2025/26 James Garner

[TheBigIguana]

You are a seriously hard man to please.

Although I don't agree with you at all, just say it was a conference midfield.
Thats better than championship where we were heading before Moyes..
And it would also mean it's good enough for Europe.

But no, everything has to be the finished article overnight with you..

I mean I want to sell players specifically because it isn’t the finished product and that we need to turn the squad over for longer term gain. That requires money which we can get by selling kinda good players like Garner for over their real worth.

But yeah it’s because I’m impatient.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Thought you meant Enzo (who I rate) rather than Bruno (who i posted that i wanted before United or Spurs were even linked). Neither them or the others on your list Tonali/Wharton have been close to Garner and i really love those 2 players.

I have it as
Guimaraes
Rice
Caicedo
Kamara
Tielemans
Gravenberch
Xhaka

Thats probably the top 7 over the half season. I actually forgot about Xhaka but @Swartzy nailed that one (as did you).

The second half of the season lets see how he does but if he keeps up this level...he'll be inside at least the top 8 in the league.

I don’t want to go on about this forever but Bruno has been one of the most productive players in the final third while playing as a true midfielder. That kind of impact is not easily rivaled and certainly isn’t by anyone in our team.

 

[Joey66]

I mean I want to sell players specifically because it isn’t the finished product and that we need to turn the squad over for longer term gain. That requires money which we can get by selling kinda good players like Garner for over their real worth.

But yeah it’s because I’m impatient.

I just wat Garner io sign his new contract....

 

[Clarky cat]

I don’t want to go on about this forever but Bruno has been one of the most productive players in the final third while playing as a true midfielder. That kind of impact is not easily rivaled and certainly isn’t by anyone in our team.

What’s a true midfielder? Do they constantly give the ball away, pretend it wasn’t their fault and point? Do they get on base? Do they saunter about and lazily watch as opposition players run past them? Do they make their team worse by being in it? Does a “true” midfielder join a club and stay there for years having smoke blown up his backside by the media while also being an integral member of its worst performing sides in living memory?

 

[Swartzy]

I don’t want to go on about this forever but Bruno has been one of the most productive players in the final third while playing as a true midfielder. That kind of impact is not easily rivaled and certainly isn’t by anyone in our team.

Totally different players.

 

[DualityNSNO]

I don’t want to go on about this forever but Bruno has been one of the most productive players in the final third while playing as a true midfielder. That kind of impact is not easily rivaled and certainly isn’t by anyone in our team.

Bruno when played as a CM has been very far away from being a "true midfielder" - he's great going forward as he was playing behind the striker his entire career, as a CM he's a liability in covering, tracking, running back or being a net positive for his team. More to the game than raw numbers.

 

[Swartzy]

If someone's in deep enough to say James Garner has been one of the best midfielders in the league this season, they're not going to change their mind because you list some players. It's pointless arguing.

As long as he keeps improving that's all that matters.

Did you go back and edit your post,
Now it suddenly says "aslong as he keeps improving"

Yeah I know you've put me on ignore, so you wont see this, but dont try and paint your negativity in to a pretty picture..

 

[TheBigIguana]

Bruno when played as a CM has been very far away from being a "true midfielder" - he's great going forward as he was playing behind the striker his entire career, as a CM he's a liability in covering, tracking, running back or being a net positive for his team. More to the game than raw numbers.

Yep and when I watch the games I see Bruno Fernandes playing at an elite level and James Garner being fine.

Again this is just heavy recency bias because Garner put in the best game of his career last time out.

 

[TheBigIguana]

What’s a true midfielder? Do they constantly give the ball away, pretend it wasn’t their fault and point? Do they get on base? Do they saunter about and lazily watch as opposition players run past them? Do they make their team worse by being in it? Does a “true” midfielder join a club and stay there for years having smoke blown up his backside by the media while also being an integral member of its worst performing sides in living memory?

I know we’re an insane group of fans as a rule but this is taking it to a whole different kind of level.

 

[Clarky cat]

I know we’re an insane group of fans as a rule but this is taking it to a whole different kind of level.

What’s a “true” midfielder? A phrase you have just invented, no?
This is your chance to share with the group what it is because I’ve literally no idea what you are talking about. Come on mate, tell us what you think it is and how Bruno Fernandes fits into that particular position while apparently being so magnificent in “the final third”.

 

[TheBigIguana]

What’s a “true” midfielder? A phrase you have just invented no?
This is your chance to share with the group what it is you’ve just made up. Come on mate, tell us what you think it is please.

I meant he’s not a number 10 man it isn’t that deep. He’s scoring a lot while having defensive responsibility.

 

[Clarky cat]

I meant he’s not a number 10 man it isn’t that deep. He’s scoring a lot while having defensive responsibility.

He’s absolutely a number 10 and a good one, but he’s literally a liability anywhere else. How many non set piece/ penalty goals does this “midfield” maestro score whilst performing such important defensive responsibilities?

 

[DualityNSNO]

Yep and when I watch the games I see Bruno Fernandes playing at an elite level and James Garner being fine.

Again this is just heavy recency bias because Garner put in the best game of his career last time out.

I also see Bruno playing for a team that doesn't win as he's not a great CM and will likely never be. Again, there's more to this than his G/A numbers - his involvement in the middle of the pitch means the team is absolutely ran through every time he plays - like for example, against us, where he was cleverly neutralised and did nothing all game, which isn't and won't be the first time; his partner having to do the work of 2 midfielders because he's not strong or physical enough is great to watch as a neutral United hater, but even their fans can see he's not doing a lot there overall.

If he was playing for us half of this cryarsing would've relegated him to a walking yellow card also, huge benefit to playing for those rats so he can be his true Rat King self.

Because in the next post you said "defensive responsibility" - he ranks towards the bottom for all defensive contributions, and by that I mean tackles, interceptions, and even blocks (among PL midfielders). Garner is among the top, Iroegbunam has well more from all of those despite playing 10 times less, and his teammate with the most in all of those is Casemiro, to no one's surprise as he has to do his job.

He isn't and never will be a "true midfielder", as you put it - '#10' is where he should be.

 

[Clarky cat]

I also see Bruno playing for a team that doesn't win as he's not a great CM and will likely never be. Again, there's more to this than his G/A numbers - his involvement in the middle of the pitch means the team is absolutely ran through every time he plays - like for example, against us, where he was cleverly neutralised and did nothing all game, which isn't and won't be the first time; his partner having to do the work of 2 midfielders because he's not strong or physical enough is great to watch as a neutral United hater, but even their fans can see he's not doing a lot there overall.

If he was playing for us half of this cryarsing would've relegated him to a walking yellow card also, huge benefit to playing for those rats so he can be his true Rat King self.

Because in the next post you said "defensive responsibility" - he ranks towards the bottom for all defensive contributions, and by that I mean tackles, interceptions, and even blocks (among PL midfielders). Garner is among the top, Iroegbunam has well more from all of those despite playing 10 times less, and his teammate with the most in all of those is Casemiro, to no one's surprise as he has to do his job.

He isn't and never will be a "true midfielder", as you put it - '#10' is where he should be.

You must have missed KDH ghosting past him to score… you must have also missed the recent Bournemouth game where he gives the ball away cheaply for their first goal as well (these are off the top of my head as I can’t be arsed to dive any deeper as I’ve seen this enough to know that’s just him). He has absolutely no attributes to play as a 6 or 8 in midfield but his numbers are padded out by a ridiculous amount of penalties and some free kicks every now and then. His defensive positioning is laughable but he’s clearly not a deep midfielder. I’m happy that Utd and some stats based cyclops’ still build their team around him and not the vastly superior Cunha (unbeaten since he’s been injured btw).

 

[TheBigIguana]

I also see Bruno playing for a team that doesn't win as he's not a great CM and will likely never be. Again, there's more to this than his G/A numbers - his involvement in the middle of the pitch means the team is absolutely ran through every time he plays - like for example, against us, where he was cleverly neutralised and did nothing all game, which isn't and won't be the first time; his partner having to do the work of 2 midfielders because he's not strong or physical enough is great to watch as a neutral United hater, but even their fans can see he's not doing a lot there overall.

If he was playing for us half of this cryarsing would've relegated him to a walking yellow card also, huge benefit to playing for those rats so he can be his true Rat King self.

Because in the next post you said "defensive responsibility" - he ranks towards the bottom for all defensive contributions, and by that I mean tackles, interceptions, and even blocks (among PL midfielders). Garner is among the top, Iroegbunam has well more from all of those despite playing 10 times less, and his teammate with the most in all of those is Casemiro, to no one's surprise as he has to do his job.

He isn't and never will be a "true midfielder", as you put it - '#10' is where he should be.

United go fourth if they win tomorrow btw.

More than one way to skin a cat as they say. Bruno doing it his way is an excellent player. I’d probably agree mostly, that he leaves gaps too often and should play with more protection. But he isn’t. And I think he’s played excellent anyway.