Yesterday EFL games Manchester United vs Manchester City with MU proceed to the next round after Mata sent City down was a relief for Mourinho (and both him and MU needed it badly).

Despite Pep seemed to pay a little less care about this Cup, but it's still his nature to want to win.

Put that on the table, anyone know why Mkhitaryan, the promising signing we had WASN"T FEATURED?????

- On tactical excuses, if there is one game Mou wants to try if Mkhitaryan fits or might do well with his tactic, then it should be this game
- On personal level, if Mou dislikes him, then he is smart enough to know the fans want to see Mkhi plays, why not use him in this game?
- Or is he still injured????

Im sure Im not the only one questioning this, since Mkhitaryan is a great player, we should either free him, or let him play.

PS: Aside from that, Im so glad with the win yesterday, despite it's EFL cup. The team showed great dedication, and willingness. I hope Mou can fix our problems soon

@tiki Ozil was skinny and Wenger told him to work out . I remember that clearly . And it took him half a year i think to get settled in EPL .

Half a year isn't enough to bulk up, 1nd he is still skinny. I agree tackles may be harder in PL, in France it's even worse. But you don't need to be Akinfeenwa to perform there. You just need to be fast like Bellerin, or a dribbler like Neymar to be under the spotlight. Its different doesn't mean it's harder.
They asked Mahrez here in France how he adapted to the league supposed to be tough for him considering his skinny body, he answered that it's not necessary and that the league was made for him...
I think the dressing room is harder for fresh blood to adapt, many egos, rockstars, buisnessmen there. For Pedro's case he looked so unconfident the first year, his shy personality may have affected his pitch displays, he doesn't take enough responsibility while he could.
I don't know exactly why some average French players find their way there, while established quality players get a hard time.
Di Maria's case, also interesting the guy resisted to Madrid pressure then struggled at United, we speculate here but something else get players struggle there, lack of muscles is not the reason. Maybe you should be hot headed and a little egoistic player to perform there, am I the only one who sees Neymar destroying everything if he goes to PL ?
Sincerly i dont pretend to know what's happening there, but something is sure, its not about level or intensity, the level in Europe is as good if not better but suspecting bad internal management considering sportive issues.

Players that played in French League 1 usually walk into English clubs or take little to no time to adapt because physicality of football there is not too different . That is what I noticed over the years . Their transition is the easiest . Also Dutch league players and any Nordic league.

Ooh Neymar will need to adapt . They are going to break his leg . In La Liga he is very protected by referees . Don't deny it . On top Guy dives a lot . Neymar btw was supposed to come to Chelsea 90% done deal but .. you know the rest .. So that brings the point of leniency . I watch La Liga match and see "heavy" tackle in Barcelona game giving a yellow but same exact one in EPL giving just foul yellow and at times nothing at all !

Championship and League 1 is even more lenient !

Good example is Aguero . Constantly getting injuries and fouls he got away with ! Is he not bulk enough ? Yes . However , It is just intensity of the league . No winter breaks , heavy tackles and add many games . It is fast paced not so much tactical . So I think You are misunderstanding what we mean when we say EPL is physical league . It does take time for player to adapt .

True,

EPL is tougher in term of physic, (doesn't necessarily mean better) but it is definitely tougher, player need time to adapt and kinda bulk up.

The game is so fast and rough, incidents often happen at a relatively higher speed so injuries and general sores often trouble players more than other leagues.

Over the time players just reduce their technical ability and just focus on physic more. That somehow kills a bit part of the beauty of the game and make English football in general weaker.

Back to the point, I do agree in England players need more time to adapt physically wise. But it doesn't explain how Mou's treatment to Mkhitaryan right now. I still dont buy it

The difference is that EPL defenders can put in harsh tackles and the referees are more willing to let it slide. In La Liga, protection of the players is a priority, so any tackle that has potential of injuring a player is given as a foul. But that doesn't mean players need to bulk up. They just need to find a way to get around that factor. Some players avoid getting tackled, some change their playing style slightly, some bulk up to build durability. It's like how Ronaldo and Bale had to drastically change their styles to play in La Liga, but Modric didn't have to change anything at all. It depends on the player, not the league. Although the style of the league does determine which type of players it produces. I doubt Sergio Ramos would have any difficulty playing in EPL. He'd love it haha. Same with Griezmann.

Because Mkhitaryan wasn't his player . I realized this season that many transfers in clubs often happen because of few people along with sporting director decided it will be good addition not just quality of player but marketing wise .

You know how many Armenians bought his jersey ? :D A lot .

One thing i dislike about Mourinho is that if he doesn't think that player fits into his philosophy , he will isolate him until he gets him tired of being on the bench and requests a transfer .

@dynastian

EPL is very heated league . If a player doesn't catch opposition players leg , he will elbow him later or push him around throughout the game to get reaction , curse him out and constantly be on his toes . Body checking a player whole game with physicality . Just because we don't hear it on the tv or don't see doesn't mean it is not happening .

EPL is not just a game with a ball but a lot without it . I Look at Costa always angry because everyone picks on him to get reaction out of him and he does the same back . No other way around . Referees are trying to change this but then end up being bias because they are so bad at determining whose fault it was from the beginning . Therefore they just let it slide more often than it would have happened in any other leagues and become too lenient .

And yeah Sergio Ramos will need no time to adapt !

Can we not make this another league vs league argument? -_-

It is not going to happen . Fact is Mkhitaryan does need to bulk up ( many bundesliga players will confirm that when they moved to EPL ) and Mourinho will not use him even when he bulks up .

Anyone here watch our game vs Feynoord last night which we won 4 0 at home against an on-form team.

What's your thought on Mkhitaryan?

IMO, he took his chance with both hand, he was all over the place, his off-the-ball movement created so much spaces for the other, shaked the defense system. He was the key different how everyone else performed so well. (of course Rooney, Mata, Zlatan and Carrick was pure class too). But Mkhi made everyone looked better. Big credit to Mourinho's game plan too. Great game.

He gave the fans the excitement feeling of a star, by his run and his dribbles. What else do we want?

Mou must start him, the fitness issue is bullshit, he looks as fit as any others.

It doesn't happen often that somebody gets the man of the match award in a 4-0 win even though they don't have a goal or an assist. But yesterday his performance totally deserved it. One of the best technical players I've ever seen, and he proved it again against Feyenoord.

His runs and passes and general movement was phenomenal, and Mourinho hinted that he could start against West Ham at the weekend.

If he's played regularly the team will definitely profit, no doubt about that.

I have a feeling this is more about Mourinho than the player... remember Kaka and Ozil in Real Madrid?
Mkhitaryan is praised for his offensive movement, ball control and dribbling abilities... so were Kaka and Ozil.

I agree with Kirsi, Mourinho has ego issues, he did the same at Chelsea with Mata.. He came in and said i am in charge here not Abramovich not the fans, no the players and as a statement he always does stupid shit like that and ohh what a surprise.. Mata is Uniteds best player..

I agree.

And against Westham last night Mkhi proved again that he's the player we must start... how can it be so hard to see, he's head and shoulder above lots and lots of EPL's middlefields.

Fitness issue is utter bullshit, (Mou claimed that Mkhi has stepped up and improve his fitness etc..., bullshit, he was already that strong). He runs and pushes as much as he did in BVB from alllll his games I have seen.

But anyway, I really do hope, Mou puts his stupid ego away and start Mkhi

Hum, might just be the good to get that thread going again, what with Mkhi awesome performance in his last recent games? What you guys think? :)

Not going to lie, I've been surprised at how well he's been playing. Hopefully his injury isn't too bad.

His performance in the last 4 games has been nothing short of phenomenal. Hope he comes back soon from his injury :)

Im so glad he's fielded. And really worry he's injured, hope it's not too bad.

This is the exact Mkhi I was seeing, and expecting to play, his energy is top, his movement, link up are great.

This will excel Pogba (just like Marchicio did for him in Juve), plus Rooney and Mata would have way more room for their abilities to boom!!!

An in-form Mkhi is what United needs to build momentum and manage to get those results they at times deserve

@KTB Exactly, he is just what United needed in those dark time... and now he is injured, hope it won't be for too long or that it get worse. :(