He was always a Nani clone in terms of decision making and inconsistency. He was just as bad as he is at the moment during the World Cup. One of the biggest disappointments of the tournament before he got injured in the quarter finals. It looks more and more like his brilliant 6 months at Real last season were a great run of form and not his actual performance level. He'll have a few fantastic games from time to time when everything he tries works, but it's totally unpredictable when it's going to happen or how often.
7
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 32
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 13
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Red cards
- 1
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
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I feel like I watched a different game.
Yes, he was inconsistent but at the same time he was our most dangerous player while he was on the pitch.
Yes, he was inconsistent but at the same time he was our most dangerous player while he was on the pitch.
He's always been the Nani of a few seasons back, with better final ball and worse finishing. Why he was always a £30m valued player until last season when his price doubled and Real Madrid instantly sold to get in a younger and more complete player in Rodriguez.
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The Nani of a few seasons back was lethal, ADM's performance this season aren't close.
The moments before he was subbed off was when I thought he was improving his gmae and involment with those beautiful passes over the top.
He wasn't close to being good yesterday, but I liked how he still found himself on the ball more often than most of our attacking talent. Even when he's at his lowest ebb, I still feel as though he has that one moment of brilliance in him to win a game.
Yep but we are not putting his attributes to good use and this is not his fault. Let him run at players from deep. With his speed control and engine he's a player very hard to stop. Play him as a winger and he's doubled up on and his threat drops considerable although still a good player.
Not sure about the more complete player but can see your point.
Clearly not confident and playing in a team a lot worse than his previous one. Yes the price tag is huge but he did not create it. My worry more than his form is whether he actually wants to be here, all that talk about him joining PSG before they pulled out due the fee and FFP leads me to believe we were not his desired choice.
He will rediscover his form for sure but overall this season he has been bang average just like most of our team and LvG hasn't helped him at all to be fair by playing him all over the shop. Opposition fans are loving it but these are the same fans who thought he was world class at Real! I would personally start him from the bench in the next few games, take him out of the firing line and bring him on against tired opposition.
He will rediscover his form for sure but overall this season he has been bang average just like most of our team and LvG hasn't helped him at all to be fair by playing him all over the shop. Opposition fans are loving it but these are the same fans who thought he was world class at Real! I would personally start him from the bench in the next few games, take him out of the firing line and bring him on against tired opposition.
I don't think there has been any doubt that, ADM wanted to go to Paris before United.
His reaction when he was subbed off made it pretty obvious he wanted to be playing, so I don't really understand these 'he doesn't wanna be here' comments.
Also, he was our main source of chances yesterday and could have had 3 or 4 assists from some great balls, so the 'no confidence' idea doesn't seem to make an awful lot of sense.
For me it boils down to the fact that almost every one else is playing percentage passes and risking nothing, which makes his attempts at high risk passes stand out even more than normal, especially when they don't come off.
He's definitely not in top form, and he could (should) be doing better, but the way we're playing isn't helping him in any way whatsoever, and subbing him off was absolutely insane.
Also, he was our main source of chances yesterday and could have had 3 or 4 assists from some great balls, so the 'no confidence' idea doesn't seem to make an awful lot of sense.
For me it boils down to the fact that almost every one else is playing percentage passes and risking nothing, which makes his attempts at high risk passes stand out even more than normal, especially when they don't come off.
He's definitely not in top form, and he could (should) be doing better, but the way we're playing isn't helping him in any way whatsoever, and subbing him off was absolutely insane.
Poor game but still created our best chances. We should stop fecking around and play him in front of a solid middle 2 every game. Give him the license to do as he pleases, not restrict him to a position where he can be doubled up and negated. That said, doesnt absolve him of blame. needs to up his game.
Thats what I thought but I had the impression on here when we signed him that many fans could not believe how he could choose Paris over the great Manchester United and that we can only be second choice to Real Madrid.
I'd rather a player has the courage to carry the ball forward and lose it than needlessly passing it side to side, not creating anything and still losing it.
Btw, I have just checked on whoscored and Hazard for example literally gets dispossesed twice as much per game as Di Maria. I am sure other forwards/attacking mids also lose the ball fairly often, Fabregas for example loses it as often as Di Maria. The difference is that it gets noticed more when Di Maria or even Herrera yesterday lose it because then due to our system and shambolic defending the opposing player can run through all the way to DDG without any trouble.
Whereas in Chelsea's conservative system if Hazard or Fabregas lose it, most of the time no problem, as Matic or one of their 6 defenders will clear the ball or at least commit a foul, but unlike us they are not that nice that they let the opposing attacker run through all the way to Courtois without doing anything you know.
Btw, I have just checked on whoscored and Hazard for example literally gets dispossesed twice as much per game as Di Maria. I am sure other forwards/attacking mids also lose the ball fairly often, Fabregas for example loses it as often as Di Maria. The difference is that it gets noticed more when Di Maria or even Herrera yesterday lose it because then due to our system and shambolic defending the opposing player can run through all the way to DDG without any trouble.
Whereas in Chelsea's conservative system if Hazard or Fabregas lose it, most of the time no problem, as Matic or one of their 6 defenders will clear the ball or at least commit a foul, but unlike us they are not that nice that they let the opposing attacker run through all the way to Courtois without doing anything you know.
He was probably our most active attacking player and was doing well on the right flank with Valencia. He certainly did much more than Young did until he went off and it was a much improved performance. Januzaj didnt do much at all and it was not a right sub. Cant share the negativity in here
Of course his confidence is not high, yes he produced a few good passes prior to his substitution but his overall play has showed simple passes being misplaced, being afraid to shoot, over running the ball and carrying the look and demeanor of a man generally having a mare and weighed down by a huge expectation in a faltering team. This has been evident in plenty of games of late.
He is not prone to a mistake of course just like any other player but this is not the same confident player of the previous season not even the one of the first few months of this season. I believe LvG has not helped his situation either at all by not only playing him in positions he is not accustomed to but also like you said the way the team is set up and instructed with percentage passing does make it more noticeable when cock ups are made. Adnan was the same when he came on hit and miss but he doesn't look to be having any doubts about his own abilities right now unlike Angel, in my own opinion of course.
Being subbed and looking upset is great to see and what all professionals should show if unhappy with the managers decision (which I didn't agree with either, Van Gaal has done this on a few occasions this season) but I think when saying about him wanting to be here is more to do with his own admission of not realizing how physical and fast this league is, the attempted robbery and the fact he looked very much PSG bound in the summer.
I really want him to regain his form and get some consistency to his game as such a great player when things are going for him and he could be so vital in the run in. Will this happen though is anyone's guess.
Yesterday, Di Maria found a team-mate with a frankly pathetic 63% of his passes.
Hazard and Fabregas racked up 91% and 82% accuracy respectively.
That is why Di Maria gets more stick than them. Or you could ignore stats and, you know, watch them play football?
Thanks for the advice but I watched the game and just checked the stats you know. And I wasn't arguing about passing here but about being disposessed if you bother to read.
So passing the ball to the opposition doesn't result in lost possession? Righto.
You were clearly implying that Hazard and Fabregas lose the ball just as much, if not more, than Di Maria but nobody criticises them because they have better team-mates to cover for them. You shouldn't need stats to know that your theory is utter nonsense. Just in case you do, though, I provided them.
I also like the way you refer to Chelsea's "conservative" system. You should mention that in the Van Gaal thread. Maybe we need to be more conservative, like Chelsea?
I also mentioned their 6 defenders, but just to spell it out for you, I don't mean by that that they always play with 6 defenders you know. And with conservative system I meant that their system is not a posession system where you get easily exposed once you lose the ball (just like Barca/Bayern) compared to Chelsea's or Atletico's system for example. But I thought that would be clear to anyone who watches some football. Oh and before you now ask questions about Bayern/Barca: We play a possesion game like them but all three still do it in a different way and they of course have better players than us.
And yes passes matter, but I wasn't talking about them, I was just talking about a specific element (being dispossesed), because if Di Maria was dispossesed in Atletico's or Chelsea's system, ppl would not be annoyed that much because those teams would win the ball back asap unlike us.
Good God, if you really can't see the link between passing the ball badly and losing possession I'm wasting my time here. You're on your own.
I can see the link Mr smart, but that still doesn't contradict my statement about being disposessed. There's a link but they are not the same Thing. Rooney for example has better passing stats this season than Di Maria, but at the same time also loses possesiion more often than Di Maria.
Edit: Plus as you have yourself provided Hazard's passing stats, he has much better passing stats than Di Maria but also loses the ball twice as much. (This has probably a lot to do with him trying more dribbles, but that's another point then anyway ...)
Is there a site that does those chalkboards now? Like the ones the Guardian used to have where you could see where on the pitch the player touched the ball, lost it, which passes worked/failed?
Needs his confidence rebuilding. Not sure how we do that, maybe he could do with a game off?
Perhaps a counterattacking game plan vs Arsenal will suit him?
Perhaps a counterattacking game plan vs Arsenal will suit him?
So there was NOTHING positive in his first 10 games... ok
From his face at the end of the game and him not celebrating like the others ( he didnt stand up quickly enough and didnt clap as hard as the other players ) its clear he doesnt want to be at United.
Jokes aside, hope he will find his form.
Jokes aside, hope he will find his form.
Paris is a shitehole, just saying. Why would anyone want to live there?
How big effect do you think the break in on January 31st is having? The reports I read in the papers say that three armed figures attempted to force entry into the player’s house in Cheshire, but despite smashing the windows of the mansion, they left empty-handed after an alarm was triggered and they subsequently fled.
However, I have heard rumours that the break in was far worse than what has been reported and the the press and United have deliberately watered down the incident. That his agent has informed United that the player's family are unhappy in Manchester and Di Maria wishes, if the club can make it happen, to move out of the country.
However, I have heard rumours that the break in was far worse than what has been reported and the the press and United have deliberately watered down the incident. That his agent has informed United that the player's family are unhappy in Manchester and Di Maria wishes, if the club can make it happen, to move out of the country.
Scroll up, i have already covered this
Sounds like complete and utter guff to me.
Not sure about all that dross about the rumours and what not but the break in attempt is likely having an impact on him. Footballer or no footballer, if you're trying to settle in a new country and something like that happens, it isn't likely to be easy. I'm sure it's having an effect.
Hazard probably attempt more dribbles as you say but he also has on average 20% more playing time per game compared to di Maria.
This. Some ridiculous overreactions in this thread. The ball to Fellaini alone was pure class
Rojo had a rough start and both players missed a significant amount of time with injuries as well.
Gabriel is out, i am dead certain he will destroy their defence tomorrow
, its not tomorrow ? ffsEh? The Nani of a few seasons back had way more assists over 18-24 months than any other PL player. His crossing and final ball was amazing.
Sometimes I wonder if you actually watch our players or just write this shit to WUM.
One thing I took from watching the game live is the amount of times he asks for the ball and doesn't receive it. Herrera, Blind and Fellaini would pick the ball up in the centre of the pitch, and ADM would be out wide right screaming for it but they are reluctant to try a difficult ball, but in reality it's only a 30 yard diagonal ball to his feet, most of the time there's no need to even take out the defender. Give it ADM's feet and let him do that, instead he's coming too short for the ball and then trying to hard.
With players like Scholes and Carrick in the team, our wingers received the ball much higher up the pitch and could target the full-back one on one but at the minute, ADM is receiving it on the half way line and expecting to make things happen, if he got it in the final third with pace on the ball so he has momentum to beat his man then I'm sure he could do that easily enough either on the outside or cutting inside. Getting the ball deep means he's doubled up on, there was a few times where he beat Taylor with ease but Sissoko was tracking back or Coloccini would come across and clear up the danger.
With players like Scholes and Carrick in the team, our wingers received the ball much higher up the pitch and could target the full-back one on one but at the minute, ADM is receiving it on the half way line and expecting to make things happen, if he got it in the final third with pace on the ball so he has momentum to beat his man then I'm sure he could do that easily enough either on the outside or cutting inside. Getting the ball deep means he's doubled up on, there was a few times where he beat Taylor with ease but Sissoko was tracking back or Coloccini would come across and clear up the danger.
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