Smashley Young

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When everyone's fit and on form he'd always be on the bench if I was picking the team, but that happens so rarely that he's an excellent player to have in the squad. Like Berbatov he's being pilloried for the fee which was obviously outside of his control.
 

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i asked this before this deal, but someone explain why we bought him and not tried as hard for juan mata?

simple question like, given the lightyear gulf in talent and difference in age.
Because Fergie wanted an out and out winger who could play on both sides? Because Young is English and wouldn't need to adapt to the Premiership? Because Young wanted to come here? Because Young has wage demands we could meet? Because Fergie doesn't like people in their 20's who look like they're in their 40's?

Young's a great player to have in the squad... I can't think of any other team in the league who have a better 3rd choice winger?
 

londonredmaniac

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I was pretty happy with him for last season. Not sure why so many seem to have it in for him. As has been said he started well, got injured then had a dodgy patch. But most importantly he finished the season strong.

He is not even a 1st choice winger. Delighted to have him in the Squad
Strange isn't it?
 

Tomuś

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He is no Valencia or Nani but he's a good, efficient winger. I have absolutely no problem with him as our often-used back-up. Not many people were criticising him where he was scoring crackers at WHL, against Arsenal or Blackburn and assisting others.

His stats back him up so I don't think he should give a feck about critics.
Suddenly the climat changed after Euros 2012, which is strange for 'United>England' 'We don't give a shit about England' brigade here. Not that it had any bearing on his United first season, which is what he should be judged upon on this forum.

England needed some scapegoat after Euros anyway.
 

Robbie Boy

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Good squad player. I'm pretty certain that any of the top 4 teams would be happy to have him as a squad player. Went through a really poor patch, but in general, he was pretty decent and had some excellent games.
 

Tomuś

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Good squad player. I'm pretty certain that any of the top 4 teams would be happy to have him as a squad player. Went through a really poor patch, but in general, he was pretty decent and had some excellent games.
Spot on. Actually more than happy I believe.
 

Plechazunga

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Indeed.

I didn't think he was great at spurs away last season...in fact I thought we were a bit poor on the whole.

Then crack, and oh....boom.

Not meaning to sound like 1960's batman...
:lol:

The thing that annoys me most about Young is that very often it seems like he doesn't have the balls to run with the ball and take on a player. So many times he picks up the ball, stands up the defender to only pass it back to Evra. Whether that is confidence, or just that he doesn't have the same ability it is so frustrating to watch.
He's not really the sort of winger who beats his man that often. Usually he will make space by cutting cut inside, and then lay it off. Disagree about him passing backwards all the time though.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Sooo much better an option on the left than Park, it's untrue.
Different sort of players. Park will defend better, tackle better and run all day long. Young will be more potent going forwards. Some of Park's performances in the bigger games were amazing.
 

Cina

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Park has done a hell of a lot for this club in his time here. I wouldn't call Young so much better than him after one season.
 

togg

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The thing that annoys me most about Young is that very often it seems like he doesn't have the balls to run with the ball and take on a player. So many times he picks up the ball, stands up the defender to only pass it back to Evra. Whether that is confidence, or just that he doesn't have the same ability it is so frustrating to watch.
To be fair, many a time last season it felt that collectively not one of our players was prepared to run with the ball and take on a player!!
 

KingEric7

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Beachryan said:
Sooo much better an option on the left than Park, it's untrue.
Depends which Park we're talking about. Park's had seasons for us that have shit all over Young's one last year (10/11, in particular). It's a shame he was so poor for us last year, because it'll probably make many forget just what an important player he's been for us.
 

17Larsson

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Depends which Park we're talking about. Park's had seasons for us that have shit all over Young's one last year (10/11, in particular). It's a shame he was so poor for us last year, because it'll probably make many forget just what an important player he's been for us.
Parks problem was that because of his style of play he had to constantly prove himself every single game to the more simple section of United fans. No player is allowed have a bad game to those people but Park especially not. And unfortunately after a full season of being off form some people will think that he was never any good at all.
His best attribute actually wasn't tracking back it was his movement off the ball and his quick short passing and moving in the centre, I think he would have worked brilliantly with Kagawa and Cleverly (if he gets back in the team this year).

Young will have a better season this year, with Kagawa and Welbeck in the middle he will have good options to pass to when he cuts in and if he makes space to receive it again in a good shooting position Kagawa will find him. I actually think all three of our wingers will be on fire this year
 

RedDevilCanuck

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Time for a bump.

Been looking around some threads and even comments around the internet saying Young is shit.

He is not. Not even close. Very good debut season for him. His end product, goals and assists were very good for a debut. Yes he can be a bit hit and miss but most wingers are. I will take some hit and miss performances for the amount of goals and assists he got for us any day.

It's too bad a shit Euro tournament and a misssed penalty changes people's opinions so quickly.
 

Tomuś

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Time for a bump.

Been looking around some threads and even comments around the internet saying Young is shit.

He is not. Not even close. Very good debut season for him. His end product, goals and assists were very good for a debut. Yes he can be a bit hit and miss but most wingers are. I will take some hit and miss performances for the amount of goals and assists he got for us any day.

It's too bad a shit Euro tournament and a misssed penalty changes people's opinions so quickly.
You're on fire today, brilliant summary in Berbatov thread, now this reasonable look. Euro certainly did change opinions on him, which is mind-bobbling. More than good debut season.
 

NM

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Time for a bump.

Been looking around some threads and even comments around the internet saying Young is shit.

He is not. Not even close. Very good debut season for him. His end product, goals and assists were very good for a debut. Yes he can be a bit hit and miss but most wingers are. I will take some hit and miss performances for the amount of goals and assists he got for us any day.

It's too bad a shit Euro tournament and a misssed penalty changes people's opinions so quickly.
He's not shit - he is just not as good as our other wingers (Nani & Valencia). We have been spoiled when it comes to wingers, so comparatively, people see him as shit. Instead we should be happy our third choice winger is as "shit" as him.
 

Cina

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Yeah, pretty much. We're blessed with 2 great wingers in Nani and Valencia, and because Young cost so much and isn't as good, people seem to see him as shit.

I've no idea what people were expecting, I knew before we even signed him he wasn't as good as him, people should accept that and be happy that we have such a good option as our third choice winger. An option that filled in very well last season whenever Nani/Valencia were injured.
 

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He's the best player in his position in the league after Nani, Valencia, Mata and Silva. You would have thought he's worse than Stewart Downing and Jonathan Greening from all the talkdown he received here
 

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I think the well publicised dives last season have coloured people's opinion of him too. It didn't sit right with many, which is fair enough, but I believe that it has tainted their view of his overall performance for us. He had a few bad days but all things considered he had a very solid first season for us. Saying he was shite is nonsense.
 

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I think the problem with him is that people often seem to see two extremes when it comes to him. He's either got to be an incredible player for us, or an extremely poor one, when the truth is that he lies more inbetween the middle ground. He's a good player to have for a team like us. He won't exactly always be first choice, but he's a more than handy player to have there as backup, especially when he's on form.

The point about the diving maybe clouding the judgement of some is possibly fair as well. Those who just thought he was a decent player and didn't bother with him before now suddenly hate him and call him average because of it, in some cases.
 

Maciej

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Somebody posted that it's because he's actually not the best at the club at anything and I would agree with that.

It's very annyoing that fans like to either overrate or underrate players. Nothing in between.

Especially in a team like Manchester United with a manager like Sir Alex Ferguson, where it's hard to guess the line-up for next game and it's not easy to tell what's our best XI. People also forget that Nani sometimes isn't on form and Valencia might be used at right-back even more than before.
 

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The main problem I have with him - and I confess, I wanted him at United two years before he eventually came - is that when played on the left he is very predictable and slows play down...unfortunately, that's the only position for him to play in for us

But he's a good option there, just not great
 

Sunny Jim

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Somebody posted that it's because he's actually not the best at the club at anything and I would agree with that.

It's very annyoing that fans like to either overrate or underrate players. Nothing in between.

Especially in a team like Manchester United with a manager like Sir Alex Ferguson, where it's hard to guess the line-up for next game and it's not easy to tell what's our best XI. People also forget that Nani sometimes isn't on form and Valencia might be used at right-back even more than before.
Agreed. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually started on Monday. Terrific confidence boost for him, something he needs imo.
 

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Seen on skysports that he's injured. Out for 2 weeks. Never heard about this.
 

Devil may care

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Fergie mentioned in the presser that he had a knock, if Nani doesn't play on Sunday it really will be bizarre.
 

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Fergie mentioned in the presser that he had a knock, if Nani doesn't play on Sunday it really will be bizarre.
Very bizarre considering how Nani played quite a fair bit in preseason. I think his performance at everton did him no favors though. Thats probably why him and Rooney were on the bench in the last match.

We definately need Nani to be back to his best. I really think he will be the guy that links up the best with Kagawa and the frontline. Valencia is great and everything, but his main thing is just pumping crosses into the box. Nani can play the tippy tappy stuff :drool:
 

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The funny thing about all this is - Young's stock right now is probably the highest it's been in the past 12 months amongst posters on here, and yet he's hasn't played a game for ages! At least one thing about our poor start to the season from Nani and Valencia, is the perspective it will give some in the value of having Ashley Young.
 
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The funny thing about all this is - Young's stock right now is probably the highest it's been in the past 12 months amongst posters on here, and yet he's hasn't played a game for ages! At least one thing about our poor start to the season from Nani and Valencia, is the perspective it will give some in the value of having Ashley Young.
He wasn't exactly setting the team alight himself but at least he gives us another good option. People should appreciate we have 3 very good wingers who can take turns to step in when someone drops their level.
 

togg

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The funny thing about all this is - Young's stock right now is probably the highest it's been in the past 12 months amongst posters on here, and yet he's hasn't played a game for ages! At least one thing about our poor start to the season from Nani and Valencia, is the perspective it will give some in the value of having Ashley Young.
you're right. I seem to remember countless posts slagging him off and saying what a waste of money!! It seems that, although not even playing, he might be breaking even now!!
 

Sassy Colin

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The funny thing about all this is - Young's stock right now is probably the highest it's been in the past 12 months amongst posters on here, and yet he's hasn't played a game for ages! At least one thing about our poor start to the season from Nani and Valencia, is the perspective it will give some in the value of having Ashley Young.
In much the same way Lucas's stock was rising for Liverpool the longer he was out injured?

If what we've got isn't performing, then people are going to be looking for options elsewhere. The fact of the matter is that Young hasn't played well either for us or England for a little while.
 

Ole's_toe_poke

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The funny thing about all this is - Young's stock right now is probably the highest it's been in the past 12 months amongst posters on here, and yet he's hasn't played a game for ages! At least one thing about our poor start to the season from Nani and Valencia, is the perspective it will give some in the value of having Ashley Young.
I find Young equally frustrating as Nani. Especially when he has one of those games where every cross he hits fails to clear the first man.
 

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I think people have forgotten that Ashley Young wasn't exactly lighting up the wings before he got injured. In fact, he was also having a poor form where he just couldn't/didnt want to take on players; he was too predictable.
 

ha_rooney

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I think people have forgotten that Ashley Young wasn't exactly lighting up the wings before he got injured. In fact, he was also having a poor form where he just couldn't/didnt want to take on players; he was too predictable.
Agreed. He has very good pace and a good cross yet for some reason he's refusing to take on the full-back and attack him. Instead, he chooses to wait for Evra or slows down the game by constantly cutting inside, by which time the opponents have organised their defence and the chance to attack has gone.

I'd like to see him attack the full-back at full pace and create problems, like he used to do at Villa instead of always trying the safer option of waiting for Evra.
 

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Apparently Wes Brown was in there as well? No idea about the validity of that claim though.

Edit - Rather humerous picture of Ashley Young in the away end, mainly due to the expression on the face of the guy to the right...

 

Cina

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I can see him displacing Welbeck in that system when he returns. I reckon he'd do well in it.