[DarkXaero]

I thought he was fine today, had some lovely moments as he usually does. Needs to be more consistent in his involvements across 90 minutes but people are becoming overly harsh on him. We did control most of the game today.

 

[RedStarUnited]

Again I wonder what people are watching. We dominated the ball all game and he was brilliant combining in the middle of the park and in tight spaces aiding to that. Played a few nice passes as well in the final third.

Really not sure what more people want from a game like today. Pretty much everyone bar Bruno was up for it, and on another day we win 2-3 nil

Spot on

 

[kiristao]

I thought he was pretty good. His role is to help out defensively, receive it in tight spaces and move it forward to Eriksen or Bruno, and to make the occasional forward run. He did all of it.

 

[Giggsyking]

He was good in parts of the game, but overall a disappointing season. He should be benched a few games, it is unhealthy to keep playing a 19 years old week in week out. Give him some space to develop.

 

[Irwin99]

Thought he was very neat with the ball and some of his speed of thought and flicks were great to watch.

 

[RuudTom83]

United dominated huge parts of the games today…that wasn’t luck or down to CP playing a stinker.

United’s midfield which includes Kobbie did really well today.

Mainoo just needs to repeat repeat repeat!

 

[Nobby style]

Thought when Ugarte came on Casemiro should’ve come on for Mainoo. First Ten Hag kills our attack yanking off Zirkzee and Erickson, then won’t bring on Casemiro when we’re dire offensively. You can at least always count on Case for some Scolesesque passes or getting in position for a header. He’s one of our better offensive players. By the 70th minute Mainoo wasn’t up to much, Ugarte was on to cover the back and cover for Case, we’re desperate for an offensive spark, why not bring on the Brazilian???

 

[simonhch]

If you really watched the game, and I mean really watched it, it was pretty easy to see that he was excellent today. Top class performance. He and Eriksen controlled the midfield for huge parts of it, until Ten Hag changed the tactics. Some of the one touch passing, movement, receipt under pressure, was absolutely top drawer. Hard to believe this kid is 19. Has a massive future.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

If you really watched the game, and I mean really watched it, it was pretty easy to see that he was excellent today. Top class performance. He and Eriksen controlled the midfield for huge parts of it, until Ten Hag changed the tactics. Some of the one touch passing, movement, receipt under pressure, was absolutely top drawer. Hard to believe this kid is 19. Has a massive future.

Thank you. He was playing circles around Palace for large parts of the game.

 

[diarm]

If you really watched the game, and I mean really watched it, it was pretty easy to see that he was excellent today. Top class performance. He and Eriksen controlled the midfield for huge parts of it, until Ten Hag changed the tactics. Some of the one touch passing, movement, receipt under pressure, was absolutely top drawer. Hard to believe this kid is 19. Has a massive future.

Yeah he was the best player on the pitch for me. Some of the balls he took in the tightest of spaces and touches he played to get free were sensational. His passing was excellent as well. There were plenty of issues today, but anyone suggesting Kobbie was one of them is an idiot.

 

[El Jefe]

I praised him a lot last season for being a version of Pogba who cut out a lot of the stupid shit. This season he's attempting too many direct take ons in midfield and losing the ball quite a lot. Reactive dribbling is always preferred in midfield but Mainoo is almost looking to take on other CMs as if he's out on the wing. Needs to trust his short passing a lot more because it's pretty good.

 

[pseudo_canadian]

Yeah he was the best player on the pitch for me. Some of the balls he took in the tightest of spaces and touches he played to get free were sensational. His passing was excellent as well. There were plenty of issues today, but anyone suggesting Kobbie was one of them is an idiot.

Losing my mind seeing people say he was fine or the game passed him by. He was excellent.

 

[Escobar]

His best game this season imo. Hope he finds some form as we'll need him so badly

 

[caid]

Thought he was quite good. Think he's been trying to do too much at times this season too though.

 

[simonhch]

Thank you. He was playing circles around Palace for large parts of the game.

Yeah he was the best player on the pitch for me. Some of the balls he took in the tightest of spaces and touches he played to get free were sensational. His passing was excellent as well. There were plenty of issues today, but anyone suggesting Kobbie was one of them is an idiot.

People looking for YouTube moments. Whereas what he actually did for us was recycle possession out of tight spaces brilliantly for the first 65-70 minutes. He was instrumental to everything good we did. His link up with Zirkzee, Eriksen and Amad was superb. That quartet, you couldn’t get the ball off them. Bruno and Garnacho were more direct and that combination worked. Just very unlucky with the finishing and some great keeping. Also the odd final ball that wasn’t quite good enough, yet they regularly passed through a tightly packed Palace, that were well organised and happy to park the bus.

When we took off Zirkzee and Amad for Rashford and Hojlund, we went with players who are more direct and thrive with more space in behind. Then Mainoo was forced to push up higher as we were going more direct. It didn’t work at all, and was very poor tactical management from Ten Hag. What we needed to do was keep Zirkzee on, or swap him for Mount (if he was gassed), so we still had that technical link up player dropping off their back line, and do a straight swap Rashford for Garnacho. We’d have kept control that way. Ugarte for Eriksen wasn’t an issue, if we’d kept the same system, but instead we plopped Ugarte in there as a holder and went back to pushing Mainoo and Bruno way up and being more direct. Suddenly we struggled to build out from the back because there weren’t any passing options for the back line to progress the ball.

In the end, the first 65 mins or so was exactly the way I’d like to see us play. Just need to stick to it and polish it up. Keep getting players more acclimated to it and the fruits will be born. The last 25 mins Ten Hag went into self sabotage mode, which nearly cost us the game. It’s a shame he’s such a poor manager, because I think we saw today, the sort of highly technical, possession football this team is capable of.

 

[caid]

People looking for YouTube moments. Whereas what he actually did for us was recycle possession out of tight spaces brilliantly for the first 65-70 minutes. He was instrumental to everything good we did. His link up with Zirkzee, Eriksen and Amad was superb. That quartet, you couldn’t get the ball off them. Bruno and Garnacho were more direct and that combination worked. Just very unlucky with the finishing and some great keeping. Also the odd final ball that wasn’t quite good enough, yet they regularly passed through a tightly packed Palace, that were well organised and happy to park the bus.

When we took off Zirkzee and Amad for Rashford and Hojlund, we went with players who are more direct and thrive with more space in behind. Then Mainoo was forced to push up higher as we were going more direct. It didn’t work at all, and was very poor tactical management from Ten Hag. What we needed to do was keep Zirkzee on, or swap him for Mount (if he was gassed), so we still had that technical link up player dropping off their back line, and do a straight swap Rashford for Garnacho. We’d have kept control that way. Ugarte for Eriksen wasn’t an issue, if we’d kept the same system, but instead we plopped Ugarte in there as a holder and went back to pushing Mainoo and Bruno way up and being more direct. Suddenly we struggled to build out from the back because there weren’t any passing options for the back line to progress the ball.

In the end, the first 65 mins or so was exactly the way I’d like to see us play. Just need to stick to it and polish it up. Keep getting players more acclimated to it and the fruits will be born. The last 25 mins Ten Hag went into self sabotage mode, which nearly cost us the game. It’s a shame he’s such a poor manager, because I think we saw today, the sort of highly technical, possession football this team is capable of.

Yeah i'd mostly agree with that. There's the odd moment when he seems to be trying to create a youtube moment that i'd be a bit critical of. He's young and trying stuff and seeing what does and doesn't work is standard fare so I wouldn't be worried long term. I just wouldn't overlook them moments without passing comment on it - it feels healthy to be a bit nit picky about small stuff at his age.

 

[Lash]

He was not the problem today in the slightest. Him and Eriksen were fantastic.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Ran the show today! Thought he played fantastically to be honest. Looks more solid in defence this season and he created so much space for the team with his movement and ball play today. Much better!

 

[caid]

He was not the problem today in the slightest. Him and Eriksen were fantastic.

We did a lot of things well today. I dont think i'd be really critical of anyone other than Bruno. I thought there was a lot of very fine margins that didn't go our way and you could apply that to any of Amad, Garnacho, Zirkzee or Mainoo. They were all good, we get a goal in the 90 mins and you'd probably be pretty enthusiastic about all of them.
But we didn't and i expect that to be fairly common occurence this season.

 

[Lash]

We did a lot of things well today. I dont think i'd be really critical of anyone other than Bruno. I thought there was a lot of very fine margins that didn't go our way and you could apply that to any of Amad, Garnacho, Zirkzee or Mainoo. They were all good, we get a goal in the 90 mins and you'd probably be pretty enthusiastic about all of them.
But we didn't and i expect that to be fairly common occurence this season.

Bruno also had fine margins too, I think everyone attacking wise deserves criticism today. Onana and Mazraoui are the only two I really couldn't have asked more from. Arguably Eriksen as well, but one of our players has to take our big chances today.

Overall I'm happy as well look much better this season and that's a huge improvement on our performance there last season. Having Mainoo with the experience he has now, will only help us be better this season and I'm all for it.

 

[lilcurt]

Has played a lot of football since breaking through and didn't really have a summer rest.

Wouldn't mind him not starting for 2-3 weeks so he can rest and focus.

 

[AshRK]

I thought he was very good. His best performance this season

 

[git_united]

People looking for YouTube moments. Whereas what he actually did for us was recycle possession out of tight spaces brilliantly for the first 65-70 minutes. He was instrumental to everything good we did. His link up with Zirkzee, Eriksen and Amad was superb. That quartet, you couldn’t get the ball off them. Bruno and Garnacho were more direct and that combination worked. Just very unlucky with the finishing and some great keeping. Also the odd final ball that wasn’t quite good enough, yet they regularly passed through a tightly packed Palace, that were well organised and happy to park the bus.

When we took off Zirkzee and Amad for Rashford and Hojlund, we went with players who are more direct and thrive with more space in behind. Then Mainoo was forced to push up higher as we were going more direct. It didn’t work at all, and was very poor tactical management from Ten Hag. What we needed to do was keep Zirkzee on, or swap him for Mount (if he was gassed), so we still had that technical link up player dropping off their back line, and do a straight swap Rashford for Garnacho. We’d have kept control that way. Ugarte for Eriksen wasn’t an issue, if we’d kept the same system, but instead we plopped Ugarte in there as a holder and went back to pushing Mainoo and Bruno way up and being more direct. Suddenly we struggled to build out from the back because there weren’t any passing options for the back line to progress the ball.

In the end, the first 65 mins or so was exactly the way I’d like to see us play. Just need to stick to it and polish it up. Keep getting players more acclimated to it and the fruits will be born. The last 25 mins Ten Hag went into self sabotage mode, which nearly cost us the game. It’s a shame he’s such a poor manager, because I think we saw today, the sort of highly technical, possession football this team is capable of.

Good summary.

 

[RedStarUnited]

Has played a lot of football since breaking through and didn't really have a summer rest.

Wouldn't mind him not starting for 2-3 weeks so he can rest and focus.

Focus on what?

Do we not need the team to gel as quickly as possible?

No one at Barcelona is screaming for 17 year old Yamal to rest, only United fans.

 

[lilcurt]

Focus on what?

Do we not need the team to gel as quickly as possible?

No one at Barcelona is screaming for 17 year old Yamal to rest, only United fans.

Have a rest to mentally reset and lock in. Focus on his game and development, rather than trying to force it as I feel he is doing at the moment.

At points last season we relied on him more than should be expected.

 

[Ekeke]

Not a good performance but partly because he was playing as the DM and there wasnt a lot for him to do with us having 66.8% of the ball.

Still Eriksen won the ball a bit more than him so I'm sure he could have done a bit more. With the ball accurate but unthreatening passing and very unlike him this season, 0 dribbles

 

[Berbasbullet]

People looking for YouTube moments. Whereas what he actually did for us was recycle possession out of tight spaces brilliantly for the first 65-70 minutes. He was instrumental to everything good we did. His link up with Zirkzee, Eriksen and Amad was superb. That quartet, you couldn’t get the ball off them. Bruno and Garnacho were more direct and that combination worked. Just very unlucky with the finishing and some great keeping. Also the odd final ball that wasn’t quite good enough, yet they regularly passed through a tightly packed Palace, that were well organised and happy to park the bus.

When we took off Zirkzee and Amad for Rashford and Hojlund, we went with players who are more direct and thrive with more space in behind. Then Mainoo was forced to push up higher as we were going more direct. It didn’t work at all, and was very poor tactical management from Ten Hag. What we needed to do was keep Zirkzee on, or swap him for Mount (if he was gassed), so we still had that technical link up player dropping off their back line, and do a straight swap Rashford for Garnacho. We’d have kept control that way. Ugarte for Eriksen wasn’t an issue, if we’d kept the same system, but instead we plopped Ugarte in there as a holder and went back to pushing Mainoo and Bruno way up and being more direct. Suddenly we struggled to build out from the back because there weren’t any passing options for the back line to progress the ball.

In the end, the first 65 mins or so was exactly the way I’d like to see us play. Just need to stick to it and polish it up. Keep getting players more acclimated to it and the fruits will be born. The last 25 mins Ten Hag went into self sabotage mode, which nearly cost us the game. It’s a shame he’s such a poor manager, because I think we saw today, the sort of highly technical, possession football this team is capable of.

Great post, first 65 we were great and you're right I think the changes ruined our momentum (which we were starting to lose to be fair). But I have come out of today thinking that we can play good controlled football.

 

[GledTheRed]

Constantly killed attacks by making the wrong decision. He could have had 2 goals but wanted to Wenger it in.

Nah

 

[Zumbi]

People looking for YouTube moments. Whereas what he actually did for us was recycle possession out of tight spaces brilliantly for the first 65-70 minutes. He was instrumental to everything good we did. His link up with Zirkzee, Eriksen and Amad was superb. That quartet, you couldn’t get the ball off them. Bruno and Garnacho were more direct and that combination worked. Just very unlucky with the finishing and some great keeping. Also the odd final ball that wasn’t quite good enough, yet they regularly passed through a tightly packed Palace, that were well organised and happy to park the bus.

When we took off Zirkzee and Amad for Rashford and Hojlund, we went with players who are more direct and thrive with more space in behind. Then Mainoo was forced to push up higher as we were going more direct. It didn’t work at all, and was very poor tactical management from Ten Hag. What we needed to do was keep Zirkzee on, or swap him for Mount (if he was gassed), so we still had that technical link up player dropping off their back line, and do a straight swap Rashford for Garnacho. We’d have kept control that way. Ugarte for Eriksen wasn’t an issue, if we’d kept the same system, but instead we plopped Ugarte in there as a holder and went back to pushing Mainoo and Bruno way up and being more direct. Suddenly we struggled to build out from the back because there weren’t any passing options for the back line to progress the ball.

In the end, the first 65 mins or so was exactly the way I’d like to see us play. Just need to stick to it and polish it up. Keep getting players more acclimated to it and the fruits will be born. The last 25 mins Ten Hag went into self sabotage mode, which nearly cost us the game. It’s a shame he’s such a poor manager, because I think we saw today, the sort of highly technical, possession football this team is capable of.

I’m still baffled how Ten Hag can’t see these things when so many of us can. I’m not sure I’ll ever understand.

 

[Poborsky's hair]

He upped his urgency which is great to see, maybe we finally see him building up his stamina and using it. Good footwork. Just playe Ugarte next to him and bench Bruno and we will see different football.

 

[FrankWhite]

Some excellent touches. Forward thinking. Just wished he got on the ball a bit more.

 

[MadDogg]

Focus on what?

Do we not need the team to gel as quickly as possible?

No one at Barcelona is screaming for 17 year old Yamal to rest, only United fans.

And how'd that go for the last few top talents that came through at Barca who all got played into the ground while they were teenagers and became very injury prone and declined as players?

 

[kouroux]

I thought his first half was tough but he improved significantly in the 2nd.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I think his last few games he looks to have struggled a bit. He’s not been bad but seems to be trying to dribbile out of trouble a bit too much when there was an easy pass for him just to shift it. And then there are times when he is over complicating the passing. Like making one too many of these little short passes in tight areas that we end up losing when there is a player free in space that he has the angle for the pass and that he can see.

There is no blunt he is doing great things but I think he has been struggiling with making the right decisions and again today he looked to be struggiling with pace after about 60.

I think the first good Eze chance, he looks at him can see him running is the only one that can get close and does nothing. Just watches him. Either he was gassed and didn’t have the energy to make up that 4 meters or just being lazy.

He’s 19 these things will come with time but maybe some time out might do him good.

 

[Galactic]

I’m still baffled how Ten Hag can’t see these things when so many of us can. I’m not sure I’ll ever understand.

I have the same thought everytime I watch a football match. Some things are so obvious. And those managers are paid bucket loads of money.

 

[backpass]

I think he gets much less space then before. Hes no upcoming no name player anymore. Opposite teams get clear instructions to make his life more difficult.
For that he plays great and deals with the added pressure well.

Question for me is more how the additional space gets best utilized in midfield if he gets run at with 2 players.

 

[Olecurls99]

I think his last few games he looks to have struggled a bit. He’s not been bad but seems to be trying to dribbile out of trouble a bit too much when there was an easy pass for him just to shift it. And then there are times when he is over complicating the passing. Like making one too many of these little short passes in tight areas that we end up losing when there is a player free in space that he has the angle for the pass and that he can see.

There is no blunt he is doing great things but I think he has been struggiling with making the right decisions and again today he looked to be struggiling with pace after about 60.

I think the first good Eze chance, he looks at him can see him running is the only one that can get close and does nothing. Just watches him. Either he was gassed and didn’t have the energy to make up that 4 meters or just being lazy.

He’s 19 these things will come with time but maybe some time out might do him good.

Bang on. Overcomplicating things when there's a simple pass on. Slowed us down at times. Needs to learn from Eriksen.

 

[RedStarUnited]

And how'd that go for the last few top talents that came through at Barca who all got played into the ground while they were teenagers and became very injury prone and declined as players?

It could have happened to them anyway. Some players are just injury prone. I can give you plenty of examples of players who were injured a lot and didnt have a high workload in their teens

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

People looking for YouTube moments. Whereas what he actually did for us was recycle possession out of tight spaces brilliantly for the first 65-70 minutes. He was instrumental to everything good we did. His link up with Zirkzee, Eriksen and Amad was superb. That quartet, you couldn’t get the ball off them. Bruno and Garnacho were more direct and that combination worked. Just very unlucky with the finishing and some great keeping. Also the odd final ball that wasn’t quite good enough, yet they regularly passed through a tightly packed Palace, that were well organised and happy to park the bus.

When we took off Zirkzee and Amad for Rashford and Hojlund, we went with players who are more direct and thrive with more space in behind. Then Mainoo was forced to push up higher as we were going more direct. It didn’t work at all, and was very poor tactical management from Ten Hag. What we needed to do was keep Zirkzee on, or swap him for Mount (if he was gassed), so we still had that technical link up player dropping off their back line, and do a straight swap Rashford for Garnacho. We’d have kept control that way. Ugarte for Eriksen wasn’t an issue, if we’d kept the same system, but instead we plopped Ugarte in there as a holder and went back to pushing Mainoo and Bruno way up and being more direct. Suddenly we struggled to build out from the back because there weren’t any passing options for the back line to progress the ball.

In the end, the first 65 mins or so was exactly the way I’d like to see us play. Just need to stick to it and polish it up. Keep getting players more acclimated to it and the fruits will be born. The last 25 mins Ten Hag went into self sabotage mode, which nearly cost us the game. It’s a shame he’s such a poor manager, because I think we saw today, the sort of highly technical, possession football this team is capable of.

Yeah part of me thinks it's because many of our fans have been so accustomed to the likes of Bruno/McTominay running around like madmen, getting into the box, and mainly being about pure end product that when Mainoo has a game like yesterday where he's doing all of the small stuff that's helping us boss the game it's just not going to be noticed. Far easier to notice a young midfielder playing some great creative pass for a goal or scoring a winner than it is someone who simply keeps it ticking and wriggles out of tough situations constantly.

 

[simonhch]

Yeah part of me thinks it's because many of our fans have been so accustomed to the likes of Bruno/McTominay running around like madmen, getting into the box, and mainly being about pure end product that when Mainoo has a game like yesterday where he's doing all of the small stuff that's helping us boss the game it's just not going to be noticed. Far easier to notice a young midfielder playing some great creative pass for a goal or scoring a winner than it is someone who simply keeps it ticking and wriggles out of tough situations constantly.

Absolutely. Yet when I watched Mainoo yesterday, I thought…”there is a mature, highly accomplished player”. For me he is the anti-Pogba. When pushed, he can produce some real magic with his dribbling and bursts forward, or the odd flick, but what he excels at so, so well, is doing the simple, small things to the highest standard. He very, very rarely gives it away and can receive the ball in the tightest of spaces, and sometimes not even a good ball, and kill it dead and play his way out of it. It helps us retain possession so much and keeps us fluid, that he becomes the fulcrum of the entire midfield. He’s also, nearly always in the right place, sweeping up second balls and available to receive it. He never over complicates when simplicity is called for, and that’s the bread and butter of a midfielder. He also won’t shy away from a progressive pass if it’s on.

I think he’s just going to get better and better as he ages. He has such quick feet and such a good footballing brain. He’s going right to the top. Ultimately I would love for him to get a steady, reliable midfield partner so that they can build that understanding. He and Eriksen dovetailed beautifully yesterday, and helped strangle Palace through their endless recycling of possession and clever passes through the lines, but long term you think Ugarte will be that guy. Ugarte never stops moving and I think that will work really well with Kobbie’s dynamic movement in midfield. I can see the two creating a really good link up with Zirkzee to create those triangles through the middle, with Bruno buzzing around here, there and everywhere. It also works well when Diallo comes infield and creates that opportunities for give and goes.