He better not get dropped if other players get fit. None of the senior players deserve to come in over him.
33
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 18
- Clean sheets
- 5
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 2
People are being overly critical about the lad, he's only 19 and his debut season was being dropped into an absolute shit storm of a season defensively. Clean sheet and three points is a good performance in my book.
Can you actually blame McNair for that mistake though, I haven’t had a chance to look at it again but at the time I thought it was Blinds fault as he let the ball bounce?
I think both of them. Someone needs to take charge and it doesnt matter who it is
Blind being asked to play CB and Mcnair playing one of his first professional games, and never having done it together before... Well its expected that they get their wires crossed now and again, isnt it?
Indeed, I was expecting more mistakes to be fair, all in all no one can or should complain.
Another decent game from him. I hope he can keep this up because he's done very well after being thrown in at the deep end.
Apart from his mistake that put Campbell through, he was steady all game. His distribution impresses me a lot. You can tell he used to play as an attacking midfielder.
This.
McNair should be rewarded with the manager's confidence. Of the four "senior" CBs -- Evans, Jones, Smalling and Rojo -- I would go with Rojo as McNair's partner in central defense whenever that becomes a possibility. Until then, we may have no choice and go with Smalling.
Has done well. I remember Desailly making a similar mistake when he joined Chelsea and there are plenty others who judge misjudged the situation. If he's the kind that makes a mistake but doesn't get punished for every mistake he'll make then great! Some players do. He got away with it and he'll learn from it
One long ball between the two center backs and we collectively lose our shit. How Campbell managed to screw that up was beyond me, I hope Wilson has better composure than any of the strikers our academy has produced in the past decade.
If you have any serious discussion points about the quality of De Gea's goalkeeping bring them up in that thread. If you're making a ridiculous misrepresentative because you lack the motivation or ability to make a reasonable point, then don't.
Another promising display. Deserves his spot in the side.
Sign him up!
Thought he played well yesterday. Fairly solid which is more than you can say about the likes of Evans and Smalling.
He has done well but I have been most impressed with his composure on the ball and bringing the ball out of defence more than his actual defensive ability. Seems to stand off his man a bit and is not a tackler or winner of aerial battles. He reads the game well and makes interceptions but I would like to see him make it a bit more difficult for opponents strikers. Aware that he is a midfielder converted to centre back so still very impressive.
Great news, hopefully he'll stay fit till Arsenal. We need at least one CB fit..
Dont worry lads and ladies, there's plenty of time for him to get injured during the international break.
you know...I really like this lad. That backheaded save v West Ham....
bravery and class.
Don't remember that.
Aah, thanks for that, remember now I've seen it.
Great stuff.
Really like his performances till now. Just stay fit Paddy.
So impressed with this lad!
Starting to wonder if the likes of Smalling, Evans and Jones have had their chance and failed to live up to their billing? Wouldn't mind seeing McNair start regularly.
Starting to wonder if the likes of Smalling, Evans and Jones have had their chance and failed to live up to their billing? Wouldn't mind seeing McNair start regularly.
I'm quickly becoming convinced he's going to make it here. So calm and composed.
Didn't have much to do yesterday, but he looks much better than Blackett imo.
Good to see some more positive posts today after some frankly baffling negativity yesterday, it almost feels like some are afraid that if he does well we wont invest in defense, personally I don't think he's one of the CB's that should be worrying about his place at the club.
The one mistake yesterday with Blind that almost cost us is an example of the missing leadership that we have in the back ATM. I think one big part of why there's so much confusion in the backline this season is because we don't have a Vidic or Rio as a sort of 'default' man for taking charge of balls in space and challenging attackers. I'm hoping that McNair shows some leadership ability down the road because I don't see anyone else in the current squad who would be able to do it regularly. Jones and Smalling are always hurt. There's Blackett, of course, but he is also unproven.
Fantastic player only 19, he got his chance and took it and in a few years time will be a starter!
He's got balls. It might've been Palace but not many young defenders would force it from the back like he did yesterday. It may well be the midfielder inside him...but imagine Smalling with that much time on the ball, it would end up in row Z.
He's done well, but as some have pointed out he hasn't been really tested defensively. On the few times he has been tested he's looked vulnerable. Wouldn't have him over Smalling when he returns or even Jones when fit as I think they are by far superior defenders and while McNair is probably stronger than them at playing the ball out of defence I don't think that it's not enough to merit a place in the starting eleven once everyone's back, IMO. Once Rojo returns that won't be as big of an issue either as he's more capable of dictating the play from defence. I'd probably even have Carrick at RCB/LCB along with Smalling over McNair, especially in big games. Before the game against Crystal Palace I would've had Blackett over him as the LCB aswell but Van Gaal seems to rate McNair higher. Speaking of Blackett he was just as impressive as McNair's been up until the Leicester game which leads to my point, we weren't able to control Leicester in the second half and that's where Blackett got found out (I'm not in any way writing him off mind you), just like I think McNair might be in similar conditions.
The fact that he's done so well recently most likely comes down to the way we've controlled games, in games where the opponent drives up the tempo is where we'll truly be able to judge how ready he is. But McNair's only 19, he's got his future ahead of him so any criticism I have against him is only for the time being.
The fact that he's done so well recently most likely comes down to the way we've controlled games, in games where the opponent drives up the tempo is where we'll truly be able to judge how ready he is. But McNair's only 19, he's got his future ahead of him so any criticism I have against him is only for the time being.
Or Jones, or even our 'ball-playing Evans'. He's so much more confident, composed, and assured than any of them with the ball at his feet. Some people say it's superfluous to a CB but the modern defender needs it.
Other than the more obvious defensive traits, being confident in bringing the ball and starting attacks from the back is massive. It's slept on until you realise no one in the team can do it!
You can't win trophies without confidence from the back. As an example, Terry and Cahill are noticeably good as a pairing because both are generally quite commanding defensively and both help start attacks from the back. Then look at more obvious names like Silva and Ramos who add to their teams attacking prowess because they can get a move going.
We've been edgier and a lot less dangerous since Rio's back went. He was always very good at bringing it out even though his passing wasn't always on point. Even Vidic, particularly in the Ronaldo years, he do his bit too. I cringe when I see Evans throwing his hands out when he shits himself, Smalling shits himself when he knows he has an opportunity to go forward and Jones hasn't really taken the midfield role into defence with him which is very disappointing (in fact when he first arrived he was a lot more ballsy).
I do think McNair will do it less and less over time, but I do hope this sort of thing is part of LVG's fabled philosophy.
That's a good (or bad) sign that almost every young CB coming from the academy nowadays are better on the ball than their seniors.Good footballing education does have its effect surely?
He's looked better then any of our defenders so far this season tbh.
He was supposed to be a midfielder.
Played mostly at CB for the past two years.You don't usually have a fixed position at U18s level so it's not really something unusual.Being an ex-midfielder doesn't automatically make you good at bring the ball out of the back though.He looks more confident than Jones who used to play CM at first team level for us and Blackburn.
For a player that 'young', I'm mostly impressed about his positioning. It's a trait that supposedly can only gained through experience, but McNair just has it.
I know that but the selection is made around 14, he was selected as a midfielder and therefore has a 'midfielder' technique. Young CB in country like France or England are mostly still very average technically.
For Jones he was selected as a CB.
His composure at 19 is quite amazing.
The thing I like most about him is that he is hardly noticable in the game, if you don't particularly focus on him and the same applies for his opponent. I remember watching the game against Everton when Lukaku had his first shot around 35 or 40 minutes in the game and realised he played against McNair and both of them were hardly mentioned until then. He produced some really good performances against strong teams. They were all very consistent and concentrated. In my eyes he definitely deserves to start against Arsenal, regardless who returns until then.