He's a strange one, Kiko. It's hard to know just what to make of him because he seems like 2 different players - an ineffective, unsure of himself and almost meek little kid who starts games, and the fiery coatto handful that comes on as sub and almost inevitably changes the game in some way, either by scoring or providing a goal or moment of inspiration for the team. Why do people think this is?
Macheda the starter vs Kiko the sub
- Thread starter samabachan
- Start date
Tired defenders?
Quite a few times, at least this season, he has started games without a proper strike partner, either in an outright 451 or with someone like Obertan behind him. I think he needs a partner to link up with.
I think he uses his body really well. Defenders can cope with it from the start but when they've spent 70 minutes following Berbatov deep and trying to get the ball off him, having such a direct and physical presence has an effect on tiring legs. Also, he has enough balls for 3 players which undoubtedly helps to play a part.
He's not right at the moment for whatever reason - probably to do with post-injury confidence, not feeling sharp or quick enough. He's got it though, as he showed again.
That's something that Kiko needs to work on IMO. He's great at coming off the bench and injecting some energy into the game, and he normally does something significant in the match when coming off the bench.
When he starts the match though, it's a different kettle of fish. When he starts a game, he needs to play like he does when coming off the bench, but like I said in another thread, that will come with age and experience hopefully.
When he starts the match though, it's a different kettle of fish. When he starts a game, he needs to play like he does when coming off the bench, but like I said in another thread, that will come with age and experience hopefully.
I think has all round game isn't good enough to start. What he has though is the ability to shoot, and that as a super-sub is quite handy. Cracking finish today.
I agree.
Simple assists for Chicharito and Nani however will delude the believers into thinking his all round game and link up play is superb.
Brilliant sub but definitely not good enough to start yet. Don't think he's had even one good game when he's started. However he always has a good impact off the bench.
He's 19 and learning. People forget that he is only 19.
He doesn't convince me as an all-round player in either circumstance. He gets more goals off the bench but his performances have never really impressed me. I hope he proves me wrong but I reckon his finishing apart, every facet of his game is limited and needs vast improvement to make it at United.
Id start him against Wigan with Rooney next week and see what he does, to be fair to him the games hes played so far have mainly been with a second string team as a lone striker, the service hasn't been up to much and hes struggled on his own, Wigan at Old trafford should be a game we will dominate and create plenty, given Berbatovs drop in form and Hernandez going somewhat off the boil id give Macheda the nod.
A couple of other times when he's started he's actually played on the left wing, which is even less suitable for him.
Take all those games out and I don't think he's actually started many games upfront with a partner, so it's a bit harsh to hold it too much against him.
Good point. I don't think I can ever remember him starting a game or having a prolonged period in a game as a partner for Rooney and he's never managed a run of starts. So in many respects it's still very hard to judge him. He's still very raw but the guy clearly has talent and in my opinion, the best way to cultivate it is to give him a run of games, the next few weeks before we play Arsenal and Chelsea are a great opportunity for that.
Its a combination of tired legs, but also the aggression he has knowing the team is in need of heroics and he likes to come on and just make an immediate impact. He's an ADD footballer at the moment.. everything just comes together in a short spell and he looks electrifying.
Whenever he has started he has looked distinctly average.. so I just hope we can see more of the former rather than the latter.
Whenever he has started he has looked distinctly average.. so I just hope we can see more of the former rather than the latter.
His assist for Chicha was actually pretty decent if only for making the right decision when most players would have probably tried to take it on themselves.
Macheda may not have the all round game of a Rooney or Berbatov but his finishing is reason enough to keep him around and if he's given games he will get goals and he just has that something that tells me he's going to be a star, more to do with his character rather than his technical ability(which is still pretty good).
It hard for all the forwards at United right now. The midfield is so lacking in quality and control it is no wonder everything is so disconnected and poor.
Well, we have seen players in that age showing much better than him.
I'm not slating him.
I tried to make sense of this and then realised who posted it.
Give him time. We know the talent is there, yes when he starts he has been poor but we cant afford to lose him as he has got something about him.
Another start, another disappointing performance. It's really unbelievable how much of a difference there is.
19 in football is like 28 in real life
He just need games. When he's starting he's usually by himself and you don't get the continuity of game after game after game. Obviously teams tire later in the game but we've seen Kiko play like that for the reserves and then bang he get's a cople.
Unfortunately he didn't have a chance today to score but maybe he would have grabbed a few in those last 35 minutes if he'd have stayed on. The way the game was going, chances were becoming more and more prominant
Unfortunately he didn't have a chance today to score but maybe he would have grabbed a few in those last 35 minutes if he'd have stayed on. The way the game was going, chances were becoming more and more prominant
It was expected as he isnt suited to play the lone striker role. That's been apparent in every game he's started upfront on his own.
Probably because whenever he starts it's in some spastic role that even a Lionel Messi/Ronaldo hybrid would struggle to make anything of.
Very little service in the 1st half. I'd like to see Macheda start with a striker alongside him.
He needs to start in a 4-4-2. I'd expected Obertan to play up front with him today but it didn't happen. I don't understand why he keeps getting played in that role.
it's a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma
He did all he could really given the system we played when he was on.
There is no point playing Macheda upfront by himself, he needs support and there wasn't much of it today.
I really don't understand why we keep playing him up top on his own 
...It took Rooney until he was what, 24 (?) to master that role, how do we expect Macheda at 19 to perform well in it?
...It took Rooney until he was what, 24 (?) to master that role, how do we expect Macheda at 19 to perform well in it?Even Rooney had a midfield behind him which was capable of playing him the ball.I really don't understand why we keep playing him up top on his own
The problem is that he isn't a lone striker yet Fergie insist on playing him as one in every single game he gets to start.
Macheda to me looks built for the lone role, I'd be surprised if that isn't where he plays for the vast majority of his career. If he's played anywhere else he's asked to get involved in the build-up and that takes away from his all-round threat while taking away from our play at the same time. There's not really anywhere besides up front on his own that he won't be asked to get involved in the build-up and he loses the ball a bit too much to want him to.
Looks to me like he's being played there to minimise his deficiencies that'd be shown up in any other role.
Looks to me like he's being played there to minimise his deficiencies that'd be shown up in any other role.
This. I'd be very interested to see how many times Scholes has started in midfield when Macheda has been played upfront on his own.
This, indeed, is an interesting question.
Macheda was painful to watch. He is so amazingly slow, it's mind boggling!
There were times when Macheda was in space or made a good run, but his teammates took too much time on the ball. Any player in his role is going to suffer if he doesn't get service.
It's hugely unfair on the lad to make him play all of his starts as a lone striker...then take him off and bring on 2 other strikers. Mental. I don't get it.
very difficult to play as lone striker at that age especially when the rest of the team is playing so poor, In fact I don't think Rooney started playing well as a lone striker untill he was about 22 and he had a lot more experience than kiko.