Mason Mount's Many Misfortunes

I’ve said this before, many times over, but I’ll say it again….the constant writing off of players - especially with a small sample size, is a fool’s game. I get the disquiet at the signing, which on the face of it was ill fitting or not needed, but he is here now. He will be very difficult to shift in any way that will have a positive effect on FFP.

Now, on the flip side, he’s a 25 year old England international, who has previously played at a very high level in a CL winning team. He has plenty of pedigree, great technical ability, and works hard. He’s been injured most of this season, and has come back into a team in full implosion mode. I think it’s impossible to judge him based on not only the sample size, but also the sample quality.

If I was the new United manager coming in next season, I would be delighted to have him as part of the squad. He can play as a 10, or inside left, and potentially as an 8. Although the jury is out on that. We will need a deep squad to compete, and he could be a valuable, homegrown part of a successful squad.

This team, this year, has been appalling. But no one will ever convince me that the quality of players at this club, even with all the injuries, are four goals worse than Crystal Palace. The manager has committed ritual suicide with his tactics and instructions, and while there are clear deficiencies and holes in our squad, a good manager would have this team with 20-25 plus points more than we currently have.

Rebuilding for next season is going to mean and need some squad turnover, but Mount isn’t one of the names I’d be particularly looking to move on. Personally, I’ll be hoping he has a good pre-season after a summer of rest, and enjoys an injury free campaign next year. There is a very good player there if he can stay fit, and one I remain optimistic about.
 
simonhch said:
I’ve said this before, many times over, but I’ll say it again….the constant writing off of players - especially with a small sample size, is a fool’s game.
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The issue with Mount is that most have seen more than enough of him to assess his level. He’s not an unknown player that comes from a league that no one is watching.

Personally, I wouldn’t have signed him even during his hot streak and it’s been a good few years since then. He’s average on the wing, not nearly good enough as an 8 and he’s a vastly inferior player to Bruno as a number 10 (who himself needs to be upgraded on but that’s a separate discussion)…

Miracles happen sometimes but so far we’ve been shoving a square peg in a round hole with the more patient of us saying: “it’ll fit, just give it a little more time”.
 
harms said:
The issue with Mount is that most have seen more than enough of him to assess his level. He’s not an unknown player that comes from a league that no one is watching.

Personally, I wouldn’t have signed him even during his hot streak and it’s been a good few years since then. He’s average on the wing, not nearly good enough as an 8 and he’s a vastly inferior player to Bruno as a number 10 (who himself needs to be upgraded on but that’s a separate discussion)…

Miracles happen sometimes but so far we’ve been shoving a square peg in a round hole with the more patient of us saying: “it’ll fit, just give it a little more time”.
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I understand the sentiment. The thing for me is, that we have little depth and variation in the squad, especially during a competitive season. Why does one have to assume that Mount needs to be shoehorned into the side as a starter? Maybe he’ll earn that spot through performances, maybe he won’t. But top sides, big club, elite sides, would have players like him as part of a front line of 15-16 players, who are all good enough to be starters. City sit players like Grealish, Nunes, Doku, Kovacic, and Alvarez on the bench every game.

We need real competition for places, especially amongst the most important positions on the team. Bruno cannot and should not play every game. Different games call for different approaches. Subs are important. Rotation is important. We used to have a stacked squad and bench under Fergie, who rarely played the same side two games in a row. A master of rotation. There are so many minutes during the season Mount could be getting and be a high quality option for. This idea of a starting XI is pretty fanciful in my opinion. It’s allowed, even preferable, to have two high quality 10’s.
 
The very definition of a ‘nothing’ player, didn’t need him then and don’t need him now and the fact we spent 60 million on a bang average player in the last year of his contract is just one more to add to the thickening by the day folder of all the things ETH has fvcked up on
 
Mount is a player who would do well in a City and Arsenal type team. I see enough in him to see a player who keeps shape, follows instructions, finds space and is good with a pass. Sure he isn't quite up there at UTD yet but I give him the excuse of being rusty.

I've always felt we need more players like Mount, fee being what it is and was too much considering where he was at with contract etc.

He is a player who can come in in multiple positions and do a job of nothing else. Something we need not least because of injuries but also to rest players.

Now for the controversial part. Our problem IS Garnacho, Bruno and Rashford. Not b cause they aren't capable of moments of brilliance or even skill level. It's more a mentality thing for me. All feel they have to do everything themselves. Which many times is detrimental to the team.

For example look at Hojlund goals. These are not passes to the forward but usually ricochets because the three above have gone for goal even when it's not the right decision. Sure there may be exceptions to the rule but generally speaking.

I'm always reminded of likes of Zaha. A mid table player who is the key point to a team but not one who made it to the top teams. Failed at UTD to a degree.

I'm also reminded of Grealish. Similar vein player to.Zaha. exceptional in a mid table.team as he is the key point. Couldn't get a game for City until he became a team player.

When Ole was asked about the attributes of Haaland, the first thing he said was team player. Will pass if someone is better situated to score.

Yesterday Mount made a pass and ran into space. Only to see Garnacho run and ultimately lose the ball. Should have gone back to Mount and Garnacho continue his run and I bet he would have got it back.

Now I could be wrong. We may end up with a player who doesn't do much. But honestly I like what I see. I would say he would be a mainstay if I was new manager coming in.
 
simonhch said:
I understand the sentiment. The thing for me is, that we have little depth and variation in the squad, especially during a competitive season. Why does one have to assume that Mount needs to be shoehorned into the side as a starter? Maybe he’ll earn that spot through performances, maybe he won’t. But top sides, big club, elite sides, would have players like him as part of a front line of 15-16 players, who are all good enough to be starters. City sit players like Grealish, Nunes, Doku, Kovacic, and Alvarez on the bench every game.

We need real competition for places, especially amongst the most important positions on the team. Bruno cannot and should not play every game. Different games call for different approaches. Subs are important. Rotation is important. We used to have a stacked squad and bench under Fergie, who rarely played the same side two games in a row. A master of rotation. There are so many minutes during the season Mount could be getting and be a high quality option for. This idea of a starting XI is pretty fanciful in my opinion. It’s allowed, even preferable, to have two high quality 10’s.
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I'd be okay with him as a squad player if he wasn't signed for 55 million (there's nothing that we can do about it now) on 250k per week (which is an on-going issue). As of now... I just hope that we manage to offload him somehow even though it's thoroughly unlikely. I don't dislike him and I would love nothing more than for him to prove me wrong but so far he remains the most baffling* United transfer ever for me with all the disappointment from that uncomplimentary title is inevitably shading my perception of him. Still, I hope that it's clear that my issue isn't with Mount, it's with the people that've signed him.

* not the worst. But I can understand the motivation behind most transfers — even the likes of Antony, Maguire, Sanchez etc. — while I simply don't get why did we sign Mount, it doesn't make sense at any level

City don't quite sign players like him though. They usually sign either superstars (not that often, actually), up-and-coming potential stars who are willing to be a squad option for the time being (Alvarez, Doku) that they can always offload later if they don't fully establish themselves (Jesus, Zinchenko) or players with unique skillset that allow Pep flexibility (like Kovacić or Doku). Maybe Akanji? Not sure if Pep envisioned him being as important as he is now... But then again, they didn't sign him on 250k per week and gave him an iconic number.
 
I was watching back the 2021 CL season today and I was sat there reminiscing about Mount.

Ignore the the contents of the tweet. I just wanted to share the comp. I miss him man :(

 
I didn’t really rate him when he was at Chelsea and was quite bemused when we signed him. Odd transfer, really. We signed him based on the (undeserved) hype.
 
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

This can't be real? Did we sign Owen Hargreaves?
 
WeePat said:
I was watching back the 2021 CL season today and I was sat there reminiscing about Mount.

Ignore the the contents of the tweet. I just wanted to share the comp. I miss him man :(

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Man that reminds me of how we completely bullied Madrid in that CL run, should've even won the year after..

Still think Mason will come good once his injury problems are behind him, but with every injury you wonder if its just bad luck or the sheer number of games he was playing at an early age catching up to him.
 
We have so many failures, don’t even know who is the biggest. Antony, Mount, Amrabat etc. none if them would even be close to the starting 11 of any top 7 team
 
If only anyone had checked with <checks notes> 12th place Chelsea, whether or not their talisman midfielder which they <checks notes> were willing to sell to a rival club, had a history of injuries.

Another in the list of unforgivable signings by Ten Hag.
Mount was so invisible against Palace he didn't even register as having a bad game.

Injury prone passenger, the story of Ten Hags signings.
 
Was obviously rushed back against palace, and wasn't taken off earlier either. Not that surprised
 
More maladies? MORE??

Mercy, Mother Mary, mercy.

Mason mooches Manchester's money, mostly.

Manager must mitigate May's messes, man.
 
Red_Aaron said:
At this point I wonder how many of these players have just given up on the manager and looking for excuses to drop out
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Mounts only played a handful of games this season though.

I think the club is just cursed. Surely we can't endure another season like this one.
 
He shouldn't feature again this season if he is this fragile, same with Shaw and Martinez. Shift the focus and aim for preseason/next season.
 
He's missed 41 games in his career through injury according to transfermarkt before United. At United he's missed 27 (soon to be 29?) already. Mad.
 
LordSpud said:
Mounts only played a handful of games this season though.

I think the club is just cursed. Surely we can't endure another season like this one.
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Yeah it's not necessarily aimed at mount but there are others I suspect aren't entirely keen to be a part of what could well be 5 hammerings to end the season
 
People who think we should plan our future midfield with him starting ahead of Bruno need to get real. We can't rely on him to stay fit. At best, he'll occasionally be a useful substitute to play off the left in the rare games he is available.
 
SilentWitness said:
He's missed 41 games in his career through injury according to transfermarkt before United. At United he's missed 27 (soon to be 29?) already. Mad.
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Why on earth didn’t Utd pick upon this? The money we paid for someone who has missed so many games in an area that really didn’t need another player is quite absurd.
Honestly would this sought of feckwittery happen with Ashworth and co in the boardroom? I would hope not.
 
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