This. Was very wise of us to make him our first signing, with no one knowing, otherwise we could have ended in a bidding war in a scarse market, in as much a mess as Arsenal and Chelsea transfer wise or being as ripped off as City.Given the issues Arsenal and Chelsea seem to have been having recruiting a centre-back in this window, then this signing seems all the more fantastic
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 38
- Clean sheets
- 19
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 9
- Red cards
- 2
- Status
Darmian didn't look world class in August, he looked good but a bit nervous and contemplative, there was also a feeling that he'd get better as the season wore on.Simply immense. Dont want to jinx it but Darmian looked world class in august
Hoping this is not form but class.
Bailley on the other hand has looked ready made from the get go.
Hull weren't a threat but it was still another very good performance of him........because his tackles and interceptions were all impressive.
I rated him as a very good defender last season in the 10-15 games i saw him but honestly i wouldn't have said "We must sign him"........so well done so far to Mourinho and the scouts.
I rated him as a very good defender last season in the 10-15 games i saw him but honestly i wouldn't have said "We must sign him"........so well done so far to Mourinho and the scouts.
Peak Kolo, Radebe and Kuffour?
I get your point though, those players were pretty spaced apart to be fair.
Wow. That second half was incredible from him. Just a complete stopper. Was getting much higher up the field to make sure Hull couldn't have possession. At one point he was at RB and Blind was at LB both trying to impact the game, I love that in our defenders, reminds me of prime Rio, when even your CBs are willing to grab the game by the scruff of the neck you really have a chance.
Was that a fan jumping on the field amd jumping in the player huddle?
So far he has been tremendous. Big test ahead though, nonetheless suits the P.L to the ground.
How long have you been watching football?
Where have you seen any African defender of that ilk?
Kolo Toure was never that athletic. Never. He simply isn't as big. The only defensive African players with such quality were those who were first gen Europeans and went through European academies.
When we signed him people said he was "raw", but so far he looks like the finished article to me. Has hardly put a foot wrong yet, obviously it's early days but he just seems to be an extremely good defender without any real weaknesses. I don't imagine he'll be able to keep this up forever, but at the moment he looks like an incredibly astute signing. We're starting to look like a very good team
He is also more confident on the ball than most of our midfielders, if he can get to Blinds level of passing then he will be complete
Speak for yourself mate. You probably support a shit country with no chance of winning it like...nigeria?
Not lost its value. Still awesome to watch your team win it.
CAF will not change the format to suit Europe. I agree with redlyn here...speak for yourself and for your country.
This debate doesn't make sense then because Bailly had his footballing education mostly in Spain. You're clearly generally talking about African defenders regardless of where they were developed. Any African defender you said, then you contradicted that when you mentioned first gen players and players in European academies. Toure was very athletic in his prime and very quick for someone his size so I don't know what you're on about.
Toure
Lucas Radebe
Eboue
Lauren
Babayaro
Sami Kuffour
Benatia
Rigobert Song
Assou-Ekotto
Naybet
Taribo West
Serge Aurier
Zakora
Mikel
None of those guys were that good. None of them currently playing have shown anything close to this level of physicality and comfort with the ball as Bailly shows. He is an outstanding African defender. No one from the continent has the same set of skills. Lauren, in my mind was better than Toure. That's about it. The rest are nothing special.
Bailly did not get to Espanyol until he was 17. That's a stretch if you believe he is a Spanish product.
I keep looking at that list, and I keep wondering why you even brought those guys up. The closest in terms of dynamism is Aurier. But then, that builds into what I was trying to say doesn't it....
African nations have never produced a consistent stream of defenders. That's natural, since attacking talents stand out more. There is no incentive to train defensive-minded players. Some of them are solid, but most are forgettable.
Eh? That's a very mediocre list of players. Assou-fecking-Ekotto of all people
You're both clearly biased then. Harry190 you're jumping the gun here talking up Bailly on the back of his last few very good games. Anything can happen between now and May. The jury is still out. If you think only Lauren is good enough from that bunch then IDK what to say to you. Most of them played for championship winning sides and proved themselves pivotal to their respective clubs. Very mediocre indeed, Giant midget.
None of them have ever shown the same combination of skill and ability with the ball. African players who play like this move further forward most of the time. There's a very simple reason for that. Exposure. My assessment is not based on his recent performances but rather on what he brings to the table in terms of potential. He's the most athletic centre back to have ever played for Manchester United. His balance is outstanding.
Tbf pre-malaria Toure was very athletic. He was quick as feck.
Bailly has been brilliant. Really enjoying the partnership he has developed with Blind. Come back safely Bailly.
I was wrong about the time. He actually did that when we were still going for the goal, not after we scored, which makes it even better for me.Glad someone else noticed this, I burst out laughing when I saw it, Bailly winning the ball off a team mate
Big fan of the moment at around 3:25 when he randomly decided to play right back and took the ball of Valencia.
It's biased to call Eboue, Assou-Ekotto and R. Song average?
It's biased to call Eboue, Assou-Ekotto and R. Song average?
Fair enough you can have a go at Assou-Ekotto but Eboue has had a better than average career and Song is an African legend.
Yeah I also don't understand calling Eboue and Song average, I mean am I missing something?
Can't really remember too well how good Taribo West and Rigobert Song were in their primes, only remember the end of their careers but they were both playing at a very high level at one point no?
And Kuffour and Radebe were superb players from what I remember.
But yes, on the whole there have been relatively few top African defenders. In saying that though, plenty of great European defenders such as Evra, Desailly or Boateng qualified to play for African countries didn't they but then chose their European country?
And Kuffour and Radebe were superb players from what I remember.
But yes, on the whole there have been relatively few top African defenders. In saying that though, plenty of great European defenders such as Evra, Desailly or Boateng qualified to play for African countries didn't they but then chose their European country?
The guy can pass pretty decently with both feet. Which is a very good and welcoming improvement from let's say smalling who looks awkward as hell while trying to make a 5 yard pass.
Whether he can perform as good and long as smalling did last season remains to be seen. I hope he surpasses.
Whether he can perform as good and long as smalling did last season remains to be seen. I hope he surpasses.
He was lucky not to give a penalty away just before we scored. He completely cleaned out one of the Hull players just before Meyler shot over the bar.
He was good other than that but on another day it could've cost us. It was a wild swing and hopefully he can cut that out.
He was good other than that but on another day it could've cost us. It was a wild swing and hopefully he can cut that out.
Even if (by chance) he does have a nightmare against citys attack, it wouldn't demean anything he's shown for us so far. He actually looks amazing, and when you think about the amount of times Torres roasted Vidic (sorry) it never made any difference to the whole season and overall career of the player. He's bound to make some mistakes along the way, but right now like i say he looks an immense defender.
I know we're United and all of that, but does anyone know why he chose us against the rest of Europes elite? We haven't had that many African players to boast of in the past, most of them choosing against us if anything. We didn't have the champions league draw either. Has he been a long term admirer of United or Jose? Obviously we are an easy choice and a massive draw for players, I'm just wondering if it was mentioned anywhere.
He played in Spain where its easier to get cards vs the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Suarez etc
He should be ok against City. Especially with Aguero probably being banned
He did an interview where he said he received an offer from Pep Guardiola to go to City around April or something asking him to go there. Said he wasn't sure until Drogba phoned him and said he would develop well under Mourinho and get on with him
edit -
I think he stopped his foot once he realized he was going to take the opponent out.
Correct sir. You can also add David Alaba to that list. Alaba actually wanted to represent Nigeria but the FA there turned him down. Samuel Umtiti is another and so are Mangala and Sagna
Alright, I was harsh on Eboue as he actually did play for a top team and maintained a high level for quite some time before turning into a practical joke. Still far off from European/SA greats like Zanetti, Cafu, Lahm, D. Alves etc.
The fact that R. Song is an African legend doesn't make my point weaker - it's the opposite, really. There is no doubt that in the given pool he is one of the standouts and he certainly is one of the greatest players in the history of Cameroon - but when you compare him to the actual greats of his time like Nesta, Cannavaro, Maldini, Rio etc his career, with one season at above average team (Liverpool) and years spent in mediocrity of West Ham and Gala (again, compared to the top clubs)...
Only Toure and Lauren from your list were the crucial parts of a historically great team - and that's saying everything that you need to know about your list.
Yep - as it's clearly doesn't have anything to do with their race, it's more of a matter of their football education. Evra and Desailly were raised in the French youth system, Boateng in Germany, etc
Joseph Yobo and Mahamadou Diarra say hello. Yobo was a very good ball playing CB. Geremi too. I do agree that Africa has exported more attacking talent, but Bailly is not alone
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