[El Jefe]

You couldn't tell me that wasn't Chris Smalling out there today. He was so ponderous and poor on the ball.

After that half, Maguire is 100% ahead of him. I'm a fan of Varane and want him to start but you can pass as terribly as he did today in a EtH side.

 

[OmarUnited4ever]

Poor on the ball, he must improve, for now behind Maguire and Lindelof.

 

[TOKUGAWA-X]

That is why many of of us said Varane will struggle in the ETH system.

Varane has never played in a system like that, Real Madrid have always been a very direct team with great strikers like Ronaldo, Benzema.

France like all National Teams do what they can and they have no so system at all.

Maguire is ahead of him by far and Martinez as the new boy will be as well.

 

[Leftback99]

He's possibly our worst CB on the ball.

 

[Cassidy]

He's possibly our worst CB on the ball.

Not possibly. He is
Saying that Davidson Sanchez wasn’t great on the ball either and he got a decent tune out of him

 

[Leftback99]

Not possibly. He is
Saying that Davidson Sanchez wasn’t great on the ball either and he got a decent tune out of him

I don't know Bailly pushes him close passing wise but at least he's got those crazy dribbles he goes on.

 

[Cassidy]

I don't know Bailly pushes him close passing wise but at least he's got those crazy dribbles he goes on.

Indeed. Bailly is better, even he has his flaws

 

[NewYorkRed]

God 90% of the opinions on here sound like they are coming from 14 year olds.

He’s top class. It was a preseason game. He’s coming off an injury. It takes a while. He’s the best CB at the club and by some distance.

 

[Red-17]

God 90% of the opinions on here sound like they are coming from 14 year olds.

He’s top class. It was a preseason game. He’s coming off an injury. It takes a while. He’s the best CB at the club and by some distance.

On what recent evidence is he by far the best at the club? He was just as bad as any other center back last year, just given more leeway because he was a new signing plus he was injured a lot so avoided some of the catastrophic games. He is pretty clearly the worst on the ball of the main four, I don't see how you could argue that. In the air, yes he is very good, up there with Maguire, and obviously has good pace, but he has a mistake in him just like our other defenders.

 

[Leftback99]

God 90% of the opinions on here sound like they are coming from 14 year olds.

He’s top class. It was a preseason game. He’s coming off an injury. It takes a while. He’s the best CB at the club and by some distance.

Based on what (without going back at least 4 years)? I never bought into the 'as good as Van Dijk' hype many on here had last summer but he hasn't even had one 'top class' game for us to back up your claim.

 

[Borys]

I refuse to believe he's that bad on the ball, he just turns really slowly. Might be due to being in recovery state, but it's hardly an excuse if he's being constantly injured.

It seems like we've done some terrible business here, I have little hopes he'll turn this around sadly.

 

[NewYorkRed]

On what recent evidence is he by far the best at the club? He was just as bad as any other center back last year, just given more leeway because he was a new signing plus he was injured a lot so avoided some of the catastrophic games. He is pretty clearly the worst on the ball of the main four, I don't see how you could argue that. In the air, yes he is very good, up there with Maguire, and obviously has good pace, but he has a mistake in him just like our other defenders.

Based on what (without going back at least 4 years)? I never bought into the 'as good as Van Dijk' hype many on here had last summer but he hasn't even had one 'top class' game for us to back up your claim.

Last year is a wash for him, new league new team tons of injuries. But go back any year before that and he is class. You guys would’ve gotten rid of Modric at Real after his first season.

 

[Red-17]

Last year is a wash for him, new league new team tons of injuries. But go back any year before that and he is class. You guys would’ve gotten rid of Modric at Real after his first season.

Okay if were doing that, then last year was a wash for Maguire too. Maguire is a center back who was a key part of a team that made the Euro finals and part of one of the better defenses across European club football during the prior season.

I'm not writing Varane off, but the claim he is easily our best center half when there is no recent evidence showing that to be the case is just silly.

 

[Red the Bear]

My worst fears seem to be materializing, we should have included him in a swap for de ligt to juve, i don't think he'll make it here, especially if Harry reestablishes himself.

 

[Trex]

The Smalling comparison is harsh, Smalling would have shit on his pants in Varane position today. Not terrible on the ball but inferior to Martinez, Maguire and Lindelof, ETH system requires the back five be composed and take responsibility to progress play, Maguire is better and Martinez would take the left center back role.

 

[AjaxCunian]

Not possibly. He is
Saying that Davidson Sanchez wasn’t great on the ball either and he got a decent tune out of him

Sanchez played under Bosz.

 

[NewYorkRed]

Okay if were doing that, then last year was a wash for Maguire too. Maguire is a center back who was a key part of a team that made the Euro finals and part of one of the better defenses across European club football during the prior season.

I'm not writing Varane off, but the claim he is easily our best center half when there is no recent evidence showing that to be the case is just silly.

Why? Was Maguire in a new league, team and hurt all the time?

 

[Cassidy]

Sanchez played under Bosz.

Enough said then.

 

[mavradal]

He played well today as captain alongside Martinez.

 

[AjaxCunian]

Enough said then.

Yes, I can't see a way Varane will start. Average on the ball and not great defensively either. Injured all the time, it's looking bad.

 

[El Jefe]

Having had time to relax a bit Varane was uncharacteristically bad on the ball today, it was just a bad day at the office.

Varane's problem is confidence not ability. He's a good enough passer but he hesitates or panics at times and that split second could close passing lanes.

He was actually good defensively today and mopped up all mistakes that Laird made in the first half. Maguire will probably start the season but Varane will earn his spot soon enough if he can stay fit.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Fecking hell, lads. What is with making permanent assumptions based on one game? This place has been rife with it all day. Varane is plenty good on the ball. It’s one of his main strengths. Good range of passing and equally strong with both feet. That’s something which doesn’t get wiped from history because of one mediocre performance.

 

[NoPace]

That was worrying. Maguire looks a bit better so far this pre-season.

 

[Cassidy]

Fecking hell, lads. What is with making permanent assumptions based on one game? This place has been rife with it all day. Varane is plenty good on the ball. It’s one of his main strengths. Good range of passing and equally strong with both feet. That’s something which doesn’t get wiped from history because of one mediocre performance.

I have never really thought he was that good on the ball.

 

[Olecurls99]

Fecking hell, lads. What is with making permanent assumptions based on one game? This place has been rife with it all day. Varane is plenty good on the ball. It’s one of his main strengths. Good range of passing and equally strong with both feet. That’s something which doesn’t get wiped from history because of one mediocre performance.

This. This place

 

[Abraxas]

I'm not worried about him on the ball at all. He's not the best in the world by any means and today wasn't great but I find him serviceable. They don't all have to be Beckenbauer out there. I'm more worried about building a reliable partnership and fitness in general.

 

[Cassidy]

I'm not worried about him on the ball at all. He's not the best in the world by any means and today wasn't great but I find him serviceable. They don't all have to be Beckenbauer out there. I'm more worried about building a reliable partnership and fitness in general.

He looked pretty good with Martinez

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

God 90% of the opinions on here sound like they are coming from 14 year olds.

He’s top class. It was a preseason game. He’s coming off an injury. It takes a while. He’s the best CB at the club and by some distance.

This is not as damning as you might intend. Our CB situation has been dire/laughable for years. The Varane at Real Madrid lifting multiple Champions League cups was clearly better than anything we have -- but not the 2022 edition of Varane. Hard to tell how he's going to do in the league since he's been stop-start with injuries. Also, with Martinez now in the team, Varane might be 2nd best, at least with the type of CB we need.

It's also not just about individual skill but building a partnership. Martinez is definitely starting. So the question is, who partners Martinez better, Varane, Maguire, or Lindelof? If Varane stays injury-free, I'd pair him with Martinez. They would be a good combination of steel and finesse.

 

[Blood Mage]

He's rusty but still our best CB. Nobody beats him in the air.

 

[NoPace]

He's rusty but still our best CB. Nobody beats him in the air.

We haven't played 3 at the back and I assume that in his first year Ten Hag will have enough job security to keep playing his ideal way and have us learn from defeats, but I would feel decently about a Martinez-Varane-Maguire back 3 if we're away in a game where we can't keep the ball against City for example. Malacia looks up for it as a wingback on the counter, Laird on the other side fits it better than Dalot though, and he seems to be going on loan.

As of today, I'd bet on Martinez-Maguire as the pairing playing most games and Lindelof-Varane in the cup and Europa league, with the bonus to that being Varane is less likely to get hurt and be unavailable if he's only playing twice a month.

 

[Dominos]

Has anyone ever asked themselves, would any other top team in Europe try to shoehorn the likes of Maguire/Lindelof into their team ahead of Varane? City, Liverpool, Madrid, Barca? Bayern? Any of them?

The injuries are frustrating. But to justify not starting him because he's injured, he actually has to be injured.. If he's fit you start him.

 

[MadDogg]

He's normally better on the ball than what he showed in this match. He always looks a bit clumsy with the ball at his feet, but he normally gets decent passes away (with both feet it should be noted).

 

[izak]

On what recent evidence is he by far the best at the club? He was just as bad as any other center back last year, just given more leeway because he was a new signing plus he was injured a lot so avoided some of the catastrophic games. He is pretty clearly the worst on the ball of the main four, I don't see how you could argue that. In the air, yes he is very good, up there with Maguire, and obviously has good pace, but he has a mistake in him just like our other defenders.

I see we are eager to write him off, anyways I want to clear out something first and foremost he's a defender and that's his number one job, there's no better defender at the club than Varane, whether it's defending 1v1s or positional awareness he hold his own in this regards well.

In a team sport you need a partner to cover some of the other abilities the other defender isn't great at, as you point out he might not the best ball playing defender at the club but he isn't certainly a wrecking ball as your post suggest and he doesn't have to be as his time with Madrid Suggest, yes he had a great partner and leader with him which suggest all he had to do was be a defender, i recall his time at real he wasn't always the one to initiate attacks with long diagonal balls to teammates in space, that job was more Ramos's but Varane did help out when he had space and time.

My point is Varane would excel in this team if the defender next to him is capable of holding his own in defending and possess the Long accurate passing which Varane is not excellent at, that defender and I hope it's Martinez, would have to be the one with more responsibility to play forward passes into the Midfield and beyond.

No doubt injuries has been a norms in his time here but for you to suggest Varane isn't the best defender in our squad is the thought I won't accept.

 

[Member 105568]

Not possibly. He is
Saying that Davidson Sanchez wasn’t great on the ball either and he got a decent tune out of him

I don’t think Sanchez ever played for ETH. Think Sanchez moved to Spurs when Bosz was there (or just after he’d moved to Dortmund).

 

[Borys]

Has anyone ever asked themselves, would any other top team in Europe try to shoehorn the likes of Maguire/Lindelof into their team ahead of Varane? City, Liverpool, Madrid, Barca? Bayern? Any of them?

The injuries are frustrating. But to justify not starting him because he's injured, he actually has to be injured.. If he's fit you start him.

First of all, he needs to be fit to play. Not only not-injured, but also fit. Varane didn't look fit yesterday, he looked like he didn't play football for a while. Constant "recovery" state is THE problem for Varane.

Secondly, on those rare occasions he is fit, it doesn't speak highly of him if Maguire and Lindelof are being picked ahead of him.

His injury record is hardly an excuse all things considered, because he's not that useful in the end.

 

[Mainoldo]

We finally having a proper discussion on the washed up R.Varane?

For those who haven’t watched him.. he’s been like this for 3 years. If you squint your eyes whilst watching him he turns into Chris Smalling. Try it.

 

[Zlatan Ibrahomovic]

He's obviously past it, mentally. World Champion, 4 Champions League. Got no renewal at Real Madrid for the money he wanted, so went to Manchester United for a final grand paycheck. That he would not light up the world here should have been obvious for everyone.

As Perez said. "If you dont want to play in Real Madrid, we dont want you here".

 

[Bestie07]

There is a cause for concern with him, and the club obviously share it too considering they invested in the centre back position again this summer. However, I wouldn't write him off just yet, great players go through these lulls of form in their career before getting rejuvenated. I hope to see him fit for a few months and see how that impacts his form because, on paper at least, whatever our best line up is, Varane should be a part of it.

 

[Leftback99]

Has anyone ever asked themselves, would any other top team in Europe try to shoehorn the likes of Maguire/Lindelof into their team ahead of Varane? City, Liverpool, Madrid, Barca? Bayern? Any of them?

The injuries are frustrating. But to justify not starting him because he's injured, he actually has to be injured.. If he's fit you start him.

Ten Hag thinks otherwise and rightly so based on what we see.

 

[Skills]

He's possibly our worst CB on the ball.

Just shows you how irrelevant it actually is in the grand scheme of things. He's a 4x CL winner & a world cup winner in the era of 'ball playing CBs'.