[SER19]

A genuinely world class player - his lack of fitness is a huge shame. Would have loved a few full seasons from him

 

[SER19]

Why hasn't he been playing again?

some injury troubles and a couple of absolutely appalling displays when he did play I think.

Great to see him return to form after some bench time. Sometimes its what players need.

 

[Member 76197]

One of the biggest marks against ETH is the way he has handled Varane this year. He's still far and away our best defender for me and the fact he was left out for Lindelof just adds insult to injury.

Thinking about this the other day and I actually think Lindelof is one of the most tepid, pishwater defenders we've had in my 30 odd years supporting United yet he still somehow gets a reputation of being a decent defender.

 

[Zlatan 7]

When he plays like tonight He’s class, ablosukte first class. I hope the manager can keep him on side and he keeps his fitness up, our best centreback by a country mile

 

[V.O.]

One of the biggest marks against ETH is the way he has handled Varane this year. He's still far and away our best defender for me and the fact he was left out for Lindelof just adds insult to injury.

Thinking about this the other day and I actually think Lindelof is one of the most tepid, pishwater defenders we've had in my 30 odd years supporting United yet he still somehow gets a reputation of being a decent defender.

Yeah, it has been a bit of a black mark against Ten hag unfortunately.

Ronaldo acted like a wanker and was booted out. Fair enough. Sancho acted like a wanker and was exiled. Fair enough. But Varane? I can't see it.

Hopefully they figure out a way to reconcile. This whole episode has been very strange.

 

[Ali Dia]

Sell to Saudi at the end of the season and buy whoever is the best young defender in Europe. Same with Casemiro. We badly need them this season if we want top 4.

 

[Member 76197]

Yeah, it has been a bit of a black mark against Ten hag unfortunately.

Ronaldo acted like a wanker and was booted out. Fair enough. Sancho acted like a wanker and was exiled. Fair enough. But Varane? I can't see it.

Hopefully they figure out a way to reconcile. This whole episode has been very strange.

I could somewhat understand it if there were any signs of this playing out from the back and controlling games because a left footer is playing LCB - the reason I've heard for him supposedly not playing. We have our ball playing goalkeeper and he's been favouring the players that apparently suit that style better yet I don't see us any closer to that style of play than when ETH joined.

 

[VP89]

Yeah, it has been a bit of a black mark against Ten hag unfortunately.

Ronaldo acted like a wanker and was booted out. Fair enough. Sancho acted like a wanker and was exiled. Fair enough. But Varane? I can't see it.

Hopefully they figure out a way to reconcile. This whole episode has been very strange.

I dont think they fell out. Think ten hag just got fed up with his injury issues and preferred continuity at the back. But I agree he should have Brought Varane into the fold ahead of say, Evans vs Bournemouth.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Yeah, it has been a bit of a black mark against Ten hag unfortunately.

Ronaldo acted like a wanker and was booted out. Fair enough. Sancho acted like a wanker and was exiled. Fair enough. But Varane? I can't see it.

Hopefully they figure out a way to reconcile. This whole episode has been very strange.

It’s all very weird. Although there was that game where ETH was forced to sub Varane on after an injury (can’t remember which one?) and he played absolutely catastrophically badly. Which makes me wonder if he went through some sort of short, sharp, dramatic dip in form? Anyhoo. Great to see him back playing well again. Especially when we need him so badly right now.

 

[RedC]

It’s all very weird. Although there was that game where ETH was forced to sub Varane on after an injury (can’t remember which one?) and he played absolutely catastrophically badly. Which makes me wonder if he went through some sort of short, sharp, dramatic dip in form? Anyhoo. Great to see him back playing well again. Especially when we need him so badly right now.

He played Varane in every game, until he became an injury liability. He then brought him back and he was atrocious, and then left him out while we feigned some defensive stability for a couple of games without him. This whole he was dropped for ages nonsense is completely overblown.

 

[theatreofdreams777]

Was the best player on the pitch today out of the 22(+sub ins) players. Didn’t put a foot wrong and was rock solid.

Thankfully we have this man in back four again. He’s easily the best defensive player we have and should play no matter what. Same applies to Casemiro. If ten hag is to favour some players, then it should be with the likes of him, Case as they’re proven world class players. They’re definitely not “finished”. Hopefully martinez returns soon and we see that partnership again.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Wasn't he a captain last time when Bruno was out? So Erik stripped him from captaincy?

 

[kundalini]

Defended well throughout. Cut-out lots of crosses.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Wasn't he a captain last time when Bruno was out? So Erik stripped him from captaincy?

I think there are more relaxed rules around vice-captaincy. If you've been playing week in week out then you're more likely to deputise as captain than someone who's barely featured recently.

 

[saivet]

I can understand to an extent why ETH doesn't want to start Varane and Maguire together but Varane excels at all the things Maguire is good at plus doesn't have the flaws that Maguire has. Consistency in terms of fitness is an issue and Maguire has done well but Varane should be first choice and should be starting once every week.

 

[RikRuud]

If he stays past Jan, the lack of European football will be an opportunity to keep him fresh for the league games and hopefully a stronger backline between now and the end of the season.

 

[A-man]

I could somewhat understand it if there were any signs of this playing out from the back and controlling games because a left footer is playing LCB - the reason I've heard for him supposedly not playing. We have our ball playing goalkeeper and he's been favouring the players that apparently suit that style better yet I don't see us any closer to that style of play than when ETH joined.

ETH comments his different choices with that kind of explanations, but it’s not like we play anywhere near the way he says he wants to play. And worse imo, we don’t seem to make attempts to play the football he talks about, instead we have survival football and grinding out results. Maybe he’s wait it out his injury list to become shorter and get players back, I don’t know, but many other PL teams have clear plans where every single player knows how play.

edit also strange that Evans who according to ETH could play to the left and varane only to the right now have shifted positions in the last two games.

 

[DJ Jeff]

Immense today. I think there is a risk of really missing him and Casemiro if we let them go in January. They can still contribute hugely when fit.

 

[RedIan]

Class today, head scratcher why hes not been picked.

 

[THE ZOL]

ETH comments his different choices with that kind of explanations, but it’s not like we play anywhere near the way he says he wants to play. And worse imo, we don’t seem to make attempts to play the football he talks about, instead we have survival football and grinding out results. Maybe he’s wait it out his injury list to become shorter and get players back, I don’t know, but many other PL teams have clear plans where every single player knows how play.

edit also strange that Evans who according to ETH could play to the left and varane only to the right now have shifted positions in the last two games.

ETH is making it up as he goes along. The fact that Varane, McTominay and Maguire have all saved his skin to varying degrees even after he tried to get rid of two and is rumoured to put Varane on the transfer list shows how incompetent he is.

Dropped Varane for tactical reasons apparently and we get battered 3-0 and then when Varane has to return due to injuries we keep a clean sheet at Liverpool away thanks to him.

Ridiculously incompetent manager.

 

[LInkash]

I suppose he has to be rested mid-week?

 

[VivaRonaldo85]

Criminally under used this season when fit and available which is rare for Varane. ETH has really got this one wrong. We looked so much better with him at the back today. Not phased by the occasion one jot. Class player.

 

[Plant0x84]

Very very good today. A real air of calm and authority at the back.

 

[crossy1686]

Sell to Saudi at the end of the season and buy whoever is the best young defender in Europe. Same with Casemiro. We badly need them this season if we want top 4.

The best young defenders already play for the best teams in Europe. If we sell Varane we'd be gambling on someone else to come into this team and hopefully do what Varane did today, because without him we'd have undoubtedly conceded today.

The reality is, the best young players are picked up way before we can get our hands on them, and we don't have time to be signing 16 year olds and coaching them to become the best players in Europe.

 

[Ali Dia]

The best young defenders already play for the best teams in Europe. If we sell Varane we'd be gambling on someone else to come into this team and hopefully do what Varane did today, because without him we'd have undoubtedly conceded today.

The reality is, the best young players are picked up way before we can get our hands on them, and we don't have time to be signing 16 year olds and coaching them to become the best players in Europe.

Scalvini, Diomande, Silva, Lukeba, Hato are a few who are or will be gettable. It really depends on if our scouts are allowed to make the call or will it be left to the manager again.

 

[lex talionis]

Excellent today. Baffling that our manager has marginalized our best central defender.

 

[YSB99]

Man of the match today, brilliant

the way he’s been handled just makes me doubt Ten Haag more to be honest

 

[Jerry Garcia]

Really great performance. I thought he did a really good job throughout the 90 minutes of reminding the players to calm down. This was especially evident in the first 15 minutes. He’s just one of those players who is never phased by the moment. It’s a shame he’s had the injury record because he’s such a classy player when fit.

 

[Oscar Bonavena]

Really great performance. I thought he did a really good job throughout the 90 minutes of reminding the players to calm down. This was especially evident in the first 15 minutes. He’s just one of those players who is never phased by the moment. It’s a shame he’s had the injury record because he’s such a classy player when fit.

The flip side of that is if he wasn't so injury prone, Real Madrid would probably never have sold him!

 

[JeffFromHK]

ETH made many questionable footballing decisions this season, benching Varane has been one of those.

 

[Red & White]

He was immense. Hopefully he can get a run if games over the next few weeks. I know he struggles with a game every 3 days, though. He’ll be massively needed over the festive period.

 

[DJ_21]

Was quality! At least we’re only playing 1 game a week now except for Christmas periods. so he should be able to play more games. Once martinez is back then we have our wall.

 

[crossy1686]

Excellent today. Baffling that our manager has marginalized our best central defender.

Yeah it really does make no sense at all. This is his first start since October and he's been fit by all accounts.

 

[Slevs]

Great performance. Shame he can't be relied upon full time with respect to injuries and fitness.

 

[A-man]

Excellent today. Baffling that our manager has marginalized our best central defender.

Could very well be a something personal that is now sorted out. Should be said however, that Varane played poorly before he was “marginalized” and our defensive results have been quite good without him.

 

[Rossa]

Brilliant, absolutely bossed it. And his passing out from the back is actually better than Maguire's - much more speed to his passes. Still no idea why ETH said Evans was a solid option in the LCB role, Varane could not play there, and when paired, Varane is the LCB and Evans the RCB. Go figure...

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

The flip side of that is if he wasn't so injury prone, Real Madrid would probably never have sold him!

He wasn’t injury prone at Madrid. Missed 70 games over 10 seasons with 2 big stretch totaling 30 games or thereabouts, otherwise was available for more than 90% of games most of the time.

 

[Red_Aaron]

Absolutely class yesterday, quite probably the best he's performed for us. I think the dropping has been over blown too, maguire got in following a spate of injuries and ETH wasn't going to drop someone playing so well undeservedly. Now Varane is back in I doubt he'll lose the shirt again. Hopefully the silver lining to no Europe or LC means we can ensure he stays fit for the remainder. If he does we still have an outside chance of CL place


Credit too to 55yr old Jonny Evans who also rolled back the years. Just shows how crucial experience can be in a game like yesterdays there's nothing these guys hadn't seen a million times before. They kept cool heads, held the shape perfectly, directed others around them. In a game where we're going to be up against it we could do a lot worse than this partnership

 

[mu4c_20le]

Absolutely class yesterday, quite probably the best he's performed for us. I think the dropping has been over blown too, maguire got in following a spate of injuries and ETH wasn't going to drop someone playing so well undeservedly. Now Varane is back in I doubt he'll lose the shirt again. Hopefully the silver lining to no Europe or LC means we can ensure he stays fit for the remainder. If he does we still have an outside chance of CL place


Credit too to 55yr old Jonny Evans who also rolled back the years. Just shows how crucial experience can be in a game like yesterdays there's nothing these guys hadn't seen a million times before. They kept cool heads, held the shape perfectly, directed others around them. In a game where we're going to be up against it we could do a lot worse than this partnership

Wasn't Maguire that he should have dropped. Whole thing started when he played Evans against City who was very bad that day, then preferred Lindelof against Newcastle in the cup, which ended 0-3.

 

[Alemar]

Now Varane is back in I doubt he'll lose the shirt again.

Martinez will soon be back too. Varane performs very well, and Maguire was also playing very well lately - but one of those three will sit on the bench anyway. Who?