season. I'd say that's a hell of a lot better than a crocked Martial and a Burnley reject.
That season however de Bruyne's creative output was excellent and he had a net xAG of 20.0 which is amazing, and the finishers he had meant he got assists in line with his xAG whereas this season he had a net xAG of 13.7 but ended up with 16 assists.
So why did he get more assists than 'expected' this season? Well, it's because of Haaland.
And why did he get 20 assists in 19/20? Because he played amazingly that season, and he also had had finishers that were decent, but not as good as Haaland which is why his assist tally was exactly in line with his xAG.
Bruno this season had a net xAG of 16.7 but ended up with 8 assists! That is a disparity of almost 9 assists and is definitely down to poor finishers in front of him.
Understat confirms this as we underperformed our xG by 14 goals:
https://understat.com/league/EPL/2022
Need a massive performance from him today. Just read up that’s he’s been the most creative player in Europe this season even above messi.
If he and Casemiro have a good game and get the better of their City counterparts we can win.
That doesn't mean we need 60% possession, but we need them to be crafty in the dark arts, we can't afford for them to be wasteful or sloppy in their passing and we certainly can't have them riled up on yellow cards early on.
It won't derail his season if he doesn't, but we need Bruno at his absolute lockdown best today.
That doesn't mean we need 60% possession, but we need them to be crafty in the dark arts, we can't afford for them to be wasteful or sloppy in their passing and we certainly can't have them riled up on yellow cards early on.
It won't derail his season if he doesn't, but we need Bruno at his absolute lockdown best today.
Man City 2:1 Man Utd
How we started with Eriksen CAM Fernandes RW over Fernandes CAM Sancho RW I’ll never know.
Was appalling on the right and fine in the middle.
Scored penalty otherwise awful.
He was good in the first half but underwhelming in the 2nd.
Just too wasteful really, it either works or it doesn’t and it didn’t.
I think he was terrible. So many unforced errors, giving possession away.
His backheels really need to stop, they invariably go to the opposition
Never want to see him on the wing again after this season
Has he ever had a MOM in these big games? I dont remember it.
I really dont get the cult fandom this guy has with United.
I really dont get the cult fandom this guy has with United.
Same old Bruno. Good numbers and a good player but ultimately not a top player.
We're going nowhere if he's as important to us as he currently is.
We're going nowhere if he's as important to us as he currently is.
He was good. He gets plenty of criticism but he’s not really a problem that needs fixing.
Yes he has, and it's not really a cult when numbers back up the performances
Please only use him in AMF or CMF ETH.
Bruno is easily one of our best players and probably one of our biggest problems we have in the team. Alongside lack of central midfielder, he is one of the main reasons we lose control of midfield of any game we play, but he is also one of few reasons we still create decent amount of chances despite not having any control.
In the end, it's up to the manager to decide what he wants, but for me it looks quite obvious that Ten Hag doesn't care that much about controlling the play, but rather play on the counter, and try to score as quick as possible as soon as we get to opposition half with the ball.
I think one of the main reasons Ten Hag likes him so much is because he is fit, he presses smart and hard, unlike rest of the team, but not because of his on ball qualities. I mean, he played Wout Weghorst any time he could, striker who doesn't score any goals.
In the end, it's up to the manager to decide what he wants, but for me it looks quite obvious that Ten Hag doesn't care that much about controlling the play, but rather play on the counter, and try to score as quick as possible as soon as we get to opposition half with the ball.
I think one of the main reasons Ten Hag likes him so much is because he is fit, he presses smart and hard, unlike rest of the team, but not because of his on ball qualities. I mean, he played Wout Weghorst any time he could, striker who doesn't score any goals.
That’s just laughable
Name them…
I think people forget how tough it is to be an attacker playing against this City side. You don’t get enough of the ball and when you get it you’re immediately pressed and outnumbered.
Everybody saying Bruno, Sancho and Rashford were poor but like I said, they just don’t give you space or time. Unless you pull of something magical, it will look like you had a poor game. We didn’t have enough quality to control the game ultimately and forward players suffer for it.
The only time you can get into the game is 70’ onwards when the space opens up.
If you wanted Sancho right and Bruno middle, it would mean Weghorst starting up front and Rashford on the left. Not sure you want Weghorst starting, do you?
Everybody saying Bruno, Sancho and Rashford were poor but like I said, they just don’t give you space or time. Unless you pull of something magical, it will look like you had a poor game. We didn’t have enough quality to control the game ultimately and forward players suffer for it.
The only time you can get into the game is 70’ onwards when the space opens up.
It’s pretty easy to know, mate. Sancho was on the LW, so that Rashford (the only guy who can score) can play as a CF. Which meant Bruno on the RW as he’s the only one of the midfielders with the speed and stamina to cover the RW passably.
If you wanted Sancho right and Bruno middle, it would mean Weghorst starting up front and Rashford on the left. Not sure you want Weghorst starting, do you?
Garnacho in place for Eriksen, so you could have your most creative player in his natural position would've been great. Sancho has recently hit a bit of form on the right wing so why change it? When has Eriksen last played as CAM for us? The only time he has played there for us was against City in January, he was subbed off for Garnacho 1-0 down and it was his second lowest rated performance of the season. Bruno moved into the centre from the right after Eriksen was subbed and scored, then Garnacho ended up with the winner. If that isn't a big enough indicator to play Bruno centrally and Garnacho on the left then I don't know what is. Weghorst doesn't have to touch a blade of grass in any scenario.
The 1st half against City at Old Trafford was probably our best half of football against them, we just didn't score our chances. Martial going off injured at half time screwed us early in the 2nd half as we ended up playing with no striker to hold the ball.
I think the logical plan was to go for the same team that started at Old Trafford, which was 4 midfielders and 2 attackers. This went out the window when Martial got injured last week but I can see why he stuck to the principle of the plan, Rashford had to go up front and then it was either Sanch/Garnacho for the left side.
I'd rather Garnacho started but I think ETH just thought it was a season too early for him, he's not been great when he's started games and is better off the bench, and it could have been a very tough outing for an 18 year old if City were at their best today.
I’d say the second half was better. I’m just unconvinced of Bruno on the right, never seems to properly work.
He annoys me so much. just so inconsistent and for someone who can make decisions quickly at times and release sublime passes he also has a tendency to be a very average passer and muck up simple passes. No where near as bad as Eriksen was but the way City could take one touch and the. All of a sudden be like 10 yards away from the preasure he was trying to add to them was scary.
Rough game, but I maintain this was easily his best season being a 'midfielder' for us.
I find myself agreeing with this. He’s been an important player in mediocre United teams. I have a feeling that if we ever become top again he would not be as heavily involved as we would phase him/his influence out of matches.
I feel he just isn’t at that level, would be an excellent option off the bench though.
His stats mask his contribution. He's not only one in the team that applies to. I'm not sure I've seen a game where he isn't sloppy and careless with the ball. If you play poorly in a game but grab an assist, you've still played poorly.
He is a very talented player but watching for 90 minutes for a considerable period I honestly don't think you see the footballing genius everyone agrees he is when they post his goals and assists stats
He is a very talented player but watching for 90 minutes for a considerable period I honestly don't think you see the footballing genius everyone agrees he is when they post his goals and assists stats
Insane.
I can’t stand the tolerance and sometimes even giddiness on here from people when Bruno plays terriblky but gets an assist and people just laugh and say “Typical Bruno!”
That’s on okay attitude to have about a striker who’s main job is just to bang in goals, but you can’t have a vital midfielder who performs that way. It’s going to handicap your team too often when it matters.
I do think Bruno had his best season yet for us. But we will have to mask his weaknesses big time with players around him if we want him to be a part of any elite side
It's not only him though. We are backheels United. We do so many per game, most are creating more counterattacks for the other team.
I really would like to see Bruno with a proper CF to see what he can do. Someone like a prime Cavani who is always on the move and always finding spaces in the defense.
Beckham created more chances than Scholes but no one in their right mind will argue it warranted him being our attacking midfielder. It wasn’t about chance creation then and it still isn’t.
CM and AM is about the details like know when and where, your ability to be stingy with your contributions. If your first thought is to pass side ways or backwards opposition already have an edge on you in their prep, likewise if you’re a Gerard punt type all they have to do is drop of and wait for it.
Then we move on to the defensive side of things, positional contributions are key to any midfield performance. This is the part that happens for 85 mins.
Unlike 95% of our fan base accepting in the context of the team this season doesn’t make him my guy. I’m a fan and I’m entitled to how I interpret what I see. He has made very good contributions to the season and hopefully will continue to in this team. Just not in the role he currently occupies.
I believe him to be very David Beckham and should use his vision to great effect because anywhere else on the pitch to enhance his impact, is detrimental to the team if we want to dominate games in a controlled way.
Most people like high octane football but I don’t because of the how badly it exposes a team and take the control of games out of your hands .
CM and AM is about the details like know when and where, your ability to be stingy with your contributions. If your first thought is to pass side ways or backwards opposition already have an edge on you in their prep, likewise if you’re a Gerard punt type all they have to do is drop of and wait for it.
Then we move on to the defensive side of things, positional contributions are key to any midfield performance. This is the part that happens for 85 mins.
Unlike 95% of our fan base accepting in the context of the team this season doesn’t make him my guy. I’m a fan and I’m entitled to how I interpret what I see. He has made very good contributions to the season and hopefully will continue to in this team. Just not in the role he currently occupies.
I believe him to be very David Beckham and should use his vision to great effect because anywhere else on the pitch to enhance his impact, is detrimental to the team if we want to dominate games in a controlled way.
Most people like high octane football but I don’t because of the how badly it exposes a team and take the control of games out of your hands .
Obviously the opinions that people had at the end of the FA Cup final on Bruno’s performance were not reflective of his actual performance since they didn’t say he played well. Obviously had they said he’d played well, then they would have been reflective.
A great season topped off with a MOTM performance in the cup final.
A great season topped off with a MOTM performance in the cup final.
You have 215 posts in this thread alone. If your post-count is evenly distributed among the years you've spent on this forum then it means that this season roughly 1 in 3 posts from you are moaning about Bruno. And that's not including the other threads I've seen you post much of the same in.
Seriously, what did the man do to you?
This is worrying stuff!Or they are replying to other posters who have replied to me.You have 215 posts in this thread alone. If your post-count is evenly distributed among the years you've spent on this forum then it means that this season roughly 1 in 3 posts from you are moaning about Bruno. And that's not including the other threads I've seen you post much of the same in.
Seriously, what did the man do to you?
Controversial opinions tend to attract more replies of course.
That doesn't change the fact that your main role is whining about Bruno and doubling down when responding to the replies.
He’s an interesting psychological case study. Prior to this Bruno obsession he was all about deflecting any and all criticism aimed at his boy, Paul Pogba. This monomania then got twisted into hatred for Fernandes when Pogba fecked off to Italy. The fact that Bruno took over his hero’s role as our creative hub, matching (or exceeding) his creative output, while adding the sort of work ethic we never saw from Pogba was a slap in the face. An insult to his hero he is determined to counter at all costs. Fascinating really. If a little tiresome.
I think he has been great this season, probably my favourite player at United
- Status