Fred

comment by scholayScholes (U13961)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin - 2017 joy squids (U2958)
posted 28 minutes ago
Considering the team form and his lack of minutes, i think he looks quite good. Lively and trying to make things happen, got some good interceptions in too.

Only the usual suspects on here will jump to attack him
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Who are the usual suspects? A world class midfielder in his day (Paul Scholes) is also part of the "usual suspects" I suppose. But of course, you can judge a midfielders performance better than him.

p.s. I am not saying the lad played horrible by the way, as I did not even watch the game.
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Park Ji is right about fred, but he seems to be on the rag today. Very touchy.

comment by Alexis The King Sanchez (U10026)
posted 4 minutes ago
Yeah possibly. Problem is that midfield lacks creativity. It’s why we rely so much on Pogba even when he’s not in form. Mata could provide that in the number 10 position but hasn’t be tried there that often as surprisingly hasn’t looked as good there as when he plays on the right.
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True, though when played as a 10 in that second half just behind Lukaku against Chelsea he did look as good as he has in ages

Lacks the pace though to be a perm fixture there under Jose I think

Comment Deleted by Site Moderator

Yeah could be right. Though the strange thing about that is that he still plays him on the right, a position where Mourinho historically likes pacier players. Mata has to be the slowest player he’s ever played on the right of midfield. I know he’s not playing a traditional wide role, but still it’s surprising how often he plays him there.

Mourinho just admitted the team was very defensive last season and it masked a lot of flaws.

He doesn’t trust the defence, that is quite clear.

Mourinho: “Because the approach was much more defensive (last season) and with a much more defensive approach you can hide better your weaknesses. The team managed to get results based on that.”

Mourinho: “I’m trying to find a balance where we develop the team in the 2nd and 1st phase of attack and we develop the talented players we have without losing balance. When we’re in control we have no problems, when the opponent is in control, the team has problems.”

Taken him three seasons to do this, and I bet it was because of pressure from the media.

comment by Tommy Egan (U11781)
posted 16 minutes ago
Mourinho: “Because the approach was much more defensive (last season) and with a much more defensive approach you can hide better your weaknesses. The team managed to get results based on that.”

Mourinho: “I’m trying to find a balance where we develop the team in the 2nd and 1st phase of attack and we develop the talented players we have without losing balance. When we’re in control we have no problems, when the opponent is in control, the team has problems.”
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Not allowing him to spend his way through this period may have just saved Jose's rep as a manager. Watching his team almost conceding every single attack must make him psychotic but at least he has seen that every single player he thought wasn't ready is better than the ones he thought he could trust.

Sadly I think he is too stubborn to heed these lessons permanently, Ed might need to keep an eye on him not going out to buy that over the hill 29 year old player.

comment by Redastomatoes- Feels very Moyesian...cleverson forever!If he is good enough he is ready! (U12026)
posted 50 minutes ago
comment by scholayScholes (U13961)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by Ji Sung Park's Cousin - 2017 joy squids (U2958)
posted 28 minutes ago
Considering the team form and his lack of minutes, i think he looks quite good. Lively and trying to make things happen, got some good interceptions in too.

Only the usual suspects on here will jump to attack him
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who are the usual suspects? A world class midfielder in his day (Paul Scholes) is also part of the "usual suspects" I suppose. But of course, you can judge a midfielders performance better than him.

p.s. I am not saying the lad played horrible by the way, as I did not even watch the game.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Park Ji is right about fred, but he seems to be on the rag today. Very touchy.
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He has been dissapointing so far far. He was part of game that the manager himself has just come out to say we should've been 5 down by half time. Hard to believe he looked quite good