Xavi Simons

[DJ_21]

If they’ll only loan him then we should do that with potential to buying him.

 

[Rozay]

I think Mainoo can develop into a more attack-minded midfielder in the future and would want to see him replace Bruno in the team, with a proper 8 alongside him and w DM behind him.

I don’t really want an out and out behind the striker 10, a player like Iniesta who was a cross between 8/10 would do for me, and I see Mainoo as that guy.

 

[Redplane]

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Without CL footie I don't see us as serious contenders unfortunately. Surely Barca is the logical choice for him. Unfortunately for us, because I think he ll be a proper world beater in the year or two.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

I think Mainoo can develop into a more attack-minded midfielder in the future and would want to see him replace Bruno in the team, with a proper 8 alongside him and w DM behind him.

I don’t really want an out and out behind the striker 10, a player like Iniesta who was a cross between 8/10 would do for me, and I see Mainoo as that guy.

You and I have wildly different visions for what Mainoo is and what he excels at.

 

[DWelbz19]

You and I have wildly different visions for what Mainoo is and what he excels at.

What do you envisage for Mainoo? I agree with Rozay.

For me, the ideal prototype midfield three is Madrid's dominant force of the Casemiro / Modric / Kroos. (Obviously not necessarily like for like as those are three of the best midfielders we've seen of the past 10-15 years, but similar sorts of traits and profiles):

• A duel monster DM who can keep the ball rotating with high accurate short passes, water-carrying a bit (basically what Casemiro was before he joined us and went wild with his passing);
• Mainoo to become a middle third CM: good ball carrying, winning a respectable amount of duels, press resistant to keep under pressure, contribute a couple goals, and win a few duels. I think the biggest areas of growth for Mainoo are: 1. expanding his passing range, and 2. increasing his physicality to stay fully fit for full 90s;
• Third CM to be the no.8/10 hybrid: creative passer but not necessarily to the Bruno freak standard, but whilst they may sacrifice creativity they will also be a bit better at the central midfield tasks -- bit better in defensive duels, positioning, recycling possession etc.

 

[Ekeke]

What do you envisage for Mainoo? I agree with Rozay.

For me, the ideal prototype midfield three is Madrid's dominant force of the Casemiro / Modric / Kroos. (Obviously not necessarily like for like as those are three of the best midfielders we've seen of the past 10-15 years, but similar sorts of traits and profiles):

• A duel monster DM who can keep the ball rotating with high accurate short passes, water-carrying a bit (basically what Casemiro was before he joined us and went wild with his passing);
• Mainoo to become a middle third CM: good ball carrying, winning a respectable amount of duels, press resistant to keep under pressure, contribute a couple goals, and win a few duels. I think the biggest areas of growth for Mainoo are: 1. expanding his passing range, and 2. increasing his physicality to stay fully fit for full 90s;
• Third CM to be the no.8/10 hybrid: creative passer but not necessarily to the Bruno freak standard, but whilst they may sacrifice creativity they will also be a bit better at the central midfield tasks -- bit better in defensive duels, positioning, recycling possession etc.

.
I dont think thats similar

Casemiro was strength power and aggressive ball winning and good passing

Kroos is a quarterback style playmaker from deep using long passes better than almost anyone.

Modric would be the closest to Mainoo, a bit of defending, passing and a smooth ability to go past players

We have a worse Casemiro but potentially we could get him concentrating more with his passing and then he'd still be the same style of player he was. And the Modric dribbler and passer Mainoo. But what we dont have is the guy who picks the ball up deep and launches a perfect 40 yard pass out to the wingers every few times he gets the ball like its the easiest thing in the world.

We also dont play a 3 in midfield with Fernandes being more of an attacker. I've been wanting us to for ages but we dont

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

What do you envisage for Mainoo? I agree with Rozay.

For me, the ideal prototype midfield three is Madrid's dominant force of the Casemiro / Modric / Kroos. (Obviously not necessarily like for like as those are three of the best midfielders we've seen of the past 10-15 years, but similar sorts of traits and profiles):

• A duel monster DM who can keep the ball rotating with high accurate short passes, water-carrying a bit (basically what Casemiro was before he joined us and went wild with his passing);
• Mainoo to become a middle third CM: good ball carrying, winning a respectable amount of duels, press resistant to keep under pressure, contribute a couple goals, and win a few duels. I think the biggest areas of growth for Mainoo are: 1. expanding his passing range, and 2. increasing his physicality to stay fully fit for full 90s;
• Third CM to be the no.8/10 hybrid: creative passer but not necessarily to the Bruno freak standard, but whilst they may sacrifice creativity they will also be a bit better at the central midfield tasks -- bit better in defensive duels, positioning, recycling possession etc.

Did you read what Rozay said? He was saying Mainoo can be the Iniesta-like attack minding mid 8/10 type player. I agree more with you: Mainoo is a middle third artist, Thiago esque style carrier and controller that can pop up in the final third but moreso is an elite connector between defense and attack. Agree that passing range is the biggest weakness I see in his game, and think the physical side will only improve for obvious reasons.

 

[SoCross]

We had an ideal three man midfield format in Ando-Fletch-Carrick.

Anderson - box to box
Fletcher - harrier, presses like crazy but still a good short passing game.
Carrick - mops up, distributes well from deep.

Didn’t appreciate them enough sigh.

I see Mainoo to be able to play the Anderson role well. We are lacking both other profiles.

edit - Bruno can be that Fletch profile but far too indisciplined. And Xavi Simons, nifty player but think our lack of CL football will count against us.

 

[bucky]

I honestly don't understand why they would want to loan him out again or even sell. He is easily one of the best players they could bring in this summer and he is already on their books.

 

[Rozay]

You and I have wildly different visions for what Mainoo is and what he excels at.

Maybe. Although even your sentence is probably misleading, as it should probably say something like ‘what he could develop into’. Maybe we also have different views of how a ‘10’ has to play.

I find him very composed in the final third, and has great dribbling ability. I also think he has good offensive instincts, if he wants to, he will get 10 PL goals a season in a few years as he strikes the ball very well.

10s vary in style, and different profiles of 10s suit different teams. I don’t think every 10 needs to play wildly expansive passes per se, assists don’t always need to be highlight worthy, or start very high. I think Mainoo can take the ball and give it in the final third and open up plays with feints and dribbles, while getting a good number of goals. A 10 like Iniesta/Bernardo rather than Kevin or Bruno.

Players like Lampard and Gerrard may be the best examples of what I mean. I don’t think either were ever what you would call a number 10. Both were very much midfielders, but the most forward thinking type. I prefer this sort of set up to a 2+1 midfield. I want 3.

 

[Rozay]

Did you read what Rozay said? He was saying Mainoo can be the Iniesta-like attack minding mid 8/10 type player. I agree more with you: Mainoo is a middle third artist, Thiago esque style carrier and controller that can pop up in the final third but moreso is an elite connector between defense and attack. Agree that passing range is the biggest weakness I see in his game, and think the physical side will only improve for obvious reasons.

I think the player you describe is what he is now, but I think he can develop into the third midfielder that @DWelbz19 mentioned too. Players like Gerrard and Toure were not attacking midfielders at all when they were young either. I don’t think Mainoo can ever be De Bruyne, due to the range of passing, but I think he can be Modric when Modric was a 10, or Thiago when he was at Barcelona. These are midfielders, with generic midfield abilities, but the more forward thinking of a trio. Their teams didn’t play with a Bruno, they were the alternatives, although still being primarily midfielders. The role is more of an advanced 8 than a classic 10.

To clarify, I’m advocating playing WITHOUT a pure 10, with Mainoo being very much a CM, but the most forward-thinking one. That isn’t the same as when we tell Bruno to ‘play deeper’. He isn’t fundamentally a CM. Mainoo will be, but a forward thinking one.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Maybe. Although even your sentence is probably misleading, as it should probably say something like ‘what he could develop into’. Maybe we also have different views of how a ‘10’ has to play.

I find him very composed in the final third, and has great dribbling ability. I also think he has good offensive instincts, if he wants to, he will get 10 PL goals a season in a few years as he strikes the ball very well.

10s vary in style, and different profiles of 10s suit different teams. I don’t think every 10 needs to play wildly expansive passes per se, assists don’t always need to be highlight worthy. I think Mainoo can take the ball and give it in the final third and open up plays with feints and dribbles, while getting a good number of goals. A 10 like Iniesta/Bernardo/Grealish rather than Kevin or Bruno.

I don't disagree in theory, I just think his style and how his brain seems to work (along with what I think will be his most dominant attributes as he develops) suits a Thiago-esque 8 more than someone playing more advanced and around the box constantly further forward. Mainly because I struggle to find players that are as smooth and composed receiving the ball under pressure and wriggling away from pressers as Mainoo at that age. Couple that with his powerful lower half allowing him to win a decent amount of duels already as still an 18 year old and it screams world class CM (in a profile that's impossible to find on the market).

I think you could stick him next to a Wirtz or Musiala and allow him to connect between one of those two and an anchoring DM and he'd flourish. This is all just fun hypothetical speak anyways, for all we know he grows another 3 inches and we have a Yaya regen on our hands or he improves his goalscoring instincts and bangs them in for fun next year and it becomes obvious he's an attacking mid. Tough to say with how young he is.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

I think the player you describe is what he is now, but I think he can develop into the third midfielder that @DWelbz19 mentioned too. Players like Gerrard and Toure were not attacking midfielders at all when they were young either. I don’t think Mainoo can ever be De Bruyne, due to the range of passing, but I think he can be Modric when Modric was a 10, or Thiago when he was at Barcelona. These are midfielders, with generic midfield abilities, but the more forward thinking of a trio. Their teams didn’t play with a Bruno, they were the alternatives, although still being primarily midfielders. The role is more of an advanced 8 than a classic 10.

To clarify, I’m advocating playing WITHOUT a pure 10, with Mainoo being very much a CM, but the most forward-thinking one. That isn’t the same as when we tell Bruno to ‘play deeper’. He isn’t fundamentally a CM. Mainoo will be, but a forward thinking one.

Yeah I know what you're saying and we are on the same page, the "10" as a role is basically phased out from teams anyways in the traditional way we allowed Bruno to run it in his time here.

 

[Rozay]

Yeah I know what you're saying and we are on the same page, the "10" as a role is basically phased out from teams anyways in the traditional way we allowed Bruno to run it in his time here.

One of the main issues is I don’t think Mainoo has the running power to play in the first two midfield positions. Players are running off him left, right and centre and his running backwards is very low intensity. I think his positioning is good and he is good at blocks and interceptions but not at covering ground.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

One of the main issues is I don’t think Mainoo has the running power to play in the first two midfield positions. Players are running off him left, right and centre and his running backwards is very low intensity. I think his positioning is good and he is good at blocks and interceptions but not at covering ground.

Again I think this is partly a function of him being an 18 year old. It's not surprising he's not just physically dominating at the moment but in a few years I'd expect that to change.