24 Aug 2025 20:09:20
The biggest issues for us is midfield. It has been for years and will remain so until we fix it.
We have no natural partnerships in there. And now we have shoehorned Bruno into there restricts us even more!
From my point of view our build up plays has been awful for years but one player remains there, Bruno.
Yes his numbers are excellent since arriving but his IQ is awful when player deep.
If he was a golfer every club in his bag would be a driver. His pass selection is questionable even when player in his natural position.
Pair him with Ugarte or Casemiro and we might as well give up the midfield battle before we start. Case is a stopper type, he looks to cut out opposition attacks and give it to a ball player. When that ball player is Bruno we can't be surprised when our attacks fall apart. I have long said United start a game cooking and zipping passed about until Bruno gets into the game then it all falls apart.
I love the guy and I do appreciate his attitude and leadership gets us through some tough times but what can't be ignored is his overall game management.
We will continue to drop points until we fix this issue.
My fix would been to sell Bruno, replace him with a Baleba/ Wharton type player.
24 Aug 2025 20:51:57
Or let Bruno play where he does a damage and get in a midfielder who does the other things he cannot?
24 Aug 2025 21:10:44
Bruno played "where he could do damage" last session and we finished 15th.
24 Aug 2025 22:23:09
we have a manger who I can't see any players improving playing for him and most have gone backwards.
We are pretty bad to watch tbh and very frustrating. We create very little and at some point someone has to ask the question, it can't be always the players. Gotten him 3 top players but still same sh. t like last year. He has has almost a whole year, whole pre-season and all the things he got a pass for last year.
This can't continue. we have much better players than what we are showing and no one will convince me we are a second half table team.
25 Aug 2025 00:36:41
Ahmed,
I disagree to some extent.
I think in moments like this we always look for the same excuses and often land back at "it can't just be the players it has to be the manager".
I think in this instance we are in a poor position balance wise and it was never going to be an easy fix. Just look at the level of player we still have at the club that are considered "good professionals" or not part of the 'bomb squad'.
Players like Dalot, Casemiro etc. These are not good players and average level at best. But because they are not problems in the changing room they are still here.
As for Amorim not improving players. I think he has, look at Bruno, his numbers gave always been good even if his performances were not. Last season under Amorim I think we saw a much improved Bruno along with others like Amad, Garnacho and Zirkzee, etc. The issue is imo 2 of those players are not good enough anyway.
We are suffering due to a really imbalance of quality in the team. It's was never going to be fixed quickly, a decade of mismanagement has caused this and now we have a group in trying thee rectify it. The only issue is have is the players desperately need a midfielder or two to help along the project and having to neglect that area again will stall any meaningful progress this season.
25 Aug 2025 06:41:43
It’s fair CTR. But isn’t that the formation rather than the players causing that midfield gap?
25 Aug 2025 07:50:06
CTR, you have nailed it. I have been saying the same about Bruno for quite some time myself.
25 Aug 2025 09:10:05
CTR
We had our worst ever finish to the pl under him and he managed 29 out 38 games last year with an average of 1 point in those games. Everyone said give him a full summer and some signings.
I give him the best manager in the world prize for how he speaks and can charm you but on the pitch its a manager whose set up other teams seem to handle with ease. who plays and how we set up is all on him.
At some point someone has to wonder if his proffered style of play is just hogwash and does not cut the mustard in the pl. Garnacho gone backwards and gone, kobe has disappeared, Dalot gone backwards. Bruno is bruno under this manager or the next. He will have his moments of brilliance and poor showings. Blaming bruno for is a scapegoating. The team just does not produce scoring opportunities when it counts and needed and defensively always there to give up soft goals.
Zirksee was in his first year at united so not sure how you can say he has improved lol improved on what?
The only two players who seem to have secured regular playing time are cas and maguire.
I said give him 10 games to see where we are but he is digging himself a hole already.
we will beat Burnley at home next then its city away, Chelsea at home, Brentford away, Sunderland at home and Liverpool away yikes.
we are maybe looking at less than a point from our first 8 fixtures and a repeat of last year getting results against promoted teams and sh. tting the bed against anyone who is decent.
25 Aug 2025 10:02:43
There is no guarantee we will beat the clarets but we have to stop breaking the first few games down to just points. We’re not challenging with our back ‘8’ players. Bruno and Amad (and the rest) still playing last season ball. The irony is that Bayindir is one of the few players who’ve adapted to the new system despite his obvious defensive frailties. The new front 3 have barely played 90 competitive minutes. Fulham I think beat all last seasons top 3. If we can play like that for 15mins we can do it for 60. We looked brilliant at times and are only on our second game. Shaw shocking and I’d get rid of Bruno in a heart beat he doesn’t fit anymore. Fergie got rid of far better players if they were no longer in his longer term plans. Still too much of last seasons playing and attitude but you can see it changing.