Hell improve if he plays for another club. Maybe he needs to move to further his development.
37
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
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- 7
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Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) discuss United's fantastic win away against Athletic Club in the semi-final of the Europa League.
They also pick out the positives of United's 4-3 loss away at Brentford, and Nik reviews a day out at Old Trafford watching Manchester United Women qualify for the Champions League.
fixed
Just an utterly mental take considering he tore it up in the PL and then the Euros as a teenager. People have the memory of a goldfish I swear.
He does need to earn that right though, he's not been unfairly dropped, it's been due to a combination of injury and lacklustre performances.
I agree with Neville United these days is a graveyard for coaches and players.
yes and no, he needs regular chances to earn his spot, it's been a poor season all round this year, but I think next will be better without the Euros and with a pre season.
I don't think he's any slower than the current Ballon d'Or holder and best midfielder in the PL over the past five years. He's certainly not slower than Busquets, Xavi, Kroos, Modric, Fabregas.. basically the best midfielders of the past 20 years. In fact, it seems like slow players are actually better in that position, because it's all about technique and positioning. And players who don't have pace have made it to the highest level thanks to other attributes, which are more valuable in such a role.
heartfelt sympathy
I'm confident Mainoo will eventually become an excellent midfielder for United if he's given time to develop probably.
He's better then Scholes at same age and he turned out alright playing in a 2 men central midfield. Maybe it would benefit him to play further up the field for now (like young Scholes), but I'm sure central midfield is his future position.
I think only question is if he's lucky with injures and if he's the drive to fulfill his potential (as with all young and talented players).
He's better then Scholes at same age and he turned out alright playing in a 2 men central midfield. Maybe it would benefit him to play further up the field for now (like young Scholes), but I'm sure central midfield is his future position.
I think only question is if he's lucky with injures and if he's the drive to fulfill his potential (as with all young and talented players).
As I said, good long passes. You just listed passes
In 2018/2019 he had 1.1 per 90 mins and was 2 years older than Mainoo is now. His next seasons he averaged over 2 per 90 with his most in the premier league being 2.3, but then his last 2 seasons he didnt even average 1 per 90 mins. This this season he averages 1.3 - so again around as much as Mainoo
When he came of the bench and bent that shot in was you saying he needs to go? I swear half the stuff I read on here is bonkers.
I don't think Mainoo strikes the ball particularly cleanly on his longer passes, you can notice that when he is trying to switch the play, tend to be very floaty, slow through the air and cut out quite often. That can be worked on but what I would like to see more of from him are the type of passes that Carrick used to excel at, the whipped side foot through the lines along the ground to the strikers feet, don't have to be long range passes, but are very effective for turning the play and getting defenses scrambling. That one ball at Anfield showed he can do it, but we have seen precious little of it otherwise.
Carrick was actually better at that type of pass than Scholes for me, purely because his technique was the whip while Scholes liked to drive the ball, which has less disguise on it.
Great point. I'd noticed this. A few of your loanees in the past have been criticised for lack of intensity, or something similar. I'm sure Parker called out Laird for this and Cotterill wasn't too complimentary about the lad that joined Forest Green last season (cannot remember his name). A lot of your loanees don't seem to get a lot of game time either (Wheatley, for example). Sanchez referred to noticing something being off as soon as he joined your club. It just feels as though something is rotten that permeates every age group.
It seems as if your youth set-up doesn't adequately prepare graduates for senior football.
What a load of bollox. Our youth set up has produced more regular PL starters than the vast majority of clubs in the league.
Ryan Giggs, Ravel, Mason Greenwood. These type of players are hard to produce. Kobbie Mainoo’s? These aren’t so hard to come by.
Move him on. He doesn’t fit.
Move him on. He doesn’t fit.
Yes, but how many have fulfilled their true potential for your club?
Not enough considering your strong record in the Youth Cup. Rashford and Greenwood did well, even if they're not quite going to go on as they might have
There's always a few who don't fulfil their potential at any club, such as Morrison and Januzaj for you, but others seem to need to get away to kick on, Elanga, for example.
Not enough considering your strong record in the Youth Cup. Rashford and Greenwood did well, even if they're not quite going to go on as they might have
There's always a few who don't fulfil their potential at any club, such as Morrison and Januzaj for you, but others seem to need to get away to kick on, Elanga, for example.
You literally just described young players
Coming to crunch time of deciding what sort of player he is. Im surprised about his lack of physicality given that he is so often good at holding off players in possession, and Ive doubts about his stamina. He doesn't look like he could become a box to box man, and if he is going to be more like a 10, are there always going to be better options?
I think he has loads of talent, but its been a disappointing campaign. It's up to coaches now to develop that talent and maximise it, he can't do it on his own.
I think he has loads of talent, but its been a disappointing campaign. It's up to coaches now to develop that talent and maximise it, he can't do it on his own.
Sorry, but that is provable nonsense
Some take that. How's ravel doing?
Mainoo is potentially the type of player England actually really struggles to produce. A very technical centre midfielder.
Letting him go would be madness. Especially at the moment when we've got so many more issues, he can play both CM and AM. Far too early to write him off.
This is what you said.
Which is complete nonsense. Elanga’s just one example. Pereira, Garner, Tuanzebe are all PL regulars as well. Plus even if Mainoo and Garnacho don’t hack it at United I’d be amazed if there isn’t another PL club they’d thrive at. Plus we have Greenwood and Gomes doing well in France, McTominay in Italy, Alvaro Fernandez in Spain. Then you have older players like Jonny Evans, Michael Keane, Danny Welbeck.
How does that all work if our youth set up doesn’t adequately prepare graduates for senior football?
Fair enough, perhaps I was wrong to isolate the youth set-up, but your club just seems to lack intensity through all age groups. Too many players are doing better after leaving, be it seniors or younger players
Just because Mainoo isn't performing well at present, might not be an accurate guide as to his future
I disagree. We produce a fair few, we just don’t know how to utilise them. Same with United to be honest. He doesn’t fit the two CMs I think he’s perfect in a 3. Doesn’t even have to be 433. It could be 352. But two in the middle? He just can’t do it.
Except Mainoo starring against City in the Cup final and being England's best midfielder in the Euros. Garnacho, despite his erratic decision-making, approaching 'Ronaldo-at-20' numbers and playing for Argentina. Elanga came through and is driving Forest towards Europe. Greenwood, setting any 'happened/didn't happen?' off-the-field stuff aside, is 2nd top scorer in Ligue 1 and had a good season in La Liga last season. Luton nearly stayed up last season, thanks at least in part to a couple of young Utd academy grads. You can find other instances.
Who are these clubs producing much-better numbers in youth-grads? City, slightly, but United's youth-system has basically caught up with theirs in terms of youth-results And producing promising youngsters. Chelsea basically churn youngsters, and for every success story you get one who ends up in League 2 or in minor European leagues despite being tipped to be the newest big thing. Loanees from many 'top' clubs flatter to deceive or don't make much of an impact when they're young because of the style of football they're asked to play, being physically bullied on the pitch etc. You can cherry-pick success stories from other clubs in that regard, but equally there are various Utd u21s getting plaudits at lower-league or foreign clubs for their attitude.
Also, whatever United's issues, they've won more since SAF than almost every other club - outside of oil-or oligarch-dropped clubs, only Liverppool (by 1) have done better; plenty of fightbacks and spirited games in that time. Criticism of Utd's spirit would bring slightly less hollow from , say, a Bournemouth or Brentford or Brighton fan, rather than from a club that, one could say, had to dope their way out of depression and drift (caused by ownership), through oil money... and celebrated a trophy United have won more than once the last decade like it was the WC. Was it Newcastle's famous spirit that prepared academy products like Nile Ranger to be fastidious, non-trouble-making pros, or helped Andy Carroll have a career characterized by professionalism.
I think that he needs to have a proper pre-season and see if some of his fitness/physical issues can be resolved there, he hasn't had a proper pre-season in the last 2 years due to injury and the EURO's and that has probably hindered him
Scholes didn't play in midfield at the age Kobbie is, and pretty much every team in domestic football played the same 442 formation so any comparisons are pointless
We really don't. The England team is generally filled with CMs who are grafters or engines, and #10s.
Mainoo needs to improve but where he's at for his age, for that position, suggests a bright future. He turned 20 a couple weeks ago. At 19, Michael Carrick was on loan at Swindon, whilst Mainoo was playing for England. Paul Scholes was moved to midfield from being a centre forward when he was 23 years old, and really mastered the role when he was in his 30s. Rodri was playing for Villareal B at the same age as Mainoo. Modric was playing LW for Spurs when he was 23/24. Schweinsteiger transitioned from a winger to a CM when he about 25. Etc, etc.
Just such a weird take.
Fingers crossed.
You’re really going to need a thicker skin; you posted something that was contested and now you’re in a huff?
I have been watching football a long time and even after six months I can’t quite decide what Amorim wants from his central midfielders. As such it seems pretty ridiculous to ridicule a very promising youngster for struggling to figure it out as well.
I don’t need the history lesson. If you’re going to play at a young age you best be ready. That’s the whole point. Cesc Fabregas was ready. Pedri was ready Edgar Davids was ready and I’m sure if I had time I could list more.
Your conflict my points anyway. I said we do produce the players they just don’t fit. Angel Gomes is similar to Mainoo, Phil Foden too. However neither would be able to play 2 in an Amorim midfield. What do you want us to do? Sack the manager or squeeze him in to a system which doesn’t work for him.
We're not talking about him playing. I'd have no issue with saying he should be a backup/rotation for the time being.
We're talking about you saying we should get rid. Your exact words were: "Move him on. He doesn’t fit." So wind your fecking neck in.
Mainoo is nothing like Foden. He's vaguely similiar to Angel Gomes. The advantage Mainoo has is he's far bigger, is comparatively better defensively. Mainoo has it in him to become a CM in a two man midfield. He stopped being a teenager a couple weeks ago, and has been hampered by injury. He will develop his trade with time. Getting rid now is insane, especially as he's also a decent option as a #10.
You don’t worry about my neck, unless you want to see it in the flesh.
But the reason for me saying we can move him on is because as I repeatedly said, he doesn’t fit in. Whether he magically finds mobility or lungs like Kante in a couple years I don’t know. Maybe they will be selling that in Turkey soon.
However with PSR, he allows us to spend money on a good few positions and you’ve yet to say anything insightful to make me think he’s going to be the next Luka Modric except for the fact one day he’ll also be 24.
Mainoo is one of the easiest players to run past, also hes out of position half the time.
Yes, I did say that Scholes played further up the field when he was Kobbie's age... and maybe that would be good for his development to do that for now...
Are people ridiculing him? I find that most think he's not suited to a midfield two, that he lacks pace and mobility and looks lackluster on the pitch. I don't think any of those arguments are invalid. He's great technically, but his passing range is average at best. He's a decent ball carrier, but he's terrible at defending spaces. I think as a more advanced 8 in a midfield three, he has the potential to be quite good - but he needs to work on his stamina, athleticism and speed. All of those things are attainable, to some extent at least.
Criminals and wife beaters? Not that hard