Looked okay especially considering how Blind was playing. Don't think he's ready for this level yet though.
24
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 9
- Clean sheets
- 4
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 1
- Status
Pretty rash at the start but like Varela against Arsenal, he did well to calm himself and not do anything stupid for a second booking.
Luckily was a OK debut from him but was unfair on him that Blind had such a nightmare! Looked raw, which he is, but talent and self belief is certainly there
Great performance considering Blind's weird performance. The way he closed down Ighalo in the first half when Blind lost the ball was amazing.
Class against the likes of Ighalo and Deeney. Rash start but did well. Full First team member next season.
Was relieved that he didn't see a red with the way he was diving into tackles in the first half.
Looks talented, but it's way too early for him. May be appearances at the fullback positions, if needed.
Looks talented, but it's way too early for him. May be appearances at the fullback positions, if needed.
As long as we don't feck about playing him outside of centre back or left back, he should develop into a real quality player.
Had moments of rashness, but that was just inexperience. Thought he looked promising today.
Considering that his defensive partner was making schoolboy errors along with being unable to clear the ball, pass it out, win any tackles or headers - he had a lot of responsibility at the back. Also given that Deeney and Igalho are so strong and fast and never stop pressing and have a good linkup play (Igalho's brainfarts today aside), and that he was on a yellow for much of the game - it's a great achievement in itself that TFM didn't get overwhelmed by it all.
There's tons of potential in there, but let's see how it goes.
Considering that his defensive partner was making schoolboy errors along with being unable to clear the ball, pass it out, win any tackles or headers - he had a lot of responsibility at the back. Also given that Deeney and Igalho are so strong and fast and never stop pressing and have a good linkup play (Igalho's brainfarts today aside), and that he was on a yellow for much of the game - it's a great achievement in itself that TFM didn't get overwhelmed by it all.
There's tons of potential in there, but let's see how it goes.
Young kid making if full debut and couldn't even rely on his more experienced partner to have a reasonable performance.
He is much more of a CM/DM than a LB. Players are also capable of playing more than one position, and it is often good for their development.
Future star for us. I think he will get more time this season.
I'd be all for letting him take Jones place in the squad.
Talk about chucked in at the deep end, up against the most physical attack in the league and alongside a half asleep Blind.
Looks a player more suited to a defensive midfielder
Promising performance. Was miles better than Blind even though he was up against a really physical team. Showed good tackling and decent passing.
Exactly. Big ask but thought he did very well after a nervous start.
Big prospect.
Kept his head which was particularly impressive considering he was playing alongside Daley Blind. Good performance overall.
Impressive debut in difficult circumstances. He seems extremely confident, on the ball and in his tackles, and also looked pretty vocal which is good to see.
Got through it. It was a tough game to be thrown into. It's obvious he has a lot of talent and fantastic pace and strength. Looked a little bit raw still and uncomfortable on the ball. He kept just booting it up the field. No idea why people see him as a midfielder when he can't really pass the ball. It seems insane to me.
Did well considering his partner decided to have his worst ever game for us, and he got an early booking. Looks raw, dont think he should be CB long term however. Seems 'needs must' right now.
he had to make that tackle for which he was booked, Varela was out of position and he just had to stop the player getting to the box, so I have no complains. I think he learnt a big time again this night against one of the strongest striekrs in the league and in the end did really well.. Also made some fantastic challenges. SO I am not worried for some of his passing which has been generally also good despite giving the ball away dangerously on one or two occasions but so did Blind and it was even bigger mistakes. I think Dutchies must have rolled something but Blind didnt's like the model.. was so off and let TFM looked like a senior player.
hopefully he wont be played in midfield for the next game..
hopefully he wont be played in midfield for the next game..
He can pass but is a bit inconsitent, he's got decent vision and we are all talking about a midfielder who breaks up the play and drives forward with the ball , he's perfect for that role of DM/defensive b2b, that energy and drive is pretty much wasted as a defender.. it is also quite hard to throw a player into this unexperienced side and expect him to do exeptionally well under s much pressure like today, Blind is great passer but he looked like U-16 player today with his passing..
I really like what I see from him. Incredibly young to be playing centreback and I was scared he was going to get sent off, that would have been awful for him. SAF so often played young defenders like Brown, O'Shea, Smalling and Jones at fullback as they can't do as much damage there while still picking up valuable experience. Talk about getting thrown into the deep end today, I'm glad he got through his first start and actually did rather well.
Some eye-catching tackles, several moments of lovely quality, a couple of mistakes, and weathered a good battle with one of the league's roughest strikers in Deeney fairly well. Sort of what you'd expect from his debut and he can be pleased with that.
CB is a hard position to debut in when you're young, especially next to an unusual sort of defender like Blind. If he'd debuted next to Smalling, he wouldn't have had to worry about his aerial and positional responsibilities so much and could have focussed on his strengths: stepping out aggressively to tackle early and then driving forwards with the ball. As it is, he and Blind are too similar to be particularly complementary as a partnership - both shortish, both prefer to step out than stand off, both CBs-cum-CMs. So that made the job tricky, but he handled it well.
CB is a hard position to debut in when you're young, especially next to an unusual sort of defender like Blind. If he'd debuted next to Smalling, he wouldn't have had to worry about his aerial and positional responsibilities so much and could have focussed on his strengths: stepping out aggressively to tackle early and then driving forwards with the ball. As it is, he and Blind are too similar to be particularly complementary as a partnership - both shortish, both prefer to step out than stand off, both CBs-cum-CMs. So that made the job tricky, but he handled it well.
I thought it was a promising full debut all in all, especially considering he was being let down badly by the senior players to his left, He did get caught the wrong side at times and judged a few balls incorrectly, but they're minor gripes.
He'll almost certainly bring someone down as the last man and get a red card at some point though.
He'll almost certainly bring someone down as the last man and get a red card at some point though.
He really can. You can hardly have expected to see it from him today, most of the time it was panic stations from the back line.
Name any 17 or freshly 18year old player who plays as CB for a top club regurarly? It was a big test to play him there cinsidering he was being played all over the place lately and started next to Blind who made so many errors.. I think he did so well considering all circumstances... but would rather play him out wide for a couple of games before starting him as CB, it was a risky selection from LVG but in the end it paid off
In midfield he is more of a Essien type of midfielder than just a holding one or a tiki taka one.
Not the most polished passer in terms of consistency but can pick out some beauties as well and carry the ball powerfully forward driving at the opposition.
Also has a good shot and finish on him.
Not the most polished passer in terms of consistency but can pick out some beauties as well and carry the ball powerfully forward driving at the opposition.
Also has a good shot and finish on him.
Most of our problems came from our players trying to pass out from the back. TFM did the smart thing in the face of Watford's press.
Start him with Smalling, would be fun to watch.
Quite. Pretty much every problem in the game came from them being bigger than us and us unable to win a first ball, either in attack or defence. Blind reacted to this by trying to keep it on the ground much too optimistically, hence repeatedly giving the ball away. TFM did the sensible thing and just hoofed it when necessary, regardless of the fact that Rashford didn't have a hope of collecting any of those long balls.
Very raw, was very impressed by his turn of pace on the Igahlo one-on-one in the first half, had a 2 yard gap and made it up very comfortably, then he got a bit too eager jumping in. Not afraid to put a challenge in and was the calmest head in our back 4, I think he's worth rotating with for the rest of the season though, I think him and Smalling together would be interesting.
Thought he'd get sent off today, but did well. Shaky at first, as you'd expect considering it's his first start and he's up against Deeney and Ighalo, but he did well. Definitely has potential.
We've never really used that kind of player here. If you're going to play midfield for United you need to be an excellent passer. TFM isn't and won't be. He's made for CB imo
Not at the level we need here though. He'll get ripped apart by our supporters if he ever ends up playing in midfield. Having energy is a tiny tiny part of being a midfielder at this level. You need to be very good on the ball, aware of everything around you and comfortable in tight spaces. He's not that kind of player. He could make a very good CB though.
You underrate him. He's very young and obviously not ready to be anything for the first team yet, but he's more than got the ability - in his passing as well as his ball control and tackling - to be a senior DM for us. He's shown that at youth level, for us and internationally.
Continue playing him in CB. Just not alongside half-asleep version of Blind. Pretty exciting to see what would happen if he partners Smalling.
Darren Fletcher says hi.. the game changes and the teams as well, it can take more than 50 years to find a new Scholes etc... we will play with what we have and what manager wants not what was United known in the past.. Despite all that TFM just turned 18 and has all the time to get better at passing, having a good vision is important - its hard to learn over time and that he has, so I have no doubts over him even in your United team with preferable type of def. midfielder..
I honestly don't think he could've faced a harder attack this season. Ighalo and Deeney clawing onto you with their athleticism literally all game would ruin most defenders. Maybe Leicester, as Vardy/Okazaki trade physique for sheer pace and stamina. Though Fosu-Mensah looks rapid, and would've probably dealt with that type of threat a little better.
- Status