I can't be the only one who doesn't see it with him?
Didn't see the hype against Burnley, certainly didn't see it tonight.
I'm not sure if he has any attribute that is particularly impressive. Nothing special in terms of control or passing, dribbling, running with the ball, goal threat. He seems to be getting plaudits for being a youth player running around and getting stuck in, but you're going to need a lot more than that to be a United level midfielder.
I know he's young but can't help but feel he's getting undeserved hype as every single academy product does on here.
Mainoo looks a much better talent from what we've seen of him.
Some players come straight up and look like silk from the moment they are promoted, others take time. Hannibal was always aggressive, combative and constantly prodded by the opposition as an under here, but despite that, he played really good, progressive football from deep with tidy, expansive passing and very good link up play as well as driving runs that went straight at the heart of midfield. The question was never whether he could make it as an actual footballer at that time, it was whether he had the temperament and composure to complement his talent. He's come up with a reputation that is all action, aggression and gives no credence to his abilities as a footballer, which is odd for anyone who has followed him for a long time.
He looks a bit ragged and not particularly standout in terms of technical ability at the moment, but he shows in flashes what he was doing all the time when making a name for himself in the unders - perhaps his greatest two moments this season have been the goal and the outside of the foot pass to Rashford. Those flashes of brilliance will become more a common theme than a flash as he settles, but for now he is going to be erratic, over eager and quite desperate to perform as the manager has requested of him. Does that mean he can't do both and simultaneously be a terrier and a baller? No, not really, but for that kind of midfielder, they have more to iron out and construct as pros/midfielders than players who are already calm, composed and not trying to rein in their aggression.
The whole point of nurturing these youngsters is to mold them and refine their game. Cutting away the chaff and either rounding out or honing their skillset (we're seeing exactly this with Garnacho) - Hannibal is not the finished article in terms of what he should potentially go on to become, but in the meantime, he's showing he can go out there and perform as the manager requires of him. Unlike numerous players who have bloated our squad, he has shown the prerequisite ability to at least be given his chance to make his mark this season.
Most academy products are slaughtered and declared not good enough quickly enough; there really aren't many who have been followed for as long as Hannibal has. There are threads from 3+ years ago about the player, which carry the same common denominator about his temperament and composure being stumbling blocks, not his talent.
Mainoo has ice running through his veins compared to Mejbri. From the outset, before skill/talent is factored in, it gives him an advantage because he can be trusted to not flap or lose his head. It also gives Mainoo his whole time on the pitch to focus purely on his game and to take that time to assess the pitch and how he can best be of use on it at any given moment. That buys him time, and time lends way to better - or more considered - execution. In terms of mentality and composure, Mainoo is miles ahead of Mejbri and his trajectory looks different because of that. Of course, he is very probably a better footballer outright, but that composure he has frames a lot of what he does differently and that affects execution, in particular i.e. Mainoo has already placed himself optimally to receive a pass and make a half-turn away from danger in open space whereas Hannibal is still scurrying toward the ball, off-balance and with a lot less time to frame what's around him or make his next move - he's rushed, and that betrays technique. The time Mainoo buys for himself is a special quality in a midfielder and it gives him a different platform to perform on.
Development isn't linear and both of them can field on the same pitch in your typical fire and ice combination: they might eventually meet in the middle once Hannibal matures, but that's not an issue for the here and now.
It's also really important to note that Mejbri gets less time to operate being so high up the pitch. He isn't a consummate #10, he doesn't think or move like one, and that's going to affect his usage of the ball. Mejbri got his shine as an under in the #8 role where he could roam and find space to work from. Where he works is now dictated to him by the role he has been asked to play. You'll get a clearer idea of the technique and ability he has when he's set deeper and has the play ahead of him because that's his thing - his real thing - not being an auxiliary in the hardest position on the pitch in the professional game.
