A player with a price tag of a €100M and the positive takeaway is that he... worked hard? Well, thank feck for that then.
21
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 44
- Goals
- 8
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 8
- Status
He was ok. Nothing more. I think people are underestimating his influence on the team in terms of shape. He opens the pitch up greatly and that leaves holes in the middle so that the likes of eriksen, casemiero and bruno can play through teams. It also helps with overlap play.
He definitely needs to do better though. We overpayed for him by atleast 40m but he will end up a good signing. I like his temperament.
He definitely needs to do better though. We overpayed for him by atleast 40m but he will end up a good signing. I like his temperament.
Iffy first half followed by a really solid second half. One thing I can say about him is he tends to pick the right passing option 8 times out of 10 and is probably our best player at keeping possession of the ball under pressure.
He's getting into the habit of getting into the right position for chances to fall to him, in the last couple of games. I think it will be a matter of time before he gets in on the act for goals again.
He's getting into the habit of getting into the right position for chances to fall to him, in the last couple of games. I think it will be a matter of time before he gets in on the act for goals again.
He's probably never going to be a productivity monster, but then he wasn't really that at Ajax either. ETH wanted him here regardless, because he offers (or hopefully will offer) things beyond that. Though I'm sure ETH wants more productivity as well.
Key point is that even without him ripping up trees, we're clearly a far more balanced side and better functioning side with him in it. He'll never justify a €100m fee that had more to do with the circumstances of the signing than the player himself, but he is at least the sort of system-focused square peg for a square hole signing we have often failed to make over the last decade.
Key point is that even without him ripping up trees, we're clearly a far more balanced side and better functioning side with him in it. He'll never justify a €100m fee that had more to do with the circumstances of the signing than the player himself, but he is at least the sort of system-focused square peg for a square hole signing we have often failed to make over the last decade.
Works hard, extremely press resistant, excellent positioning and technique. On the down side, while he is superb at keeping the ball under pressure he is not there yet when it comes to directly going at full backs and his delivery and final ball/shot is erratic.
I think in some ways he suffers at Utd due to the fact that he is really the first of his type we have had. Left foot right wingers are dime a dozen these days, and a lot of it is very analytic, system based, it is is not the exciting role that highlights might suggest. Sancho is the same, you are not getting a winger who is going to take guys on, get you off your feet, it is probing, move the ball, looking for interplay, shooting opportunities. Boring style for me outside of a few special players.
I think in some ways he suffers at Utd due to the fact that he is really the first of his type we have had. Left foot right wingers are dime a dozen these days, and a lot of it is very analytic, system based, it is is not the exciting role that highlights might suggest. Sancho is the same, you are not getting a winger who is going to take guys on, get you off your feet, it is probing, move the ball, looking for interplay, shooting opportunities. Boring style for me outside of a few special players.
I agree and also feel we have similar challenges to Chelsea in terms of signing and accommodating attackers (forwards and strikers)
He used to do all this though
Something about him and his personality that i am not a fan of. Hope he becomes better but i don’t think we should have gone for him
Totally agree with this assessment. He’s supremely important because of our team shape with him, but people are crazy if they think these types of performances won’t have Amad breathing down his neck next year.
A lot of people must be forgetting that he is 22 years old. We haven't bought the finished article.
Smells a bit like Pepe at Arsenal right now ngl was either giving it away or looked scared to do anything with it, obviously room for patience though only his first season and ETH has showed what he can do with players, already changed a bit in the 2nd half so one would assume he got a talking to.
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He makes opposition players think and guess.
Thats a massive plus. He'll be OK. He's only in the PL a few weeks and a big chunk of time away with Brazil
He will flourish
Thats a massive plus. He'll be OK. He's only in the PL a few weeks and a big chunk of time away with Brazil
He will flourish
Shades of DVB when people start talking about team shape instead of how he actually played. Let's give him time, but his big issue is that he's very one dimensional at the moment. At the moment, he's Robben without the extreme pace or any form of disguise or subtlety.
He needs time to adapt. Premiership has to be the toughest top tier league for the flair types…unless you’re seriously world class.
Going through a rough patch where nothing is really working for him , but he is not hiding and is still showing for everything and putting the effort in, hopefully he just needs a turning point in a game etc where things start to go right for him and he gets on a roll.
The important thing is that he does not start doubting himself as when a player does that it can be a very long way back.
The important thing is that he does not start doubting himself as when a player does that it can be a very long way back.
Antony was isolated in terms of team cohesion. This is understandable: he missed a long time and never partnered with AWB in the matches. He is an incredible player who hasn’t adapted to the team yet.
And yes, he played shit.
And yes, he played shit.
Be patient with him. He is fearless and has good mentality he plays with swagger. Once he gets going he will be a great player. He just needs a few goals and some time to adapt.
Damn, it is always tough to write anything critical against new signings on fan's forums. So lets start with positive things;
He has big potential. He has speed and technique. He has good shot. So everything is there to hope that he will become excellent signing. I think that he will and that his current problem is confidence.
But really, using excuses "works hard" for 100 mil winger is over the top. Ask yourself; was this (what he is doing last few games) anything different what Lingard did on right wing? Tracking back, safe passes and some quick one-twos.
Yes, i look at price. 100 mil United first choice forward MUST dribble past players, have assists and goals. He must be attacking treat. At this moment he is just depth in squad.
He has big potential. He has speed and technique. He has good shot. So everything is there to hope that he will become excellent signing. I think that he will and that his current problem is confidence.
But really, using excuses "works hard" for 100 mil winger is over the top. Ask yourself; was this (what he is doing last few games) anything different what Lingard did on right wing? Tracking back, safe passes and some quick one-twos.
Yes, i look at price. 100 mil United first choice forward MUST dribble past players, have assists and goals. He must be attacking treat. At this moment he is just depth in squad.
I would pretty much agree with this and plus the brilliant save from David.
Another third gear performance. Better days to come, no question about it.
If he signed for Liverpool or another top team we would be laughing at them. Just not good enough. Hard work is not a quality, its an expectation. Elanga will work hard. Apart from that he had one good cross and one half decent pass down the line for Bruno. Not good enough. Is that the standard we are expecting?
Now I know I will get grief because you are not allowed to criticize our players but we should be honest. I still believe he will come good simply because I believe in Ten Haag but I don't believe anyone can say truthfully he has done well. I want a lot more.
Now I know I will get grief because you are not allowed to criticize our players but we should be honest. I still believe he will come good simply because I believe in Ten Haag but I don't believe anyone can say truthfully he has done well. I want a lot more.
Sorry for the late reply.
Agreed, mate. Certainly with that fee, there comes big expectation. It's just how it goes in every professional world. Nothing personal. Big fee with big wage, you have to perform regardless of age. It's all common consequence. Nobody force them to receive those high wage. They certainly know how big the fee involved also.
Veron in the past, was considered flop because he came in for the Club record fee (and certainly at high wage) and failed to live up to the expectation. If he came in with 5m fee, he might be stay longer but instead Fergie only kept him for 2 years to recoup some loss fee.
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Absolutely this. Fans are sometimes treating players like they are kids or doing some charity work (where criticsm is out of order).
If some company invests 100 mil euros on new employee and that employee is on 100k per week then that employee must deliver. Not do "solid" job or just work hard.
Also, we are Man Utd. Club at highest level. Surely, first choice winger (no matter how much he is payed) in Man Utd must have numbers behind him. Not just retain possession and track back full backs.
His issues are a result of the clubs poor planning, dropping 100m on a project just isn't smart, if we need to give these types of players time and patience because "age: and "new environment" then we should be paying appropriate fees.
Hopefully in the summer we won't have to rely solely on the network of Ten Hag so we can get Antony type players for around 30m and leave the 100m players for the genuinely World class difference makers (Casemiro level but younger).
Hopefully in the summer we won't have to rely solely on the network of Ten Hag so we can get Antony type players for around 30m and leave the 100m players for the genuinely World class difference makers (Casemiro level but younger).
You know it's looking grim when the €100m attacker is being praised for his work rate, deary me
This would be good take if people also acted very generous towards free players.
Now let's see the posts on our academy players who cost nothing and few of them on low wages.
Di Maria wasn't. Martial wasn't. Lukaku wasn't.
It's something that is a part of his game, which does not mean that is what we paid for, it just means if and when we see what we paid for, that part of it isn't even the only thing about this player we like. If he scores 15 goals a season and contributes in other ways, it is acceptable where as if he just stood there all game and scored 20 he wouldn't be good enough.
Tiny sample size so far but looking at him stats-wise:
xG per 90 this season is 0.35. His Ajax seasons were 0.37 and 0.27. So basically the same.
xA per 90 this season is 0.05. His Ajax seasons were 0.24 and 0.29. Which is a big drop off. So in terms of improvement, the low hanging fruit would seem to simply be creating more chances for others.
But I wonder how much of that is linked to having a CF presence in the box. Because last season he averaged 1.04 crosses and 4.39 passes into the penalty area (98th percentile on both), whereas in the PL Fbref have him averaging 0.00 crosses and 0.70 passes (8th and 17th percentile). I wonder how much not having that Haller-like target to fire the ball into is hurting him or forcing him to adapt.
xG per 90 this season is 0.35. His Ajax seasons were 0.37 and 0.27. So basically the same.
xA per 90 this season is 0.05. His Ajax seasons were 0.24 and 0.29. Which is a big drop off. So in terms of improvement, the low hanging fruit would seem to simply be creating more chances for others.
But I wonder how much of that is linked to having a CF presence in the box. Because last season he averaged 1.04 crosses and 4.39 passes into the penalty area (98th percentile on both), whereas in the PL Fbref have him averaging 0.00 crosses and 0.70 passes (8th and 17th percentile). I wonder how much not having that Haller-like target to fire the ball into is hurting him or forcing him to adapt.
Bringing up his price tag within the context of a performance is a bit unfair. The portion of the 100m wasn't for talent, it was because of an unfavourable panic situation. Yes the performance tonight fell short of reasonable standard and look forward to improvement, just not 100m improvement. He'll never get a fair chance if we're not realistic.
From what i remember before his injury he was doing awesome. Maybe he just needs a few games to get back in the groove?
From what I have seen so far, he is good at staying close to the byline and stretching the play. Also, he is good at curling in shots with his left foot.
Outside of this, he doesn't have any of the qualities that I would like to see in a wide player. He is probably the most one-footed player in the top 6 right now. Every time he has the ball, the defender knows that he will run down the touchline but eventually cut-in to either cross or square the ball. That takes away his effectiveness.
Also, he doesn't have exceptional pace. Neither is he able to dribble past defenders with speed. The only thing I will give him though is his tenacity. But bottomline is that he is nowhere near good enough to be a mainstay for us if we have dreams of winning EPLs and CLs. Also, Ajax must have laughed their way to the bank considering what we paid for him.
Outside of this, he doesn't have any of the qualities that I would like to see in a wide player. He is probably the most one-footed player in the top 6 right now. Every time he has the ball, the defender knows that he will run down the touchline but eventually cut-in to either cross or square the ball. That takes away his effectiveness.
Also, he doesn't have exceptional pace. Neither is he able to dribble past defenders with speed. The only thing I will give him though is his tenacity. But bottomline is that he is nowhere near good enough to be a mainstay for us if we have dreams of winning EPLs and CLs. Also, Ajax must have laughed their way to the bank considering what we paid for him.
It was always obvious he is worth nowhere near what we paid, similar to Sancho. He is an okay player but the price tag will always be attached to him, not his fault of course but it is what it is. He kind of reminds me of Pogba. His highlights reel on Youtube should look quite good, having a lot of (mostly) pointless but flashy skills that unfortunately don't help the team a lot. Very disappointing first half of the season and we would be laughing if any of our rivals paid for him what we paid.
He will be fine and done well before the World Cup he just needs to get back to basics he seems to be giving away a lot of easy balls
Goals against City and Arsenal already have me convinced he will be a top player for us.
Goals against City and Arsenal already have me convinced he will be a top player for us.
He’s a bit similar to Greenwood in that defenders are starting to figure out that he’s just going to go on his inside all the time . He might get away with it in the Dutch league but he’s going to have a whole lot better in thr PL
Fearless is in an interesting description given how often he looks too scared to run at full backs
He will be fine but he needs to mix his game up. He is not as quick as Robben or Mahrez to keep doing the same things and beating players the same way.
He deserves patience, not every player flourishes in their first season, especially attackers, if he doesn't pick it up next season then I hope we will learn from past mistakes and not waste time clinging to hope for 3 or 4 season like we have been guilty of with many players
That piece of shit is a terrible comparison because he was so two footed that he was incredibly hard for defenders to deal with. He could whack them in with either foot. Antony is incredibly one footed.
the 1 thing I would say is he needs to take the fullback closer to the byline before he cuts in. He isn’t pushing them back far enough to give him room to cut inside effectively.
He is cutting back into the midfield and it gives the defender the option to over cover the inside.
He is cutting back into the midfield and it gives the defender the option to over cover the inside.
He is nothing like Greenwood. That cnut was twice better than Antony will ever be in key areas. Confidence in going on player, playing with two feet, technique, finishing...
Shame that he is sick violent bastard
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