Brandon Williams image 33

Brandon Williams England flag

2019-20 Performances


View full 2019-20 profile

6.0 Season Average Rating
Appearances
36
Clean sheets
18
Goals
1
Assists
1
Yellow cards
10
Status
Not open for further replies.
He’s not better than Luke Shaw, certainly not yet anyway. If Shaw is fit, he should certainly be playing.
Why, though? Shaw's done nothing this season to suggest he warrants any more playing time than Williams and he's had plenty of opportunity throughout the years to nail down a spot. He hasn't managed to do that and the club is rightly choosing to develop another player instead, if Shaw wants his place back he should have to earn it back, which he hasn't so far.
 
Why, though? Shaw's done nothing this season to suggest he warrants any more playing time than Williams and he's had plenty of opportunity throughout the years to nail down a spot. He hasn't managed to do that and the club is rightly choosing to develop another player instead, if Shaw wants his place back he should have to earn it back, which he hasn't so far.

Because Shaw is better than Williams, why else? The issue here, as seems to always be the case, is that we deviate from THE standard, and start assessing by alternate standards, typically constructed to fit academy players.

Williams is playing well in the context of his own entire picture of a developing 19 year old. As two nameless and faceless left-backs, he’s not playing better than Shaw has been of late.

I’m not Shaw’s biggest fan myself, but he’s better than Williams. I’d have no issues with us selling Shaw and getting a better left back than him to be first choice. I would have an issue with us selling Shaw and making Williams the first choice though. It will be another example of lowering our standards to meet the maximum of an individual, as opposed to keeping the standard of being a United regular where it is and a player needing to meet that. Because Williams has done well and done himself credit doesn’t mean that his own best has now become the best we should demand. I acknowledge he is developing and has a chance of reaching that standard, which is why he should be second choice to someone better than him until he does, or is closer to it than he is now at least.
 
Last edited:
I think with young players coming into the team you have to measure their performance on two levels. What they bring to the team now, and what they can possibly bring in the future. I think he differs from those players you mentioned because they probably looked better in the few performances in LVG's system with his coaching compared to what they ever showed previously in the U21's. Van Gaal was very good at utilising players for a specific purpose and it gave a good platform for these kids. The excitement we got from that was cool, but we all knew these players had a long way to go, as has Williams.

But based on the qualities he has shown to have in the U21's alone, I rate him higher than those players. I think he has taken to the PL-level incredibly fast, way above expectations but it is clear to me he possesses a lot of qualities he just isn't able to perform at that level yet. There is no shame in that what so ever, as the qualities that make him able to play at this level at 19 is something we do not usually see. He is technically good, composed on the ball and good passes. He also manage to play his game and keep up with the physicality and pace at that level which is very good. To me, he is showing maturity, discipline, heart and professionalism. These are qualities that might not always make him stand out right now, but things that makes him seem like a certainty for the future.

While there is no guarantee for anything, I'd like to value these traits as I don't see them in young players that often. He has obviously been a good student, and his understanding of his game and his role already is vital, imo. If that is the things that comes easy to him, it means he can keep a certain level of consistency from a young age and focus on developing other aspects of his game while playing at a high level. It is a great platform for reaching the top, and while there is no certainty of him becoming the next Lahm the signs are more than encouraging. He still has a lot of qualities to add to his game and things he haven't shown at this level yet.

I want to add that going up against Mahrez is very hard. I didn't like how he approached him defensively 1vs1 but tbf he was isolated with him with a lot of space behind him, so I do understand how he couldn't be more aggressive against City. He obviously lack experience so certain situations at the top level will be completely new to him. Everyone can afford to have some patience with kids on these things especially. If he'd look totally out of his depth or affected by mistakes I'd be the first one to mention it because it goes against the things I've summarised above.

I also think he wasn't as good offensively against City because we lacked an attacker and him and Shaw took turns keeping width. It got congested on that side as it always gets when Shaw plays, and especially with both of them there. I didn't enjoy that aspect at all. Williams has usually been a breath of fresh air, being a lot quicker and dynamic in his movement to create more assuredness through that side, which has helped it not get congested and crowded. Wasn't the case against City though. I also want to add that I think Shaw has been decent the last couple of games as well.

These are all fair points but I tend to feel that what made him great at youth level, his marauding runs leading to penetration beyond the lines, doesn't exist at senior level because he's levelled out physically. Perhaps when he grows a bit he'll be able to bring this into his game but I just feel his strongest quality at youth level isn't there in the senior game.
 
Because Shaw is better than Williams, why else? The issue here, as seems to always be the case, is that we deviate from THE standard, and start assessing by alternate standards, typically constructed to fit academy players.

Williams is playing well in the context of his own entire picture of a developing 19 year old. As two nameless and faceless left-backs, he’s not playing better than Shaw has been of late.

I’m not Shaw’s biggest fan myself, but he’s better than Williams. I’d have no issues with us selling Shaw and getting a better left back than him to be first choice. I would have an issue with us selling Shaw and making Williams the first choice though. It will be another example of lowering our standards to meet the maximum of an individual, as opposed to keeping the standard of being a United regular where it is and a player needing to meet that. Because Williams has done well and done himself credit doesn’t mean that his own best has now become the best we should demand. I acknowledge he is developing and has a chance of reaching that standard, which is why he should be second choice to someone better than him until he does, or is closer to it than he is now at least.
I agree that Shaw's the better player but I personally don't think Shaw's been playing like the better player. I don't think Williams is the next Marcelo by a long shot but I've preferred his performances at full back to Shaw's, his mobility and energy are something I've just not seen from Shaw in a long time, the Arsenal game really stuck out to me as a mark against Shaw, there was just no fight in him or desire there. Shaw has had some good games recently but I'd say his 2 best came as part of a back 3, which to his credit he seems well suited for. However, as an out and out full back right now I'd persist with Williams, I know Williams isn't the finished article and you're right, we shouldn't lower our standards to meet his current level I just believe his current level has been the highest of our 2 LBs this season (which says more about our LB situation than anything else).

I think we just have differences in our opinions, I think your comments on Shaw are fair I just personally haven't been impressed enough by him to think that Williams shouldn't continue starting at present. You're not wrong about needing a new LB though, I've been saying for a while that I'd get rid of Shaw in the summer and look for a starting quality LB, it's an area I think we've been in serious need for a few seasons now and there's a lot of good up and coming LBs we should be looking at.
 
I don't think you've actually watched him play if you believe all that. Yes he's developing but that's the most strange and one eyed assessment of him as a player I've seen.
Don't fancy your chances of making it out of the newbies if that's truly what you think.
Contender for worst post of 2020 and we're only 1 month in. Congrats.

Yeah, 3 reactions and not a single argument right there, who would say that right? Most stupid might be that part that I will be newbie forever (like it matters), because I have a different opinion. :D

You can't seriously believe he's 5'7 :lol:

Dont know about imperial units and I have no idea what 5'7 means, but he is 172 cm according to Sofa and 171 cm according to whoscoted. Looking at some pictures he looks like similar height like Olé or Greenwood who are suposed to be around 180 cm, so that info from sofa or whoscoted might be wrong. Dunno. He is still weak in duels though.
 
Yeah, 3 reactions and not a single argument right there, who would say that right? Most stupid might be that part that I will be newbie forever (like it matters), because I have a different opinion. :D



Dont know about imperial units and I have no idea what 5'7 means, but he is 172 cm according to Sofa and 171 cm according to whoscoted. Looking at some pictures he looks like similar height like Olé or Greenwood who are suposed to be around 180 cm, so that info from sofa or whoscoted might be wrong. Dunno. He is still weak in duels though.


I'm not being funny. But I doubt any of us feel like wasting any time putting counter arguments to something so stupid. It's simply a waste of everyone's time. The same way you don't bother to engage flat eathers in debate.
 
He’s really putting Shaw to shame at left back, love his youthful sense of adventure to it’s unlifting
 
And how many crosses did he have today? Zero. Everytime he got the ball down the flank he passed it back to a midfielder. In fact, we only had 5 crosses all game. 3 from Fred and 2 from James. But that's what happens when you play a right footed player at LB. When he overlaps he has the chance to cross with his left but instead he cuts back to get on his right foot. This is why I would like to see Williams played on the right. There's a reason why Robertson and TAA get so many assists. It's because they cross the ball as FB's should. And they do it from their proper side of the pitch...
1 and it was completed.

Your view of why Liverpool's full backs get a lot of assists is a simple one. Liverpool's tactics are based around them. Their front 3 and midfielders have a lot better off the ball movement than our strikers. Martial and Rashford are both bad players off the ball.
 
Very promising. Appears determined and aggressive.

Looks like he’s right footed though!
 
He's not a wingback(or a winger). He needs the element of surprise to successfully break through the opponent.

Still young, though. He'll improve.
 
Not really a player for me. West Ham level but not top of the league type of talent.
 
Not the best game, but was not horrible either. Will have ups and downs, but is a very talented player and will improve with time aa long as he rwmains fit.
 
I don't think he's suited to being a wing back. Never feels like he's comfortable playing there

He is also playing a bit safe imo, seems to be concentrating on defense than attack. In the reserves he would attack well, but could be defensively suspect at times.
 
He is also playing a bit safe imo, seems to be concentrating on defense than attack.

This was almost certainly what he was instructed to do though. He was fine tonight, not his best game but not awful. Like AWB he was playing in a slightly unfamiliar position against a very good side. They each made a few mistakes as a result.
 
I don’t get why people are saying he’s uncomfortable in this position. When everyone was singing his praises he was basically playing as a LW or inside forward. Always seemed to end up there so it’s not like he can’t play up top.

he’s got loads of cover as well in Shaw and Matic and it’s not like Matic and Fred haven’t been covering him in a lot of the games when he has been a little slow to get back.

Just had a bit of an off game but even then he did do some things that were nice suggesting that he can and probably will get better. I do hate that he always tackles with the wrong foot and dangles limbs across people but doubt he’ll improve that habit at this point.
 
Probably his worse game to date. His defending was quite erratic and he didn't provide much going forward. Still a young lad, though. He's had more good than bad games, and he'll continue to learn as every game passes.
 
Great prospect! He'll just get better and better. His playing style reminds of a player we had back in the 60's who's name is John Fitzpatrick, although Brandon is better imo.
 
Can people who are negating and saying he isn't cut out for United give him a break, he is a teenager, first season in top flight with an imbalanced and ever changing team.
He is least of our worries.
 
Can people who are negating and saying he isn't cut out for United give him a break, he is a teenager, first season in top flight with an imbalanced and ever changing team.
He is least of our worries.
This place loves to shit on our youngsters. They havent the eye for it so take everyrhing negatively when something isnt blindly obvious
 
He didn't have a great game, but I don't think he was bad. Couple of times he dealt with attackers rather nicely, and considering it is his first season I think it was a positive experience.
 
It was a tough game with most of Chelsea's attacks coming down our left side. Teenagers are allowed a learning curve, especially if they are academy players. I've seen enough to think he merits more time and the chance to develop. I'm sure he will have a better game next time. If nothing else, i do love his tenacity and the work rate he puts in.
 
Can people who are negating and saying he isn't cut out for United give him a break, he is a teenager, first season in top flight with an imbalanced and ever changing team.
He is least of our worries.

Being young doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to become good enough for one of the best teams in the world. What does it really matter if someone doesn’t think a footballer is all that? This over defensiveness of young kids doesn’t help anyone, the majority are gone by 22. I don’t personally have any over sentiment to them anymore for this reason, I just look at the footballer. For a top club, I don’t think the footballer, in this case, is all that. So what?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.