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2023-24 Performances


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6.2 Season Average Rating
Appearances
32
Goals
5
Assists
1
Yellow cards
4
Status
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Thanks. Great to have him back.


Yes, Mainoo imo did better than anyone had a right to expect from such a tactically eccentric midfield, which unfortunately ETH appears determined to die on a hill for.
To be fair, Eriksen probably was a better choice than McTominay, and he was the only alternative for this game.
On the flip side, he could've played Eriksen a bit deeper (but I don't think it makes that much of a difference if he can't run anyway).

ETH is the ultimate "benefit of the doubt" manager, you can always use the injuries excuse to defend him.
 
Glad to see posts like these. He is being given too much to do and without a connective partner to ping balls back and fro with, there's a massive problem for him from the outset.

He's also got a sizeable issue with his stamina in the adult game and a really simple solution to dealing with him is just running him until he gasses, which is when he looks laggy and slower than he initially started the game. It's the manager's job to prevent these things from happening instead of tasking anyone with that role that is more set up for failure than success. Far, far better midfield units than ours ensure that no one player is isolated or ran at all game, either by controlling the midfield outright, or by filling it with able bodies who make pressuring any one player, or even getting clean runs, incredibly difficult. We do not a single thing right in support of the single pivot, and as someone said above, there's a concern that can lead to ruining the player as the load should never ever be as much as we stack. As someone else said, it doesn't matter who is in that role, it's a thankless task that sets the stage for failure; even a routine pass for other midfield #6's is death defying in this set up because the next closest midfielder to balls gone astray is nowhere to be seen.

Smart coaches know to swarm and this will be a theme for the remainder of the season, whether the kid can play through that most of the time isn't relevant; what is is that the times he can't or fails to do so, the set up has us in almost perilous danger from the moment the mistake is made. It's a shambolic way to run a midfield and the caveat should be there in assessment of Mainoo.
Spot on.

The setup is suicidal from whichever angle you look at it. Mainoo would be great as an #8 alongside Cas in a traditional, well drilled 4231. Bruno is fine in the #10 if he can learn to drop in and help the midfield keep its shape. If not, Mount is the perfect man for that role, despite his other shortcomings.

Eriksen can slot in as 3rd choice at #10. Amrabat covers Cas, and I'd keep Hannibal around to rotate with Mainoo. McTom can go to whoever wants his .. unique skillset this month, he fits no role in this system.
Yeah it’s mind boggling how many of us “armchair” experts can see it/agree with it, yet these supposed highly paid professionals at the very top of the profession seem unable to identify it/or wanting to fix it.

Oh well, at this rate it’s going to cost him his job.
 
Yeah it’s mind boggling how many of us “armchair” experts can see it/agree with it, yet these supposed highly paid professionals at the very top of the profession seem unable to identify it/or wanting to fix it.

Oh well, at this rate it’s going to cost him his job.
It is an odd one. I can only hope there's some grand plan at work here, but my gut says he's lost his way and will lose his job if things don't 180 soon.
 
It is an odd one. I can only hope there's some grand plan at work here, but my gut says he's lost his way and will lose his job if things don't 180 soon.

We would need to finish the season strongly for him to keep his job, otherwise he's gone.

I think the signing of Antony is enough to sack him.
 
We would need to finish the season strongly for him to keep his job, otherwise he's gone.

I think the signing of Antony is enough to sack him.
Definitely.

I was very hopeful for longer than the performances warranted as I do like the guy to be fair. But we've been utterly dire for a long time now.

I think it'd have to be an absolute 180 for him to deserve to stay on next season at this point. And not only in results, but in attractive football on the pitch, individuals looking like they're actually being coached etc.

I don't see it but hope to be proven wrong.
 
Definitely.

I was very hopeful for longer than the performances warranted as I do like the guy to be fair. But we've been utterly dire for a long time now.

I think it'd have to be an absolute 180 for him to deserve to stay on next season at this point. And not only in results, but in attractive football on the pitch, individuals looking like they're actually being coached etc.

I don't see it but hope to be proven wrong.

He's had enough time and signings to impress his style.

We've no creativity in attack and concede the same types of goals too easily.

Last season we were too reliant on Rashford to produce magic and once he went off form this season, we were blunt in attack.

To be fair I think we'll play a lot better with Martinez, Shaw and Casemiro back so that might save him his job.

Antony's one of the most expensive signings in history and I'm not sure how many PL teams he'd actually start for.
 
feel like getting off track here in a mainoo performance thread ha. I do think that he is showing he belongs, just needs help in there (as would be the case with literally anyone). Love his center of gravity for someone his size. Nobody wins all the physical duels, but he def wins enough in there. Doesnt look scared at all in there. Hope to see him feature regularly for the rest of the season, and get him in there WITH casemiro. Knowing EtH though when Case is fit i bet we get him instead of mainoo in the same dumbass system we have been running as Case tries to put out fires by himself
 
Our season is shot now and all that’s really left to accomplish is player development. Mainoo’s development at the age of 18 is astonishing. Like every every other poster here, I can’t wait to see Mainoo start with Casemiro. Where Mainoo goes with that remains to be seen. Since we spent 60m for Mount when he return a midfield three of Casemiro, Mainoo and Mount could be very interesting.
 
Our season is shot now and all that’s really left to accomplish is player development. Mainoo’s development at the age of 18 is astonishing. Like every every other poster here, I can’t wait to see Mainoo start with Casemiro. Where Mainoo goes with that remains to be seen. Since we spent 60m for Mount when he return a midfield three of Casemiro, Mainoo and Mount could be very interesting.

I don't see this happening with Bruno about.
 
I don't see this happening with Bruno about.

Agreed. But if Marcus continues to mope around the pitch it’s not hard to see ten Hag shifting Bruno to RW, as he has done in the past.

Not optimal, but surely the manager will see that he has to do something to find a winning formula. It can’t be what he’s done all season, find his players stick in the mud, and then bring on McTominay.
 
Agreed. But if Marcus continues to mope around the pitch it’s not hard to see ten Hag shifting Bruno to RW, as he has done in the past.

Not optimal, but surely the manager will see that he has to do something to find a winning formula. It can’t be what he’s done all season, find his players stick in the mud, and then bring on McTominay.
I think LW might be a good position for Mount. He is decent at pressing and brings good energy to the front line. He can score as well. Not ideal but, rather have Bruno in the center
 
To be fair, Eriksen probably was a better choice than McTominay, and he was the only alternative for this game.
On the flip side, he could've played Eriksen a bit deeper (but I don't think it makes that much of a difference if he can't run anyway).

ETH is the ultimate "benefit of the doubt" manager, you can always use the injuries excuse to defend him.
Yes, both good points.
 
I think LW might be a good position for Mount. He is decent at pressing and brings good energy to the front line. He can score as well. Not ideal but, rather have Bruno in the center

An in-form Bruno yes, but Bruno has been poor this season. But assuming that Bruno has attained undroppable status than Mount at LW and Garnacho works for me.

What we've been seeing from Rashford this season has been beyond all belief and that man -- or should I say child -- needs to be given a long benching so he can think about where this whole thing called a professional football career is going.
 
Newport County 2:4 Man Utd
Only 27 completed passes in 100 mins in a match Utd had 70%+ possession, must have been shit.





Nah, he was good.
 
The one good thing about this season. Rest of the season has been a catastrophe, but he's been a revelation.
 
Only 27 completed passes in 100 mins in a match Utd had 70%+ possession, must have been shit.





Nah, he was good.
The next step is absolutely for him to get more on the ball and help us turn the tide and actually control matches in the midfield. It’s a tough ask for an 18 year old but with the talent he has and the level we think he can all be, that should hopefully start coming out when he’s under a better manager/system
 
Its hard not to get excited by Kobbie. He just does the simple things well.

When you contrast the maturity of his decision making, to the glory chasing and ball hogging of some of his teammates, he stands out against the crowd.

We need to wrap the kid in cotton wool. Delighted to see him get a goal too.
 
The ceiling of this lad is ridiculously high. One of only a few players that could play in the current top 3 teams...
 
Mature performance again, but I wish we'd just play him and Casemiro as a true double pivot rather than having one or the other have to wander down the pitch as a second #10 most of the time.

We'd have so much more control, he's perfectly capable of it.
 
Mature performance again, but I wish we'd just play him and Casemiro as a true double pivot rather than having one or the other have to wander down the pitch as a second #10 most of the time.

We'd have so much more control, he's perfectly capable of it.

Yeah I'm leaning the same. I get that if we break the press then having both Bruno and Kobbie up high means we have extra bodies in the attack but I think the sacrifice that happens in us not being able to truly control games is not quite worth it.

Kobbie had a good game, I'm still waiting for him to truly grab a game but hopefully that will come with more experience.
 
It’s a very nice thing that he’s scored his first ever senior goal.
 
Decent showing. Phenomenal finish. Just needs to work on getting a higher volume of passes because that’s the only thing he’s missing.
 
Class goal but i don't think he imposed himself on the game as well as he could have, and neither did Casemiro to be fair. Very promising player though.
 
Yeah I'm leaning the same. I get that if we break the press then having both Bruno and Kobbie up high means we have extra bodies in the attack but I think the sacrifice that happens in us not being able to truly control games is not quite worth it.

Kobbie had a good game, I'm still waiting for him to truly grab a game but hopefully that will come with more experience.

Problem is that without him coming deep, we don't break the press...It's been a problem all season and will be ETH's downfall...
 
First and foremost, my man of the match

Pros :

First goal. Took very well and made it look easy. 1 touch then bottom corner and side net. Easy

Several good passes and dribbles

Cons :

Didnt win the ball as much as some previous games

Could have got on the ball a bit more

Still a 7.5/8 of 10 performance for me with the goal
 
Why am I always surprised by how short he is? At least once per game I say to myself "Christ, he's short"
 
Is he really short? Anyhow, makes up for it with a great leap. He is very good in aerial duels.

Christ, he's short.

Nah, he's actually not that short at all, he's pretty much my height according to google (1.75m) - but I don't know, he looks tiny compared to the rest of our players a lot of the time.
 
The next step is absolutely for him to get more on the ball and help us turn the tide and actually control matches in the midfield. It’s a tough ask for an 18 year old but with the talent he has and the level we think he can all be, that should hopefully start coming out when he’s under a better manager/system

It’s starting to look like that’s the nature of ETH’s formation and tactics. There will always be one CM who plays high up the pitch, near Bruno, and gets on the ball very little. Because Mount, McT and now Mainoo have all had similarly low number of passes in that role.

It’s hard to work out why Bruno is able to make twice as many passes, though, despite playing in similar areas of the pitch.
 
Very good is an overstatement. He wins 56% of them.
Yeah, I should have qualified that with ‘compared to most of our other players’. I guess him winning at least some headers gives me a false impression after years of watching others let the ball float by.
 
He’s a joy to watch. Even games where people have been critical of him…he’s been a joy
 
It’s starting to look like that’s the nature of ETH’s formation and tactics. There will always be one CM who plays high up the pitch, near Bruno, and gets on the ball very little. Because Mount, McT and now Mainoo have all had similarly low number of passes in that role.

It’s hard to work out why Bruno is able to make twice as many passes, though, despite playing in similar areas of the pitch.
Yep, we have seen this time and time again. It is also very clear to me those players are following the instructions, whatever they are. McTominay wouldn't be starting 10 games in the row doing exactly the same things game in game out if ETH wasn't happy with what he is doing. And now you can add Mount AND Mainoo to that argument.

It's nothing like how Arsenal/City play. We essentially replaced their #8 with a second striker (#10 generally should get much more involved in the game, while our players seem to be focused on movement/runs into the box than actually participating in the buildup).
 
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