He provided a few good balls, but nothing great. That for me hardly makes up leaving our left side defensively open as he was playing as a wing back. If we go back to playing with proper wide attacking players, then he should be getting a shot out there, but he can't play as a wing back in my mind. Right now he isn't providing enough threat to warrant his lack of defensive ability in that position.
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Blame van Gaal for that, not Januzaj. He is the furthest thing from a defensive player, I thought he worked hard defensively knowing he was up against it and going to struggle at that end of the field.
He runs himself into traffic way too often. Watch Eriksen; similar build and style; opens up space, plays the pass early and doesn't dribble for dribbling's sake. Gets all the benefit out of the dribble in the opening few strides, whereas Januzaj wants to keep going or hasn't fully beaten his man at first.
Essentially Januzaj cuts off his angles and options while dribbling, so despite his passing being great for his age, he's working at a severe disadvantage compared to players like Silva, Hazard, Eriksen and Di Maria, who open the pitch up and created channels for the players around to run into.
This is the reason I'm not sure about Januzaj through the centre yet (even if Rooney, Mata and Di Maria weren't there), though he's more suited to it than the wing. He runs to one side or the other, like a swimmer who can't stay in lane. So even centrally he will box himself and hand advantage to the defensive midfield.
Essentially Januzaj cuts off his angles and options while dribbling, so despite his passing being great for his age, he's working at a severe disadvantage compared to players like Silva, Hazard, Eriksen and Di Maria, who open the pitch up and created channels for the players around to run into.
This is the reason I'm not sure about Januzaj through the centre yet (even if Rooney, Mata and Di Maria weren't there), though he's more suited to it than the wing. He runs to one side or the other, like a swimmer who can't stay in lane. So even centrally he will box himself and hand advantage to the defensive midfield.
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@luckyspurs I would not compare Eriksen to Januzaj, they are very different players. We can debate all day where Januzaj's future position is but he plays the game different to Eriksen. His game at this stage is about running, taking on players and getting past his man. For that reason, I think he is a natural wide player and should remain there.
I agree with this. As a 19 year old winger/creative player he should come on and play without fear. Add a new dimension to the team. But he plays like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. He would be an excellent option off the bench if he could become a real impact player. He has the talent but maybe not the mentality.
I think we should calm talk about his mentality, he is still very young, players are allowed patches of not so good form, it shouldn't come down to not being mentally tough enough right now.
Probably just the second season syndrome plus abit oflast season's heroics getting to his head. He'll be ok in the long run.
I agree that falls on LVG. Adnan shouldn't be played in that role is what I was trying to say. I could accept his defensive liabilities if he was looking a constant threat going forward. But currently he hasn't looked good enough right now to make up for it. He should be played as a pure attacking player or not at all.
Yeah he really isnt suited to the wingback role, i agree.
He needs to improve his decision making and learn not to over complicate things.
But surely that improvement will only come once he has a run of games? How can you possibly work on improving a skill when you don't get a chance to practise? So I think the best thing for him would be a loan spell
I think you are right, unfortunately for Adnan this season is all about getting into the CL. We have had terrible injuries and a smaller squad so cannot afford to nurse him through the season. Next season there will be more games and a bigger squad, so more rotation for the manager to be able to pick and choose when he plays so any bad decision making might not cost us the same.
I don't really buy that, especially when you consider how confident he looked last season. He's just going through a rough patch, and his confidence has probably suffered as a result. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with his mentality.
Exactly. He's only 19 years old. If he hasn't kicked on by the time he is 22 or 23, then perhaps we should then be worried.
Will be interesting to see how he fairs against Yeovil
Maybe that's because he's been played on the wing almost exclusively since he came into the first team. He's forced to use try and take on the defender constantly because he's on the wing. He absolutely has the vision and technique to play at number 10.
No doubting he has the ability to play central but there we also have Rooney, Mata, Di Maria, Herrera etc.
Januzaj can offer us more out wide in my opinion.
Not in the team. He really can't be impressing too much in training. He needs a premier league loan.
If Anderson gets on ahead of him 
No thanks. Not now.
A loan has to be at the start of the season, in my opinion.
I don't get it, he won't loan him out but he won't play him either. It makes me think that he's only here as cover in case of another injury crisis. Frustrating.
This season has been one big injury crisis and he hasn't been getting any game time.
I think it's as simple as LVG sees him as a winger (not a wing back) and so he has no place in the 352. Hopefully the fact he's keeping him around is because we're going to see the return of wingers in the second half of the season.
It can't go any worse than sitting on the bench constantly.
He can't even get a game vs Yeovil in the fa cup. He's not been good, but the kid needs game time to play himself into form. It's understandable that he can't do that in the PL because top 4 is a must this season. The FA Cup though? It wouldn't hurt to give him playing time.
Can't believe he can't get a game over Wilson, who looks unready/unable.
While I thought he was a shoe in for the game beforehand, having watched it play out, I think van Gaal made the right call by not playing him.
Only in Angel Di Maria's substitution did the game open up to allow a dribbler to work some magic. Before that it would have been a tough ask for Adnan to a) adapt to the physical battles and b) prosper amongst them or find space to work.
Simply when it came down to it, Angel was always going to get the nod over Adnan for the sub. Read into it whatever you want, loan possibility perhaps but I felt today was the correct judgment call as opposed to him being "dropped" / "excluded".
Only in Angel Di Maria's substitution did the game open up to allow a dribbler to work some magic. Before that it would have been a tough ask for Adnan to a) adapt to the physical battles and b) prosper amongst them or find space to work.
Simply when it came down to it, Angel was always going to get the nod over Adnan for the sub. Read into it whatever you want, loan possibility perhaps but I felt today was the correct judgment call as opposed to him being "dropped" / "excluded".
He can play out wide, but playing out wide is different under Gaal. Gaal likes his wide men to keep the width where as Januzaj was allowed more freedom under Moyes and Wilmots.
How damaging could this season be for his development if this season continues like this with little gametime?
I really hope not
But it's disheartening to see IMO. He was our best player last season (arguably), yet for one reading or another, he can't get a game this season. He's still very much young enough for it not to affect him.
I hope it's not a attitude problem or a lack of application in training on Adnan's part. One things for sure though, when he has had chances this season (still not as many as other underperforming players), he's regressed a bit. Especially with his decision making and execution. He's been a tad selfish - maybe he has a need to prove himself etc.
I'm sure if we move towards a system using wingers, he'll get his chance. We do miss his creativity - especially when AdM isn't available for selection.
He needs to understand that he can't do it all by himself, it's okay not trying to nutmeg 3 players by himself and instead pass the ball to a teammate. I been frustrated with his selfishness when he has been on the pitch, like LvG says he should just "let it fly".
Jeez. The guy never plays, and the best you can do is complain about him?
Should everyone in this thread moan about him not playing or what are you suggesting?
Is it me or has he looked half the player since he signed his new contract?
A shame we were shite and he couldn't get minutes. Or a shame he didn't start in the first place, thought he'd be a shoe in for this game. I honestly think he probably just has a shit attitude in training and is all moping around and that's why he isn't getting many minutes. Has way more talent then Wilson IMO, though Wilson has loads of potential as well, but Wilson gets a lot more games probably because he works harder in training.
No. And it's a case with a lot of youngsters. Get a big fat contract and they turn big headed.
He needs to go out on loan.
Like Sterling, his second season has been less than stellar. Shock and horror, that.
he should be playing over wilson in the front 2 or push rooney up with him deeper. but if hes not showing it to lvg in training thats his own fault.
I doubt Adnan can play the role that LVG wants Wilson to play up front. From memory Adnan struggled when he was forced to play as a striker. His best games for me have come from out wide or deep. Where he has had space in front of him to run and move into. So replacing Wilson with Adnan shouldn't happen in my opinion. The same as an actual CM as well, Adnan struggled in the couple of games he was chucked there. He really needs to be given a free roaming type attacking role (preferrably wider) to get the most out of him. Basically the sort of role Mata plays for us a lot of the time. But we have a stack of players who based on this season deserve to be played over him in that role. For whatever reason, he has simply failed to impress in the chances he has been given this season.
Say for example we're playing a 442 diamond we like to use with our best 11 present which normally has rooney as the CAM behind the strikers, mata or di maria alongside carrick/blind and hererra or fellaini, now falcao or rvp comes off after 65 mins, now the choice becomes bring on wilson as a like for like, or you move rooney up top and bring januzaj into the attacking midfield in the free'er role. this is purely based on my opinion that januzaj is a better player than wilson currently as well as having a higher ceiling all things being equal. hope that makes my view a bit clearer.
Sterling's second season was one of the best by a teenager in the history of football. Even the fast half of it when he was getting muscled off the ball too much, he looked lively (just too small to really take control of games). Took him mere months to work on that though.
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