This is actually not true. Under Ten Hag our line is actually highest with Maguire and lowest with Martinez. Under Ole our line was higher with Lindelof and Maguire than any point under Ten Hag.I wouldn't go that far. I don't think he's a starter but a definate option.
We have Maguire, Lindelof, Evans, Varane, Martinez and Shaw who have been starting at CB these last two years.
The first three can't play a high line. Varane is out of contract and Martinez has basically missed the season.
We probably need 3 CBs to add to the above. I think Willy can be one of them but we need established players as well.
Then got injured again and the 18 months turned into two seasons of missed development.
I'm actually quite surprised he's featured in the first team at all considering the amount of games he's missed in the last two years. But if ten Hag feels you're ready to contribute in the first team then he will play you.
There's further development still to come if he can steer clear of injuries which have blighted him in the last few seasons. But in the game today he displayed that he has the ability and potential to be a strong dueller both on the ground and in the air. He has the recovery pace too which is important to quell the threat in defensive transition. And even though he made a mistake where he mis-judged the flight of the ball which sent Nunez away down the left flank, he recovered the situation well when most of our other CBs would be toast in that situation.
He needs games and mistakes will likely be made. And having watched him play at youth level for Sochaux, he was a very well rounded CB who was strong in the duels with recovery pace and the ability to pass short and long. I hope he can transfer that ability to first team football, and that will hopefully become more evident as he plays more games and progresses as a young CB.
This is actually not true. Under Ten Hag our line is actually highest with Maguire and lowest with Martinez. Under Ole our line was higher with Lindelof and Maguire than any point under Ten Hag.
Yep agreed. I saw enough of him today to give him a run in the team. Desperate times lead to opportunities and I think he now deserves his.
Agreed.Yeah I absolutely agree. I remember one of his first games for the u18s and the mic was picking up our coaching staff who talked him through the entire game. It smacked of someone who had relied on their physical advantages so much that he had maybe fallen behind tactically. I remember thinking how important the next few years would be for his development, and he was injured for most, if not all of it. I had practically written him off in my head. Seeing him make match day squads shocked me.
His performance today was promising. I think we are crying out for a defender of his type. I don't see a good reason why we don't play him for the rest of the league games and see what we have. He's comfortably quicker than anyone ahead of him and just as strong. We'd hopefully start to see our back-line play on the front foot more, which would be refreshing.
Correct you need to have mobility, athleticism and physicality to defend the wide areas and read the game so you can step up and dominate your attacker. Kambawla played fantastic today but Maguire recent redemption was not to be underestimated in helping him and having a decent game too.It's a myth that won't go away. Varane and Martínez were one of the lowest defensive lines in the whole league last season. With Maguire, both under Ole and ETH we played a higher line, than with Varane.
People just assume Varane has good recovery pace, and think that's all you need to play in a high line.
His performance felt a bit like what Tuanzebe could have offered against them a few seasons back but got injured in warmup
Absolute disgrace of a booking. That was a cracking tackle. Not even a foul.
Seems a good athlete which is very important for a CB these days if you want proactive football risking the 1 v 1s. You can't necessarily manufacture that easily - see Lindelof and Maguire.
We'll see, hard to say on a few games. If he plays until the end of the season we'd have much more insight. Probably the passing could improve, I think you're going to need that at a top club.
One really weird moment where he legged it up the pitch ahead of the ball. Strange against this Liverpool side with so much dynamism to leave the team so open. Not sure if that was a managerial idea or a brain fart but overall I think he can be happy with today.
Is that when he ran 50 yards back only for Maguire to clean up the moment Willy slotted in behind him ?
If so, I think he just got excited and forgot where he was ! But he ran back twice a quickly as AWB would have done. Full effort.
Agreed.
And I was of the opinion that ten Hag wouldn't select him this season based on the games he's missed in the last few years which has dented his own personal development as a CB/RB imo. But he was very highly rated when we bought him as a youth player beating out Liverpool for his signature and he was said to be the France u17s captain.
I think we should buy two CBs of the requisite level who can be part of the first team and hopefully utilise Kambwala as a rotation option similar to how Liverpool utilise Jarell Quansah with Van Dijk and Konate the first choice pairing.
I think if we can have the following four options (below) going into next season, then I feel we'll be heading into the right direction.
Martinez, Branthwaite, Diomande, Kambwala
General sentiment seems to be, he looks half decent give him a chance in the last 7 league games as we've nothing to play for.
So that's it. He's not kicking another ball before the pre-season tour.
He's had his job to play for all season when we've been shipping goals and chances left right and centre so I'm not sure the look really matters at this stage.Would be nice but Ten Hag has his job to play for. If we get battered 5-0 by Arsenal whilst having senior CB's fit it won't be a good look.
He had a very good performance but I actually thought Liverpool were poor in parts they didn't really have a sustained attack and so many of the players were drawn into one vs one scenarios which for an athletic defender can be easier to defend compared to have dealing with overloads which more disciplined teams inevitably conjure up against this current United side.
I thought Liverpool played into United's hands by spreading everything through the channels and at times overplaying, i'd like to see how he performs against Bournemouth and Palace away where the atmosphere and motivation will likely be significantly more flat among the squad to see how he copes.
If ETH get to stay next season, and that is a big if, he should show his greatest strength as a manager which is bringing in young players.Would be nice but Ten Hag has his job to play for. If we get battered 5-0 by Arsenal whilst having senior CB's fit it won't be a good look.
You have actually watched youth games of Sochaux?Then got injured again and the 18 months turned into two seasons of missed development.
I'm actually quite surprised he's featured in the first team at all considering the amount of games he's missed in the last two years. But if ten Hag feels you're ready to contribute in the first team then he will play you.
There's further development still to come if he can steer clear of injuries which have blighted him in the last few seasons. But in the game today he displayed that he has the ability and potential to be a strong dueller both on the ground and in the air. He has the recovery pace too which is important to quell the threat in defensive transition. And even though he made a mistake where he mis-judged the flight of the ball which sent Nunez away down the left flank, he recovered the situation well when most of our other CBs would be toast in that situation.
He needs games and mistakes will likely be made. And having watched him play at youth level for Sochaux, he was a very well rounded CB who was strong in the duels with recovery pace and the ability to pass short and long. I hope he can transfer that ability to first team football, and that will hopefully become more evident as he plays more games and progresses as a young CB.
Good to see him have some bright moments. A few more games should tell us if he is good enough on the ball.
I think he should go out on loan next season though, he is at a point in his development where he needs to play 30-35 first grade games next year.
