Michael Carrick has given a second wind to Kobbie Mainoo’s career, but Man Utd need more than just a midfielder to truly unleash him.
All the doubts around Kobbie Mainoo, sown by Ruben Amorim, have been firmly answered by the player since Michael Carrick’s arrival.
Another peak was reached recently in the 1-0 win against Chelsea, where Mainoo’s display was called the “best under my management” by Carrick.
The common consensus is that Mainoo will get even better with a solid midfield partner, but the real issue to fix is elsewhere.
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Kobbie Mainoo needs a settled centre-back pairing
A settled midfield partner who’s not on his last legs in football will certainly help Mainoo, but the real issue to be fixed is behind him.
Because of how Mainoo plays as a connector instead of a dynamic ball-player, he needs a settled centre-back pairing behind him.
By restoring Bruno Fernandes further forward, Mainoo already has the link to the attack sorted, and it’s clear in the way he enjoys playing one-twos with the captain.
The same can’t be said for the defence, which seems to change every week due to injuries or suspensions.
Man Utd fans won’t be able to unanimously name the club’s best centre-back partnership, and that’s not ideal for a midfield player whose game flourishes when he takes the ball off the centre-backs and combines with them to progress it.
An individual player can only do so much if there aren’t telepathic partnerships all around the pitch.
Therefore, a new midfield partner will add to more partnerships in progress. In the meantime, United need to settle upon their CB pairing.
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Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel, Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs made the same point as above regarding Mainoo.
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Giggs said Mainoo can go to the very top, but he needs players around him who are on the same wavelength as him.
He said: “Kobbie could go to the top. He can handle the football. He needs players around him on the same wavelength. That’s when you’re competing for leagues.”
Evra agreed, picking out United’s lack of a settled CB pairing as something to address.
Evra said: “Kobbie does need a solid partner in midfield, but even at centre-back, you can’t pick two and say this is the best centre-back pairing for United right now. That’s the issue.”
United have the long-term answer to this question in Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, but there are too many moving parts in that aspect as well.
It’s clear that Mainoo has more levels to reach, and that can only happen with a set CB pairing behind him.
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