You do realize that Mata was in the hole as a #10 and Kagawa was out on the wing, right? Not exactly a fair comparison.
Shinji Kagawa
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Everyone was slightly poor in the first half, but Kagawa picked it up in the second half. Players should be looking for Kagawa a lot more instead of looking to pass to Valencia on every play.
He's got a bit of Anderson about him. Very rarely lasts 90 minutes and visibly tires in the second half whenever he starts. Hope the rumours of his party lifestyle aren't true. Or if they are, I hope a new manager will give him a kick up the arse.
Welbeck was on the wing, Kagawa was No.10 in the first half and part of the second. Mata only came on for the last half hour and still got himself in position to score 2 goals.
Could have sworn that Welbeck started up top at striker and Rooney played as #10 with Kagawa out on the left wing in the 1st half. When Mata came on for Welbeck, he took over as #10 and Rooney moved to striker. Later when Chicharito came on, Rooney dropped back deeper to replace Cleverley who got subbed off. I'm not saying that Kagawa shouldn't be scoring more (or any since he's stuck on a goose egg) or that Mata didn't put himself in good positions to bag his brace, but if Kagawa lines up out on the wing, then he's more effective with Mata at #10 rather than Rooney. To compare Mata and Kagawa is a bit unfair when they're playing different positions. Mata himself has gone missing at times when he was lined up on the right having to play with Rooney as a #10.
Had a bit of a stinker yesterday.
He did start on the wing but him and Welbeck swapped after 15 minutes.
Surprised so many people had him down for MotM yesterday, I thought he was quite average. I want him to do well but after 2 seasons he's really not done it for us and we have enough players for his position, I'd be tempted to sell him in the summer and bring in a more attacking winger type.
Don't tell that to the Cult of Kagawa. He was Xavi-like.
He was poor yesterday. Offered nothing defensively and offensively in the first half. Improved a bit in the second but not good enough. He's been starting a lot in the past few month too.
The usual 6/10 performance
The usual nice passing
The usual drifting in and out of the game
A 'nice' player but needs to show that he can grab hold of a game, dominate it, be more lethal
The usual nice passing
The usual drifting in and out of the game
A 'nice' player but needs to show that he can grab hold of a game, dominate it, be more lethal
Its simply a matter of playing him in a role where he can contribute.
I hope he is a bit adventurous in the final third but he has grown into the side.
Ryan knows 442, he feels comfortable with it. He probably hasn't had too much experience with systems that allow players like Kagawa and Mata to thrive therefore he isn't as sure how to get the most out of them.
For the rest of this season his job is to win, however he does it. The so called United way (really Fergie way) seems to be what he wants to do and if so, we must respect that.
He is only in charge for 3 more games, after that Kagawa, Rooney, RVP and Mata are van Gaal's problem.
Has he ever finished a PL game he's started?
A lot of people being critical of Kagawa.
I suppose it's what you want in a game, I feel off the ball motion is very important and he has that in abundance. I also feel as a team we lack that, in terms of making the runs that create space to be exploited, and in terms of coming to the ball to offer an option to pass so we don't have to resort to futile long balls.
As an example, when Rooney moved the ball into space to get the shot off for his second goal, Kagawa's run took the defender out of that space thus it became vacant for Rooney to enter. Had Kagawa not created the space then Rooney likely would have hit the ball across the field to Valencia, therefore I'm personally glad Kagawa made the run to create the space.
I think Louis van Gaal will like Shinji Kagawa.
I suppose it's what you want in a game, I feel off the ball motion is very important and he has that in abundance. I also feel as a team we lack that, in terms of making the runs that create space to be exploited, and in terms of coming to the ball to offer an option to pass so we don't have to resort to futile long balls.
As an example, when Rooney moved the ball into space to get the shot off for his second goal, Kagawa's run took the defender out of that space thus it became vacant for Rooney to enter. Had Kagawa not created the space then Rooney likely would have hit the ball across the field to Valencia, therefore I'm personally glad Kagawa made the run to create the space.
I think Louis van Gaal will like Shinji Kagawa.
Yes, he played 90 minutes before again playing 90 minutes mid-week against Bayern Munich. However when Moyes didn't plan on using him mid-week then he would take him off about the hour mark.
Think he's been better of late.
Would I sell him? For the right money...Probably, or if we could do some sort of Reus/Kagawa deal then yes.
Next season I would love to play 2 pacey wingers with quality. Means signing Reus on the left, and no idea on the right
Mata in the middle along side them could be excellent. Rooney / RVP switching up front. Not ideal, but you can't keep everybody happy.
We need to put the pace in the side. For me, Kagawa needs to either play second fiddle to Mata, or potentially leave. He isn't a left winger
Would I sell him? For the right money...Probably, or if we could do some sort of Reus/Kagawa deal then yes.
Next season I would love to play 2 pacey wingers with quality. Means signing Reus on the left, and no idea on the right
Mata in the middle along side them could be excellent. Rooney / RVP switching up front. Not ideal, but you can't keep everybody happy.
We need to put the pace in the side. For me, Kagawa needs to either play second fiddle to Mata, or potentially leave. He isn't a left winger
Nothing more than glitter for me which is fine if you have the fundamentals right but we havent. Our Coutinho.
It's absolutely baffling. Really incredible how you could watch that game and say he's the best player on the pitch.
Was alright yesterday. Good second half though. I think next season will be a very good one.
He's finished 9 PL games since came to United. That's about 1/3 of the games he's started.
Has he ever grabbed a game by the throat and being the stand out player in any of those games......
Agreed. I enjoyed the interchange between him, Rooney, and Welbeck.
West Ham (A) last season, for example. This season: Bayer Leverkusen (A), Real Sociedad (H), Real Sociedad (A, when he played as a #10 behind Van Persie), and Swansea (H, again when he played as a #10).
I thought he was fantastic yesterday, best player on the pitch by far. He's altered his game so much that he's now 10x better than he was at Dortmund. Instead of just being an attacking player, he exerts a Paul Scholes type influence over the midfield.
I had my doubts of whether or not he would be able to adapt to playing for United in the PL but if he carries on posing an attacking threat whilst controlling games then I'm sure he'll have a very good career here. He's also started to become more confident in shooting from further out which is a benefit. Should have had a goal mind you.
I had my doubts of whether or not he would be able to adapt to playing for United in the PL but if he carries on posing an attacking threat whilst controlling games then I'm sure he'll have a very good career here. He's also started to become more confident in shooting from further out which is a benefit. Should have had a goal mind you.
I'm afraid Coutinho is a lot better for Liverpool than Kagawa is for us.
Do you mean the Swansea game in the FA Cup where he was awful or the Swansea game we won 2-0 where Januzaj played #10 and was amazing?
I have about 1000 reactions to this post. I can't tell what's real anymore.
Really? Wow it seems like he rarely finishes at the moment [did he against Newcastle?]. Did he finish alot more games last year compared to this season?
The Swansea game (Premier League) at Old Trafford. Januzaj moved to the left for the last 10 minutes of the first half and continued to play there for the rest of the game, with Kagawa as a #10. Januzaj failed to perform as a #10 in that game and Moyes' change worked for us.
Perhaps the most overrated Man United player in history on here. I like the boy but his displays don't warrant anything like the praise he receives.
He had a really good month last month, one averageish game does not stop that. Hopefully he carries on from his good form when he next plays
He's a number 10 to me tho and isnt our best by any stretch.
To me at the moment he's a player who deserves to be in or around the starting 11. I think he needs to show a lot in the last three games if he wants to see himself as a guarenteed started.
He's never going to do that. He isn't that kind of player, like it or not. Hence he isn't one of the first names on the team sheet, however, these players, whether it be Carrick, a player who has been a success without ever quite "grabbing games by the throat," can be a fundamental fixture in a good football side.
Well from what Klopp was saying and from his performances at Dortmund I think you're rationalising his inability to do it for us. He's a number 10 and thats exactly his role. To make the difference and to be the fulcrum of attacking intent.
The biggest problem for Kagawa is that he isn't our best number 10. Mata is a far better player to be honest, so it's out wide, or second fiddle.
Problem is, I think United need to add pace to the left wing
Problem is, I think United need to add pace to the left wing
5 games last season, 4 games this.
Though tbf, he missed about 15 PL games last season because of injury. And when he came back from injury/long trips to Japan, he would almost certainly be rested and/or come off before 90 minutes was played. This seriously pulled down his average.
But the most important reason is because when we make subs in United, it's almost always players from the front 6 that have to come off. Seeing as Carrick finishes every game, that means that more often than not, 3 out of the 5 players in the front 6(minus Carrick) will come off. Seeing as Kagawa has had to compete with Rooney + RvP(and now Mata), while adjusting to the PL in his first season and dealing with Moyes' dinosaur football in the second, it's no wonder that he only finished about 1/3 of the games he's started.
What it definitely isn't down to, is his stamina. He's got the best stamina in the team(proven by the BEEP test) and recent stats proved that Kagawa is the player in our team that runs the most during games, followed by Carrick.
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Exactly this. He's nothing like a Man United winger and has shown some awful anonymous displays when played wide. As a back up 10 he's going to be behind Mata & Rooney no doubt. If he can be used to bring in Reus then so be it.
His position has never been the problem, more so the style and other personnel. It's no surprise that he and Mata, two like-minded players, seem to thoroughly enjoy playing together. If it was up to me then I'd build the team around those two as attacking midfielders. Mata, however, is always going to be more influential by the simple virtue that he is more direct and just that bit better. But I think it would work best that way, with Kagawa there to link the play. There's certainly room for both of them.
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