Diogo Dalot image 20

Diogo Dalot Portugal flag

2023-24 Performances

View full 2023-24 profile

5.5 Season Average Rating
Appearances
50
Clean sheets
12
Goals
3
Assists
5
Yellow cards
7
Red cards
1
Status
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Our best player this season by a very big distance so far IMO. Hope he keeps it up. Last year he got that injury during the world Cup and it really derailed his season. Started strong now and is the only one who can stay fit.. just please remain that way.
 
You forget how young Dalot is sometimes...still only 24.

Everyone played well tonight but he was very good.
 
He's been pretty good lately but people already made their mind up about which players they like so performances don't get judged on individual merit. When you're an unpopular player on here you really need to be exceptional to get any plaudits.
 
RuudTom83 said:
You forget how young Dalot is sometimes...still only 24.

Everyone played well tonight but he was very good.
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Sounds weird but he's an inexperienced 24 too I think which suggests he may have some more room for improvement, he barely played any first team football as we messed him about for the first few years and hindered his development, has only really been getting games the last 18 months.
 
NZT-One said:
I certainly would sign this statement. And you are right, I probably didn't start off well with him and now there are biases happening. I just think, that our fullbacks are really missing a spark. Both Shaw, him and AWB add no X-Factor to our play. I really like seeing Reguilon bombing down the left, so eager to join attacks. If at least one Fullback could be like this, I'd be fine if the other one is a bit conservative but right now, I think the balance is just subpar. As you say, I don't think it is hurting us at this point but also doesn't add anything, you know what I mean?
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I understand and to an extent agree with what your saying because yes I do believe we need more individual quality but I would go further and say that's also true of all of our players and in all positions. That's why overall, my sentiment to this 'I need to see more' of Dalot or any player falls into the responsibility of ETH; we should be performing much better with a set style/tactics/ball progression regardless of the individuals. With that context in mind, I think of Dalot who quite frankly has limited playing experience, as a promising prospect with a lot interesting attributes that is also performing to a reasonably 'high' standards (all things considered).

If I had to outline these:

Height - decent in the air, heading and back post
Pace/strength/stride - doesn't get beaten easily in foot races and has good dribbling power to pass by players
Technique on the ball - is adept at opening his body, rolling the ball on his feet to open up the pitch when receiving under pressure (this is an underrated quality that we lack in the team as we have quite a few players whose tendency is take the ball with their instep and then subsequently block their own path forward, which means we get pressed and boxed in)
Footballing brain - is comfortable at receiving in awkward spaces, centrally and always tries to plays progressively i.e get the ball moving when needed and when to stand on the ball to draw a player in and try to take them on. We often use him as an outlet/relief pass in the middle of the pitch and whilst he's not Lahm/Alves/Kimmich, most of the time the ball doesn't die or go back where it came when it gets to him, something which happens far too often with passive ball players like Lindelof/Shaw/McT etc.
Effort - has intensity in his running with and off the ball
Shooting/attacking threat - he created a goal today and generally does the right thing to get in the right areas

Now I'm not saying he's doing all of these things at a very high consistent level but it's quite impressive he's doing all at a good level. My main criticisms of him is that because he wants to be progressive, he does tend to overplay by forcing a pass/crossfield ball/shot and daddling on it etc. Also there are times he isn't as sharp defensively as I'd like but that's where I think a stronger more proactive RCB like Varane over a Lindelof can help out more there. At times because of the positions Dalot takes up, he is so high up the pitch and in uncompromising positions, he's becomes a defacto playmaker for us, whilst also needing to stick to his defensive duties.
 
Conor said:
He's another Lindelof in that he can play very well, but when he does make a mistake it's usually a really bad one, like trying to dribble out of a bad situation and giving up a very dangerous counter, or giving away the ball terribly with the whole team pushed up. Ideally would like someone else there, but hopefully he kicks on for the season now.
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He makes too many little mistakes, but he's got all the tools. We might still be saying that when he's 28, but it's not like with Malacia or Wan-Bissaka where the issues they have seem limiting, his upside is still probably pretty high as he's athletic, strikes a ball well and has improved 1 on 1.

Most likely it's gonna be another summer where it makes sense to buy a RB if there's a star or future star available, but if the best option is probably just a good player, we'd be better off giving him time and buying the best teenage RB prospect around even if it costs 10M like Hannibal.
 
Only fit fullback at the club at the minute. Regulion is the next one back which is rumoured to be after the October international break. Pray he stays fit...
 
The only right sided player we have who consistently beats his man and gets the ball in quick.
 
I thought he was alright today. Certainly of the better players. But that isn't much of compliment to have. But kudos to him, I really hope, he'll get more familiar with a more traditional FB role and has more of a go.
 
Yeah I thought he was one of our better performers... still wish his delivery was a bit better though.
 
Surprisingly good performance.
 
I like him. His defending is fine and he is quite effective in attack and build up play. There is no sync with our attackers when he is about to cross, that we should work on.
 
Not generally a fan but he has been good in the last couple of games.
 
Borys said:
I like him. His defending is fine and he is quite effective in attack and build up play. There is no sync with our attackers when he is about to cross, that we should work on.
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At the same time one of our last rushes had the ball rolled out wide to him, primed for a one time low cross into 4 players sprinting into the box. Instead he held on to it and ended up crossing like 5 touches later. By that time everyone was static and covered
 
Can't fault his attitude but I wish he had a better end product. Whenever he's about to cross I never have any faith that he'll find a United shirt.
 
He's been excellent so far this season and could have had a few assists to his name if we had players who could finish half a chance.
 
Our best player today, people need to stop being "surprised" by his good performances, he has been good despite the shitshow around him.
 
One of the very few players who can hold his head up this season.
 
Did as well as you could hope for. Was pretty much our only right wing threat and did well on several occasions to make the spacc to beat his man and cross.

Shame we're just not organised to take advantage of crosses and that kind of wing play.
 
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He’s literally our only threat from either wing or full back positions.

What a mess we are.
 
On the plus side, I think he's back to looking like a very good and complete right back. I honestly just have a lot of faith in him and trust him being on the ball or seeing his name on the teamsheet.
 
It says a lot that probably our two best players this season so far have been our right backs. Bissaka was playing well until the injury and Dalot has come in and continued the good work at right back
 
jesperjaap said:
It says a lot that probably our two best players this season so far have been our right backs. Bissaka was playing well until the injury and Dalot has come in and continued the good work at right back
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It's sad, but true. Both of them have played very well this season.

Dalot is going to play a lot of games over the next couple months. He has to stay fit or we're going to be in a very bad position.
 
He is more dangerous in the final third than Pellistri(our current soft, frequently physically bullied right winger). Good dribbler from what I see, not good as a passer but that can maybe improve. Decent size(helps in set piece defense) and his speed is a bit underrated I think - he's rapid. Defensively not great, but ok, probably serviceable.
 
philippexyz said:
He is more dangerous in the final third than Pellistri(our current soft, frequently physically bullied right winger). Good dribbler from what I see, not good as a passer but that can maybe improve. Decent size(helps in set piece defense) and his speed is a bit underrated I think - he's rapid. Defensively not great, but ok, probably serviceable.
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His pace has developed as he's grown into his body, he really is lightning quick these days.
 
Dalot is rapid.
I remember Dan James when he was with us he was considered to be our fastest player but when they asked him about it, he said Dalot was the fastest player on the team.

For whatever the reason he doesnt get enough credit for it and he doesnt exactly have a reputation as a fast player yet he absolutely is.

The reason why he doesnt have the reputation for it is because his starting speed likely isnt quite Mbappe like but once he catches his stride he is as fast as anyone.

In any case definitely has been a bright spot and has grown into a great player for us.
 
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