[Sammyjunn]

Look out for Roshaun Williams too, he could have a similar breakthrough. Needs to be lucky with his fitness though.

 

[Dazzmondo]

Look out for Roshaun Williams too, he could have a similar breakthrough. Needs to be lucky with his fitness though.

Think Ro-Shaun and Lee O'Connor are more likely to get some game time next season. Maybe Ro-Shaun might get a league cup sub appearance. Wouldn't expect either to be involved much, unless Jose possibly intends on trying Ro-Shaun at wing back or full back due to his pace.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Think Ro-Shaun and Lee O'Connor are more likely to get some game time next season. Maybe Ro-Shaun might get a league cup sub appearance. Wouldn't expect either to be involved much, unless Jose possibly intends on trying Ro-Shaun at wing back or full back due to his pace.

Yeah, still think he will need a full season in reserves, fit and bossing it. Next season he can be involved at right back. Can develop into a very strong CB. A Williams-Tuanzebe pairing in 8 years would be a dream, but unlikely probably.

 

[Freak]

I'd make a prediction and say that Jose will sell Smalling and Blind, raising some money for Bale deal and eventually Tuanzebe will be a squad member this season.

Maybe Smalling but I doub Blind will be sold this season since there are still question marks over Shaw and Blind can play at LB too.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Maybe Smalling but I doub Blind will be sold this season since there are still question marks over Shaw and Blind can play at LB too.

He is in really poor form Blind, needs to get his act together.

 

[ariel]

I think the only negative about this preseason is that it seems he was played least than anybody else. But in the little minutes he did play he was excellent.
No idea if he ever dreamt of playing as LB, but he was great in that position too.
Hopefully he will receive more playing time during the season, though I am not very optimistic about it.

 

[Giant Midget]

It's crazy the amount of CBs our youth team produces.

Shawcross, Evans, Keane and now Tuanzebe who look they'll be at the very least good PL defenders.

On another note, I think Jose's plan for him is to stick around the first team this season, with the occasional cup game to build his profile. Next season can be a loan at a PL club, and then be a first-team regular player the season after if he keeps up with his development path.

 

[AR87]

He's so calm on the ball and looks comfortable carrying it forward.

 

[roonster09]

He is 19 but so strong physically and also very calm on the ball. His performances in the preseason and also last season are very encouraging, hopefully he will break into the first 11 sooner, he looks like a top talent.

 

[Kag]

I'd sent him out on loan at the first opportunity. He's far too long in the tooth to be pratting around in our U23s, and he isn't going to get regular football here any time soon.

For those that think training with our boys is good enough, I'd point to recent history. The reason Michael Keane looks so good now is because he's been playing regular football from the age of 18. He made his mistakes at Leicester (where he was brilliant in the Championship), then Derby, then Burnley. He's now one of the better centre halves in England.

Tom Thorpe, (who was equally good if not better), on the other hand, was mincing around in our reserves and didn't get a kick of professional football until it was too late. Keane has played 162 games of professional football. Thorpe only 46. They're both 24 year old.

The quicker Tuanzebe is playing against men at centre half (and I'd be looking at the Championship for this) the better his prospects will be.

 

[AltiUn]

I'd sent him out on loan at the first opportunity. He's far too long in the tooth to be pratting around in our U23s, and he isn't going to get regular football here any time soon.

For those that think training with our boys is good enough, I'd point to recent history. The reason Michael Keane looks so good now is because he's been playing regular football from the age of 18. He made his mistakes at Leicester (where was actually brilliant in the Championship), then Derby, then Burnley. He's now one of the better centre halves in England.

Tom Thorpe, (who was equally good if not better), on the other hand, was mincing around in our reserves and didn't get a kick of professional football until it was too late. Keane has played 162 games of professional football. Thorpe only 46. They're both 24 year old.

The quicker Tuanzebe is playing against men at centre half (and I'd be looking at the Championship for this) the better his prospects will be.

Thorpe's case is different to Tuanzebe's as we seem like we're going to actually give him minutes this coming season. My guess is we give him time around the first team then loan him next season.

 

[Adam-Utd]

I'd sent him out on loan at the first opportunity. He's far too long in the tooth to be pratting around in our U23s, and he isn't going to get regular football here any time soon.

For those that think training with our boys is good enough, I'd point to recent history. The reason Michael Keane looks so good now is because he's been playing regular football from the age of 18. He made his mistakes at Leicester (where he was brilliant in the Championship), then Derby, then Burnley. He's now one of the better centre halves in England.

Tom Thorpe, (who was equally good if not better), on the other hand, was mincing around in our reserves and didn't get a kick of professional football until it was too late. Keane has played 162 games of professional football. Thorpe only 46. They're both 24 year old.

The quicker Tuanzebe is playing against men at centre half (and I'd be looking at the Championship for this) the better his prospects will be.

Agreed, I think Jose will give him plenty of game in CDM,LB,RB etc.

 

[Kag]

Thorpe's case is different to Tuanzebe's as we seem like we're going to actually give him minutes this coming season. My guess is we give him time around the first team then loan him next season.

When? Bailly and Jones look likely to start the season and Lindelof and Smalling are going to compete for those places. Three centre halves would need to be injured for Tuanzebe to get a start in the league, and that's without factoring in the eventual return of Rojo, who is a great option for us.

At most, Tuanzebe will get a game in the third and (provided we get through) fourth round of the League Cup. Every now and then he'll get a spot on the bench in the league.

Kids need to play football with adults. I'm quite passionate about this because I think the English system is a complete joke when it comes to preparing talented teenagers for the professional game.

 

[Kag]

Agreed, I think Jose will give him plenty of game in CDM,LB,RB etc.

Again, when is he going to get games in these positions?

Matic seldom misses a match if you look at his appearance record in England, so he's going to start every single league game in defensive midfield. When he's out, Carrick comes in, or Herrera drops back.

Shaw will play at left back. When he doesn't then Darmian will play. Then there is Blind.

Right back is the only position in which I think he could get a kick. Even then he'd be lucky. Valencia is our first option. Darmian can play there when Shaw returns. There's talk of bringing in another full back during this window, and we've still got Fosu-Mensah to accommodate in all of this - who, incidentally, is another player that needs to play regular adult football.

Mourinho is under increased pressure to challenge for the league this season and he isn't in the game of risking teenagers in defence when he has a multitude of experienced options already at the club. And I don't really blame him either.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I'd sent him out on loan at the first opportunity. He's far too long in the tooth to be pratting around in our U23s, and he isn't going to get regular football here any time soon.

For those that think training with our boys is good enough, I'd point to recent history. The reason Michael Keane looks so good now is because he's been playing regular football from the age of 18. He made his mistakes at Leicester (where he was brilliant in the Championship), then Derby, then Burnley. He's now one of the better centre halves in England.

Tom Thorpe, (who was equally good if not better), on the other hand, was mincing around in our reserves and didn't get a kick of professional football until it was too late. Keane has played 162 games of professional football. Thorpe only 46. They're both 24 year old.

The quicker Tuanzebe is playing against men at centre half (and I'd be looking at the Championship for this) the better his prospects will be.

Or maybe Michael Keane was always going to be the better defender? I don't think Thorpe is even playing as a centre-half any more.

For every one youngster who excels after going out on loan at a very young age there are loads more who do the same and never amount to anything.

 

[Kag]

Or maybe Michael Keane was always going to be the better defender? I don't think Thorpe is even playing as a centre-half any more.

For every one youngster who excels after going out on loan at a very young age there are loads more who do the same and never amount to anything.

Maybe so. The wider point still stands. Players learn through experience and teenagers in this country are badly let down by a system that doesn't work. Playing in the United (or any team, for that matter) reserves isn't adequate preparation for the professional game.

 

[Akshay]

Maybe so. The wider point still stands. Players learn through experience and teenagers in this country are badly let down by a system that doesn't work. Playing in the United (or any team, for that matter) reserves isn't adequate preparation for the professional game.

Agreed. Sadly Tuanzebe's career would probably have progressed more if he hadn't been at United or another major English club for the last couple seasons. The system is holding talent back.

 

[DWelbz19]

Agreed. Sadly Tuanzebe's career would probably have progressed more if he hadn't been at United or another major English club for the last couple seasons. The system is holding talent back.

I mean, Axel is only 19. Now would definitely be the year I'd loan him out, though.

 

[Adnan]

It wouldn't surprise me if he ends up ahead of Darmian, Shaw Lindelof etc. Lindelof from what I've seen in Pre-season doesn't look ready to go straight into our starting 11.

I think Smalling might be sold in the coming weeks and Tuanzebe will get more than enough games in the coming season.

 

[izec]

I am backing @Kag on this one. No point in keeping him here for the occasional run out against cannon fodder/cup minnows.

He is good enough to go on loan and get regular games, like Pereira last season. It benefitted him more than it would if he stayed here to play 5 games.

Same for Fosu Mensah, needs a loan, he was here last season and barely played.

 

[Akshay]

I mean, Axel is only 19. Now would definitely be the year I'd loan him out, though.

He is young, but you look at kids developing in smaller clubs abroad and they have more senior experience by this age than Axel does. For example, by this age Lindelof had 40 games in Sweden and about 50 games in second level of Portuguese league with Benfica B. Obviously the competitive level is much lower than England but it's still better than reserve football imo.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Maybe so. The wider point still stands. Players learn through experience and teenagers in this country are badly let down by a system that doesn't work. Playing in the United (or any team, for that matter) reserves isn't adequate preparation for the professional game.

Agree with your general point.

The fact the reserves play such a paltry number of games these days is a big bugbear of mine. Loan deals can be very hit and miss as the manager of the club they go to has no incentive to develop them properly. Only to see if they can immediately benefit his team. Spending a season on loan, training with inferior players (under inferior coaches) and not starting at the weekend is a disaster IMO and a risk which should not be taken lightly. It's clearly a worse outcome than not going on loan at all.

However, for the players we hold onto they should all be playing waaaaay more competitive games than they have done in recent seasons.

 

[andersj]

I am backing @Kag on this one. No point in keeping him here for the occasional run out against cannon fodder/cup minnows.

He is good enough to go on loan and get regular games, like Pereira last season. It benefitted him more than it would if he stayed here to play 5 games.

Same for Fosu Mensah, needs a loan, he was here last season and barely played.

We should be able to give either Tuanzebe or Fosu Mensah gametime. But probably not both. One of them should be given a loan.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

I hope Jose shows faith in him and gives him starts should we draw lower level teams in the early stages of both domestic cups.

That, with some sub appearances when games appear won, would be a good season for him

 

[Kag]

Agree with your general point.

The fact the reserves play such a paltry number of games these days is a big bugbear of mine. Loan deals can be very hit and miss as the manager of the club they go to has no incentive to develop them properly. Only to see if they can immediately benefit his team. Spending a season on loan, training with inferior players (under inferior coaches) and not starting at the weekend is a disaster IMO and a risk which should not be taken lightly. It's clearly a worse outcome than not going on loan at all.

However, for the players we hold onto they should all be playing waaaaay more competitive games than they have done in recent seasons.

I agree that bad loads are no good either. Borthwick-Jackson is the most recent example of a terrible loan experience. But this is where the club needs to be savvy. Sending kids on loan to clubs like Wolves with brand new foreign investors? From the outset, we should have seen that coming. There's talk of him going to Leeds, too, which doesn't strike me as particularly promising either.

Of course, there's also the responsibility of the player to play well when given the opportunity. The likes of Keane, Lingard, Cleverley and Welbeck did so in recent years (in their teens, too) and all have managed to forge out proper careers at the top level. But for those that can't hack it, I still view any experience as good experience. Also, it's probably a tell tale sign that they aren't going to make it here anyway.

You're right about the number of games at reserve level, mind. It's fecking shameful. A couple of year back I remember there was a period of something like two months in which Joyce's team didn't have a game. It's so flawed.

It wouldn't surprise me if he ends up ahead of Darmian, Shaw Lindelof etc. Lindelof from what I've seen in Pre-season doesn't look ready to go straight into our starting 11.

I think Smalling might be sold in the coming weeks and Tuanzebe will get more than enough games in the coming season.

I admire your optimism but it isn't happening. Smalling isn't going anywhere. He'll be starting against Madrid, and if Mourinho had any intention of bedding in Tuanzebe, it would be him playing instead. As it stands, we're going to enter the season with Bailly, Jones, Lindelof and Smalling playing at centre half (with two of them starting as much as possible) and wait for Rojo to return. Only then will we allow a player to be let go, which still leaves four first team centre halves.

Tuanzebe isn't going to play ahead of Mourinho's £30 million brand new centre half either. And as for Darmian, there's absolutely no chance that Mourinho picks Tuanzebe ahead of him in a competitive league season. He'll go with trusted, reliable options that don't involve any risk.

There will have to be a catalogue of injuries for Tuanzebe to get any sort of regular game time in the first team this season.

 

[Adnan]

I agree that bad loads are no good either. Borthwick-Jackson is the most recent example of a terrible loan experience. But this is where the club needs to be savvy. Sending kids on loan to clubs like Wolves with brand new foreign investors? From the outset, we should have seen that coming. There's talk of him going to Leeds, too, which doesn't strike me as particularly promising either.

Of course, there's also the responsibility of the player to play well when given the opportunity. The likes of Keane, Lingard, Cleverley and Welbeck did so in recent years (in their teens, too) and all have managed to forge out proper careers at the top level. But for those that can't hack it, I still view any experience as good experience. Also, it's probably a tell tale sign that they aren't going to make it here anyway.

You're right about the number of games at reserve level, mind. It's fecking shameful. A couple of year back I remember there was a period of something like two months in which Joyce's team didn't have a game. It's so flawed.



I admire your optimism but it isn't happening. Smalling isn't going anywhere. He'll be starting against Madrid, and if Mourinho had any intention of bedding in Tuanzebe, it would be him playing instead. As it stands, we're going to enter the season with Bailly, Jones, Lindelof and Smalling playing at centre half (with two of them starting as much as possible) and wait for Rojo to return. Only then will we allow a player to be let go, which still leaves four first team centre halves.

Tuanzebe isn't going to play ahead of Mourinho's £30 million brand new centre half either. And as for Darmian, there's absolutely no chance that Mourinho picks Tuanzebe ahead of him in a competitive league season. He'll go with trusted, reliable options that don't involve any risk.

There will have to be a catalogue of injuries for Tuanzebe to get any sort of regular game time in the first team this season.

I just hope if we do send him out on loan, we don't regret it, considering the short comings of some of our other CBs. I've seen Alexis Sanchez absolutely destroy Darmian and Tuanzebe more than hold his own against the same player on his full debut.


Lindelof hasn't shown anything thus far that suggests he will contribute more than Tuanzebe this season. But I do think you're right that the £30m paid for Lindelof will give him the edge over Tuanzebe.

To sum it up, I feel he's more than good enough to start games for us this season. But ultimately his age will go against him sadly.

 

[NoPace]

I am backing @Kag on this one. No point in keeping him here for the occasional run out against cannon fodder/cup minnows.

He is good enough to go on loan and get regular games, like Pereira last season. It benefitted him more than it would if he stayed here to play 5 games.

Same for Fosu Mensah, needs a loan, he was here last season and barely played.

I agree with this. If a CB on a Prem team goes down to an injury in the next few weeks, would be good to see Tuanzebe go somewhere and get 30 starts.

 

[Bwuk]

We have Bailly, Jones, Lindelof, Smalling, Blind, Rojo (when he's fit again), and if necessary Carrick who can fill in at CB.

I would loan him as well. We have plenty of options and Tuanzebe is too good a prospect to have a season like Mensah did last year.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I agree with this. If a CB on a Prem team goes down to an injury in the next few weeks, would be good to see Tuanzebe go somewhere and get 30 starts.

Not going to happen. Experience is considered a major attribute in central defenders. When was the last time any PL club gave 30 starts to a teenage CB?

I'd even struggle to think of Championship teams willing to take that sort of risk.

 

[Z_Wolf]

Is there any PL team that could use a CB like Taunzebe atm? He needs regular game time at this stage of his development as experience is crucial for CB. I don't think he'll play a lot here this season.

 

[TwoSheds]

Who's our backup RB? Darmian? Young? I reckon Tuanzebe can be a better option there in some games. Might get the odd gig at CB too you never know. Don't think it's a disaster if he stays, just means he'll need a loan next year.

 

[NoPace]

Not going to happen. Experience is considered a major attribute in central defenders. When was the last time any PL club gave 30 starts to a teenage CB?

I'd even struggle to think of Championship teams willing to take that sort of risk.

I thought Champo teams do it occasionally either on loan or because they have a star prospect, like when Michael Keane was on loan at Leicester?

I was probably being optimistic with the Prem but I really do think Tuanzebe is ready for that sort of thing. If De Boer gets Palace playing okay and 3 at the back, Fosu-Mensah may well get 30 starts and I think Tuanzebe is a lot more ready than him.

For example, Burnley have Mee and Tarkowski at CB and while Mee is very solid, Tarkowski is completely unproven. Wouldn't be crazy if he struggled and Tuanzebe became the starter. And a team might lose a starter in the next 2 weeks. Newcastle might already have lost LeJeune, for example. If Mbemba, Lascelles or Clark go down they'd probably love to have Tuanzebe come in.

 

[DWelbz19]

Not going to happen. Experience is considered a major attribute in central defenders. When was the last time any PL club gave 30 starts to a teenage CB?

I'd even struggle to think of Championship teams willing to take that sort of risk.

It's definitely extremely rare, but when the player is good enough it does seem like it can happen.

Off the top of my head Ake managed to play 20+ games the season for Watford when he was loaned out. Played quite consistently until he was recalled at Bournemouth last year too. Michael Keane was a mainstay for Leicester in the Championship as referred to above. Early days and that, but fingers crossed that Fosu-Mensah ends up with 20 odd matches for Palace too.

 

[Vida_15]

If Mourinho feels that he will grow more by shadowing the first team than going on loan I'm all for it.

I on the other hand would send him out on loan. I think he's shown he has the physicality to compete in the PL and would gain more confidence this way.

 

[AltiUn]

If Mourinho feels that he will grow more by shadowing the first team than going on loan I'm all for it.

I on the other hand would send him out on loan. I think he's shown he has the physicality to compete in the PL and would gain more confidence this way.

I'd imagine he'll stay with the first team this season then go out on loan next season, Mourinho seems to like him. I'm not one for predicting any youth player could take a senior player's spot, however Tuanzebe's very unique, if he stays here the season I can eventually see him getting in ahead of some of our current players.

 

[ThanksBoss26]

Hull apparently interested in taking him on loan.

Feel going somewhere to play games will do him good.

 

[Nero]

I'd rather him go out on loan than just turn out for our U23's and perhaps a few League Cup appearances.

 

[Hojoon]

Hull would be a good move. Maguire's gone, Ranocchia's gone, and Dawson is 33.

 

[AltiUn]

Hull would be a good move. Maguire's gone, Ranocchia's gone, and Dawson is 33.

If he can shine, like TFM is doing and Pereira did last season, then he could end up in the first team plans next year which would be fantastic.

 

[Bwuk]

Would be a great move for him. He'd walk into Hulls team.