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2023-24 Performances

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6.2 Season Average Rating
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Fortitude

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There's irony in him being left out in the original call up, only to then be granted a golden ticket to global fanfare after the fact. The total opposite of a low profile and understated introduction to international football.

Clicks and interest in Kobbie must have seen the highest bump of his young career off the back of this. All eyes are now on him and his debut, and if it's a good/great one, he's going to be hailed as some kind of Golden Child, in line with the fanfare both Owen and Rooney got during their formative years in the national team. I'm expecting Gascoigne comparisons if he happens to go on some mazy, succesful runs.

The proverbial cat is out of the bag now and whilst it looks like Mainoo has the constitution for it to be water off a duck's back, I do hope he feels like that on the inside, too. The mental load is about to become intense and glaring and not all of it will be good will like he has from his own club and its fans. I can understand why people don't want him in that kind of spotlight, especially with United's history with the England team where our players are singled out for more criticism.

I don't think this will be viewed as any other generic debut; it's one of those special ones that come along once in a blue moon while and an audition for the Euros, which could alter the path Southgate takes going into the tournament proper. Mainoo isn't a penned starter for then right now, but by the end of this international break he might be.
 

tomaldinho1

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Kind of interesting thought but I wonder if we’d ever drop Kane and play the Real setup in order to field Rice (DM), Foden and Mainoo as 8’s (Foden said he wants to play central) and then Bellingham as the advanced AM. Saka RW, Rashford LW. Feel like it would suit international football well.
 

Fortitude

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tomaldinho1 said:
Kind of interesting thought but I wonder if we’d ever drop Kane and play the Real setup in order to field Rice (DM), Foden and Mainoo as 8’s (Foden said he wants to play central) and then Bellingham as the advanced AM. Saka RW, Rashford LW. Feel like it would suit international football well.
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The stones on the manager who attempts that and opens themselves up to a potential savaging from the press would be heavier than Atlas would entertain!

Especially with Kane's form this season.
 

tomaldinho1

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Fortitude said:
The stones on the manager who attempts that and opens themselves up to a potential savaging from the press would be heavier than Atlas would entertain!

Especially with Kane's form this season.
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I can literally see the metaverse podcasts in twenty years, a slowly greying Bellingham and a bald Declan Rice talking about how the 'golden generation' should have won more but they struggled to get all their best midfielders into the team.
 

Fortitude

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tomaldinho1 said:
I can literally see the metaverse podcasts in twenty years, a slowly greying Bellingham and a bald Declan Rice talking about how the 'golden generation' should have won more but they struggled to get all their best midfielders into the team.
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It's a real problem and shame given time is finite and golden things don't stay golden for too long in the international football sphere. Rice and Bellingham are having the best seasons of their respective careers, and if Mainoo does force his way into the line-up, it'll be testament to one of the greatest rises to prominence English football has ever seen from a debutant. Perhaps the World Cup in two years might be the natural peak cycle given Rice's age by then, but such a thing isn't promised, so it really will be a shame if this collective never get fully optimised, especially when most can see a genuine potential to be winners in this lot rather than hype and bluster that it could be so.

It's not often England are the real deal, but the team they might be able to line up with on paper is looking like the best, or top 2 in the world, even with a questionable defence compared to previous iterations.
 

Jeppers7

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Fortitude said:
There's irony in him being left out in the original call up, only to then be granted a golden ticket to global fanfare after the fact. The total opposite of a low profile and understated introduction to international football.

Clicks and interest in Kobbie must have seen the highest bump of his young career off the back of this. All eyes are now on him and his debut, and if it's a good/great one, he's going to be hailed as some kind of Golden Child, in line with the fanfare both Owen and Rooney got during their formative years in the national team. I'm expecting Gascoigne comparisons if he happens to go on some mazy, succesful runs.

The proverbial cat is out of the bag now and whilst it looks like Mainoo has the constitution for it to be water off a duck's back, I do hope he feels like that on the inside, too. The mental load is about to become intense and glaring and not all of it will be good will like he has from his own club and its fans. I can understand why people don't want him in that kind of spotlight, especially with United's history with the England team where our players are singled out for more criticism.

I don't think this will be viewed as any other generic debut; it's one of those special ones that come along once in a blue moon while and an audition for the Euros, which could alter the path Southgate takes going into the tournament proper. Mainoo isn't a penned starter for then right now, but by the end of this international break he might be.
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This is an excellent point. Had Southgate had the foresight to include Mainoo in the first place then that focus would have been very limited. Now he’s totally in the spotlight. Hopefully Southgate will be aware and sensible. Give him five minutes at the end. Not throw him in at the deep end where if he shines all the following spotlight will be on him, not doing the typical Southgate thing around his own ego and not playing him at all which will also generate huge focus.
 

Fortitude

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How many of you will be tuning into the game tomorrow because of Kobbie?

Had no interest in this international break, but shall be recording the game tomorrow and fast-forwarding through to see if Mainoo gets on and how he looks if he does so.

Will be tuning into the Belgium game a few days later for the same reason.
 

Desert Eagle

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P-Nut said:
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Rooney, Scholes and Cantona for those too lazy to click on the link. I'm still keeping one foot on the ground with him. He's so talented and young, if it goes the way of our last prodigy it'd be heartbreaking.
 

flameinthesun

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Fortitude said:
How many of you will be tuning into the game tomorrow because of Kobbie?

Had no interest in this international break, but shall be recording the game tomorrow and fast-forwarding through to see if Mainoo gets on and how he looks if he does so.

Will be tuning into the Belgium game a few days later for the same reason.
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He genuinely seems to have captured the interest of general football fans, a bit like Bellingham/young Rooney. You can see it with the exposure to the media he is now getting especially after the liverpool match. I imagine there will be an extra bump in viewers because of him. Potentially feels like we are in the midst of a young Rooney breaking through moment.
 

Raven

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flameinthesun said:
He genuinely seems to have captured the interest of general football fans, a bit like Bellingham/young Rooney. You can see it with the exposure to the media he is now getting especially after the liverpool match. I imagine there will be an extra bump in viewers because of him. Potentially feels like we are in the midst of a young Rooney breaking through moment.
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Yeah, this is different to Greenwood and Rashford for me. Really does feel like the break through of something properly special.
 

Rolaholic

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Well the proverbial cat is out of the bag now...

The world is about to see tomorrow what we've known and why the manager was so high on him coming into the team during preseason before he went down.
 

MiceOnMeth

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Desert Eagle said:
Rooney, Scholes and Cantona for those too lazy to click on the link. I'm still keeping one foot on the ground with him. He's so talented and young, if it goes the way of our last prodigy it'd be heartbreaking.
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He wasn't even born when scholes was at his peak nevermind Cantona :lol:
 

youngrell

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With Henderson out, you’d think he has an excellent chance to start. Unless Southgate wants to be super cautious with him, which I wouldn’t mind at all.

Don’t usually go out of my way to watch England games but keen to tune in for this one.
 

Raven

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Rolaholic said:

Well the proverbial cat is out of the bag now...

The world is about to see tomorrow what we've known and why the manager was so high on him coming into the team during preseason before he went down.
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His rise is absolutely ridiculous. I really hope he can keep his feet on the ground.
 

Remember the geese

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Rojofiam said:
Yeah, probably not. Palmer looks really lanky in some pictures, and then in other ones he looks barely taller than 1,70-1,80 players/Pep, who is 1,80

I think Mainoo's gotta be around 1,82-1,85
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I think both are fairly average in height as far as footballers go. Mainoo is a bit shorter than Rashford, so I'd say he's around 6ft.
 

Rojofiam

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AltiUn said:
Being from Stockport there’s actually a decent chance Mainoo grew up a City fan :lol:
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They wanted him on numerous occassions during his academy years, and he rejected them every time

And that's when City were/are at their absolute peak, whilst we are in our banter era

Doubt he's ever been City fan
 

Jeffthered

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I just hope expectations can be managed. Jack Grealish was '...the new Paul Gascoigne..' only a year or so ago, and now look.

I do think Mainoo is a v good young talent, but I just want him to have room to find his level. And he needs to stay firmly grounded too..this will not be easy with the nature of football personality and social media etc...

Let's help Mainoo develop.. he needs quality, experienced players around him, just like Rasmus and Garnacho do.
 

SATA

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Irrational. said:
If only we'd spent the Mount money on Palmer - instead we funded Chelsea to get him. :houllier:
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Don’t think he’ll move directly from City and I doubt City will sell him to United. We can still always sign him from Chelsea in a couple of years though if he turns out excellent
 

Raven

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Jeffthered said:
I just hope expectations can be managed. Jack Grealish was '...the new Paul Gascoigne..' only a year or so ago, and now look.

I do think Mainoo is a v good young talent, but I just want him to have room to find his level. And he needs to stay firmly grounded too..this will not be easy with the nature of football personality and social media etc...

Let's help Mainoo develop.. he needs quality, experienced players around him, just like Rasmus and Garnacho do.
Click to expand...
Jack Grealish was on loan to Notts County from Aston Villa at around the same age.
 
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