[Gannicus]

Sophomore slump. Do not be concerned...yet.

 

[Insanity]

It was a decent cameo. One decent run that didn't come to frutition, two bad and one decent delivery. Can't expect much when you have had grant total of 300 seconds on the pitch in more than half a season.

 

[Dargonk]

Clearly isn't a wing back. We looked very open down that side the moment he came on, and he didn't provide any real attacking threat to make up for it. Right now he is in no mans land. Our formation doesn't suit him, and he isn't playing well enough to justify giving him chances.

Hopefully we give him a full match in the Cup and he can show some of the promise that he had last season.

 

[In Rainbows]

I genuinely think he's having a problem figuring out how to be effective out wide while keeping the width. It's not in his nature to stay out wide all the time. Wilmots noticed this and told him he could go inside despite playing out wide. Gaal's system doesn't work that way however.

 

[DWelbz19]

Hopefully he starts beside Herrera and maybe even Pereira against Yeovil. Will be nice to see attacking intent in the side.

 

[Sultan]

I personally don't think he's a winger or that will be his position in the future. He seems better suited to a central role. Can't really see who he can replace at present in this team.

 

[GloryHunter07]

Clearly isn't a wing back. We looked very open down that side the moment he came on, and he didn't provide any real attacking threat to make up for it. Right now he is in no mans land. Our formation doesn't suit him, and he isn't playing well enough to justify giving him chances.

Hopefully we give him a full match in the Cup and he can show some of the promise that he had last season.

I thought he provided a few good balls into the box, more than Shaw anyway.

 

[ottosec]

He was poor today, but it was his first game in a long time. Hopefully he gets 90 minutes in the cup game. Good to see him back, anyway.

 

[FromTheBench]

He seemed rusty and was asked to play a odd unfamiliar role for while.

He's been a loser so far of the LVG reign.

 

[MTR]

He was the only one who tried something towards the end, even winning a corner. Can't believe the ratings (4) he's got and the brickbats here!

Yeah, I believe that was actually his 2nd best game this season.

 

[Seveneric]

Nothing to be worried about when he's been shunted in and out of the team so much and LVG himself doesn't seem to have a clue how to use him.

 

[Acole9]

I know he's not a wing back but he was poor when he came on, offered absolutely nothing to the game. Considering that was his first match in about a month you would've thought he'd want to prove van Gaal wrong in leaving him out but he didn't. He kept giving the ball away, got pushed off the ball far too easily because he was so indecisive and as soon as he came on he got skinned by Walters (I think it was) and made no effort to track back.

 

[limerickcitykid]

I know he's not a wing back but he was poor when he came on, offered absolutely nothing to the game. Considering that was his first match in about a month you would've thought he'd want to prove van Gaal wrong in leaving him out but he didn't. He kept giving the ball away, got pushed off the ball far too easily because he was so indecisive and as soon as he came on he got skinned by Walters (I think it was) and made no effort to track back.

That's not what happened at all. He was jockeying Walters, Walters took a touch to the side to work a bit of space and put in a cross. He never skinned Adnan nor did Adnan make no effort to track back.

 

[Whiteside1985]

I worry a bit about Adnan, his decision making when he has the ball has been atrocious.

And he is clearly not a wing-back, even in an emergency!

 

[Cee90]

He's not good enough, and I doubt he ever will be good enough for United.

That said, we should look to loan him out in January to another Premier League club and see how he gets on.

 

[Raoul]

Not worried about him. He will develop as most kids his age should. Van Gaal will gradually build up his confidence and he will do well in time.

 

[Raoul]

He's not good enough, and I doubt he ever will be good enough for United.

That said, we should look to loan him out in January to another Premier League club and see how he gets on.

He's definitely good enough. The problem, as I've repeated over and over in this thread, is that a small group of fans have hyped him up so much that expectations have been irrationally raised, which he will never be able to meet. Let him develop slowly like any other youth player who is emerging into the first team and he will do well in time.

 

[2mufc0]

Lol this place is so knee jerk,saying he's sh*t after a short cameo, he hasn't played for a while and just came back from injury, the boy has talent just look at last season just needs to be played in the right position and get his confidence back.

 

[antsmithmk]

He's got the pace, the technique, the guile, the tricks etc....

What he lacks seems to be decision making and a final ball at the moment.

 

[Wade3]

So we can take the wait-and-see approach with the likes of Falcao and other new signings who seem to become instant board favorites, but Januzaj is automatically s**t after a short appearance? The kid is still very young and at his age, Hazard, who is now tearing up the league, wasn't great either, the same Hazard who was considered a bust in his first year at Chelsea. This is not a guarantee that he'll be great and anywhere near Hazard's level, but to write him off so early is ignorant.

 

[Melvyn]

Not his fault that some fans hype him to Zidane levels then get disappointed he doesn't live up to that hype.

 

[ThanksBoss26]

Needs a start against Yeovil to try and get some form and confidence back.

 

[united_99]

He is not my favourite players by any means but getting on his after today game is stupid.

Same here, I don't doubt he will be decent to good in future, I just don't think he is or will be special. But today was the most difficult situation for a 19 year old kid to impress away at Stoke for few minutes out of position without any match fitness.
Anyway, even for him to turn out decent to good, he needs game time, I wish we sent him to Portugal, Moyes, or midtable PL club where he would play regularly. Atletico have sent Oliver Torres on loan to Porto, they had sent Diego Costa on various loans in the past, Isco was playing for Malaga regularly with 19, players don't develop while sitting on the bench and getting 10 minutes here and there. Obviously sitting on the bench for a couple of months when you are not at Adnan's level anyway won't harm anyone, but sitting on the bench for a whole season when you are ready for regular football at a lower level will harm him!

 

[pascell]

Don't get what people are expecting, he hasn't featured much at all the whole season, the last time he had game time he was played as a wing back then also. He's not played so he isn't going to have any form and after being dropped after a great first season, his confidence is going to be shot. He's still only 19 so his game is still developing, when he's played he's being played out of position, give the kid a break.

 

[Ducklegs]

He's got the pace, the technique, the guile, the tricks etc....

What he lacks seems to be decision making and a final ball at the moment.

Exactly this, however it also comes with the caveat that while he does indeed have those qualities, they aren't outstanding to the point where he is worthy of a place in the team over anyone else at this time.

 

[Litch]

Let's not do a Pogba with him....I believe he would also come back to bite us!!!

 

[Cee90]

Lol this place is so knee jerk,saying he's sh*t after a short cameo, he hasn't played for a while and just came back from injury, the boy has talent just look at last season just needs to be played in the right position and get his confidence back.

Not sure if you're talking about me in particular, but I've thought this about Januzaj for a while now (see here: https://www.redcafe.net/threads/unpopular-opinions-thread.383975/page-28 post #1102)

I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I just don't rate him as much as most of you guys do.

 

[Ekeke]

It was nice to see him given another chance, not so nice to see him waste it again

 

[arthurka]

This kid needs minutes, not sure he gets it here... Loan is needed..

 

[NoPace]

Not his fault that some fans hype him to Zidane levels then get disappointed he doesn't live up to that hype.

19 year old Zidane would have struggled to find a role in this team, too.

#NoMoreCentralAttackingSignings

 

[LLMU]

He needs real game time and really need a left back behind him if he is to play on the left. Getting the no. 11 jersey might be a burden too. But I think he has the tools to really be a good player. LvG will improve him.

 

[Ixion]

Not that he is at the same level but people used to get very frustrated with young Ronaldo as well. It's the nature of the beast for attacking wingers who try to dribble with the ball a lot. It will take a few years before his final ball is good enough and he needs to bulk up, and it will be difficult for him when he is only making cameos. He didn't play well but that's what we're going to get for a while, we'll need patience with him.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I think he needs to play football right now. Like, a lot of football. He's sorely lacking confidence and hopefully a loan to a team that plays nice technical football takes him to the level he can reach.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

He's got the pace, the technique, the guile, the tricks etc....

What he lacks seems to be decision making and a final ball at the moment.

It's just confidence for me. His decision making was good last season. Once we see that swagger back it will come together. Question is, how do we rebuild his confidence and form? Gametime, for me.

 

[Eric'sCollar]

He is 19. He isn't 22-23.

Yes game time would be good but it's not going to ruin his career. Not bothered at all, looking forward to seeing him get a good run out in the cup.

 

[PedroMendez]

I think he needs to play football right now. Like, a lot of football. He's sorely lacking confidence and hopefully a loan to a team that plays nice technical football takes him to the level he can reach.

totally agree. He needs to play.

He is 19. He isn't 22-23.

Yes game time would be good but it's not going to ruin his career. Not bothered at all, looking forward to seeing him get a good run out in the cup.

I don’t get this argument. Its not about age. He is ready to compete in the EPL and he´ll only take the next step if he gets time on the pitch. Just training wont improve him a whole lot. Only Liverpool players become world-class on the bench. Either use him on weekly basis or send him on a loan for a year. Everything else is just wasted time.

 

[Eric'sCollar]

I don’t get this argument. Its not about age. He is ready to compete in the EPL and he´ll only take the next step if he gets time on the pitch. Just training wont improve him a whole lot. Only Liverpool players become world-class on the bench. Either use him on weekly basis or send him on a loan for a year. Everything else is just wasted time.

The age means that it's not critical yet. Yes, it would be better if he was playing, no doubting that at all but it's not as though this stint of not playing (which happens to everyone) is going to ruin his career.

You can only imagine if he played 5 games in a row, the same people here saying he needs to play will be saying we are overusing him.

 

[PedroMendez]

The age means that it's not critical yet. Yes, it would be better if he was playing, no doubting that at all but it's not as though this stint of not playing (which happens to everyone) is going to ruin his career.

You can only imagine if he played 5 games in a row, the same people here saying he needs to play will be saying we are overusing him.

Nowadays kids start to train semi-professional at a very young age. Adnan joined Anderlech at the age of 10. By 16-19 those players know all the basics. Once they are past puberty they need 1-2 more years to develop the right physicality and they are good to go. After this point talents will stagnate if you don’t use them in the first league. Sure, you can bench him for another 1-2 years, but he´ll never make the next step. You just delay the issue. If you don’t trust him now, you wont trust him after two more years on the bench and he´ll need the same time to adjust to professional football. I know that its very hard for top clubs to give young players time on the pitch. It usually happens, when there are not alternatives, so managers are forced to integrate youngsters. LvG has to decide if he can use Januzaj on a weekly basis or if that is not possible. I don’t hold it against him, if he cant do that, but its a huge mistake to keep him on our bench. There are many decent clubs who would love to take him on a loan for a year.

Physically he´ll be just fine to play once a week, if he is not injured. That is not a problem at all. If a player cant do that he will struggle to become a professional footballer anyway. Obviously you shouldn’t expect, that a talent is carrying a dysfunctional team on his own. If you put this psychological pressure on him, you might swamp him. Its the job of the manager to make sure, that this isn’t going to happen.

 

[Eric'sCollar]

Too much over thinking. People are complicating an issue which will sort itself out over time like the development of any young player.

 

[golden_blunder]

the Albanian Steve McManaman is still on track