If ETH wants him in the squad next season he’ll get plenty of game time rotating with Dalot. We’ve seen how ETH rotates Shaw and Malacia. It’s a squad game these days and we have a competent manager who doesn’t pick favourites.
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I thought he looked impressive during preseason for us, was surprised he was loaned out as I think he's ready for first team games like Garnacho while we're lacking depth at right back.
How many times did both teams hit the post?!
I don't want to be too harsh but based solely on these highlights, Laird looks really uninvolved or switched on defensively. Not a good look. Is he playing right back here in a back four?
How many times did both teams hit the post?!
I don't want to be too harsh but based solely on these highlights, Laird looks really uninvolved or switched on defensively. Not a good look. Is he playing right back here in a back four?
He is the regular RB there. He starts almost every game, barring injuries.
Maybe the idea was to give wan Bissaka a look. It’s weird he hasn’t at least given a start to rest Dalot
Based on his treatment of Garnacho, I bet AWB was showing ETH some lip or attitude.
Dalot has been a beast and now embodies the system, so it's either he doesn't want to him to lose momentum like with Martinez or like the poster below suggested it may be due to AWB being problematic behind the scenes as it's well known he's got behavioural problems or ETH has seen enough of him during pre season to know he can't be trusted in the starting eleven.
But I really like the look of Laird, hes fast, aggressive and bombs up and down the flank. Definitely could have been given minutes in europa to rest Dalot.
Can we recall him ?
Is that so? First time I've heard of this mate.
I think it's more important to have Laird out on loan; getting as much playing experience as possible. He has had shitty luck with injuries in his previous loans and didn't get to play much.
He has probably not kicked up a fuss, but he's so lazy I can't imagine him doing any extra work to work on his game. Rumours from the Ole era said that AWB had no interest in learning new things. I guess he just want to tackle things, all day long.
First time I've heard of any behavioural issues with AWB. Explains why a former winger is so poor at attacking and can't get a look in under EtH, who has been fair in his selection imo.
AWB has been fined previously for failing to turn up to training on multiple occasions also.
AWB has been injured though so there is that
Laird is so good most games, I don't bother checking, and I suppose for most, that's why there's not a lot of noise. I for one spend more time checking on the likes of Amad and Hannibal who are at the start of their loan experiences.
Not just being late, but actually not turning up at all?
Yeah, he phoned in sick apparently
The usual protocol is to phone in advance and go in to see the club doctor, AWB just didn't show.
Wan Bissaka also had a few speeding offences and got banned from driving for a while. Sounds like a little bit of an idiot.
Yeah, he phoned in sick apparently
The usual protocol is to phone in advance and go in to see the club doctor, AWB just didn't show.
Just wow! The driving issues I was aware of but not the rest.
Considering we were meant to have gone through a reset around the time AWB joined us, and this whole thing about getting feedback from people who know the player, am quite surprised to hear this.
Does put his performance and lack of development into perspective ...
Unless the move to Manchester and the salary windfall was the cause.
Had to Google it as I'd missed this myself, source is Duncan Castles:
https://www.teamtalk.com/manchester...nished-missing-training-unusual-reason-report
As an aside, how depressing is that article in general (with the bits on Lingard & Martial also) - shows how far we've come since Ten Hag took over.
I'm a QPR fan and absolutely love having Laird in the team. Him and Paal as fullbacks have really helped the team go up a level. I think all QPR fans are hoping United are silly enough to let him join pemanently at some point regardless of whether we go up or not
Seen a few games and he looks like he’s doing very well. I’m such a big fan of Laird and have a real soft spot for him.
He was pretty much the best player at youth level. Not surprised he’s doing well in the championship, he’s a PL level player in waiting.
Very composed for his age. Makes the occasional positioning/ball-watching error but who doesnt.
Just needs to change his name to Ethan van de Laird and he'll be all set.
Just needs to change his name to Ethan van de Laird and he'll be all set.
Another manager change half way through a season. This lad can not get any consistency behind him at all, not that this time around is our fault or his fault, it is just a massive shame.
Yeah it's a shame, but QPR's form has gone off a cliff. They were top of the table with 30 points from 16 games. Then they got 1 point from the next 5 games and fell down to 7th.
Having a decent under the radar loan by the looks of it. Played another 90 yesterday (22 appearances this season) and gave a good 7/8 rated performance.
Was subbed off quite early today. Has anyone watched the game? Is he injured?
Yeah he went off injured apparently
Is he injured still? Not in the side.
Started the last three matches.
That's a relief - do you know how he's been getting on there?
Based on what I've heard and seen he's been quite solid. He's started every match when he's been in the match day squad, taken off early twice due to injuries. Seems he was struggling with his hamstring ahead of today's game so that's the reason he's out. Was touch and go so probably nothing too serious. He's had such bad luck with injuries earlier in his career so really hope he gets and stays fit for the remainder of the season. It's a tricky one though for the future as I don't think he's ready for PL, at least not yet. Two good seasons in the Championship, wonder if in his case a loan abroad would be the right choice for next season.
Love him as a player and I was hoping if he stayed healthy he might break into the England U21 setup but I guess the competition is pretty damn hard for that squad. 22 when next season starts, will be interesting to see what the future holds for him. Contract until the end of the season, with the club having the option to extend it with a year. He was probably my favourite player in that strong United U23/U19 team. Was wondering earlier if his lack of height would be an issue but at 177cm and being quite strong with that low center of gravity I don't see that necessarily hampering his chances as a top-flight RB (in the future). Happy to also see that QPR play with a back four so he's getting perhaps more exposed in defense than as a WB.
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It shouldn't be, because he's injured again.
Laird has played 26 games this season, missed four. 13 matches missed due to injuries last season, in 20/21 he missed three months for us but was present in every single match day squad for MK Dons (one sub, all the other matches in the starting XI) during the loan. So it seems he's definitely available more than before and in a physically demanding league as well. Hope the worst is behind him and he stays fit for the rest of the season.
Cheers for the detailed reply. Sounds pretty good - he does need to play in a back four if he's to get a chance here eventually so that at least is a plus with the QPR loan. Last season was quite weird to have him out on loan at two different clubs, playing first as wing back and then as full back, with the latter being a club where he wasn't really first choice.
As is, we've got two right backs, neither of whom has really convinced. I suspect you're right that Laird needs at least another season on loan - injury free - if he's to get a proper chance here. Would love for him to get a loan at a higher level - in Europe - where he'd be first choice, in a progressive team, but that's maybe unlikely. Perhaps agent Carrick can be called upon.
I think the decision to switch from Swansea to Bournemouth was made by United, perhaps exactly for that reason - to get some minutes as a RB instead of RWB. As he was flying for the Swans. He got off injured against Forest in what was to be his last game for Swansea, so when he joined B'mouth it was a struggle from the start to get fit and into the team.
A couple of sub appearances and then four starts in a row in April was disappointing for sure. I guess you can never know for sure how it goes with the loans. In hindsight it might've been the wrong decision to switch clubs when injured but that decision was made at that time and I'm sure Scott Parker wanted him there for a reason. Playing a small part in getting promotion to the Premier League can be seen as some kind of a positive, I suppose.
Parker said this about his situation in March 2022:
It seems to have clicked well with QPR and Michael Beale seemed to rate him highly as he started every single match when fit. It's nice that Neil Critchley seems to trust him as well. Not been the best of seasons for QPR but I don't see team success as important as the loan player getting regular playing time in the position United want them to.
Yeah it might be more useful to get a loan to France, Portugal or the Netherlands (our coaching staff surely have strong links there) compared to a third season in the Championship. EtH has strong links to Ajax and at least at the moment certain ex-defender legends Johnny Heitinga & Michael Reiziger are at the helm there. They might be able to teach him a thing or two
Making yourself a regular at Ajax is beyond Laird's level at the moment though. Plus the current mood at the club and the very demanding fanbase might make it not the best option anyway.But of course the most important thing is to be at a club where the coaching staff trust him to play week in, week out. Perhaps Beale would be interested to get him to Rangers for a season. That'd be pretty good to play in front of the Ibrox crowd as well as possibly getting some experience in a European competition as well.
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I love this kid and I think he has potential but we can't rely on a player that is this injury prone especially when he's still young.
And we probably won't for at least another season. But if he plays a full season like the current one at a higher level than Championship, I think there's still some hope that he will fulfill that potential and become a regular here. Part of this is of course me wishing but maybe the most major injury issues are behind him. I'd love for a journo to ask EtH about Laird, Fernandez, Amad and Hannibal at a pre-match presser. Would be interesting to hear how the new coaching staff sees their development as all of them have gotten a lot of minutes in 1st team football under their belts. And for most parts they've all done well in a physically demanding league.
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