[Ballache]

Once shit, always shit. Look how difficult it is for fans to say that Maguire is doing so much better. Took forever

Precisely.
People forget that Mainoo is 19, has played non-stop for a year and has had injuries. On top of that, he plays the most difficult position in football. Does he have deficiencies? Absolutely. Do we need more rotation options? Definitely. People need to calm down though.

 

[poleglass red]

I thought he was excellent yesterday.

 

[red woppit]

Some dodgy passing at the start of the game but then started to grow into the game and came out with the ball in some very tight spaces. Was also getting stuck in whenever required.

I think that quote probably represents the way the team started as a whole, but the longer the game went on, the more we looked like a proper team, finally.
Mainoo still has deficiencies, primarily, I believe, in picking up the runners, but that part of his game will improve, as will his passing forwards.
As has been stated, he is still only 19, and will need breaks from time to time, as well as picking up injuries, so, for me, another midfield player coming in is essential, may be too early for the likes of Gore etc, but I did like Collier when he played midfield earlier in the season, probably a more defence minded player, but could do a job, anyway, congratulations to Toby Collier on his 21st birthday on 3rd January.

 

[shabin_d_great]

he has been the difference since being substituted for zirzkee against Newcastle. Kind of old mainoo but passing it a bit faster this time..

 

[SonOfFergie]

His form fell off a bit from last season. His freshness seems gone. Looks a bit heavy legged resulting in some bad touches across recent games. Generally Kobie looks great prospect, technique, footballing IQ is all there but there will be two things I think that will define him. First one will be his energy levels as I unfortunately don't see endless stamina of Bruno, Ugarte, Mazraui with him. And second one will be his mobility to move fast across the pitch (ala Ugarte). Could be fatigue or getting up to speed after injury, second season syndrome or maybe this is just who he is. But for CM position his mobility and energy levels will need to be higher if he wants to be a feature of this team I don't see him as a 10 in this formation.

 

[Red the Bear]

If he ups his passing range/consistency he'll be considered among the very best of his specialty in no time.

It's his greatest weakness as of now in my opinion as his lack of athleticism can be compensated for by surrounding him with work horses as we've been already doing with ugarte.

Not too dissimilar to the pirlo gattuso situation, football has changed a lot since then but I belive you can still get by with one or two players who can't exactly put a shift in if the set up takes that into consideration.

 

[Drainy]

Strange that people think he can't fit the system. I don't think Ugarte is a *perfect* partner for him and his strengths but Mainoo can definitely play the link up midfielder who is allowed to get forward, once he's developed a bit more

 

[Raoul]

Probably cheap rumour.

This is a player performance thread.

 

[Raoul]

The transfer thread was locked and deleted immediately in fairness

With good reason. That doesn't mean this thread is fair game to discuss transfers. The appropriate place would be the transfer tweet thread.

 

[Raoul]

What good reason? Wheeler’s been a reliable journalist for United for ages and Ornstein said Mainoo wasn’t considered unsellable. Head in sand moment to not allow people to discuss it.

See my above edit.