Eh? We have no idea yet if Amass will even ever reach the level Mainoo has already reached in our first team. Despite his potential, he’s still a big question mark and if we want to be competing at the very top again then we should absolutely be aiming for a top level LB as well as Amass if we’re at the point where Shaw cannot be relied upon.
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Eh? We have no idea yet if Amass will even ever reach the level Mainoo has already reached in our first team. Despite his potential, he’s still a big question mark and if we want to be competing at the very top again then we should absolutely be aiming for a top level LB as well as Amass if we’re at the point where Shaw cannot be relied upon.
Yeah not even remotely a similar comparison. Also not signing a LB because you have a very good 17 year old is idiotic squad planning. Amass won't even be in his prime for 5 years at this time.
Yeah exactly. Such a weird take.
This is where I'm at. It's not as though Shaw will be sent out to pasture and made into glue in October. Surely he will play at least 20-25 games this season. We can work with Dalot when needed and build up Amass against the right opposition. Play the kid, he's ready. But don't play him 60 games or even 30 games. We can do this.
Mazraoui will be our left back this season. Not sure why all the chatter in here, Amass will be lucky to get some domestic cup games. He will train with the 1st team, and probably get a loan next season when he is ready for mens football.
Coach should properly equip for the season then
I find it weird that he was not even in the squad for the City-game. Any rumours of an injury?
Not that weird. Didn’t he struggle quite badly with the defensive side of the game in pre-season?
I can't decide which of he or Dalot will/should be left back. Mazraoui seems to be the more productive one going forward, and if he can even 'unlock' Anthony he'd be great linking up with Amad or Garnacho. But then maybe we need him more on the left to unlock Rashford.
No, no rumours of an injury. As far as I know he's still in training with the first team and as it stands I can't imagine he'd go out on loan either. I think it's the correct way to handle things, it's not as if we were playing Lindelof at left back. Going forward he's excellent, he has excellent understanding of whom to pass to in order to progress the team forward and has a very high technical ability. He just needs to get positionally disciplined and obviously continue to physically mature. If we are going into the season with two fit right backs and two injured left backs I suspect he'll get a chance soon.
Didn’t expect him to start, but if we intend to give him minutes in Carabao/Europa League this season, i think he should have been in the squad. It was a glorified friendly, but still a different learning platform from a summer friendly.
I agree that he’s not ready to be any kind of first choice. But our 1st and 2nd choice are injured, imo he should be in the squad.
He travelled down to London but he was left out. I presume it was a choice between Collyer and Amass for the last sub position. And he used Collyer so that’s the reason he was left out.
He was on the pitch during the warm-up.
I think he'd be better served not getting his first taste against someone like City. Oscar Bobb was causing chaos in that first half and then you have Silva, both players who are quite unpredictable and like floating around.
I understand the thinking of easing him in - he's good going forward but physically and defensively he's not quite there yet (understandably due to his age).
However, I personally would have had him in the squad for the Community Shield game. It's only a semi competitive / glorified friendly match, and with it coming before our two defensive additions then we went into it with no LB in the matchday squad and no defenders at all on the bench. And the goal we conceded was when we had Dalot filling in at LB and Pellistri filling in at RB and struggling, but having to play there due to compete lack of options.
I suspect ETH didn't pick him because he knew the two defenders were arriving for the league game, and whichever way Amass performed would create a problem - play well, and him being replaced in the matchday squad for Fulham seems harsh; play poorly, and it's portrayed like he's been dropped based on the performance (rather than because of the two new signings)
I can understand that in terms of protecting him from outside noise. But having no other defenders avaliable, it would have been a good opportunity to give him a senior bow in less competitive situation - and would have been better in the game itself to have had a natural LB on, and Dalot in his stronger position, rather than the switch we ended up having to make.
Thanks, adds context that he was travelling but not in the subs
I agree that it is a rough opponent to debut against, but that context also comes in when judging it. I think noone (at least almost noone) would have a problem with Mazraoui/Dalot dtarting this weekend even though Amass impressed in a sub appearance. I think we’re all on the same page more or less though, its all in the details of how soon he is to be introduced, and his involvement in pre-season warranted a substitute spot in a squad with no natural LB’s.
Will be exciting to see what chances he gets this season either way.
He coped well against Salah in the last pre-season game. Saying that, I agree with taking it slow and not including him the match against City.
His positioning and concentration needs to improve as he had a couple of moments of switching off. But that's to be expected of a 17-year old kid and is something he should hopefully improve as he matures.
I think he is more technically sound than Dalot, even though I actually rate Dalot highly he’s never as impressive on the left. I think Mazraoui is more likely to be comfortable going on the outside of Rashford which might help him get some kind of form back.
ETH said he's not ready for the next three months at least.
You do know he's 17, right? Theo Hernandez would be in his 30's before this kid is even close to his prime. Very odd comment.
Don't rush him, let him train with the big boys then introduce him with the Carabao cup
I do. I also know that he's a very big talent and that he will likely be breaking through in the next 12-18 months. Not saying it will definitely happen, but he could be an England International within 2 years.
Apparently not with the squad, according to twitter.
Any update on why he wasn't in the squad at all. As cracking as last night was it's a missed chance to give him some first team minutes
Haven't heard anything, but my guess is that Ten Hag had a look at him in preseason and has decided he's just not physically ready for the senior game yet.
Collyer is further along in his development and can physically compete with the pros a bit more, so maybe he'd rather have him out of position than throwing Amass into the fire too early.
Didn't Ten Hag say he isn't ready for first-team football?
Is it too much pressure to start him at LB now?
Let him develop over the next year or so.. he has great potential but needs to time to develop his physicality and work on his defensive side
I think it could be relatively low hanging fruit for a new (interim) manager to pick him in the full match day squads and give him a few cameos here and there and see how he gets on. It's not like we have left backs who are available.
Yeh I'm really torn. I really like Dalot, as a right back I think he is amongst the least of our problems. Maz has by and large been pretty decent too at RB and it would be harsh to drop him. I was shouting at the screen last night at Dalot but ultimately he is out of position and has no protection in front of him game after game on the left side, we desperately need a proper left back there. I'd probably even play Antony there if Amass isn't ready, or it is felt to be too much pressure at his age.
If he isnt physically ready, then we should not throw him in deep end. That could have bad effect on the player. He is young and will get his time.
Will Harry actually manage to get a game now ETH has gone?
When he's physically ready, yes.
He is ready
Is he? Pretty sure if he was he’d have performed better when given minutes. Lads 17 and has plenty of time.