Amrabat - Man United Player FINALLY - #4 confirmed

Again on ETH. Surely he says "don't get him, he's bobbins". The fact that he thinks this is what we need and then abandons him to the subs bench (and he's not even first sub) tells you all you need to know about ETH decision making.

I wouldn't let him anywhere near recruitment. Get Mitchell and DoF in with smarts and leave ETH to create a style of play.

I don't want him to go but he's massively underperformed this season just as much as the team.
 
The good thing with Amrabat is that he played for Ten Hag in Utrecht, and knows the systems with his eyes closed.

The bad thing is that ETH believed that Amrabat is a great player for Man Utd. Perhaps we are something like Utrecht in his mind?
 
frostbite said:
The good thing with Amrabat is that he played for Ten Hag in Utrecht, and knows the systems with his eyes closed.

The bad thing is that ETH believed that Amrabat is a great player for Man Utd. Perhaps we are something like Utrecht in his mind?
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It is a shame he is playing with his eyes closed at the moment.
 
LawCharltonBest said:
Should have kept Sabitzer. He was better
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Would Sabitzer have fared better in this two advanced 8 system Ten Hag seems to be shoehorning? I was wondering as last season he seemed to be not what we needed in that we needed a DM more really and he seemed like a player that wanted to be more advanced and pressing.

Not that I'm advocating any return, of course. Just wondering if we did these loans in in the wrong order.
 
el3mel said:
It has been the case in that post Fergie era. We massively overrate any new signing, then when we get shocked by their actual form we turn upside down and slaughter them. From the start we shouldn't have overrated them, but we never learn, and we do it again with the next new player.
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And anyone in the transfer thread who tries to temper expectations gets shouted down, every time.
 
Paul778 said:
The fact that he thinks this is what we need and then abandons him to the subs bench (and he's not even first sub) tells you all you need to know about ETH decision making.
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He was always a back up MF, especially as McT wasn’t sold in the end. He was never going to play ahead of Cas and Kobbie, and has only played so much because of injuries. Cheap loan backups don’t need to be world class, they need to do a job which Sof has done - but that doesn’t mean he should be made permanent either.
 
If Casemiro, Mainoo, McT and Eriksen were all ready, Amrabat would be our 5th choise. Fred was much better and it was a mistake to sell him before we had a better replacement ready
 
Paul778 said:
Again on ETH. Surely he says "don't get him, he's bobbins". The fact that he thinks this is what we need and then abandons him to the subs bench (and he's not even first sub) tells you all you need to know about ETH decision making.

I wouldn't let him anywhere near recruitment. Get Mitchell and DoF in with smarts and leave ETH to create a style of play.

I don't want him to go but he's massively underperformed this season just as much as the team.
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If his identification of signings is so bad, especially when he has actually worked with these guys and knows them better than any scout, what does that tell you about ETH?

And how do we reasonably assume he's just crap at identifying signings, but is amazing at identifying the best starting 11, the qualities of opposition players, the tactics of opposition etc? I'm going to go out on a limb and say you can't be so bad at identifying signings, especially when you've managed these players, but can really be good enough at the other things. They go hand in hand.
 
I think he simply underestimates the premier league and thinks because they did it in Holland they can do it here.
 
I think we only signed him on loan to be Mainoo’s backup. Ten Hag rates Mainoo highly that he started Mainoo vs arsenal and Real Madrid pre season. I doubt this was always been a starting XI signing.
 
Indeed. With Mainoo injured and Cas huffing and puffing at the start of the season we needed to bring in a temporary DM as cover. The club's just toxic throughout at this point.
 
pocco said:
Most of the Caf treated him that way at the time. He was the key to unlocking it all, along with Onana.
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:lol:

Ball playing keeps > Rest Defense > First Phase mid > GOALS galore....that's the gist of the 1000 word essays by football experts on here.
 
There’s a reason no other PL sides were showing any interest. Although he’s only had half a season to get up to speed, he’s been comfortably nowhere near the level required more often than not.
 
Insanity said:
:lol:

Ball playing keeps > Rest Defense > First Phase mid > GOALS galore....that's the gist of the 1000 word essays by football experts on here.
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What makes this even funnier is the resident expert you speak of added Antony as a key component of the equation with balance, possession and ball progression.

We should be Pep’s Barcelona by now according to the essays :lol:
 
DavelinaJolie said:
Would Sabitzer have fared better in this two advanced 8 system Ten Hag seems to be shoehorning? I was wondering as last season he seemed to be not what we needed in that we needed a DM more really and he seemed like a player that wanted to be more advanced and pressing.

Not that I'm advocating any return, of course. Just wondering if we did these loans in in the wrong order.
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Yes Sabitzer would have fared better in this season's formation. I even think Sabitzer would be better in a 433 with two #8s than Mount is, certainly when Bruno is the other #8.

Although from a squad building perspective I still think we needed an extra #6 rather than another #8 regardless of formation.
 
Frosty said:
You could say similar about van de Beek. He must be abysmal in training.
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To be fair ten hag didn't buy beek, though I'm sure had beek had been at ajax still he probably would have tried to sign him as well.

It's just amazing how ten hag gets it so wrong with recruiting players that he has even worked with before, if he can't even get it right with signing players he is familiar with then how I he ever going to get it right with players that he hasn't managed
 
As I have said before, an ordinary player tasked with doing an extraordinary job in the toughest league in front of the biggest crowd by a clueless manager. Just not going to happen. I don't think he is a terrible player, just not good enough. Could probably be quite decent for a team like Fulham, Forest, or Bournemouth. But I hope we don't make it permanent.
 
TrustInJanuzaj said:
Am I the only person on this forum who thinks he’s decent?
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Nah, I think there is a useful player in there too.

He just isn't capable of playing the solo 6 in the suicidal system ETH is trying to play. But who is?

Even the leagues best in that role (Rice, Rodri, etc) would struggle. City, Arsenal and Liverpool are all far better at creating midfield support than we are by having capable people step out of defence into the midfield. Our 6's are mainly just left to do the whole thing themselves.

But I'm not bought into the City system being the only one that is capable of doing big things.... It's just the flavour of the month. We have seen City and Liverpool play miles better football in their recent history playing different systems. This is best reflected by the inconsistency of all the top teams this year. We would be doing miles better in the league if we went back to a double midfield pivot, traditional attacking/overlapping FBs, Bruno at 10, Rashford inside left forward, and Garnacho inside right forward.

I think Amrabat would be useful option in a double pivot alongside any of Casemiro, Mainoo, or Eriksen. There is a good argument for a combination of any of those players, depending on the opposition we are playing.
 
DavelinaJolie said:
Would Sabitzer have fared better in this two advanced 8 system Ten Hag seems to be shoehorning? I was wondering as last season he seemed to be not what we needed in that we needed a DM more really and he seemed like a player that wanted to be more advanced and pressing.

Not that I'm advocating any return, of course. Just wondering if we did these loans in in the wrong order.
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That's a good point. ETH current system is a better fit for Sabitzer and now that I think about it, that system has similarities with the one Leipzig used years ago, Laimer is an other player who on paper would fit our system but in the deeper midfield role, unfortunately I don't think Bayern are sellers.
 
DavelinaJolie said:
Would Sabitzer have fared better in this two advanced 8 system Ten Hag seems to be shoehorning? I was wondering as last season he seemed to be not what we needed in that we needed a DM more really and he seemed like a player that wanted to be more advanced and pressing.

Not that I'm advocating any return, of course. Just wondering if we did these loans in in the wrong order.
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We loaned an advanced midfielder when we were playing 2 deep, and a deep midfielder when we play with two advanced.
 
pocco said:
Most of the Caf treated him that way at the time. He was the key to unlocking it all, along with Onana.
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el3mel said:
It has been the case in that post Fergie era. We massively overrate any new signing, then when we get shocked by their actual form we turn upside down and slaughter them. From the start we shouldn't have overrated them, but we never learn, and we do it again with the next new player.
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AndySmith1990 said:
Every manager, new signing, and youth player gets overhyped and overrated at United, unless they're British
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Should the posters who had some optimism that he’d be a good signing be made to apologise and kneel before you?

Not sure what’s worse in the Caf these days. The incessant negativity or those who like to get a pat on the back from taking a swipe at anything positive.
 
TheReligion said:
Should the posters who had some optimism that he’d be a good signing be made to apologise and kneel before you?

Not sure what’s worse in the Caf these days. The incessant negativity or those who like to get a pat on the back from taking a swipe at anything positive.
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It's better to listen to realistic views than be overly positive. What's the point in saying he's a great signing, will transform midfield etc, just to be sat there a month later saying he's fecking shite? I was dubious, but I'm not one that is commenting how bad he is now - so who is really the worst culprits for negativity? He is what I expected and it just doesn't bother me, because I could see it coming. I just rightfully question those that signed him and thought he would be a good signing.
 
TrustInJanuzaj said:
Am I the only person on this forum who thinks he’s decent?
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He started off decent, then had a period where he struggled. From memory he looked like he'd just started turning that back around and had one or two decent performances before his current injury/illness. Who knows whether that improvement would have continued.

I certainly don't think he's been as bad as some make out, but he also hasn't been good enough overall.
 
He has been a 15-30 player so far, not terrible but clearly not suited to the pace of this league.

This transfer makes no sense long term. If Casemiro stays, then we have him and Mainoo. If Casemiro goes, we still need a first choice DM - not Amrabat.
 
TrustInJanuzaj said:
Am I the only person on this forum who thinks he’s decent?
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He is decent. If we signed him last season instead of Sabitzer he could have made a difference. These days you can have Carrick and even he would struggle.
 
DavelinaJolie said:
Would Sabitzer have fared better in this two advanced 8 system Ten Hag seems to be shoehorning? I was wondering as last season he seemed to be not what we needed in that we needed a DM more really and he seemed like a player that wanted to be more advanced and pressing.

Not that I'm advocating any return, of course. Just wondering if we did these loans in in the wrong order.
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Trequarista10 said:
Yes Sabitzer would have fared better in this season's formation. I even think Sabitzer would be better in a 433 with two #8s than Mount is, certainly when Bruno is the other #8.

Although from a squad building perspective I still think we needed an extra #6 rather than another #8 regardless of formation.
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Sabitzer would have been a good fit for one of the high 8 positions indeed. Same could be said about Fred and Donny who might have felt more comfortable there than in the double pivot.

TheReligion said:
Should the posters who had some optimism that he’d be a good signing be made to apologise and kneel before you?

Not sure what’s worse in the Caf these days. The incessant negativity or those who like to get a pat on the back from taking a swipe at anything positive.
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Posters who consider everything (most of) that isn't overly positive as a negative are certainly up there. Embrace the grey side.
 
Borys said:
He has been a 15-30 player so far, not terrible but clearly not suited to the pace of this league.

This transfer makes no sense long term. If Casemiro stays, then we have him and Mainoo. If Casemiro goes, we still need a first choice DM - not Amrabat.
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Thats my take as well. Although I think it has to be said that this only applies if we keep the system as it is right now. I think, Amrabat in the Eriksen Role of last season would be worth a shot (even though I initially thought he would be a little more mobile and aggressive than he is)
 
NZT-One said:
Sabitzer would have been a good fit for one of the high 8 positions indeed. Same could be said about Fred and Donny who might have felt more comfortable there than in the double pivot.
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The point about Sabitzer, Fred and Donny is bang on.... Last year we were stacked with 8's, and short of 6's... but he played a double pivot all season.

This season we are stacked with 6's and short of 8's, and he is playing a single pivot.

Someone please make this make sense?!?!
 
sammyhol said:
The point about Sabitzer, Fred and Donny is bang on.... Last year we were stacked with 8's, and short of 6's... but he played a double pivot all season.

This season we are stacked with 6's and short of 8's, and he is playing a single pivot.

Someone please make this make sense?!?!
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I really cant....
 
The excitement about this signing was cute.
 
sammyhol said:
The point about Sabitzer, Fred and Donny is bang on.... Last year we were stacked with 8's, and short of 6's... but he played a double pivot all season.

This season we are stacked with 6's and short of 8's, and he is playing a single pivot.

Someone please make this make sense?!?!
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I wouldn't use it as a stick for ETH. I guess it is also a timing thing. Freds time was up. I also wouldn't have extended his contract only to maybe make use of him. I also don't think, we really are stacked with 6 this season. Mostly because I consider only Casemiro to be one (obviously I see the benefits of Mainoo and/or Amrabat playing there but in that case, we need at least one other type of 8).

This years system is problematic for a few reasons
a) the press isn't working the best because the team isn't synched up yet AND mostly because the defense isn't pushing up enough to compress space (leading to the huge space in the center
b) the press isn't efficient because while we do create high turnovers, we don't capitalize on them because we don't score enough from them. In this situation, we are applying a high risk, high reward tactic but know that the high reward is unlikely
c) the team looks like not ready for the fluid positions ETH has in mind. Mostly the player who is supposed to move next to the single pivot when the 8's are pushing up.

That being said, it also doesn't help that with Eriksen and Bruno we have to players who are mostly 10s playing deeper most of the time. And that we try to make use of McT who is neither an 8, nor a 10 or a 6.
 
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