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He has improved this year and Dean Smith can be happy with the work he has done with him post-Farke.
He is quite a proactive defender and being a right footer off the left might give ten Hag a different plan for some games. I can see ten Hag liking his style and giving him an honest go at it next year.
He’s had a better season than any of our left backs. So…
Stick him on the left, buy back Borthwick-Jackson for the right, stick Tuanzebe in the middle and re-sign Michael Keane.
A formidable quartet
A formidable quartet
Genuinely don't think he is any worse than Telles or Dalot. At least he's got some aggression to him - I hope this loan spell will make him realise how lucky he's got it here.
I'm torn between selling Telles and having Williams as backup, or selling both and having Alvaro Fernandez as backup. The latter is more exciting to me.
I don't think we lose anything by selling Telles and just using Williams as a backup. Williams probably isn't very good still, but Telles is awful but also getting paid a lot more than Williams and a lot older. So at the very least you get a homegrown player with a good attitude who will give his all, who can play on either side, and is young so will be willing to learn, without sacrificing pretty much any quality.
Depressingly accurate.
In the current form, he would be our best full back. Let him and Laird join us next year. AWB and Telles can leave.
We should sell telles to barca if they're interested.
We could have Brandon back as temporary option to see if he's up to it or not.
We could have Brandon back as temporary option to see if he's up to it or not.
Or we can actually cash in on a youth player at the top of his game for around £20m or so. Even if he comes back next season, he's second choice at best.
I can see us keeping him though because I think Telles will be let go, as he is a bit properly naff.
I can see us keeping him though because I think Telles will be let go, as he is a bit properly naff.
The attitude is there but the ability required is not.
Looking at the underlying stats, he still fares worse than both Telles and Shaw this season.
He’s been dropped by Norwich. I think you should look at players on loan and ask yourself if United would sign them on the basis of what they’ve done on loan. I’d say the answer would be absolutely not.
It doesn’t always work though. Rossi struggled on loan at Newcastle and turned out to be a fantastic player at Villarreal. Often it’s the case of a team preferring to develop their own talent rather than develop talent for you. Obviously if they are amazing they will play and excel (eg Gallagher at Palace) but sometimes form isn’t everything.
He’s hardly been dropped, he was injured and just coming back and then he couldn’t play against us. So he’s been “dropped” for a whopping 1 match.
He’s widely considered by their fans as one of their best players and best signing of the season. They’re relegated now anyway so may prepare for next season with their own but he definitely hasn’t been dropped on performances.
Yeah, agree with your logic. Telles isn't up to it, so I would rather use a younger player in the hope that they might be. I'm not really convinced with Williams, but I'm intrigued to see what top quality coaching can do to some of these players and which ones are simply a lost cause. If we were going to invest time in a young fullback, I'd rather it was Fernandez. Laird on the right too.
He's just not very good, and as much as we like to shit on Shaw and Telles (rightfully so in most cases), he's still a worse option.
We do need to upgrade our fullbacks, but the likes of Williams and Laird aren't the answer unfortunately. Laird could perhaps do a job as a squad player, but so would Dalot, and we need an upgrade on him too.
We do need to upgrade our fullbacks, but the likes of Williams and Laird aren't the answer unfortunately. Laird could perhaps do a job as a squad player, but so would Dalot, and we need an upgrade on him too.
That is the exception to the norm.
He's young and motivated, ten Hag can get more out of him than he can out of players who have already hit their peak and have been shown not to be good enough. In any case, if it's true that the club wants to significantly limit incomings, Williams will definitely be getting chances.
Yeah, Norwich fans delighted with him. People discounting a full Premier league season in an under pressure set up? His second season with us was shite, granted, but if we've learned nothing else this season, we've learned that nobody, but nobody, looks good for us.
Trouble with Williams is we should be cashing in but we've probably already got him on such stupid wages that the teams who might be interested won't be able to afford him.
He'll probably end up doing what Tuanzebe's done. Stay here and run down his contract enough so we can't extract any value from him.
He'll probably end up doing what Tuanzebe's done. Stay here and run down his contract enough so we can't extract any value from him.
I personally don’t see it with him for a club of our aspirations.
We have got to be decisive, sell early and not keeping hold of players unnecessarily. Chelsea would probably receive a transfer fee of £15-£20m from one of their youth products with similar quality and experience.
We have got to be decisive, sell early and not keeping hold of players unnecessarily. Chelsea would probably receive a transfer fee of £15-£20m from one of their youth products with similar quality and experience.
Wouldnt mind having him as a back up next season if we were to ship Wan Bissaka or Dalot without signing a replacement, but he has no place here in the long term. If there's an opportunity to cash out we should take it.
If anything, Telles should be the 1st to be put on Shelf. Brandon seems still got some potential to develop, while Telles arguably in his prime right now gave below-par performance. I would not mind trying out Brandon next season under ETH before decide to cash him out.
The problem with Brandon is that his first touch still not delicate enough and he has to slow down to receive balls before his next move. This fine details determine his class and very hard to train at this age. But Garry Neville got it trained better and up to the standard eventually. So you never know.
The problem with Brandon is that his first touch still not delicate enough and he has to slow down to receive balls before his next move. This fine details determine his class and very hard to train at this age. But Garry Neville got it trained better and up to the standard eventually. So you never know.
Wasn't there something going on in his second season, Ole hinted at him losing his way a bit? Hopefully back on track now.
In possession, sure, he'd be a good option, but, defensively, I think he's too big a liability. At least in midfield with a partner or two it can mask that problem somewhat.
He could potentially be an ok backup option. A full season of PL football can only have been good for him.
Unfortunately this is correct. Love the attitude and wish he was around the place this year so he could kick a few of his worthless teammates in training, but he is a Norwich level fullback.
Also, why does he insist on playing at left back when he is heavily right footed? It has always confused me, but then again in the few games he was given a chance at right back he didn't look comfortable.
I like his attitude, but don't really rate him and I've tuned in a few times.
WIlliams certainly deserves a place in the squad if he's competing with Telles, the worst player to have worn the shirt in recent memory.
It'd be fantastic if ETH gets Shaw going again and rates Williams, but I think realistically we're buying a left back.
WIlliams certainly deserves a place in the squad if he's competing with Telles, the worst player to have worn the shirt in recent memory.
Brandon is still young and developing, and probably a player after ETH’s taste. He can also play on both sides.
AWB = more cash in and reduced costs (on higher wage).
It’s a no-brainer: sell AWB and Telles and keep Brandon as back up and buy one more right back.
AWB = more cash in and reduced costs (on higher wage).
It’s a no-brainer: sell AWB and Telles and keep Brandon as back up and buy one more right back.
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I'd love 2 new fullbacks but i don't see it tbh. I think it's likely we give Shaw and Dalot a chance this season, at best timber is bought and he makes the RB spot his own instead of being a CB. The way I see it, LB, RB and GK are all priorities for 2023, but we'll likely make do next season with what we have mostly.
Bringing Williams back 
He's comfortably the worst fullback we have which is why he went on loan. None are good enough but have at least shown something to arrive here.
Williams is Mctominay at RB. All effort but zero quality. Can't defend and other than running fast with the ball is useless at the other end too. If we are going to sell AWB or Telles we need to be in the market for replacements.
This place sometimes.
He's comfortably the worst fullback we have which is why he went on loan. None are good enough but have at least shown something to arrive here.
Williams is Mctominay at RB. All effort but zero quality. Can't defend and other than running fast with the ball is useless at the other end too. If we are going to sell AWB or Telles we need to be in the market for replacements.
This place sometimes.
Better than Telles (which is a very low bar) who should be sold. He'd get games in the Europa or Conference. Wouldn't like to rely on him with Shaw's fitness though.
Bringing Williams back
He's comfortably the worst fullback we have which is why he went on loan. None are good enough but have at least shown something to arrive here.
Williams is Mctominay at RB. All effort but zero quality. Can't defend and other than running fast with the ball is useless at the other end too. If we are going to sell AWB or Telles we need to be in the market for replacements.
This place sometimes.
Nothing to do with his age?
Ooh, I'd definitely keep Dalot and Shaw. But I sure as shit hope Telles isn't no 2. Got less of a problem with AWB.
He's an improvement over Telles. Erik Pieters is too.Bringing Williams back
He's comfortably the worst fullback we have which is why he went on loan. None are good enough but have at least shown something to arrive here.
Williams is Mctominay at RB. All effort but zero quality. Can't defend and other than running fast with the ball is useless at the other end too. If we are going to sell AWB or Telles we need to be in the market for replacements.
This place sometimes.
He should focus on the right back position, we’re beyond terrible there. EtH would probably love Shaw if he gets his act together.
I know it's nice for youth players to come through and play for the first team, in a lot of ways it's what football is all about. Because it's the best feeling - which is why we all want it to happen here. I certainly saw something in him that made me think he'd be a future left back for us (potentially) and he still may.
However, you have to say if he was a Norwich player - would we be putting an offer in to buy him? I think the answer there is a no. I'm happy to have him as cover but he should be 3rd choice, and it doesn't sound like that will sit well with him. Which is fair enough. I'm guessing ETH will give him a pre-season to see what he's all about and maybe he'll prove me wrong (I hope so). But I think if we were looking at signing a left back there are far better in his age group.
However, you have to say if he was a Norwich player - would we be putting an offer in to buy him? I think the answer there is a no. I'm happy to have him as cover but he should be 3rd choice, and it doesn't sound like that will sit well with him. Which is fair enough. I'm guessing ETH will give him a pre-season to see what he's all about and maybe he'll prove me wrong (I hope so). But I think if we were looking at signing a left back there are far better in his age group.
Usually a good way of looking at things, but our circumstances are somewhat unique.
If Williams is simply better than the current backup left back and the club thinks there are more pressing areas to sign players in, short term he could be useful.
theres really not much between him and telles. Neither set the world aflame. However, telles is older, probably commands a better fee and is on more money. The world isnt going to fall down if you keep williams instead of Telles. Its not like Telles is some sort of worldbeater. With the players we have, i would say that AWB and Shaw are comfortably first choice when in form. Dalot and Telles just arent good enough regardless of form and could probably be sold to the continent for reasonable funds to improve the first 11.
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