Elanga vs Dan James

In a few years Garnacho will reach a higher level than both of those.

United want and need clinical finisher.

Garnacho is maybe not as skillful as Sancho. But when it come to the clinical and finish part of the game. I am not sure yet.

Garnacho is more a natural goalscorer as a left winger. A right foot left winger. Where LW is his best position.

If Garnacho keeps working hard, have right focus and keeps his feets on the ground. Then i can see a really good left winger in the future.
 
In a few years Garnacho will reach a higher level than both of those.

United want and need clinical finisher.

Garnacho is maybe not as skillful as Sancho. But when it come to the clinical and finish part of the game. I am not sure yet.

Garnacho is more a natural goalscorer as a left winger. A right foot left winger. Where LW is his best position.

If Garnacho keeps working hard, have right focus and keeps his feets on the ground. Then i can see a really good left winger in the future.

That's fine and all but there's a thread dedicated to Gernacho.
 
Last edited:
Like both players
Elanga for the chaos he causes in the final third. This is a priceless trait and I hope it never gets coached out of it because we will lose the player he can be.
Dan James was a better contributor for us than people gave him credit. With a better attacking fb next to him we would have learnt to appreciate what he brought to the table. By no means the ready product but at least gave us some sort of balance for what we current have.
I try to judge our players on how their contributions affect our team at its current state. Selling James happened a year too early but at least we have Elanga coming through. Will not want him to become the defensive winger James was for us though because it will stunt his development.
 
Think we made the right choice on this. James was never of the required quality and Elanga though still raw has a lot more upside and ability.
 
James was the very definition of a selfish headless chicken. Elanga on the other hand seems to have a decent football brain
 
Both players show the right commitment and work ethic but only one, Elanga, has the potential to be a very good , well rounded PL player.
 
Elanga because he is home made.

Elanga has more potential i think, we'll see.
 
Elanga is the much better player. Far more skilful and with a much higher ceiling than Dan James.

Dan James worked his ass off and would do what he was asked but he is a kick and run merchant. Elanga has more about him.
 
Elanga is a better all around pkayer, but reckon theres not much difference in their overall quality and impact. Not super convinced of Elanga yet.
 
Elanga is much luckier than James because he is going to get a proper coach in his development years. Dan James got Ole.
 
Elanga is much luckier than James because he is going to get a proper coach in his development years. Dan James got Ole.

Dan James was supposed to be largely developed when we signed him, he was 21 and nearly 22.
 
Elanga is a better all around pkayer, but reckon theres not much difference in their overall quality and impact. Not super convinced of Elanga yet.

I agree with this assessment but he's also a couple of years younger than James at the time of his signing, so that could easily change.
 
Not convinced by either
 
Elanga is by far the better all rounder however as of now hes far, far from being what I would deem a regular starter, but theres definately potential there to be developed. James, God love him, always put a shift in, buy my word was he limited.
 
James is barely doing anything at Leeds either. I thought he was going to Leeds to be coached by the genius Bielsa who would know how to use him properly :confused:

We made the right decision.
 
I don't see Elanga being anything other than a low level squad player at United. I wouldn't rate him higher than someone like Rashford when he came through for example who is now probably an intermittent first team player for you at best. I think what is key for you is managing these types of players better so you are able to sell them for a good fee. I think you got away with it in terms of James because of how keen Bielsa was on him but we have seen how players like Lingard etc. get mismanaged on and off the field and you end up losing them for nothing or a pittance.
 
Last edited:
I think what RR said about Elanga is key. He basically said he wasn't as good as the better players but he was putting in the hard work, following instructions and keen to learn.

Think if he keeps that up he will have a better career than some of the more skillful players who don't have the same attributes.
 
Elanga is stronger and I think might have better technique.

However, I do not think there is anything special about him (unlike Rashford or Greenwood when they were his age), but could be a decent squad player. James looked like someone who had no business playing for us. Not as bad as Bebe/Obertan but not much better.
 
James is barely doing anything at Leeds either. I thought he was going to Leeds to be coached by the genius Bielsa who would know how to use him properly :confused:

We made the right decision.
Exctly. I was just going to say the same.
 
James is championship player where he will (maybe) play next season.
Elanga can and will be useful for us as backup player but that will be his maximum. I just don't see anything special in him, nothing in which he stands out like Greenwood, Rashford or Martial were at his age. But (unlike James) he has decent technique and skill so he has place in this team for sure
 
James would have been played every game by RR imo.

As far as talent goes, they are about similar imo.
 
Dan James was supposed to be largely developed when we signed him, he was 21 and nearly 22.

To be fair he had only played 1 season of senior football though and had no PL experience so that is not what I would consider largely developed and it is not as if he arrived into the greatest coaching environment. Dan was not good enough but he was worth a punt at the price and we sold him for a profit so really difficult to have an issue with the transfer.
 
To be fair he had only played 1 season of senior football though and had no PL experience so that is not what I would consider largely developed and it is not as if he arrived into the greatest coaching environment. Dan was not good enough but he was worth a punt at the price and we sold him for a profit so really difficult to have an issue with the transfer.

I'm not judging the transfer but stating that James wasn't a developmental player, at 22 your are likely the finished product or very close to it when it comes to basics
 
James would have been played every game by RR imo.

As far as talent goes, they are about similar imo.
Elanga has better technique. I'm not the biggest Elanga fan, mainly because I don't view his ceiling that high. However, he has not shown his dribbling skill at first team level yet. He still has that hidden in his locker, but I think he needs more confidence to start trying that. A bit like how Greenwood played quite conservatively at the start of his first team career.

James doesn't have that. His technical ability doesn't allow him some of the types of runs Elanga is capable of. James only had speed with open space.
 
In a few years Garnacho will reach a higher level than both of those.

United want and need clinical finisher.

Garnacho is maybe not as skillful as Sancho. But when it come to the clinical and finish part of the game. I am not sure yet.

Garnacho is more a natural goalscorer as a left winger. A right foot left winger. Where LW is his best position.

If Garnacho keeps working hard, have right focus and keeps his feets on the ground. Then i can see a really good left winger in the future.
I would hope so, but lets not get overexcited and overhyped our youngster before they even kick a ball in PL.

I have learned my lessons after watching the rise and fade of:
- Cleverley (our answer to Iniesta)
- Macheda (our next best thing, after that goal)
- Gibson (future Man Utd midfielder)
- Januzaj (at best new Ronaldo, expecting new Giggs, or at worst new Nani)
- Gomez (our most talent youngster at that time),
- Williams (our talented full back who look set to displace Shaw)
- Martial (future Ballon D'or winner)
- Rashford (England new golden boy/future super star)
- Greenwood (new RVP, or generational talent comparable to Haaland)
 
Last edited:
I would hope so, but lets not get overexcited and overhyped our youngster before they even kick a ball in PL.

I have learned my lessons after watching the rise and fade of:
- Cleverley (our answer to Iniesta)
- Macheda (our next best thing, after that goal)
- Gibson (future Man Utd midfielder)
- Januzaj (at best new Ronaldo, expecting new Giggs, or at worst new Nani)
- Gomez (our most talent youngster at that time),
- Williams (our talented full back who look set to displace Shaw)
- Martial (future Ballon D'or winner)
- Rashford (England new golden boy/future super star)
- Greenwood (new RVP, or generational talent comparable to Haaland)
Tuanzebe. New Rio
Wilson. New Cole
McNair. New Neville
McT. New Fletcher/Park
Garner. New Scholes

Etc, etc.......
 
Elanga has better technique. I'm not the biggest Elanga fan, mainly because I don't view his ceiling that high. However, he has not shown his dribbling skill at first team level yet. He still has that hidden in his locker, but I think he needs more confidence to start trying that. A bit like how Greenwood played quite conservatively at the start of his first team career.

James doesn't have that. His technical ability doesn't allow him some of the types of runs Elanga is capable of. James only had speed with open space.
I am an Elanga fan. But as far as raw technique, he is with Jame imo (and I rate James as having decent levels). Technique is but one aspect of football though so I hope Elanga will far surpass James. My biggest problem with Dan was how robotic he was and how little awareness he had. Elanga will never be a wizard of the ball but he does not have to in order to succeed.
 
I would hope so, but lets not get overexcited and overhyped our youngster before they even kick a ball in PL.

I have learned my lessons after watching the rise and fade of:
- Cleverley (our answer to Iniesta)
- Macheda (our next best thing, after that goal)
- Gibson (future Man Utd midfielder)
- Januzaj (at best new Ronaldo, expecting new Giggs, or at worst new Nani)
- Gomez (our most talent youngster at that time),
- Williams (our talented full back who look set to displace Shaw)
- Martial (future Ballon D'or winner)
- Rashford (England new golden boy/future super star)
- Greenwood (new RVP, or generational talent comparable to Haaland)
Tuanzebe. New Rio
Wilson. New Cole
McNair. New Neville
McT. New Fletcher/Park
Garner. New Scholes

Etc, etc.......

Fans of the club which has history of promoting young players to first team were excited about youth prospects who had good seasons at professional or youth level? What a surprise.
 
Fans of the club which has history of promoting young players to first team were excited about youth prospects who had good seasons at professional or youth level? What a surprise.
Problem is that it goes to extremes in last ten years. You perfectly said it; all what is needed is "good" season and it becomes enough for high hopes.
Greenwood? Hell, yes. He was amazing talent at first sight. Rashford after amazing debut? Of course. Januzaj? Well, yes.
But that every youngster is a new big thing? That is over the top. Tuanzebe was new big thing because he is quick. Williams had 3 good games and was already better than Shaw. McT showed passion and was future captain:confused:
 
Problem is that it goes to extremes in last ten years. You perfectly said it; all what is needed is "good" season and it becomes enough for high hopes.
Greenwood? Hell, yes. He was amazing talent at first sight. Rashford after amazing debut? Of course. Januzaj? Well, yes.
But that every youngster is a new big thing? That is over the top. Tuanzebe was new big thing because he is quick. Williams had 3 good games and was already better than Shaw. McT showed passion and was future captain:confused:

None of it had any impact on the club. If Fred, Matic, Pogba were consistent we wouldn't have played McTominay. Only reason he gets games is the one who should be first choice are not playing well for various reasons.

Young players gets the hype based on their performance in the youth team. Step up to first team is too big and that's when we will know who are good enough, Ravel Morrison had poor career, doesn't mean the hype wasn't justified (that's one example).
 
None of it had any impact on the club. If Fred, Matic, Pogba were consistent we wouldn't have played McTominay. Only reason he gets games is the one who should be first choice are not playing well for various reasons.

Young players gets the hype based on their performance in the youth team. Step up to first team is too big and that's when we will know who are good enough, Ravel Morrison had poor career, doesn't mean the hype wasn't justified (that's one example).
Yeah, i was in Ravel's hype train too. Pure skill :drool:
 
Are they even similar players? James is more direct and a fair bit faster. Elanga, still quick enough, is better with the ball and is able to vary his game more.
 
Elanga is stronger and pretty decent in aerial duels. Both not great and have/had no place being here.
 
I think a lot of us academy watchers have seen Elanga progress slowly each season. To be honest, 3-4 years ago no way would I have said he was 1st team starter and scoring but each season he just got better. He was a bit Bambi a few years ago but he has taken his chance and made it.

He will probably benefit from being in the same team with Ronaldo. Because Ronaldo is a model professional, an athlete who has worked very hard. If Elanga keeps working hard, he can become a really good player for us. At this point, it depends more on his mentality than on his other attributes.
 
If I'm not wrong, Elanga played either on the left wing or some times as a forward in the youth teams. I quite honestly did not expect even him to step up to the senior squad until a season ago. He's one of the slower developers, that'll grow into the team. McTominay looked like he belonged in the championship in his first season while Jose was shunting him into defence to prove a point to Woodward. Ole moved him into a more box to box role and he looked a different player.
 
Think we made the right choice on this. James was never of the required quality and Elanga though still raw has a lot more upside and ability.

People used to sat aaron lemon, gabby agbonlahor, and theo Walcott are speed merchants with no skill. People said of you have pace then that's all you need in the prem.

Dan James proved them wrong and showed that even pace alone isn't enough.
 
Both are nothing special. Both are squad players at best.

Elanga isn't bad but I'm struggling to see any exceptional qualities in him.