Its not this game we are talking about, since the 18/19 season he's been injured 4 times for a total of 257 days and missed 52 games. Thats an average of 21 games missed per season, I think it's pretty safe to say he's injury prone at this moment.
38
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 19
- Clean sheets
- 6
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 6
- Status
We kept extending the contracts of injury prone centerbacks. Rojo, Jones, Bailly, and most likely Tuanzebe too. So, surely no one in United management should be surprised with this? I hope they're not that stupid, anyway.
Injuries have prevented us from knowing whether he has the requisite ability or not. The ability part you speak of, has not been demonstrated enough at this level to say categorically that it is there. That may well be due to injury. Or it could be down to him not having the ability. But he is not a proven top player who is just held back by injury, like Ledley King. It’s actually impossible to even say how good he is at the moment.
Poor lad
He has time on his side, would happily keep him around a few years to see how his injuries develop. Was he injured much at Villa? Get rid of Jones, Rojo and Bailly first to supply us with some that don't get injured so often.
Our backup options are him Jones and Bailly... Combined they are fit for 10 games a season..
We badly need a new CB
We badly need a new CB
These last few posts are pretty weird timing. Ole confirmed he's available for selection.
I base most of that of what I have read from coaches within the club. He's very highly thought of.
Villa fans also said he wad utterly superb for them when he was actually fit to play.
I don't think the ability is the issue. He seems to have the lot. Just never fit enough to put it into practice
Ability or not. One important part of a young player’s development is learning from playing matches. If we look at his last 4-5 seasons he more or less missed his youth years. He played half of the matches one season in the Championship, that’s about it.
The other 3.5 seasons he has played PL, Championship, CL and EL all together 1307 minutes which corresponds to 14.5 full games. That’s 4 matches per season!
Then he has played some other cup matches. But still, it is extremely little football.
The coaches are always expected to speak highly of their players. And he was very good when he played in the academy. But whether he is good enough, regardless of fitness, to be a regular at one of the best clubs in the world is yet to be demonstrated. He has had plenty of average and poor games in the times that he HAS been fit enough to play, and he was good but nothing spectacular at Villa either. He wasn’t playing at a level that made everyone say ‘he’s definitely going to the very top of the game’.
If he can stay fit for any period and gets to have a 20 game season with us (at centre half) then we may actually be able to conclusively rule whether he’s actually good enough. My suspicion, based on what I’ve seen, is that he isn’t, although he’s young enough and the sample is small enough that this is very much subject to change.
Needs to go on loan in January and we need to sign a Reliable CB option. He's injured quite often so needs to be at a team where he can walk straight back into the first 11 whenever fit, he won't get that at united.
Everton 0:2 Man Utd
Thought he was good tonight. Much better than what AWB has been serving up this season.
Everton weren't great but he handled all that was thrown at him with confidence
Not sure AWB should be automatically back in the side
Not sure AWB should be automatically back in the side
Mixed bag tonight. Think he was very good at going forward in the first half, but didn’t see much of that in the second. And why no crosses? On the negative side, think he was clumsy on the ball, which he normally isn’t, and weak in the box.
He did win a couple important aerial duels, which in my eyes puts him level with Wan Bissaka.
That said, I'm very happy AWB got rest today and he should still probably start against Leicester. But after than we need to test Tuanzebe more.
That said, I'm very happy AWB got rest today and he should still probably start against Leicester. But after than we need to test Tuanzebe more.
Was ok but for me it’s a bit like when Henderson came into the side against Sheff Utd, decent option but there’s a reason he’s not first choice.
I prefer him at RB for now. Has looked ropey at CB and don’t think he should be ahead of Bailly there for the time being.
Thought he did well and would happily have him there for Leicester if AWB isnt 100 percent
3/3 tackles? Didn’t he get skinned by Bernard towards the end and had to foul him?
His lack of fitness and failure to impose himself is actually annoying me more this season. Lindelof's spot is up for grabs and he just can't stay fit enough to take it.
Played well has his limits though. Not a rightback in any form. We need what Telles is on the left.
Same. Fast, strong, competent going forward and with his passing. One mistake I remember, when he slipped. Happy with his performance. Just hope he stays fit throughout the season now.
That was a slip
Watch the replay. He got sold the fake and had to foul him.
I did. Thought it was a pretty obvious slip, both legs went from under him
If you get skinned but foul it doesn’t count as a failed tackle nor that you were dribbled, it counts as a foul, statistically. It’s a bit misleading.
Yep, Everton are no mugs as well - although they didn't play great today.
I thought he did well. He can offer genuine competition to Wan-Bissaka at RB but I get the feeling he isn't really considered as such but the management. Anyway, he came in and didn't look out of place at all. Would like to see him get more game time.
Telles was pretty crap today, Tuanzebe had a better game I thought.
On current form Lindelof is very much a nailed on starter, he’s doing very well and hopefully can continue to do so. Axel needs to stay fit and perform when he gets chances. At present he’s got more chance of playing in his none preferred position, good job he can cover numerous roles.
Not natural at all as a right back even if positionally he was fine.
Got away with some very lax passing but overall for his second game in however many months, it was a decent performance with minutes under belt. Lack of any penetration and crossing was a bit strange. A bit too happy to play the square pass but can't really blame him; priority was to keep it safe and not exposed himself on that right wing as it would have been counter attack galore.
Got away with some very lax passing but overall for his second game in however many months, it was a decent performance with minutes under belt. Lack of any penetration and crossing was a bit strange. A bit too happy to play the square pass but can't really blame him; priority was to keep it safe and not exposed himself on that right wing as it would have been counter attack galore.
Even if he doesn't hit the stratospheric heights he looks capable of, it'd be terrific if he could be the next Wes Brown of this emerging team.
He had atleast one cross. It got blocked to a corner
Not gonna lie, as a right back, he’s better on the ball than Bissaka. I guess, we can rely on him as right back cover and send Williams on loan.
I thought he was tidy in possession and assured on the ball. His only lapse was when he slipped and took out Bernard. Watching him, I didn't doubt that he'd control passes made to him and angle himself to make the next pass forward. He is different from AWB in that respect, as AWB's first touch and body angle can occasionally force him to only pass the ball back or put him in a susceptible situation to a press.
Not much from him in an attacking sense though - I don't think he attempted any crosses today but it may just be the way we set up on the right. At the moment, I think AWB is still ahead of him as a RB and Lindelof is still ahead of him as a CB, but Tuanzebe is certainly a very able deputy for either position.
Not much from him in an attacking sense though - I don't think he attempted any crosses today but it may just be the way we set up on the right. At the moment, I think AWB is still ahead of him as a RB and Lindelof is still ahead of him as a CB, but Tuanzebe is certainly a very able deputy for either position.
He is solid defensively. He offers pretty much nothing going forward sadly. First instinct is to cut back and pass back.
Don't think Telles was crap at all by the way.
Difficult to play CBs as full backs these days. Thought he did ok, given he played out of position. He can fill in there, but wouldn’t want to see him have a run of games there.
Nail on the head. Over the last decade, Smalling and Maguire have been our best centre backs - purely because they're the least injured!! Hopefully Mengi doesn't have these problems, and Tuanzebe maybe grows out of them (23 already though). Millions down the drain on Rojo and Jones' wages
That’s true, remember that one. But I think when we play Cavani, we must hit cross after cross. And it feels as Axel could be pretty good at it.
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