Where is Henrikh Mkhitaryan?

Sideshow Bob

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Mkhitaryan is not in the match day squad again. The situation is odd. Where is he? Why isn't he at least on the subs bench?
 
Is he actually fit? I hear he has confidence issues. If he is fit in would have played him in the reserves on Monday night and had him on the bench tonight
 
For me there's been some kind of falling out but I guess that's the easy thing to point to.

I can't put it down to not doing enough in the team because he's not been given a chance.

Tonight was a great opportunity to play him and some youngsters so I'm really disappointed with Jose I have to be honest.
 
I'm seething, Mkhitryan is clearly fit, perhaps not for a start but put him on the bench for gods sake! I am baffled by his continued absence. I know he hasn't played much but on his day he is the best player we have. Hope he gets a chance too and I wouldn't blame him for being super pissed off.
 
Maybe though something has gone on and he's asked not to be selected? I know that's unlikely but maybe he's just not happy? Or he's fed up of things going on in training... At this point it's all speculation but I think some serious questions need to be asked about this.
 
Something happened during/after that City game where he started despite not being fully fit. Was class the game before when he came on against Hull.
 
Purely speculating but probably some argument, some players don't take being hauled off at half time very well.

It could of course just simply be that he isn't fit enough to play.
 
Burnley would be a far better game to re-introduce him rather than last night. Seems he's quite an introverted character, which wouldn't be the usual Mourinho type. More suited to Wenger and Arsenal perhaps. Early days though.
 
Mourinho: Why Mkhitaryan has been absent - Official Manchester United Website

Jose Mourinho has suggested Henrikh Mkhitaryan needs time to adapt to English football, but the Manchester United manager has backed his signing to become a "top player" for the Reds.

The Armenian has not featured since the Manchester derby in the Premier League on 10 September and that is partly due to him suffering an injury just prior to the recent international break in October.

Mourinho confirmed during Friday’s press conference at the Aon Training Complex that Mkhitaryan is no longer injured, telling reporters that he is working hard on his fitness behind the scenes.

"He is not injured," the manager said. "Sometimes I confuse the word 'fit' in the English language. Sometimes you can say that it is 'not injured', but you could also say that you are in great condition and ready to compete. That is different for me as we use different words in Portuguese for the different situations. Mkhitaryan is not injured, he is training with the team 100 per cent.

Asked if it takes some players longer to adapt to the English game, Mourinho continued: "I think so, yes. Some players find it very easy whereas others need more time. They need time to feel the intensity, the aggression, the game without the ball and the competitiveness.

"The realities are often different, particularly in terms of the competitiveness. It doesn't matter who you are against, you have to play at the highest level otherwise you will not be able to do it. Micki needs time to become the top player he knows he can be."

Mourinho expressed his confidence in Mkhitaryan when expanding on the topic that dominated Friday’s press conference, pointing to two of his former players at Chelsea and Real Madrid who required time to blossom in their new surroundings. "I think Micki will work here for sure," he said.

"I don't like to speak about players from other clubs because I don't want to be misinterpreted, but I don't think he'll mind. A player who had a problem to play when he first arrived was Willian. He went through a process and then, after a few months, he became a top player. Then, when we won the championship, he was phenomenal and still is. That is just an example.

"Similarly, Di Maria had to learn a lot about his game when he came into Madrid from Portugal. Sometimes this is what happens. It happens with defenders, but it is often easier for them to adapt than attackers. Some go straight to success and others it takes more time.

"In Micki's case the process was interrupted by injury, which does not help the process of evolution. Being out for a month meant he has had to go through the process of getting match-fit, then once he has that he needs the competitive level to do it. We believe him and, sooner or later, there will be no problem."
 
Premier League: Manchester United 0-0 Burnley - 29th October 2016

Not on the bench. I can understand the reasons for not starting him, but his non-involvement is bizarre.
 
Me neither, just don't know why he isn't at least on the bench. His confidence must be at zero right now, I know it takes players a while to adjust to this league but the only way you are going too is to play. He doesn't have to start but at least be involved. He must be pretty depressed about life right now!
 
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