What a great young man.
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What a great young man.
Eh? Being naturally faster and stronger isn't advantageous?
Not always.
Now wouldn't that be cool if we sign de Jong and Iqbal breaks into the first team to play alongside him.
Add Eriksen into the mix - ball possession overload
I fully expect that if we do not sign de jong, it will be mcfred most of the season. Trusting the youngsters is too big a risk and asking them to be first team ready because we have no one else isn't fair on them. We need competent midfielders to replace mcfred and then we can give game time to iqbal and others.
I am all for giving these players a chance but I would rather give them every chance to succeed rather than throw them in the (very) deep end and hope it works.
Playing youngsters is not a risk if the manager assesses their maturity and attitude very well. ETH is quite well versed in that aspect, where if you see a youngster playing in the first team it means that he is mature enough to play in that position.
The bigger "risk" is playing a proven sub standard midfield again, if McFred aye most of the games this season then someone has fecked up somewhere.
I'd much rather see unknown quantities have a try, be that Mejbri, Garner, Iqbal or Savage rather than watch McTominay hide behind opponents for 90 mins.
He’s very composed and comfortable on the ball, I like how he can hold off pressure, also he seems to play the correct pass more often than not, I hope he gets a decent chance this season, there will be plenty of games to play, hopefully ETH develops him into a very decent midfielder.
Exciting young prospect him and Savage work well together would love to see them both intergrated with the first team. Who needs De Jong
I am an academy fanboy, but don't think he or Savage have even had a really outstanding season in the academy before. Would find it a huge risk to rely on them this season.
Been telling everyone since last season Zidane should be in the 1st team. They’re very similar with Hannibal but he’s a little quicker so integration to mens football is quicker. We’re lucky to have the two of them. And Kobbie Mainoo as well.
I watched almost every game both players played in last season, and I don't believe either player is ready for first team football. If ten Hag is to go with a youngster then I feel he should go with Hannibal who has performed better than both the aforementioned two players at youth level imo.
I'm not sure why ten Hag hasn't utilised Hannibal, yet. Could be due to his temperament or maybe we'll see more of Hannibal in the coming games. EtH has said that he wants to give the youngsters as much game time as possible so he can decide if they're ready to contribute in the first team or be loaned out. And ten Hag has already seen Hannibal play in the EPL, so i'm assuming he's giving the other youngsters a early chance to show what they can contribute.
I do think it's important we sign a top class midfielder but I would personally supplement the new signing(s) in midfield by introducing Hannibal and Garner. But I guess Garner will be loaned out due to there being a starting role for him at Forest who are now in the top flight.
Edit: Garner can't rejoin Forest due to Henderson being loaned to them?
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Nice lad. Gives the impression of being very switched on compared to a lot of young footballers, too.
I thought recently ETH is referring to Zidane when he said we would make our own midfielder if we don’t get FDJ as someone who carry the ball forward in midfield. Also it helps after getting Martinez, who is excellent in passing the ball around, and aggressive enough to win the ball in front of him.
That's why I like the 1st season of every new manager. All hope and potential glory.
All the different combinations that come with a build-up on the road to success. Fun.
Right. Garner can’t join them except they buy him. It is very worrying indeed for Hannibal‘s situation. I have been hoping Hannibal eventually develop into a deep-lying play maker role one type or another. Maybe it’s what you guess that ETH is giving him some sort of lesson so he gets opportunities to reflect. From what we know about ETH, there is no reason Hannibal is not the one from who ETH will try to bring out the potential. Let’s see.
Tell me one physical sports where being stronger and faster than your opponent is not an advantage
I think a double pivot of Garner and de Jong has potential. And it's something I'd like to see tried if we end up signing de Jong. I haven't followed Garner at Forest, but from what I've read and heard from Forest fans, he's done very well for them, albeit in a more advanced role. I think Garner has the ability to play in positional disciplined role in a midfield two, and has also matured physically, whilst also having the ability to thread the lines.
Hannibal I'm not sure what's going on and hopefully we'll see him in the game later against Palace. He's a versatile player and can be utilised in various different roles. But he was originally a midfield playmaker at Monaco, where he was responsible for knitting everything together from a deeper role and then advancing with the ball. At United he was utilised as a #10 for the first time in his fledgling career, which he mentioned in a interview. But originally he was a midfield playmaker who was the conduit in the team at Monaco. I think he has naturally high levels of fitness and covers a lot of ground and can potentially be developed as a understudy for de Jong or even Eriksen/Bruno. And contrary to what I've read on here, he's quicker than Iqbal and has creativity in abundance.
In the last two games, the setups probably tells what ETH wanted to try. He seemly prefers the partnership complementing each other. Lindelof (Marinez) + Maguire/Varane, Telles + Bailey, McFred, Iqbal + Savage. Maybe, he will try Hannibal + McT or Hannibal + Savage next? If it happens, we will know which level he thinks Hannibal can play at the moment. He mentioned we have to get result even though the team has not completed the development into the way he wants us play. With or without FDJ, we need depth in midfield, in case if injuries to McT or Fred.
Top post, I wonder what's going on with Hannibal as well. Hope to see him play today.
They didn't. Hannibal and Elanga were the outstanding U23s. Makes it even more confusing as to why Hannibal isn't getting a look in, must be a reason for it.
Maybe Hannibal's temperament, or he just hasnt impressed in training as much in the way Erik Ten Hag likes his midfielders to play. Breaking through isn't always fair, need to take your moments or have the favor. Will be interesting.
Had to turn off when he came on, any opinions on his performance?
Didn't really get involved this time from what I saw. Once the subs were made we were shite and hanging on a bit
Whole team was a bit messy after all those subs. He didn’t really get the chance to do anything.
Interesting, didnt know he started as a deeper midfielder for Monaco youth sides. Reading the DeJOng alternative threads, nobody mentioned really stands out for me. I did actually think Hannibal is capable of becoming a similar player to DeJOng...The likes of Neves and Tielams tough technically gifted, just dont fit to me.
See lots of people seem happy with some of the current options in the short term alongside DeJong if we were to sign him. I am not into tactical analysis and I know there is a lot of talk about Ten Hag and his systems....but for me, every good team needs a tenacious defensively sound midfielder and I simply dont see the option at all there in our midfield. I watched a few Forest games and I like Garner, but I really dont see the player that has had so muchhype for a good four years or so. He is still young and is progressing but I just dont see him becoming someone challenging for the firsts eleven regularly, not in terms of the team we need to try and become anyway....he certainly has a chance in the current set up though
Young or experienced, ETH doesn’t hold back!
The less hyped player in our reserves comes away from the tour as our most promising young player.
Really looking forward to see him continually develop in the side.
Really looking forward to see him continually develop in the side.
He did have a fair bit of hype but I personally never thought he had the physicality to make it at first team level, however he hasn't looked out of place at all.
One of the few to come out of that second half with any credit, I suspect we'll be seeing plenty of him this season, ten Hag clearly seems to rate him.
I really like Iqbal. Just glides with the ball, has quick feet and good control.
Seems to have decent decision making too. I'd like to see him playing with the first team.
Seems to have decent decision making too. I'd like to see him playing with the first team.
He's done well and can see him developing into a good player.
I said he could be the surprise packet on this tour. Very skillful player.
I do think it's a bit of a sad indictment on our midfield that literally the first youth player we've dropped in there has looked better than our actual starters.
I mean that's life isn't it? young players come and displace 'settled' first teamers all the time.
Please, please, please can this guy make it at Utd - even if it's at a decent squad level player. It would be fantastic for the South Asian community.
I thought today and in his last sub appearance he has had less impact. Today I think was a good reality check for him in the little amount of time he can expect to get on the ball.
When he came in was our best midfielder
Definitely should be brought on as a sub or even starting some early games when things actually Matter
Definitely should be brought on as a sub or even starting some early games when things actually Matter
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