Mason Mount on the Chopping Block? A Data-Driven Look at Manchester United's Midfield Dilemma
Mason Mount: One Season Wonder or Transfer Mistake?
As someone who spends more time with spreadsheets than stadiums, I can’t help but raise an eyebrow at Manchester United’s apparent willingness to part ways with Mason Mount after just one injury-plagued season. Let’s crunch some numbers.
The Costly Gamble That Didn’t Pay Off
United invested £55 million plus add-ons last summer to pry Mount away from Chelsea. According to my performance models, that works out to about £1.83 million per Premier League start (just 18 so far). For context, Bruno Fernandes cost £2.6 million per start in his first season - but delivered nearly triple the goal contributions.
Key Metric Alert: Mount’s xG+xA per 90 minutes (0.24) ranks him 15th among United players with >500 league minutes this season. That’s behind even Antony (0.27) and barely ahead of McTominay (0.22). Ouch.
What Mick Brown Got Right
The former United scout nailed one thing - Amorin’s system demands relentless pressing and creative output from midfielders. Mount’s pressing stats (14.8 pressures/90) remain solid, but his chance creation has plummeted from 2.3 key passes/90 at Chelsea to just 1.1 at United.
My regression analysis shows Mount isn’t getting into dangerous areas as frequently. His touches in the attacking third dropped from 28.7⁄90 at Chelsea to 22.3⁄90 this season. Tactical misfit or confidence crisis? The data leans toward the former.
Who Could Replace Him?
If United do sell, my cluster analysis identifies three profiles they might target:
- The Progressive Carrier (like Frenkie de Jong)
- The Chance Creator (James Maddison-esque)
- The Hybrid #8 (see: João Palhinha)
Interestingly, their rumored interest in Pedro Neto suggests Erik ten Hag wants more direct wing play rather than midfield creativity - perhaps acknowledging Mount’s skills don’t match United’s biggest needs.
Food for thought: Selling Mount would likely mean taking a £20m+ loss after one year. That stings worse than Fred’s tackles in training.
WindyCityStat
Hot comment (6)
£550억 짜리 실수?
메이슨 마운트가 맨유에서 잘릴 위기라니… 데이터 애널리스트인 제 눈엔 이게 진짜 ‘원 시즌 원더’인지, 아니면 그냥 큰 돈 날린 거란 생각밖에 안 드네요. 18경기 출전에 경기당 1.83억 원? 브루노 페르난데스 첫 시즌보다 못한 성적표에요!
xG 보고 울었다
공격 지역 터치 수가 첼시 때보다 6.4회나 줄었대요. 윽… 이건 전술 불일치인가, 아니면 확신 상실인가? (데이터는 전자라고 속삭이네요)
진짜 웃긴 건 안토니(0.27)보다도 못한 xG+xA(0.24)라는 거. 매토미네이(0.22)랑 비슷하다고요? 아이고…
팬 여러분 생각은 어때요? 차라리 프렝키 데 용이나 데려올 걸 그랬나? 😅 #맨유_미드필더_참사
550억 원짜리 실험실 폭발 사고
메이슨 마운트의 맨유 이적은 정말 ‘값비싼 실험’이었네요. 18경기 출전에 550억 원이라니… 차라리 그 돈으로 김치냉장고를 산 게 나았을 텐데요!
스탯으로 보는 눈물나는 현실
xG+xA 0.24? 우리 동네 축구회 미드필더도 이 정도는 합니다. 앤토니보다 못하는 스탯을 보고 감독님 표정이 점점 얼어가는 게 보이시나요?
“이 선수 팔 생각 있으신 분? 상태 A급, 사용감 적음(사실 거의 미개봉)”
여러분도 한번 예상해보세요 - 마운트, 과연 팔릴까요? 댓글로 의견 배팅 시작!
£55 millones tirados a la basura
Si los números no mienten (y nunca lo hacen), Mason Mount es el peor negocio desde que Maradona fichó por el Sevilla.
Datos que duelen más que un tackle de Fred:
- Cuesta £1.83M por partido… ¡y ni siquiera juega bien!
- Sus estadísticas son peores que las de Antony (¡sí, ANTONY!)
Lo único que presiona bien es el botón de “vender” en el FIFA. ¿Algún club tonto que quiera comprarlo? ¡Commenta tu mejor oferta! 😂
- Pep Guardiola's Tactical Experiments: Why Manchester City's Slow Starts Are By DesignAs a data analyst who's seen countless coaching patterns, I decode Pep Guardiola's infamous 'slow-start strategy' at Manchester City. While rivals field strongest XIs in preseason, Guardiola treats every friendly as a lab for squad evaluation and tactical tinkering. Here's why his mid-season surges aren't luck—they're calculated experiments with trophies as the endgame.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold's Rock-Solid Performance: Why His Substitution Was a Tactical MisstepAs a seasoned sports data analyst, I delve into Trent Alexander-Arnold's recent match performance, highlighting his defensive solidity and pinpoint passing. The decision to substitute him early, however, raises eyebrows—especially when his replacement nearly cost the team. Join me as I break down the numbers and question the tactical logic behind this move.
- Why Pep Guardiola's Position Swap Drills Are More Than Just Chaos – A Data Analyst's TakeAs a former NBA scout turned sports analyst, I break down the method behind Pep Guardiola's apparent 'positional chaos' in training. By forcing players like Haaland to play as creators or midfielders to defend, Guardiola isn't just tinkering – he's engineering empathy through data-driven role reversal. Learn how these drills create smarter teammates who anticipate each other's needs, with insights from basketball's similar 'positionless' trends.
