[RedTillI'mDead]

I've never seen him play but from that video he seems to cut inside on his left foot. Wasn't the entire point last year that our right wing weakness is Mata constantly cutting inside and that we didn't have a traditional right winger?

Tahith is left footed. His natural traditional wing role would be on the left

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Indeed, its a bit odd. Maybe there was more during the game that is not in the video

That's what I thought been watching extended highlights and the only thing close to that was when 3 players surrounded him by the touchline with nowhere to go and it bounced off one of their shins for a throw-in.

This kind of stuff happens all the time to the best players multiple times in the same game. No one can keep it 100% of the time especially not in those circumstances.

 

[RedTillI'mDead]

Talking rubbish basically. Most people just listen to an "expert" and then nod and agree.

Chong did fine, there's many less "physical" players in the world that play at a top level.

I've watched highlights videos of him and he physically destroys most players in his age group. Yes there is a step up, but seems to me he is pretty close, especially as a winger or dynamic player.

If we wanted him as target man, central defender, or solid defensive midfielder I could see the argument.

My hope is Mourinho is just publicly reigning in his expectations so as not to cause too much noise around him, but given our need for a player like this it seems madness to not give him some time, even if just last 30 minutes of games as often as possible.

We don't want another Pogba situation.

 

[Jacky Quacky]

Mourinho is acting weird. Chong was completely fine physically against Club America. Look at Mata he always gets shrugged off the ball and it hurts the team. Remember Huddersfield away when he was shrugged off leading to a goal? But Mata is a physical specimen so that surely couldn't happen right? Maybe its something to do with his age...

 

[luke511]

We've been that starved of a wide threat on the right wing it made magnified Chong's performance and made him look better than he actually was. If we don't sign a right winger in this window we're fecked, I have confidence we will though. If we don't, playing Lukaku there is our only option.

 

[RedDevil@84]

I don't see much wrong in Jose's words. PL seasons are physically tiring. Many teams train tactical fouling and all kind of stuff. Chong needs to develop physically to be in the PL. He will get a few chances here and there, but the academy is where his top priority should be.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

No you don’t have to do that at all. What a bizarre thing to say. Jose and the academy coaches will be meticulously planning the best route for him to become the best player he can. There will not be a section in his development notes saying “Chong: sink or swim??”

Well there’s no one right way for development. I’m sure Wilson, Januzaj and many others had a planned route into the first team action and where are they now? Rashford was thrown into the first team and took the opportunity with both hands. How do you know that if we threw in Chong in the deep end on match week one instead of mata he wouldn’t perform? I’m not saying he’s ready, I’m saying we will never know until Jose takes more of a risk, but he’s not a risk taker and that’s why I don’t think he’s a Man Utd manager.

 

[haram]

Mourinho is acting weird. Chong was completely fine physically against Club America. Look at Mata he always gets shrugged off the ball and it hurts the team. Remember Huddersfield away when he was shrugged off leading to a goal? But Mata is a physical specimen so that surely couldn't happen right? Maybe its something to do with his age...

Mata looks after the ball better though. It’s about losing possession. Playing in England is also different.

 

[RedTillI'mDead]

We've been that starved of a wide threat on the right wing it made magnified Chong's performance and made him look better than he actually was. If we don't sign a right winger in this window we're fecked, I have confidence we will though. If we don't, playing Lukaku there is our only option.

If you watch his highlights, which always comes with some warning, but he looks a very smart and quick minded player.

Most players can't get near him due to a combination of skill and pace. He also uses his body shape well, leaning from above to take advantage of his height and overcome his lighter frame.

I'm not saying he is anywhere near the finished product, but he looks worthy of minutes and seems to be a handful. He is the type that could do a lot for opening up the play and letting our stars perform to the best of their ability.

Interestingly he looks very similar to Fred in terms of energy and dynamism, albeit Fred looks more of a midfield controller, where as Chong definitely looks better breaking into space.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Rashford was thrown into the first team and took the opportunity with both hands

Chong will get his odd chances here and there. And if he scores a brace on debut and brace in next match, he will also start getting more opportunities than what he would have got normally. Besides not all 18 year olds are the same physically. What is true for Rashford need not be true for Chong.

 

[luke511]

If you watch his highlights, which always comes with some warning, but he looks a very smart and quick minded player.

Most players can't get near him due to a combination of skill and pace. He also uses his body shape well, leaning from above to take advantage of his height and overcome his lighter frame.

I'm not saying he is anywhere near the finished product, but he looks worthy of minutes and seems to be a handful. He is the type that could do a lot for opening up the play and letting our stars perform to the best of their ability.

Interestingly he looks very similar to Fred in terms of energy and dynamism, albeit Fred looks more of a midfield controller, where as Chong definitely looks better breaking into space.

All true, I'd rather us play him on the right wing instead of Mata to be fair. His hair flying all over the place made his game look a lot more erratic as well, he probably should give it a bit of a trim.

 

[11101]

Mourinho is acting weird. Chong was completely fine physically against Club America. Look at Mata he always gets shrugged off the ball and it hurts the team. Remember Huddersfield away when he was shrugged off leading to a goal? But Mata is a physical specimen so that surely couldn't happen right? Maybe its something to do with his age...

Mata knows its a weakness and has the experience to play around it.

Here are his highlights from Club America, quite a few times in the first minute or so there are situations where he would get nailed off the ball by PL defenders.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Chong will get his odd chances here and there. And if he scores a brace on debut and brace in next match, he will also start getting more opportunities than what he would have got normally. Besides not all 18 year olds are the same physically. What is true for Rashford need not be true for Chong.

As long as he gets a chance that’s all i ask. It’s not asking the world especially with the options at our disposal on the right.

 

[Kearnkoff69]

I agree with Jose on this one. Very measured take on Chong's performance, and he clearly rates him even if he doesn't think he's ready yet. If Chong takes his chances this year, he could be the type of player who would be good to throw on late in a match to run with pace at tired legs. He's fearless, which is an important trait in a young attacker. I still see a lot of raw ability there and not a lot of polish. His dribbling style is a tad loose, so with his lanky frame he would get knocked around and lose possession more easily in the PL.

I think it's positive that he got out there, showed flashes of his quality, and put himself on the boss' radar.

 

[bosnian_red]

Well there’s no one right way for development. I’m sure Wilson, Januzaj and many others had a planned route into the first team action and where are they now? Rashford was thrown into the first team and took the opportunity with both hands. How do you know that if we threw in Chong in the deep end on match week one instead of mata he wouldn’t perform? I’m not saying he’s ready, I’m saying we will never know until Jose takes more of a risk, but he’s not a risk taker and that’s why I don’t think he’s a Man Utd manager.

And there's the point. Mourinho would never have given Rashford that chance to break through regardless of how promising he was. Mourinho just cares about where they are physically. People mention Mctominay as some sort of validation for playing young players, but he's turning 22 this year and is like 6'4" tall. If he was 5 inches shorter he wouldnt play. If he was 3 years younger he wouldn't play. Its got nothing to do with his actual level.

Mourinho straight up doesnt know how to transition young players into first team ready. He either buys young players who are already ready, or plays them in preseason, talks up their talent then forever sends them out on loan or bangs on about how they aren't physically ready. Its so predictable and of course the case with Chong. Now I do agree that he's incredibly thin and has a lot of space to improve, but no reason why he shouldn't get chances here and there given his talent and pace and actually being a right winger. Other managers like Sir Alex would take risks and take off Tevez and throw in an 17/18 year old Welbeck and Macheda to save a game.

Mourinho would only give 10 minutes to players like that if we are 4-0 up.

 

[Ban]

And there's the point. Mourinho would never have given Rashford that chance to break through regardless of how promising he was. Mourinho just cares about where they are physically. People mention Mctominay as some sort of validation for playing young players, but he's turning 22 this year and is like 6'4" tall. If he was 5 inches shorter he wouldnt play. If he was 3 years younger he wouldn't play. Its got nothing to do with his actual level.

Mourinho straight up doesnt know how to transition young players into first team ready. He either buys young players who are already ready, or plays them in preseason, talks up their talent then forever sends them out on loan or bangs on about how they aren't physically ready. Its so predictable and of course the case with Chong. Now I do agree that he's incredibly thin and has a lot of space to improve, but no reason why he shouldn't get chances here and there given his talent and pace and actually being a right winger. Other managers like Sir Alex would take risks and take off Tevez and throw in an 17/18 year old Welbeck and Macheda to save a game.

Mourinho would only give 10 minutes to players like that if we are 4-0 up.

Myth that he loves tall players still goes on?

Which modern manager you'd say is good at transitioning young players into the 1st team?
Also Rashford was thrown into the action cause we didn't have a single striker to play in that time. So nearly by accident.

 

[el3mel]

And there's the point. Mourinho would never have given Rashford that chance to break through regardless of how promising he was. Mourinho just cares about where they are physically. People mention Mctominay as some sort of validation for playing young players, but he's turning 22 this year and is like 6'4" tall. If he was 5 inches shorter he wouldnt play. If he was 3 years younger he wouldn't play. Its got nothing to do with his actual level.

Mourinho straight up doesnt know how to transition young players into first team ready. He either buys young players who are already ready, or plays them in preseason, talks up their talent then forever sends them out on loan or bangs on about how they aren't physically ready. Its so predictable and of course the case with Chong. Now I do agree that he's incredibly thin and has a lot of space to improve, but no reason why he shouldn't get chances here and there given his talent and pace and actually being a right winger. Other managers like Sir Alex would take risks and take off Tevez and throw in an 17/18 year old Welbeck and Macheda to save a game.

Mourinho would only give 10 minutes to players like that if we are 4-0 up.

LVG wouldn't have given Rashford that chance either if Rooney,Martial and Keane weren't all injured and forced to put Rashford in.

Rashford was only a sub against this team from Denmark ( Can't spell their name) and Martial getting injured in the warm up was the only reason he changed lineup in last second and put Rashford as a starter.

LVG even brought Will Keane back from loan in Jan to be the sub striker bfore he got Injured. He wasn't looking for Rashford at all.

Rashford discovery was a pure lucky moment.

 

[haram]

And there's the point. Mourinho would never have given Rashford that chance to break through regardless of how promising he was. Mourinho just cares about where they are physically. People mention Mctominay as some sort of validation for playing young players, but he's turning 22 this year and is like 6'4" tall. If he was 5 inches shorter he wouldnt play. If he was 3 years younger he wouldn't play. Its got nothing to do with his actual level.

Mourinho straight up doesnt know how to transition young players into first team ready. He either buys young players who are already ready, or plays them in preseason, talks up their talent then forever sends them out on loan or bangs on about how they aren't physically ready. Its so predictable and of course the case with Chong. Now I do agree that he's incredibly thin and has a lot of space to improve, but no reason why he shouldn't get chances here and there given his talent and pace and actually being a right winger. Other managers like Sir Alex would take risks and take off Tevez and throw in an 17/18 year old Welbeck and Macheda to save a game.

Mourinho would only give 10 minutes to players like that if we are 4-0 up.

Dalot has only played a few games for Porto and has been signed though... do you think Mourinho doesn’t use him if he was already at the club?

On Chong, it was a nice cameo but the performance is being overrated. The cross was excellent.

 

[deafepl]

One of the reasons why I want Bale and don't mind Wilian if it means that we are producing our proper winger in next few years then why not? Bale and Willan only have a good few years left in them so it would be enough for Chong to succeed them as the first choice in the next few years.

 

[haram]

Also, I’d like to know which manager transitions academy forwards into the first team easily. People need to accept that the physical aspect is important as well.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

We don't need another hero
We don't need to know a waaay home
All we want is life beyond the Thunderdome…

 

[Jacko21]

I'd feel more comfortable if he cut his hair.

 

[Jojo <3 Mou]

I like his attitude. He looks like he really wants to be successful and is always up for it. I hope that he'll continue to strive and improve.

 

[bosnian_red]

Myth that he loves tall players still goes on?

Which modern manager you'd say is good at transitioning young players into the 1st team?
Also Rashford was thrown into the action cause we didn't have a single striker to play in that time. So nearly by accident.

It was an accident. But its one that Mourinho wouldnt stumble on. He'd play a striker-less formation or out Depay up front or something. Obviously most of the time it is having the luck of players in front of you getting injured, but the manager also has to take the chance. Some do, Mourinho pretty much never would and would just change and change and change formations to fit in the last experienced players. I don't know i dont pay attention to every manager out there. But its always been a flaw with Mourinho and why he just sends them out on loan.

 

[R77]

You'd think that in a great many PL games, with his name on the team sheet, he'd be targeted far more than he would as a sub in a preseason friendly. The concerns about physicality are really not anything outlandish. It's just protecting the lad. Jose said he wants him training with the first team as much as possible with a view to getting minutes in cup games. Were that to happen, there's a good chance he could stake a claim for earning more game time. He looks capable.

It's all good, no?

We've been that starved of a wide threat on the right wing it made magnified Chong's performance and made him look better than he actually was.

There's an element of that for sure. I remember feeling similarly about Herrera in his first preseason believe it or not. Suddenly there was someone always playing forward passes, taking one touch and pinging thru-balls about. It had been a while! What happened there?

For me, there's no denying he has a certain quality on the ball though. Not to compare in the technical or 'star quality' sense, but like a young Giggs or Ronaldinho, a Best (and yes, also a Januzaj or Morrison), etc... He makes the simple act of running with the ball look exciting, like something's going to happen. Proactive and full of energy. At the least, if he can consistently put in balls like that cross for he goal, he's already something we could really do with, as much as being really fun to watch.

 

[edgar allan]

LVG wouldn't have given Rashford that chance either if Rooney,Martial and Keane weren't all injured and forced to put Rashford in.

Rashford was only a sub against this team from Denmark ( Can't spell their name) and Martial getting injured in the warm up was the only reason he changed lineup in last second and put Rashford as a starter.

LVG even brought Will Keane back from loan in Jan to be the sub striker bfore he got Injured. He wasn't looking for Rashford at all.

Rashford discovery was a pure lucky moment.

His opportunity at that early stage in his career had a good measure of luck but it's not like he hadn't been a highly rated youth prospect in the club.

 

[Njord]

One of the reasons why I want Bale and don't mind Wilian if it means that we are producing our proper winger in next few years then why not? Bale and Willan only have a good few years left in them so it would be enough for Chong to succeed them as the first choice in the next few years.

When does this work though? Remember the same being said when RvP signed, and Welbeck would be eased in, and when Zlatan signed, and Rashford would be eased in. The result is usually that the experienced player plays every time, and the youngster is being played out of position or just very few minutes.

I think a better solution is something similar to the Martial/Rashford situation last year, where two youngsters gets to battle it out with somewhat equal playing time. Of course, Chong may not be ready for this yet, but bringing in a 30-year old will probably mean very few chances before he's 21-22, and then it may be to late.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Here's a more balanced view re Chong from Jose. Nothing here that anyone can disagree with.

“Tahith was good,” Jose said. “He came with the intention to show himself and in a moment when we had no strikers on the pitch, after Anthony Martial had left, we needed people to create and have some initiative, which he did.

“The action for the cross which led to the goal was beautiful. He was enthusiastic and he had the confidence to play. Of course, physically he has limitations and when he has one more touch, and that body contact, he loses for everyone. But when he makes the ball move and when he attacks people one against one he has quality. He is a good kid.”

”We have plans to make him [Chong] train the most possible times with us because that increases his evolution. He has to play where he belongs, he has to play in the Academy and he has to work physically because physically is where he’s not ready. Technically he’s very good, tactically he understands the game. He understands his position. From the physical point of view, when the game gets into important situations, he’s in trouble, he’s fragile. He’s a kid, he’s still a kid, the talent is there, the personality is there, the passion, the desire to play, the humility to learn, so it’s a fantastic experience for him if he can play like today 20-25 minutes in every one of these five matches. If during the season, he trains with us and if during the season, he has a couple of occasions to play minutes with us, I don’t know, it depends, especially some cup matches. Of course he’s a good kid and it’s not for today, but for sure, he’s a good kid.”

It's amazing how when you just lift one or two quotes here and there it can come across so negative.

Thought I'd cross-post this from the match thread, for anyone who's interested, a lengthier version of Mou's comments on him.

 

[el3mel]

His opportunity at that early stage in his career had a good measure of luck but it's not like he hadn't been a highly rated youth prospect in the club.

He was highly rated in the youth teams but that has nothing to do with how LVG was thinking because as I said, the guy went on and brought Will Keane back from loan in Jan. He wasn't even planning to make Rashford a sub striker. That's from the first team manager's perspective, not the youth teams managers.

 

[Festive Sandvich]

Also, I’d like to know which manager transitions academy forwards into the first team easily. People need to accept that the physical aspect is important as well.

I'd love to see Chong steadily integrated in to the squad/team. I think a lot of posters who are making the case that you don't need to be physical to be RW are missing the point though. He could play the position now surely, and well, but the issue of physicality isn't that he gets pushed off the ball a few times by his full back, it's that the lad might pick up a potentially bad injury. The comparison with other skinny players is silly as well. You can be skinny, with a fully mature (and hence tougher) body. Jose has pretty much said that he's all there otherwise, just a case of protecting his body while it matures while gradually building up playing time. I'd put the kid at RW now if he was built like Shaquiri!

 

[TheFlagStaysDown]

I am pretty sure that Mata scored as a result of Chong's cross. The kid is good but he's not a miracle worker quite yet...

was talking about Gomes, forgot to bold his name

 

[7even]

The anti Mou brigade are out in full force. He don’t play technical players, he don’t play youth and Chong can kiss his future goodbye. Honestly what of load hs. Is possible to leave Mou out of the performance threads?

Chong will play if he continues like this.

 

[MUFC OK]

That's just not true though is it?

fullbacks are generally wingers themselves these days.

Let's look at a list of LB's at the top clubs.

City: Mendy / Delph / Danilo - All athletic but hardly powerhouses

Arsenal: Kolasinac / Monreal - Kolasinac is probably the most "stocky" defender in the league, but that's a rare case. Monreal is not physical at all.

Tottenham: Davies / Rose - Your typical fullbacks, good defenders and good going forwards also, nothing overly physical.

Chelsea: Alonso/Azpilicueta - Good defenders again, but not powerhouses or the type that'll break your legs.

United: Young/Shaw - Shaw is a powerful/quick lad, but young is first choice under Jose, would Chong struggle physically there? doubt it.


As you can see, the time of "musclebound" defenders/fullbacks is quite rare these days. Wingers don't have to be stocky/big, especially the dribblers.

I'd rather he stays more nimble/agile than trying to turn him into a Ronaldo hybrid.

Keep him like Neymar/Robben/Ribery etc, they're all strong enough but nimbleness is the most importance. Chong is ready for minutes, but Jose I fear won't give it.

Look at the difference in Salah now that he is stockier V when he first arrived in the league and weighed significantly less. Bigger legs etc allow players to shield the ball better and provide greater balance.

 

[TheFlagStaysDown]

I'd feel more comfortable if he cut his hair.

He must not! It's good to recognize a player on my 300x300pixel stream

 

[edgar allan]

He was highly rated in the youth teams but that has nothing to do with how LVG was thinking because as I said, the guy went on and brought Will Keane back from loan in Jan. He wasn't even planning to make Rashford a sub striker. That's from the first team manager's perspective, not the youth teams managers.

I agree that he wasn't in his plans at that time for sure. If it was Jose he would have played Young upfront instead.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

LVG wouldn't have given Rashford that chance either if Rooney,Martial and Keane weren't all injured and forced to put Rashford in.

Rashford was only a sub against this team from Denmark ( Can't spell their name) and Martial getting injured in the warm up was the only reason he changed lineup in last second and put Rashford as a starter.

LVG even brought Will Keane back from loan in Jan to be the sub striker bfore he got Injured. He wasn't looking for Rashford at all.

Rashford discovery was a pure lucky moment.

.
LVG purposely makes squad small so injuries lead to chances given to youth. He has said that himself; however many of his youth usage were more quantity rather than quality due to this process.

Also he made Giggs his assistant manager & made him pay attention to the reserves. LVG asked Giggs who the best option was to play upfront & after Giggs had been impressed for some whilst with Rashford - he chose him.

So it's not pure luck - it has some strategy behind it.

 

[jmaggio]

Correct.

He didn't come on and beat 8 men and put it into the top bin...get rid!

It’s the Hair. People can’t shake the fellaini mental image.

 

[bosnian_red]

Dalot has only played a few games for Porto and has been signed though... do you think Mourinho doesn’t use him if he was already at the club?

On Chong, it was a nice cameo but the performance is being overrated. The cross was excellent.

No idea how we'll even use dalot but Dalot fits that same category. Mourinho will buy youngish players who are already physically ready to play a significant amount of time and will play them, sure. Davide Santon is pretty much the only player who I can think of in Mourinhos career who transitioned from a youth player to getting at least some important game time at a young age. The rest will train now and then but get only the token minutes when the game is done. There's a difference. Maybe its down to him not ever being at a club long enough, but I just dont see him changing the roles of younger players that often from promising youngster to a starter. Its like they forever have to prove themselves with Mourinho repeating they aren't ready for the role, until they get transferred and we discover they actually were ready all along.

I agree for what its worth with Chong, he is really skinny and obviously still a kid in a lot of ways on the pitch. But Mourinhos issues with him are purely physically related I think, so until/if he bulks up basically, I don't see Mourinho giving him any sort of role, regardless of talent.

 

[MUFC OK]

Jose wants Perisic, it's clear as anything. First the references to his physicality and how he gives you more than regular wingers, then saying Chong isn't physically ready. The hold up on transfers will be us trying to negotiate down a £70m fee for Perisic.

 

[bonusroller]

I think Jose is shielding Chong from the hype with those comments. I wouldn't expect him to say 'wow, that was so great, imma give Raiola a call and get him on 300k a week and target 30 goals a season'