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2023-24 Performances


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5.5 Season Average Rating
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48
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Serious question, what do other #10s do in a game like that (against organized defense in low block)? I always thought that is the problem because the team needs to move the ball fast, and you need players that make a difference in small areas by dribbling. Today it felt like even on his good day, it would've been almost impossible for Bruno to create anything.

I am not defending him, I just don't see where we go from here against teams in low block. We need to organize our attacks better and players that can make use of tight space. Bruno is all-out counter attacking player.
 
Serious question, what do other #10s do in a game like that (against organized defense in low block)? I always thought that is the problem because the team needs to move the ball fast, and you need players that make a difference in small areas by dribbling. Today it felt like even on his good day, it would've been almost impossible for Bruno to create anything.

I am not defending him, I just don't see where we go from here against teams in low block. We need to organize our attacks better and players that can make use of tight space. Bruno is all-out counter attacking player.

That's why most teams don't operate with number 10s, unless they have the ability to work in tight space or dribble exceptionally. For some reason, we persist with a number 10 that is useless in both of these aspects. It results in us having no control in a game, and teams can easily bypass our midfield. Look how much more control we had in the midfield against Palace midweek when Mejbri was there. Imagine another CM who is even better, like Bruno Guimaraes, Lucas Paqueta, Rodrigo de Paul or Bissouma. Not world beaters by any means, but they're all around very good midfielders who will bring your team much more stability and balance, and it's why teams like West Ham, Newcastle, Aston Villa and the likes are able to dominate games on a much larger scale than us.
 
That's why most teams don't operate with number 10s, unless they have the ability to work in tight space or dribble exceptionally. For some reason, we persist with a number 10 that is useless in both of these aspects. It results in us having no control in a game, and teams can easily bypass our midfield. Look how much more control we had in the midfield against Palace midweek when Mejbri was there. Imagine another CM who is even better, like Bruno Guimaraes, Lucas Paqueta, Rodrigo de Paul or Bissouma. Not world beaters by any means, but they're all around very good midfielders who will bring your team much more stability and balance, and it's why teams like West Ham, Newcastle, Aston Villa and the likes are able to dominate games on a much larger scale than us.
That's my point exactly. And now ETH came about the idea we need two number 10s. It is actually baffling.
Only disagree about the Hannibal bit. CP didn't play football that game, Bruno in his place would've had the same effect.
 
That's my point exactly. And now ETH came about the idea we need two number 10s. It is actually baffling.
Only disagree about the Hannibal bit. CP didn't play football that game, Bruno in his place would've had the same effect.

Bruno in his place would have made sure we didn't play the football we played on Tuesday as he would have tried to create by himself as he usually does. He is not a team player who looks to build attacks. I agree that Palace didn't really play, but Mejbri is much more physical than Bruno and actually engage in duels with the opposition players. I don't think it would have been the same game at all.
 
Can he stop taking corners? Mount has better deliveries but he still takes every fecking corner.
 
Serious question, what do other #10s do in a game like that (against organized defense in low block)? I always thought that is the problem because the team needs to move the ball fast, and you need players that make a difference in small areas by dribbling. Today it felt like even on his good day, it would've been almost impossible for Bruno to create anything.

I am not defending him, I just don't see where we go from here against teams in low block. We need to organize our attacks better and players that can make use of tight space. Bruno is all-out counter attacking player.
He needs that dribbling ability for his best position.
 
Shouldn't never be captain.
When team needs him, he goes hiding. Can't drib, can't control tempo
Drop him and play Hannibal Mount. They're more ETH's players
 
I really wonder if he even watched closely at how the team managed to play without him on Tuesday. That should be a multiple-fire alarm as to how he needs to handle himself as a midfielder in order to have success.
 
He's drove me crazy for years now, the numbers are incredible but they should also show the numbers for turn over of play and fouls committed in key areas.

He's a liability. I don't think other top teams would play him myself.
 
He's drove me crazy for years now, the numbers are incredible but they should also show the numbers for turn over of play and fouls committed in key areas.

He's a liability. I don't think other top teams would play him myself.

He would never play for Barcelona, Bayern München, City or Real Madrid, and there are so many reasons for that. There are a few that are fooling themselves, because they look at Bruno's chance creation numbers and think "Wow, he created more than De Bruyne, so of course he could take his spot!" without considering all the other immense qualities that De Bruyne bring to the pitch and to the team. What irritates me most about him is his reluctance to actually change his style of playing. It is as if he puts himself first; as long as he tops the statistics and is acclaimed one of the best creative midfielders that has played in the league, not much else matters. It probably isn't what he is thinking, but it sure seems like it with how he plays. He just can't help himself, and instead of cooling things down and try to build up an attack or link up with his team mates, he has to try some random long pass that has between 0.5 - 5% chance of succeeding.
 
I really wonder if he even watched closely at how the team managed to play without him on Tuesday. That should be a multiple-fire alarm as to how he needs to handle himself as a midfielder in order to have success.
We also saw how they played without him vs Sevilla last season and that didn't turn out so well, so let's not act like he's the main problem.
 
We also saw how they played without him vs Sevilla last season and that didn't turn out so well, so let's not act like he's the main problem.

We were missing Martinez, Shaw and Varane in that game. The lineup was extremely mediocre, and there would likely be no difference with Bruno in it, as it made no difference when we were thrashed by Watford, Liverpool or Brentford.
 
I'm sick of his Hollywood passes. People might argue "atleast he tries to create chances" but no. Nobody knows whats going to happen when he gets the ball. That's why we are clueless half the time.
 
He needs to be dropped. I don't know how any team to can rely on such an inconsistent player to be its fulcrum. I'd honestly love to see Mount get a run of games with Casemiro (despite his awfulness today) and Ambrabat behind him.
 
Love him, but he was shite against Palace. At one point he took the ball off Eriksen's toes when Eriksen could have played a killer ball. Sums it up.
 
He gets compared to Cantona :lol: :lol: :lol:
I've seen people say he was better than Scholes, too. Or that he'd get into the 99 team.

He's definitely our most overrated player ever. A person who the general fan puts in the same category as the aforementioned two or thinks he could get into some of our best teams ever doesn't routinely put, at best, 3/10 performances in big games.
 
Serious question, what do other #10s do in a game like that (against organized defense in low block)? I always thought that is the problem because the team needs to move the ball fast, and you need players that make a difference in small areas by dribbling. Today it felt like even on his good day, it would've been almost impossible for Bruno to create anything.

I am not defending him, I just don't see where we go from here against teams in low block. We need to organize our attacks better and players that can make use of tight space. Bruno is all-out counter attacking player.
That's why most teams don't operate with number 10s, unless they have the ability to work in tight space or dribble exceptionally. For some reason, we persist with a number 10 that is useless in both of these aspects. It results in us having no control in a game, and teams can easily bypass our midfield. Look how much more control we had in the midfield against Palace midweek when Mejbri was there. Imagine another CM who is even better, like Bruno Guimaraes, Lucas Paqueta, Rodrigo de Paul or Bissouma. Not world beaters by any means, but they're all around very good midfielders who will bring your team much more stability and balance, and it's why teams like West Ham, Newcastle, Aston Villa and the likes are able to dominate games on a much larger scale than us.

You're all correct. That's why we'll never achieve anything of any serious significance with Bruno Fernandes in our team. One user on this forum about a year ago described Bruno as a "pseudo midfielder"(don't wanna tag that user, done that already couple of times - he was the one that made a famous thread criticizing Bruno which got locked). You're not a true midfielder if you can't operate in tight spaces, dribble and carry the ball. You can maybe get away with it if you're a workhorse DM destroyer, but that's about it. I would easily take any of KDB, Odegaard, Maddison, Wirtz, Musiala etc. over Bruno, no question. We actually had the opportunity to replace him with homegrown, great and relatively cheap player in Maddison(who is a United childhood fan, by the way), but we didn't do it, of course. Maddison is signing of the season, a bargain which massively improved Tottenham, as you can see on the PL table.

ETH putting his eggs in the Bruno basket, making him captain and not actually trying to get rid of him is a significant red flag and one of the reasons for eventual ETH's downfall, among poor recruitment(which actually isn't mostly his fault, he should have a competent football structure above him which does the scouting/recruitment). I would actually play a midfield of Casemiro/Amrabat - Hannibal/Mainoo - Mount, or Casemiro and Amrabat together in tougher away games(like Etihad, Anfield etc.). It can't be much worse than this.

Bruno must be phased out of this team, but that will be done by the next manager(and ownership?) after Ten Hag gets sacked(unfortunately, I had faith in him) and Glazers hopefully, finally leave(at least surrender most of the control to Ratcliffe, if they don't sell to Qataris).
 
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You're all correct. That's why we'll never achieve anything of any serious significance with Bruno Fernandes in our team. One user on this forum about a year ago described Bruno as a "pseudo midfielder"(don't wanna tag that user, done that already couple of times - he was the one that made a famous thread criticizing Bruno which got locked). You're not a true midfielder if you can't operate in tight spaces, dribble and carry the ball. You can maybe get away with it if you're a workhorse DM destroyer, but that's about it. I would easily take any of KDB, Odegaard, Maddison, Wirtz, Musiala etc. over Bruno, no question. We actually had the opportunity to replace him with homegrown, great and relatively cheap player in Maddison(who is a United childhood fan, by the way), but we didn't do it, of course. Maddison is signing of the season, a bargain which massively improved Tottenham, as you can see on the PL table.

ETH putting his eggs in the Bruno basket, making him captain and not actually trying to get rid of him is a significant red flag and one of the reasons for eventual ETH's downfall, among poor recruitment(which actually isn't mostly his fault, he should have a competent football structure above him which does the scouting/recruitment). I would actually play a midfield of Casemiro/Amrabat, Hannibal/Mainoo, Mount, or Casemiro and Amrabat together in tougher away games(like Etihad, Anfield etc.). It can't be much worse that this.

Bruno must be phased out of this team, but that will be done by the next manager(and ownership?) after Ten Hag gets sacked(unfortunately, I had faith in him) and Glazers hopefully, finally leave(at least surrender most of the control to Ratcliffe, if they don't sell to Qataris).
I agree, especially about the "putting all eggs in Brunos basket". I said this a few weeks ago, at the end of the season Bruno will be a bigger issue for us than Mount (as he's much more versatile player). And I don't see eth dropping his captain.
 
Biggest fraud at the club.
He isn't a fraud, but he is also not a holding mid. He should play from Right and not faux mid. You can't hand a wolf a steak and ask it to transport to other side of town and then be surprised he ate the steak.
 
I've seen people say he was better than Scholes, too. Or that he'd get into the 99 team.

He's definitely our most overrated player ever. A person who the general fan puts in the same category as the aforementioned two or thinks he could get into some of our best teams ever doesn't routinely put, at best, 3/10 performances in big games.

But this hasn't happened. Nobody is putting Bruno up there with Scholes and Cantona.

By far the strangest thing I've noticed on this forum is posters inventing things to be angry or laugh about. So strange.
 
I don't know why he has to be either the second coming of Cantona or a complete fraud. He's out of form, and he needs to be told to stop trying to do too much, especially when it's not coming off. Like every player he has some excellent attributes, and some horrible ones. Right now, him and rashford in my eyes are detrimental to our attack. ETH needs to sort this out, or rotate him.
 
Fernandes has always been the emodiment of a stat fans player.

For me, though the premiership techncally and qality wise is superb now, the slower possesion based football, the almost sheep like tactical play of sides copying Guardiola, the over analytical emphasis on tactics and stats.....the football isnt as entertaining and hich octane as it used to be.

Fernandes fits firmly into that in discussions with what he does or doesnt do in a formation, playing a certain position and all his numbers being exceptional.

Yet, it has only bee the last season or so people have started to criticise him and even then as soon as he has a good game or in all honesty moment within a game, the tide turns on anyone criticising him.

Often see him compared to KDB with stat comparisons, Cantona and Rooney, labelled world class and being a United great. KDB can give the ball away, Rooney had poor periods and Cantona often struggled in Europe with his back to goal....but Fernandes for me isnt close to the level of those three players.

For me he is more comparable wth Pogba here. And it took for Pogba to leave for the vast majority to agree he failed here.

For me Fernandes is a good player capable of great decisive moments in a game who generally gives his all and works hard in a game. But bar the first few months here ad a couple of spells, he has NEVER been a great player here.

He often gets caught n possesion, gives the ball away not just in Hollywood passes but standard ones too, his workrae chasing the ball down in the final third of the pitch often seems to see him struggling when chasing back against counters.

For me as a starter week in, week out, we will never win a league title with a player like Fernandes, who would never get close to th first eleven of our best ever sides. He should have far more competition for his place than he has had, he shouldnt have been made captain with some of the whining he does and his inconsistency and he shouldnt have been tied down to a hefty new contract when nearing 30, considering he was poor for so long beforehand.

Fernandes is a good player as an option for the position he plays, but there are a lot of players who bring something different that could quite possibl be better in his position, look at Maddison, Eze....maybe Mount may actually be that player here if he can get back to some of his best Chelsea form.

Personally within about 18months of Fernandes being here, always thought though a good player he has been seriously over rated in terms of standing not just by our fans, but loads of pundits.....he is literally still living off those first 6months whwen in reality, his career here overall individually has been decent.

Both he and Rashford are far from irreplacable, think there are plenty of options out there that could well give us more and they are part of the group of players that seem to have let down a few managers here and rather than giving them huge contracts we should have been considering cashing in on them for big money.....its very mch like the Pogba situation....only we seem scared of losing players for nothing rather than being ruthless with star names that havent been good enough in rality
 
Think I cracked the formula - 3 or 4 bad games, followed by a game with a goal and 2 assists, and then 3 or 4 bad games again
With lots of “we would never win a game without him!” posts in defence. The next international break we’ll see some tweet about how he has the most big chances created ever seen
 
But this hasn't happened. Nobody is putting Bruno up there with Scholes and Cantona.

By far the strangest thing I've noticed on this forum is posters inventing things to be angry or laugh about. So strange.
Erm, yes they were. I don't think you're actually lying. You just haven't seen them, but it's an easy search.
 
Serious question, what do other #10s do in a game like that (against organized defense in low block)? I always thought that is the problem because the team needs to move the ball fast, and you need players that make a difference in small areas by dribbling. Today it felt like even on his good day, it would've been almost impossible for Bruno to create anything.

I am not defending him, I just don't see where we go from here against teams in low block. We need to organize our attacks better and players that can make use of tight space. Bruno is all-out counter attacking player.
They switch the ball quickly out to wide areas and expect the wide attackers to stretch the play and try to find space in the middle.
 
He didn’t have a good game yesterday but I have no clue what role he was supposed to have yesterday. He was playing all over the pitch and keep shuttling around different positions.

I think EtH shot himself in the foot yesterday trying to be too clever against Crystal Palace. Rashford had no support from a fullback yesterday and was completely isolated against a deep block. With a fullback stretching play he might have had a decent game. Dalot was playing like a proper fullback but Pellestri is absolute garbage physically and on the ball. With nothing happening out wide and the midfield packed what is Bruno supposed to create from?

It’s strange to see so many criticisms of Bruno in here who at least tries something. Rashford is the only one who tried to take on players the rest of them all happy to pass it back and recycle possession.
 
He didn’t have a good game yesterday but I have no clue what role he was supposed to have yesterday. He was playing all over the pitch and keep shuttling around different positions.

I think EtH shot himself in the foot yesterday trying to be too clever against Crystal Palace. Rashford had no support from a fullback yesterday and was completely isolated against a deep block. With a fullback stretching play he might have had a decent game. Dalot was playing like a proper fullback but Pellestri is absolute garbage physically and on the ball. With nothing happening out wide and the midfield packed what is Bruno supposed to create from?

It’s strange to see so many criticisms of Bruno in here who at least tries something. Rashford is the only one who tried to take on players the rest of them all happy to pass it back and recycle possession.

That's the problem, though. "Trying" isn't good enough. He tries unrealistic passes and moves instead of building up attacks and linking up with his team mates, which is how elite teams play football. Mason Mount tried to link up and move the ball quickly yesterday, but the rest of the team don't know how to play nice football. They've relied on moments from Rashford and Bruno for years, and we're going to continue to do that until they're out of this club. We rely on individual players, which is a huge problem.
 
That's the problem, though. "Trying" isn't good enough. He tries unrealistic passes and moves instead of building up attacks and linking up with his team mates, which is how elite teams play football. Mason Mount tried to link up and move the ball quickly yesterday, but the rest of the team don't know how to play nice football. They've relied on moments from Rashford and Bruno for years, and we're going to continue to do that until they're out of this club. We rely on individual players, which is a huge problem.
:lol: :lol: . All Mount did was pass the ball back quickly. You think Bruno can’t do that? There are different standards players set for themselves on the pitch, Casemiro constantly tries to create from the deep and catches opposition off guard. Bruno does the same as well. Yes Casemiro and Bruno make plenty of mistakes but if they started playing like Mount we won’t score goals in a million years.

The reason Bruno tries those Hollywood passes stems from the frustration of creating absolutely nothing. Our wide players were nullified, Hojlund can’t do anything upfront. Mount and Amrabat just happy to recycle possession. Imagine if Casemiro and Bruno happily recycled possession as well. Who the feck is going create chances?

Mount had a decent game yesterday but let’s not make a mountain out of a mole.
 
Pass the ball back quickly? Wow, I don't recall anyone on this forum being so wrong about a player's performance so soon after the match. Are you sure you watched the match?
I got tickets luckily in a good seat to watch this crapfest. Mostly what Mount did was recycle possession without creating anything of note. He made one good run for that header. Like I said in my edit, it’s easy for players like Casemiro and Bruno to play like Mount. Bruno in fact has more of an engine than Mount. Just pass safely and move is not an option for Bruno and Casemiro. They want to create chances and help the team. If they just passed the ball safely there is no one else to create chances.
 
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