tommybread

5 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

My Utd supporting colleagues seem to think he’s a LB

Can you please tell your colleagues that they are clueless. 

3 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Do we even know if any other club were in for him? He'd get guaranteed football in League 1.

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. 

1 hour ago, villakram said:

A really interesting point and you can see it in the way the big players want games ref now, Neymar and the like think they're playing basketball at times.

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. 

3 hours ago, Rodders said:

I don't see why Mourinho would let him go to be a substute somewhere, doesn't benefit them at all

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. 

3 hours ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

Definitely back up, no chance he gets in ahead of a fit Terry and Chester.

How often is a fit Terry though'? I see he has been out since November, is he expected to be out for much longer?

3 hours ago, Villan_of_oz said:

I think Manu will be actively looking to send him somewhere better suited than us.

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. 

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

If centre half is his main position then you're probably right. But I think he has played DM as well? 

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. 

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. 

7 hours ago, Eastie said:

United have another 12 month option on him next year .

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. 

7 hours ago, Spoony said:

I get that but it is a credit to our defence, which he is a part of. When you compare him to Golini and Guzan who just can't control their area I'd say he's a step up and I do think he's decent.

However, he's very young and far from the finished article so it does annoy me that this is a loan. I would hope we would go permanent or if that's not an option look elsewhere. Ruddy would have been spot on for me if that were a possibility. 

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. 

21 hours ago, dudevillaisnice said:

Mourinho really doesn't like Shaw does he. Bizarre the treatment he is getting.

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. 

On 16/03/2017 at 14:31, villa4europe said:

Lallana had a really good start to the season tbf to him, not sure what his forms like

phil jones is shit and doesn't even play half of utds games anymore, vardys form has picked up been been poor for a while before that, Defoe is making up the numbers, he won't be anywhere near the squad next summer, chamberlain is one of those negland players who never has a good game but keeps getting called up

 but the piece de resistance.......Jake **** Livermore.....Jesus Christ 

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

7 hours ago, Czechlad said:

Coleman and Walker are better than Valencia. 

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. 

1 minute ago, kurtsimonw said:

We'll agree to disagree then. They really aren't all 'best in their position' or 'great readers of the game' for me. Everyone sees the game differently. If you genuinely think these sorts of players are among the  best in their position then fine, that's your opinion. I don't. 

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. 

3 minutes ago, kurtsimonw said:

Herrera has played pretty much the entire season. When he got in to the first XI 'permanently' they won 2 of 9 games. Including a win which Herrera did not play, so the run isn't really to do with him as much as you're making out. Another Spaniard has been more important IMO. 

As for who's better, I'm not going to list every midfielder in the world better than him. But for a club willing to drop £90m on a player, there's plenty of options currently playing. Unless you actually think Herrera is one of the best in world football? Each to their own. I don't rate him as one of the best in the world, not even that close to it. 

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. 

3 hours ago, kurtsimonw said:

I meant if they want to be serious about the title. 

You'd do incredibly well to do it with the names I mentioned.

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. 

23 hours ago, kurtsimonw said:

We'll agree to disagree. None of the players you've mentioned should be first XI for United IMO.

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? 

On 19/02/2017 at 07:24, HanoiVillan said:

@VillaChris has kind of said it all, really - Valencia is playing really well at right back but needs competition. Herrera I don't get your point, for me he's excellent, and if you look at United's record or results, the overlap between their unbeaten run and Herrera playing every week is clear. I don't get how you don't think they can't make top 4 with him, when they don't lose when he plays. 

Blind is a good squad player but shouldn't be starting every week. Rojo is a bit crap. But I have absolutely no doubt they'll be looking to upgrade at both CB and LB in the summer. 

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. 

On 08/02/2017 at 20:13, Hornso said:

Kid is on fire recently.

Couldn't be happier, love the lad. Got his name on my shirt after his debut for United. 

On 09/02/2017 at 18:10, VillaChris said:

He's always had potential, just a case of finding the right club as he's had a few loans since he joined Leicester.

Always thought he was a winger but seems to be developing more playing as a central striker so good news for Wales as that's one area they lack serious quality unless they stick Bale there.

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 

8 hours ago, HanoiVillan said:

Thanks for the insight as always tommy. What is your perspective on Johnstone's ability (if you have one)?

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. 

6 hours ago, weedman said:

Did he have an Italian coach there? If not it's all a bit odd 

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.

On 21/01/2017 at 16:33, The Fun Factory said:

That was the idea for Cleverley. Then when he finally stated to play in the last 2 months of the season he buggered off to the Everton reserve team.

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.