08 Mar 2021 07:25:09
We are missing Henderson in midfield so much. His intensity, his aggression, his physicality. No one else give us as much in midfield. His pressing game is second to none. He starts the press.
It's one of the reasons why we are losing, he sets the tempo and he gives his own team mates crap if they are not performing.

1.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 07:55:13
It is one of the reasons, I agree but there are many many other. Hendo hasn’t got near his last year’s performances either. If we listed all the reasons we would be here all day.

2.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 08:45:03
We’ve still looked better with Henderson and Fabinho in midfield than any of the other usual (or should that be useless? ) suspects. The truth is that without either or both of them, the drop off in quality is quite alarming.

3.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 08:50:52
Who was in midfield when we lost 7 - 2?

4.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 10:17:41
But then you could also say who was in goal and who was in defence. The drubbing by Aston Villa essentially was the materialisation of months of underperforming. This was something that started this season, it happened last season, after the play was resumed after the first national lockdown. The impenetrable defence suddenly looked shaky as hell, and it was only because of our forwards that these glaring inadequacies were not as obvious. The excuse at the time was that we had just won the league so early, so it was understandable that we may not be motivated. However when the new season started, we only just scraped a win against Leeds in our first game and despite being top of the league before xmas, none of those wins barring the Crystal Palace game filled me with confidence.

5.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 10:47:28
Hendo as much as I love him is in the injury prone category for me another who can't play 5+ games in a row without injury.

6.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 11:33:20
Big this was a thread about the midfield. Hendo play against West Brom and that was the game the issues we have now first appeared. They over ran us in midfield and Hendo was no where to be seen. All the players are at fault.

7.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 11:55:11
The Villa game was an anomaly, games like that do occasionally happen, like when United were pumped by Southampton for a similar score, but what is happening at the moment is not anomalous, we’re severely weakened by injuries to crucial players and relying on a midfield that might as well not be there given their absolute anonymity.

As far as I’m concerned Keita needs to go, he’s not good enough. Wijnaldum clearly has his head elsewhere, Milner’s legs are gone, Ox isn’t good enough to be a regular starting central midfielder, I feel a bit sorry for Thiago as walked into a mess and Curtis Jones lack of experience is being found out. Without either of Henderson or Fabinho our midfield is shambolic.

{Ed077's Note - "United were pumped by Southampton" when did that happen? A century ago?😁

8.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 12:23:32
Markp — Henderson wasn't playing in that Villa game, if that's what you're trying to allude to. But he did play in most of the other games until the moment we fell from the top of the league. That collapse coincides, most precisely, with him moving back into central defence.

It's not the only reason for our form. I totally agree. But when you look at our results over the past couple of seasons too, they always drop when he's missing from centre mid.