[Isotope]

His positioning and passing reminds me of Carrick, players with incredible football intelligent.

 

[Trophy Room]

Brilliant. Praying that he has an injury free career

 

[Alemar]

Very composed. Reminds me of a Seedorf. Excellent today

 

[SER19]

Hope he gets a run beside a fit and in form Casemiro.

 

[The_Midfielder]

And he is not scared to put his body on the line..
And is good defending too..

 

[Oranges038]

Another good game, kid has all the tools. Just needs to develop and keep improving.

 

[Cutch]

Started nervy and played it very safe today but that was understandable after the error in the last match. Great experience again for him and some of his off the ball work was very good. Should remain in the team if we want a semblance of control on games and because he's the future.

 

[GiveItToGi...nowait]

Very composed. Reminds me of a Seedorf. Excellent today

Yes Seedorf is a great comparison, although Seedorf may have been a bit more athletic.

Great young player, I think we will look back at this (shit show of a) season as the start of something special.

 

[Jeppers7]

He’s outstanding….his composure and game iq are out of this world for an 18 year old. I just love watching him.

 

[The Purley King]

Future superstar.
Has got it all skill and composure wise.
If you could pick any of our midfielders to receive a pass in a tight situation, make a good decision and progress the ball it would be him:
Excited to see how he progresses

 

[TMDaines]

Thought the fanbase had been massively overrating his performances so far, but that was good tonight.

 

[Remember the geese]

Thought the fanbase had been massively overrating his performances so far, but that was good tonight.

Hardly. He was Man of the Match in his first start.

 

[Ballache]

Thought the fanbase had been massively overrating his performances so far, but that was good tonight.

You have to see it in its context.
This guy was playing U19 CL 2 months ago.
He's 18, playing as a lone pivot, after a long injury, in a dysfunctional team and looks like an experienced pro.
Is he suddenly the best midfielder in the world? No but he has all the tools to be a very good PL player for us at the very least.
You can't teach that composure, especially to an 18 year old.

 

[Jack-C20]

There’s so many positives to choose from but I’m going for a weird one. At some point in the second half the ball ballooned up and Mainoo found himself underneath it. He had a quick glance and powerfully headed it straight towards one of our players setting up another attack. Almost every other player in our squad is absolutely hoofing that as far forwards as possible without even looking if someone is open. This guy processes everything. Not everything will come off but he’s such a breath of fresh air. Really is one of the few positives to this season so far.

 

[#07]

Mainoo has everything. Honestly, I am surprised.

I am not going to pretend like I was one of those who saw it when he was in the reserves.

In the reserves I actually thought Mainoo thrived most going forward. In my opinion he was vulnerable to being physically done when playing box to box, just by bigger lads.

The composure and decision making he's displaying is, in my opinion, levels above what I thought he would offer. I thought he would become an attacking #8. Instead he's becoming a midfield general who can do everything.

It's like expecting Isco and having Xabi Alonso turn up!

 

[NZT-One]

Started nervy and played it very safe today but that was understandable after the error in the last match. Great experience again for him and some of his off the ball work was very good. Should remain in the team if we want a semblance of control on games and because he's the future.

Amen.

 

[Alemar]

Mainoo has everything. Honestly, I am surprised.

That’s too early to call. We haven’t yet seen him shoot on target once - so there is no data to judge whether he has a good shot. But what we have seen, however, was very good

 

[Oranges038]

That’s too early to call. We haven’t yet seen him shoot on target once - so there is no data to judge whether he has a good shot. But what we have seen, however, was very good

He had a shot on target v West Ham. Areola fumbled it out for a corner.

So yes, he can shoot.

 

[Grande]

Apart from the getting ditched at 0-2, this was probably his best defensive game so far.

 

[bosnian_red]

Great to watch. Was wondering on his long passing though, doesn't seem to be a strength of his (not a natural at it like Scholes was) as he's hesitated doing the pings around the pitch. So if there's any actual important quality for his position that I'd say needs working on, it'd be the passing range. Very good short passer and had a very good ground one for Garnacho vs Liverpool, but there were a few poor lofted balls that should've been better. No reason he can't improve them though, he's only 18.

 

[JakeC]

Mainoo has everything. Honestly, I am surprised.

I am not going to pretend like I was one of those who saw it when he was in the reserves.

In the reserves I actually thought Mainoo thrived most going forward. In my opinion he was vulnerable to being physically done when playing box to box, just by bigger lads.

The composure and decision making he's displaying is, in my opinion, levels above what I thought he would offer. I thought he would become an attacking #8. Instead he's becoming a midfield general who can do everything.

It's like expecting Isco and having Xabi Alonso turn up!

The point I agree with is worrying about him being done by bigger lads.. even pace wise against West ham' he was caught once or twice. However he's 18...

That physicality will come. His technique is very good and his mentality is ridiculous for his age.

He was solid today. Played it a bit safe' but that was probably his job with Bruno and Erikksen with him.

Dynamic is the word id use to describe him now.

 

[next_number_seven]

Mainoo has everything. Honestly, I am surprised.

I am not going to pretend like I was one of those who saw it when he was in the reserves.

In the reserves I actually thought Mainoo thrived most going forward. In my opinion he was vulnerable to being physically done when playing box to box, just by bigger lads.

The composure and decision making he's displaying is, in my opinion, levels above what I thought he would offer. I thought he would become an attacking #8. Instead he's becoming a midfield general who can do everything.

It's like expecting Isco and having Xabi Alonso turn up!

There was a highlight video of him in a youth game I think last year and he looked awesome.
It might've been this but not sure.

Range of passing, technique, vision, decision making, very quick, dribbling, agility, balance etc.
He looked like a real talent.

I think he can be 6 or an 8. He's a bit like Iniesta maybe but could be groomed to be a Carrick.
I know that sounds like a contradiction.

Bright future for England with him and Bellingham for next 10 to 15 years.

I know we shouldn't hype kids but his talent is obvious.

He has a lovely feel for the ball, it just seems to stick to him whilst his head is up. That aspect reminds me of Iniesta.

He seems to have it "between the ears" also which is the most important thing, unlike certain people.

 

[bosnian_red]

My way too early shout on him is he'll be our future captain

 

[next_number_seven]

My way too early shout on him is he'll be our future captain

It is too early but no harm being positive.

I think he'll be in the England squad soon but too soon for Euro 2024.

 

[JeffFromHK]

Great talent.

hope he will not do a Jack Wilshere-career

 

[Teja]

He is absolutely fantastic - I watched him in the Arsenal friendly in the US and have been raving about him ever since, so please use this as the context for the rest of my post. For me he's more a FdJ type ball progressing #8 than a pure defensive mid. We've lacked that skillset basically forever so it's extremely refreshing to have a player like that in the squad.

The only real weakness I see is defensive ability if he's going to start as a single pivot #6 for us. He's a bit on the slower side, tackling is fine but goes to ground a decent bit, doesn't seem have that Rice type radar to nip in quickly and win the ball. It's hard for armchair experts like us to judge subtle things like positioning (also the sample size is too small), but is there potential to be as good positionally as a Rice? Can he be aerially dominant like Rodri? Can he nip in just at the right time and win the ball back (again like Rice)? For me the answer is no to all of these.

There are two ways I see his midfield partnership succeeding:

(a) He starts as the #6 but is paired with an #8 that has legs (someone like Kovacic or Fred would be great)
(b) He replaces Eriksen / Mount in the squad as the primary #8 and is paired with a Casemiro or Amrabat.

(a) we don't really have in the squad and I don't really think (b) is very effective. I hope we consider complementing his skillset when we decide the type of midfielder we want to buy and not end up in a Pogba v2 situation again.

 

[Leonzo1]

I'm hoping Mainoo Hojlund and Martinez will be the spine of our team for the next 3-5 years.

 

[marktan]

Kid is a baller, very rare you get someone so well rounded at 18 in midfield.

Do we have any other great talents coming through from the academy? Our success rate from there is a huge boon given how dire our spending has been. Evans, Rashford, Garnacho, Mainoo, almost half our team. Greenwood too if he was still around. Kind of wish we kept Garner as well as he's got a lot about him too.

 

[In Rainbows]

Kid is a baller, very rare you get someone so well rounded at 18 in midfield.

Do we have any other great talents coming through from the academy? Our success rate from there is a huge boon given how dire our spending has been. Evans, Rashford, Garnacho, Mainoo, almost half our team. Greenwood too if he was still around. Kind of wish we kept Garner as well as he's got a lot about him too.

Jack Fletcher, Shea Lacey, and Jayce Fitzgerald are the next promising talents I would bet on over our other promising talents. I feel like they're the true standouts of the next group. They remind me of the Greenwood, Garner, and Laird trio in that they were all intriguing prospects at the time. Maybe, I think the former trio is already doing so well at the u18 level while being 16 years old, and in Lacey and Fitzgerald's cases, we saw them doing well in the u18s as 15 year olds like Greenwood.

 

[Freak]

I really really like him. Hope ETH manages him well because we potentially have a quality player in our midfield for the future.

 

[bosnian_red]

It is too early but no harm being positive.

I think he'll be in the England squad soon but too soon for Euro 2024.

Yeah, just the way he was hyping up the crowd as he was coming off, the maturity he plays with, the all around impact he brings to the pitch... I just see him being a leader in the future. The kid is 18, playing holding midfield in the premier league, it's insane the level he's having!

England are very lucky with their future midfield. Mainoo, Rice and Bellingham is literally a perfectly balanced midfield trio.

 

[Scottynaldinho]

The best thing about him was when he asked the crowd to be louder while being substituted. Seems to me like a natural leader.

General Kobbie

 

[croadyman]

Had his first setback on Saturday but responded well tonight. Loved that passion when he came off as well just like he showed at Anfield too.

 

[MiracleInMadrid]

I was most delighted with his defensive contribution today. In several instances he positioned himself very well in order to press and win the ball high up the field. Seems very aware and not afraid to get stuck in.

Love this sort of player. Clever, technical, a bit of grit and not afrad of anything.

 

[BabySinclair]

He was definitely our best player against Aston Villa....why???....because we haven't lost the battle in midfield and that has happened nearly every time this season.

Yeah, just the way he was hyping up the crowd as he was coming off, the maturity he plays with, the all around impact he brings to the pitch... I just see him being a leader in the future. The kid is 18, playing holding midfield in the premier league, it's insane the level he's having!

England are very lucky with their future midfield. Mainoo, Rice and Bellingham is literally a perfectly balanced midfield trio.

Southgate should currently play Angel Gomes with Rice and Bellingham in the midfield....but long-term Mainoo is the missing piece for a world-class team.

Starting XI: Pickford - Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw - Mainoo, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden - Kane

Bench: Ramsdale, James, Alexander-Arnold, Trippier, Guehi, Tomori, Colwill, Chilwell, Gomes, Mount, Maddison, Bowen, Palmer, Grealish, Rashford, Watkins or Toney

Only France can match that....all other national teams are miles behind.

 

[stoinz]

Best thing about him is his composure. There are many older pros that do not have that. He has still much to learn and improve, but he already has the one of the most important tool to be a world class midfielder in his locker.

I don't think we will see his full potential until a bit later when he put on more muscles.

 

[Top]

Mainoo has everything.

He lacks pace. Again last night the opponents just ran past him while it looked like he was running in sand.

 

[gajender]

He lacks pace. Again last night the opponents just ran past him while it looked like he was running in sand.

Well I saw a post by one of the poster who regularly follows Academy football who begs to differ and says he is just getting used to senior football and long term he should have no issues with pace or physicality .

 

[Swiss_Red89]

A joy to watch. So calm and clever. Being a CM myself I always have a soft spot for them. And him being a local and youth product, I love him already.

 

[Fortitude]

It is too early but no harm being positive.

I think he'll be in the England squad soon but too soon for Euro 2024.

If he carries on as is, he's a sure thing for '24, I think.

Betting odds on that likelihood should be interesting.