Henrikh Mkhitaryan image 22

Henrikh Mkhitaryan Armenia flag

2017-18 Performances

View full 2017-18 profile

5.3 Season Average Rating
Appearances
22
Goals
2
Assists
7
Yellow cards
2
Status
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Ace of Spades said:
The problem with him is that he is a final third player. He is not a playmaker who will control games, he is best when he is close to the opponent's box. He thrives on fast transition when the team are on the break and there is space to attack.
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Totally agree.

On paper you would have thought todays game would have suited Myki, but without Mata he was designated as playmaker (10 role) (which he's not!), he didn't seem (often enough) to get near Lukaku, who for me also had 'stinker', he couldn't get hold of the ball, never mind lay it off.
I thought Liverpool's defenders were supposed to be rubbish, but they bested Romelu most of the match? When Lukaku did get his big chance, the approach play on edge of the box leading up to it was the only bit of quality outfield play we produced the whole match, he made life easy for the keeper with his shot, which the only thing you could say for it was it was 'on target'

At times today Myki looked like a little kid playing with the adults, couldn't win the ball, couldn't keep hold of it, had no one to play off him and actually by his body language at times he seemed as though he was 'sulking' like a kid.
Its worrying to say the least!
 
Sultan said:
He's generally been very good this season. He's hardly the first United attacking player to have a non-existent performance at Anfield. To be fair, all our attacking players were obsolete. The problem today originated from our lack of quality play in midfield.
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This is my point. I think he has done enough so far this season, but he needs, WE need him to do more. Apply himself more. I have been told, time and time again about his 'quality'. I haven't seen anything special, really consistently special at all. He has some super moments, and was tremendous in Europa League... but he is a starter, consistently, and I expect more from 'top' attacking players at Manchester United. I wouldn't compare him to Griezemann (for those that do..) as he plays in a different position. Griezemann is a forward, a match-winner and a talisman. Miki is none of those. I want him, all our players to do well, but they have everything at Old Trafford, everything. Money, fans, love, history, opportunity and when they don't respond to that, and I mean over a period of time, I just feel we should be able to say so. Mikithariyan isn't playing the level of football I expect from a player of his repute, and in his position. I'd take an Ozil, Silva, Mahrez over him at the drop of a hat. Ozil just needs another club, that's obvious. The Gooners have probs..
 
Not good enough week-in / week-out -- brilliant on his day, but those are few are far between. We've got to look elsewhere, or play a midfield 3.
 
He needs to go to the bench, Mata is a much better option for the #10.
 
Ace of Spades said:
The problem with him is that he is a final third player. He is not a playmaker who will control games, he is best when he is close to the opponent's box. He thrives on fast transition when the team are on the break and there is space to attack.

He is very good at pressing, and usually that would help him as there is a chance to intercept the ball higher up the pitch and do the damage, but we just do not play that way. We do not press, and in a slow game where he is asked to dictate play he is useless.
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Sorry, I disagree. You can dominate a game from various parts of the pitch. A holding player can (and I think often should) dominate a game. A centre-forward can dominate a game.. think Alonso in his pomp.. or Drogba. Think Scholes. Think Becks, Giggs.. think Cafu.. etc etc.. I could go on and on. All playing in different positions, and regularly used to dominate and dictate the game from where they started, because they had the quality and developed the confidence to do so. Miki played like a child today, even if you're not on your game, you put in a shift, disrupt the oppositions play.. win headers, lose headers, hit tackles... you 'make' things happen. These games are tense, and tight... you compete and move on. Miki and others seemed a little lost and lacking guts today in my opinion. Our first big test.... not sure how I feel about what I saw. But we'll see I suppose.
 
He is such a frustrating player to watch. Definitely has the goods during moments in the game but gosh, he just looks a fragile/weak player most times. Pushed around and loses possession too too easily.
 
Mkhi has done a good job so far as a no.10, and I think he can thrive in Europe where the game is slower and there is more space. I wouldnt be surprised if we win the league with him getting assists galore against cannon fodder because he does the business when given time on the ball.

However, him and Hererra were the reason we didnt win this game. Our gameplan was solid; and we were turning over possession in dangerous areas. However, every time Mkhi or Hererra got the ball they would take an age to make a pass or carry the ball into dead ends.

Im confident in saying that Mkhi has been shoehorned as a no.10 because we couldnt get Griezmann. The positions Mkhi takes up are similar to what Griezmann does at Atletico; except Griezmann is much better at retaining the ball and transitioning play. Mkhitaryan is a player that thrives in the attacking phase, closer to a wide forward than a no.10.
 
He's been really bad for a while now, in his supposed favourite position as a number 10. He was better last season not playing as a number 10.
 
Inigo Montoya said:
Hasn't bulked up??? WTF

A remark from someone who clearly has not seen him live
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Okay. If you insist that he has bulked up, he's still suffering from the same ailments as last season. Struggle when people close him down and hit him quick and hard in tight spaces. Liverpool are probably the top end of the spectrum as far as fast, insane small-space wild pressing and battling for the ball is concerned so I wasn't really surprised that he struggled against Liverpool.

Take the good with the bad, shake it off and do better on the next run out and build.
 
Has more bad performances than good. More inconsistent than Nani. Needs to affect more games.

It's not enough to just be good when the whole team is good.
 
I really want this guy to succeed and he has the potential. Today was poor but I haven't given up hope. He has been productive for us and he was sensational against pool in the games for Dortmund (or so my Liverpool mates tell me). Have faith.
 
Didn't even know he was on the field until he got subbed off
 
He lost a 60:40 in his favour against fecking Salah. The bloke is infuriating at times.
 
Leroy The Red said:
He's been really bad for a while now, in his supposed favourite position as a number 10. He was better last season not playing as a number 10.
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Mkhi's favoured position is a no.10 only in the head of caftards. He has shown no evidence of being a proficient no.10. He is a wide forward doing a job at no.10.
 
He was really poor today I thought, looked like a boy playing amongst men. Didn't impose himself on the game at all, didn't show any real movement, held his position but got marked out the game. Not an easy position to play in a game like today's was but good players make it work or at least have a go.
 
When he's poor he's dreadful as his defensive work is tumescent.
 
Sultan said:
He's generally been very good this season. He's hardly the first United attacking player to have a non-existent performance at Anfield. To be fair, all our attacking players were obsolete. The problem today originated from our lack of quality play in midfield.
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I disagree with the first point. He was good for the first 2-3 games but since then, even in the games where he's chipped in with an assist or goal, his overall play has been very poor. See this thread for the last 5-6 games and he gets lambasted.

And personally I see a #10 as a part of the midfield too. You play centrally and you see way more of the ball than the winger or the forwards. You have to have good ball retention. And he doesn't. He gives the ball away cheap as chips, the majority of the times he gets on it.

His bottom is a very low one and I'm thinking that maybe he's best played as a winger, like he was a BVB or when he first arrived. Sure, at his best he can influence the game more form the centre. But when he plays so poorly so often, you can't afford to have him centrally. He costs us possession way too much.
 
breakout67 said:
Mkhi's favoured position is a no.10 only in the head of caftards. He has shown no evidence of being a proficient no.10. He is a wide forward doing a job at no.10.
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Aye, he doesn't have the 'control' you need to play as a number 10. He's almost definitely better as a wide right with freedom to drift, his best form at Dortmund was in this position too. Much prefer Mata as a number 10.
 
We should keep him on the wings if we intend to use him. Hasn't got the decision making to be the hub of our attack.
 
Leroy The Red said:
Aye, he doesn't have the 'control' you need to play as a number 10. He's almost definitely better as a wide right with freedom to drift, his best form at Dortmund was in this position too. Much prefer Mata as a number 10.
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The thing is it's awkward in transition from attack to defend. Look at it this way. The no 10 has less burden going back to defend, while wide maker needs to put in more shift as nowadays many full backs are very good offensive. Our full back can't take care 2 players running around him. Mkhi last season as wide play maker had quite few moment he just let the other team dominate the wing to do whatever they want. Mata while lack physical quality, worked hard and disciplinedly enough to close down the opposition and help our full backs.

At no 10, Mkhi is supposed to be less burdened tracking runners, his defensive duty is more about maintaining the shape then transit from defense to attack. It looks good when it comes together given his pace. However, at his bottom level, he can't even that.
 
Leroy The Red said:
Aye, he doesn't have the 'control' you need to play as a number 10. He's almost definitely better as a wide right with freedom to drift, his best form at Dortmund was in this position too. Much prefer Mata as a number 10.
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Neither Mata nor Mkhi have the ball retention, work-rate and vision for a no.10 in this system. Mata in central positions is as easily pushed off the ball as Mkhi. Both are better further up the pitch; whereas a no.10 needs to shine in the transition between defence and attack. It is not a surprise that Mkhi and Mata are almost always substituted; because they fade as the game goes on and become a liability as the game goes on.

That being said; I'm still optimistic about our title chances; because Mourinho won the league with Oscar as a no.10 because he used him as a way to give Fabregas a platform to create.

I think we have missed Pogba massively, ever since he has gone our creativity has gone down the drain. We have had to focus on being physical and aerial threat in the box to get our first goal.
 
I dont think he will make it as a big united player In the epl. He has to go on the bench. Enough trusting him. Should have played mata who always shines when we need him.
 
breakout67 said:
Neither Mata nor Mkhi have the ball retention, work-rate and vision for a no.10 in this system. Mata in central positions is as easily pushed off the ball as Mkhi. Both are better further up the pitch; whereas a no.10 needs to shine in the transition between defence and attack. It is not a surprise that Mkhi and Mata are almost always substituted; because they fade as the game goes on and become a liability as the game goes on.

That being said; I'm still optimistic about our title chances; because Mourinho won the league with Oscar as a no.10 because he used him as a way to give Fabregas a platform to create.

I think we have missed Pogba massively, ever since he has gone our creativity has gone down the drain. We have had to focus on being physical and aerial threat in the box to get our first goal.
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Mata have ball retention in him in a high press. His movement is also intelligent enough.
 
breakout67 said:
Neither Mata nor Mkhi have the ball retention, work-rate and vision for a no.10 in this system. Mata in central positions is as easily pushed off the ball as Mkhi. Both are better further up the pitch; whereas a no.10 needs to shine in the transition between defence and attack. It is not a surprise that Mkhi and Mata are almost always substituted; because they fade as the game goes on and become a liability as the game goes on.
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What?

Midfielders transition from defense to attack and vice versa.

#10 transitions from possession to attack.

If you want to split hairs we can just say the whole team is constantly transitioning from defense to attack depending on ball possession.
 
prtk0811 said:
Mata have ball retention in him in a high press. His movement is also intelligent enough.
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I can understand why Mourinho wants more athleticism from his 10 than Mata offers but in hindsight, we'd have likely been better off today playing Mata for an hour and then bringing on Mkhitaryan to hopefully threaten on the counter in the final half hour.

The main takeaway here is probably that when Pogba comes back to join Matic in midfield, I'd expect both Fellaini and Herrera to be above Mkhitaryan for the 10 job (or we'll play 4-3-3) in the toughest away games.
 
I'm surprised by the level of criticism. He is a frustratingly inconsistent player but has been a key man in United's great start this season. People say his stats mask his performances but they led to wins which masked United's struggle to break teams down in those games before the late goal rushes.

There is no way Jose will play Mata ahead of Mkhitaryan in games like this. Miki is far better defensively and a much more effective player on the counter attack due to his pace and dribbling ability. If United bring in a new number 10, I still expect him to start over Mata on the right.

He didn't play well vs Liverpool but played a role Jose would have preferred to give to Pogba or Fellaini. He had a lot of defensive responsibility and the game passed him by. I thought Lukaku was far worse and offered absolutely nothing.
 
However bad he may be, we don't have a better option to replace him with. Please don't say Mata as he has played for 3 managers at United so far and not one has played him in that position apart from the occasional game here and there. He does well in Europe and against the weaker teams in PL once we have made the breakthrough.
 
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