He was really poor today, arguably his worst performance, but I think he's a good player and if we were a stronger team he'd be a great rotation option. I don't think anyone (himself included) expected him to be playing as much as he has done. I'm hoping we still have our eye on Sancho/RW for summer.
21
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 46
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 4
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) look forward to a new life under Ruben Amorim. What system will we be playing? What players will impress? and how will it all go? We also say goodbye to Ruud Van Nistelrooy and review United's 3-0 win at home against Leicester City.
- Status
He's been terrible lately honestly.
He's really starting to stress me out.
Not because of the player he is but Ole's persistent use of him in his weakest position.
It completely ruins our attack & it will ruin his progress in the future.
Not because of the player he is but Ole's persistent use of him in his weakest position.
It completely ruins our attack & it will ruin his progress in the future.
I think he's a good footballer and that's about it for now. He doesn't have exceptional technique or end product and people need to acknowledge his strengths and weaknesses. Was a very good deal for us but he hasn't sorted the RW position as many suggested. Our standards should not be lowered.
It's not that he regressed, he's just struggling a bit because he's not nearly as effective if we don't play the counter, and there is no space for him to run into.
I feel sorry for the lad.
What a massive step up from the Championship to one of the biggest teams, only for it to coincide with one of the bleakest patches in our modern history.
I think it wiser to give him the benefit of the doubt with the state the team are in, but I have to honest and say, apart from a few early games this season, at the moment, I don’t think he’s going to be anywhere near good enough for a team like Utd.
I hope he proves me wrong.
He’s in good company though. Half the squad are not good enough either.
What a massive step up from the Championship to one of the biggest teams, only for it to coincide with one of the bleakest patches in our modern history.
I think it wiser to give him the benefit of the doubt with the state the team are in, but I have to honest and say, apart from a few early games this season, at the moment, I don’t think he’s going to be anywhere near good enough for a team like Utd.
I hope he proves me wrong.
He’s in good company though. Half the squad are not good enough either.
On top of that, Rashford isn't getting rest and Greenwood isn't gelling with the other strikers on the right because of it. Stressing me out as well.
He's not going to keep performing consistently after jumped from Championship team to a high level expectation like Manchester United. He's having a difficult patch of period at the moment, hence why we need right winger/forward more than striker. You got Rashford score more than 15 goals so far with Martial 10 goals so far but you look at James only produced 3 goals, what does it tell you that we need to upgrade that right side. I like James, but his current level is only suitable to be backup for both Rashford & the right forward.
Again today James started out wide and widened out our entire attack more than necessary making it seem like Rashford was a left hand sided antonio Valencia on the opposite side due to the way the opposition defence have the freedom to push him back because of James's inability to cut in from the right. All he can do is cross & none of our forwards are built to play like that - there's a difference between crossing a ball akin to a pass and crossing a ball due to your inability to get past a player.
Daniel James crosses the ball more often than not due to his inability to get inside his fullback & it's a complete loss of possession. People seem to think that Liverpool & City play like this - have people whipping crosses in to the box, when in reality they have gotten past their man due to the space created by their team mate before passing or crossing to one of their own.
Ole's use of James as a RW is irritating. As you said it also doesn't get the best out of our other players. His RW play won't interlink with our CF and will only ever interlink with our LW when we counterattack and have space due to the wider aspects and space.
James came off with Gomes coming on and it looked like we had Rashford & Greenwood in a strikers partnership with Gomes playing behind them possibly as a CAM, hell maybe even as a false 9 - I was quite happy to see that but it only lasted for 5 minutes. Ole put martial on for Greenwood and put martial as a LW.
Why not give James rotation with Rashford as you said?
That's the issue, Ole does good things but only in spurts and only by mistake, it seems. He'll then unfailingly revert back to the same errors like playing Lingard, and playing James over Greenwood.
After a few of the performances Mason put on the right, and the fluidity we had in the front line, we should never have messed with it. Leave everyone as is, with Marcus - Anthony - Mason, and Pereira behind them (or even better, a midfield 3 with an actual DM) and use James as a very good bench or rotation option, to give our forwards a rest as needed. Instead, now everyone's getting burnt out and the performances are disjointed. It's a bit poor from Ole really.
That was the initial plan though? Have him as an impact player and slowly let him develop.
That's probably the plan for next season. Initially we probably bought this guy because we couldn't land Sancho and winger must be bought which probably what Ole instructed. But we really have a promising player in James.
Man Utd 4:0 Norwich
He looks knackered, been overplayed this season IMO.
Another game, another clattering where you think he's been broken in half
Starting to wonder if he is actually a kick and run player. Was quite bad today despite the awful opposition.
Definitely
Poor substitute appearance, he looks tired and short of self-confidence, to be frank.
Greenwood is easily ahead of him now.
Greenwood is easily ahead of him now.
Doesn't look like it from his cameo, he can dribble infield with the ball well and pass. His movement is also quite good. Don't think he was bad today, just a bit average.
He'd probably a bit short on confidence at the moment due to only 3 goals this season, I still maintain he shouldn't have been starting on the right as he most likely won't score from there. If he gets more appearances on the left I'm sure he'll start scoring again, and his performances will improve with the confidence.
This time last year he was playing at Swansea.
He arrived and throw the kitchen sink at the opportunity putting in some fantastic performances and now he's knackered. Nothing wrong with that happens with young players.
He arrived and throw the kitchen sink at the opportunity putting in some fantastic performances and now he's knackered. Nothing wrong with that happens with young players.
His first touch isn't half bad for a player coming from a Championship. You have players like Bale playing at the very top not having anywhere near good touch as him, I hope someone else noticed it too.
Early season form has dropped massively where his pace was frightening opponents. This is the Premier league though, teams and players develop tactics to stop pace merchants, he needs to spend some time coming on from the bench making an impact rather than being considered a starter.
We’ve got a lot more from him than we all expected. He’s just going through a bad patch at the moment. It happens.
Man Utd 1:0 Wolves
Thought he wa really good against Wolves tonight, looked our most dangerous forward, still needs work on his final product.
I like him a lot he’s got real potential.
Made some gorgeous runs in the first half from out to in and got in behind Wolves' back line, but unfortunately couldnt find the finish. Seems to have lost his finishing touch, but I think once he gets that goal he'll be back on it again.
Having a bit of a dip at the moment, which is fine. Putting one of those chances away would do his confidence the world of good.
He can be come like Pedro type player for us. He has a deceptively good first touch and real intelligence to his game.
He did ok today made some good runs and unlucky not to score. He just needs a bit more compose In the shot and final pass To go with his electric pace....Still a great buy at £15m.
His finishing let him down but it’s clear to see how intelligent a footballer he is.
Much better after a few mediocre weeks. If he improves his finishing he can be great.
Think a break helped him with that
Technically not on the same planet.
Pedro has regressed at Chelsea but ability wise not on the same page.
Intelligent player but doesn’t have the technique to influence the game. He just isn’t the sort of player we need when teams want to counter us. The role he played today was an important one and unfortunately he let us down with his finishing. He also doesn’t have the dribbling or flair to run at players and set up a team mate when space is limited. He should only start against teams superior to us currently. Liverpool would be a great start.
Not on the same planet?
Pedro is the better finisher but their technical abilities aren't as far apart as you'd imagine. Pedro is a limited player who thrived in Barca's system.
Some good runs today, but he looks exhausted both physically and mentally. A week off in a warm climate would do him well.
Unlucky not to score today. Showed quality at time and definitely an improvement on some of his more recent performances.
I thought he was decent tonight, had some good touches and his movement was excellent, he's just lacking a bit of confidence in front of goal right now.
I think he could learn how to impose himself a little more on the pitch because occasionally you forget he's even playing.
People writing him off in this thread... typical Cafe after the praise he’s received this season.
A drop in form was always expected but he’s shown his qualities for us and today he looked lively. I agree with the person above who says he looks tired and in need of 2 weeks off. He was playing every single game earlier in the season.
A drop in form was always expected but he’s shown his qualities for us and today he looked lively. I agree with the person above who says he looks tired and in need of 2 weeks off. He was playing every single game earlier in the season.
- Status