[RedStarUnited]

He's definitely better as the deepest lying midfielder, it allows him to come onto the game a bit more and play with a full view of the pitch. It's much harder to play a bit more advanced and revieve the ball on the half turn all the time.

Think a mobile CM who can also get forward and is good defensively like Douglas Luiz would be a great option to put beside Mainoo.

Not sure how people come to this conclusion when the kids best moments are in the final third.

I said it before and il say it again, We have an Iniesta type of player and we are trying to play him as a DM.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Gareth Southgate really is a clueless wanker.

 

[eire-red]

Not sure how people come to this conclusion when the kids best moments are in the final third.

I said it before and il say it again, We have an Iniesta type of player and we are trying to play him as a DM.

I think he is a lot more involved in the game when he's the first receiver and has a picture of the game in front of him.

Yes, he's capable of producing those amazing moments in the final third, but if you look at it it's all at times where he's coming onto play from a deeper role and has that picture in front of him.

Recently, when Casemiro has been deeper I feel Mainoo has been less involved as its harder to find space and you have to constantly be receiving the ball on the half turn in that Iniesta / Modric role.

Not saying he can't be that player, but he's more involved in the game playing deeper at this moment in time, in my opinion.

 

[SparkedIntoLife]

I reckon Khéphren Thuram may actually be the ideal person to partner Mainoo long term. He's 6 foot 4, lightning fast and strong. He's box to box and runs really well with the ball in an attacking sense so we might need to buy in a proper anchor man type too but Thuram can tackle, create, dribble and I think would compliment the silky composure of Mainoo well.

He's having a sub par season too so might be reasonably cheap, and is out of contract in 2025. Plenty of top players have had initial breakouts, little lulls and then gone on to be tremendous so I'm not too concerned. What I saw from him last season was very exciting.

 

[Zed is not dead]

Social media is quite fun.

They were raving about Klopps Kids a few weeks ago, or post some « baller » posts every time a Barca kid completes a pass, yet Mainoo’s game today has gotten no coverage at all

 

[The Corinthian]

He just oozes class. Build the midfield around getting the best out of this kid and the trophies will follow.

 

[Utd heap]

Moments today that were pure genius. He has it.

 

[Bestie07]

Have we ever had a midfielder like him? He's just so elegant.

 

[kouroux]

Gareth Southgate really is a clueless wanker.

I don't have an issue with it tbh. Mainoo has more than enough time to become a full regular international

 

[Brightonian]

He'd've had an assist as well if AWB hadn't thrown a foot at that cut-back towards McT. Scott eats those sorts of set-ups for breakfast. (Not AWB's fault, from his perspective he had to have a go at it.)

 

[Semper Fudge]

Gareth Southgate really is a clueless wanker.

Nah, one of the few times Southgate’s reasoning made sense. Happy he’ll be getting a rest.

 

[Brightonian]

I think he is a lot more involved in the game when he's the first receiver and has a picture of the game in front of him.

Yes, he's capable of producing those amazing moments in the final third, but if you look at it it's all at times where he's coming onto play from a deeper role and has that picture in front of him.

Recently, when Casemiro has been deeper I feel Mainoo has been less involved as its harder to find space and you have to constantly be receiving the ball on the half turn in that Iniesta / Modric role.

Not saying he can't be that player, but he's more involved in the game playing deeper at this moment in time, in my opinion.

Just about to post all of the above but you've said it better.

It's also lazy to say his 'best stuff' comes in the attacking third. Those beautiful little dribbling moments are great to watch but they aren't his key contribution. Today, his key contribution was his interceptions - lots of them, often really crucial ones that turned dangerous defensive situations into promising attacking ones. Generally speaking, the composed, possession-winning and possession-keeping stuff he does in our own half is much more valuable than the little attacking moments.

 

[eire-red]

Just about to post all of the above but you've said it better.

It's also lazy to say his 'best stuff' comes in the attacking third. Those beautiful little dribbling moments are great to watch but they aren't his key contribution. Today, his key contribution was his interceptions - lots of them, often really crucial ones that turned dangerous defensive situations into promising attacking ones. Generally speaking, the composed, possession-winning and possession-keeping stuff he does in our own half is much more valuable than the little attacking moments.

Yeah turnovers in the defensive third get overlooked because they don't elict that same reaction as the nutmeg or nice dribble in attack, but Mainoo had many crucial turnovers and moments where he got a foot or a toe in to disrupt Liverpool, especially in the first half.

Being able to control posession and play from the back is only possible if you have players who are deterrents for the a likes of Liverpool who love to press. We need the likes of Mainoo and Martinez dictating from the back to be able to play that way.

 

[kaku06]

Have we ever had a midfielder like him? He's just so elegant.

Though not exactly like him but he’s very much like Scholes in many aspects. The technique, the awareness, the calmness, one touch pass, the turn, manipulating the ball, aesthetically so pleasing just like Scholes was. Elegant. And talking about elegance. Carrick was full of it.

 

[Plant0x84]

So so so good. I hope he stays for a very long time!

 

[SalfordRed18]

Excellent player with great potential and definitely someone to build a midfield around BUT he needs legs around him as his one downside is his lack of pace.

Has he actually got a lack of pace or does he just look slow?

 

[bosnian_red]

Has he actually got a lack of pace or does he just look slow?

He's very agile and has a good acceleration but he's slow over distance. But it doesn't matter in his position, or shouldn't. Scholes, Xavi, Pirlo, Xabi Alonso etc etc were not fast players, it's your intelligence and technique and quick feet that make the difference in that position. He does need a partner to be a ball winner just because of the type of player he is though, but the need for it is bigger here given that we play with massive spaces in the team.

 

[arnie_ni]

Will Southgate take a risk for once in his life and bring him to the Euros? He surely worth a look for England in some of the summer tune-up games anyway. Incredible what he’s doing in his position for his age.

Not an England fan so it doesn't bother me but he'd be perfect alongside rice and Bellingham.

 

[izec]

Nah, one of the few times Southgate’s reasoning made sense. Happy he’ll be getting a rest.

U21 call up

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Stunning talent.

1st half was sensational.

 

[FrankWhite]

Unpopular opinion: Southgate is right not to pick him for England.
Prodigy though he is, he's only played 1/3 of a senior football season, after missing the first 1/3 with a bad injury in preseason.
Give him time grow and develop. He's got time on his side.

 

[Ted Lasso]

He's a real baller. Incredibly excited to see him blossom here

 

[Waynne]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Crickey

Imagine we had 3 more like him in the midfield

 

[Hoof the ball]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[RedStarUnited]

I think he is a lot more involved in the game when he's the first receiver and has a picture of the game in front of him.

Yes, he's capable of producing those amazing moments in the final third, but if you look at it it's all at times where he's coming onto play from a deeper role and has that picture in front of him.

Recently, when Casemiro has been deeper I feel Mainoo has been less involved as its harder to find space and you have to constantly be receiving the ball on the half turn in that Iniesta / Modric role.

Not saying he can't be that player, but he's more involved in the game playing deeper at this moment in time, in my opinion.

He would be more involved in the game if we were a better team and played higher. Re the Casemiro point, We should be fixing the team to maximise his qualities. We need our version of a Rodri that sets the tempo and is defensively sound.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Has he actually got a lack of pace or does he just look slow?

I don't understand this constant Cafe obsession with his pace honestly. Of course United fans would worry about pace when they have an 18 year old Thiago regen running games against one of the best sides in the world.

And no he doesn't even lack pace, he quite often closes gaps and has the burst both on and off the ball.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Unpopular opinion: Southgate is right not to pick him for England.
Prodigy though he is, he's only played 1/3 of a senior football season, after missing the first 1/3 with a bad injury in preseason.
Give him time grow and develop. He's got time on his side.

Why would Southgate give a flying feck about a player's development? His job is to pick and field the best side to win the EURO's, he's not a United employee. Mainoo is quite obviously the best fit between Rice and Jude, just like it was quite obvious he was the best midfielder in our squad after watching him for about 20 minutes on his first start.

 

[TsuWave]

Unpopular opinion: Southgate is right not to pick him for England.
Prodigy though he is, he's only played 1/3 of a senior football season, after missing the first 1/3 with a bad injury in preseason.
Give him time grow and develop. He's got time on his side.

How exactly is going to the England camp going to stunt his growth and development? He's a bonafide first-teamer at premier league level. Moreover, if the worry is minutes, he doesn't even need to play, but being involved in the England camp would be good for him.

His call-up wouldn't even be one for shock value since it's fully merited

 

[Malone_Post]

I don’t understand how a kid at 18 can not only be so ridiculously talented, but so calm and composed. He plays like a player who’s been doing it for a decade. He’s just so ridiculously good. The team needs to be built around him.

 

[jeepers]

Social media is quite fun.

They were raving about Klopps Kids a few weeks ago, or post some « baller » posts every time a Barca kid completes a pass, yet Mainoo’s game today has gotten no coverage at all

That's great, I hope he is under the radar and continues to be so in both social media and mainstream media.

 

[Blood Mage]

He's better than any other English midfielder outside of Rice and Bellingham so not taking him makes zero sense. But Southgate is clueless and Henderson has compromising pictures of him probably.

 

[NoPace]

Unpopular opinion: Southgate is right not to pick him for England.
Prodigy though he is, he's only played 1/3 of a senior football season, after missing the first 1/3 with a bad injury in preseason.
Give him time grow and develop. He's got time on his side.

I put some money on him (and some on Curtis Jones) making the squad because I'm so unimpressed with the veterans options as fits with Bellingham and Rice.

But as good as Mainoo has been, I'm not at all sure he's ready yet. The quality is there at times, particularly in terms of dribbling, and Rice would make things easier, but I don't think Mainoo is that rare prodigy that's immediately a veteran from day 1 in terms of the subtler stuff.

 

[Grande]

There was some wild stuff from him today.

 

[bosnian_red]

Unpopular opinion: Southgate is right not to pick him for England.
Prodigy though he is, he's only played 1/3 of a senior football season, after missing the first 1/3 with a bad injury in preseason.
Give him time grow and develop. He's got time on his side.

I don't think he should necessarily be playing but he should go and just be part of the squad. An elite talent like him has to be there to learn from it and be integrated into it IMO.

 

[maurinho]

Immense talent

 

[bosnian_red]

Not sure what his personality is like of course, but the more and more I see him, I'm convinced he'll become captain here one day. You can tell he's a natural leader, he's calm, composed, such a good player but also excellent attitude by the looks of things.

 

[TheNewEra]

For England Mainoo Rice and Bellingham would be insane.

At United we just need to go all out and get a partner who compliments his skill set.

 

[RedTiger]

If he he physically develops we are looking at a Seedorf regen.

I concur.

 

[Ekeke]

As soon as Casemiro is out, this kid gets his right place and he shines like the star he is again.
Just keep Case on the bench going forward please.

2 of his best games were next to Casemiro. Not it

 

[Desert Eagle]

Love how passionate he was in the celebrations too. Means a lot to him ,like it does for most of the academy kids.