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2020-21 Performances

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5.5 Season Average Rating
Appearances
26
Goals
5
Assists
2
Yellow cards
3
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That's what you get with James. Some of the goals have hidden his poor displays, but he's so limited. Can't seem to take players on either, he had the LF running backwards one on one and he just stops, turns and passes it back. Sums him up for me, decent but not good enough for us.
 
Bebestation said:
Ultimately when I see him on the starting formation- I know the match is going to be harder for us than it needs to be.
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To be fair if he had started with Pogba and Cavani then we should be fine but the main issue is playing Rashford, Greenwood and him as the attacking 3 is just asking for trouble.

I wouldn't even start Rashford and Greenwood together unless we have a proper creative player on the wing.
 
It’s so obvious the level is too high for him, both tecnically but also decision making and understanding of the game in general. He gives everything and I have nothing against the lad, but I think he will be gone in the summer or next.
 
The criticism is not exaggerated. He was really poor.

The most frustrating thing is that he's recently said 'he's been working with the coaches and going back to what he did best' and that has showed in his last few outings, which have been 'good' performances. For us, that means even if it's not the best team synergy, it's about taking the initiative and making single-minded decisions e.g put on the after burners, drive down the line and put in a first time cross or pick up a loose ball and drive towards goal with the intent to shoot/cross. However, everything he did today was so meek and hesistant.

He's good for defensive tracking back and linear power running. Keep it short and simple on the ball and burst away.
 
KetilOwren88 said:
It’s so obvious the level is too high for him, both tecnically but also decision making and understanding of the game in general. He gives everything and I have nothing against the lad, but I think he will be gone in the summer or next.
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This is it. Out of his depth.Few occasions showed it again today.
 
It’s criminal that he’s starting ahead of Diallo, Mata and VDB.

James is barely Premier Lesgue quality.
 
Well out of his depth and will be replaced by Diallo or a new signing in the summer. But to his credit, he’s improved a little bit over the course of the season.
 
I have absolutely zero faith in his touch or decision making.

I don't see a top player in there. Lots to like, but not enough for Utd.
 
Shocking from him. Been trying to protect him here but he isn't nowhere near good enough. The sentimental crap has to stop.
 
It's not just that he's not good enough he's also lost his nerve. Whenever there's a chance to have an impact he shrinks.

Could take a shot but instead takes a touch.

Could got at his man on the outside but instead passes it inside.

It's not his fault really. Sell him and get the money back. Nothing lost.
 
He has his uses (when there's tons of space) but today was never going to be a day for him... Leeds are playing totally differently to how they were when they came to OT.

His first touch is truly shocking though.
 
An attacker scared of shooting on goal. My god he is frustrating. Gets in good positions and does so much right but as soon as he gets the ball he looks like a sunday league player. He reminds me of Lingard sometimes.
 
Awful today and criminal to not sub him off earlier. Under stand we need to rest played but would have been better to take him off without replacement.
 
I think he knows he’s not good enough for this level. Might be a bit mad to say, but he plays with the least self belief in the side. That counter attack where he basically palmed it straight to Fernandes when he needed to do something was a good example.

Constantly bumbling around like a player who knows he’s the worst in his team on the field.
 
Seems a nice enough lad, decent ability but just turns into a wet paper bag at critical moments. Would rather see him against tired legs in the last ten minutes.
 
Not great today.

Has played very well from time to time and he would be a good squad player if you could count on him playing near his top level.

At the moment we can’t rely on him producing his best level. He will surely improve with experience but I don’t think he will play enough here to get his development on track. I think I would loan him if anyone will take him. He needs an extended run of games. Good lad, good attitude, hope things work out for him.
 
Thepinhead said:
An attacker scared of shooting on goal. My god he is frustrating. Gets in good positions and does so much right but as soon as he gets the ball he looks like a sunday league player. He reminds me of Lingard sometimes.
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I actually think that Lingard is a far better player than Dan James- and I am not a fan of Jesse.

James is a real liability for the team, regardless of his hard work and laddish ‘likeability’. He has the occasional decent game, but nothing that justifies Ole’s apparent insistence on playing him regularly.

I am no manager, of course, but I’d much prefer to give Amad an extended run of games. I’m aware I’ve given Dan a bit of a hard time on the CAF, but even as a newbie I can’t help but think he deserves it. No way should he be a UTD first teamer.
 
One of the worst players I've seen play for United. He's not even Premier League quality.
 
I think ultimately playing a winger who can exploit the gaps in Leeds’ high-intensity press was the right call, but DJ just doesn’t have the quality. Hopefully when second is guaranteed Ole will start trying out Amad.
 
amolbhatia50k said:
No idea why he's still starting for us.
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No idea why he's still starting for us in place of Amad.

SmashedHombre said:
I think ultimately playing a winger who can exploit the gaps in Leeds’ high-intensity press was the right call, but DJ just doesn’t have the quality. Hopefully when second is guaranteed Ole will start trying out Amad.
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At this point it's clear it's never happening. We just bought the lad to keep him from playing football until he's thirty-three.
 
hungrywing said:
No idea why he's still starting for us in place of Amad.



At this point it's clear it's never happening. We just bought the lad to keep him from playing football until he's thirty-three.
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Ole has shown himself to be risk averse to an almost frustrating degree, but with nothing left to lose I don't see how we don't give Amad minutes tbh. There is absolutely nothing to be gained from continuing with James and ignoring Amad when the league positions have already been decided.
 
Not too long ago Jesse Lingard was considered the worst footballer ever on here. Now some pundits are saying he's the best player in the league on current form.

Daniel James has shown that there's a player in there. But when you're only starting once every 6 weeks or so, then you simply can not have match rhythm, and you simply can not perform unless you get a run of 5 to 10 games in a row.

In saying that, I wouldn't say no to a swap deal and cash for Kalvin Phillips or Raphinha, as James will always be a squad player here.
 
SmashedHombre said:
Ole has shown himself to be risk averse to an almost frustrating degree, but with nothing left to lose I don't see how we don't give Amad minutes tbh. There is absolutely nothing to be gained from continuing with James and ignoring Amad when the league positions have already been decided.
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Regarding the bolded part:



Contrast with SAF playing Ronaldo straight away, letting him know it's okay to make mistakes.
 
Well, he will be good for someone else next year. Hopefully he will find his level and have it be in the PL. Sucks because I thought he just needed time, but it seems like its' not meant to be.
 
hungrywing said:
Regarding the bolded part:



Contrast with SAF playing Ronaldo straight away, letting him know it's okay to make mistakes.
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Ronaldo was a first team regular before we bought him and although young was much more physically ready for our league. He was already a good player - nothing like the player he became of course but was in the team on merit.

Poor game that DJ had yesterday, I can’t say playing Amad ahead of him was an obvious choice.
 
OrcaFat said:
Ronaldo was a first team regular before we bought him and although young was much more physically ready for our league. He was already a good player - nothing like the player he became of course but was in the team on merit.

Poor game that DJ had yesterday, I can’t say playing Amad ahead of him was an obvious choice.
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If that's going to be one of the criteria, we're going to be waiting for a long, long, loooong time to see him get a proper chance.

He's "one of the top three prospects in the world", playing him ahead of DJ is always going to be an obvious choice.

The issue is going to be the reasoning behind not doing so. @SmashedHombre and I (and other posters, I'm sure) are speaking about that one very specific possibility of it being due to Ole's risk-aversion. Not about whether Amad's physically ready or 'DJ sux championship player' yadda yadda.
 
The biggest problem with James is that his basic technical ability is just not good enough for the PL.

Its a shame really, since both his acceleration and pace would have made him really useful if he could manipulate the ball at a decent level
 
I think overall he's been having a decent season, by his own standards, and Ole has done well to get a tune out of him in some games. Work rate and attitude are never in question. That being said, thought he was poor yesterday.
 
hungrywing said:
If that's going to be one of the criteria, we're going to be waiting for a long, long, loooong time to see him get a proper chance.

He's "one of the top three prospects in the world", playing him ahead of DJ is always going to be an obvious choice.

The issue is going to be the reasoning behind not doing so. @SmashedHombre and I (and other posters, I'm sure) are speaking about that one very specific possibility of it being due to Ole's risk-aversion. Not about whether Amad's physically ready or 'DJ sux championship player' yadda yadda.
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I appreciate that it is to do with risk. I don’t think that particular selection would have been a sensible risk to take against Leeds.

I also don’t think Ole is particularly risk averse compared to other managers. He is risk averse compared to most fans of course.
 
He's a crash dummy. It's like he plays in zero gravity and any tiny amount of force on him sends him flying like one of those £1 footballs you'd find at a petrol station.

Unless he has clear space to run into he can't even use his pace as his balance is awful, and just falls over at any slight contact. He doesn't even win free kicks because people barely have to touch him so it doesn't look like a foul.

I appreciate he works hard but it's just nowhere near enough. Ole must think he's the nicest guy on the planet to keep him around so long.
 
OrcaFat said:
I appreciate that it is to do with risk. I don’t think that particular selection would have been a sensible risk to take against Leeds.

I also don’t think Ole is particularly risk averse compared to other managers. He is risk averse compared to most fans of course.
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Bolded part could be an interesting debate. But with the 'but-mom-all-the-other-kids-moms-let-them-do-it' caveat.
 
Dan James is still looking out of his depth but it's down to the manager to help the player and the team - I had no problem him playing for an hour yesterday and the instruction must surely have been run their defence ragged plus cover the full back etc. He clearly hasn't got the high level of technique to play at Premier League standard for United but I've not fully given up on him yet - you cannot fault his effort.

He was getting chopped down all the time but he should have done his job after 60 minutes and then replaced by either Cavani or Pogba for the final 30 minutes.
 
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