Why have we settled for two make-shift full-backs?

[Oscie]

Valencia and Young are more than capable of holding their own in many games. Very capable of looking good, in fact. Capable of having a good run of form. But the fact remains neither are specialists in those roles and at times it really does show.

They've both ended up there by accident. Two players aged 32 who are performing a role that was alien to them for much of, if not all, of their 20s. That isn't to say they're not capable of performing there, but it's odd how we've settled with two make-shift, late comers to the full back role for both positions. At times I think it really does leave us exposed as neither are naturals in their positions. Neither are 'expert' full-backs. When against a higher calibre of opposition where the role requires more than strolling forward and waiting for the chance to cross, I think they really can look exposed, particularly Young.

 

[Rockets Redglare]

Valencia is more than good enough to play fullback for us in every game. Young less so.

 

[Skills]

Valencia is a very good full back - he's far from makeshift now. Young playing over Shaw is Mourinho's preference.

 

[JB08]

Valencia has been our first choice fullback for years now, calling him 'makeshift' seems a lazy argument to me.

 

[PoTMS]

Valencia is one of the top right backs in the world. Please don’t put him in the same category as Young. Why Young plays over Shaw though, is anyone’s guess.

 

[Oscie]

Valencia is more than good enough to play fullback for us in every game. Young less so.

I'd question even Valencia. Like Giggs in later years I think his performances are always viewed through a prism.

With Giggs it was "He's played well" - with the words "...for a 40 year old", unspoken.

With Valencia it's "He's played well..." - with the words "...considering he's taken up that role late in his career"

Agree with out of the two Valencia being more skilled at the role but are either men's performances comparable to what we'd see if we had a proper specialist left-back and right-back playing for us? I have my doubts.

 

[charlenefan]

Nothing wrong with Valencia he is a RB now, Young well positionally he's got it all wrong tonight but that could have easily happened with Shaw playing there imo

 

[Paxi]

Valencia is more than a good fullback. He's largely brilliant. He can obviously be suspect defensively against top players but which full backs aren't these days?

But yeah, Ashley Young as a left back. Just stop. Either play Shaw or sign Sandro or Gholum or whatever the feck his name is. Or that kid from Fulham.

 

[marjen]

Valencia is an excellent FB at this moment in time.

Young is a back up solution.

 

[DWelbz19]

Bemusingly high praise for Valencia in the replies... He's an OK RB but we could definitely improve.

 

[Snow]

Valencia is a good full back. Not fair to drag him down because Young has had to fill in at left back.

Young has been horrible in this half but he's one of many having a very bad game. The faults don't lie with the individual.

 

[arthurka]

Because Valencia has been one of the best in the league for couple of seasons... The other one has also been really good this season.. No problem with either of them..

 

[careca07]

Posted this in the match day forum but genuinely, is there another squad in any league in Europe, at any level, that could put out the same back four and keeper in 2018 as in 2011? It’s mental. Total stagnation.

 

[Drainy]

Just gotta get through this season.. in the summer we'll get a top left back and a proper central midfielder who can play in a three with Pogba and Matic.

Fosu-Mensah will be backing up Valencia, and Shaw will be backing up the new signing.

 

[Jonno]

Maybe have a little bit of patience. We're attempting to rebuild our entire team/squad and we're only 18 months in?

One brick at a time eh? I'd rather be replacing Carrick with a world class CM this summer than replacing Valencia for a world class RB.

 

[Jaybomb]

It’s a shambles. No other top team would have two aging average wingers “doing a job” at full back and delivering crappy crosses non stop.

The fact that Ashley Young is our primary attacking outlet in 2018 fecking depresses me.

Couple them both with Smalling and Jones and it’s not hard to see why we can’t win the league.

 

[Steven Seagull]

It’s absolute insanity to have a left back who has to cut inside onto his right foot in his own fecking half.

 

[DWelbz19]

Posted this in the match day forum but genuinely, is there another squad in any league in Europe, at any level, that could put out the same back four and keeper in 2018 as in 2011? It’s mental. Total stagnation.

Wow. Illuminating stat.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

how has pogba been this poor? like how is he as talented as he is but just incapable of playing in cm vs decent sides?

 

[Catt]

how has pogba been this poor? like how is he as talented as he is but just incapable of playing in cm vs decent sides?

Wrong thread.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Wrong thread.

hahaha fair

 

[Donnie Brasco]

Because we have "fantastic" owners that own the richest club in the world yet it can't spend enough to get world class players, that's why.

 

[Judas]

Bemusingly high praise for Valencia in the replies... He's an OK RB but we could definitely improve.

Correct. I don't get why he's so overrated on here, is it nostalgia? We should be looking to do much better.

 

[JB08]

Because we have "fantastic" owners that own the richest club in the world yet it can't spend enough to get world class players, that's why.

What?

 

[VeevaVee]

Like with most of our defenders, they generally look quite good in most games, but aren't good enough for top level stuff or when a team really pressures us.

 

[Sigma]

Posted this in the match day forum but genuinely, is there another squad in any league in Europe, at any level, that could put out the same back four and keeper in 2018 as in 2011? It’s mental. Total stagnation.

And yet we have the joint best defence in the league.

 

[Judas]

Posted this in the match day forum but genuinely, is there another squad in any league in Europe, at any level, that could put out the same back four and keeper in 2018 as in 2011? It’s mental. Total stagnation.

That's an incredible stat, you'd think it was the best back four in history for it to still be in action after that long.


Spoiler it's not.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Valencia has been our least shittest player to be fair

 

[settembrini]

It would have been silly for Mourinho to spend money on our weak positions like LB and RW when he could instead buy a 5th choice CB, a replacement for our player of the season or another left winger.

 

[adexkola]

Valencia is fine IMO. We do need a right winger, as Valencia contributes the square root of feck all going forward.

 

[ZupZup]

Have no issue with Valencia... one of only a few United players who didn’t shit themselves when they had the ball at their feet today.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Two proper full backs has to be addressed as a priority in the summer

 

[redIndianDevil]

Valencia is pretty decent but Young is atrocious. At least Valencia doesn't need the forward to help him out so much defensively, he has done pretty well while playing with Mata who is not that good at tracking back but Young is just useless defensively without Martial/Rashford. He cannot cross because he is not left footed, never overlaps. Mourinho just seems to play him because he runs around a bit, Shaw was just getting into the groove as well.

 

[Nytram Shakes]

Simple answer is because they have both played incredibly well in the position.

Valencia has been one of the best right backs in the league for the past 3 years.

Young has been great in the role this season too. Both defensively and going forward.

People are just having a paddy because we lost a game:

Look spurs where great, some of our players had shockers, notibly Jones pogba and Sanchez. And tactically we where a bit of a mess both in defence and attack.

People need to stop looking for scape goats, eslically cry cry why havnt we spent 300 miilion this window.

 

[BluesJr]

Valencia is not good enough. The sooner people realise that the better. Shaw should also be playing, Young is an average player.

 

[El-Manos]

Maybe have a little bit of patience. We're attempting to rebuild our entire team/squad and we're only 18 months in?

One brick at a time eh? I'd rather be replacing Carrick with a world class CM this summer than replacing Valencia for a world class RB.

We could easily address both positions this summer providing the right player is available.

 

[Jonno]

We could easily address both positions this summer providing the right player is available.

Exactly, so I reiterate what I just said, have a little patience? Wait 6 months? A completely fresh set of attackers was needed, along with a new midfield, at a much more urgent rate than the need to buy two world class fullbacks. That has been the most important part of the squad to assemble in Mourinho's first 18 months.

 

[Desert Eagle]

Young is not a left back. We have been getting away with it for a while but he's just too easy to figure out. His only redeeming quality is his crossing.

 

[Camilo]

I don't agree with those who say Valencia is a good fullback. I think defensively he's as good as anyone these days - strong, fast, disciplined - but in attack he offers absolutely no threat. He can't go past a man, he can't cross, he can't do anything in attack. When Valencia gets the ball wide, he's shuffling back to his left then passing it backwards 99 times out of 100. You can't expect to be a top team if your defence does nothing but defend. There's a reason teams are starting to involve the keeper in more aspects of play these days - it gets an 11th man playing football. Our fullbacks are our wide-men, and Valencia doesn't cut it.

For a position that's so massively important in modern football I think it's been strangely overlooked. Who was our last established proper fullback? Evra? And on the right? Was it actually Neville? That's fecking mental.

Shaw may well have a future here - I think he's looked really impressive when he's been given a run this season - but buying a RB and a LB in the summer is essential.

 

[Ban]

I hope we'll settle for Shaw. And Valencia needs a backup. It's not that he's bad but he's a bit old.

 

[Canagel]

We need a City style overhaul of the full-back positions this summer. It would transform the team completely. Are there any top fullbacks on the market currently? Valencia isn't too bad but he needs competition/cover because he's going to be 32/33 next season. Young isn't a LB so I don't want to see him there. I'm a little confused about Shaw because he looks good at times but other times I worry about his positioning. We definitely need new fullbacks.