[Fortitude]

Goldbridge or whatshisname likes to mention his video that United is top at winning ball at opposition half.
I can't see that as not a representation of (at least) more than decent pressing.
More likely, it's the transition that is poor, too ponderous or whatever reasons.
So United is not reaping the full benefit of their labor.
Casemiro/Amrabat-Mount-Mejri/McT might actually work better than whatever combo with Eriksen/Bruno in right now.

It's not an impressive piece of information in isolation. At what cost does that high pressing come? Are we compromising anything else in lieu of it?

The answers have been pretty clear all season thus far, unfortunately.

 

[tomaldinho1]

It's not an impressive piece of information in isolation. At what cost does that high pressing come? Are we compromising anything else in lieu of it?

The answers have been pretty clear all season thus far, unfortunately.

I would assume watching us play that we are also one of the teams that goes 'long' the most, so in isolation it might not be that impressive. If we constantly pump the ball forwards for 90mins, it serves to reason we will be up there for the amount of times we win the ball back.

More details are needed to understand the stat.

 

[Fortitude]

I would assume watching us play that we are also one of the teams that goes 'long' the most, so in isolation it might not be that impressive. If we constantly pump the ball forwards for 90mins, it serves to reason we will be up there for the amount of times we win the ball back.

More details are needed to understand the stat.

Yes indeed. Along with the gaps it leaves in behind on the counter, which we've seen so many times thus far. It's a wonderful stat in accompaniment of doing the fundamentals well, but in isolation, all those questions are still on the table.

 

[sglowrider]

Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount feared to be out for a month with calf injury

 

[Orton]

Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount feared to be out for a month with calf injury

Some season this. Should’ve paid a bit more attention to his last year at Chelsea

 

[MadDogg]

Some season this. Should’ve paid a bit more attention to his last year at Chelsea

I mean, Mount only missed one game in the first two thirds of the season. He then just had the one big injury that effectively ended his season at the beginning of March.

It's strange that so many people seem to think he was injury prone before joining us. He really wasn't. If anything, until his pelvic injury last season he was injured quite a bit less than most players get, rarely missing games for club or country. Players often pick up little niggling injuries after returning from a big injury, so the hope is that this season is just that. Something that he'll get over and get back to normal where he's available the vast majority of the time.

 

[Orton]

I mean, Mount only missed one game in the first two thirds of the season. He then just had the one big injury that effectively ended his season at the beginning of March.

It's strange that so many people seem to think he was injury prone before joining us. He really wasn't. If anything, until his pelvic injury last season he was injured quite a bit less than most players get, rarely missing games for club or country. Players often pick up little niggling injuries after returning from a big injury, so the hope is that this season is just that. Something that he'll get over and get back to normal where he's available the vast majority of the time.

Teams don’t sign players to sit in the physio room for a year. Regardless of what happened last year, he missed a good bit near the end, was playing bang average and Chelsea fans weren’t too fussed with him leaving with a year left on his deal. We are nearing December and he’s made no impact at all. None whatsoever.

 

[NoPace]

I think he's gonna find it hard here if Mainoo is a starter, as you'd think the player between him and Bruno might be a bit more of a physical presence. I don't even necessarily mean a unit like Onana or Joelinton, but even someone long and mobile like Spurs have with Bentancur and Sarr fighting for a spot in front of Bissouma (who Mainoo so far sort of reminds me of, comfortable on the ball and likes to slow it down and can beat a man, does his work defensively without being big enough to just sit alone as a #6 like a Rodri or Busquets).

Chasing a game or at home against dross, then sure Mount and Bruno in front of Mainoo might work out, but that's not a very physical midfield considering we don't have the team to keep the ball 65% of the time.

 

[OrcaFat]

When will we get Mount fit and playing close to his best (however good or bad that is perceived to be)?

He is critical to the balance of the team but we just can’t get him primed.

 

[RonaldoVII]

When will we get Mount fit and playing close to his best (however good or bad that is perceived to be)?

He is critical to the balance of the team but we just can’t get him primed.

Is he? His best position is where Bruno plays and he's not likely to be dropped/rested often.

 

[iKeano]

Chelsea finished 12th last season and seemed him surplus to requirement... Does anyone (other than Ten Hag) actually think he was going to improve our midfield?!
He's as basic as it gets.
Giving him our #7 is a disgrace

 

[DWelbz19]

He is critical to the balance of the team but we just can’t get him primed.

Genuinely; how? What balance is yet another off the ball no.10 who does his best work in pockets of space in the final third doing to resolve the issues of the midfield balance?

 

[#07]

Is he? His best position is where Bruno plays and he's not likely to be dropped/rested often.

Exactly. This transfer was utterly bizarre. Some people will say I have an agenda because I was sceptical about it at the time. However, buying Mount has never made any kind of sense. Yet we wasted £50m+ on it.

Lets just remind ourselves that players like Kovacic, MacAllister, Gravenberch, Lavia, Caicedo, Matheus Nunes all moved this summer. Actual centre midfielders, not attacking midfielders that we want to convert into centre midfielders.

We weren't interested. Instead, despite having a Eriksen play deep (which isn't what he does for Denmark or what he's done for most of his career), Van de Beek warming the bench, and Bruno never being injured, we went for Mount. We'd have been better off competing with West Ham for Edson Alvarez. Why did we buy someone who plays in a role where we're massively overstocked?

Chelsea finished 12th last season and seemed him surplus to requirement... Does anyone (other than Ten Hag) actually think he was going to improve our midfield?!
He's as basic as it gets.
Giving him our #7 is a disgrace

Speaks to the craziness about how this club is run. Even if you blame the manager for the buy, why give him the club's most legendary shirt number? Bizarre.

 

[Cutch]

Chelsea finished 12th last season and seemed him surplus to requirement... Does anyone (other than Ten Hag) actually think he was going to improve our midfield?!
He's as basic as it gets.
Giving him our #7 is a disgrace

That's not true though. They wanted to keep him with chat of him being their next club captain but he wouldn't sign a new contract with them with his current only having a season left to run

 

[pascell]

That's not true though. They wanted to keep him with chat of him being their next club captain but he wouldn't sign a new contract with them with his current only having a season left to run

He asked for money Chelsea didn't want to pay, reportedly. So Murtough and his merry man decided they would pay it him instead and paid a nice big fee to Chelsea for the pleasure.

 

[Idxomer]

He asked for money Chelsea didn't want to pay, reportedly. So Murtough and his merry man decided they would pay it him instead and paid a nice big fee to Chelsea for the pleasure.

Those guys are the dumbest people in football today. Mount was in the last year of his contract too, at the very least they should've waited to see if he's over his fitness problems.

 

[iKeano]

That's not true though. They wanted to keep him with chat of him being their next club captain but he wouldn't sign a new contract with them with his current only having a season left to run

You're buying what they're selling too. If they rated him, he'd be Chelsea captain instead of our injury prone, bench-warming #7.
A truly awful signing and shrude sale by Chelsea.

In other news, I have an investment opportunity in magic beans if you're partial to an easy sale!

 

[OrcaFat]

Is he? His best position is where Bruno plays and he's not likely to be dropped/rested often.

His best position is as one of two high pressing no8s. The other guy we need fit and firing is Martinez. Then Shaw can play LB.

A lot of people think he’s a 10 and not very special but he’s been bought to be used as an 8.

Of the players at the club and knowing how EtH wants to play, Mount is important because no-one else in the squad really does the high 8 job very well (Fred was passable but he’s gone). Unfortunately, Mount has never quite been fit for us; hence McT getting so many minutes.

Mount has been on the bench sometimes but that’s because he’s not fit enough to do the “Mount” job. These games that McT has been playing would mostly have gone to Fred but McT also has that goal threat that a sub-optimal Mount lacks.

All our injuries have caused us problems but Mount seems like a perma-crock. That’s the worst thing about his signing.

 

[Leethal]

His best position is as one of two high pressing no8s. The other guy we need fit and firing is Martinez. Then Shaw can play LB.

A lot of people think he’s a 10 and not very special but he’s been bought to be used as an 8.

Of the players at the club and knowing how EtH wants to play, Mount is important because no-one else in the squad really does the high 8 job very well (Fred was passable but he’s gone). Unfortunately, Mount has never quite been fit for us; hence McT getting so many minutes.

Mount has been on the bench sometimes but that’s because he’s not fit enough to do the “Mount” job. These games that McT has been playing would mostly have gone to Fred but McT also has that goal threat that a sub-optimal Mount lacks.

All our injuries have caused us problems but Mount seems like a perma-crock. That’s the worst thing about his signing.

Surely you do not actually believe any of that drivel you posted?

Martinez needed to suddenly unlock Mount. What a load of bollocks.

He is just a bang average player. Which is fine, if he’s a squad player and he accepts that. But spending £55m on a player in the final year of his contract, (off the back of a shocking season), and handing him the #7 is entirely on us. And Ten Hag will persist with him to attempt to justify the shit purchase; much like he does with Antony.

 

[el3mel]

Surely you do not actually believe any of that drivel you posted?

Martinez needed to suddenly unlock Mount. What a load of bollocks.

He is just a bang average player. Which is fine, if he’s a squad player and he accepts that. But spending £55m on a player in the final year of his contract, (off the back of a shocking season), and handing him the #7 is entirely on us. And Ten Hag will persist with him to attempt to justify the shit purchase; much like he does with Antony.

People here are acting like Martinez will transform us into prime Barcelona once he's back from injury it's hilarious. In their eyes pretty much all our issues are due to his injury, even the other players' poor form.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Surely you do not actually believe any of that drivel you posted?

Martinez needed to suddenly unlock Mount. What a load of bollocks.

He is just a bang average player. Which is fine, if he’s a squad player and he accepts that. But spending £55m on a player in the final year of his contract, (off the back of a shocking season), and handing him the #7 is entirely on us. And Ten Hag will persist with him to attempt to justify the shit purchase; much like he does with Antony.

I've lost count of the number of times over the last 10 years we've heard something along the lines of "we need (player) to unlock (underperforming player) and then everything will come together and our troubles will all be over".

 

[Big Ben Foster]

People here are acting like Martinez will transform us into prime Barcelona once he's back from injury it's hilarious. In their eyes pretty much all our issues are due to his injury, even the other players' poor form.

We are the only team in the history of football to have to deal with injuries. The injuries are also all purely a result of bad luck and have nothing to do with our training methods or overplaying.

 

[Lash]

I would like to see him in Scott's position currently. He doesn't hide from the ball, generally uses it well and he's got the energy needed that Scott seems to be lacking.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I would like to see him in Scott's position currently. He doesn't hide from the ball, generally uses it well and he's got the energy needed that Scott seems to be lacking.

I think we all do. Ironically McT should be competing for Bruno's role - maybe he'd actually be a good sub when Bruno tires if we ever have games where we go ahead - he can run all day and almost play like an SS in the channels for long balls as opponents push high searching for goals. Otherwise he shouldn't be playing.

 

[Lash]

I think we all do. Ironically McT should be competing for Bruno's role - maybe he'd actually be a good sub when Bruno tires if we ever have games where we go ahead - he can run all day and almost play like an SS in the channels for long balls as opponents push high searching for goals. Otherwise he shouldn't be playing.

Yeah, I actually have no qualms with him as a sub, or against the poorer teams in the league. Joelinton and Guimaraes may not be the sexiest midfield in the world, but it certainly provides an absolutely solid base to build from and will outwork most midfields in the league.

 

[SAFMUTD]

He's not played in so long that he's going to suddenly become better and a solution for our midfield.

 

[Fahad Jawaid]

Actually him coming back will mean we will have another weak player physically (as he will replace Mctominay) with no presence and aerially poor. It will be Martial, Rashford, Garnacho, Antony, Bruno and Mount (6 players). No wonder we can't seem to win any second balls and gets dominated by teams and they just slice apart our midfield.

Ten Hag has to answer for this shit show. When he was trying to envision his side competing for league, did he think a team with players unable to head it and all physically weak players will be able to compete.

 

[OrcaFat]

Surely you do not actually believe any of that drivel you posted?

Martinez needed to suddenly unlock Mount. What a load of bollocks.

He is just a bang average player. Which is fine, if he’s a squad player and he accepts that. But spending £55m on a player in the final year of his contract, (off the back of a shocking season), and handing him the #7 is entirely on us. And Ten Hag will persist with him to attempt to justify the shit purchase; much like he does with Antony.

Eh?

 

[lex talionis]

I don't understand why after spending a mountain of cash for Mount why ten Had can't mount the courage to start Mount over McTominay.

 

[Grande]

I don't understand why after spending a mountain of cash for Mount why ten Had can't mount the courage to start Mount over McTominay.

Probably because Mount has been injured twice in three months, is new to the team, and McTominay has been one of our most effective players in attack.

 

[Beachryan]

The injuries are a huge worry. At his age he shouldn't be getting these problems keeping him out a month at a time. Speaks to poor preparation imo.

 

[Desert Eagle]

Seemed like a terrible signing when made and looking even worse now.

 

[NoPace]

The more I think about it the more this move only makes sense is if we are seriously considering selling Bruno with 2 years left on his deal this summer and open to a couple seasons in the mid-table like Chelsea. Selling Bruno, Rashford, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Casemiro and Varane this summer and using the money on 7 or 8 young players would make sense, even we take a step back.

Hojlund/Striker
Garnacho/LW
Antony/Amad
Mount/Hannibal
Mainoo/CM2
DM1/DM2
Dalot/RB2
Lisandro/LCB2
Maguire/RCB2
Shaw/Alvaro or Malacia
Onana/Bayindir

Impossible to imagine us making that many moves, but Chelsea did do it, and we'd have the wage room to do it with those 6 (and Martial) gone (and Eriksen with only one year left).

The alternative is that Ten Hag thought Casemiro-Mount-Bruno would really work as a midfield 3, which seems a bit ridiculous but is likely the case.

 

[FrantikChicken]

I don't understand why after spending a mountain of cash for Mount why ten Had can't mount the courage to start Mount over McTominay.

Because he’s currently injured?

 

[lex talionis]

Because he’s currently injured?

All season?

 

[pascell]

The more I think about it the more this move only makes sense is if we are seriously considering selling Bruno with 2 years left on his deal this summer and open to a couple seasons in the mid-table like Chelsea. Selling Bruno, Rashford, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Casemiro and Varane this summer and using the money on 7 or 8 young players would make sense, even we take a step back.

Hojlund/Guirassy
Garnacho/Bardghji
Antony/Amad
Mount/Hannibal
Mainoo/Joao Neves
Vermeeren/Palhinha
Frimpong/AWB
Lisandro/Branthwaite
Maguire/Todibo
Shaw/Dalot
Onana/Bayindir

Impossible to imagine us making that many moves, but Chelsea did do it, and we'd have the wage room to do it with those 6 (and Martial) gone (and Eriksen with only one year left).

The alternative is that Ten Hag thought Casemiro-Mount-Bruno would really work as a midfield 3, which seems a bit ridiculous but is likely the case.

Wouldn't mind us signing the ones in bold, will never happen though.

 

[crossy1686]

Seemed like a terrible signing when made and looking even worse now.

Yeah it’s worse than I ever imagined it could be. I thought he’d just force him into an unbalanced midfield every game but he’s either injured or dropped for most of our games.

 

[Kostov]

I don't understand why after spending a mountain of cash for Mount why ten Had can't mount the courage to start Mount over McTominay.

Because Mount is useless in the role he is supposed to play?

 

[saivet]

Because Mount is useless in the role he is supposed to play?

I know we've been shipping chances for fun (and it might well get worse) but I am sort of intrigued as to how things would go if we replaced McT for Mount. That ultimately was the plan and while I wouldn't have much confidence in it, we've only seen Bruno and Mount start centrally in what, 3 or 4 games?

 

[VP89]

Because Mount is useless in the role he is supposed to play?

He hasn't really played enough to settle in order to be sure of this