Rotation of him, Mainoo and Ugarte through the season would be great, and keep them all fit.
Looked back to 22/23 form
Looked back to 22/23 form
18
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 20
- Goals
- 3
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 2
Decent game, could have had 2 assists.
Keeping fit is key because he plays every game, he will break down in terms of performances
Loop shape today and create some good chances..
If Ugarte can join, we can have three good combination
Case #8 + Ugarte #6
Mainoo #8 + Case #6
Mainoo #8 + Ugarte #6
If Ugarte can join, we can have three good combination
Case #8 + Ugarte #6
Mainoo #8 + Case #6
Mainoo #8 + Ugarte #6
Between him and Mazraoui for my man of the match.
I would say he started a little slow again, but we did as a whole. He seemed to be everywhere and very involve, was unlucky not to come away with an assist or two and should have possibly done better with his header.
Nice surprise to see him playing like he is.
I would say he started a little slow again, but we did as a whole. He seemed to be everywhere and very involve, was unlucky not to come away with an assist or two and should have possibly done better with his header.
Nice surprise to see him playing like he is.
Far better today than almost anything he did last year.
Looked good, and hope he has a great season. May be playing a big role this season.
It is absolutely vital we get an energetic midfielder for depth. Casemiro needs his minutes managed, so does Mainoo as neither can go the full 90 minutes, especially once the games start building up. If we don't, think Casemiro will revert to last season's form before long.
He may no longer possess the same tackling force field he once had but he's definitely retained his ability to attract loose balls like a fecking magnet.
The worrying thing too is that Mainoo doesn't look like he still can't last more than 70mins. We definitely need more competent bodies in midfield.
So, if Ugarte or some destroyer join, we can push Case to #8 and sub out Mainoo at last 20 mins..
Case seems like he can do something at that position..
Even that dummy Carragher said he looked fit on Stick to Football. The big man is back.
Guys I’m not trying to get ahead of myself but we might have first season Casemiro back. Two games in a row now where he has been really good and looked like his sharpness was back up to the levels we expect.
He didn’t do badly today. Although several shots over the bar - needs to shoot with more accuracy
His best performance since the league cup final vs Newcastle
Brilliant - my motm. Hope we get the real Casemiro back.
That pass to Bruno for the golden chance was special 
Decent performance, looked switched on.
But there is something off with our balance in midfield, none of them was close to awful but we are still wide open at times, still can`t get proper control of the midfield.
But there is something off with our balance in midfield, none of them was close to awful but we are still wide open at times, still can`t get proper control of the midfield.
More than worth a place in the team if he's going to play further forward rather than as a 6. Did he ever show any glimpses of his passing range at Madrid? I'm guessing he never needed to.
The balance of the midfield is going to catch us out at times with him and Mainoo though, I imagine. Definitely could do with a Ugarte type player before the end of the window.
The balance of the midfield is going to catch us out at times with him and Mainoo though, I imagine. Definitely could do with a Ugarte type player before the end of the window.
It's a typical Casemiro for me, he's always involved, always a mixed bag. He got ghosted past twice like he wasn't even there in the first 8 minutes and I thought here we go again.. Definitely better after that. Some great passes. As well as some shite losses of possession. We have too many players who make great contributions in a game and simultaneously make terrible contributions in a game, which is why our games are just a complete mess and very rarely do we dominate.
Looked like he was running through treacle for the last 20 - which reinforces why we need cover for him. Other than that - he was all Classymero again - dominated in our box, should have had an unbelievable assist for Bruno and had probably 4 decent chances himself with a couple of headers and shots. A good rest and full preseason seems to have refreshed him
I thought he was brilliant. Easy MOTM today.
That's two pretty good performances in a row now to start the season.
If he can get back to a somewhat acceptable standard this season, doesn't even have to be amazing, then it will be a big boost.
If he can get back to a somewhat acceptable standard this season, doesn't even have to be amazing, then it will be a big boost.
World renowned world class midfielder plays well when in a formation that gives him even a remote chance of doing so.
Doesn't really surprise me to be honest, we just need another midfielder who doesn't vacate the midfield as right now we have 2 which isn't enough for a season.
Doesn't really surprise me to be honest, we just need another midfielder who doesn't vacate the midfield as right now we have 2 which isn't enough for a season.
I'm sure that's temporary, match fitness issue. Kid got thrown in halfway through last season off the back of a serious injury, and ended up going all the way to the Euro final. Rightly getting his minutes managed. He'll be a 90min player before too long.
Back to Casemiro; he's back to his best which is awesome to see. Really need to get cover in for him so that he can sustain this level.
ETH very impressed by Casemiro today
He looks a little trimmer this season, doesn’t he?
Pleasing start to the season. So much better than last season where he looked totally unfit in the first 6 games or so.
This week and last have been a step in the right direction.
Loved Mainoo's performance in the first half but i'd quite like to see Casemiro paired with an energetic runner who could cover more ground.
Have said this before but I remember Keane's final season was statistically very impressive because he had Fletcher doing a lot of his running for him and I'd like to see what Casemiro could do alongside another DM, especially in the big games. His passing can sometimes be a bit erratic but he's got more creativity than people give him credit for (see the passes for Bruno) and he was getting into some quite advanced positions today.
Have said this before but I remember Keane's final season was statistically very impressive because he had Fletcher doing a lot of his running for him and I'd like to see what Casemiro could do alongside another DM, especially in the big games. His passing can sometimes be a bit erratic but he's got more creativity than people give him credit for (see the passes for Bruno) and he was getting into some quite advanced positions today.
Credit when credit is due, he had a really good game. Same as against City he should have had at least one assist. That pass to Bruno was class, a shame it didn't end up in goal.
Hopefully this is a new start for him, Brasil really did us a solid by not calling him to copa america.
Hopefully this is a new start for him, Brasil really did us a solid by not calling him to copa america.
Good performance today, more of that.
Brilliant from him today. That pass to Fernandes (who should have scored) was class.
If we make sure to keep the other midfielder deep with him he should be ok.
If we make sure to keep the other midfielder deep with him he should be ok.
He needs to sit out some of the games, or atleast not play them full 90 minutes. I was thinking about all the chanses we've missed today, and it could've easily been 2-0 by the end of the first half, and then take off him and Martinez for a rest around the 60 minute mark.
However, we always have to do the things the hard way, which means 90 minutes for most players.
If Ugarte is signed, Ten Hag should pick his games, like to be a starter in 2/3 games, depending on the opposition. It will keep him fresh, and it will benefit the team, because 22/23 Casemiro is a weapon.
Interesting to note Casemiro has now played intricate first through balls into the 6 yard area, from the edge of the penalty box to set up clear cut goal scoring opportunities in consecutive games. One for Amad against City, where he should have shot instead of squaring it first time for Mount and then again for Bruno tonight. Perhaps third time lucky for an assist against Brighton?
Being dropped for the Brazil squad for the Copa and perhaps RVN's attacking drills/coaching has been good for him.
Being dropped for the Brazil squad for the Copa and perhaps RVN's attacking drills/coaching has been good for him.
Casemiro playing in the conventional pivot was always going to reflect in his performances mirroring that of his debut season at the club.
Last season was more down to the positional requirements in the failed system, then the shift to defence in place of injury.
Last season was more down to the positional requirements in the failed system, then the shift to defence in place of injury.
Still think we need one more if Scott and Eriksen leave by the end of the window.
Those one-touch through balls he often plays are lethal. Great game.
I thought it was bizarre how quickly the idea that ‘his legs have gone’ took hold last season and how little any context was applied to that judgement. Nobody looked good in ten Hag’s one man midfield position last season, and frankly I don’t think any holding midfielder ever would. Someone like Rodri would be horrifically exposed, and even work horses like Rice who covers vast amounts of pitch probably don’t have the explosiveness to keep up with the speed teams were playing through us.
I think after 2 games we can already categorically say that his legs haven’t gone, and that in a proper system with proper support he still possesses very useful qualities. His minutes will need to be managed and finding someone who can competently back him up is a good idea, but I’m not at all convinced that we need to spend big on a destroyer to replace him. I think a passer who can control the tempo of games is far more obviously lacking as Mainoo develops that side of his game.
I think after 2 games we can already categorically say that his legs haven’t gone, and that in a proper system with proper support he still possesses very useful qualities. His minutes will need to be managed and finding someone who can competently back him up is a good idea, but I’m not at all convinced that we need to spend big on a destroyer to replace him. I think a passer who can control the tempo of games is far more obviously lacking as Mainoo develops that side of his game.
He's always been creative or at least he's always tried those creative passesInteresting to note Casemiro has now played intricate first through balls into the 6 yard area, from the edge of the penalty box to set up clear cut goal scoring opportunities in consecutive games. One for Amad against City, where he should have shot instead of squaring it first time for Mount and then again for Bruno tonight. Perhaps third time lucky for an assist against Brighton?
Being dropped for the Brazil squad for the Copa and perhaps RVN's attacking drills/coaching has been good for him.