Yeah it’s depressing. And it’s 100% linked with posters who doubled down so often on defending Amorim’s mistreatment of Mainoo they can only ever see the negative in every performance. Because the cognitive dissonance of realising how badly wrong they’ve been over the last year would be too much to bear.
37
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 23
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 1
Yeah it’s depressing. And it’s 100% linked with posters who doubled down so often on defending Amorim’s mistreatment of Mainoo they can only ever see the negative in every performance. Because the cognitive dissonance of realising how badly wrong they’ve been over the last year would be too much to bear.
This, in particular is a bugbear of mine. At least give a balanced opinion, lest it look like you’ve got knives out for a 20-year old academy product.
He has things to work on, and they can and should be pointed out, but blanket statements of how bad he is simply leave half the picture unpainted, which means you either don’t or can’t see that or you’re intentionally omitting it, which again, I find very sad.
You claimed Garnacho was almost world class, that's a direct quote, not a young player with lots of potential. It's quite telling you needed to drastically understate your position and overstate mine to make your zinger work.
It's also no coincidence that you keep trying to link my opinion to Amorim, even though I've been clear the opinions aren't linked. It's clearly projection at this point, perhaps that explains your performative overrating of him passing the ball out of play for example.
As for ignoring me, you didn't need a button to do that, this latest discussion started, as they normally do, because you repeatedly quoted me. With your trademark misplaced arrogance, I might add.
Even your final point is ironic, given your inability admit when you're wrong. But I'd be up for a bet, and I'd be happy to work out terms to a bet that leaves no room for ambiguity too, that way neither of us can avoid it.
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I find "fans" who don't like Mainoo to be just so fecking strange to be honest. He's a 20 year old who has already scored in a cup final and came up with so many big moments, in a position that is so rare for young players to have ANY impact on. He's an academy graduate. He shows balls every time he is on the pitch, and he has the clear talent to back it up (and honestly to be blunt, while yes every ass hole is allowed an opinion, it's a fecking dumb opinion if you don't rate him). He had a huge impact for England right off the back, started a Euro Final at 18 (insane) and now is right back to being a quality player for us once we tossed aside the one fraud who didn't rate him for some weird reason.
Thought he did really well again yesterday and his development is class
Thought he did really well again yesterday and his development is class
Some of the takes in here are getting boring and repetetive!
My 'objective' view is Mainoo is a good prospect, he's shown glimpses of how good he could potetially be and he also shown that there are areas of his game that require big improvements if he's to become a top-class player
Against West Ham he was nothing particularly special and nothing particularly poor, he had an average game within an average team perormance
My 'objective' view is Mainoo is a good prospect, he's shown glimpses of how good he could potetially be and he also shown that there are areas of his game that require big improvements if he's to become a top-class player
Against West Ham he was nothing particularly special and nothing particularly poor, he had an average game within an average team perormance
Preach
That’s ok then. We all believe you. Honest.
To be fair, I don't think you even believe your own posts, so there's no surprise you don't believe mine.
Still, have a think about what you'd want that bet to look like.
I thought our midfield three were all fine. Kept the ball well, protected the defence well until the last few mins when it went a bit chaotic, played through their press well to get us into their third.
The problem was the attack when we got into their third. When we broke through their press, our final ball was lacking, and when we pinned them back, our lack of players who can play in congested spaces and also dribble their man out wide meant we couldn't break through. Martinez, Maguire, Casemiro, Mainoo and Bruno were all okay. Shaw and Dalot alongside Amad, Cunha and Mbeumo all struggled to do anything when we got them into the positions to do so through our build-up from the aforementioned set of players.
The problem was the attack when we got into their third. When we broke through their press, our final ball was lacking, and when we pinned them back, our lack of players who can play in congested spaces and also dribble their man out wide meant we couldn't break through. Martinez, Maguire, Casemiro, Mainoo and Bruno were all okay. Shaw and Dalot alongside Amad, Cunha and Mbeumo all struggled to do anything when we got them into the positions to do so through our build-up from the aforementioned set of players.
Agree, Amad, Mbeumo and Cunha were all much bigger problems and more underwhelming than Kobbie yesterday.
Maybe lets not try to squeeze every post, no matter whether the tone is positive or negative through such a narrow opening like "likes" or "dislikes" the player. Thats rarely ever the point and it never helps the discussion.
Nah I'm ok with the point. He's a 20 year old academy graduate who is a huge talent and has had a huge impact in the first team and done well for England as well, and by all accounts is a level headed kid. He's literally exactly what Manchester United supporters should want and represents what this club has always been about.
Not liking him, not rating him, not wanting him to get chances, some people seemingly being all too happy to criticize him and almost want him to fail so they are proven "right"... all falls under the same umbrella. It's weird and it's not what this club has traditionally been about.
The game was on the manager, he needs to develop 2 styles and 2 team selections. One for counter attacking teams when there is space. This having Mbeumo on top works.
The other team to break down teams who park the bus, having Sesko and maybe working Zirkzee would help.
Zirkzee probably would not help.
But United have struggled against low-block defensive teams for a long time now. Finding ways to break them down is an incredibly tricky challenge, and tbh off the top of my head I'm not entirely sure what the best solution or types of approach to such games is.
It is clear though that someone like Cunha operates best is more open games where he can stretch his legs, and having a striker like Sesko capable of getting on the end of crosses is also helpful. Being able to defend counters with quick defenders also helps, but also so does the ability to score from the increased number of set-pieces you may earn in such games.
The way i think about Kobbie, through all of the noise of the last year, is that every single other top side in the world would snap our hands off if we ever transfer listed him.
This is the default on here for quite some time, in many threads on for many standpoints - certainly not just the one criticizing stuff. And while I see your point on all the things you listed - its completely subjective since its apparently just on you to decide what justified criticism is and when somebody is "all too happy to criticize" him. You do you of course.
Barca were enamored with him when he first broke into the first team.
What we are seeing from Mainoo is what we got too comfortable not seeing from other young players through the years - development.
He's changing his game already. Not because he cannot do what he did a year or two ago, but because he's got better at other things. Sitting deep and reading the game more than prioritising involvement in the final third. You can tell the work that's taken place on the training pitch and individually, not necessarily to change who he is but to get better as a footballer. It shows maturity that we rarely see when it comes to homegrown players. We've become too comfortable with players at 27 still being ostensibly the same player they were at 17. Mainoo's development should be viewed in that context.
He's changing his game already. Not because he cannot do what he did a year or two ago, but because he's got better at other things. Sitting deep and reading the game more than prioritising involvement in the final third. You can tell the work that's taken place on the training pitch and individually, not necessarily to change who he is but to get better as a footballer. It shows maturity that we rarely see when it comes to homegrown players. We've become too comfortable with players at 27 still being ostensibly the same player they were at 17. Mainoo's development should be viewed in that context.
Everton 0:1 Man Utd
New
Don't think he was great today. Entire midfield was poor for that matter.
Poor, but so was the rest of midfield.
To be fair I would say he was a fair bit better than Bruno and casemiro who were both abysmal
Struggled today, need him to step up in games like this. The midfield couldn't deal with the press at all.
he wasn't great. Everton's midfield was pretty much comprised of destroyers though, but he will have to adapt to that as teams adapt to our new style
He was solid, even good at times but struggled in the last 20 minutes when the whole team went defensive. Overall, had a better game than both Casemiro and Bruno although no one was convincing
Poor today. Looked outmatched and shrunk under the pressure. The game really passed him by.
Overall poor performance, slightly better than Bruno and Casemiro though.
Thought he was really poor. They were man marking Bruno so there was plenty of space for both Mainoo and Casemiro, but instead of using that space, there were plenty of poor slightly misplaced passes, poor touches, awareness... just simply not a good game.
I’ll break the trend and say I thought he looked good in the first half. Faded massively though.
Yep, very poor.
I'm unsure what he's bringing to the table, as he takes an eternity on the ball, isn't athletic though, nor the passing range.
He really needs to up his game.
Sometimes I forget he's playing. One great ball start of second half aside he wasn't good.
I thought he was probably the best of a bad bunch out of the midfield/attackers. Would like to see him step up and have more of an initiative on the ball, though a game like tonight, things weren't connecting anywhere in that final third anyway.
Bruno was poor, but he was man marked, and they afforded him no time on the ball. Mainoo on the other hand, because of the man marking on Bruno, had much more time and space, but he, as you said, just takes far too long on the ball. Then his passes are often underhit or behind the player, so instead of progressing play, he forces his teammate to stop, pick the ball up, and then the dynamism of the attack is gone. This happens so often. Sure, his technique is sublime; he's only 20 years old and will most likely grow into a very good player, but right now, he's not quite good enough.
Mixed game but the whole midfield was a mess. Casemiro treating the ball like a hot potato and Bruno roaming and booting it everywhere.
He had quite a few sloppy moments but he's bit of a one-man midfield at times with him being the only one that actuallys want to try to midfield.
He had quite a few sloppy moments but he's bit of a one-man midfield at times with him being the only one that actuallys want to try to midfield.
He was good, as poor as all midfielders and attackers.
Everton were to energetic and aggressive for him and Casemiro today, neither could influence the game at all. Both stuck at it though.
Everton were to energetic and aggressive for him and Casemiro today, neither could influence the game at all. Both stuck at it though.
Made me chuckle, he really was at times. A bit more composure would have been nice.
I don't recall Bruno being man marked? Everton crowded the middle in the first half but in the second, Bruno had lots of space and time when he dropped or got towards the ball. The problem was that this was a typical poor Bruno game with him roaming in between the spaces with ill positional discipline and then lots of loose touches, poor decision making and poor passing.
That exactly how I see it. We need to buy 2 quality CMs in summer as we shouldn't have to rely on Mainoo as much as we are.
He is lucky that he is playing alongside Casemiro. He needs to take a step or two to reach his level. Our midfield is at serious risk next season without casemiro