tommybread

Can you please tell your colleagues that they are clueless.

He'd get guaranteed football in the Championship. He is a bigger talent than Fosu-Mensah who is getting some good game time in the Premier League.

I wouldn't expect the deal to go through until closer to the deadline for Mourinho to have a better idea of Bailly's fitness and give a little more time to see if anyone else picks up an injury. Personally wouldn't mind it getting finalized sharpish though to give Axel more time with you to get settled in and claim a spot.

It does seem to be dying out of the game a bit. The emphasis coming through is completely on playing the ball with your feet. Heading is even banned in some places for youth age groups. Heading doesn't play a big part in academy football as it is ingrained into the players to keep the ball on the deck and play with your feet. You can see this by looking at all the highest rated young CBs. They are all "ball playing" CBs who are usually slighter and more skilled than your old school CB. United's recent signing in Lindelof coming in highly rated, also struggles in the air. Or James WIlson has an incredible standing jump which should lend itself to being good in the air but jumping high isn't very relevant for him because he has never learned how to properly judge the flight of the ball and time headers. Rashford is also quite weak at judging headers.

Mourinho has said he won't leave until the end of the month anyway. It depends on Bailly returning and anyone else picking up an injury. He needs a loan either way because getting practically 0 minutes at United is definitely not helping Axel. Mourinho also bizarrely doesn't let the young ones like Axel play with the u23s so therefore they have absolutely zero match sharpness when they do finally get a bit of time with the seniors. How often is a fit Terry though'? I see he has been out since November, is he expected to be out for much longer? I don't know how suited to Villa he'll be but I hope so that we'll find him a club he'll get a good amount of minutes at. But unfortunately with many of our recent loans it doesn't seem like we actually put that much thought into who the loanee club is. CB is definitely his main position. He has played a little at DM in the youths and in the first team but in the first team it is mainly because Mourinho simply won't play an inexperienced CB so he gets stuck in at DM or RB for he rare few minutes. He can play DM and would improve with more experience playing there but he looks like a CB playing midfield. He is very good on the ball for a CB, but there is a big difference between playing in midfield and being good on the ball at CB.

I've watched Axel for many years through the u18/19/21/23s and now his few first team appearances. His best position is easily at CB, he is a CB. He has and can play at RB and DM but he is a CB. He is absolutely rapid and has pretty good strength. Stand out attribute is his composure and calmness at the back, good on the ball and a smart defender. Biggest weakness is easily his aerial ability which he is a bit weak at. A common trend I've been noticing in quite a few young CBs and STs for that matter coming through the top academies. He definitely needs some game time as he just isn't getting it at United. What do you lads reckon, is there spots there for him to get regular play or will he just be used as backup to cover when in need? Really hoping he can go somewhere he can play regularly. Hopefully at CB, but just play time anywhere his vital for him right now.

No chance Fellaini starts over Ander. Mourinho talks glowingly of Ander and recently said something along the lines of Ander needs to consistently play to be at his best suggesting he will be doing that. Only reason Ander will be benched is for rest or if Mourinho decides to go more attacking with Mkhi or Mata or maybe Lingard at 10.

Of course, was thinking that must be the case for it to make sense. Seems we have that option in almost every player's contract.

I don't really get the loan move since as far as I know this is the last year of his contract so not sure why we loaned him out instead of selling him. I guess you'll just sign him on a free next year. He Isn't coming back to United as Joel Pereira is rated higher and Dean Henderson who just played against you for Grimsby is quite good as well.

Today could see the debut of 16 year old Angel Gomes who is a massive talent. If he didn't pull out with injury he would have been captaining the u17s who just lost to Spain in the final. Josh Harrop who I love is also getting his debut.

His overall treatment of injured players lately is downright shocking and extremely disrespectful. Earlier in the season he praised Smalling and jones for playing with injuries. Doing that resulted in Smalling being out for a longer time. Now he is publicly calling them out for not playing with injuries and basically accusing them of faking their injuries. He has just done the same with Shaw. It's shocking behaviour from a manager and explains just why Chelsea players didn't like him.

He is 19 and only been playing as a striker for about 3 years and has quite a good scoring record when played as a striker. It's an unfair comparison against someone like Mbappe as Monaco are clearly just a better team and much more free flowing when attacking. As a unit united are quite stagnant and slow in attack and don't suit Rashford's game at all. The last two matches he had made some fantastic runs and the likes of Fellaini and Rooney don't even take note. He was visibly angry angry against Swansea and the team play was garbage that game. He'd be scoring much more in a team that played some actual good football and he got to play up front instead of alway out wide. He also has fantastic workrate and never stops pressing.

Jones plays almost every game when fit. He has played 88% of games when fit this season to be exact.

So arguably two. Making Valencia one of the best RBs in the league. Certainly not someone who shouldn't be in a title winning side which was suggested.

So give me names of players in the league that are better than ander and Valencia in their positions. I've asked numerous times and you've yet to give any names. Blind is is clearly a great reader of the game. There is even videos of Germany using tapes of his defending to practice from. His physical attributes are what hold him back but he is a great squad player.

He is one of the best in the league. He has been better than Pogba this season. A few players at the likes of Real and Bayern who are unsignable for any team in the league have no baring on him being good enough to be on a league winning side.

And who is better than Ander in his position? Anyway, Valencia is one of the best RBs in the league. Blind is an incredibly intelligent and technical player who is a great squad player which is all that he really is. His pace means he gets beaten sometimes but all defenders are and his reading of the game is better than most. He is perfectly fine as a back up. City are currently second with Stones, Otamendi, and Kolarov playing CB. All varying degrees of laughable much of the time. Rojo has been very good this season at CB, he is not a lb. He is as good as what other clubs have in their CB rotation. He isn't a guaranteed starter. I don't believe you watch many united games Darmian is easily the worst player at the club who gets to play any significant amount of time. You wouldn't even want him at villa.

None of them really are except Ander and possibly Rojo but we don't really have a settled cb pairing. Someone is always injured or missing. Who is better than Ander that should replace him?

Blind doesn't start every week. I don't particularly like Rojo and he is a dreadful LB but he has been very good this season at CB and formed a great partnership with Jones. There are very few as well rounded midfielders as Ander in the league so he is a bit of an odd inclusion.

Couldn't be happier, love the lad. Got his name on my shirt after his debut for United. Always preferred him centrally personally, more of a 10 than a striker but he seems to be doing great up top for Ipswich. Hope he continues his fine form and is back in the Premier League sooner than later.

Do people actually expect the most supported club in the country to not have their game televised?

Tom Lawrence

Think it is hard to predict a keeper, maybe because I'm not a keeper myself but also a lot of it is just how the handle it mentally. Its a do or die position that a young player can't make mistakes in, and confidence and mental ability are very big factors that can be a bit hard to judge. From what I have seen of him in the youth teams and on tour he is a very talented keeper. Always read very positive reviews from Doncaster and Preston fans as well. Preston really wanted to sign him permanently. From what I have seen he is a pretty good reader of the game and is confident. Isn't afraid to come off his line. Maybe not the best kicker but how important is that really. Preston only brought in Pickford last season because they couldn't get Johnstone, look at Pickford now when given a chance. That's all it takes with a lot of young players, give them a chance and they'll flourish. Its a shame Johnstone wasted a year last season. He has already impressed at League One and Championship level and was a highly rated youth player so I see no reason why he couldn't become a lower - mid-table Premier League level keeper.

No he didn't. He was only here for 2 years and barely played tbh. Johnstone was always first choice and rated much higher. Gollini was honestly lucky to be 3rd choice most of the time, also being behind Amos and Sutherland.

Difference is Cleverley always wanted to go to Everton, he agreed a move with them at the start of the season but Everton **** around and we forced him to go to Villa. He was always going to go to Everton after the year. Johnstone is never going to make it at United and it is very unlikely a Premier League club will sign him yet to be there first choice and he isn't going to swap one bench for another. He already tried to force a permanent move last January to Preston but was told he couldn't go. With Joel Pereira now having experience Sam will likely be allowed to move on if he still wishes. So unless Preston can persuade him again there isn't much reason why you wouldn't be able to sign Johnstone permanently. United never step in the way of youth players moving on and often help them try make the next step in their career and let them leave for small fees. Especially with Bruce as manager you could probably get Johnstone for half of what you paid for Gollini. The fee agreed to Preston last season was only around 1m but van Gaal stopped it because he wanted a third choice.