I’m a bit perplexed by this too. Everyone is saying he’s been England’s best player (which admittedly is damming with faint praise)
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 32
- Goals
- 5
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
I know it’s easy to be over the top as United fans but he genuinely looks like he’s playing a different sport to the rest of the team.
He’s absolutely fantastic.
No manager would ditch him you mad man, he's one of the best talents in the world.
His footwork is amazing.
How long until Southgate inexplicably takes him off then
My guess is Gordon and Palmer on for Mainoo and Saka. Dropping Bellingham deeper.
My guess is Gordon and Palmer on for Mainoo and Saka. Dropping Bellingham deeper.
You’d think so. But managers like Tuchel etc probably prefer their own players and more experienced ones
Mourinho would
We have ourselves a brilliant player who will get better and better
He definitely lacks a bit of positional nous at the moment, so he doesn’t get on the ball as much as he should. He ends up playing a lot of the game reactively rather than proactively. But he’s so sharp he ends up offering a lot in moments anyway.
Chances are he’ll get hooked early in the second half with that yellow, even when he’s one of the few bright sparks in the team…
Chances are he’ll get hooked early in the second half with that yellow, even when he’s one of the few bright sparks in the team…
Been good but I am looking forward to the point were he has a more expansive passing range, at that point he is unplayable, go too tight he will dribble past or 1-2 you, stand off and he will hurt you.
He's so much better further forward.
He doesn't have the experience to operate deep even though his technical ability is high.
He should follow Scholes' career path - start close to goal and move deeper.
He doesn't have the experience to operate deep even though his technical ability is high.
He should follow Scholes' career path - start close to goal and move deeper.
He was easily England's best player, also in final third he was one player who had lot of composure and made right choices.
Yep, clearly won’t drop Jude, Rice or Foden. Not really sure what Rice offers this current team especially when chasing a goal. Poor passing range and under pressure, and there is no space for him to run into to do what he is good at.
The amount of passing about the back with 5 and 6 players behind the ball is just shocking.
He's been showing for the ball loads but Rice, Stones and Guehi are too scared to pass him the ball on tight areas.
Seems to be an issue with nearly all midfielders coming through our system for donkeys.
Yeah I noticed this too. We just don't trust ourselves to play like this, even when we have players that can do it. Spain do it so much, it's like it's in their DNA
Yeah there’s a bit of that. He also trusts himself in very tight positions so he thinks he’s making himself available while the other players aren’t sure. And that would build up over time with more familiarity. Saka trusts him a lot more than Walker for example. But at the same time, Mainoo needs to recognise the players around him and their comfort levels, he needs to make more space for himself for them to want to find him. And he’s a bit oblivious to that. It’s the same at United too. He gets on the ball far less than he should. And it seems part of that is because he doesn’t have the best stamina. It’s just one of his limitations at this point.
He's done well.
I heard Harry Redknapp recently talk about when he first brought Modric to Spurs. He would show for the ball despite being stood quite close to opposition midfielders. It took his teammates a while to realise that he was good enough in tight spaces that they should play him the ball.
It feels a little like that keeps happening. Kobbie is making himself available but England will only try passing to someone who doesn't have another player within 10 feet of them.
I heard Harry Redknapp recently talk about when he first brought Modric to Spurs. He would show for the ball despite being stood quite close to opposition midfielders. It took his teammates a while to realise that he was good enough in tight spaces that they should play him the ball.
It feels a little like that keeps happening. Kobbie is making himself available but England will only try passing to someone who doesn't have another player within 10 feet of them.
Completely agree.
Incredibly press resistant, really dynamic when he gets on the ball, and can pick a pass (though clearly scope for a bit more range to his passing).
Opportunity area for development is, as you say, getting on the ball more. Doesn’t quite have that constant showing for the ball down, which is a proper skill and something that comes with maturity. As you say it’s a bit too reactive, but the talent is there in spades. England’s best player when he was on it.
He has been decent. While I absolutely adore him, let’s not rewrite facts. He needs to lose his midfield markers and get on the ball more often. Has played really well around the opposition box but isn’t experienced enough to position himself better. His close control is out of the world though.
His close control might be why he doesn't try and get away from his market more often. He's probably had the ability to beat most opponents throughout his youth career, and also pretty often for the first team so far as well.
Playing against better teams and better players more often should help teach him to start creating more space for himself.
Our best player on the pitch in both games he's played. To think people on here were saying this would be too much for him after holding his own against City and Liverpool.
Needs to work on his fitness so he can go all 90. Only criticism. He's a fecking gem
Played well but he does need to show an expanded range on his passing, at he moment he progresses the play mainly with his dribbling.
Played too safe. He’s got the ability that Rice thinks he has.
I think based on this season there is a question about whether he has a good passing range. He's showed it in glimpses but I don't think when watching him you think hes a great passer. He has a good short range pass but at this moment im unsure of whether he has a good consistent long passing range, it also doesn't seem to be his game.
Yeah, needs a kroos type next to him while he's pushed up more.
Our best player across the entire match. Needs to start for the rest of the tournament.
Motm easily. Only player who took the ball and played a positive pass without taking too long or too many touches
2 goals were scored when he's off. Hmm..
Send him back to England, actually please do so he can be fit for the season.
If England and Utd learn to pass to him even when he’s got players close in right areas, he will become THE main man for both teams
in fairness he missed the entirety of the pre season through injury where you build that fitness base, then came in mid season where training will be more game based. Combined with being a first season of senior football I am hopeful that he will be much improved next season
stats.
It took his own team to realise they could pass to him in that situation. He also drags players out of the middle as well, but it needs to be faster passing.
Most of his best work tonight was when running with the ball, his passing was very safe and conservative other than the couple of moments early on when he got around the edge of the box and was able to find clever angles.
Still far from certain what type of player he is going to end up being, as DLP ideally you would want a wider passing range than he has shown so far, will he be an Iniesta? Impossible to get the ball off, kills other teams press from higher positions?
His feel for the ball is the best in that squad so would be surprised if he does not add those extra bits to his game.
I think he's much more likely to be an 8. Having him deeper than that is a waste of his ability on the ball
You don’t half chat some shite.
Let me guess, Media and Southgate will blame Mainoo for the goal and media will scream for Trent again and Southgate listens to media like usual and plays Trent next game?
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