19 Feb 2024 13:04:00
Watching the past few games, the player that looks like a square peg is Bruno. We have players who aren't going to be part of the club's future due to age, Casamerio, or talent, Maguire. But Bruno's role seems like a massive luxury.

He has a free role in midfield, isn't required to stick to any singular position or job, both offensively or defensively. At our best yesterday, he was anonymous, and he just doesn't seem to have the concentration to do a consistent job in midfield. He wants to be able to drift in and out of games. It's a luxury a top class team just can't afford.

Going forward I would like to see strong holding player (Casamerio of 5 years ago) paired with Kobbie and another complete midfield player. It would be interesting to see Mount alongside Kobbie. I'm not sure if he's the answer, but I suspect he'd do better playing in a midfield without Bruno.

1.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 13:36:33
Danny I agree entirely with that.

2.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 13:52:52
Fernandes was terrible yesterday as he has been for a while now. He plays too much off the cuff without any thought. Most times he gives the ball away when ball retention and control is the better option.

An example was that ridiculous shot he had at the end of the game which just turned over possession and allowed Luton to go on the attack. Utd just needed to keep possession and see the game out

It's a shame Mount is injured because I'd like to see Fernandes on the bench and ultimately I'd like to see him sold in the summer.

3.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 13:59:58
The trouble is (IMO) that we are woefully short of creative players who can play that killer pass or create something out of nothing. Bruno and Eriksen can do it and who knows if the latter will be here next season. These types of player are like rocking horse poo and cost a bomb. I worry we'll be short in this area if Bruno were to leave, great as they are the likes of Casemiro / Mainoo are not the same type of player.

4.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 15:02:26
He's been dreadful most of the season.
His passing is awful, most of the time his passes go nowhere or to the opposition. He wastes so many good attacking opportunity's it's frightening.

5.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 15:17:02
Bruno will always be one of those players that are either getting big numbers scoring and creating or appear to be not performing and being carried by the rest of the team.
Reality is, his levels are quite often the same and it is his output that offsets/ disguises the actual overall performance levels.
At 29 years I am not sure he will improve (he could get back to previous levels as the team improves) but has the capacity to decline further over the next 12/ 18 months.
If we were to receive a reasonable offer in the summer, or even better a great offer from Saudi then I think we should take it. Bring in younger option, we also have Mount who can play this role as well.

6.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 15:28:50
Been saying this about Bruno for ages, and getting pelted for it.

7.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 15:48:41
I’d say that was the logic behind Mount. He’s a far better footballer than Bruno so let’s see what he does.

8.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 16:18:54
Said for a long time sell Bruno and Rashford.

9.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 16:19:44
Bruno was a bit off yesterday, but last few games he was a lot better than people are crediting him for. He does try the miracle ball too much, and needs to play more simply, but he also gets the ball in midfield and plays it simply and quickly out to wide players. Time and time again he moves the ball out to rashford and garnacho in space where we should be expecting more from them. If we were better at creating from wide with overlaps and crosses we would be creating a lot more chances.

I do think we have a huge number from our squad that could leave, I suspect it will take a few more windows to untangle a pretty poor squad. If Bruno is a player who could get a big money move, then he could help to fund some of the rebuild. But don't ignore that he is a player who is always available (mount has just been injured a whole season, cassemiro half, mainoo missed some) and I think with better players around him performing at a higher level we will see his level increase as he can see the effect of playing more simply.

10.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 18:07:04
He hasn’t been great recently but I’d say he’s about 20th on the list of players I’d like to see leave this summer, what short memories people have. Before we signed Bruno we passed it around with nobody to play that final pass, everyone was too safe, everyone was on here posting how nobody takes any risks and it’s all too flat. We get the player that creates and takes those risks and everyone wants rid of him because he takes too many risks.

I agree that if he’s going to stay in the team and be a big part his numbers need to improve but ‘let’s just sell Bruno and replace him with Mount’ a player who’s been injured all season and when he has played he’s been terrible, is a pretty ridiculous thing to suggest in my opinion. If we were to sell Bruno we would need to replace him with another top play maker.

11.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 18:24:31
Hey folks, regular reader but rare poster so here goes.
Bruno getting grief is, in my own opinion, sad and unwarranted.
The lad has consistently been a top performer in what at times has been a very mediocre side.
There was huge noise for him to be made captain on here and in other places. The reasoning at times was his unquestionable attitude and demand on those around him.
Is perhaps his tail off in performance linked to the fact that we finally have others stepping up to the plate and improving their own standards?
Is he maybe being overshadowed by others who have found some form and are buying into our current purple patch?
The call for someone who has arguably been our best player in the past 10 years to move on strikes me as a touch shortsighted and misguided.
Phased out in a few years perhaps, but sold on considering his stats all round. not for me at all folks.

12.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 18:43:10
Bruno is a good player who in the right circumstances is great. He is easily one of our best players and has the records over the past few seasons to prove it.

That said it's quite possible, even likely that he might ultimately have to be sacrificed for this team to fully move on.

He's a very creative player, but is too individualistic to play for a team that truly challenges. He reminds me a little of Coutinho's situation at Liverpool. He was Liverpool's best and most creative player, but was individualistic in nature. Ultimately Klopp had to cut him loose before his team could embrace a greater team focused approach.

That might be the case with Bruno, be that this summer or next summer depending on what offers we receive.

I don't get the hate for him though, he's been a clutch player for us and has helped us in key moments throughout his whole United career. Yes he gives the ball away more than we would like to see. But he is the only one actually trying to make something happen and create a goal.

Over the past few years he has kept pace or even surpassed the number of goalscoring chances created by KDB, while his ball retention rate isn't that far off of KDB's rate either. The difference is KDB has world class players around him to score the chances he creates and to make the runs to get on the end of the balls KDB makes.

I'm not saying he's as good a player, but his output has been similar.

So he should get the respect for that. It's probably just a case that we need someone different for the team we will try and create. If the right offer comes in it might be this summer we wave goodbye, if not then I'd expect him to play for us next season. Although that might be in a slightly different role.

13.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 18:49:12
He hasn't consistently been a top performer for a long time. When he was scoring and creating I could overlook the tantrums, the poorly pjaced passes, giving the ball away in dangerous areas, but when he isn't scoring or assisting, he's just a liability. I would be very relaxed to see him go.

As for Rashford, this lack of effort is clear to see, his tracking back was appalling yesterday, I'd happily drive him to Paris myself.

It is clear there are bad eggs in the dressing room, hopefully we've moved the most toxic ones on, but I wonder if there is still work to do. Imagine Rashford behaving as he is in the days of Keane, Scholes, Ferdinand, they would have sorted him.

14.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 19:36:17
We need to replace Bruno with Eze. Other players who would suit us would be Joao Gomes, Neto and Mchael Olise.

15.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 21:10:42
AJH: I’d give you the petrol money.

16.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 21:23:01
I would suggest the amount of good games Bruno has had at united could be counted on 1 hand.
I think he has often come up with good moments and often decisive moments but even when he has done that he has been very average for the rest of that game.
I'm very much of the opinion that ole ruined every player at the club along with the club performance itself. Any player that played under him is ruined. They will never be good at united. He ruined the clubs ambition spoke of and accepted mediocrity. All of those need to be removed as you would a cancer. Getting rid of him was not enough. You need to get rid of all those tainted players that have no idea what representing Manchester United player is all about.
You won't change them so get rid.

17.) 19 Feb 2024
19 Feb 2024 22:56:41
In the three full seasons Bruno has played for United, he has created the most chances in the league in two seasons, and created the second most chances in the other season. He also leads the league in chances created this season. We lacked creativity before we signed Bruno, and we still lack creativity now, despite the chances he creates. Simply put we lack creativity from the wide areas and those around him in midfield. His tantrums are frustrating, his ball retention is an issue, and he is a luxury player to some extent, but we can't afford to lose his creativity right now.

If he could shut up and keep it simple a bit more often, then I think he can be a great asset for a few years to come. Given his age, it would potentially make sense to sell him in 2025, but as some have already pointed out, there are about 20 players that should leave before him.

18.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 00:41:42
Tumbleweed, you and an old poster called Ken have very similar opinions on Ole, he used to blame him for everything as well and bring him up on posts that had nothing to do with him.

19.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 06:19:35
Guggs, you know it's the same person right,

20.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 06:44:04
Bruno might have been poor Sunday and frustrate us all but without him we’d of endured an even worse 3/ 4 years than we actually have
By far our most influential player, numbers phenomenal! I’d rather see about 16 others kea e before him, not saying he should be in the 11 at all times and possibly when Mount is fit we may see something different but criticism of Bruno is way over the top!

21.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 07:01:57
Wow Ken, that’s a new level of nonsense achieved on this site and I’m shocked you’re the person to deliver it.

The number of good games Bruno has had for Manchester United can be counted on one hand. Wow.

Has your account been hacked by Strangeways, or are you the same person and you forgot to log out?

Shocker that one mate.

22.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 07:42:17
It’s interesting that the criticism of Rashford is his work ethic and the same people who criticise him are also criticising Fernandes who’s 2nd in the league for distance covered. They criticise Fernandes’s theatrics and petulance but swoon over Klopp and Guardiola who are the same if not worse just at the side of the pitch. Just goes to show when your winning people give you a free pass and allow their standards to be dropped but when things are going well suddenly their standards and expectations become high. On the pitch I agree his quality has been poorer by his standards recently but I think Fernandes is the least of our concerns on the pitch at the moment.

23.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 08:30:25
Bruno and Rashford could be similar to Coutuniho and Suarez in terms of impact.

If they left we’d get £150m and it would create the space for others to step up.

24.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 08:32:59
Bruno is also 1st or 2nd for chances created iirc Ports. And tops that list since his PL debut, in the same league as De Bruyne and others.

Bruno is not the problem. He’s been class for us overall, and 1 of only 3 or 4 who would get near City or Liverpool’s side.

25.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 08:49:48
It's my honest opinion wazza. I don't think he is a great player never have. He is a moments player. You think otherwise.
Gds2
Again that's my opinion. I think I'll be proven right. We won't win a league until they are all gone. The players are not up to it.

26.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 09:40:17
I've said it before, I'll say it again . Bruno fernandes is our best player by a country mile imo.

Going through a bad period of form atm.

27.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 09:55:01
He's been going through a bad period for 18 months and only seems to be getting worse.
He is so frustrating to watch. His passing is awful, he constantly gets caught on the ball thinking he has all the time on the world. Most of the good attacking positions we get in to break down when he gets the ball.
I agree, he's not first on the list to get rid of, their a loads of players that need to be kicked out of the door before Bruno.
The first one i would kick out would be Rashford. His attitude stinks the place out. Replace Rashford with Mitoma from Brighton.
Closely followed by that clown Sancho! .

28.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 11:11:33
People are funny.
I've not said Bruno is the problem. I don't think anybody is saying that at all. Yes he is our most creative player or at least he used be.
But rust does not necessarily mean that the team would not perform better with somebody else playing there.
If you think otherwise just see how aguero was replaced and the results improved.
Gerrard was replaced the resu k to improved.
Rvn was replaced results improved.
The list goes on and on.
My opinion is we won't win the league with Bruno in the team or compete to do so.
I could be wrong it's just the way I see it.
1 player having great stats in a team and to be honest his stats this season can't be that good. Does not mean he is the best thing for the team as a whole.

29.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 12:49:04
I agree with all of that Ken. Ultimately I don't see us competing for or winning the league before the 2026/ 27 season at the earliest.

Bruno will turn 32 in the September of that season. Ultimately I don't think he has the time left in his career at the top to be here and be a regular contributor by the time we are capable of seriously challenging for titles.

Meaning regardless of whether you think he's a great player or not, time just isn't on his side to be that key player for us to win a title again.

As for when he leaves, I think much depends on what offers we get for him and his desire to accept those offers.

He could go this summer and would be replaced. Or he could stay and be part of the team next season. However, I'd expect his role next season to be reduced or altered to what he's had this season. Maybe playing less, maybe playing is a different position, or both. I've said in a possession based side he's probably better starting in the RW position. Somewhere where his tendency to give the ball away is less detrimental, while still giving him that creative license. Also until recently when Garnacho has made the right his position we didn't have someone who had nailed down that spot.

The other role I thought he could play is at the top of a midfield diamond with Højlund playing RCF and Garnacho playing LCF. That would give us three midfielders behind him to give us more defensive solidity, while Højlund and Garnacho starting slightly wider and running in on to their stronger foot with Bruno playing those passes in behind could work well.

Yet both ultimately seem more like either crowbarring Bruno into the team or adjusting the set up to get the most out of him/ mitigate his deficiencies. Neither are really a good long term solution. Ultimately he probably needs to leave and we need to move on, adapt and grow into a better overall team.

I have nothing against Bruno, I've enjoyed watching him for the most part and I'm thankful for his contribution to the club over the past few years. But it does seem like the curtains are slowly drawing down on his United career.

It might be best for all concerned if a big offer comes in this summer and he leaves with his head held high out the front door. We thank him for his contribution and he leaves to continue his career with a new challenge. Rather than he stay another year or two, gets shifted about and eased out of the team only for him to slip away out the backdoor in a year or twos time.

It'd also give the manager (be that EtH or someone else) the opportunity to pick a fresh captain, their own man, someone to lead this new team that is being built (fingers crossed it's Martinez) .

30.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 13:51:57
Wazza write me a list of all the 'great' players that have never won anything of note such as a league or cl.
You would have a pretty short list of top players that have won sweet fanny Adams.
Bruno is not a great player he is imo well short of top class. He has good stats in a poor team and those stats have been in decline really badly over the past 12 months.
Deano I don't think he is our best player. It's sort of like saying onana is our best goal keeper. He might be but that doesn't make him a great goal keeper.

31.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 14:22:10
On Bruno, looks to me like he gives the ball away far too much, too easily, but importantly is also caught out of position a lot. Then he runs back and gives fouls away in dangerous places. He isn’t a captain. My feeling is the team will have better balance and tactical structure without Bruno.

32.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 16:07:51
I agree with Redman and Tumbleweed. Unfortunately he plays every game and there hasn't been an alternative to him where we can see the difference in the team from a more measured player who looks after the ball better.

33.) 20 Feb 2024
20 Feb 2024 18:32:22
I’ve just read criticism of Bruno, been poor for 18 months? Then I read replace rashford with Mitoma, so we’re happy to criticise Bruno but in same breath we should sign mitoma who has gone missing this last 6 months!
Come on guys.

34.) 21 Feb 2024
21 Feb 2024 01:29:19
Chris.
I'm not sure who suggested that. I think rashford will be with us next season unless he decides he wants to move.
Bruno will have his moments and you have to hope they lead to winning games.
I want what's best for the team I'm of the opinion we could be a better team without Bruno its not that controversial at the moment we don't have a replacement fit so he like rashford have to play imo.
I am not a Bruno fan despite the stats and many special moments along with the obvious work rate he never won me over as a player I admire. I always ask myself would I want him on my team if I was a player and I wouldn't because I wouldn't trust him. I was the same with nani, Rafael all good players but not for me.