Ethan Laird | Bournemouth loan watch

davidmichael said:
People want VDB to be given a run because he’s not been allowed a chance to show what he can do and also (myself included) Laird as well, did Beckham show promise at Preston ? Harry Kane at Norwich or Leicester ? I don’t go by the logic that Tuanzebe not playing for Villa means he’s not good enough.

Tuanzebe showed against Mbappe and Neymar against PSG what he can do then got dropped for the following match and much like Jonny Evans years ago was then made a scapegoat for that Champions League loss against that Turkish team despite far more senior players being even worse that game.

Tuanzebe’s main attributes are pace, power and basically being a beast which would be perfect alongside Varane whilst Maguire is clearly struggling and dragging Varane down and Lindelof has the same flaws as Maguire with his serious lack of pace but then is also awful in the air, would Tuanzebe be worse than Maguire ? I mean Jones is even getting a game and looked better in one game than Maguire has all season.

I honestly believe that Laird, Tuanzebe, Garner and Mejbri would all actually benefit the first team this season and I’d 100% have had them involved this season. There is so much wrong with the attitude and mindset of so many of the first team that I think dropping them in favour of our talented kids would show that no one is undroppable or bigger than the club just as Sir Alex always showed.
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I mean the logic is that two managers in a row at Aston Villa haven’t rated him better than their current CBs. If he hasn’t been good enough for them, then why is he (currently and of course we’re talking in present terms) good enough for us? He’s shown severe lapses in concentration and apart from that one game in recent memory what has he actually shown that makes you think he is better than Maguire. Maguire has had a shocking start to the season but was very good last season and very very good during the Euros.

Yes sometimes players don’t play well on loan, and go on to be fantastic players in the future. But that is a weird justification for you to use when arguing that he would be better now. Axel may go on to be a great CB, but he has hugely regressed from the promise he was showing at Villa in the championship.
 
Any reasons why Laird has not made his debut for the team yet? Hopefully, he isn't injured.
 
I'd imagine he will be a back up at Bournemouth, no more.
 
Dans said:
I'd imagine he will be a back up at Bournemouth, no more.
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I actually can't see Parker dropping Stacey straight away, he's been solid for Bournemouth.
What I can see is Laird being deployed further forward instead of Ryan Christie.
 
https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/19978816.amp/

The injuries are a huge concern but Parker has hinted he isn’t currently good enough or the right fit for them. I assume they’re working on his defensive qualities. He was basically played as a quasi right winger at Swansea and did very well. Part of me thinks we should’ve kept him there but I’m glad if he’s now being made to work on his weaknesses at Bournemouth.

Any suggestion Laird could challenge for a place with us next season looks like a stretch right now. Hopefully he finishes the season strongly and gets a good PL loan; maybe still with Bournemouth.
 
It was a really interesting choice to reloan him, then. He was by far and away first choice and one of the best players at Swansea, no?
 
I said at the time that it didnt make sense to move him from Swansea where he was playing regularly and doing well

I can only assume that Bournmouth offered more money than Swansea
 
He’s literally been injured since he got there - that’s got feck all to go with the loan - He’d still have been injured if he was at Swansea. Made two sub appearances last two weeks but from Parker’s comments they want to get him right physically before starting him. He even says he thinks he’ll play a big role in the coming weeks. He needs to play in a back 4 - the loan made perfect sense in that regard.
 
Adam Smith is suspended for a few more games, Jack Stacey was awful last night, I would imagine Parker will change things up for the Derby game so assuming Laird is fit and ready to go, I would imagine he will start over Stacey.

The one issue with Parker recently is his lack of wholesale changes to his team both starting lineups and during the game, he seems loath recently to want to change things early. This could lead to Laird not getting a huge amount of time in the run in.
 
Rood said:
I said at the time that it didnt make sense to move him from Swansea where he was playing regularly and doing well

I can only assume that Bournmouth offered more money than Swansea
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He was playing in a team that uses a back three, I'm sure part of the reasoning was that Bournemouth generally play a back two, so Laird would have to defend more. If it's true that Bournemouth are working on his defensive qualities, then great, because unless he nails that part of his game down, he wouldn't be a part of United's squad.
 
red woppit said:
He was playing in a team that uses a back three, I'm sure part of the reasoning was that Bournemouth generally play a back two, so Laird would have to defend more. If it's true that Bournemouth are working on his defensive qualities, then great, because unless he nails that part of his game down, he wouldn't be a part of United's squad.
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I doubt that's part of the reasoning but maybe our backroom deserve more credit than I'm willing to give

I'm sure it just comes down to money
 
golden_blunder said:
Curious why you say he’s a premier league level player when we don’t know that yet?
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Playing right now for a team that will play in the Premier League next season and from watching him for the past 6-7 years, I'm pretty confident that he is better than Brandon Williams who has shown that he is a Premier League player now and also before. Laird will play in the Premier League next season, with or without United.
 
Rood said:
I doubt that's part of the reasoning but maybe our backroom deserve more credit than I'm willing to give

I'm sure it just comes down to money
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We'll never know, but it can only be good for his development if he is getting defensive tuition. Not sure who the coaches are at Bournemouth, but Parker has played and managed in the Prem, so he should know what he is doing when it comes to players.
 
Mickson said:
Playing right now for a team that will play in the Premier League next season and from watching him for the past 6-7 years, I'm pretty confident that he is better than Brandon Williams who has shown that he is a Premier League player now and also before. Laird will play in the Premier League next season, with or without United.
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Fair enough, though to be fair I reckon I could play better than Brandon Williams
 
Need to get my eyes tested. I thought he had moved to Brighton on loan and ive been getting disappointed every week when I check their squad and see him missing.
 
SAF is the GOAT said:
I don't know if we really can rely on him to be part of the squad next season
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Neither should we, if Bournemouth go up staying there would be the best for him.

I know people don’t like it but I really think we should be able to make due another season with Dalot and AWB.
 
Neil_Buchanan said:
Need to get my eyes tested. I thought he had moved to Brighton on loan and ive been getting disappointed every week when I check their squad and see him missing.
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Thats funny, I did something similar with Chong last year.
 
Rood said:
I said at the time that it didnt make sense to move him from Swansea where he was playing regularly and doing well

I can only assume that Bournmouth offered more money than Swansea
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Mental really...in the side, doing well and well thought of.

Why move him?
 
Maybe not quite as far down the line for PL football as some fans think?
 
Think we've just been done dirty by Bournemouth here. I can't for a second believe that those who have been in charge of our English Lower League loans who have generally made some good choices have got it this wrong.
 
Stobzilla said:
Think we've just been done dirty by Bournemouth here. I can't for a second believe that those who have been in charge of our English Lower League loans who have generally made some good choices have got it this wrong.
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Yeah, I'd like to think there'd be no way they'd have just moved him there from somewhere else in the same league where he was playing every week without guarantees of him starting.

Really is looking like he'd have been much better off staying at Swansea, though.
 
Stobzilla said:
Think we've just been done dirty by Bournemouth here. I can't for a second believe that those who have been in charge of our English Lower League loans who have generally made some good choices have got it this wrong.
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This one is on us to be fair why move him unless you are moving to him a pl team. He was getting the required minutes which a loan should be about.
 
flappyjay said:
This one is on us to be fair why move him unless you are moving to him a pl team. He was getting the required minutes which a loan should be about.
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Different situation when you are playing for a team challenging at the top end of the league, more pressurised situations and it has been noted that there was wisdom in it because Bournemouth were utilising a flat 4 so it would be replicating what we will need out of him long term.

The logic of it all is sound and fairly straightforward, I just think either Parker is bottling it or we've been sold a bill of goods by Bournemouth if they pitched it to us as described above.

There is a lot we can shake our heads at the club for these days, I don't think this is one of them in my opinion.
 
flappyjay said:
This one is on us to be fair why move him unless you are moving to him a pl team. He was getting the required minutes which a loan should be about.
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Because he isn't good enough for a PL team? A loan isn't just about getting minutes for the sake of getting minutes. He has 50 senior appearances now, he is at a stage where just any old minutes aren't enough. A loan is meant to prepare him to play for Manchester United. People have been talking about him coming back to challenge for our RB spot, a position he has basically never played at senior level. What good is getting all your minutes in a position we don't use?

He had no defensive responsibilities at Swansea or MK Dons. MK Dons' captain and CB said his job was to do all of Laird's defending so he didn't have to worry about it. Who is going to babysit him like that at United? When do our RBs have the luxury of never defending? Never. Playing under Martin was great for a first step into senior football to get experience but he has 50 appearances now and being talked about returning to our squad so needs to actually show he is capable of playing the role we actually require.

He was immediately thrown in upon his return from injury with two sub appearances and wasn't up to it. Perhaps 1.5 years of no defending has left him unprepared to actually play RB? Parker gave him a chance immediately and still said he will be playing a big part he just needs to get up to speed after the injury and probably learn how to defend. It was a good move and if he isn't up for it then we know he certainly isn't up to replace either Dalot or AWB next season either.



Don't agree with the above Pellistri comparison either. He was benched last season and was sent back to be benched again and then didn't recall in January when given the opportunity just to keep on being benched. That is 1.5 years, compared to the 4 months Laird will have with Bournemouth. If Laird is benched for the rest of the season and we send him back for all of next season to be benched then it will be similar. As it is, Laird needed to be tested as an actual defender and needed a new club. Bournemouth offered that with also the possibility of being promoted and offering a PL opportunity next season.
 
Stobzilla said:
Different situation when you are playing for a team challenging at the top end of the league, more pressurised situations and it has been noted that there was wisdom in it because Bournemouth were utilising a flat 4 so it would be replicating what we will need out of him long term.

The logic of it all is sound and fairly straightforward, I just think either Parker is bottling it or we've been sold a bill of goods by Bournemouth if they pitched it to us as described above.

There is a lot we can shake our heads at the club for these days, I don't think this is one of them in my opinion.
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I can see why Manchester United took the decision they did, mainly for the reasons you described. Honestly speaking though, I think it was a pretty poor decision, even without the benefit of hindsight. Loans are volatile, and we very often see them fail. Switching a loan midway through the season is very different to one at the start of the season, as you don't have the option of correcting course. We're now in March and he has to fight his way into the side.

I guess if Bournemouth get promoted and then bring him in on a season long loan, it's a pretty good ending all things considered. The caveat with that is it depends if they will bring him. The other thing is that had he stayed the season at Swansea, he'd have had no problems finding a top flight loan in the summer.

Mickeza said:
He’s literally been injured since he got there - that’s got feck all to go with the loan - He’d still have been injured if he was at Swansea. Made two sub appearances last two weeks but from Parker’s comments they want to get him right physically before starting him. He even says he thinks he’ll play a big role in the coming weeks. He needs to play in a back 4 - the loan made perfect sense in that regard.
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The difference stems from his body of work at both clubs. At Swansea he had proven himself vital, and would have instantly walked back into the side when he was ready. At Bournemouth, while he was unlucky with the injury, he now has to try and displace other players and prove himself all over again. Which is fine if we're in August, but in mid March isn't ideal.

DWelbz19 said:
Maybe not quite as far down the line for PL football as some fans think?
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If he's not with a PL club in the summer it'd be a shame. Guehi and Gallagher come to mind, obviously very different players but both spent time on loan here and the next season they were playing PL football and thriving. He's got the same talent, he's a certainty for top flight football.

Manchester United talent? Don't know.
 
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