Without Bruno where would we be?

Bruno could obviously improve his form in a team with better players. I don’t buy the whole idea about building a team around one player, we can sit here and argue that he’s one of the last players in the team that needs upgrading, but given how much work the squad needs there’s a legitimate argument for moving him on and reinvesting to build an overall better team.

Tbf I’ve not said anywhere that we should build a side around him. Just that he’s one player who should stay in a refurb of the side. Of the players who currently are in the supposed first 11 he’s probably the only one I’d keep if we could magically change everyone else.

Depends what the rebuilding of the team looks like, though. Hypothetically, we could rebuild the midfield into one that has more control in possession and is very disciplined out of it. Bruno may not fit into that and it would make sense to move him on it that’s the plan. We’ve got far too many players in the team at the moment that are weak in those areas, and their output doesn’t match Bruno’s, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be really looking at where Bruno fits into the team going forward. Plus Bruno may well reach a point where he wants to leave. I’m sure there would be plenty of clubs in Europe that would be keen to sign him, and he could move to clubs that will win trophies on the regular.

Bruno hasn't been very good this season, he's been abysmal for the best part.

I'd like to see us build a stronger collective, with Bruno just one part of that and, most importantly, one that doesn't have to start every single match or play 90 minutes come hell or high water.

Probably more so to do with injuries than anything else, we do see Pep rotate KDB (who is a much better player than Bruno). Fergie used to alternate between Scholes & Butt in midfield in the late 90's more than many people probably remember.

I'm not Bruno's biggest fan by any means, but there's no denying he's capable of the sublime and sometimes you need a player to force the issue a little more in games. If we could get to a place where he's not guaranteed to start every week and someone can get him to rein in some of his Roy of the Rovers excesses in and out of the possession we'd no doubt see more of his best stuff.

You're gonna have to take the captaincy away from him if you want to marginalise his contribution, and that never goes down well, especially with an emotional sort like Bruno.

Maguire took it on the chin but he's got a big old chin!

comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 5 hours, 39 minutes ago
Hes our best player. Like him or not.
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It isn't a question of whether you like him or not.
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which is the point I was making.

comment by RB&W -Same Place-Same Club-Same Man (U21434)
posted 13 hours, 31 minutes ago
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 5 hours, 39 minutes ago
Hes our best player. Like him or not.
..................

It isn't a question of whether you like him or not.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

which is the point I was making.
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Best individual in a team sport.

Not necessarily the same as the best player for the team

Bruno is probably one of only 3 or 4 current players max who, if things had been different for United, on and off the pitch (by that I mean operated and administrated as a sporting club, by 'the manual', like other similar wealthy and ambitious football clubs in Europe who seriously aspire to compete at the top table of the sport.. we know who they are and most are still doing that), who would be retained from the current circus that is Man United and be part of an elite and achieving Man United squad and also improving as a player from working with/under similar standard and aspiring elite players, coaches/ trainers, infrastructure, sporting culture, etc, etc,. (which I think is part of the concept of the marginal gains policy that INEOS are going to adopt when they can finally get their preferred team out of their back gardens).

Meanwhile.... Burnley today. Who it goes without saying, really need to win.

Facking hell.

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 17 hours, 27 minutes ago
You're gonna have to take the captaincy away from him if you want to marginalise his contribution, and that never goes down well, especially with an emotional sort like Bruno.

Maguire took it on the chin but he's got a big old chin!
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Is Bruno an emotional type? He wears his heart on his sleeve on the pitch but we all know players (and people acquaintances) whose off-field personality is a model of sober equanimity and they transform into a raging ball of id when they play football. I've no idea what Bruno is like but he comes across as an intelligent man in his interviews.

I also think if asked to play in a 4-3-3 that tries to dominate the ball, he'll adapt to some extent. He'll never turn into a Guardiola midfielder but surely the Roy of the Rovers act is at least in part due to having licence from his managers to have a go. In Portugal sides for instance I've seen him play a slightly more conservative role.