21 Jun 2022 07:44:11
Don't want to put in a long post.
But I would consider it a change in the right direction if ETH decides to drop Fred, McTom and Bruno in favour of 3 of Donny, FDJ, Eriksen or Garner.
Fred and McTom offer nothing and with Bruno for 2 good attacking passes he gets you 5 dangerous counters.
If he is going to play possession based football, I can see Bruno becoming a bit part player.
21 Jun 2022 07:52:27
Drop Bruno?
Yeah, that sounds smart.
21 Jun 2022 08:17:21
5 dangerous counters because we don’t have a decent defensive minded CM to stop those counters. You need players like Fernandes who will see and try these passes. The fella has been in more goals for us then any other player.
21 Jun 2022 08:43:49
Angelred/ ports- if they aren't performing then none have a devine right to start a game. Not saying bruno should be dropped but several games last season he was dire, in imminent danger of getting carded/ off due to both his gob and his play so often when it breaks down presents a good move for the oppo.
ports, i agree that he offers or can offer so much on his day but last season wasnt the best for any of our players tbh.
21 Jun 2022 09:11:25
Bruno created the most chances in the league last year in a dreadful side.
The most creative players are the ones who give the ball away the most. Look at Trent, KdB and even Messi.
With Bruno I hate his whinging and the rolling around, it’s my main criticism of him, but none of us were doing it in just first 18 months when he scored 50 goals and created 30 odd.
I can’t believe people think he should be dropped. He will play a big role and I’m very keen to see how Ten Hag uses him.
21 Jun 2022 09:24:48
I disagree, I don't really see Bruno as one of the players who will keep possession.
ETH would want to keep possession.
Bruno usually makes a direct pass or almost instant pass, it's rarely a 1-2 with some player.
Either we can play to the strengths of the bruno or play the way our manager wants us to play.
21 Jun 2022 09:32:22
Fred gets a lot of stick but i actually like fred.
Hes not world class but he's a player with the right attitude and you know he's going to give his all
With a bit of coaching i think ten hag can improve him.
21 Jun 2022 09:43:03
Completely disagree on the Fred part. He cannot be improved.
All his passing his sideways, and he struggles to control the ball.
McTominay has his positioning all wrong to receive the ball, he hides to receive the ball.
In an ideal world where we judge players on quality fred and McTom are not at our level.
If you transfer list either of them, do you think any top 4 club will want them? Probably not.
Fred runs a lot but that doesn't matter, I saw Carrick hardly run much yet he was almost always in the right position.
The only reason McTom is here is that's a he's a local lad and the only reason Fred is here because he works hard that's it.
We have won nothing with a McFred midfield and we never will.
Sooner they are sold the better.
But atleast for this season I would want them be benched more often than not.
21 Jun 2022 10:20:42
Great idea. DVB has been brilliant hasn't he?
21 Jun 2022 10:28:55
Totally disagree on Fred I actually think in the modern game he is a manager dream! He needs coaching and tweaking of course but to win ball back high up the pitch for 90 minutes isn’t just running around a lot there is far more to it . He is excellent at it! If ETH can improve the rest then he’ll be an important player imo .
21 Jun 2022 10:57:31
I would imagine Ten Hag knows what he wants to do with Bruno and I would guess he will still play a huge role.
21 Jun 2022 11:31:20
Bruno giving the ball away is a problem. However, it's only problem because we are so hopeless at getting the ball back. Other sides have players who give the ball away, but when De Bruyne does it, City have the ball back 10 seconds later pretty often.
You need players to try a risky pass in your side and Bruno is one of the few in our entire squad who tries to pass forward instead of sideways. Can he play better? Absolutely, is he even close to the biggest issue this side has? Nope.
21 Jun 2022 11:56:00
I would not have Fred in a pub team.
But each to their own.
It will be interesting to see if he can be better with better coaching and a recognisable game plan.
All players start with a clean slate. It's the 1st time many of our players have had a proper coach at united so it's only fair that they start with a clean slate.
21 Jun 2022 12:21:02
When RR came in he played Fred a lot higher up the pitch which I think is the position he plays for brazil. I think he played some of his best games for us last season in that position. He has good energy levels and does win the ball back higher. The problem is you need the whole team working at those levels to make a difference.
21 Jun 2022 12:25:41
Gotta stick up for Fred a bit here. I think he had quite a few games particularly towards the end of the season where he was one of the better players (frightening to believe perhaps) . I think his workrate will appeal to ten Hag.
21 Jun 2022 12:25:41
Gotta stick up for Fred a bit here. I think he had quite a few games particularly towards the end of the season where he was one of the better players (frightening to believe perhaps) . I think his workrate will appeal to ten Hag.
21 Jun 2022 13:02:16
Is the Brazilian national team a pub team?
21 Jun 2022 13:46:43
Think Ken makes the most important point, we now have a top coach, arguably for first time in fred united career. Let’s see what ETH can do with a lot of these players we may be surprised.
21 Jun 2022 13:51:13
Rohan have you seen him play for brazil, looks a different player.
21 Jun 2022 14:10:54
Ken, a lot of these players have had several clean slates, many of whom have been very undeserving of one.
None of them should get a clean slate, they all have to earn it IMO.
21 Jun 2022 14:27:36
The epl is like playing a different sport to international football.
Fred has a poor 1st rival poor passing poor control for this level.
I don't think he will suit eth at all and I'll be strode if he starts 20 hand next season in all comps.
But who knows?
21 Jun 2022 14:46:35
Having watched Encanto 6 times with grandkids I ought to heed the advice in the song "Let's Not Talk About Bruno". But I won't.
One cannot have too many creative players. I can see Bruno playing as a #10 where his defensive frailties might be less obvious. He will be asked not to linger on the ball as long and I am sure EtH will want to stamp out the temperamental stuff when he loses the ball and doesn't get the foul he thinks he ought to have had but so rarely actually deserved.
It's hard to see where Fred fits into a team with more creative midfielders. His distribution from the back is very poor, but, on the other hand, he always gives it 100%. He will be given the opportunity to prove himself. Many of us thought that he was one of our better players last season, but then it was a very low bar.
21 Jun 2022 16:12:04
I have to say that I don’t think ETH’s ‘coaching’ will improve any individual player that much. They’re all at an elite level (by elite I mean playing in the most competitive league in the world) and will have been coached, taught and reinforced, from a very young age. Technically they won’t improve a great deal, no amount of coaching will suddenly change Fred into a world class distributor. What ETH will do though (I hope) is coach a system and a tactical approach to how we play in different scenarios.
I’d keep Fred. Not saying he’s a world beater. But sometimes when the chips are down you need some high energy. Hopefully he can fit into a system, although anything where we are expected to retain the ball higher up the pitch and maintain 65/ 70% possession, he maybe found wanting. I’d be inclined to play him in a Kante roll but with strict instructions to lay off as soon as you win the ball!
21 Jun 2022 16:49:35
Problem is he lays the ball off to the positron too often.
He is nothing but a complete liability playing in a deep role.
He has proven that for 4 bloody years.
Best chance is 2nd or 3rd choice for a role higher up the pitch I'd imagine.
21 Jun 2022 16:56:31
Fireman you worded it better than me, for first time in long time we’ll see a system and ETH may surprise us with which players suit it and flourish in it!
21 Jun 2022 17:28:49
I can't believe the stick Fred gets from certain posters. Every time he plays, he puts in a shift. He also made a lot of chances when played higher up the pitch.
He's a starter for Brazil and some people don't consider him good enough for United or a pub team.
Bruno is our most creative player, and creative players take on difficult passes, so of course not all his passes will be successful. Problem lies with our lack of work winning the ball back when we lose it. Team has to work twice as hard in and out of possession. Hopefully, ETH will drill that into them, and Fred is the hardest worker we have.
21 Jun 2022 17:35:18
What attack attack attack said.
21 Jun 2022 18:06:16
What is this new obsession with Donny? He hasn't shown once he can handle the league. Certainly shouldn't be starting over Bruno.
21 Jun 2022 18:56:04
Agree RedWhiskey……. he’s useless.
21 Jun 2022 19:59:03
Playing for Brazil and playing for us is totally different. international matches and premier league are very different.
Working hard should not guarantee you a starting spot.
This is a club that wants to win things, you want players that have a footballing brain which I don't think Fred has.
And for Bruno how good is his international form? Not as great as club level.
If you want a possession based system Bruno won't suit you. Maybe he could if he played part of front 3 but I have a feeling Bruno will lose his he's destined to start every game tag.
22 Jun 2022 00:08:02
Maybe when the coach tells Bruno he is expected to retain possession and not take risks as that is our way he will do.
This is the unknown factor we cannot determine. Perhaps he will tell him to stfu with his whining too.
I don't see him being told to stop throwing himself to the floor to earn free kicks and penalties though as that is a legitimate tactic that might create goalscoring opportunities and help us win.
22 Jun 2022 00:51:54
What does a "possession game" actually mean? City and Liverpool play it, but they take plenty of risks and lose the ball a lot. But they win it back due to their high work rate.
If you stop a creative player from taking risks, then you might as well not play him.
22 Jun 2022 13:53:54
The main defense of Fred is that he always gives 100%. If we have 11 players giving 100% then we might get somewhere ( probably wouldn’t want Fred to be one of the 11 though)
22 Jun 2022 23:29:03
Great Post porsche I agree.
I can see why some fans like him because he does try. But anybody who says in 1 breath Fred is good and in another that fdj is not what we need is either blind stupid or on a wind up.