Rio Ferdinand thinks he has figured out why Kobbie Mainoo isn’t getting game time for England during this summer’s World Cup. But he is forgetting one key bit of context.
England are currently preparing to take on an in-form Mexico side in Mexico City at the fabled Azteca Stadium.
Marcus Rashford has been playing for England during the competition, but Thomas Tuchel has yet to give Kobbie Mainoo any game time.
This is despite England’s £235m midfield currently underperforming. Now, Rio Ferdinand has given the reasons that he thinks Mainoo isn’t playing.
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Mainoo has played 0 minutes in England's opening four games…
What Rio Ferdinand thinks is costing Kobbie Mainoo game time for England
Reacting to recent World Cup games on his YouTube channel, Rio Ferdinand Presents, the United legend outlined his theory.
“I think this is why, and there’ve been big shouts, I’ve been one of them thinking, Kobbie Mainoo needs to get involved. But the way that England play at the moment, I think, would go against the strengths of Kobbie Mainoo because the transition we’re getting hurt. And that’s not part of his game.
“That’s one of the weakest parts of his game in terms of covering space. So I think I can understand, I can see why with the personnel, with the way that he’s struck to his team, why Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t get a look in.”
Alongside this, Paul Scholes says that Mainoo shouldn’t play against Mexico, which is hardly the support that he should be giving the United youngster.
But Ferdinand’s comments are troublesome in that he is missing out on a pretty important bit of context.
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Kobbie Mainoo is suffering from having to partner Casemiro in midfield
While Mainoo’s mobility isn’t world-class, to suggest he is a liability on transitions is simply a falsehood.
Instead, Mainoo is being tarred with a brush that he hasn’t been able to avoid because of the dysfunctional midfield in which he has been deployed.
Casemiro is the one who was a liability on transition for United last season, with Mainoo often left doing the job of two men, as the Brazilian had pushed too far forward and wasn’t able to get back.
Mainoo’s defensive qualities have come on leaps and bounds over the past six to eight months, regularly putting in huge shifts of winning duels, crunching tackles, and covering the ground that is supposed to be controlled by two.
But he wasn’t able to do it alone, causing United to be run through, and this perception of Mainoo was built.
With a young, dynamic, athletic, and physical midfielder alongside him, Mainoo won’t be left appearing to struggle in transition, because he will have help.
Mainoo has been effectively blamed by Ferdinand for Casemiro’s weaknesses. But from next season, we should see a correction to this, and don’t be shocked if suddenly people are saying Mainoo has evolved.
Mainoo will have loved playing with Casemiro, but he won’t miss it.
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