Things suddenly got tight after 2009 for some reason after selling Ronaldo... from breaking transfer records to suddenly scrambling around for Chicharito, Valencia and Owen.
8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 55
- Goals
- 13
- Assists
- 19
- Yellow cards
- 10
- Red cards
- 3
-
Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) discuss United's fantastic win away against Athletic Club in the semi-final of the Europa League.
They also pick out the positives of United's 4-3 loss away at Brentford, and Nik reviews a day out at Old Trafford watching Manchester United Women qualify for the Champions League.
Things suddenly got tight after 2009 for some reason after selling Ronaldo... from breaking transfer records to suddenly scrambling around for Chicharito, Valencia and Owen.
This was around the time transfer fees started to get out of hand (city started to spend big around this time too) and SAF said there was no value in the market. I also think there were probably some cash issue with the Galzers at the time.
I love him in the deeper role. Wonder how he would do against the bigger sides, think he’s only played it a handful of times against top 6?
I think a lot of that depends on who is next to him and who is behind him. Ideally in this system one of the centre backs can always step out to box up the space between them and the midfield. In that regard Bruno just needs to be busy and willing defensively which he is.
When he is having to cover bigger spaces with players running off him then it's harder. Mazraoui is probably the best so far at closing that space but all the centre backs need to get a bit more confident in that.
Our only world class player and the only world class player we have had since prime DDG.
That depends on the setup. When we play it nice and compact in a lower block like against Arsenal and Liverpool, he'll be fine. As soon as stuff gets more open, it'll get more tricky I guess. He is targeted by dribblings right now even, even today by Leicester and against better teams this might be more dangerous.
The amount of absolute numpties that claimed we’d be better without him and that he was a big part of our problems shows how utterly clueless so many football fans are.
World Class footballer that we are so lucky to have.
World Class footballer that we are so lucky to have.
I agree, the notion we’d be better without him is strange but he has definitely changed his game, probably in large part due to the tactical instructions of Amorim. He seems a bit less hot headed, throwing the arms up in the air all the time is gone, and his usage of the ball is FAR better. Bruno used to show glimpses of world class talent, followed up by a run of appaling performances where he was detrimental to the team, but now that element of his game has disappeared so when he isn’t a 9/10, he’s a 6 or a 7 whereas it used to be common for him to put in 4/10 performances.
He’s turned into a fantastic captain on the field which for me is the biggest compliment for him, because that genuinely looked impossible because of the way he carried himself.
All he needs to do now is perform at this level in the big games against better opposition, that’s always been held against him and the stats do back it up that he struggled to elevate his level against top sides.
The stats tend to show most players do worse against better teams in fairness. Salah a prime example in some big games this season.
Bruno was probably always just trying to hard but their always seemed to be a gulf between him and other top talents he shared the pitch with. I don’t think that would be the case now, he’s changed for the better in so many ways.
Agreed. Even other SAF teams would be improved with Bruno.
He had Fortune, Phil Neville, Luke Chad, Veron etc playing in the first team at times. Bruno will get in easily.
Safe to say he’s playing way more controlled than before. During Ten Hag he was one of the players you used to say what is he doing and why. These days under Amorim he passes with purpose after New Years we’ve seen a more mature Bruno that values the ball.
Great fecking goal!
He has played 44 games this season. With 9 games PL left, plus at least 2 in Europa Cup, he'll have another 55+ games season
So in his 5 full seasons, he'll have 3 seasons playing 55+ games, and 2 seasons with 45+ games - with 99% of them on 90+ minutes/game, and with those kind of energy. That's the sort of stuff that probably only Xavi and Iniesta had in the past, helped by Barcelona / Spanish incredible health doctors.
Next season, Amorim really needs to manage his game time, as he's getting older with lots of mileage.
So in his 5 full seasons, he'll have 3 seasons playing 55+ games, and 2 seasons with 45+ games - with 99% of them on 90+ minutes/game, and with those kind of energy. That's the sort of stuff that probably only Xavi and Iniesta had in the past, helped by Barcelona / Spanish incredible health doctors.
Next season, Amorim really needs to manage his game time, as he's getting older with lots of mileage.
He went into Liverpool's medical cabinet and took himself some of those inhalers. How he is all over the pitch every game of every season is a medical phenomenon.
Do any stats wizards here know where to find average / total distance covered this season? Will eat my hat if he isn't top
Do any stats wizards here know where to find average / total distance covered this season? Will eat my hat if he isn't top
People are saying he's more measured in his passing under Amorim, which could be a factor. However, I just think he takes time to get going every season. His second-half season performances always seem stronger than the first, but I’m too lazy to dig up the stats to confirm it as a fact.
How the funk did poor Veron end up lumped in there
Haha was too lazy to add another sentence.
But Veron was quite poor in most PL games. A few fantastic ones in the CL:
État de grâce.
It's Rooneyesque at times. Couldn't give him a bigger compliment.
Missed the game today but I really just LOVE his new nickname is “the problem”. Keep proving them wrong Bruno.
I just realised that across Europe’s top five leagues, only KDB has had more assists than him (90) since Bruno made his debut in 2020. He has 80 now, and has moved above Mueller. KDB played in an incredible City team.
So my question is, is Bruno world class?
I think he has to be.
So my question is, is Bruno world class?
I think he has to be.
If he played for Liverpool, the media and their fans would be hailing him as the best ever in the PL.
He’s at 123min per G/A this season, which is quite impressive for a midfielder.
The second is surprisingly Rashford at 140 (including Villa stint), with Amad at 145, Garnacho at 157, Rasmus at 235 and Zirkzee at 257
Great game. Much better in that deeper role.
The G/A helped by he's the penalty taker.
But it’s an important skill to convert those. We’ve had many penalty takers over the years, and none of them comes close to Bruno conversion-wise (91%).
Just wondered if you'd be able to give him his due. But clearly not. I saw you mention Heaven as your motm which, although he was very good while on, was an odd choice given that he didn't play almost half of the game and given Bruno's excellent performance.
Agree with this, annoys me when people use penalties as a reason they should score.
Yes the chances are much higher for a goal than not, but it still needs to composure and skill to covert in high numbers which Bruno has in spades.
The main problem in our team they said... We would be better of without him.
It just goes to show how many are clueless, when things are going badly, he shows up, when things are going well, he is shining.
Everything good in this team goes through Bruno, the manager knows his importance and the away fans do too.
I actually think this is the best version of Bruno that we have seen, in terms of being a well rounded footballer that is effective.
He makes better decisions on when to try percentage passes and when to keep the ball, he’s better under pressure and can find a way out of tricky situations, he’s started to even go past players, his defensive work is incredible…
I think Amorim has got a grip of him finally and shown him how to help the team become a more controlled and dominant team, which has took him up a level.
The reasons why some fans wanted to see the back of him are no longer there anymore. In fact they’re strengths to his game now in my opinion.
He makes better decisions on when to try percentage passes and when to keep the ball, he’s better under pressure and can find a way out of tricky situations, he’s started to even go past players, his defensive work is incredible…
I think Amorim has got a grip of him finally and shown him how to help the team become a more controlled and dominant team, which has took him up a level.
The reasons why some fans wanted to see the back of him are no longer there anymore. In fact they’re strengths to his game now in my opinion.
Doesn't work hard they said.
Doesn't do enough they said.
Wouldn't get anywhere near the best sides they said.
Wouldn't have survived under Sir Alex they said.
Someone please, get a short clip of Brunos pass in the 64:45 minute in 4K. It was pure class and need to be rewatched in 4K so you can see how the ball rolls opposite way.
Phil Neville was a good solid player, Veron was one of the best midfielders in the world when we bought him. Struggled in his first season but was pretty good in his second.
Strange examples.
I think people forget with time.
Phil Neville played in our golden era and was seen as one of our less talented players, if he played post SAF he'd have been one of most dependable players.
Same thing happens with John O'Shea, who again would piss into many starting line ups of the post SAF teams.
“Pretty good” is a stretch. Bruno has been comfortably better than Veron for us in basically every single season he’s been here.
Why is Phil Neville a strange example ? He was a bang average footballer. Handy, versatile squad player but clearly not in the same league as Bruno.
Veron wasn't "pretty good" in his 2nd season.
He had some good performances in the CL group stage, that's about it.
He gets a great assist for a last minute Forlan winner vs Chelsea around January and then I don't think he does another thing for the rest of the season before he's sold.
He had some good performances in the CL group stage, that's about it.
He gets a great assist for a last minute Forlan winner vs Chelsea around January and then I don't think he does another thing for the rest of the season before he's sold.
Is this actually Bruno's best season?
If we remove penalties then he had 33 G/A in the 2020-21 season. This season he has 26 (minus pens), but there are at least 11 games left to play so there is a chance that he will match it.
But it's not just about the goals and assist. The current Bruno plays in a midfield two and makes far more defensive contributions. He's also the captain, and a vocal one at that. He's even become safer in possession!
If we remove penalties then he had 33 G/A in the 2020-21 season. This season he has 26 (minus pens), but there are at least 11 games left to play so there is a chance that he will match it.
But it's not just about the goals and assist. The current Bruno plays in a midfield two and makes far more defensive contributions. He's also the captain, and a vocal one at that. He's even become safer in possession!
King 
Plus in 20/21 we finished 2nd and were actually a pretty decent side and this season we could be finishing as low as 15th or 16th. It's amazing he's managed to put up the numbers he has in this disaster of a season.
I think it might be his best yeah.