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My assessment of the squad

Big misses - AWB, Martinez, Shaw, Malacia, Mainoo, Amad.

Promising - Mount, Amrabat, Gore, Hjojlund.

Performing well - Casemiro.

Underperforming - Dalot, Varane, Bruno, Antony, Sancho, Rashford,

Under used - McTominay, Pellistri, VDB.

Not good enough - Onana, Maguire, Lindelof, Eriksen, Martial.

Of the 25 players listed, I’d say you could -

Credit the manager with the performance / addition of Casemiro, Mount, Amrabat, Gore and Hjojlund (5)

Question the manager over the performance / usage / retention of Dalot, Varane, Bruno, Antony, Sancho, Rashford, McTominay, Pellistri, VDB, Onana and Maguire. (11)

In summary, yes, injuries have hurt us, yes, there have been off the field distractions, and yes, the players are ultimately responsible for their performance, but between poor signings / use of transfer kitty, poor team selections, poor squad management, and underperforming players, the manager really is largely responsible for where we find ourselves.

Personally, I’d like him to stay and be given the chance to put things right, but also think he needs to be held responsible for where we are, rather than it all being put on the owners, Arnold and Murtough.

comment by Busby (U19985)

posted on 4/10/23

comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 15 minutes ago
Will have to watch yesterday's goals again. Didn't notice Lindelof at the time but maybe.

Generally though, I think he's OK for what he is, which is a back up CB. The problem in this squad is that with Varane prone to being absent for large chunks of the season, that player automatically becomes de facto first choice. The problem, much as I don't like to say it, is Varane's reliability. (And its not looking great for Martinez either right now).
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He's not okay because he isn't a backup when we know going into the season our backup will be relied upon for 20+ games a season.

ETH wanted a CB, the club gave him Johnny fecking Evans.

posted on 4/10/23

comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by The Great Dane (U22987)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 6 minutes ago
Will have to watch yesterday's goals again. Didn't notice Lindelof at the time but maybe.

Generally though, I think he's OK for what he is, which is a back up CB. The problem in this squad is that with Varane prone to being absent for large chunks of the season, that player automatically becomes de facto first choice. The problem, much as I don't like to say it, is Varane's reliability. (And its not looking great for Martinez either right now).
----------------------------------------------------------------------

With Varane so Injury prone, and Martinez out, Lindelof is a regular starter. He isnt good enough.
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Yeah, that's what I said.

The answer to that particular conundrum though isn't to replace Lindelof with someone slightly better to sit on the bench when Varane is fit. It's to replace Varane with someone we can actually rely on. We don't have the depth to carry him in this squad.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You said he is OK for a back up CB who starts regulalry. He isnt.

We should replace Lindelof AND Varane, who is rapidly declining physically.

posted on 4/10/23

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 15 minutes ago
Will have to watch yesterday's goals again. Didn't notice Lindelof at the time but maybe.

Generally though, I think he's OK for what he is, which is a back up CB. The problem in this squad is that with Varane prone to being absent for large chunks of the season, that player automatically becomes de facto first choice. The problem, much as I don't like to say it, is Varane's reliability. (And its not looking great for Martinez either right now).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He's not okay because he isn't a backup when we know going into the season our backup will be relied upon for 20+ games a season.

ETH wanted a CB, the club gave him Johnny fecking Evans.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

TBF, we were working under a strict budget and ETH wanted Onana, Mount AND a CF. A CB should have been the priority over Onana IMO.

posted on 4/10/23

You said he is OK for a back up CB who starts regulalry
---------------
No I didn't.

posted on 4/10/23

comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 18 minutes ago
You said he is OK for a back up CB who starts regulalry
---------------
No I didn't.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you think he is good enough for a CB who starts regulalry?

posted on 4/10/23

How is Mainoo a big loss.

He's 18, played virtually no minutes in the PL in his single appearance he made 8 passes and lost 1 out of 1 duals.

So he played well in a pre-season vs Arsenal...and now he's a big loss

posted on 4/10/23

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 50 minutes ago
How is Mainoo a big loss.

He's 18, played virtually no minutes in the PL in his single appearance he made 8 passes and lost 1 out of 1 duals.

So he played well in a pre-season vs Arsenal...and now he's a big loss
----------------------------------------------------------------------

A big loss because their was a lot of excitement about the lad and we love to play a youngster. He'd have maybe got some minutes ahead of Eriksen, who hasn't been great so far.

posted on 5/10/23

comment by The Great Dane (U22987)
posted 1 day, 2 hours ago
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 50 minutes ago
How is Mainoo a big loss.

He's 18, played virtually no minutes in the PL in his single appearance he made 8 passes and lost 1 out of 1 duals.

So he played well in a pre-season vs Arsenal...and now he's a big loss
----------------------------------------------------------------------

A big loss because their was a lot of excitement about the lad and we love to play a youngster. He'd have maybe got some minutes ahead of Eriksen, who hasn't been great so far.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Fair enough but surely you cannot expect miracles....A big loss makes him sound like the next messiah.

Sarr at Spurs (20) has done real well this season, but no one would have described him as "a big loss" had he been injured pre-season, and that's after actually showing some decent ability in PL games last season.

Just seems like the expectations and thus pressure on such young shoulders is too much. Its too much for some much older players in your squad.

posted on 5/10/23

Big misses - AWB, Martinez, Shaw, Malacia, Mainoo, Amad.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Can't say i've noticed, although I do remember Ashley Young having one while he was at United.

posted on 5/10/23

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 2 hours, 54 minutes ago
comment by The Great Dane (U22987)
posted 1 day, 2 hours ago
comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 50 minutes ago
How is Mainoo a big loss.

He's 18, played virtually no minutes in the PL in his single appearance he made 8 passes and lost 1 out of 1 duals.

So he played well in a pre-season vs Arsenal...and now he's a big loss
----------------------------------------------------------------------

A big loss because their was a lot of excitement about the lad and we love to play a youngster. He'd have maybe got some minutes ahead of Eriksen, who hasn't been great so far.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Fair enough but surely you cannot expect miracles....A big loss makes him sound like the next messiah.

Sarr at Spurs (20) has done real well this season, but no one would have described him as "a big loss" had he been injured pre-season, and that's after actually showing some decent ability in PL games last season.

Just seems like the expectations and thus pressure on such young shoulders is too much. Its too much for some much older players in your squad.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not putting any pressure on him, but it was a blow to lose him to injury just as we were getting exciting about him. Don't overthink it mate

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