Mason Mount's Misfortune

[TomSkalle]

We have paid £60m for a guy that hasnt played 3 games in a row the whole season.
Either he is benched or he is injured.

I mean, i really hope he can become a regular first team player, but it has been a really bad start for him.
Come to think of it i cant remember any player that has cost us £60m that has had a first season like this.
Lets hope he can recover and start playing soon.

 

[OleGunnar20]

He had 1 year left I believe. How can we pay 60m is beyond me. I think he will come good, could be a good option if Bruno continues that sloppy form, but my good these prices we pay

Yep, and the irritating thing is that we were all saying it at the time. Onana has turned out terribly but at least there was a clear plan there.

What was the plan with Mason? I'd like to see him given a run at RW when he gets back to see if he can replicate his Chelsea form there.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

I love how people are busy in here jumping guns and blowing all sorts of limbs off

 

[Freak]

Does no journalist ask ETH where this guy actually is? Is he injured or is it something else?

 

[Telsim]

The club seem determined to break their own record of VDB being the weirdest signing made in the EPL

There must always be... a Bench King.

 

[devilish]

There must always be... a Bench King.

I defended ETH on many many issues mainly because I think that United's football side of things are a joke but also because I don't think that there are many good managers available. However there are two things I can't understand

a- This obsession of his to play two advanced AMs. Whether its Mount, Eriksen, McT and Mainoo our second CM is given too much licence to roam forward. That's ok if United had a prime Roy Keane (though SAF made sure he'll get help with Becks and Giggs drifting deeper then Rashford and Antony do) but it makes zero sense with an ageing Casemiro. The gap between Defense and CM is huge.

b- why he insist on having 2 inside forwards who barely ever pass the ball? The only winger we had who was given that license was prime Ronaldo and we countered that with Gaz at his back, Carrick and Scholes dropping deep, Ji Sung 10 lungs Park on the other side and Rooney + Tevez dropping deep like men possessed. Needless to say that none of our flank men are anywhere near to prime Ronaldo and the only guy who possess the Rooney/Tevez workrate is Bruno.

I'd love to see those issues sorted and possibly see us add a RB who can attack and defend. There's so much talent in Mainoo. Just add a decent DM near him and let Mainoo develop into a hardworking playmaker/DM and I believe we'll see a far better United

 

[croadyman]

Maybe, I think that both can still offer a lot in the right system, but the money is definitely a problem. The PSR rules seem to have real teeth, United and the rest of the EPL will need a stronger home grown focus.

There is no way that Bruno leaves,however could see Casemiro going if the opportunity to get that right profile to partner Kobbie arises

 

[AltiUn]

Yep, and the irritating thing is that we were all saying it at the time. Onana has turned out terribly but at least there was a clear plan there.

What was the plan with Mason? I'd like to see him given a run at RW when he gets back to see if he can replicate his Chelsea form there.

Initially I thought Ten Hag was gonna use him to faze out Fernandez but he seems intent on playing them together.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Does no journalist ask ETH where this guy actually is? Is he injured or is it something else?

They do...Had a calf injury and he's back in light training since Dec + sounds like he'll be back in near future now. Seems quite a standard injury? Not like the mystery of Malacia.

 

[horsechoker]

Initially I thought Ten Hag was gonna use him to faze out Fernandez but he seems intent on playing them together.

Which I hope he's given up on as Kobbie is better in central midfield with Casemiro and McTominay provides more goal threat. I fear with bought an expensive squad player but who knows how long Bruno can go on for he's played a lot of football in these last few seasons

 

[AltiUn]

Which I hope he's given up on as Kobbie is better in central midfield with Casemiro and McTominay provides more goal threat. I fear with bought an expensive squad player but who knows how long Bruno can go on for he's played a lot of football in these last few seasons

Think you might be right, it's a bit of a shame Casemiro's form has dropped off because last season's Casemiro with Mainoo would be pretty good. I think Fernandes's dodgy form has slipped under the radar a bit due to other issues but I think if Mount was fit and in top form that that spot is potentially up for grabs.

 

[Red in STL]

Think you might be right, it's a bit of a shame Casemiro's form has dropped off because last season's Casemiro with Mainoo would be pretty good. I think Fernandes's dodgy form has slipped under the radar a bit due to other issues but I think if Mount was fit and in top form that that spot is potentially up for grabs.

Fernandes's has had no real competition for his place in the team, if he has that maybe he'll improve his focus and thought process because that's where the problem really lies

 

[Todd]

Quickly getting to the point where Mason Mount, if he's ever found alive and well, will look like nothing but surplus to requirements.

He's not suited to playing in the midfield, and anyway it looks like Casemiro and Mainoo are by far the best pair we can use in that regard.

At best he's around for when Bruno needs a rest, but with the reduction in fixtures already and the expected further reduction of that whenever we're knocked out of the FA Cup, will there really be much of a need to rest Bruno?

Best case for everyone might be to move Mount in the summer. He was never the right player to buy in the first place, and Chelsea should be taken to the woodshed for getting away with fleecing us on the fee the way they did.

Alas, I fear ETH will fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

I thought the first half last night was easily the best we have played all season, and I found myself wondering where Mount fitted into that team - and I couldn't see it.

 

[tomaldinho1]

I thought the first half last night was easily the best we have played all season, and I found myself wondering where Mount fitted into that team - and I couldn't see it.

Cover for Mainoo/Bruno to be honest. It's good to have options from the bench with different profiles i.e. McT being quite an interesting sub option, Mount can be that for us and covers multiple roles to a good level. He's also only 25 so could still become a starter in time.

 

[KiD MoYeS]

Cover for Mainoo/Bruno to be honest. It's good to have options from the bench with different profiles i.e. McT being quite an interesting sub option, Mount can be that for us and covers multiple roles to a good level. He's also only 25 so could still become a starter in time.

Absolutely agree. He will get opportunities in a full season. Just wondering have we brought in a squad player rather than a starter now.

 

[Xire01]

I cannot see how he dislodges anyone in that starting 11 from last night. Has to be one of the most pointless signings we have made in recent years.

 

[Teja]

I thought the first half last night was easily the best we have played all season, and I found myself wondering where Mount fitted into that team - and I couldn't see it.

Pretend we didn't have Mainoo. He'd have played that role.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Absolutely agree. He will get opportunities in a full season. Just wondering have we brought in a squad player rather than a starter now.

It's kind of the realistic outcome given he's learning a new role (and now had injuries). Maybe this was the plan all along but the recruitment team obviously bigged up Mount to get him to come here as he was hardly going to be sold by the idea of 'come and be a sub for a year'. I still think he will get a lot of game time covering for Bruno and also on the flanks - he's a solid player and can be a very good squad player as a minimum. As to why we splashed so much on him, I ask myself that about lamost every transfer we've made in the last 10 years.

 

[Shark]

I thought the first half last night was easily the best we have played all season, and I found myself wondering where Mount fitted into that team - and I couldn't see it.

Bring him on for Bruno when he needs a rest. That's all I can see.

 

[mu4c_20le]

I cannot see how he dislodges anyone in that starting 11 from last night. Has to be one of the most pointless signings we have made in recent years.

Said this in the beginning of the season. Mainoo may not be a FDJ clone but he is closer to what ETH needs in his system than Mount.

 

[bosnian_red]

I thought the first half last night was easily the best we have played all season, and I found myself wondering where Mount fitted into that team - and I couldn't see it.

He's a 10, and Bruno plays in that role. I don't see him as anything other than cover for Bruno. I don't think he can do the role as one of the 2 in deep midfield. Next to Mainoo you need a Casemiro type, or a younger, more dynamic version of Casemiro. But a midfielder who thinks mainly about the defensive covering. To cover for Mainoo we need someone who can look to control games and progress with passing while helping out defensively like Mainoo does... Mount doesn't do either sides of that well enough for that role.

I do like Mount. He's a very good pressing 10. I don't see how he fits into our side at all though. He doesn't demand the ball enough to be a playmaker like Bruno as the 10, using Mount as the 10 we'd want our others around him to be more playmaking types. So even if we move Bruno on, I still don't think Mount is the right fit to be the main 10. It's a signing without a role.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

Can Mount supplant Antony in the pecking order? He's the price tag, ha.

 

[Sarni]

I’d actually want to see a midfield with a DM (for now Casemiro but long term someone younger), Mainoo and Mount.

 

[NewGlory]

I’d actually want to see a midfield with a DM (for now Casemiro but long term someone younger), Mainoo and Mount.

Big +1 that.

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

I’d actually want to see a midfield with a DM (for now Casemiro but long term someone younger), Mainoo and Mount.

It’s tough cause Bruno is a chance creating machine but at times a more simple player could create as many just in a different way so using Mount as Bruno’s understudy I’d be happy with.

 

[sunama]

We have paid £60m for a guy that hasnt played 3 games in a row the whole season.
Either he is benched or he is injured.

I mean, i really hope he can become a regular first team player, but it has been a really bad start for him.
Come to think of it i cant remember any player that has cost us £60m that has had a first season like this.
Lets hope he can recover and start playing soon.

Indeed.
I'd say that Antony, Mount, Sancho and Sanchez are probably the worst big money signings we've ever made.
ETH's track record in the transfer market is dire.

 

[RuudTom83]

While United have 1 game a week, the discussion where he fits in is valid.

But any big team wanting to challenge and win a few things would easily find a place for Mount (if he can get fit and stay fit)

 

[Leethal]

While United have 1 game a week, the discussion where he fits in is valid.

But any big team wanting to challenge and win a few things would easily find a place for Mount (if he can get fit and stay fit)

Like Chelsea? Where he spent a good portion of the latter half of last season coming off the bench?

He's a fecking fraud that masks his ineffectiveness by just looking busy.

And before anyone tries to defend him by quoting his stats, let's see them again with set pieces removed. . .

 

[100]

Mount could offer an alternative to Bruno if we had more productive wingers and fullbacks. It makes sense to eventually have less of a risk taker in that role and shift more of a creative responsibility onto the wingers higher up the pitch. But nobody looks like picking up on the chance creation side.

 

[RuudTom83]

Like Chelsea? Where he spent a good portion of the latter half of last season coming off the bench?

He's a fecking fraud that masks his ineffectiveness by just looking busy.

And before anyone tries to defend him by quoting his stats, let's see them again with set pieces removed. . .

Yup! his last 2 seasons at Chelsea he had 35 and 53 appearances. So he should be fine once he gets himself back fit.

 

[Leethal]

Yup! his last 2 seasons at Chelsea he had 35 and 53 appearances. So he should be fine once he gets himself back fit.

How did he fare in those appearances? And how many of those did he come off the bench? Don't be disillusioned by isolated stats. He's been shite for 18 months. I saw with my own eyes. I don't need a computer to tell me that.

 

[RuudTom83]

How did he fare in those appearances? And how many of those did he come off the bench? Don't be disillusioned by isolated stats. He's been shite for 18 months. I saw with my own eyes. I don't need a computer to tell me that.

My post was referring to him getting games. I mentioned any big club going for multiple competitions would easily find a place for Mount.

If you don’t rate him as a player then cool. It’s not really the point I was making. My mind isn’t made up on him yet.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

How did he fare in those appearances? And how many of those did he come off the bench? Don't be disillusioned by isolated stats. He's been shite for 18 months. I saw with my own eyes. I don't need a computer to tell me that.

In the 53 game seasonhe played the equivalent of 43 x 90 mins (or about 71 mins/game), scored 13, assisted 16 (vast majority in PL). Very good season for an attacking mid.

The 35 game season, equivalent of 24 full games (63 mins average), 3 goals, 2 assists. Much poorer season

Before that, 54 games, average 79 mins, 9 goals, 9 assists. Decent season.

Mixed bag.

 

[Leethal]

In the 53 game seasonhe played the equivalent of 43 x 90 mins (or about 71 mins/game), scored 13, assisted 16 (vast majority in PL). Very good season for an attacking mid.

The 35 game season, equivalent of 24 full games (63 mins average), 3 goals, 2 assists. Much poorer season

Before that, 54 games, average 79 mins, 9 goals, 9 assists. Decent season.

Mixed bag.

Now filter out the assists from set pieces from the 53 game season...

 

[Red in STL]

Now filter out the assists from set pieces from the 53 game season...

Why, set pieces are part of the game and in all honesty we're pretty shit at them

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

I thought the first half last night was easily the best we have played all season, and I found myself wondering where Mount fitted into that team - and I couldn't see it.

A 60m sub at this point. We could have used him like that big time. But, totally agree, we looked good and he would not have been the 11.

 

[OleGunnar20]

He was a terrible waste of money for a squad player. As someone mentioned earlier - if the plan was to switch styles and replace Bruno, then sure, he works. I don't like the idea at all personally but you could see some managers preferring him.

But as a replacement he doesn't make a huge amount of sense given the different style of play, and he needs to roam far too much to work as a disciplined #8, which I think will be where Mainoo really shines.

It looks like he was a failed experiment at ETH's double 8/10 gambit and perhaps would be best moved on in the summer. He's a square peg faced with numerous round holes for me.

 

[croadyman]

I think Erik is starting to realise this wasn't a good signing and that £55m needed utilising better

 

[TheRedHearted]

Yep, and the irritating thing is that we were all saying it at the time. Onana has turned out terribly but at least there was a clear plan there.

What was the plan with Mason? I'd like to see him given a run at RW when he gets back to see if he can replicate his Chelsea form there.

He’s gotta be the Bruno option that doesn’t give away the ball so much. I truly believe that