Absolutely. Yet when I watched Mainoo yesterday, I thought…”there is a mature, highly accomplished player”. For me he is the anti-Pogba. When pushed, he can produce some real magic with his dribbling and bursts forward, or the odd flick, but what he excels at so, so well, is doing the simple, small things to the highest standard. He very, very rarely gives it away and can receive the ball in the tightest of spaces, and sometimes not even a good ball, and kill it dead and play his way out of it. It helps us retain possession so much and keeps us fluid, that he becomes the fulcrum of the entire midfield. He’s also, nearly always in the right place, sweeping up second balls and available to receive it. He never over complicates when simplicity is called for, and that’s the bread and butter of a midfielder. He also won’t shy away from a progressive pass if it’s on.
I think he’s just going to get better and better as he ages. He has such quick feet and such a good footballing brain. He’s going right to the top. Ultimately I would love for him to get a steady, reliable midfield partner so that they can build that understanding. He and Eriksen dovetailed beautifully yesterday, and helped strangle Palace through their endless recycling of possession and clever passes through the lines, but long term you think Ugarte will be that guy. Ugarte never stops moving and I think that will work really well with Kobbie’s dynamic movement in midfield. I can see the two creating a really good link up with Zirkzee to create those triangles through the middle, with Bruno buzzing around here, there and everywhere. It also works well when Diallo comes infield and creates that opportunities for give and goes.
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wonder what some people are actually watching to be perfectly honest
