[surf]

Playing in the middle of a back 3 is not his thing. Still, we improved in the 2nd half, until his error.

 

[Devil may care]

He might still be our best CM, but that's not a compliment it's an indictment of how poor our other CM's are IMO.

 

[Minimalist]

He might still be our best CM, but that's not a compliment it's an indictment of how poor our other CM's are IMO.

Might aswell be a RedCafe meme at this stage. It's bollocks.

 

[Devil may care]

Might aswell be a RedCafe meme at this stage. It's bollocks.

I wasn't saying he was, in truth none of our CM's have been very impressive this season.

 

[khoazany]

I love Michael and he has been a great servant but surely either retire or China in the summer?

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Gosh hes so crap. Plays in slow mo.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

He's finished.

 

[ivaldo]

Was woeful in that first half but much better in the second.

 

[Borys]

It seems not only his feet are slow but also his brain at times.

 

[Devil may care]

He wants way too much time on the ball these days, he made 2 or 3 decent passes in the second half but often dallied on it and slowed down any forward momentum, plus he's stationary when ran at, Noble, Lanzini and near the end Antonio just ghosted past our midfield.

 

[ottosec]

Another game, another crap performance.

 

[criticalanalysis]

The argument for Schneiderlin over Carrick is to be seen in games like today.

Schneiderlin doesn't have the poise and ball playing ability (that we have seen as of yet) of Carrick but by being simply twice the player physically he offers us to move up and down the pitch at a much faster rate. I don't care for all of Carrick's experience and passing because he's not delivering it to a high enough standard to compensate his other liabilities.

Is he that bad that he should leave the squad? No actually and the same could be said of players like Young and Valencia. If used correctly, they could be invaluable in a team needing leadership and quality but atm it doesn't look likely that we have a manager capable of building a progressive, consistent squad let alone needing to incorporate flawed players.

So it's a simple case of cut loose and use that iniative to rebuild (and give chances to the future youth).

 

[m1y2]

it's just that he has a good game here and there and everybody starts to think that he's back and can play another season. No he can't at the highest level. He could still be usefull for some lower league team for a season or two but if you want to play at the highest level it's very tough at 34/35. Mobility is what he massively lacks and if his passing is off like today he's quite useless. Lets give his place to TFM

 

[m1y2]

The argument for Schneiderlin over Carrick is to be seen in games like today.

Schneiderlin doesn't have the poise and ball playing ability (that we have seen as of yet) of Carrick but by being simply twice the player physically he offers us to move up and down the pitch at a much faster rate. I don't care for all of Carrick's experience and passing because he's not delivering it to a high enough standard to compensate his other liabilities.

Is he that bad that he should leave the squad? No actually and the same could be said of players like Young and Valencia. If used correctly, they could be invaluable in a team needing leadership and quality but atm it doesn't look likely that we have a manager capable of building a progressive, consistent squad let alone needing to incorporate flawed players.

So it's a simple case of cut loose and use that iniative to rebuild (and give chances to the future youth).

well I bet Schneiderlin wouldn't do worse with the ball today.. Everybody highlights how good passer Carrick is but he's been quite shit lately with the ball as well.. actually the only season he seemed world class passer was Fergie's last season since that he barely showed that level of passing but it's really hard to judge if it dropped a level or not when the ability slowly fades away over time.. It's hard to believe it's not Scholes. No it is easy. Michael should retire

 

[Adisa]

Would be shocked if he's given a new deal. Time to move on.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I mean, he was clearly decent in the second half and no worse then anyone else in the first... So let's be reasonable at least.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

I mean, he was clearly decent in the second half and no worse then anyone else in the first... So let's be reasonable at least.

He's our longest serving player (on the pitch, and second overall), has spent 10+ years playing in the PL and is vastly experienced, yet plays like he's just been introduced into football.

As our play-maker, sitting in the centre of the park, and the player who will see more of the ball than anyone else, he has to control the game. It's his job to set the tempo, yet he fails every time. The time he spends dithering on the ball is ridiculous.

Our best performances have come when he's not in the midfield. In fact, we're a better team with him in defense, where we have two very good players on the ball and he isn't being relied upon to control the game.

 

[K2K]

With Bastian back, I'd bench him and use him as a sub again.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

He's our longest serving player (on the pitch, and second overall), has spent 10+ years playing in the PL and is vastly experienced, yet plays like he's just been introduced into football.

As our play-maker, sitting in the centre of the park, and the player who will see more of the ball than anyone else, he has to control the game. It's his job to set the tempo, yet he fails every time. The time he spends dithering on the ball is ridiculous.

Our best performances have come when he's not in the midfield. In fact, we're a better team with him in defense, where we have two very good players on the ball and he isn't being relied upon to control the game.

In the first half, no one was moving for him at all... So it was no wonder he spent so much time on it.

On the rare occasions anyone did move or make a run he generally gave it to them, but it's pretty unfair to pin that on him. In the second half, when everyone could be arsed and decided to actually move around, he was able to spend less time on the ball and played much better for it.

 

[drdoityourself]

He has always had good forward passes in his locker. It's the tempo in his square passing that often lets us down. Slow passes, straight to players. Doesn't like to move quickly off the ball, so he never gives the option of 1-2 pass to break up play. Sets the tempo for the whole attack.

 

[Barca84]

He's our longest serving player (on the pitch, and second overall), has spent 10+ years playing in the PL and is vastly experienced, yet plays like he's just been introduced into football.

As our play-maker, sitting in the centre of the park, and the player who will see more of the ball than anyone else, he has to control the game. It's his job to set the tempo, yet he fails every time. The time he spends dithering on the ball is ridiculous.

Our best performances have come when he's not in the midfield. In fact, we're a better team with him in defense, where we have two very good players on the ball and he isn't being relied upon to control the game.

He's always needed too much time on the ball and that's what's kept him out of the great player bracket for me. He's not a particularly brave player and it's that lack of confidence that has him dithering. I've never been convinced by him I'm afraid.

 

[Adam-Utd]

In the first half, no one was moving for him at all... So it was no wonder he spent so much time on it.

On the rare occasions anyone did move or make a run he generally gave it to them, but it's pretty unfair to pin that on him. In the second half, when everyone could be arsed and decided to actually move around, he was able to spend less time on the ball and played much better for it.

Which is half the problem. If people aren't creating space or movement you need to be able to advance with the ball and force somebody to close you down.

Carrick never pushes far enough forward to attract players out of their defensive area, so instead we just recycle the ball wide.

He is just about usable in a 433 but he lacks the speed to be able to stop any counters, so it's sort of pointless him being there apart from passing.

 

[RedStarUnited]

He really is done. Not a single decent forward pass today.

 

[ivaldo]

He really is done. Not a single decent forward pass today.

Not if you ask his BBF Michael Owen.

 

[askabob]

Still think he's one of the best midfielders in the league and the best midfielder at the club, but only if he has a good set of legs partnering him in midfield. We need to get him to sign that contract asap.

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

Bravo, you nearly got me there

 

[Roboc7]

Sadly time has caught up with him, I still think he could do a job if you had right players around him, playing along side fellaini is stupid they don't compliment each other at all.

 

[The_Midfielder]

He could play like Pirlo.. he has the talent .. just need players like Vidal,Pogba around himm

 

[Devil may care]

Some decent passes but surely we can get a player in who can do that and also run and compete physically, neither him or moppy could get out to fill in space when the fullbacks moved forwards, and the way Can took the ball off him at the end was candy from a baby.

 

[berbatrick]

He was by a huge distance our best midfielder today. It's the reason we were able to build any attacks at all. His passing is still there. I was really disappointed with his last game but this was so much better, and against a team that successfully pressed every other player.

 

[Get In Scholesy]

He was by a huge distance our best midfielder today. It's the reason we were able to build any attacks at all. His passing is still there. I was really disappointed with his last game but this was so much better, and against a team that successfully pressed every other player.

Agree with both assessments. Not very mobile anymore but can still pick his passes well. We seemed more deflated when he came off, the impetus wasn't there anymore.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

He ran the game. Shame that he was partnered with Fellani.

 

[Ludens the Red]

People in the match day thread are weird, knives out for him, he was okay today, was hardly a problem.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

When he went off it went to pot.

He ran the game. Shame that he was partnered with Fellani.

He wasn't. It was a 433.

 

[facund]

Thought he was better today and helped set a decent tempo in the first half, still has too many flaws (mostly physical) to be basing our game around but don't feel tonight is one of those games when he can really be criticised (or lauded for that matter).

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Yeah, I criticised him in the first half, but I thought he was OK in the second. However, he's too fecking slow and lets everyone walk past him.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

When he went off it went to pot.



He wasn't. It was a 433.

Given that Lingard was the 10 I rather beg to differ. But you are just being pedantic. Fellani was the other midfielder playing in the middle of the park for us tonight. I don't mean they were constantly at each other's side giving each other high fives every time they completed a pass.

 

[Mike09]

The only one to me that wanted to move the ball forward in both half. I'll give him MOTM.

 

[The White Pele]

Did well. Midfield wasn't the problem today, it was composure in the final third, which can be expected from a young attack needing to score 3 or 4.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Given that Lingard was the 10 I rather beg to differ. But you are just being pedantic. Fellani was the other midfielder playing in the middle of the park for us tonight. I don't mean they were constantly at each other's side giving each other high fives every time they completed a pass.

Both Fellaini and Lingard were pushed high up tonight, and took turns dropping deep for the ball, whilst Carrick sat. Mata was on the wing, but given the licence to drop into midfield, also.

Late on in the second half, however, it seemed that Lingard went to number 10, with Fellaini and Rashford up top.