The boy has not even kicked a ball for us , not even signed the contract and here we have some with failed crystal balls writing him off. The state of this thread is sad.
Daniel James | Officially Signs
- Thread starter Lash
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This is the sort of signing I actually find really interesting and exciting. Young, British talent should always be a part of the club and whilst the Championship isn't PL or CL standard, it isn't a mug's league. It's a physically demanding, competitive league that includes more games in the year than the Premier League.
Whilst signing any young talent is a risk, I do have to question whether people would have the same reservations if it were a 21 year old from Gremio. A league that isn't PL or CL standard either. I think people find it easier to get excited about a foreign signing because they don't associate certain foreign leagues with the same things that they do at home.
This is the sort of signing I feel we should make 2 or 3 of each Summer window. More often than not, they won't turn into a world beater but for the price, you will probably get that back from an Everton or even the likes of Bournemouth. If we sell him in a couple of years (assuming we sign him) for 15/20 million and it's not worked out, I'm OK with that.
What you will get however is the odd Sancho or Dele Alli. You might even manage to get a succession of players in a 2 or 3 year period where 3 of the 6 or 7 you've bought end up coming good and providing a core to your team to build around.
Whilst signing any young talent is a risk, I do have to question whether people would have the same reservations if it were a 21 year old from Gremio. A league that isn't PL or CL standard either. I think people find it easier to get excited about a foreign signing because they don't associate certain foreign leagues with the same things that they do at home.
This is the sort of signing I feel we should make 2 or 3 of each Summer window. More often than not, they won't turn into a world beater but for the price, you will probably get that back from an Everton or even the likes of Bournemouth. If we sell him in a couple of years (assuming we sign him) for 15/20 million and it's not worked out, I'm OK with that.
What you will get however is the odd Sancho or Dele Alli. You might even manage to get a succession of players in a 2 or 3 year period where 3 of the 6 or 7 you've bought end up coming good and providing a core to your team to build around.
Just remember Daniel, in the midst of the moment of pressure, the advice when you see the ball is, .. wax on, wax off, and when you play Liverpool, remember to crane kick the boy with the funny walk, Henderson.
Hopefully he owns our left-wing for years to come (in a good way).
When asked if the United target is ready to move to Old Trafford, he said: “Yes. He was good before Christmas and then kicked on another level after that. “I was at the Swansea vs Stoke game and it was as good a wing performance as I’ve seen in a long time. He got two lads sent off and scored a worldy.
“It showed what he is capable of. If you go to United or any big club there is pressure on you.
“When you meet up internationally you’re then used to that pressure and there are so many benefits to playing at a higher level.
“He was obviously fantastic for me in the last game. When you’ve got speed like his as well as the talent he has, he can play anywhere.”
What the hell are you on about? That's exactly why Salah and Mane are so effective for Liverpool. It even allows players like Antonio at West Ham to be a good premier league player and pretty much made Walker the full back he is. Why does every one talk about "the pace of the EPL" if it's not about speed.
All the players you've mentioned (maybe bar Antonio) have other attributes in addition to pace that make them great. PL fullbacks can easily deal with simple speed merchants like Lennon / Walcott. They may still be good for teams trying to knick points here and there by playing counter attacking football but IMO won't work for teams expecting to dominate possession consistently.
This is to say nothing of James himself, never really seen him play and a cursory glance at YT highlights suggests he doesn't have great touch / passing technique / dribbling ability but can accelerate and run fast. I'm personally happy to trust the scouting team on this one over a 1 min youtube clip but you can see why people are questioning the transfer.
Are you honestly trying to tell me Salah and Mane's overarching attribute that gets them in to the majority of their scoring positions, is not their pace?
Loads of their goals are literally because they absolutely blast them on the break.
The second point just is plainly not true, they just got older and probably a bit slower in their 30s.
I mean we're talking in extremes here. Some amount of pace is important of course, but things like touch, close control, dribbling ability, passing etc. are clearly important for a winger too. Otherwise just sign Usain bolt and be done with it.
The moaning in this thread is extremely tedious. We're signing this kid. Let's hope for the best and not lose the plot given we know so little about him. He's also onl 21/22 so will need some time.
What about Martial?
Doesn't matter who we sign, they will be written off by some no matter what and praised before they deserve it by others.
He is young and has shown he has the potential to step up, at least give him a chance to show what he can do before we can judge.
many great players came through like this, and yes many failed and never made the grade.
Look forward to seeing if he can make it, although it is a fortune to me, in today's market 15 million is not so much to spend on potential.
He is young and has shown he has the potential to step up, at least give him a chance to show what he can do before we can judge.
many great players came through like this, and yes many failed and never made the grade.
Look forward to seeing if he can make it, although it is a fortune to me, in today's market 15 million is not so much to spend on potential.
Martial himself says he is not a winger. I have doubts he stays with us long term but if he does the plan is clearly to play him more as a striker than on the wing where he seems to be disinterested in just about everything happening around him.
There's no evidence for that. If the plan is to play him as a striker then why did he spend all last season out wide with rashford up front?
What about him? He has numerous chances as LW and has been a failure so far. I have less hope for him to make that LW his own.
I can't speak for everyone but it's getting a bit like a stuck record in here.
No way. I'm tagging him if James wins a fecking throw in!
Isn't he going to play mostly on the right? So don't really get the Martial debate.
I thought he played more on the left, but the reality is he'll surely not be a starter for some time anyway, we can't just pluck speedy a kid for the championship and say that's one side of the wing sorted, surely we have more of plan than that.
Overmars was more than a speed demon, he also had excellent vision and was a fine finisher and a very technical player who set up his teammates with precision. You'd have to be blind as a bat to think he was all about speed. Aaron Lennon also set a record as the youngest player to play in the PL when he made his debut at 16 and had an international profile.
He ended up relying too much on his speed but he had more in his locker. This kid is more comparable to Matt Jarvis and Dennis Rommedahl but even Jarvis was a good dribbler and Rommedahl was a decent finisher.
Whats wrong with me sticking up for those players? Just because its not a popular thing to do doesn't make me mental does it now? Which other actual signings have I shitted on before they kicked a ball? I don't have to be excited over James like the rest of you who are just short of proclaiming him the next Gareth Bale simply because he's pacy and Welsh
I do know he's right footed and that's why I mentioned his weak foot. I've already even mentioned that before in this thread, how he reminds me of Valencia except he's not afraid to use his left foot. He really is just a pace merchant, its the one thing everyone including Swansea fans keep swooning over
Why would I? He made no mention of any other specific attributes, that was the main point I was making. The 'he's kicked on' since whatever month he mentioned and 'he's got talent bit' and 'can play anywhere', I don't really care for, those are generic things managers say a lot. He seems to think he can play anywhere based on nothing but Jame's speed and I find that odd. But hey ho
That's an interesting assessment that speaks to his mentality (handling the pressure at the international stage) but my original comment was about Giggs not mentioning any other specific strengths in his game other than speed. Does being a pace merchant mean you can play anywhere?
@Lash you can't watch Mane and Salah and compare this kid to them just because he has pace to burn. Those two are also exeptional dribblers, Salah especially.
Anyone who says a player is a something merchant, really isn't worth taking seriously.
He can play both sides.
Indictment of how sad our 'fans' have become unfortunately.
Or starts it with (and I quote) "My knowledge of him comes from YouTube clips....."
Lou, meet strawman.
Mane and Salah have better agility on the ball. That is the only thing that worries me about Daniel but I like his speed which doesn't diminish while he's on the ball. His first touch looks good too but his control doesn't look great but quite decent. I think there's a player in there.
A failure?
I believe he has also played centrally as well, but with his biggest asset (at the moment) being his pace, he seems more suited to playing wide. If we sign him, and he does play in the same team as Rashford and Martial, then I can see all three interchanging at times.
If I’ve learnt anything from the last few years it’s claiming players will ‘interchange’ is just making excuses to feel ok about playing players out of position. By now we should learn, just play players in their best position. If we are still playing guys in the wrong roles we haven’t learnt anything from the last 6 years
Hes 21, got pace, scores goals, assists, can play anywhere cross the attack. FFS thats better or at least equal to than anything we got at the moment. Whats not to like at 15 million?
Exactly. Griezmann will be on the left
At 15M this a chance worth taking, might not be a first teamer next season away but hopefully we can help him fulfill his potential.
British name. He's got even more British name as his surname for God's sake.
For reported 200-250k/wk, yes. One of the laziest in the league, inconsistent, with a so so output. He’s a total failure, imho.
I won’t be sad if we sell him.
But the guy with 4 championship goals this season and couldn’t get a game at Shrewsbury 12 months ago will change things for us?
Not against the signing as he’s a young prospect but I’ll be pissed if he’s our only attacking option brought in this summer, he’s a squad player at a push. The likes of Lingard or Martial not being good enough? This lad isn’t even in their league at the moment.
Maybe he’s not ready or will ever be, but didn’t I say “hoping he’ll be”??
Why persist with failures?
Yeah fair enough
Just looking at the comments in the last few pages and it seems people are getting carried away, if we sign him I wouldn’t be surprised to see us loan him out to a PL club for a season he’s nowhere near top level at the moment.
I hope he will be in the first team squad. Honestly, can it get any worse than it is right now? Even Obertan would be an upgrade at this stage.
From the clips and some posters who have watched/known the player, he looks an exciting prospect. I don’t know why we’d loan him while keeping other youth (chong). It’s not like we’re spoiled on wingers too.
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