Harry can defend, I also think all talk about him needing to play for a team with a low defense etc is a bit overblown. Sure there is a scale, but all defenders will get exposed if the team in front of them is falling apart. We never had the greatest team and we played an ineffective style of football -- but since Maguire came here we finished 3, 2 and 6 in the Premier League. Much of the criticism against him is the classic 'who is in the picture, lets blame them' when a goal is scored. Sure he is not perfect, but our big problem was that we simply did not even remotely play dominating football under Ole. Teams came to our pitch, and dominated us. We were better away, because then we could counter attack. Where we finished in the standing was not horrible, but in reality the big titles were completely out of reach -- because the team as a whole did not play good football.
However, Harry Maguire is without any doubt very immobile on the ball for a CB in today's game -- on a team wanting to play the way ETH wants our team to play. Just like there is a big difference between how Scott McTominay handles the short passing game at the midfield and how Bernado Silva handles it -- there is a huge difference between how the defenders of Real or Barca or City play the ball and how Maguire does it.
And, playing up from the back, is what ETH's game plan is all about. It is recognized that if you can get the ball under possession high up field and overload in the middle, the defending team must defend with so many players that even if you lose the ball, the opponent is not a threat on the counter attack, ie. the goal of Pep's style and ETH's style is to play like this in the last 1/3 of the field if say the ball is on the right side (with the wingbacks/wingers shifting between inverting):
--------------------------------------------------I--------Net--------I---------------------------------------ball->--------------------
--------------------------------------------------I_____________I---------------------------------------------------------------------
Shaw-----------Rashford---------------------Martial------------------------------Dalot------------------------Antony
--------------------------------------Eriksen------------------------------Casemiro-----------------Fernandez-------------
------------------------------------------------------------Martinez-------------------------RCB------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------(*)------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To defend against this, you often end up with a 6-7 man line, 2-3 players in the lap of that line, and a striker a bit up field. Right? To get up field from that position, it basically requires two steps. You must (1) gain some ground, win a set piece or whatever, (2) move the team up and go from there. Or (1) pass the ball up field, hold it there, pass back to gain time, (2) move up the team, and then pass the ball up field again. Roughly. Offense is the best defense. And so forth.
How do you get into that position -- as often as possible -- in a football game? You play up from the back. Its about rigging the odds. The more you do it, the better.
Look at how much focus ETH put on getting ball playing ability form his CBs in Ajax. Ajax is an attractive club for young players. They have financial resources. It is a great stepping stone, has great reputation. They won't come in and win bidding wars for top transfer targets of the top teams in Europe, but they definitely have a very big pool of players to pick from when building their team. Still, when ETH had to rebuild his defensive line -- he moved a RB in Timber to CB and a CDM in Martinez to CB. Two guys 5'10. What did he focus on when he came to Manchester? A ball playing CB was really high up his list.
This is not only an important part of ETH's game -- its the most important part of how he wants this team to play.
Harry Maguire is very static with the ball. Its really easy for defending attackers to pressure him and force his team to chuck the ball up the field. I just wish there was a better understanding of this around this team -- because its creating a tough situation for ETH. All players are not a fit for all teams. Its like you have a great second attacker, a pure No 10, but that just can't play as a No 9 and on a team with a coach that never would play with a second attacker -- you got to sell that player. Its as simple as that. Either you build the team around the player and brings in a coach who will utilize him, or you sell that player.
Now there is talk about how Maguire wants to build up his form and come back to Manchester and retake his spot in the starting XI under Varane etc. Its like you have this amazing looking girl and this great guy who perhaps don't have the best looks -- and the girl has no feelings whatsoever for the guy, she can't stand him, but he is head over heels in love with her. Its not him, its her. He is great. It will not end well. Get over it. Instead, everyone around him is like throwing more and more wood on the fire. Surely, if Maguire plays well for England, ETH will see how good he is. I much rather hear -- Maguire will of course be sold by United since he does not a fit for how ETH wants his team to play, but surely his play for England shows how valuable he would be for other teams.
