[Red in STL]

I wasn't concentrating on Mainoo but I thought he did most of the conventional off the ball stuff decently. Made some blocks, interceptions and closed the space. Perhaps I was looking with more rose tinted lense though, as pretty much anything resembling a midfielder was going to look much better than what Bruno did in the 2nd half.

If you're viewing him with a 'will he cement his place in a two man midfield?' outlook then I think you should temper your expectations massively. Either Mainoo improves his all around game and athleticism in magnitudes or Amorim coaches/manages the team in a way we've never seen before.

Without that midfielder we would not have won today, there's no one e;lse in our team that could have played that ball to Maguire's head

 

[Matt851]

The end of the game was the scenario whereby amorims lack of flexibility hurts us (despite us winning). Mainoo coming on in a 3 man midfield could have helped us get more control

 

[criticalanalysis]

Without that midfielder we would not have won today, there's no one e;lse in our team that could have played that ball to Maguire's head

He absolutely came in clutch but up until that point, he messed up almost everything that came his way including the period when Liverpool grew into the game and got the equaliser. The end doesn't justify the means; you can't expect that kind of performance and keep hoping for a hail mail assist/productivity. Fair play to Bruno, his productivity has been so outrageous for us that you can actually gamble on it. However, that's not what we should be wanting in midfield if we truly want to control and win more games consistently. Anyways, I've said it in the Bruno thread already but I'm putting it more on Amorim for playing and keeping him in a two man midfield.

 

[sleepehead]

Bruno was done after 70 mins and I still felt more comfortable with him in the team than with the thought of an Ugarte/Mainoo midfield which I don't think has been good once

I actually thought they were both fine for their cameos, Mainoo's role was to just keep the ball from going into the net. I think people assume that once Bruno gets subbed out for Mainoo, Mainoo would become that central hub for everything and that's not just the case. There are other players who can get the ball up field more directly, Mainoo right now is better as the ball recycler

 

[spwd]

Hopefully get some money for him to put towards buying Wharton etc. Can't blame him if he forces a move.

 

[Hammondo]

Without that midfielder we would not have won today, there's no one e;lse in our team that could have played that ball to Maguire's head

We might not have conceded, we might have kept the ball better and gotten more midfield control. Football isn't about 1 single moment.

 

[Red in STL]

We might not have conceded, we might have kept the ball better and gotten more midfield control. Football isn't about 1 single moment.

We might have scored 5 goals, they might have scored 5 goals, might have or might not doesn't mean anything, what actually happened is that Bruno did have a moment and that was the difference between winning and drawing

 

[Hammondo]

We might have scored 5 goals, they might have scored 5 goals, might have or might not doesn't mean anything, what actually happened is that Bruno did have a moment and that was the difference between winning and drawing

We also conceded.

We also get smashed in midfield nearly every game and we are 11th.

 

[Berbasbullet]

We also conceded.

We also get smashed in midfield nearly every game and we are 11th.

11th?

 

[Hammondo]

11th?

9th*

 

[HotOne]

I really don't trust him in this system. Always looks like we are a man down in midfield when he comes on as was the case today.

He's a good AM in a midfield 3 with two CMs supporting him, but in this system he's nowhere to be seen. It's worrying Casemiro and Bruno are out best CMs, and it's not even close. Mainoo and Ugarte are poor. We desperately need a CM in January.

 

[MadDogg]

Wasn't that because he was doubling up to help Dalot cover the Kerkez/Gakpo/Wirtz combo? That's what a midfielder will usually do and it's not like they walked through us in the middle. It was mostly from crosses, overlaps and whenever the space was i.e in the channels.

I could be wrong though and I'm not going to watch the last 15 mins again to verify. @MadDogg what does your photographic memory say?

I actually don't have a good memory for individual games or moments. People often talk about things that I don't really remember. What I tend to be good at is remembering longer term trends.

I'll be honest I didn't really notice Mainoo when he came on in this match. The little I did see I thought he did decently when defending the actual box, but there was at least once (maybe twice) as Liverpool broke though us higher up that I felt he was either a little out of position or was a bit slow to recover (it was one or the other, I'm not sure which).

 

[Red in STL]

We also conceded.

We also get smashed in midfield nearly every game and we are 11th.

Except we don't get smashed nearly every game, we certainly weren't against Liverpool

 

[Hammondo]

Except we don't get smashed nearly every game, we certainly weren't against Liverpool

We were well beaten in midfield and we did a good job of hanging on (a bunch of luck also involved).

 

[Irwin99]

I was annoyed during the game that Kobbie didn't come on earlier as Bruno was fading badly from the game after a good first half, but then probably no other player for us produces that match winning assist. That's why Bruno stays on the pitch.

It doesn't look good for him in terms of minutes. On the few occasions he does get some playing time he doesn't do a lot to impress either.

 

[Red in STL]

We were well beaten in midfield and we did a good job of hanging on (a bunch of luck also involved).

Sorry that's just not an accurate refection of the game at all, sure we had a bit of luck, as did they, as for hanging on, name me a team that was a goal up near the end of a PL match at Anfield that wasn't doing that?

 

[Ish]

Sorry that's just not an accurate refection of the game at all, sure we had a bit of luck, as did they, as for hanging on, name me a team that was a goal up near the end of a PL match at Anfield that wasn't doing that?

I'm even struggling to think of many/any who didn't cave in and concede in the last 5-10 minutes against them (when Pool weren't ahead), at Anfield this season.

 

[pocco]

Except we don't get smashed nearly every game, we certainly weren't against Liverpool

@Hammondo is still living in the 23/24 season. Like those Vietnamese war vets that are still hunkered down after 20 years, waiting for the enemy solider. The PTSD of the ETH system is strong.

 

[Hammondo]

Sorry that's just not an accurate refection of the game at all, sure we had a bit of luck, as did they, as for hanging on, name me a team that was a goal up near the end of a PL match at Anfield that wasn't doing that?

Yes when Liverpool win the midfield battle, yea, they probably have the best midfield.

For us however we lose the midfield battle at home often.

 

[Trex]

He's got improving to do but I don't think he was bad yesterday. Liverpool were throwing everything forward, he got a few defensive action. We already knew he isn't prime Kante so he wasn't going to shut down everything. Well prime Kante would have done better but no one would have stopped Liverpool from really looking a threat in such situation.
There's a reason this was our first win there since 2016.

 

[Trex]

Yes when Liverpool win the midfield battle, yea, they probably have the best midfield.

For us however we lose the midfield battle at home often.

Considering Casemiro is a 33 year old I think our midfield does a pretty solid job. Obviously it's position number 1 to upgrade but we compete well enough for what we've got.

 

[Hammondo]

Considering Casemiro is a 33 year old I think our midfield does a pretty solid job. Obviously it's position number 1 to upgrade but we compete well enough for what we've got.

Yes but that's the point, what we have is pretty poor.

 

[criticalanalysis]

I actually don't have a good memory for individual games or moments. People often talk about things that I don't really remember. What I tend to be good at is remembering longer term trends.

I'll be honest I didn't really notice Mainoo when he came on in this match. The little I did see I thought he did decently when defending the actual box, but there was at least once (maybe twice) as Liverpool broke though us higher up that I felt he was either a little out of position or was a bit slow to recover (it was one or the other, I'm not sure which).

Just when I thought I could rely on you. Take more fish supplements goddamnit.

 

[Trex]

Yes but that's the point, what we have is pretty poor.

We need a younger version of Casemiro but we knew that already. The club knows that, they'll get someone soon enough. For what we've got we get about just fine atleast for 60 mins or so per game.

 

[RedC]

It wouldn't surprise me if Amorim has basically told him that he can't play him with our current defensive midfield options, and to just give it time and work on improving physically until we sign a midfielder he will be able to play with.

 

[Mike Smalling]

Mainoo's problem is that we are incredibly stacked at the #10 position now, so pushing Bruno back to CM is basically the only option to fit our best players into the team. I actually wouldn't mind seeing a Mainoo-Casemiro partnership in central midfield against a weaker team at some point, but it might not happen before the more congested Christmas PL program.

 

[Red in STL]

Yes when Liverpool win the midfield battle, yea, they probably have the best midfield.

For us however we lose the midfield battle at home often.

You seem to have some serious PTSD!

 

[saivet]

If Bruno doesn't get injured or suspended, he's probably looking at the match vs Wolves as the first opportunity he may start in the PL this season, and that match is 30th December!

 

[Gavinb33]

He'll be leaving either in January or the summer, we won't get a good fee either because he isn't playing and his contract is running down and he isn't gonna sign a new one it's a bit of a shit show all round on this one

 

[Ekeke]

He'll be leaving either in January or the summer, we won't get a good fee either because he isn't playing and his contract is running down and he isn't gonna sign a new one it's a bit of a shit show all round on this one

Disagree. He's made 6 appearances off the bench and isnt starting at 20 because we have a multi champions league winning midfielder and our best player are playing there. If he goes we'll get a decent fee with multiple clubs interested

Thats not what I want and hopefully he will get more chances to start as the season goes on. I think he has a lot more of a future here than Ugarte.

 

[Amira]

I don’t want him to leave but won’t lose sleep over it.

I honestly don’t know what his best position is. I think it’s a 10 like Mata but I’m not certain.

 

[Godfather]

Not a CM in a midfield two. Has no clue where to position himself and he isn't athletic enough to make up for it. Shame as he is very good technically

 

[bosnian_red]

Shaky first little bit but did better to close the game out at the end. Just needed to get up to speed.

 

[sleepehead]

I thought he was fine, there's really not enough time in the games to dictate whether he was really that bad or not. Started slow but then got into it as the game went on, held the ball when necessary and slowed the tempo when it needed it. I don't like the Mainoo for Casemiro sub, because Mainoo and Bruno are weak defensively would've gone for Ugarte first and then let Kobbie come in when Cunha came off.

 

[saivet]

I thought he was fine, there's really not enough time in the games to dictate whether he was really that bad or not. Started slow but then got into it as the game went on, held the ball when necessary and slowed the tempo when it needed it. I don't like the Mainoo for Casemiro sub, because Mainoo and Bruno are weak defensively would've gone for Ugarte first and then let Kobbie come in when Cunha came off.

Yeah same assessment. There's no real need to experiment with him next to Bruno unless we are behind against a team sitting back.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Grew into the game after a shaky first few minutes.

 

[Hammondo]

Positioning was his big problem today, but it was also Bruno's once Casemiro went off.

 

[The Hilton]

He's less mobile than an over the hill Casemiro who's exhausted after 70 minutes of running. That abject lack of physical ability will never cut it in the PL.

 

[IrishMcD]

Shaky first little bit but did better to close the game out at the end. Just needed to get up to speed.

I dunno, I’m beginning got think he’s checked out mentally. He got outpaced in the middle of the park by Dunk, who had decide to target him by running of his shoulde rin open play. That is extremely worrying. Loved watching him in our youth teams and was so happy for him when he first broke into the team. But he now looks like he’s either lost the desire or his injuries have made him very slow, immobile. I’d love to be proven wrong though of course.

 

[Based Adnan]

He needs to play in a 3