[Gordon Godot]

We basically replaced VdB who never plays and we bought for 40M, with Mount who we got for 60M. Its absolutely criminal incompetence.

We have no money this window. We spent £60m on a player who we could just have tied up on a free, and didnt need anyway. Then we spent £47m on a keeper who was available on a free the previous summer. Its insanity. Sack the lot of them. Reports that INEOS cannot understand our signings is reassuring they see how crazy that is.

 

[CM]

He injury record last season was poor as well. He missed 13 games in total and from the beginning of March he only played another 43 minutes of football that season. The last time he scored a goal was in December 2022 and since then he has only managed to rack up one assist. Definitely feels like we have signed a duffer here.

Yep, it's another reason why making him our priority signing in the summer was so stupid. Even if we overcome the glaring tactical issues and find a way to successfully integrate him into the team, we've now got a player who has spent the majority of the last two seasons injured.

Heads should roll for this one.

 

[Bondi77]

Will be like a new signing when he is back on deck.

 

[didz]

WTF is this “calf injury”? Unless it was actually an Achilles rip he should have been back by now.

I've seen this spelling error all over the place and it's clearly causing confusion. It was not a "calf injury" but a "half injury."

We don't know which injury it's a half of though, but assuming it's an ACL (and we might as well), he's currently about halfway through his half injury recovery, and should be half as good as back around the halfway point of March, so as long as he doesn't get a half recurrence that leaves him needing to go halfway under the knife, he'll be half-arsing it with the rest of his team mates for half the majority of the first half of his million-a-week-twice-halved wages.

Hopefully that's cleared up your confusion.

 

[RopersReturn]

I’d forgotten what he looked like let alone his ability on the pitch? He’s been out for so long.

 

[redcucumber]

He injury record last season was poor as well. He missed 13 games in total and from the beginning of March he only played another 43 minutes of football that season. The last time he scored a goal was in December 2022 and since then he has only managed to rack up one assist. Definitely feels like we have signed a duffer here.

Christ. We don't help ourselves.

 

[Leethal]

I remember criticising this signing right off the bat. I was slaughtered for it.

@zaafi still care to defend this dud?

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I remember criticising this signing right off the bat. I was slaughtered for it.

@zaafi still care to defend this dud?

I can't imagine you were the only one.

It's a perplexing signing whichever way you shake it.

 

[Leethal]

I can't imagine you were the only one.

It's a perplexing signing whichever way you shake it.

Definitely wasn’t the only one. But I was very vocal and was heavily criticised for “not giving him a chance”.

 

[groovyalbert]

I remember criticising this signing right off the bat. I was slaughtered for it.

@zaafi still care to defend this dud?

I think what brought me on side was how many other top EPL clubs were supposedly in for him. Felt like we'd won a race by getting him.

Was happy at the time but it always felt like we'd blown a huge portion of our budget on an area that wasn't a priority comparatively. It's had VDB vibes from the get go, and those have only gotten stronger.

 

[hobbers]

Missed 13 games for Chelsea with a persistent pelvic injury. Then since moving he's missed 6 games for a hamstring and 13 games for this supposed calf injury.

3 completely different long term injuries in the space of 9 months or so...

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

I remember criticising this signing right off the bat. I was slaughtered for it.

@zaafi still care to defend this dud?

I think his account got permanently banned, hence the Bruno thread has been far less active these past couple of weeks.

I understood the logic behind replacing Eriksen with someone who offers the same attacking threat but with a higher work rate and defensive ability. However we've yet to see any of that from Mount in his limited time in a United shirt. I also think the Casemiro injury hasn't helped matters. We expected a functional midfield 3 consistently starting games and instead we've been chopping and changing every week.

 

[FerociousCorgis]

I remember criticising this signing right off the bat. I was slaughtered for it.

@zaafi still care to defend this dud?

for me i didnt see it either, but had hoped it would somehow work and was just something i was missing. For me just another example of overpaying for average british players that couldve easily been found elsewhere at half the price. Guess once he finally comes back at some point from injury we just have to hope he works out. If not honestly id be all good with new ownership just shipping him out this summer and recouping whatever they possibly can.

 

[theyneverlearn]

I remember criticising this signing right off the bat. I was slaughtered for it.

@zaafi still care to defend this dud?

I’m not sure you’ve been proven right just because he’s had injuries, unless you were criticising the signing as you felt he was injury prone?

He’s barely had a chance in a functioning team, at least give him a fair crack before trying to throw it in people’s faces.

FYI, I wasn’t really keen on his signing but I’d want to see him get a decent run in a team that isn’t devoid of all confidence and riddled with injuries.

 

[redcucumber]

I’m not sure you’ve been proven right just because he’s had injuries, unless you were criticising the signing as you felt he was injury prone?

He’s barely had a chance in a functioning team, at least give him a fair crack before trying to throw it in people’s faces.

FYI, I wasn’t really keen on his signing but I’d want to see him get a decent run in a team that isn’t devoid of all confidence and riddled with injuries.

Problem is, where does he fit in a full strength, fully fit team? He's an attacking mid, he plays in Bruno's position who is basically our one and only player who is never, ever out. We paid 55m for depth for Bruno, the machine man. Baffling.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Problem is, where does he fit in a full strength, fully fit team? He's an attacking mid, he plays in Bruno's position who is basically our one and only player who is never, ever out. We paid 55m for depth for Bruno, the machine man. Baffling.

Casemiro or Mainoo in the single pivot
Bruno and Mount as the two 8s

 

[RedC]

Definitely wasn’t the only one. But I was very vocal and was heavily criticised for “not giving him a chance”.

Well done, you're a living legend.

 

[redcucumber]

Casemiro or Mainoo in the single pivot
Bruno and Mount as the two 8s

Neither are number 8s, reckon we'd get overrun pretty easily. Casemiro, Mainoo and Bruno is more balanced. I guess it gives us the option to mix it up as and when, though. Having that flexibility can't be a bad thing.

 

[711]

Casemiro or Mainoo in the single pivot
Bruno and Mount as the two 8s

I guess that's the plan. Getting away with only one DM because of two energetic mids in front. I don't like joining in the Rashford pile-on but he really doesn't fit into that though, the whole front five would have to be prepared to track back for one DM to work well I think.

 

[KjaAnd]

I guess that's the plan. Getting away with only one DM because of two energetic mids in front. I don't like joining in the Rashford pile-on but he really doesn't fit into that though, the whole front five would have to be prepared to track back for one DM to work well I think.

It isn’t going to work regardless of Rashford tracking back or not. If you play one DM and to AMs, your need needs to be very mobile. Neither of Mainoo and Casemiro fits that criteria. We will get overrun in midfield if we play just one of them next to Mount and Bruno.

 

[Utd heap]

I remember criticising this signing right off the bat. I was slaughtered for it.

@zaafi still care to defend this dud?

He's barely played??

 

[711]

It isn’t going to work regardless of Rashford tracking back or not. If you play one DM and to AMs, your need needs to be very mobile. Neither of Mainoo and Casemiro fits that criteria. We will get overrun in midfield if we play just one of them next to Mount and Bruno.

I think Casemiro was purchased to be that man, but I agree he obviously isn't. Mainoo could be in time, but we can't rely on one hopeful, a new DM will be high on the summer shopping list I'm sure.

 

[DWelbz19]

You can put Casemiro in his prime in there and he'd still probably struggle. The defensive midfielder alone isn't carrying a whole midfield in the Premier League, realistically. Just because Fernandes and Mount run around a bit doesn't make them central midfielders.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Neither are number 8s, reckon we'd get overrun pretty easily. Casemiro, Mainoo and Bruno is more balanced.

It isn’t going to work regardless of Rashford tracking back or not. If you play one DM and to AMs, your need needs to be very mobile. Neither of Mainoo and Casemiro fits that criteria. We will get overrun in midfield if we play just one of them next to Mount and Bruno.

It works for Arsenal playing Rice as the single pivot and I wouldn't call him exceptionally mobile - he has outstanding positioning and tackling, which is what we saw from Casemiro last season.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

I think what brought me on side was how many other top EPL clubs were supposedly in for him. Felt like we'd won a race by getting him.

Reminds me of when we "beat" City to Sanchez, Fred, Maguire, and Ronaldo.

 

[theyneverlearn]

Problem is, where does he fit in a full strength, fully fit team? He's an attacking mid, he plays in Bruno's position who is basically our one and only player who is never, ever out. We paid 55m for depth for Bruno, the machine man. Baffling.

I agree with those points, it’s hard to see where we can get the best out of him. ETH seems to have had an idea of playing him and Bruno as 8’s but that looked horrible in practise.

I like tha he can play several positions and will help with depth, as you say, but it seems the money could have been spent better elsewhere. Time will tell.

 

[Teja]

I remember criticising this signing right off the bat. I was slaughtered for it.

@zaafi still care to defend this dud?

He barely played so you can't really call him a dud. The part that I'd criticize is spending 60m on a player whose contract is about to run out. That's in the past and I think we're fixing that class of problems with the people INEOS put in so it's not even worth talking about anymore (unless it's in the context of Murtough getting fired).

I'm willing to reserve judgement until he starts a stretch of games for us. Per usual, players coming back from injury need a bit of match sharpness, so maybe give him 2-3 games before you get your pitchforks out.

 

[Teja]

I agree with those points, it’s hard to see where we can get the best out of him. ETH seems to have had an idea of playing him and Bruno as 8’s but that looked horrible in practise.

It's our current tactical system and we do this regardless of who happens to play. The single pivot + 2 #8s. Would Mount be better than one of Eriksen / Mainoo in that second #8 role? I hope so, but let's see.

It's also possible that we'll do a Mainoo, Mount as #8s, Casemiro as DM and Bruno on the right.

 

[TheReligion]

The whoppers are out in full force here

 

[Doracle]

So, is this thread being bumped because he’s fit to play?

 

[McFred]

It's our current tactical system and we do this regardless of who happens to play. The single pivot + 2 #8s. Would Mount be better than one of Eriksen / Mainoo in that second #8 role? I hope so, but let's see.

It's also possible that we'll do a Mainoo, Mount as #8s, Casemiro as DM and Bruno on the right.

Just watched Liverpool absolutely murder Chelsea’s 200m+ midfield, with their own midfield made up of Szobozlai, Jones and MacAllister - none of which would be an obvious ‘DM’, but they are enabled by a coherent pressing system and a front 3 of Nunez, Jota and Diaz that worked incredibly hard.

So I think Bruno/Mount/Mainoo(or Case) could potentially work, but certainly not until the front line press far more consistently and effectively, and everyone knows their jobs automatically. It’s anyones guess whether ETH can actually implement that at this point though.

 

[Leethal]

He's barely played??

Which in itself goes further in justifying my point?

 

[Leethal]

He barely played so you can't really call him a dud. The part that I'd criticize is spending 60m on a player whose contract is about to run out. That's in the past and I think we're fixing that class of problems with the people INEOS put in so it's not even worth talking about anymore (unless it's in the context of Murtough getting fired).

I'm willing to reserve judgement until he starts a stretch of games for us. Per usual, players coming back from injury need a bit of match sharpness, so maybe give him 2-3 games before you get your pitchforks out.

He was a dud before he came here. Shite for the 18 months prior to signing for both club and country. And don’t jump on the bandwagon of “he was Chelsea’s 2x player of the year!”, because Dele Alli was also 2x premier league young player of the year, and we know how that turned out. Recency is a real thing in football. You’re judged based on that - not years ago.

We need to cut our losses, accept our poor judgment and feck him off to the highest bidder.

 

[Doracle]

He was a dud before he came here. Shite for the 18 months prior to signing for both club and country. And don’t jump on the bandwagon of “he was Chelsea’s 2x player of the year!”, because Dele Alli was also 2x premier league young player of the year, and we know how that turned out. Recency is a real thing in football. You’re judged based on that - not years ago.

We need to cut our losses, accept our poor judgment and feck him off to the highest bidder.

His wages make him near impossible to sell. We are stuck with him for the duration of his contract I suspect, so we have to hope he comes good. If he doesn’t, it will be the eventual loan/free transfer approach we sadly see a lot at United.

 

[Ayoba]

Any news on when he's back?

 

[Leethal]

His wages make him near impossible to sell. We are stuck with him for the duration of his contract I suspect, so we have to hope he comes good. If he doesn’t, it will be the eventual loan/free transfer approach we sadly see a lot at United.

Yep, hopefully with INEOS we won't see frauds like Mount coming here on astronomical wages, and generally being a complete waste of time and money.

I wouldn't care if he never kicked a ball for us again, and we use it as a lesson learned. Providing, of course, we learn a lesson.

 

[flameinthesun]

Which in itself goes further in justifying my point?

It's been half a season into his career here were his has been injured unfortunately for most of it. Its way too early to say A) he's injury prone for us and B) that he is a bad signing. He hasn't even had the chance to get a full run in this team. I can understand being underwhelmed at him signing but its way too early to write him off based on an injury hit half a season.

 

[Leethal]

It's been half a season into his career here were his has been injured unfortunately for most of it. Its way too early to say A) he's injury prone for us and B) that he is a bad signing. He hasn't even had the chance to get a full run in this team. I can understand being underwhelmed at him signing but its way too early to write him off based on an injury hit half a season.

He was out of form/injured for 18 months prior to joining us. But some genius in their infinite wisdom thought it wise to spend the majority of our transfer budget on a player A) we don't need, B) in the last 6 months of his contract, and C) bang out of form.

No sympathy at all. For all I give a shit, he can continue to carry on embarrassing himself by dancing around his house on TikTok while making 200k+ a week. If he had a modicum of respect for the club that is making him a multi-millionaire, he'd keep a low profile while he worked on his fitness/form; in an attempt to justify his astronomical wage. But nope, let's post fecking childish TikTok videos making a mockery of himself and the club.

 

[flameinthesun]

He was out of form/injured for 18 months prior to joining us. But some genius in their infinite wisdom thought it wise to spend the majority of our transfer budget on a player A) we don't need, B) in the last 6 months of his contract, and C) bang out of form.

No sympathy at all. For all I give a shit, he can continue to carry on embarrassing himself by dancing around his house on TikTok while making 200k+ a week. If he had a modicum of respect for the club that is making him a multi-millionaire, he'd keep a low profile while he worked on his fitness/form; in an attempt to justify his astronomical wage. But nope, let's post fecking childish TikTok videos making a mockery of himself and the club.

I mean...I get having strong emotion towards the club if you disagree on how much paid for him...I'm not sure I get the strong emotion towards the player.

 

[McGrathsipan]

It's been half a season into his career here were his has been injured unfortunately for most of it. Its way too early to say A) he's injury prone for us and B) that he is a bad signing. He hasn't even had the chance to get a full run in this team. I can understand being underwhelmed at him signing but its way too early to write him off based on an injury hit half a season.

Too early to say he's injury prone for us? feck my life he's been out since he got here for 3/4s of the time. He is the definition of injury prone so for that reason he is also a bad signing.

He might be ok in the future - but I dont see him becoming a fulcrum in the team. He was and will always be a monumental waste of a marquis fee