8
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 50
- Goals
- 12
- Assists
- 17
- Yellow cards
- 9
- Red cards
- 3
The most underrated aspect of Bruno's game.
Everyone knows that he's productive and creative. Most know that he's fit and hard-working. Few appreciate how good he is defensively.
Doesn't work hard though they tell me. Just throws his arms up.
Or Keane:
"It looks like he's working hard, but he's really just pretending to close people down"
I'm genuinely not sure what you mean here. You agree that the pass to Hojlund was intentional but then say it's an unintentional assist. How does that work?
Re the stats, how are they meaningless? I'm trying to figure out how anyone could possibly have ugarte as MoTM so stats like that are very relevant,surely, as they speak closely to the sort of game each had.
He does it all, sometimes some of these stats need to be put infront of people like Kean, who just say things they like.
The narratives people make up in their own mind is a joke. Also, can we appreciate that Bruno is doing all this playing CM.
The narratives people make up in their own mind is a joke. Also, can we appreciate that Bruno is doing all this playing CM.
Very underappreciated player. I wish we better capitalised on his prime, hopefully we can make good use of the rest of his prime and surround him with some quality midfielders and forwards, preferably ones who really knows what scoring goals is all about.
Some fans have been bashing on Bruno for years. He does give the ball away trying to play a killer pass sometimes and he has had some howlers that have lead to goals etc. But do you actually think we'd be better without him? Absolutely not. The guy runs his socks off EVERY single game. He plays (pretty much) 90 minutes EVERY game. He's been our top contributor for goals/assists for the past x years. He also does have his moments of magic and games where he absolutely carries us.
People also love to complain when we get up the pitch and we start passing the ball backwards, from left back all the way over to right back etc (me being one of them). At Man United we expect directness and to attack the opposition. Are you forgetting how dull and boring it was watching Van Gaal's style? So yeah, absolutely a player needs to try a pass that might not work. It's how chances are created out of nothing.
In modern football, there are so many stats and over-analysis on footballer players and the game. Go and watch some of our games 20, 30 years ago, or even football in general. Players were giving the ball away all over the place. I recently watched a United/Arsenal game from the Fergie/Wenger era when Henry etc were playing. The ball was literally being pinged from one end of the pitch to the other, with it being given away consistently by both teams. Because they were trying to attack each other and make things happen. This is an era that most people would look back on and say 'football was better then', which I would agree.
You can't have it both ways. Allow Bruno to do what he does and accept that he isn't perfect, enjoy him while we have him and stop finding a reason to moan about anything.
People also love to complain when we get up the pitch and we start passing the ball backwards, from left back all the way over to right back etc (me being one of them). At Man United we expect directness and to attack the opposition. Are you forgetting how dull and boring it was watching Van Gaal's style? So yeah, absolutely a player needs to try a pass that might not work. It's how chances are created out of nothing.
In modern football, there are so many stats and over-analysis on footballer players and the game. Go and watch some of our games 20, 30 years ago, or even football in general. Players were giving the ball away all over the place. I recently watched a United/Arsenal game from the Fergie/Wenger era when Henry etc were playing. The ball was literally being pinged from one end of the pitch to the other, with it being given away consistently by both teams. Because they were trying to attack each other and make things happen. This is an era that most people would look back on and say 'football was better then', which I would agree.
You can't have it both ways. Allow Bruno to do what he does and accept that he isn't perfect, enjoy him while we have him and stop finding a reason to moan about anything.
Speaking of that... I've noticed in recent weeks/months that Bruno catches the opponent on the half-turn more often. He even occasionally dribbles!
Dribbling is obviously still a weakness of his, but the mere fact that he has it in his toolbox makes him much harder to defend against.
Or Keane:
"It looks like he's working hard, but he's really just pretending to close people down"
It all goes back to Gary Neville:
Ever since Nev made this claim, a claim I don't think he's ever corrected, the narrative about Bruno has been set.
Ten Hag talks about him playing through a bad ankle injury? Doesn't matter. Hobbles around on one leg to help us defend a lead with 10 men? Doesn't matter. Races back to cover transitions game after game? Doesn't matter. Always available, always gets up after taking hits, always produces chances, always the guy we turn to when things go bad. Doesn't matter.
None of the facts matter because pundits have decided what the story is with him and they're going to keep telling it. F the stats, F the facts.
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Please answer honestly, did you watch the game?
2 assists.
1 clearly intentional.
1 literally debated in the post match.
How can you not separate them?
Its because he is receiving the ball in different areas now, where before he was playing as the traditional 10, it was between the lines and he has to deal with CB/CDM's, now he is receiving it when teams are pressing using attackers and he is managing to get away from the press better.
Its always the case, once you beat the initial press, you get into space and dribble at the back 4, which is almost perfect for Bruno because then he has his head up and can pick a pass.
Personally, in this system I prefer him in the CM role, he has shown he can adapt to it and still have the goal threat.
I agree. But it's very helpful that he can play both positions. It makes us more robust when it comes to injuries.
Bruno, Mazraoui, Amad and yes even Dalot are going to be very valuable in Amorim's system.
Yes, I did. Love the reverting to 'did you even watch the game?'. Classic fallback.
Please answer honestly: can we agree that Bruno intended to poke the second assist to the player closest to him (garna)?
Yep, having players that can play numerous positions is key. Thee is a reason why those 4 are crucial to him already, he has already taken to those players.
Good news…please allow me an opinion in other threads going forwards also.
Irrational?…you’re arguing a toe poke between two players ending up at feet of Garnacho who’s instant strike out of nowhere caught keeper out…is noteworthy assist.
I have a different view to you, that doesn’t make me biased irrational. Your behavior makes you.
I can’t wrap my head around this sentence on an internet forum.
That ball recoveries stat is absurd!
Note to self: pass accuracy = control
Totally sensible - not agreeing to give MotM = pretty shitWell, if you ignore the 2 assists and a goal in a 3-0 win, he was pretty shit wasn't he
Out of interest: in this instance, your "opinion" is based on pretty much every single metric, right? ^^
Welcome to the thread.
This thread is a true testament for the borderline criminal level of underappreciation. Honestly - maybe we should close this thread here and migrate to the Legend thread. Since thats probably the thread that will cause the fewest controversy
Please do make a stats-based argument that paints ugarte as MoTM ahead of Bruno then. I'm all ears.
I looked at the bulk of available metrics on that site but feel free to correct me if you see anything awry.
No because it’s the only thing that makes sense. If you watched the game, or even the highlights, you would know there is only one assist that is contentious?
No I think he’s just challenging for the ball, as evident by the fact he’s literally stretching for a 50/50 that’s rebounded. Again though, you wouldn’t need me to explain this is the debatable assist surely? The other one is just a pass?
He’s been brilliant in the CM role. Took me by surprise. He’s arguably better there than as a 10. Incredible work rate and the ball recovery stat above is very impressive and makes sense watching him.
He will probably have a poor game next match now but so far so good.
He will probably have a poor game next match now but so far so good.
So sometimes when there is pinball in the penalty area and the attacking team player pokes the ball into the net, does the score have an aesterix?
*1-0 but the player toe poked it so it should not count as a goal.
He is clearly trying to direct the ball towards Garnacho. The other one is just a pass, yeah that is what an assist is, a pass for another player to score.
9 times out of 10 he does seem to win the ball somehow. He's a very tricky wiry player, must be a nightmare to play against.
Please just read the whole thread, it's tiresome when people jump in with this kind of rubbish which isn't what the posts are about. Takes about 2 mins to read back through for a semblance of context.
You are aware of the fact that not everybody is aligned with how you vote MotM, right? It is a subjective thing to do - the guy got a crazy amount of votes, nobody in here said that it was obviously undeserved and yet here we are with you telling other people why your opinion seems to be the only right one. I am sure, there are no ill intentions but it comes across as if you have issues with other people having different opinions than you. Even though the majority in here shares your viewpoint.
I wouldn't give MotM to Ugarte either. I've given it to De Ligt because I thought his defensive contribution was very important to us. Thats not saying that Bruno didn't play well and obviously a goal and two assists will secure his spot for most people and thats fine but ffs, give it a rest, not everybody has to agree with you.
I have actually and this is how you started it... how can you tell me that its a fact that neither assist was intentional? A fact would be if you knew who touched the ball first.. meaning having access to the ball technology to see this? Or that Bruno didn't try to pass to Hojlund? When the ball travels towards Hojlund... how can that not be intentional?
That is interesting.
Based on Fbref Brunos percentiles compared to the midfielder category are those:
Tackles 60th
Interception 29th
Blocks 61th
Clearances 41th
Aerials Won 44th
If he has been better than so many PL midfielders, is the rest of Europe so much better or is Squawkas definition of a recovery more restricted than you'd expect based on the label?
I really do worry about some of you. You clearly have not, the answer to this question is in the posts. I have no idea what you are talking about re the Hojlund pass, that assist is not up for debate.
It's been said already...it's clear as day that he's trying to direct it to garnacho. Quite apart from his intention (which, again, is obviously to direct it to garna otherwise what IS he trying to do?) his intention is irrelevant. It's an assist regardless.
Re the other assist there was some talk earlier in the thread about 'it should have been cut out etc' which I wondered if you were referring to. As for your tiresome calling into question whether I watched the game, feel free to check in the match day thread.
I don't have issues with people having other opinions that differ, but when it's so clearly nonsensical I'll argue it, yes. That poster can argue that Bruno is a space alien bent on destroying the world and I won't be able to convince them otherwise but it doesn't mean that I won't disagree with that opinion.
You should also take your own advice, in bold. The fact you say that shows a staggering lack of self-awareness.
So we both show problematic behaviour in here? Its one thing to argue with that way with people we already know are hellbent on their position, you are doing it right now with somebody who isn't even a Bruno critic. Thing started with him not agreeing to you that Bruno has to be MotM. I am sure you don't like being called a cultist but it is not far fetched to look at it that way.
You can worry about us but sometimes you have to look at yourself in the mirror too...
You told me to go read the thread and I quoted what you said... that neither was intentional.
As with every dialogue we begin, this is going nowhere productive. I'm out.
Genuinely please read the thread. I know you have not because this exact point was discussed with another poster and answered....I get you jumped on something without context, but it's fine to just admit that and not go down guns blazing.
Not my words, I was paraphrasing the poster who claimed Ugarte as better than Bruno because he helped United gain a foothold in the game over the 90 minutes, despite him only being on 68 mins, having very low pass accuracy, far fewer touches/passes and even less defensive actions than Bruno. It is clear he is blinkered by his dislike of Bruno.
I didn't even think Bruno was particularly outstanding vs Leicester and have no problem with other players being voted MotM or whatever, but the above just does not compute.
The issue I believe is that near enough every publication, website, TV coverage, media outlet that I have seen gave Bruno MoTM, commended him on a captain's performance,
78% of fans gave Bruno MoTM on the official website, just 1% to Ugarte, and 5% to Heaven.
The reason the opinion that Bruno isn't the player of the match is so controversial is because it's such a outlandish claim.
He was by far the best United player on the pitch, by saying that it's not diminishing anyone else's contribution, as Heaven and Ugarte were also very good, it's merely praising a player who thoroughly deserves it.
He is a top 5 player in the Premier League. Why is there even a debate in this thread?
I've no doubt there are some supposed Utd fans on here who are disappointed when Bruno scores or assists or plays well because it makes them look stupid and it makes it harder for them to slag him off post match.
And slagging Bruno off is one of the things they enjoy the most.
And slagging Bruno off is one of the things they enjoy the most.
I'd be much happier if he rests now until April but probably in Portugal squad for their 2 games vs Denmark. There's no rest for Bruno ever it seems