What is Dan James good at?

r0663664 said:
Dan is poor and Luke Shaw doesn’t help. When James makes a run, nobody bother ping the long ball towards him. Whatever it is, Ole has got no idea what he is doing. James is to get beyond the fullback, James isn’t someone who can dribble pass a defense, he only asset is straight line speed. Ole doesn’t know how to utilize his players that why our play is suffering.
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James is very average but none of his runs were picked out by Shaw, Maguire or Fred yesterday. I felt for him having to make the same run 2 or 3 times before they played it.

Pogba/Bruno/VdB defo need to play if the plan is to get him in behind. Not saying that will make him a world beater but it would make more sense than Oles shocking team selection and tactics yesterday.
 
Mindhunter said:
He should be someone you bring in late in the game against tired defenders so that he can stretch them with his pace. Otherwise, his footballing intelligence is rudimentary to say the least. He poses no threat once the defender is in front of him.
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This sums him up.

When he's faced with defenders in front of him, he just sees to run into them hoping they'll somehow get out of his way. Very frustrating player.
 
This is why we should hold our horses whenever we see a promising young player. Scored a debut for us as a substitute in his first competitive game against Chelsea and we heaped so much praise on him, it's frankly ridiculous. I don't see anything special in him. He is not Man Utd quality, highly doubt he is even Premier League quality. There is a reason why Swansea demoted him to the U-23 and subsequently loaned him out to Shrewsbury in League One. He must be thinking how he fooled Man Utd into signing him, lad must be laughing deep down inside and can't believe his amazing luck. To him, be able to become a Man Utd player is a dream come true for him, just happy to be a squad player and receive his wages.
 
Raredaredevil said:
This is why we should hold our horses whenever we see a promising young player. Scored a debut for us as a substitute in his first competitive game against Chelsea and we heaped so much praise on him, it's frankly ridiculous. I don't see anything special in him. He is not Man Utd quality, highly doubt he is even Premier League quality. There is a reason why Swansea demoted him to the U-23 and subsequently loaned him out to Shrewsbury in League One. He must be thinking how he fooled Man Utd into signing him, lad must be laughing deep down inside and can't believe his amazing luck. To him, be able to become a Man Utd player is a dream come true for him, just happy to be a squad player and receive his wages.
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Giggs had loads to do with Utd signing him. Probably showed Ole that goal he scored in the championship when he just ran the length of the pitch. Probably told Ole Leeds would snap him up etc
 
The kid has zero creativity and a poor footballing IQ. Pace alone doesn't cut it.
 
Harry190 said:
It was worth a bet playing him yesterday. If Chelsea had opened up, he'd have been there. They just never opened up.
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When he had plenty of space he ran into the only defender.

Doesn't belong at this level. Sell him to Leeds/Palace/whoever.
 
Young lad being potentially overplayed and undercoached used poorly to prove a point to players sat on the bench. The idea of playing him against a back 5 where there was no space behind was criminal. We have better players than him that struggled all last season trying to do the same. Some on here need to imagine that Dan was your son, knowing him and his abilities whether they would be happy Ole using him this way. Should think the same before coming out with the vilest comments too. The lad should be coming on with 20mins to go, not coming off.
 
I'm guilty of thinking that pace solves everything but if there's no intelligence with that it becomes very one dimensional.

Dan would be more integral to a side like Brighton where they would play to his strengths and look for him even more.
 
Ole missed a trick not loaning him to Leeds. He's so far away from being at the level required here, and would've benefited massively from Bielsa's coaching.
 
Irrational. said:
Ole missed a trick not loaning him to Leeds. He's so far away from being at the level required here, and would've benefited massively from Bielsa's coaching.
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What for us to see a good coach using him in the right way could actually improve him? Think Ole would sooner have him here so that he can prove to some players clearly better than him that ability isn't enough. If anyone thinks Dan could offer more than Greenwood yesterday, please tell me what that is. If Greenwood had a knock, surely it would have been easier to take him off after 50 mins.....
 
Can’t understand how often he‘s trying to cut inside like he is Robben or Messi. He should always run into free spaces instead running directly into defenders with his speed. Nobody is expecting that he scores lots of goals but he should really create some chances with crosses.

I can only think of him beeing useful is if you are leading and the opponent is getting at you. He can reach every ball on the counter and just run into spaces and gets something for you.

Even a wingback could suit him more than that kind of offensive role in an open game like yesterday.
 
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I’ve been a bit of a defender for him this season and last. But can’t defend his performance against Chelsea, he was proper shit. He needs to focus on himself more and improve his play. And fast.
 
Becoming Lingard mk.2... wonder what the odds are at him not scoring or making an assist this season?
 
Bobcat said:
Hes incredibly fast and has a good pass on him.

I think the primary issue here is confidence and the pressure getting to him. When he first got here we heaped praise on him and then it want all downhill from there. Granted, hes not the most talented player, but the main issue now is how he always makes the worst possible decision at every given opportunity and seems completely unaware of his surroundings.

If he can get some confidence back and start using his head, he will be a useful squad player. If not, we should cut our losses and sell him
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Sure, but there seems to be a consensus that he's better as inside left. For me, the only time he's really ever shown the consistency to play in the first team was when he was in the 4-3-3 with Rashford left, Martial central and James right. He does have a good pass or cross on the run.

He's early fluky goals have convinced others that he is a bit of a threat from the left though. I actually posted at the time that him overdelivering in those earlier games would be detrimental longer term and so it has proved. He's shown absolutely nothing to suggest that he's capable of redelivering that.

For me, the comparison is with Adama Traore. You keep his game simple, have him stick wide right, and cross and pass on the run to your other forwards. Both lack the technical ability and decision making to play a looser role.
 
TMDaines said:
Sure, but there seems to be a consensus that he's better as inside left. For me, the only time he's really ever shown the consistency to play in the first team was when he was in the 4-3-3 with Rashford left, Martial central and James right. He does have a good pass or cross on the run.

He's early fluky goals have convinced others that he is a bit of a threat from the left though. I actually posted at the time that him overdelivering in those earlier games would be detrimental longer term and so it has proved. He's shown absolutely nothing to suggest that he's capable of redelivering that.

For me, the comparison is with Adama Traore. You keep his game simple, have him stick wide right, and cross and pass on the run to your other forwards. Both lack the technical ability and decision making to play a looser role.
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Eh? Adama can actually dribble past players and is a strong guy. It’s just his final ball is average. The problem with James is he can’t dribble past anybody.

There’s no real comparison between the pair besides they both fast.
 
He's more talented than Valencia but due to his decision making and the pressure getting to him he is nowhere near Valencias contribution to this club. The competition is getting tougher (Greenwood, Cavani, Rashford, Martial and even Ighalo who we haven't used) and I'm afraid he is a one bad game away from getting totally sidelined. All in all a potential squad player if he uses his head right.
 
norm87cro said:
He's more talented than Valencia but due to his decision making and the pressure getting to him he is nowhere near Valencias contribution to this club. The competition is getting tougher (Greenwood, Cavani, Rashford, Martial and even Ighalo who we haven't used) and I'm afraid he is a one bad game away from getting totally sidelined. All in all a potential squad player if he uses his head right.
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Based on what? Valencia was more intelligent IMO.
 
norm87cro said:
He's more talented than Valencia but due to his decision making and the pressure getting to him he is nowhere near Valencias contribution to this club. The competition is getting tougher (Greenwood, Cavani, Rashford, Martial and even Ighalo who we baerly used) and I'm afraid he is a one bad game away from getting totally sidelined. All in all a potential squad player if he uses his head right.
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I’m not even a fan of Valencia but James can only dream to be anywhere near as talented. Before he mysteriously went to crap around 12/13, Valencia had a mean cross on him and could actually use his pace to beat players, James can only beat his opponent in a straight foot race without the ball, and that’s at his best:
 
norm87cro said:
He's more talented than Valencia but due to his decision making and the pressure getting to him he is nowhere near Valencias contribution to this club. The competition is getting tougher (Greenwood, Cavani, Rashford, Martial and even Ighalo who we haven't used) and I'm afraid he is a one bad game away from getting totally sidelined. All in all a potential squad player if he uses his head right.
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Nope
 
fezzerUTD said:
Valencia was miles better than Dan James don't bite.
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Miles eh? He had years to hone his game at Wigan before transfering. He really wasn't very good in his first season IMO. He improved but was one footed, had a useless cross and had to be utilised as a RB, which if truth be told, he was average at. He gave 100%, strong as an ox, and was a good squad player in a very good team for years. Put him in this side and I'd wager he'd be slagged off as a Championship player

Miles better is stretching it.
 
VorZakone said:
The kid has zero creativity and a poor footballing IQ. Pace alone doesn't cut it.
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When you say "poor footballing IQ", what exactly do you mean? Because I am absolutely certain almost everyone who uses the term on here uses it because they don't know anywhere near enough about football to exactly what he's doing wrong, or exactly what he should be doing better. So they use the term as a synonym for "not playing well" while pretending they actually know what they are on about.

I honestly feel like the words IQ/intelligence should be banned on the football portion of redcafe. At best it's used as the synonym I mentioned earlier, and at worst.....well, I'm not going to go there.
 
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Inigo Montoya said:
Miles eh? He had years to hone his game at Wigan before transfering. He really wasn't very good in his first season IMO. He improved but was one footed, had a useless cross and had to be utilised as a RB, which if truth be told, he was average at. He gave 100%, strong as an ox, and was a good squad player in a very good team for years. Put him in this side and I'd wager he'd be slagged off as a Championship player

Miles better is stretching it.
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You're leaving out quite a spell there. After he came back from his broken foot up until he got the #7 jersey he was brilliant. He won our POTY as a winger!
 
Inigo Montoya said:
Miles eh? He had years to hone his game at Wigan before transfering. He really wasn't very good in his first season IMO. He improved but was one footed, had a useless cross and had to be utilised as a RB, which if truth be told, he was average at. He gave 100%, strong as an ox, and was a good squad player in a very good team for years. Put him in this side and I'd wager he'd be slagged off as a Championship player

Miles better is stretching it.
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Valencia was light years ahead of Dan James.
 
Massive Spanner said:
You're leaving out quite a spell there. After he came back from his broken foot up until he got the #7 jersey he was brilliant. He won our POTY as a winger!
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I don't know why. I never would have him down a POTY for us in any season. Always felt he was sold to us for a decent price because Dave Whelan and SAF were on very good terms, and Whelan said 2 seasons before that Valencia would be at Utd.
 
fezzerUTD said:
One can kick a ball, one can't, like I said no comparison. Come back to me with a footballer vs footballer comparison next time.
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Stick around and be more patronising.

If I have to come back to the likes of you for footballer comparisons.... :lol:
 
lets not compare a once club captain, title winner and former POTY to Dan James please. That's just stupid and I'm not even a fan of Valencia!

As far as James is concerned, he should have gone on loan. I would say he is by far the one player in our squad that I think doesn't have the ability to make it here and I'd rather see him left out of squads entirely. I feel bad saying it because he's clearly a good lad but if he is going to have a career in the PL, he needs a manager like Bielsa. That's not a slight on Ole either because the sort of managers that can really make a below average player useable are few and far between.
 
norm87cro said:
He's more talented than Valencia but due to his decision making and the pressure getting to him he is nowhere near Valencias contribution to this club. The competition is getting tougher (Greenwood, Cavani, Rashford, Martial and even Ighalo who we haven't used) and I'm afraid he is a one bad game away from getting totally sidelined. All in all a potential squad player if he uses his head right.
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:lol: More talented than Valencia. At what exactly?
 
What I find baffling is how little he or his team mates play to his strengths now? Often he set off on runs yesterday but wasn't picked out, and often when he got the ball he wouldn't just look to hit it past a man and run. Its odd, it feels like he's got slower, or simply doesn't want to use his pace, which is clearly his main attribute.

The move was a gamble that hasn't paid off, I just don't think he's the required level.
 
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