He's not a defender. I think he's a fine footballer, but his positioning is not great and he's lacking defensive instinct. He probably should be tried as a DM, but in a team lacking confidence and without any great defensive partners and/or a great defense leader, playing him as CB against good teams is kind of suicidal. But I'd still play him over Lindelof anyway (I'd play anybody over Lindelof)
3
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 18
- Clean sheets
- 4
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
Better than McTominay or Herrera as center backs, that's for sure... Though it doesn't take a genius to figure that one out.
Brought that needed missing dominance play and aggression to our side.
Screw it, he will make costly mistakes next games, but overall he bring much more benefits to the team.
Rather have him play than not, considering our current CB options.
Screw it, he will make costly mistakes next games, but overall he bring much more benefits to the team.
Rather have him play than not, considering our current CB options.
Not a bad performance, but many times, in the first half especially, our right side was soo open on the counter. We were aided by the fact Valencia were poor in attack and Guedes lacked end product.
He is a clown. I wonder what went in his brain when he attempted that ridiculous shot
I always thought with the qualities that he posses he would make a good right back, obviously needs to work on his attacking game but athletically he has all the tools and his defensive weaknesses wouldn’t be as exposed
He was my man of the match. He makes mistakes, but with this guy I see potential. He should start every game with Smalling.
I chuckled at his banter effort from long range.
I chuckled at his banter effort from long range.
He had a good game, not a good start but as game progressed he was good. Shame the composure he showed on ball when he signed him is not there anymore.
That was down to our captain being like 25-30m out of position, couple of times that. I actually think Bailly played very well considering that display for Tony V.
Thought he was terrible last night again. Zero discipline, rash and it seems soft as they come which is what I am most dissappointed about.
Was more of a clearance
Thats Valencia's normal style. Smalling has had to carry that weight for a long time as RCB. Now he's getting a breather at LCB
I’d rather this guy being rash than Lindelof be Lindelof give Bailly a string of games.
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Smalling handles that just fine and every CB should expect that when playing next to a fullback that joins the attack. I'm not saying that Valencia is an attacking fullback. It's basic, you have to cover for your fullback when he joins the attack and not wait until the opponents are on the counter.
I've not seen Valenica being this shocking defensively very often, not to take anything out from Smalling though. And weren't you among many who argued that Smalling was better as RCB, and he should play there regardless of who he plays with?
Not to take away anything from Smalling but that shouldn't be an excuse for Valencia. Shaw did much more running on the other side, yet he managed to keep balance compared to him. You have to cover for your full back, but he should do his part also, Valencia was shocking last night.
Yes. I'd play him in his best position at RCB to continue to cover for Valencia every game. Bailly got through this game doing that but we didnt exactly look solid
I think bar Valencia, the trio of Bailly, Smalling and Shaw were very solid. The midfield in front of them, let them down in my opinion. I'm not sure how can we play 2 defensive MF like Fellaini and Matic, and the opposition still cut through us with ease. You have attackers running at our CB free number of times. Both of the CBs did well in my opinion.
I mean, I agree that the midfield and right back let them down but thats usual for us. Valencia caught out of position, usually Young too when he plays. Matic not always in a good position to defend the edge of the box and our CBs being exposed to more work than most teams. Thats how we play. Obviously other factors like Pogba not doing a lot defensively... I mean by now we should know all this. I get sick of repeating it every game. Thats how we play.
I'm still far from convinced with Bailly, particularly with how poor he is in the air, but I do think he is the best option to have next to Smalling by some distance. He looked a bit more assured last night than he has for a while. He needs a run of games.
I have zero faith in the rest of Jones, Lindelof and Rojo. I'd take Daley Blind over any of them, to be honest.
I have zero faith in the rest of Jones, Lindelof and Rojo. I'd take Daley Blind over any of them, to be honest.
So we are basically a defensive team that isn't that good in defending, and it's all masked by a certain Mr. David de Gea.
So we are basically a defensive team that isn't that good in defending, and it's all masked by a certain Mr. David de Gea.
Yes. Our tactics a personnel choices leave us open and exposed with "we're defensive" being an excuse for "We're shit going forward"
De Gea and Smalling saved us from many embarrassing situations defensively.
I think that was the worst shot I can remember seeing at Old Trafford.
Martin Keown said Bailly was too slow at getting out and covering that side. Like him or loath him, he was a high level centre back so he should know what Bailly's supposed to do in that situation.
I don't think it was Valencia at fault last night. Sanchez is usually on the left and not tracking back to help Shaw or Young, last night Valencia was stitched up and Bailly wasn't covering that side as well as he could either.
Sanchez got back to help out more than Rashford on the otherside which can be seen from heatmaps. He's better at it than Martial or Mata because he's a more combative player. Thats probably why Mourinho wanted him, he averages the same amount of tackles and very slightly less interceptions per 90 minutes as Fellaini - our most combative midfielder so far this season.
I will also add that Rashford is winning the ball more this season too (very surprisingly he's our most frequent tackler per 90 mins out of every player who has played more than 1 time, averaging over 2 tackles) but since we're talking about the previous match, Rashford was tracking back less and further up the pitch.
Im sure he played in Europe at RB once and was actually quite decent going up and down. Cant remember what his delivery was like (I expect it was poor lol).
But I think CB is ultimately where he needs to play and focus on. Dont wanna see another Jones situation.
He's loose as all feck. Jesus.
I guess you are right regarding Keown's opinion maybe Bailly could have done better. I also rewatched those two occasions and Tony V was 25-30m behind and jogging, while his winger ran at full speed to the CB, compared to Shaw who was a tank on the other side, I think he could have done much better. And not like he offered anything in attack to warrant that bleak defending.
Agreed.
He's not supposed to charge out there without thinking though. Considering we play with two defensively minded midfielders one of them should be slotting in to cover either RB or the vacated CB spot. It was just bad organisation all round.
Not saying Bailly had the presence of thought to think 'Matic is nowhere to be seen so i cant go over' but that's really what should happen. He shouldn't go over there if it leaves a huge gap in the middle. Keown had Viera, Campbell and Adams next to him so never had to worry about that.
Has regressed massively since his first season, not sure if it is down to the injuries he's had or confidence, I would be leaning towards the latter. But he actually has some desirable qualities as a CB (pace, aggression, tackling) despite lacking in other key areas (aerial and positioning) whereas I don't see anything of those qualities in Lindelof unfortunately.
I thought he was good yesterday and made several good challenges in dangerous positions. Considering how poor Valencia was even on the occasions he was in position, Bailly acquitted himself fine aside from that ridiculous shot he took.
Fellaini and Pogba were playing as B2B and it seemed as if Fellaini had instructions to press higher when we were out of possession rather than dropping deeper to cover in front of the back 4. Matic doesn't have the necessary speed to recover when he's caught upfield when we lose possession. If we're going to play the two in a midfield 3 I prefer Fellaini being the DM and Matic having more license to move forward.
Really we shouldn't be playing them together though.
Fellaini and Pogba were playing as B2B and it seemed as if Fellaini had instructions to press higher when we were out of possession rather than dropping deeper to cover in front of the back 4. Matic doesn't have the necessary speed to recover when he's caught upfield when we lose possession. If we're going to play the two in a midfield 3 I prefer Fellaini being the DM and Matic having more license to move forward.
Really we shouldn't be playing them together though.
This. I think we need to find a way to put Fred in that trio and leave one of them. Fellaini on current form seems the safer bet.
Fellaini may not do anything exciting with his passes but he also is quick with his decisions which I'd prefer over Matics more languid style in possession, especially on current form.
Matic, Lukaku and Lingard all look like they need a good rest to me. Lingard at least seems to be getting one now although its likely its just because he's out of favor lol.
Our recent best form came with Matic out of the team. The Pogba/Fred/Fellaini trio worked really well. Suddenly Matic comes back and it's a shit show again.
Aside from his body language in the tunnel at the start of the match I thought he played well.
Man Utd 3:2 Newcastle
Missed the game. Subbed after 18 minutes. Wah gwan?
This guy is even worse than Jones IMO, and I really really don't like Jones.
Done out ere. We have one useful centre half in the squad.
So has everyone on here given up on him, or given up on him under Mourinho? I don't know what to make of him anymore.
I've lost trust in him. He might get his form back, but when I see his name on the team sheet now I worry.
I could never understood why some people rated him. He is not serious enough to be a centre back, and the most important thing is that he can't win a header.
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