Hannibal Mejbri image 46

Hannibal Mejbri Tunisia flag

2023-24 Performances


View full 2023-24 profile

5.4 Season Average Rating
Appearances
10
Goals
1
Assists
0
Yellow cards
3

Hernandez - BFA

The Way to Fly
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
17,320
I didn’t watch the game but instantly saw he got carded within 3 minutes of coming onto the pitch.

Despite all his talents, he’s far too hot headed to be a top quality player - his ill discipline will be his downfall. You can have all the talent in the world but if you don’t have the mentality (in his case, can’t control his aggression/energy), you won’t make it.
 

Onerealunited

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
460
He easily get booked but hopefully this is something he can work and improve on as he gets more mature... It is easier to work on that part of than learn someone at 20-21 a proper technique
 

red woppit

Full Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
2,257
Location
Buchebi
Supports
Northampton Town
I think he's a marked man, very often his first foul gets him a yellow card, so unfortunately if he can't readjust his over enthusiasm, that's what I think it is, then he may never become a top player, and always have his lack of discipline to the fore.
I still believe there is a very good player in there, somewhere, but he needs to approach football with a slightly different mindset.
 

Smores

Full Member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
25,549
His disciplinary record last season wasn't that bad, 10 yellows in 38 games. Keane was usually around 1 in 4.

He'll figure it out he's just trying too hard to impress and needs to call down. His talent will be a bigger factor in if he makes it or not, hopefully his cards don't stop him getting minutes and showing it.
 

red woppit

Full Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
2,257
Location
Buchebi
Supports
Northampton Town
His disciplinary record last season wasn't that bad, 10 yellows in 38 games. Keane was usually around 1 in 4.

He'll figure it out he's just trying too hard to impress and needs to call down. His talent will be a bigger factor in if he makes it or not, hopefully his cards don't stop him getting minutes and showing it.
I do think he is a player who has been noted by referees and opponents, with his hairstyle and aggressive actions (not excessively aggressive in most cases), so referees will be watching out for any misdemeanor, and opponents will react to any tackle made by him.
For me Casemiro makes many more over aggressive tackles than Hannibal, but rarely gets a yellow for his first foul.
I really believe that had Ten Hag given him a lot more game time, he would be more settled, and then less likely to try and prove that he is worthy of a first team spot.
 

Raven

Full Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2012
Messages
6,737
Location
Ireland
He always seemed like a big talent to me given his transfer fee and reputation followed by good performances for the youth teams. He should calm down a little bit but that usually comes with experience, hopefully it happens in time for him to make a career for himself here.
 

Ekeke

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
53,306
Location
Hope, We Lose
He's just one of those players. The moment a player touches him he's happy to fall down and claim a foul. But when he himself is pressuring someone on the ball he will not be calm and go in too aggressively and make a foul too easily.
 

RuudTom83

Full Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2013
Messages
5,615
Location
Manc
Regular football would solve his rashness tbh. Having that feeling of always needing to prove yourself must impact his approach. But if you have a manager that appreciates you and you know next week you will be in the team then you can relax a bit.

That is my take on Hannibal anyway.
 

Bertie Wooster

Full Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
3,005
I do think he is a player who has been noted by referees and opponents, with his hairstyle and aggressive actions (not excessively aggressive in most cases), so referees will be watching out for any misdemeanor, and opponents will react to any tackle made by him.
For me Casemiro makes many more over aggressive tackles than Hannibal, but rarely gets a yellow for his first foul.
I really believe that had Ten Hag given him a lot more game time, he would be more settled, and then less likely to try and prove that he is worthy of a first team spot.
100% this.

I've ripped my hair out in frustration over the years at how some rough defenders and defensive midfielders seem to be allowed to be almost 'designated thugs' - they can commit foul after foul, game after game, and rarely pick up many cards.

Then every game you get subs coming on and invariably picking up bookings with their first tackle. And as for Hannibal specifically, while he commits plenty of fouls for a ball playing midfielder, he does seem to have become a marked man and will pick up bookings far sooner than many others for the exact same types of fouls.

Maybe he's less subtle about them, or reacts differently and needs to learn more of the dark arts? Or maybe, as unfair as it would be, his hair and temperament and hand gestures rubbed up the English officials at youth level the wrong way, as he was kicked all over the place most games there without them being punished then he'd do the same in retaliation and get a red or yellow! And that's how the reputation developed.

Definitely, while he seems to be being reffed differently, he needs to adjust his game more and maybe be more subtle and apologetic when fouling. At the moment it seems to be a vicious circle - like many, he's got a fiery temperament, but he seems to be being punished harsher and quicker than most like that, which in turn (justifiably to an extent) gets him even more wound up and perpetuates the issue.

Rightly or wrongly, he needs to try to make himself less noticeable for a while, and try to be more 'subtle' with his fouling. Refs shouldn't be more lenient with some 'designated foulers', and those who chat away to them (heard players like Robbie Savage say that was their way of ingratiating themselves with refs) but they are, and so Hannibal does seem to learn more of those types of tricks and dark arts.
 
Last edited:

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,345
Location
@United_Hour
Indeed + the fact that Hannibal hasn't played in 38 games for United (1st team) total, never mind last season
He was playing regularly for Birmingham last season, I assume the stats come from there

You probably get away with more in the Championship than La Liga though
 

Gandalf

Full Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
4,812
Location
Alabama but always Wales in my heart
I didn’t watch the game but instantly saw he got carded within 3 minutes of coming onto the pitch.

Despite all his talents, he’s far too hot headed to be a top quality player - his ill discipline will be his downfall. You can have all the talent in the world but if you don’t have the mentality (in his case, can’t control his aggression/energy), you won’t make it.
The bolded invalidates what followed. If you had seen the game you would have seen that it was a ridiculously soft booking and in no way was he hot headed or ill disciplined. Hannibal does not have a temperament problem so much as a reputation problem like many before him. The talk around him is of him being aggressive and rash and referees step on to the pitch looking for him to do something and can't wait to get a card out at the slightest infraction. I see far worse from many players who almost never get a booking because they don't have the reputational issue to deal with.

It can happen to anyone. Most PL referees decided that Casemiro, a player with a fairly clean disciplinary record, was some sort of violent maniac last season and booked him and even sent him off for challenges that wouldn't even merit a word in the ear from most players.
 

VP89

Pogba's biggest fan
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Messages
31,756
He's just one of those players. The moment a player touches him he's happy to fall down and claim a foul. But when he himself is pressuring someone on the ball he will not be calm and go in too aggressively and make a foul too easily.
A terrible combination
 

Bondi77

Full Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Messages
7,352
Are Seville paying all his wages as that is the only reason I can think we have sent him there.
What a shocking loan if we are using this to see him actually play at a decent level!
 

Big Ben Foster

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
12,852
Location
BR -> MI -> TX
Supports
Also support Vasco da Gama
Are Seville paying all his wages as that is the only reason I can think we have sent him there.
What a shocking loan if we are using this to see him actually play at a decent level!
Seems to be a common theme with a lot of our loans over the years. I get the feeling whoever is in charge of diligencing potential loan destinations for our players isn't going to survive the new regime.
 

Adnan

Talent Spotter
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
29,893
Location
England
I haven't watched any of the games yet because he hasn't started any. But from what I'm hearing from the Sevilla fans, they can't seem to understand why he isn't starting ahead of Oliver Torres.

The tweet below from the Sevilla fans are frustrated that Hannibal has done more in the last few minutes than players like Oliver Torres have done all game but isn't getting a fair chance. This seems to be a head coach vs DoF issue.


Translation: "Hannibal in one minute has tried to raise the ball more times than Oliver in 92 minutes, what I don't understand is why this kid doesn't play, he looks very good."


"In two moments Hannibal has seen things that this Sevilla needs. He wants the ball, he asks for it, he releases it and asks for it again, quality."


"Hannibal Mejbri in a minute and a half has done more than the entire Sevilla midfield in the entire game. The Sevilla midfield would improve alot if the Tunisian had more minutes."


"That Hannibal Mejbri has come off the bench like a player should be coming off the bench. He has added another gear to Sevilla, his change was late, perhaps to waste time, but I think he should be given minutes because he looks good."


"That he now brings on Hannibal for Oliver Torres is a insult to the kid and football. The draw was great for us but perhaps it's time to try something else. I'm still not clear on Quique (manager) don't think he is either."
 
Last edited:

Bertie Wooster

Full Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
3,005
Overrated player. Full of energy but there is not much real football in that guy. Should be sold to whoever want to pay.
Not true.

Full of energy and is quite good on the ball, actually. Links up in attacks well and is always looking to move the ball forward - as the Sevilla fans seem to have already noticed.

For whatever reason, he isn't getting the chances to show that at United or Sevilla, but there's a lot more to his game than just 'can run around a lot', and if he gets his chances to start regularly somewhere then I'm sure he'll start to show it.
 

mav_9me

Full Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
12,487
Not true.

Full of energy and is quite good on the ball, actually. Links up in attacks well and is always looking to move the ball forward - as the Sevilla fans seem to have already noticed.

For whatever reason, he isn't getting the chances to show that at United or Sevilla, but there's a lot more to his game than just 'can run around a lot', and if he gets his chances to start regularly somewhere then I'm sure he'll start to show it.
That's the thing, we don't see the background stuff. There may be a reason or there may not be. If there's no real reason sooner or later his talent will shine thru. That part is undeniable. He is very talented. Has a rare combination of ability with the energy and willingness to run and defend.
 

90 + 5min

Full Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
5,283
Absolute horse shit.
Great input.

Not true.

Full of energy and is quite good on the ball, actually. Links up in attacks well and is always looking to move the ball forward - as the Sevilla fans seem to have already noticed.

For whatever reason, he isn't getting the chances to show that at United or Sevilla, but there's a lot more to his game than just 'can run around a lot', and if he gets his chances to start regularly somewhere then I'm sure he'll start to show it.
The reason is simply that he is not good enough to play. He lacks football thinking and it is all about energy. You can't go far with that. You need more. I'm pretty sure he will be out of club in the summer.
 

sparx99

Full Member
Joined
May 22, 2016
Messages
3,956
Great input.


The reason is simply that he is not good enough to play. He lacks football thinking and it is all about energy. You can't go far with that. You need more. I'm pretty sure he will be out of club in the summer.
Somebody hasn’t watched him l play. Mejbri should have been playing for us when Casemiro and Mainoo weren’t fit. He would have done a much better job as a central midfielder than McTominay or Amrabat did.
 

Zed is not dead

Full Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2023
Messages
1,478
Actually kind of reminds me of Guendouzi, and not only because of the hair.

Suspected temperament issues, labelled as « dirty » player, high activity and intensity, good technical level, and initially hard to know his best position on the pitch.
 

90 + 5min

Full Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
5,283
Somebody hasn’t watched him l play. Mejbri should have been playing for us when Casemiro and Mainoo weren’t fit. He would have done a much better job as a central midfielder than McTominay or Amrabat did.
I have and my opinion is based on that. You can't seriously think that Mejbri is better than McTominay or Amrabat? Guy is full of energy but nowhere near quality to play for ManUtd. He lacks pretty much everything except energy. If you mean playing instead of Amrabat because he is just a loan player, that is different thing. Otherwise no.
 

city-puma

Full Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2020
Messages
3,297
Location
NYC
Actually kind of reminds me of Guendouzi, and not only because of the hair.

Suspected temperament issues, labelled as « dirty » player, high activity and intensity, good technical level, and initially hard to know his best position on the pitch.
Yes, he is a lot similar in terms of playing style. He should have gone to Marseille instead.
 

sparx99

Full Member
Joined
May 22, 2016
Messages
3,956
I have and my opinion is based on that. You can't seriously think that Mejbri is better than McTominay or Amrabat? Guy is full of energy but nowhere near quality to play for ManUtd. He lacks pretty much everything except energy. If you mean playing instead of Amrabat because he is just a loan player, that is different thing. Otherwise no.
I think he would be significantly better than McTominay in a midfield role. Not at goal scoring but his defensive instincts are much better. Amrabat doesn’t have the legs for the PL. He is also a much better passer and dribbler than either.