Casemiro going from being over-priced questionable signing to essential part of the team to washed dead money back up has happened at a remarkable pace.
It’s happens sometimes when you spend big on older players. People like to think that top players all stay at peak level deep into their 30s but many do tail off fast.
Everytime you mention someone over 30 might decline suddenly you are bombarded with people claiming that there’s “no way a professional like him” could decline and that sports science has gotten so advanced that it essentially trumps biology meaning there’s no reason players would decline one bit before they’re 36 at the earliest.
A few high profile players elongated their careers and now everyone on here thinks all footballers can play past their mid thirties and goalkeepers begin their prime at 30
Rashford’s a budget player who turns it on for 7 months when a contract is on the line. Xhaka grew as a player when his role was adapted to provide him better cover to make up for his lack of pace and somewhat questionable defensive instincts. Casemiro has just gotten old after being consistent forever.
Younger players who function better in one system or another or others who turn it on at pinch points in their career are not the same as older player going over the hill.
Casemiro was never overpriced or questionable. He was valued exactly what he was worth and definitely one of the least questionable signings Manchester United has made.
29 year old DM on mega wages from Madrid is definitely questionable. I can’t ever recall a time where Madrid have gotten the short end of the stick when getting rid of one of their big stars, that alone should’ve raised question marks. Madrid are very good at assessing the level of their players
Lots of minutes with little to no rest due to no replacement and the team are pressing higher mean he is asked to press more intense than before. All combined to him rarely being fit for all 90 mins and wouldn't be in the position to defend counter as he and Ten Hag want
Honestly, he’s also always been a motivation based player. I think at Madrid that was sort of papered over because there always is so much pressure, and he’s always been so questioned, and real we’re always in a position to compete. But if you go to his early career, people thought he was lazy at São Paulo, and at Porto he played a lot better in the CL (and I’d say even over his real career he was always better in big games). I imagine that it’s not just physical but also mental in this case.
There 100% was questions whether £60 mil price tag and 4 year contract for a 30 year old DM on 350k a week was overpriced. A bit revisionist to pretend there weren’t question marks at the time
Casemiro signing was always questionable. Letting along the obscene amount of money on a 30 y/o, the guy is pretty much the opposite of every Ten Haag football idea: a slow midfield destroyer pretty poor with his feet for a manager who strives for possession and high pressing never made sense. They basically obliged him to switch to a transitional team
Casemiro going from being over-priced questionable signing to essential part of the team to washed dead money back up has happened at a remarkable pace.
they knew what they were getting into signing a 30 year old.
It’s happens sometimes when you spend big on older players. People like to think that top players all stay at peak level deep into their 30s but many do tail off fast.
Lewandowski could be headed for the thing if his form doesn't pick up soon.
Even moreso when they are the skillful players expected to carry the team, instead of another cog in the well-oiled machine.
Like Koulibaly with us tbh
Everytime you mention someone over 30 might decline suddenly you are bombarded with people claiming that there’s “no way a professional like him” could decline and that sports science has gotten so advanced that it essentially trumps biology meaning there’s no reason players would decline one bit before they’re 36 at the earliest.
Specially if they're Brazilian, Marcelo took a massive dive right after 30.
A few high profile players elongated their careers and now everyone on here thinks all footballers can play past their mid thirties and goalkeepers begin their prime at 30
No it doesn't
It happens with young players too
Rashfor goes from shit to world class regularly, AWB went from shit to essential to shit
Many other United players and other team players as well, why? Because fans have the memory of a gold fish and when team does bad they do this
Rashford’s a budget player who turns it on for 7 months when a contract is on the line. Xhaka grew as a player when his role was adapted to provide him better cover to make up for his lack of pace and somewhat questionable defensive instincts. Casemiro has just gotten old after being consistent forever.
Younger players who function better in one system or another or others who turn it on at pinch points in their career are not the same as older player going over the hill.
Casemiro was never overpriced or questionable. He was valued exactly what he was worth and definitely one of the least questionable signings Manchester United has made.
Of course this was at the time of his signing.
29 year old DM on mega wages from Madrid is definitely questionable. I can’t ever recall a time where Madrid have gotten the short end of the stick when getting rid of one of their big stars, that alone should’ve raised question marks. Madrid are very good at assessing the level of their players
Robben, Makelele, Sneijder and Ozil (to a slightly lesser degree) all performed at a world class level after leaving Madrid.
Id say odegaard but that is with hindsight. He couldnt break into the first 11 at the time
Hakimi
It’s less than 18 months since they signed him for £60m and now he’s getting binned off and yet he’s not a questionable signing? Sure thing mate.
Don't think we'd have got top 4 without him. I'd imagine Champions League football is worth about that, even if we've crashed and burned in it.
A lot of the financial boost to getting CL football gets burned on player bonuses though
You’re speaking in retrospect while completely ignoring the fact that the dude just tried to clarify that he meant without retrospective knowledge.
Is he being binned off? Why are you so certain about trusting the Daily Mail?
You’re acting like the transfer is actually happening right now, not like you’ve read a story in a paper which routinely makes things up.
He was one of our most important players, he was brilliant for all of last season.
I don't know what happened this season.
Lots of minutes with little to no rest due to no replacement and the team are pressing higher mean he is asked to press more intense than before. All combined to him rarely being fit for all 90 mins and wouldn't be in the position to defend counter as he and Ten Hag want
Honestly, he’s also always been a motivation based player. I think at Madrid that was sort of papered over because there always is so much pressure, and he’s always been so questioned, and real we’re always in a position to compete. But if you go to his early career, people thought he was lazy at São Paulo, and at Porto he played a lot better in the CL (and I’d say even over his real career he was always better in big games). I imagine that it’s not just physical but also mental in this case.
He was arguably our most important player last season.
There 100% was questions whether £60 mil price tag and 4 year contract for a 30 year old DM on 350k a week was overpriced. A bit revisionist to pretend there weren’t question marks at the time
Casemiro signing was always questionable. Letting along the obscene amount of money on a 30 y/o, the guy is pretty much the opposite of every Ten Haag football idea: a slow midfield destroyer pretty poor with his feet for a manager who strives for possession and high pressing never made sense. They basically obliged him to switch to a transitional team
Casemiro is far from "poor with his feet".