02 May 2025 18:24:43
We often place a lot of praise on the younger players in our squad. Yet I think we have to say that it has generally been the more experienced players who have often been the guys to carry us over the line in the Europa League this season.
Casemiro, Bruno and Maguire were absolutely top class last night. They all came up with a big performance right when we needed it most.
While a shout out should also go to Lindelof, a player who has always been maligned. Yet last night was possibly his best performance in a United shirt, certainly the best in a long, long time.
Maybe a little experience goes a long way.
02 May 2025 20:14:01
Lindelof was really good. Maguire was iffy in defence but turned into prime Messi in attack. Casemiro and Bruno were superb. The red card was unfortunate for them. It's the rules but it feels far too harsh. Nonetheless we'd have gone 2 up so we didn't owe the win to that rule. Great result.
I do think if we're to go on and win it we'll need Mainoo, De Ligt, Shaw and Amad all up to match fitness. To play our style against EPL opposition it requires technical players.
02 May 2025 20:35:02
Vert true Shappy, they were all excellent. Also thought Leny Yoro was very good, he really does seem to have settled well over recent weeks and is looking very capable defensively, always seems to have time. His use of the ball has been has been good, very rarely gives it away. Let's not forget he is not that long turned 19.
Thought Hojlund had his best game for some time, his hold up play was controlled and effective. That need's to be continued.
Only slight disappointment was we did not score a couple more goals.
02 May 2025 21:09:24
Sorry. Lindelof was abysmal. Great win but let’s not change what happened. Casemiro Bruno and McGuire were all really good and carried the team for a lot of that game.
02 May 2025 21:23:56
My worry is that people, including himself (waiting for his pump himself up release) will start to think Maguire is capable at this level. Let’s just be very clear. He isn’t!
That’s not to detract from a few decent performances but spread over the time he has been at United it’ not awe inspiring.
02 May 2025 22:57:57
You can at least see why having Maguire in the squad next year is not a bad call. From an economic point of view it defers having to spend another £40-£60m on a top class CB while allowing some of our younger players an extra year to see if they can make the grade, ultimately making an expensive acquisition unnecessary. And let's face it, if we do end up winning the tournament which should generate around £80m additional income we can thank Maguire for his major contributions. He may not rank amongst the best defenders, but he is a true professional and gives 100%. Well worth keeping for another year for £15m compared to probably twice that in pay and amortization for a serious replacement. Despite injuries, with a few exceptions, scoring has been a bigger problem than defence. Plenty of games recently where we've been the better side but failed to capitalize on our chances.
03 May 2025 00:34:44
Imo lindelof made a great block other than that he was below average. Negative in his passing and slow in possession. Good attitude will see it his contract and try his best when called upon.
I don't think anybody is getting carried away thinking maguire is suddenly the answer. But this system suits him better and he has played better. Great attitude and may not be 1st choice too often next season but deserves to see out his contract.
Bruno has been nothing short of brilliant. I've been critical and there are many traits of his I disliked but I've seen great leadership at times and a lot less histrionics. He imo has improved in most aspects of his game and character.
Maz is another snr pro that had a few indifferent games but was top class last night.
Cas has been much better again a peo with great attitude very expensive if he sees out his contract but I'd imagine he is a good influence o the younger players. So if he stays we won't have a player not wanting to contribute.
Great to see amad back last night too. His energy is infectious.
03 May 2025 00:41:32
@ryans left foot: nah I'm not having that Lindelof was good. 96 out of 99 passes. He was calm on the ball. He was facing Nico Williams and really was solid. You're flat out wrong on this one.
03 May 2025 01:58:22
I am not buying that slabhead has turned into the amazing player with close control.
99 times out of 100, he tries that again, and he shins it into the hoardings.
Yes it was great, but one out of the ordinary trick, does not make a shire horse!
03 May 2025 10:21:34
Not sure on Lindelof to be honest. Bar the block on the line, didn’t look comfortable on the ball and for me not a player you look at feel confident with.
Happy to give credit where credit’s due and Maguire has played an important role recently in big moments for us. I can’t say he’s been excellent because I don’t think he has but the big moments for us in games he’s been involved in so fair play to him. But I still think he’s not a player we need starting regularly if we want to start challenging for the title.
When you watch Yoro, there’s, for me a big difference in quality on the ball in tight areas between him and Maguire and Lindelof. Maguire is good on the ball when he’s got time and not pressed but under pressure I don’t feel confident with him whereas Yoro appears to be comfortable receiving and playing under pressure.
03 May 2025 10:23:42
Ken that's exactly what I thought after watching the game back, lindelof was poor aside from the block.
Amorim made a comment on case a while ago saying he understands more how to use him. I'm not seeing the gaps to the left and right of him like I did under ETH. My thoughts are that RA has seen this and given him extra support allowing him to do what he is good at.
Maz is quality, sure the odd game here and there but remember this is also his first season going from a formation he was bought for to another and adapting very well IMO.
Bruno is bruno, just quality.
Ive always said, confidence is everything in all walks of life. I believe the other night gave them a massive sense of it and I can see us finishing the season strong.
Also noticed how RA has become more and more animated on the touchline over recent weeks. For me, that's a good thing, he may be finally starting to find his feet. I'm hoping he is anyway.
What an incredible scenario and bounce this will be if we win this EL, champions league next year.
Regardless we have our transfer targets, however if we get into the champs league, it will mean even more money.
03 May 2025 11:38:47
As someone said above how much more comfortable can Lindelof be than a 96% pass success rate? Yoro who I thought looked great on the ball only had a 92% success, which is also good by the way.
03 May 2025 13:34:12
Gds2 his passing is negative. 96% praying is one party of his stats. He treats the ball like a hot potato and played the recurve into trouble often and or slowed attacks.
He has done that since he arrived at the club. Very limited but no doubt he tries his best.
03 May 2025 18:17:40
Totally agree ken, his negativity and slowness was the issue but people are saying above that was bad because he kept giving the ball away but he didn’t.
03 May 2025 18:18:00
Looked to me like Lindelof was a weak link and vulnerable until they went down to 10 men and took a striker/ player off who had a bit of pace and movement.
03 May 2025 18:49:13
Oh come on guys/ gals if we want to dissect every bit of play, Ugarte was atrocious in first 30 mins, Dorgu got awful control and can’t cross a ball, no one is saying McGuire is Beckenbauer or Lindorf is anything special, but on the night the team collectively got a fantastic result, no one on here could or would have predicted that score, I am the biggest critic of this team / squad but on the night they done fantastic to come away with 0-3 can’t you just for once instead of trying to puck fault be happy.
I not overly convinced 2nd leg will be plain sailing, but on the night in Bilbao they done more then anyone expected, give praise where it’s due….
03 May 2025 20:27:41
The irony ?.
03 May 2025 23:44:34
Just an opinion but people should think twice about the stats they use to make an argument.
96% pass completion? Mmmmmm. As a team that has regularly passed the ball back and forth between the defenders and keeper we are bound to have a high percentage. How many of those were effective? How many were actually 1 or 2 yards behind the player? Bruno gets slated for a lower percentage but only 1 a game needs to be completed if the ball ends up in the net.
Keepers who have “kept” a clean sheet? How many times has the opposition never really had a shot or on target? How often (not in United case) has the defence actually done their job?
Even strikers. They get the plaudits for scoring so many goals but often they are bolstered by penalties, especially Bruno. Even Hoijlund could be in double figures if he took the penalties! Well maybe not!
Dont get me started on “final 3rd entries” “touches in opposition box” or my personal favourite rubbish stat xG.
Anyway my point being that stats as many have said can easily be skewed or very misleading.
The only undeniable “stat” that counts is the score at the end of the game.
04 May 2025 00:45:53
Keefy,
A lot of clubs and coaches use these stats now though, it’s all scientific and the stats you say don’t mean anything are used by clubs to collate data so they are useful tools, although I think sometimes you just can’t beat the good old eye test or watching a player and seeing if he’s any good. Analysis and numbers are my job so I’m a stickler for a few stats myself and working out what they mean and if they correlate to what I’m actually seeing with my own eyes.
Totally agree the stat at the end of the game counts and that was a 3-0 win with a clean sheet, I doubt that happens if one of our defenders is abysmal. I also agree that pass success doesn’t always mean a lot, Eriksen always gets a high one as he just passes it back to the player who gave it him all the time, I only brought it up because I felt people were suggesting he was poor because of his ball retention when actually it was pretty strong. We all know full well that Lindelof isn’t good enough, he won’t get a new contract and I hope to God he doesn’t play in the final, but to say he was abysmal on Thursday is a little harsh I think.
04 May 2025 06:43:24
GDS. no disagreement from me mate! I as have I said before I was/ am a Six Sigma Black Belt. And like you, get a bit toey with incorrectly backed up discussions. And as you quite rightly say unless they directly correlate as a causal factor with evidence rather than subjective approach then they are essentially rubbish and only a fool would build his house based on them.
I just feel that many of these stats are just not robust. Just look at xG. How can you have a an xG of 0.79 and score three goals? Plus you can only score in whole numbers? Until they refine the algorithm and actually predict whole numbers it’s a rubbish stat. I think that stat is very likely built on the foundations of a lot of subjective numbers and a novelty number that cannot be used in anger.
Who cares if you got into the opposition box 5 times more than the opposition? Not me if there are no resultant goals and we lose!
If all Volvos cars are silver, does that mean that all silver cars are Volvos?
Anyway…. rant over!