I like Sancho as a 10 and I hope he wants to be one. His game is not built on physical attributes to be a force out wide.
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Agreed. Sancho doesn’t have the pace of any kind of winger, inverted or otherwise. But drifting around opportunities from a central position suits him well.
I thought he's done for and there's no hope for him at United...
All Rashford’s publicity and rightfully so we sometimes forget Bruno is arguably a top 10 talent in world football currently.Comments like this
Honestly Bruno is one of the most 'taken-for-granted' players I know. The man had 9 key passes, and it's a feature of his game. He is simply ridiculous.
On some days he'll lose a few but his ability to create chances for others is next level.
His productivity at making chances is ridiculous as you stated and he may be just behind Messi as the worlds finest playmaker right now.
One of our best players we have ever had at United if you ask me. Pick any of our great sides in history and Bruno would have probably started every game. He’s that good.
He's not a #10, this is a specific tactic being used by ETH at the later stages of the game. Otherwise he'd be starting there against Leeds, Barcelona or Leicester instead of Weghorst.
His workrate isn't high enough, he doesn't impose himself enough, his range of passing lacks variety and he lacks mental strength to be the focal point of the team. He's also not a good defender.
His workrate isn't high enough, he doesn't impose himself enough, his range of passing lacks variety and he lacks mental strength to be the focal point of the team. He's also not a good defender.
He's very experienced also for his age.
Was playing in Italy 10 years ago.
He played over 100 games in Italy before doing the same in Portugal, so he was already experienced by the time he arrived here.
He's just a very clever player who's always looking to create something.
So is Weghorst a better 10 than bruno? as he's started there over him in all the games you've mentioned?
Also half time isn't latter stages of a game now is it? because that's when he came on at 10 and completely changed the game.
Same, or at least playing some capacity in the middle. If you look at all of Sancho's goals this season they have all come from being allowed to drift through the middle. He's not a wide man in the premier league, doesn't have super pace or skill.
This doesn't really work when Sancho seems to be our third choice on either wing and Bruno starts at #10 every game when we have our starters available.
I also don't think that Sancho 'completely changed the game' either. Did he do anything before the point we were already 2-0 up?
You mean caf posters who thought Sancho should be kicked out of the club in the dead of night were wrong?
Even at Dortmund he played in those half spaces, they were always a narrow attack that played quick 1-2 passes with overlapping fullbacks.
That's why he looked so out of place at United to begin with. Our wingers just stayed wide, told to attack 1v1 and sling in crosses. He isn't good at that.
Get him inside the pitch where he can use his quick feet and agility, playing pass and move football. There's no coincidence he is thriving close to Bruno who also likes the same style.
This makes no sense at all.
Antony doesn't have pace.
Bruno doesn't have pace and still delivers from the wing.
True that. The disrespect here is staggering. He is our most important player. There is a reason why he isn't rested or subbed. Seriously, can't believe our fan base.Comments like this
Honestly Bruno is one of the most 'taken-for-granted' players I know. The man had 9 key passes, and it's a feature of his game. He is simply ridiculous.
On some days he'll lose a few but his ability to create chances for others is next level.
Sancho was also one of the fastest wingers in the BL. It’s just we were a mess before ETH came along. We had no tools to break the low block down apart from trying to beat a player or two from a standing start and hope something came off. There was nobody to cross to or play off out wide. No conviction to our overloads. I can see Sancho doing a great job on either wing once his fitness and confidence fully come back. He’s a class player. That bit of one touch interplay with AWB at the end of the Leicester game was sweet.
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And what's wrong with that?
You name me a good team that do not have an effective, and I mean very effective, set of players who have a specific remit which is to ensure the pitch is made as wide as possible?
You may disagree, but I want our team to play with good width across the park, as this opens the game up for our attacking players. Without the ball, we tuck in.... Rashford, more than anybody really, benefits from this.
Sancho will be a better player if the game has players making the pitch as wide as possible.
Still think he would be better as a false 9 than CAM
Sancho's strengths seems to be that he is very good at little one two, and he is a quick thinker with the ball. He works with instincs, rather then pure pace.
I think the way united are setup currently will suit his game, especially in tight games. We are lucky to have him back in squad to be honest, as there is only so much Rashford and Bruno can do from an attacking point of view.
It is great to see options of Rashford, Sancho, Antony, Garnacho all vying for 2 places (in reality it is Rashford plus 1 or 2 depending on how we set up the team).
Hopefully we can get Martial fit for the last 10-15 games, which will give us great options upfront as well (but I am not going to bank on his fitness!!).
I think the way united are setup currently will suit his game, especially in tight games. We are lucky to have him back in squad to be honest, as there is only so much Rashford and Bruno can do from an attacking point of view.
It is great to see options of Rashford, Sancho, Antony, Garnacho all vying for 2 places (in reality it is Rashford plus 1 or 2 depending on how we set up the team).
Hopefully we can get Martial fit for the last 10-15 games, which will give us great options upfront as well (but I am not going to bank on his fitness!!).
If they're a 1v1 threat individually then of course it can work. If you don't then you cant force them into that situation and expect to work well.
As you mention, Rashford works best with space to play into, Sancho is better in tighter pockets with more team mates around.
ETH has noticed this, and is the reason he's now playing him in a number 10 like position.
I have those reservations as well. He looks very good when we're attacking. The main difference is out wide defenders can push him one way, and he doesn't have the pace to beat a defender. Centrally he is more unpredictable, and a good ball carrier - more because of his control than the speed.
Defensively he's still suspect. However, I do think we need the wingers to put more effort (with current midfield) than #10. We've been often outplayed because it was just too easy to get down the wing. This is why I think Antony /Bruno are better there than Sancho.
Bruno passing and crossing has been excellent from right wing so honestly I wouldn't move him.
Neither of them are particularly fast, I agree, but Antony has shown better endurance and more consistent defensive work for the full 90' on the wing. Sancho, until his comeback at least, was fading around the 60' mark and wasn't even a high energy player during those 60 mins. His defensive work was a bit shoddy. Overall, Antony was more tactically aware: hugging the line and stretching the pitch to create space, while also doing a lot of pressing, running and covering of his fullback. These are things that ETH expects of his wingers.
I have to say Sancho has improved his endurance and work rate since his come back, particularly evident last week in Barcelona, but he's not yet done it anywhere near enough or as consistently as Antony. The latter is still the better winger. But Sancho's ability to find passes in tight spaces, play one-twos and score goals from inside in the box is clearly superior to Antony. Which is why many believe (me included) that a central or free role suits him better.
I agree with everything you said. The thing I was more replying to is Sancho doesnt have the pace to play wide, which is not true.
Also, Bruno is our 10, the ground he covers and defensive shift, will Sancho do that?
Conversely I think he's great as a 10 because his movement is excellent, intelligence, decision making, close control are all excellent. His link up play is the best in our squad by far, he isn't a selfish player and is capable of slowing the game down and upping the tempo far better than others in our team. Our team specifically needs those qualities. I love Bruno, but he has 1 speed to him. You need some who know to slow the game down. Sancho is also far better when pressed and in tight spaces.
Work rate is fine, he isn't excellent defensively but he works hard enough and knows how to press as part of a team well. Bruno can get back better but sanchos defensive work suits a 10 position.
Pushing Bruno wide also helps our possession game, as we can afford his general style and carelessness at times more when he's on the right. I think we are far more likely to see more of Sancho as a 10 now. When Antony returns Sancho will probably go to the left and Rashford top, but with Antony out then it'll be Sancho 10 and Bruno right. Rashford left or ST depending on Martials availability.
In Sancho's defence his work rate has improved a lot since his comeback. He did very well in terms of pressing, ball recoveries and general work-rate in Barcelona last week. To his credit.
On the bolded, I think you might also be misattributing some unconventional selections made due to player absences, to Sancho's weaknesses. I believe Rashford was moved to #9 for two reasons. Absences in midfield and RW, forced Fernandes on the RW while Weghorst has failed to justify starting up top. If Sancho played as a #10 and Fernandes on the RW with Rashford was at LW, it becomes harder for our two best players (Rashford and Fernandes) to link up due to being on the opposite sides of the pitch. Clearly those two generate most of our threat. Weghorst up top with Rashford LW and Fernandes RW might well mean we are toothless up front.
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I don't think many come close to matching Bruno for work rate in our team. Maybe Fred or Weghorst. It's really hard for me to say that Sancho can do that, not at the level Bruno can that's for sure.
However, I think a more pertinent question is: Can Sancho do enough at #10 (both creatively and defensively) so that on the balance, the team becomes better with him at #10 and not weaker? And honestly, I don't know for sure. He hasn't done it enough yet for me to be able to answer the question convincingly.
What I think is that Sancho's attacking skillset suits the #10. I also think Bruno's attacking skillset suits the RW. Because he has brilliant vision and long range passing unlike any of our other wingers. Additionally he plays a very high risk game which can also backfire at times, so it's safer to do that from the wing. Bruno is a supreme chance creator and extremely hard worker, but a metronome or someone who will retain possession when under the cosh, he is not. Sancho is better at the latter. If he can prove that he's not a defensive liability at #10, then the team might be better with him there.
As I said in other posts, his work rate since he's come back has been improved. He's only had two starts since his comeback, against Leeds and Barcelona away. I don't think he let the team down with his work rate in either of those games.
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I'm completely on board with Sancho (still mystified why we didn't meet Dortmund's price the previous summer, but what's done is done), but I'm only saying that he doesn't have the kind of all out pace you'd normally expect of a top winger. He's extremely quick with the ball at his feet (when in flying form), but he doesn't have the pace in the open pitch of a player like Rashford. But he'll more than compensate for that against low block opponents who can only be beaten with quickness and quick thinking, not lung bursting runs.
His transition to being Mata is complete. For his sake, I hope he's the Chelsea version of Mata and not the United version.
Very accurate, the only thing I’d dispute is the media handling. I think he commands respect and comes across very well. He also openly calls us out if we are rubbish.
Comments like this
Honestly Bruno is one of the most 'taken-for-granted' players I know. The man had 9 key passes, and it's a feature of his game. He is simply ridiculous.
On some days he'll lose a few but his ability to create chances for others is next level.
Its the cafe's speciality, shitting on players. Antony is the current victim.
To be fair to Grealish though, he also has 5 assists to Sancho's 1 which is conveniently left out. Although if it wasn't for Weghorst, Sancho might have had couple more assists.
Did Ten Hag not say early in the season they were trying him at #9? i'm sure it was a Europa League game where he scored, so He clearly thinks him playing Central will work.
He's so good to watch when he's playing well, if he gets a run in the team centrally i can see Goals and assists starting to pile up, him and Bruno are by far our most naturally creative players.
He's so good to watch when he's playing well, if he gets a run in the team centrally i can see Goals and assists starting to pile up, him and Bruno are by far our most naturally creative players.
I think ETH likes clever, technical, versatile players who can play in different positions.
So Sancho is ideal for this. Martial, Rashford, Mainoo also.
Its the reverse RAWK. Or we are trying so hard not to be as deluded as them that we have become deluded too but in a negative sense. How many people wanted to sell Rashford last summer when everyone whos a well-informed United fan knew that he was suffering from injuries and never had a pre-season in over a decade? And how many managers/systems has he had in his youngish career so far? Its got to feck with a player's mindset after a while.
Sancho will do well under ETH. Bruno's not a speed demon and yet seems to be as productive as ever playing on the wing. He thrives best with shot one-two passing and third-man runs. The solution to our low-blocking opponents.
When Amad and Mejbri gets integrated into the squad in the next 12-18 months, with Bruno, Sancho, we will have got some depth and different playing styles ETH can employ against the different types of teams in the PL.
Id like to see him get a run at 10, Only because Bruno's productivity doesn't drop on the right.
Man Utd 2:1 Barcelona
Well.. as I said, he is not there to start as No 10 against any decent team yet.I'm just gonna leave this here
Looked like he'd pulled an all nighter, really poor
Being wasteful is not exactly a very important criteria to rate if a no 10 is good or not.
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