He is freakishly strong for his age. I see several players just bounce off of him when trying to duel for the ball. It's going to be real fun watching Kobbie and Baleba in the center of the park.
Kobbie Mainoo | 2026/27 Performances
- Thread starter MyOnlySolskjaer
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Thought he was excellent. The way he carries the ball is unbelievable, if he had an extra yard of pace he'd be some player. Very very good though.
Hoping him and Baleba click as on paper them with Bruno is very tasty indeed
Hoping him and Baleba click as on paper them with Bruno is very tasty indeed
He is an absolutely phenomenal player already. Scary for someone so young.
I’ve never known whether to go full in on the racism debate, but if Florian Wirtz played like Kobbie did yesterday and Liverpool won 5-2, he’d have had a 9/10 rating and a write up in every paper that covers sport
I read this as bit and thought you were considering being a racist
We’ve seen it all before with Pogba. Standard.
He continues to visibly improve on his weaknesses over time.
He's gradually becoming more confident to ping longer passes about.
He looks to have significantly more of an engine, maintaining his work-rate through the 90 better.
And while he's not fast, there's more snap in his first couple of steps - away from a challenge or into one of his own - which really showed yesterday especially.
He's gradually becoming more confident to ping longer passes about.
He looks to have significantly more of an engine, maintaining his work-rate through the 90 better.
And while he's not fast, there's more snap in his first couple of steps - away from a challenge or into one of his own - which really showed yesterday especially.
JeezI read this as bit and thought you were considering being a racist
He genuinley reminds me of Seedorf in 1996 when I see him play.
Great composure on the ball, starting to dictate play in games, passing range / types of passing improving.
I think playing under Carrick will do him the world of good and if we get our own Seedorf at United for some time to come, with Baleba behind him, we've potentially got a great midfield
This is where I've arrived as well. If all someone understands is "passing it forward" then they'll be stuck in the dark for the rest of his career.
He's one of the most possession conducive midfielders in the Premier League at 21 years old. His understanding of positioning in regards to anticipating space, whether it's carrying the ball or playing a connecting pass is incredible. It allows us to maintain possession and at the same time force the opposition to into unfavorable positions that require them to chase rather than stay in their shape. He's our best problem solver in terms of finding ways to break a press, and more importantly he can do this in pockets of the pitch where we have the ball and find ourselves outnumbered. He's the engine that allows us to possess the ball in a way that makes the opposition have to work to get near the ball, and the front 4 to create overloads and isolations. This is before we even get into how much he's improved defensively in the middle third, and he's always been a good defender in and around his own penalty box.
You truly have to have a more in depth understanding of the game to know how important he is. Our win percentage with and without him is not a coincidence at this point.
It's Kobbie. Please. Annoying to see you do this so many times.
I made the comment from when he first broke through that he could play any midfield position but that I eventually see him playing from deeper. It’s the position he can get on the ball and see the game ahead of him and where we can use his composure the most which I think is his biggest asset and where the team need him most at the minute.
Is refreshing to see that folk actually acknowledge that he can actually pass, run and tackle again, even though he was doing all those things when he first broke through. Of course he will and has improved in those areas but some of the analysis of his attributes and abilities on here had me questioning myself!
Said last year I think he is our best central midfielder and it’s definitely him and whoever fits the game plan for that match. One of a group if we keep fit give me hope we can surprise some people.
Is refreshing to see that folk actually acknowledge that he can actually pass, run and tackle again, even though he was doing all those things when he first broke through. Of course he will and has improved in those areas but some of the analysis of his attributes and abilities on here had me questioning myself!
Said last year I think he is our best central midfielder and it’s definitely him and whoever fits the game plan for that match. One of a group if we keep fit give me hope we can surprise some people.
Anybody who thought he had a poor 1st half. Have another look
Seems quicker and stronger and determined. Great game
The poor first half stuff was mental. Honestly don’t know what game people are watching. The team was poor in the first half. Kobbie was excellent. It’s as though some people get so upset about the team playing badly they decide every single player must be stinking the place out.
You think? Post Roy Keane some of the most highly acclaimed central midfielders in the Premier League have all been black. Makalele, Vieira, Toure, Kante, Caicedo etc
I do wonder if Kobbie will take a while to get the props he deserves from the English press this specific season as that will involve acknowledging that their national team manager is a fecking idiot.
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He’s one of the best in the league right now. Just because you think he doesn’t compare to previous top PL midfielders doesn’t change thatCaicedo
Pirlo didn't get known as an elite player until he went to Juve arguably. He was always highly rated but inconsistent at Milan.
Mane is the mini Kobe/ Saka hybrid, would be probably 50+ , wonder whats his best position now. Could he be an option for us as a LW?
Good ol Ben
Caicedo
Yep. That’s him. Used to play for Brighton.
Wow that's some grade A stupidity. He is the main midfielder we have and the biggest factor is us winning or losing games. When Kobbie plays we win and when he doesn't we don't.
Went it to watching that giving him the benefit of the doubt thinking that maybe it was a shitty take from last season or something, but no it's not. How can anyone come away from watching Kobbie's performance at the weekend and say it wasn't anything other than fantastic. Could have sort of got the loan take if Amorim was still here but he's pretty much nailed on starter when playing like that.
This is a weird list. Post Roy Keane would include Gerrard and Lampard's peak. There's also Fabregas, Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva, Bruno, Rice, Alonso, Cazorla etc
However I agree with your general point and disagree with the person you replied to. It's not about skin colour. It's simply the fact he went missing for 1.5 seasons, during which time United were also piss poor, and he and the team have only really kicked on during 2026. United fans have noticed already, it will take the rest of the world another 6-12 months before he starts getting the accolades he deserves IF he can keep progressing, cement his place in the side and United do well. More game time for England would also help.
Mind blowingly bad take, has he watched United this year?
I'd say your list is just as weird, considering how many of them did their best work not actually playing as a central midfielder. At least I'm being consistent with the positions they played.
I actually understand what he means here in terms of being a leader. The same sort of growth elliot Anderson's gone through over the past year. It's obviously a lot easier to do that in a Forrest team than a United team that's already got guys like Bruno in it. His original take though and how he framed it is still terrible.
"he believes the young midfielder isn't quite ready to be a guaranteed starter for Manchester United just yet."
He already is a guanteed starter and has been for some time.
He already is a guanteed starter and has been for some time.
You didn't specify what kind of centre midfielder...half of them I listed were traditional central midfielders anyway. You also listed Yaya Toure (whose best seasons were in attacking midfield ala Gerrard) and Makelele (a pure defensive midfielder, not a central midfielder)...
That’s still stupid: as you have seen by how we fare without him in games like Hull and Leeds, he absolutely is one of the 4 or 5 first names on the team sheet.
He’s absolutely not one of the most acclaimed midfielders in the League. To put him in the same sentence as the other players is crazy
I don’t think either of us have the time or energy to argue the toss about whether defensive or attacking midfielders are really central midfielders (and I have the time and energy to argue about many things) If I edit the post you first quoted to add “some of” ahead of “the most highly acclaimed” will you leave me alone? Because it wouldn’t change the point being made at all.
Deal
He’s not just one of the highest rated DMs in the premier league but the world, mate. He’d transform us. Like I said, just because those other names might have been better doesn’t change Caicedo’s position as one of the best right now - google relativity