[VP89]

Busquets is a great reference point. He’s another reason that Carrick is criminally underrated. As though it’s some sort of shame that he wasn’t quite on that level. Although, if you swapped Carrick into that Barca side, I think the end result would be the same.

Someone said it earlier in the thread, but worth reiterating. Carrick was a rare breed in that his defensive screening game was on par with his outstanding passing game, which meant we did not have to waste a position for a water carrier.

Anyway, I have probably derailed the Bruno thread enough, so will stop now.

Aye - two different players but impact on the team would be massive for both. If Bruno can have the same impact as Carrick albeit in a different medium (i.e. goals assists from the 10 role, rather than a screening standpoint) then it would be amazing.

Imagine finding a defensive screener to support Bruno/Pogba

 

[Jeppers7]

No, Ronaldo was one of the best players of all time.

Carrick was as influential as all of your named players because his role was so integral to how we were able to play our football. Without him the tempo of various matches would have been far more difficult to control. He was able to recycle the ball so well for us, intercept so many plays from the opposition, kill games off, quicken play up, all of it. Just because he wasn't a flair player which seems to be the consistent feature across all your named players, doesn't mean he was not absolutely integral to our play.

Out of curiosity, are you suggesting say, Busquets was also a minor cog for Barcelona?

Last point, the best thing about Keane was his ability to control tempo. Not his tackling, or aggression or late runs early in his career. He controlled games at the highest level and for three years in a row was unbelievable.

It’s not that I don’t get the importance of this, it’s that Carrick was nowhere near as good at doing it as you suggest. We got dominated in midfield against top sides and cut through with passes.

Anyway I’m done. On the basis Carrick was as good as Scholes...I’m out.

 

[Jeppers7]

Neither of us said anything of that ilk but comprehension clearly isn’t your strong suit so, yes, let’s leave it there.

Yes you have.

 

[Feed Me]

Aye - two different players but impact on the team would be massive for both. If Bruno can have the same impact as Carrick albeit in a different medium (i.e. goals assists from the 10 role, rather than a screening standpoint) then it would be amazing.

Imagine finding a defensive screener to support Bruno/Pogba

Would be ideal! Who do you have in mind? I think Matic will add nice balance but will need to be sensibly used. Think he has been class since Solskjaer reintroduced him. As an aside, where do you see Fred and McTominay slotting in?

 

[VP89]

Last point, the best thing about Keane was his ability to control tempo. Not his tackling, or aggression or late runs early in his career. He controlled games at the highest level and for three years in a row was unbelievable.

It’s not that I don’t get the importance of this, it’s that Carrick was nowhere near as good at doing it as you suggest. We got dominated in midfield against top sides and cut through with passes.

Anyway I’m done. On the basis Carrick was as good as Scholes...I’m out.

During his pomp we won a few league titles and ventured into 3 Champions League finals in 4 years, losing the final only to what is arguably the best footballing side in football history. So yeah, lets just disagreee on that one

 

[Feed Me]

Yes you have.

Please feel free to quote me.

 

[Feed Me]

Last point, the best thing about Keane was his ability to control tempo. Not his tackling, or aggression or late runs early in his career. He controlled games at the highest level and for three years in a row was unbelievable.

It’s not that I don’t get the importance of this, it’s that Carrick was nowhere near as good at doing it as you suggest. We got dominated in midfield against top sides and cut through with passes.

Anyway I’m done. On the basis Carrick was as good as Scholes...I’m out.

Keane was marvellous, I agree. He was also part of a sensational and hardworking midfield unit, whereas Carrick was frequently more exposed. Before you misinterpret what I am saying, Keane > Carrick.

 

[Feed Me]

Yes you have.

Hilariously, in Carrick, Rooney, Cantona and Scholes, we are debating my four favourite players

 

[Jeppers7]

During his pomp we won a few league titles and ventured into 3 Champions League finals in 4 years, losing the final only to what is arguably the best footballing side in football history. So yeah, lets just disagreee on that one

So Carrick was as good as Keane also ? Ok

 

[Jeppers7]

Please feel free to quote me.

VP ‘Carrick was as influential as all of your named players’

 

[VP89]

So Carrick was as good as Keane also ? Ok

When did I say this?

I'm saying Carrick was as influential on the game as other key players during his time at United. You are suggesting Carrick is not as good as I say he was, and I'm telling you he was. You don't win those titles, get into 4 champions league finals by having a "minor impact" player at the heart of your midfield.

VP ‘Carrick was as influential as all of your named players’

That doesn't mean that Carrick was a better player than Ronaldo/RVP. Respective to his role as a defensive screener, Carrick was probably in the top 3 in his position. RVP was probably top 3 strikers in the world. Jesus! I'm not trying to claim Carrick can hit left foot vollies into the top corner as a striker, or blast through players like Rooney. But he was extremely influential in his role and not a "minor" part player like you suggested.

 

[Feed Me]

VP ‘Carrick was as influential as all of your named players’

That’s not the same as saying Carrick was as good as them.

 

[Feed Me]

You have to admire Jeppers7’s belligerence

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Carrick has always been one of the most divisive United players on the caf.

On that note, can this Carrick debate be taken to another thread as it has little to do with Bruno Fernandes?

 

[Feed Me]

Carrick has always been one of the most divisive United players on the caf.

On that note, can this Carrick debate be taken to another thread as it has little to do with Bruno Fernandes?

He has indeed.

Yep, we have derailed the thread long enough.

 

[SportingCP96]

What a goat!

 

[Jeppers7]

What a goat!

Fecking brilliant player

 

[criticalanalysis]

What a goat!

What are your thoughts on him playing in a midfield with Pogba? I may have remembered wrong but before we got him, I think you said in a thread that he's not really a 10 and more a 8?

From what I've seen he has the qualities to play more centrally rather than the further most forward in midfield and that will probably have to be the case if Pogba is in the starting line up.

I think they will be playing alongside rather than than in tandem.

 

[SportingCP96]

What are your thoughts on him playing in a midfield with Pogba? I may have remembered wrong but before we got him, I think you said in a thread that he's not really a 10 and more a 8?

From what I've seen he has the qualities to play more centrally rather than the further most forward in midfield and that will probably have to be the case if Pogba is in the starting line up.

I think they will be playing alongside rather than than in tandem.

It was the opposite I think Bruno is better at 10 but I think they can play in tandem and interchanging during the match. I think he can play in both positions but a guy with Brunos shooting ability and goal sense along with his late runs into the box make him a big goal threat.

I think we have to see both of them on the pitch together to get a better idea of what would work best.

 

[Brightonian]

What's so great about him is that his strong start with us hasn't really relied that much on his technical form. Not every touch has been perfect. He hasn't smashed in every long shot he's tried. He's lost the ball a few times along the way.

What's made it all go right is in his head: his vision, and his decision making. He's so efficient at turning neutral situations into dangerous attacks, or at turning dangerous attacks into goals on the scoreboard. If there was a stat for the average difference between how close to scoring a goal the team is when a player receives the ball and how close after he releases it, his would be sky high. He sees all the options and he always seems to pick the right one. That's a pretty reliable trait, which isn't likely to fluctuate much the way your form with your feet can.

 

[Bebestation]

What are your thoughts on him playing in a midfield with Pogba? I may have remembered wrong but before we got him, I think you said in a thread that he's not really a 10 and more a 8?

From what I've seen he has the qualities to play more centrally rather than the further most forward in midfield and that will probably have to be the case if Pogba is in the starting line up.

I think they will be playing alongside rather than than in tandem.

I know the question wasnt targeted at me but I'm excited to see them both in centre midfield atleast once simply because Bruno Fernandes work rate and defensive capacity is much better than I ever thought it would be.

Whilst we could see -
a) Bruno Fernandes, Pogba & Fred/Mctomminay play in a flat midfield taking in turns and covering areas whilst working hard,

We might be able to try -
B) our own slight variant of City's midfield considering we have very good defensive fullbacks aswell.

A little bit like having Bruno Fernandes and Pogba kind of sitting in both midfield ready to take CAM advanced positions off each other almost in unison whenever the space opens up - however this most definitely requires a new type of CDM.

If that happens then we could have two deadly long distance shooters in nice areas with the ability to pick a pass from deep or short ranges as well.

 

[criticalanalysis]

It was the opposite I think Bruno is better at 10 but I think they can play in tandem and interchanging during the match. I think he can play in both positions but a guy with Brunos shooting ability and goal sense along with his late runs into the box make him a big goal threat.

I think we have to see both of them on the pitch together to get a better idea of what would work best.

Oh haha.

I know the question wasnt targeted at me but I'm excited to see them both in centre midfield atleast once simply because Bruno Fernandes work rate and defensive capacity is much better than I ever thought it would be.

Whilst we could see -
a) Bruno Fernandes, Pogba & Fred/Mctomminay play in a flat midfield taking in turns and covering areas whilst working hard,

We might be able to try -
B) our own slight variant of City's midfield considering we have very good defensive fullbacks aswell.

A little bit like having Bruno Fernandes and Pogba kind of sitting in both midfield ready to take CAM advanced positions off each other almost in unison whenever the space opens up - however this most definitely requires a new type of CDM.

If that happens then we could have two deadly long distance shooters in nice areas with the ability to pick a pass from deep or short ranges as well.

Yeah agree. On the one hand, Bruno's output and productivity is so ridiculous it would be a 'waste' to ask him to sit a bit deeper. Yet on the other, I think to move forward and be progressive, Ole needs to coach a more cohesive midfield (and to be fair, this applies to the team over). Credit to Ole and Ed to an extent on this but imo the fitness, atlethetic and technical level of the squad is off the charts, so there doesn't need to be high-level tactics and coaching; we should be beating 80% of teams quite 'easily'. However, to comfortably beat or compete against the 20%, you need to be playing a stragedy (coordinated pressing, patterns of play, positionining on and off the ball etc) when you're playing against those 80%. For that to happen, Bruno will need to be sitting deeper to interplay with Pogba more and figuring out how to control the tempo more. Of course that's down to Ole mostly too.

To be fair it's still early days and even against stronger opposition, it's likely we'd playing Pogba off the left with another two central midfielders behind Bruno but still, this should be the thought process long term. I love the idea of 'the good old days' of swashbuckling Utd but we need to be more nuanced also.

 

[Moiraine]

What ?

Isn’t the player’s performances thread locked?

 

[Skeezix]

Can't wait to see Bruno's flicks and clever passes to Martial, Rashford and Greenwood.

Stoked and Pumped for United's game against Tottenham. And Mourinho's interview in face of a another loss against United.

 

[Rafeeq RSA]

Super pumped to see this guy threading passes to Rashford, Greenwood and Martial and providing goals from mid.

 

[Le Red]

If Busquets played anywhere else, his massive defensive weaknesses would be exploited far more often.
For that Barcelona, Busquets was the ideal fit, but other than that give me Carrick any time of the day.

 

[Jeppers7]

If Busquets played anywhere else, his massive defensive weaknesses would be exploited far more often.
For that Barcelona, Busquets was the ideal fit, but other than that give me Carrick any time of the day.

Jesus.

 

[Le Red]

Jesus.

Mary and Joseph

 

[RedTiger]

If Busquets played anywhere else, his massive defensive weaknesses would be exploited far more often.
For that Barcelona, Busquets was the ideal fit, but other than that give me Carrick any time of the day.

This is related to Bruno how?

 

[SportingCP96]

I love how he still follows every Sporting game and comments on every game and is still in touch with the squad giving tips to Jovane Cabral in particular.

A true captain and leader and it shows he truly does love Sporting.

Cant wait to see him play tomorrow.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

I love how he still follows every Sporting game and comments on every game and is still in touch with the squad giving tips to Jovane Cabral in particular.

A true captain and leader and it shows he truly does love Sporting.

Cant wait to see him play tomorrow.

I love how Sporting fans still adore him and follow his every move. Really shows the impact he had on your club and league.

I can relate in that I watch every Newcastle game because of Miguel Almiron who moved from my local team (he was also way better than everyone around him).

Too many fans are bitter at every player who leaves their club in modern football. Sometimes it's with good reason, but I personally love seeing how players who gave their all for the teams I support get on elsewhere.

 

[Le Red]

This is related to Bruno how?

I have no idea. Just saw the posts at the top of the page and didn't even realise they are 2 months old.
I'll concede it's funny.

 

[kirk buttercup]

I love how Sporting fans still adore him and follow his every move. Really shows the impact he had on your club and league.

I can relate in that I watch every Newcastle game because of Miguel Almiron who moved from my local team (he was also way better than everyone around him).

Too many fans are bitter at every player who leaves their club in modern football. Sometimes it's with good reason, but I personally love seeing how players who gave their all for the teams I support get on elsewhere.

I suppose it depends on the player . I have watched Ronaldo since he left here with nothing but admiration and I always want him to do well ( unless ofcourse he is playing against United) Dimaria for example I look at in a very different way.

 

[Jeppers7]

Looking forward to watchingBruno tonight !

 

[SportingCP96]

I love how Sporting fans still adore him and follow his every move. Really shows the impact he had on your club and league.

I can relate in that I watch every Newcastle game because of Miguel Almiron who moved from my local team (he was also way better than everyone around him).

Too many fans are bitter at every player who leaves their club in modern football. Sometimes it's with good reason, but I personally love seeing how players who gave their all for the teams I support get on elsewhere.

When he left after the training ground incident and then came back a majority of fans hated him and he knew this. He promised he would fight for there love back and earn it back and he truly did that’s why it means so much to win the cup final last season 1 year after we lost it after the training ground incident. He cried immensely when he left and it just shows how much he loved the club especially after the incident and how hard he had to work to fight for the love of the fans back.

They used to boo him every time he touched the ball and he even interacted with fans in social media saying he would do what it took to earn the support back.

It was admirable and him keeping up with the club after he left and still being in contact with his old teammates is great to see.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

I suppose it depends on the player . I have watched Ronaldo since he left here with nothing but admiration and I always want him to do well ( unless ofcourse he is playing against United) Dimaria for example I look at in a very different way.

Oh I fecking hate Di Maria, there's very good reasons to be bitter about that cnut

 

[Ronaldo's Mum Eh?]

Our best player. Can't wait to see him!

 

[kirk buttercup]

Oh I fecking hate Di Maria, there's very good reasons to be bitter about that cnut

Yes . Yes there is , I hate him too

 

[He'sRaldo]

When he left after the training ground incident and then came back a majority of fans hated him and he knew this. He promised he would fight for there love back and earn it back and he truly did that’s why it means so much to win the cup final last season 1 year after we lost it after the training ground incident. He cried immensely when he left and it just shows how much he loved the club especially after the incident and how hard he had to work to fight for the love of the fans back.

They used to boo him every time he touched the ball and he even interacted with fans in social media saying he would do what it took to earn the support back.

It was admirable and him keeping up with the club after he left and still being in contact with his old teammates is great to see.

Maybe I don't know the full story, but wasn't he right to leave after that incident?

I can't imagine why the fans would be angry at him leaving after an unprecedented event like that happened.

 

[SportingCP96]

Maybe I don't know the full story, but wasn't he right to leave after that incident?

I can't imagine why the fans would be angry at him leaving after an unprecedented event like that happened.

Players like Rui, William, Leao, Podence among others were seen as ungrateful for everything the club did for them. Rui in particular who had to grow A lot when he became the starting keeper and he made countless mistakes and there club stayed by him and the moment a incident involving a minority of "fans" (it was set up) occurred they jumped ship and fecked the club financially. We lost so much money because players of our own academy left to other clubs for free. The thing is BDC the former president told them that if they wanted to leave after the incident they were allowed to and he would listen to offers but they decided to rip up there contracts and leave the club they "loved" with nothing. For those players I wish nothing but the worst in there footballing careers.

In the case of Bruno we "found" him in Italy, groomed him and paid a big fee and we were going to end up with nothing with something that was out of the clubs control. The only player who had real justification for leaving was Dost who was physically hurt. (Benfica were attacked and 2 players went to the hospital this week and no one bats an eye FYI).

Anyways Bruno realized that it wasn't right to leave the club with them gaining no financial gain after we had spent 8M on him and he returned and carried the club the following season.

Fans were distraught over players like Rui and William guys who we had to groom and who were heavily criticized and we stuck by them and the moment the club needed them most they bounced. It sent the club in ruins along with the terrorist president we have.

Bruno admitted himself what he did was wrong and said it was a heat of the moment decision that he regretted.