Axel Tuanzebe image 38

Axel Tuanzebe England flag

2020-21 Performances


View full 2020-21 profile

5.7 Season Average Rating
Appearances
19
Clean sheets
6
Goals
0
Assists
0
Yellow cards
6
Status
Not open for further replies.
Grew into the game, looked a bag of nerves initially but towards the end he was playing really well.
 
By the end of the match, I thought he was looking up to speed but he had a very poor start to the match and his touch was off.
He needs game time desperately. He could probably continue as a squad player with us, it's just whether he's happy doing that.
 
Any idea why he played with a Apple Watch on?
 
Heavily involved in the match. Some good defending at times, blocked a few shots, outmuscled Leicester attackers, cut out crosses but also guilty of some very careless moments. Looked uncomfortable in possession in the first half.
 
Oh right, nothing to do with Matic missing Tielmanns run, which caused the defence to shuffle across to cover, leaving the lad free coming in from the left. By the way that was some goal by the lad, not sure he'll ever score another goal as good as that.
The whole team were, as expected, a bit rusty and nervous first 20 minutes or so, but after that I thought defensively we were excellent, with Tuanzebe keeping Ihaneacho very quiet, and Vardy hardly got a sniff, just one half chance second half.
Thought both Tuanzebe and Bailly were untroubbled for the last quarter of the game.
Tuanzebe first made that stupid run, then Matic was stupid to not cover the space, and then Bailly also did to not cover until it was too late. For me blame 1 goes to Tuanzebe, second to Matic and third to Bailly. He struggled until our goal, after that he was fine except the ball handling.
 
I thought he was much better in the second half than the first. He's had a weird season, he could probably do with a loan to get lots more good minutes, it's just we rely on him still if we get an injury.
 
So move him on and have Jones and Eric as our only 2 other options to Harry and Vic? Wow I’m amazed by such a suggestion. You’d think squad players aren’t required by some so called fans. Had a good game, after hardly had any game time and just slotted in very effectively alongside Eric.

We need to sign a CB.
We'll have Maguire, Bailly, VNL and new CB. Mengi can come in as 5th choice.
Tuanzebe is 23...he needs to play regularly at this point.
 
Got some crucial tackles and blocks in, but his passing was terrible throughout the game. Can´t have that when we´re playing out from the back.
 
I'd say he needs game time but when he has a run of games he still makes these daft mistakes. Maybe he could make it above Bailly in the pecking order but it's hard to see him becoming a starter here.
 
Isnt it dangerous to play with a watch on? For other players?
 
He seems so passive in most of his actions, almost like he’s sleepwalking through the game.

He does some very good work in patches. Just needs to sharpen up and have more conviction for me.
 
As others have said, felt he looked a bit nervous - a bit unsure of himself, in the first half.

Second half, he certainly looked a lot more assured and made some nice interceptions.
 
It may not be helpful to him today to play with Bailly. Maybe he would have been more comfortable with either Maguire or Lindelof?
But he was at fault for the first goal. He should have covered that space.
 
Still not convinced by him, he's already 23 so time is not really on his side as a "youngster". One more season and thats it, he either grows or lets move on from him.
 
Awful 1st half (why the feck did he get dragged out to the left wing for their first goal !!)

Actually really decent 2nd half

Axel is a funny one, 1 minute you want him shipped to the Championship ASAP but then he shows moments of class and it’s conflicting , however I think this guy is only going to get better if he plays which I don’t see happening much here, I think I’f you can get 15 million for him I would take it
 
Walks through matches...which is weird, because he has ok acceleration and good top speed.

Had a very good 10 minute period in the second half, but everything else was rough.

His passing was brutal throughout. His weight of pass, even on the ones he 'completes', is terrible. He'll fire one at Telles ankles before trickling one way underhit out to Williams, begging Leicester to press him.

At least 75% of the headers he won were directly to Leicester players. He put two completely unpressured headers directly to Tielemans feet.

Vacated the centre-back spot entirely to go chasing Iheanacho out to the left, into midfield etc. forcing Matic to drop in to cover him. He eased up on this a bit second half.

He'll never make it here. Was baffling how much the commentators were praising him.
 
Last edited:
He can’t direct a header to a teammate to save his life. Obviously needs game time, or he will stay like this, which is not good enough.
 
He has good raw attributes but 100% will never fulfill anywhere close to his potential unless he leaves somewhere to become a first team regular. As it is he's barely squad player level for us, but really just needs to leave for his own good as he can become a very good CB. Something like Evans did since he left us, except Evans was far better at United than Tuanzebe has been.
 
I think a loan in the EPL is in order, he needs to behave a bit more assertively when headdering out, bit more commanding it's said. He needs to learn defending on the front foot and command a defence. Totally doable and we have a fabulous CB on our hands.
 
I think most of the comments are fair.

He looks equally very talented and at the same time very lackadaisical with silly errors.

The biggest issue isn't whether the talent or ability is there, the problem is will he get enough games enough to fulfil some of that potential? Or will he be able to mature/benefit as a squad player? Some can do that with the right coaching and set of circumstances. Some just need minutes.

I look at Lindelof, who is at a very high level of comfort when he plays and whislt I don't rate him, that confidence in itself brings consistent qualities. I don't think it's based on ability but more on game time as you can contrast his first couple seasons with us to now i.e it's almost purely just from experience.
 
Not surprised that he, and Bailly for that sake, need a couple of games to get going. The CB position is so much about anticipation, timing, organisation and teamwork that it needs a bit of time.
 
Started off bad but then grew into the game. Solid performance. He needs to play more.
 
Needs to be playing regularly somewhere.
Played like a headless chicken for the first goal.
 
All at sea for their first goal.

There's a reason why he's third/fourth choice behind the likes of Lindelof and Bailly.

He looked better second half when we defended deep.

Still looked unassured in the air.

But better on the floor. Quick, aggressive and got good blocks in.
 
In his defence....
First start in a long time for UTD. Midfield ahead of him was mata, matic, van de beek, up top elanga, amad and greenwood, on the flanks williams and Telles. Opposition Leicester who had already beaten a full strenght UTD 3-1 in the previous meeting. I thought he did well. Drop him into a full strenght team and he'll look even better. That midfield ahead of him had no where near the energy and legs of Leicester. Stuck to the task - after the early first goal, it could have been a drubbing but at one point we looked like getting something out of the game and we were carrying at least 2 dead weights. Axel got potential. He needs more game time.
 
First half he was terrible and what or where he was going for their goal no idea but certainly looked much better in the 2nd half. Although at one point both he and Bailly were in the LB spot then played the ball across the box and neither seemed in that much of a hurry to get back in position.

Given Brandon Williams passing during the game he could have set up a goal for the oppo at any moment and these two just walking across.
He did also rescue a good few feck ups by himself by pure athleticism. He probably is a 4th choice defender but then that is arguably Baillys spot with hopefully us bringing someone better in so either Maguire or Lindelof become 3rd choice.
 
Agreed. Thought he was our best player in the 2nd half. No one got past him. I'd have him start against Liverpool if the skipper doesn't make it.

The skipper wont make it, he faces a fight to be for the EL final, we wont see him for 2 weeks at least, maybe even not at all this season
 
The skipper wont make it, he faces a fight to be for the EL final, we wont see him for 2 weeks at least, maybe even not at all this season

Crap. Any update on what his injury is? Whom would you have partnering Lindelof mate, Axel or Bailly?
 
First half he was terrible and what or where he was going for their goal no idea but certainly looked much better in the 2nd half. Although at one point both he and Bailly were in the LB spot then played the ball across the box and neither seemed in that much of a hurry to get back in position.

Given Brandon Williams passing during the game he could have set up a goal for the oppo at any moment and these two just walking across.
He did also rescue a good few feck ups by himself by pure athleticism. He probably is a 4th choice defender but then that is arguably Baillys spot with hopefully us bringing someone better in so either Maguire or Lindelof become 3rd choice.

You think one new CB would bench Maguire? Funny.
 
If Mourinho was our manager, he might have got tons of minutes for him with his physical presence. With his abilities on the ball, Mourinho may have even played him in midfield and certainly in the right back position where Ole has also played him sometimes. Till now he has seemed more assured in the full back position than the CB position for us (barring THAT game against PSG). But somewhere I feel we may have missed a trick into not giving him more opportunities to play in Europa league and cups. Perhaps Ole doesn't want to disturb the CB rhythm we have had?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.