found this which adds some context

Wirtz has created 10 chances in the PL (joint 11-14) so including all competitions is a bit misleading. He had a great game vs Atleti where he created 5 chances. OP is also including the Community Shield for some reason, which seems sort of ingenuous since it’s a glorified friendly and if it counts then he’s at 0-1-9 since he assisted the first goal.

Reminder that any pass leading to any shot is a “chance created”. Meanwhile in the PL he’s 24th in xA so these shots were likely mostly half chances and long shots.

I'm still not worried about Wirtz. He is not hiding and still trying things which is fair.

The bigger concern was that we bought Isak on and he only touched the ball 4 times. We gotta feed him much better.

Wirtz is having to drop into Macca's positions to pick up the ball and then he still has the whole midfield and defence in front of him once he turns.

It will come

Wirtz is creating no doubt but biggest issue is how often he is losing the ball.

I’m also skeptical about that chances stat because Bruno is always near the top of it and he’s been pretty crap for years now.

comment by Taki Minamino (U20650)
posted 17 minutes ago
found this which adds some context

Wirtz has created 10 chances in the PL (joint 11-14) so including all competitions is a bit misleading. He had a great game vs Atleti where he created 5 chances. OP is also including the Community Shield for some reason, which seems sort of ingenuous since it’s a glorified friendly and if it counts then he’s at 0-1-9 since he assisted the first goal.

Reminder that any pass leading to any shot is a “chance created”. Meanwhile in the PL he’s 24th in xA so these shots were likely mostly half chances and long shots.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

hes def been unlucky on the assists, i remember atleast one game he should have had 2 assists in. He created arguably our best chance vs Gala too putting Isak in who took some weird early shot instead of running through.

I’d start him vs Chelsea, and if he goes missing, then start to look at it. Chelsea don’t have loads of power and pace in midfield, they’re not the biggest either, but going up against Caicedo will be a good test,

i feel for him in that he makes so many runs and finds so many pockets and u can see him pointing he wants it to feet only for konate or someone to pass it sideways.

Frimpong and Kerkez defo prefer to carry the ball than search for forward passes.

Konate's forward passing has never been anything to talk about.

Gravenberch is defo more about receiving the ball on the half-turn and then carrying the ball forward.

We need Mac to get up to speed asap

comment by Taki Minamino (U20650)
posted 59 minutes ago
found this which adds some context

Wirtz has created 10 chances in the PL (joint 11-14) so including all competitions is a bit misleading. He had a great game vs Atleti where he created 5 chances. OP is also including the Community Shield for some reason, which seems sort of ingenuous since it’s a glorified friendly and if it counts then he’s at 0-1-9 since he assisted the first goal.

Reminder that any pass leading to any shot is a “chance created”. Meanwhile in the PL he’s 24th in xA so these shots were likely mostly half chances and long shots.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

xA is the misleading statistic to be honest

And if you're going to disregard the chances across all competitions, bear in mind he's joint top meaning no one is doing more than him even if it's an imperfect stat

I expect him to start against Chelsea and I think he will do well against Caicedo

I don’t want him starting personally at the weekend. I just think we have to focus on results rather than integrating the new players into an underperforming team. I’d play a large contingent of players from last season for the new few games plus Ekitike and Mamardashvili as they have to start.

I’d put Kerkez, Frimpong, Wirtz, and Isak on the bench for now to bring them on later in games. They can feel their way into the league and the system a little more that way. Isak is just very very down on fitness.

Also best part about Alisson being out is being able to see what Mama can do, I think he’s the signing I’m most pleased with.

Not Ekitike?

Is a team two points clear at the top of the league under performing? That seems harsh to me.

All summer, people noted how patience would be key. We’ve had a huge turnover of players, many established first team players left, and we even changed our back room staff.

I’m d stick with Wirtz and Kerkez for sure, and let them play themselves into form, with the latter increasingly doing so imo.

We’ve lost two hard away games by the odd goal and I don’t see scoring late winners as a negative either.

We’re giving up a few too many chances, and maybe not creating enough (but more than the rest of the league fwiw). I think it’s prudent not to be like some online oppo fans tbh.

To be under-performing you need something to be under performing against.

Under performing to last years peaks? Yeah, that's fair.
Under performing to our potential? Definitely fair.
Under performing to last year as a whole? Probably not, at least not by much. We're not a lot different now to Jan25 onwards - finding ways to win most games, but not all.

I think we're definitely under performing the media expectation. There were pundits lined up to tip us for the title after the summer signings. They might still be right of course but it's not looking the cake-walk some assumed it would be.

If I'm honest, we're slightly under performing to my own expectations. I didn't expect Wirtz to be a superstar from day 1 but I did expect Kerkez to continue his Bournemouth form. Did expect more of the same from AMA and more of an immediate impact from Isak (again, league familiarity). Also didn't foresee Salah looking a bit lost (albeit still scoring).

Top of the league though, can't complain at that.

I agree, and I also think comparing to last season is pretty pointless. It’s such a different squad.

I don’t want to offer it up as an excuse, but Jota passing will have had a massive effect too. Slot said we would see the best of us until November, so let’s just hope we can keep picking up points until then.

We’ve also beaten Arsenal, Atletico, knocked four past a good Bournemouth side and won away at Newcastle.

The quality of some of our goals has been superb too.

The league will be no cake walk, Arsenal are extremely hard to score against, but they’ve dropped points in two of their six games already.

Just got to keep at it and see where October takes us.

*Wouldn’t see the best of us

Didn't know they'd made this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBH2LBuy4Wk

Never forget that Kenny goal to win the league at Stamford Bridge.
"We are the champions" blasting out over the tannoy.
We nearly missed the bloody coach home

comment by Keep It Greasy - Music is the BEST (U1396)
posted 16 minutes ago
Never forget that Kenny goal to win the league at Stamford Bridge.
"We are the champions" blasting out over the tannoy.
We nearly missed the bloody coach home
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I was at that game as well. But I was only 10 years old and in the home section so I suspect it was a very different experience

So Glasner who spat his dummy out is now refusing to sign a new contract and wants the United job.

Allison out until after the November international break ffs. Why does he always get injured for 2 months during October/November/December time? Happens every season. Thank fack we’ve got Mamadashvili.

Someone needs to do an analysis of injuries matching up with Brazilian players birthdays.