You wouldn’t say it’s more impressive getting 112 goals/assists in a team that doesn’t produce chances to score and doesn’t tuck away chances to make assists, than 112 goals assists in a team that produces chances and goals for fun? I find that hard to believe.
You don’t think it’s more impressive and downright unusual, in itself to score 35 league goals for Leicester or Las Palmas than to score 35 league goals for Manchester City or Real Madrid? Really?
Again, I see your point, but I stand by it. In my perception, Manchester United started to channel everything through Bruno since Pogba was mostly out of the team. Since then, Bruno, not because he is bad or at fault or anything, it happened due to his team mates and managers giving him this responsibility, is the catalyst for the team. As it is pointed out so often: "everything good goes through him". For me, thats not a testiment of how good of a player he is (don't need to touch the extent of that for this point) but how dysfunctional the team is. One of the points that were criticized is that while Brunos individual numbers have been good to very good throughout the years, the team numbers have been dwindling. I think, we reached a point, where all his team mates expect something from him - so while he stepped up and produced even when the team got worse he did it with an amount of freedom (tactically, positionally), that I'd say is unusual, and with backing and appreciation of team mates and managers and fans who were all in need of goals.
Thats not me saying that achiving those numbers isn't very good, it is. But I think they come (to a degree, which's extent is obviously debatable) at the cost of something seeing the teams overall productivity decreasing. Not at Brunos fault, but because of dysfunctional elements and others not stepping up.
In terms of assists only, I think you are right. Obviously, you have bigger chance of reaping assists when you deliver passes to clinical team mates. But since we were talking goals and assists, I personally think it doesn't apply exactly the same.
I don't disagree mate, the last 2 years are a good example of winning trophies while going backwards. Ten Hag left the squad in a worse place than he found it. And while I have no problem with sacking managers we've hired the wrong managers at the wrong times and given them way too much power to shape the squad. In my opinion while I see your point about LVG, I personally he set us back quite a bit during his time too. While I could see he had a proper plan he was in the process of implementing he was given way too much leeway with selling players and in most cases replacing them with inferior players.
But yes we're off topic at this point so I'll leave it there.
Good points, I agree. Just to make sure: I don't think moving away from LVG was the issue because I share your opinion, I meant moving away from LVG and towards Mourinho.
Not really, Onana was not there under Ole and Rangnick, so I am not sure you can say that about him.
Dalot was never used by Ole, again can't be said the same about him either, there was also a period under Ten Hag when he was fit and AWB was ahead of him. Same with Rashford, under Rangnick and Amorim, he wasn't playing...
Maguire and McTominay were dropped by Ten Hag.
I agree. Thats why I said it applies to a degree. I still think the argument in itself isn't as convincing as it appears to be. I'd totally agree with you had the team been firing on all cylinders but our team has been dysfunctional and lacks in key areas. Not even speaking of constant injury issues. So I see your point I just don't think it carries that much weight.
When was Bruno ever dropped by any manager / Interim for more than one game?
He wasn't because he was the sole source of goals and assists in our team. Since you need those in football, every manager will have to make sure to get those so most will pick the players able to deliver them even though those players might not be ideal fits for how the manager wants to play. If it is the only way to achieve something, you go for it. I mean, just look at the last few games, the matches mostly look exactly like they did under ETH or even Ole. We try to stay compact, we don't even attempt control of the ball and when we reach a certain point, we'll launch long balls into runners. It makes use of Brunos talent to do those. And for a long time it made use of Rashfords talent to convert those into goals or chances. Last few matches have seen individual moments to achieve goals and capitalizing on opposition errors. Thats all good and beggars can't be choosers but we need to finally make the next step.
edit: So to close that bow - yes, for the kind of football we played for the recent past, Bruno has been instrumental and will remain that. But that wasn't good football, for me personally it is football we HAVE TO move away from. Maybe thats why I see Bruno so differently than most others on here. He is the piece of tape that holds something kind of together what I probably would like to being shattered and rebuilt.
No, a player who plays every game for every manager is not good apparently.. and is only selected because he is available... is a clear agenda.
I am honestly not sure what those constant BS attempts are supposed to achieve. I think I make an effort to make clear that my points never can be interpreted as "Bruno is actually really bad, you guys just don't see it". Maybe if you think I suffer from an agenda, you should look at yourself as well