tommy

yanited

[h @htomufc]

Not gonna argue with any bits of criticism, to be honest, feel like everyone and everything is justified. Shit, stale, slow, all around a poor game of football. Genuinely sad about how bad it looks even just from the effort pov.

[tommy @tpbutd]

What a terrible terrible performance.

Cannot believe how crap sesko looked tonight too, was very excited to tune in

[Premier League @premierleague]

Kobbie Mainoo is calm under pressure 😮‍💨

🔴 @ManUtd

[Khan @khanmufc_]

Kobbie Mainoo - Start to the Season

[tommy @tpbutd]

Really confused at this, the day before the realistic fixture he would play in as a 15 year old?

[utdreport @utdreport]

Breaking: JJ Gabriel tells #mufc he wants to leave and asks for his registration to be cancelled [@Matt_Law_DT]

[tommy @tpbutd]

@Bd_irB_ll Not even close

[tommy @tpbutd]

@GENER4L1ST And had to play in the pivot with Bruno 🫠

[Spencer Mossman @fc_mossman]

Kobbie Mainoo has been lights out recently.

In my opinion, he used to be a moments midfielder - someone that stuck out in the memory for quality of technique and actions that carried more aesthetic value than on-pitch value.

Recently (honestly since Michael Carrick took over), he's been a much more complete midfielder, where his data backs up his hype.

For me, it starts with responsibility.

In his first two seasons, he was in the bottom quartile for passes received, passes completed, and final third entries (vs. team median) among T5 midfielders.

He was also in the 50th and 76th percentile for xThreat received; as in, how valuable were the passes he was receiving, as well as in the 82nd percentile for offensive duels won (VTM).

So in years 1 and 2, a low touch, advanced receiver under-pressure. This also aligns to my contention that he was a "moments midfielder", as these actions will look more impressive than they are actually valuable.

Last season, he made a big leap for all three of passes received, passes completed, and final third entries (VTM) - he was in the top half among T5 midfielders.

His xThreat received fell to the 21st percentile, and this all makes sense - he's receiving earlier in possession, and more often.

But, is this evolution really a good thing?

Looking at the second image, his total VAEP over the past three seasons has been:

- 23/24: 29th percentile
- 24/25: 24th percentile
- 25/26: 77th percentile

So yes, the evolution is a good thing. He's getting on the ball more, he's positively impacting the game more, and the overall value he's contributing is higher.

Oh, and even though his xThreat received has dropped, his off duels won VTM was still the exact same, so he didn't lose proficiency in tight spaces or under pressure when he was in those situations.

And this season, he might be taking it to an even higher level.

- comfortably 1st among PL midfielders for prg carry distance p90
- 75th percentile for xA p90
- 88th percentile for line breaking passes p90

Its like he was overrated due to biases of him being flashy, young, an academy product, on one of the biggest teams ITW, etc... but over the past 6 months of club football he's actually quantitatively been absolutely top, right at the same time the novelty of the things that biased people in the first place wore off.

Now, was he capable of handling a larger volume of actions earlier, based on the things flashed in the first two seasons? I don't know, and I'm open to either answer.

The fact is that he didn't, and I tend to use Occam's razor for evaluating volume metrics (within possession adjusted or team environment contexts); to me, the simplest answer for why a player didn't touch the ball as often is because they weren't good enough to earn the touches.

Regardless, this is what a breakout season looks like.

He still has the same core issues as before (weak in the air, minimal ground coverage), but his in-possession value has scaled from moments to sustained value.

Somehow I think he might be underrated now.

[tommy @tpbutd]

Please stop lying about him, he was brilliant yesterday

[𝙁 @fuadyabz23]

Kobbie vs. Man City https://t.co/VzOw1ePEyJ

[𝙁 @fuadyabz23]

Kobbie vs. Man City https://t.co/VzOw1ePEyJ

[سعود @WithUtd]

Kobbie Mainoo vs Manchester City

World Class https://t.co/Hz5MMakagH

[tommy @tpbutd]

Had the result been reversed…

[tommy @tpbutd]

Elliot Andersen is a great player who had a GOOD game, he came into his own the last 20 mins.

That being said I think the comparisons of rival fans saying he ‘dog walked’ our midfield are over the top.

Mainoo was brilliant (shock) and if we had won would likely have won MOM -

[Ace🥤 @speeds_c]

Desperately need Yanited fans to stop falling for bait when it comes to rivals comparing their young midfielders to Kobbie, we’re in the best in the league category now

[tommy @tpbutd]

@ZaidBalll Would love to see an actual count as to how they came up with 5 mins added too.

There needs to be punishment for Oliver and the rest of the VAR team, and the public need to be made aware of it. Not that it makes the result any more bearable

[tommy @tpbutd]

And I’m sure it will click at some point. Get behind Carrick and the lads, remember the board are the ones slamming fans and hanging Carrick out to dry.

Focus your energy on them, back the lads, let’s get top 4 and a trophy along the way

[tommy @tpbutd]

As much as today’s result was terrible for all involved (bar city), it’s a result that a lot probably expected prior to the game and the way that events have unfolded has made it undoubtedly worse.

Carrick got it wrong, as did the players but we have shown glimpses this season -

[tommy @tpbutd]

@htomufc @Jayluxq Just a terrible day

[𝙁 @fuadyabz23]

Kobbie Mainoo - Elegancy