[kopviolator]

I like his attitude. And he brings some energy. But quality is questionable.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Taking Hannibal off was the easy decision, not necessarily the right one.

 

[Fortitude]

Scholes mentioned him being injured, which was why he was taken off?

We became very disjointed without his energy in midfield. Eriksen came on with some superb passes, but we lost a lot of mobility and athleticism in lieu of that. Arguable whether it’s a trade off to make unless you’re well on top in a game.

 

[lsd]

Scholes mentioned him being injured, which was why he was taken off?

We became very disjointed without his energy in midfield. Eriksen came on with some superb passes, but we lost a lot of mobility and athleticism in lieu of that. Arguable whether it’s a trade off to make unless you’re well on top in a game.

Scholes said he must be injured as he had played well. He was assuming

 

[Fortitude]

Scholes said he must be injured as he had played well. He was assuming

Ah, ok. Was half paying attention (Reading here) when he said it, which is why I’ve been seeking confirmation.

 

[OrcaFat]

I think it was a mistake to take him off unless he got a knock or something. I’d have given him another 20 mins, he seems to expand his game a bit as space opens up when opponents are tiring.

Did okay before being subbed, I thought.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Thought he was fine. Bit reckless but has energy and decent technically.

 

[Thom Merrilin]

I thought he was great today and was worried when he went off. That said we had a pretty good period after Eriksen replaced him, should have scored.

 

[pratyush_utd]

Should have stayed on but his substitution showed the issue with ETH. Eriksen was right call but was brought on for the wrong player

 

[MadDogg]

I'm guessing ETH felt he wanted Eriksen's passing and playmaking abilities to help take control of the midfield, which actually did work very well for the first 15-20 minutes. It's just unfortunate that Hannibal was the one sacrificed.

My big worry is that this might be the start of ETH dropping Hannibal down the pecking order.

He was playing better than Mount and Bruno.

That should have been enough. Eriksen, Mount and Hannibal would have been more balanced and more comfortable keeping the ball.

I think Mount was better in this game. Bruno...yeah, but he's also the most likely to create a goal so it's a difficult one. Of course managers have to make the difficult decisions...

 

[kundalini]

I thought it was a slightly poor performance, too careless in possession, bad touch from Casemiro's pass, ruined short corner by taking extra touch allowing opposition to counter-attack. 0 shots, 0 key passes, 1 successful tackle, 0 interceptions, dispossessed once, 79% pass completion.

Ten Hag hasn't helped Mejbri, Pellistri or Garnacho by taking them off relatively early.

 

[OrcaFat]

I'm guessing ETH felt he wanted Eriksen's passing and playmaking abilities to help take control of the midfield, which actually did work very well for the first 15-20 minutes. It's just unfortunate that Hannibal was the one sacrificed.

My big worry is that this might be the start of ETH dropping Hannibal down the pecking order.


I think Mount was better in this game. Bruno...yeah, but he's also the most likely to create a goal so it's a difficult one. Of course managers have to make the difficult decisions...

Yeah we’ve seen it often. Managers don’t like to remove potential goalscorers. SAF used to get as many of them on the pitch as possible if we were losing. EtH has really favoured players who scored goals under him.

 

[Red71]

Should have stayed on but his substitution showed the issue with ETH. Eriksen was right call but was brought on for the wrong player

This…you could understand the players being brought on but how Bruno survived is beyond me. I thought Mount had his best game for us but Hannibal was decent and he would have kept the energy high which I felt gradually dropped for us after he’d come off…

 

[jesperjaap]

I thought it was a slightly poor performance, too careless in possession, bad touch from Casemiro's pass, ruined short corner by taking extra touch allowing opposition to counter-attack. 0 shots, 0 key passes, 1 successful tackle, 0 interceptions, dispossessed once, 79% pass completion.

Ten Hag hasn't helped Mejbri, Pellistri or Garnacho by taking them off relatively early.

Agree there were a couple of sloppy moments from him.....but this is a young player coming through, you have to expect mistakes. I think he is generally playig the right way, lots of energy but eithin himself with the ball generally moving it quickly and simply, liek the attitude he is showing.

My only concern with him so far is his acceleration over 10/15 yards and power running. When he is chasing back he does seem to struggle

 

[city-puma]

It’s not the position he can excel. His off ball play was limited to less impactful because the opponent just play long ball to skip the midfield. ETH was again defeated tactically drom the start to the end.

 

[NewGlory]

He is clearly still very raw and needs development at senior level, but personally I would much rather see him play than the hide-and-seek McT or legs-gone Eriksen

 

[OrcaFat]

It’s very encouraging to see him being selected even if he got hooked yesterday. I think he was pretty good and “victim” of a tactical change. He is in the long term plan, I believe.

 

[Bwuk]

I don’t see it happening but I’d like to see him come back into the side vs Copenhagen.

 

[Stadjer]

I don’t see it happening but I’d like to see him come back into the side vs Copenhagen.

Since that has become a must win game i think you are right. It will likely be considered too risky to play a young inexperienced player in that situation. Eventhough i do prefer Hannibal over McT.

 

[klayton88]

He's more composed than Bruno.

 

[Van Piorsing]

100% positive he'll play and a lot. 2nd half of the season will require tons of energy, even if remotely thinking about achieving bare minimum.

 

[Bwuk]

I think we badly miss his energy, and I’m not sure why he isn’t being given a chance.

 

[MrBest]

I'm happy with his game time but at the same time I'm desperate to see him more. Youngsters like him need time to mature, the talent is there. I like what Hag has done with Garnacho, he has removed the pressure. Too many times we become obsessed with the next best thing, jajuzaj, macheda and so on. Let's bed him in, in H2, we will see him more. He lacks the maturity but has all the assets.

 

[sglowrider]

I think we badly miss his energy, and I’m not sure why he isn’t being given a chance.

Agree. I suspect that the pressure is getting to ETH.

So he will go with what he knows -- which is his natural default mode when you think about all the players he has brought in. As a result now with the pressure to catch up, he is unwilling to take a chance on the kids.

He could afford to gamble with the kids at Ajax considering their dominant position back then. He needs to grow a pair.

 

[MadDogg]

I think we badly miss his energy, and I’m not sure why he isn’t being given a chance.

Yep. McTominay playing these last few games ahead of Hannibal has been a real blow. Even though I didn't agree with it I guess I could understand against Sheffield United since Scott had scored those late two goals in the previous match. But doing the same against Copenhagen was just a terrible decision by ETH.

Hannibal provided more in the games that he played than pretty much any of our midfielders have provided this season, bar Eriksen's appearances off the bench.

 

[Berbasbullet]

I think we badly miss his energy, and I’m not sure why he isn’t being given a chance.

The amount he ran in that first game was insane, mixed with starting to show some quality.

Hope he starts v Newcastle next week.

 

[theyneverlearn]

He seemed to be the only positive during a bad run of form, and now he’s back on the bench and done little wrong.

ETH needs to manage him and the minutes as I’d start to feel frustrating seeing the same names playing when having little impact.

 

[sglowrider]

Yep. McTominay playing these last few games ahead of Hannibal has been a real blow. Even though I didn't agree with it I guess I could understand against Sheffield United since Scott had scored those late two goals in the previous match. But doing the same against Copenhagen was just a terrible decision by ETH.

Hannibal provided more in the games that he played than pretty much any of our midfielders have provided this season, bar Eriksen's appearances off the bench.

One thing is I am glad that Hannibal has remained supportive of his teammates and not sulking like past players. Or post crap on X

 

[RuudTom83]

Safer to play McTom/Amrabat/Eriksen but the team could really use some pace and enthusiasm that Hannibal brings.

But I don't see him getting many minutes for the next few weeks.

 

[AltiUn]

Safer to play McTom/Amrabat/Eriksen but the team could really use some pace and enthusiasm that Hannibal brings.

But I don't see him getting many minutes for the next few weeks.

Can't be that safe playing McTominay considering he's given away consecutive penalties.

 

[OrcaFat]

Can't be that safe playing McTominay considering he's given away consecutive penalties.

Surely McT is only starting because of his hot streak of goals. We are finding goals so hard to come by that EtH is trying to keep goal prospects on the pitch. This would explain why Rashford rarely gets subbed - he is deemed more likely to get a goal from somewhere than others even if playing shit.

 

[Ekeke]

Think his chances are gone other than another injury crisis. Back to how it looked at the end of the last window with him probably leaving in the summer. Probably get himself a better move now he did quite well for us in a couple of games

 

[UnitedRepublic]

What did he do wrong ? All of a sudden he just diassapeard. I get why Pellestri is back in the freezer but Hannibal showed why we need a midfielder like him in there.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

What did he do wrong ? All of a sudden he just diassapeard. I get why Pellestri is back in the freezer but Hannibal showed why we need a midfielder like him in there.

Think Ten Hag only started him to give Eriksen and Mctominay a kick up the arse. It worked with Eriksen. It arguably hasn't worked with Mctominay although clearly Ten Hag thinks otherwise.

 

[Scarecrow]

Think his chances are gone other than another injury crisis. Back to how it looked at the end of the last window with him probably leaving in the summer. Probably get himself a better move now he did quite well for us in a couple of games

Damn, cheer up. It’s a long season, he’ll get more games.

 

[Adnan]

I think he'll start against City.

 

[Glorio]

I think he'll start against City.

I'd be really, really surprised if that happened.

 

[Bastian]

I'd be really, really surprised if that happened.

Casemiro is 50/50, McTominay has been awful since his heroic cameo, Eriksen doesn't have the legs, Mejbri has worked himself into the ground when he's had the opportunity. The only surprise here is ETH not giving him more games since he's performed for him. I agree with Adnan, I think he'll start alongside the non-dynamic Amrabat and Bruno further ahead of them.

Hopefully Erik will have the guts when Mainoo's back to field Mainoo, Mount and Mejbri.

 

[Adnan]

I'd be really, really surprised if that happened.

The reason I think he could start is due to what ten Hag said a few weeks back about starting him against teams who are good at keeping possession. He was asked about why Hannibal didn't start and he said something along the lines of Hannibal's qualities being better utilised against possession teams.

So imo what ten Hag is saying is that Hannibal's out of possession game is best utilised against teams who are good at keeping the ball hence defending from the front and attempting to disrupt City's build up play by applying a well coordinated press higher up the pitch is why I think Hannibal could start the game.

 

[Lost bear]

I'd be really, really surprised if that happened.

Yes, I’d be surprised too. But I live in hope.