Sean Longstaff

I think SL could learn a bit from watching Hendrick.  Hendrick does a good job finding space between the lines and that would serve Longstaff well.  I just don't see him as a regular 10.  Pair him with Hayden in a holding role but let him get forward a little bit and then arrive at  the box for a longshot option.

Sean looked every bit a rising star under Rafa. And no doubt he’d be looking that exact player if Rafa were still here.

 

I dunno. A lot of the things he did during his good spell was individual moments of brilliance, things that shouldn't necessarily be reliant on a specific system. Search "This is Why Manchester United Needs Sean Longstaff !" on youtube. He tried and did things he simply doesn't do anymore, and he looks in better shape/sharper then than he does now. To me it seems like it was either a purple patch, or his injury has affected him a lot and hasn't gotten back to the physical shape he was in back then.

 

It was so much fun watching him. The "old" Longstaff did everything. Was good in the tackle, could spray the ball around just as good as Shelvey, was really good at creating space for himself under pressure in order to pass the ball, had a mean shot, excellent crossing technique. I don't see how these things can get so much worse just because he plays in a less structured team.

At times during that spell he looked a complete natural. It was all so instinctive, which is really what you want, but those players struggle to thrive if the team isn't set up to capitalise.

A 'team' consists of 11 players who compliment each other in a balanced, organised side, not 11 players who really don't seem to have specific rolls to play other than get behind the ball then hope for something to happen

This boy needs to be playing regularly. He's had a downturn in his fortunes since Rafa left, but made such a difference today with his mobility, quick passing, and defensive solidity. This side is much better with an on-form Longstaff than any version of Shelvey.

definitely looks to be rounding into form

Much more like it today. Hendrick makes him look even better than he was.

He played more ambitiously today, which I think suits his game. He did well.

Played a super first time pass on the half volley straight to Lewis in the second half. Classy player and should definitely be starting for us if fit.

Don’t think either of our midfielders really influenced the game at all, we’re just lucky we don’t need them to. TBH I don’t think it matters which combination we pick.

Needs to work on his set-pieces, like. No pace or whip at all.

Played much better but shortfalls/areas to improve are there to see.

Hopefully a confidence boost for him though. There is still a player there. Just no confidence the coaches will improve him where necessary.

The Lad has done good today, hopefully he can bulid on this performance.

Quite interesting to see the gulf in class between him and Hendrick. I mean Longstaff hasn't been that good lately, but he still looked head and shoulders above Hendrick.

That long pass to Lewis in 2nd half, was superb.

Class act just needs to stay fit and get a run of games.

It was playing in a 5-4-1 alongside Hayden or Diame (i.e. not with Shelvey in the picture) when he looked good under Rafa, so not surprising he looks better in a similar system.

In form, he’ll be one of the reasons why we stay up.

If his form dips, we’ll struggle.

He was just as average and forgetful as Hendrick. Funny to see how positive people are in this thread compared to the Hendrick thread after today.

i think people are saying he wasnt as bad as usually. that doesnt mean he was great. there are levels between shite and world class.

What’s the forum thoughts on this lad?

He was absolutely shit in the first half yesterday. Slow, safe passes, dispossessed, bullied by their cm, bottled a header. Second half he played a couple of nice cross field balls and went on that good driving run through the middle and I remembered  that was what he was about under Rafa. He pressed high, made those leggy runs through the middle of the pitch.

Is it a coaching thing? Confidence? Or he just a bit short of what you need at this level?

Coaching. He looked genuinely capable of being a top CM before getting hurt and under Rafa’s guidance.

Coaching. He looked genuinely capable of being a top CM before getting hurt and under Rafa’s guidance.

Yeah I think this is the case. He strikes me as a lad that with right mentoring is a great learner, and follows guidance very well. No surprise Rafa had him playing his best, fast forward to now and all this time under Bruce and he's not developed, he's gone backwards.

I thought he did quite well in the second half, i like him and i think he will develop to be a better player moving forward.

That driving run from the centre circle to the edge of the box is something I can't remember an NUFC central midfielder doing since about 2006, I was genuinely puzzled watching it.

What’s the forum thoughts on this lad?

 

He was absolutely shit in the first half yesterday. Slow, safe passes, dispossessed, bullied by their cm, bottled a header. Second half he played a couple of nice cross field balls and went on that good driving run through the middle and I remembered  that was what he was about under Rafa. He pressed high, made those leggy runs through the middle of the pitch.

 

Is it a coaching thing? Confidence? Or he just a bit short of what you need at this level?

I fell asleep in the first half and barely watched any of it while I was awake, so my opinion that I didn't even realise he was playing is useless.

I did see a close up of Hendrick, at a corner I think. Did we have any 1st half corners?