Unpopular opinion - Daniel James is not very good

I think he can develop into a good player still. He has a great touch, an eye for a pass, which, granted, he doesn't execute that well all the time, and has shown he can score some nice goals.

He just needs to rely less on kicking and running. If he works on getting stronger on the ball so he can resist pressing opposition as he's quite easily dispossessed, as well as obviously becoming more consistent in his already positive attributes, I think he'll become a player good enough to contribute to a title challenging squad. Probably not as a starter, though.
 
It's what every young player goes through. Opponents work you out and you have to adapt. People have an obsession with writing players off. This was a thread about Rashford not too long ago
 
I like him, not sure what people are expecting of a young player coming from the Championship to United. The problem is how much we already rely on him. Normally there would be players ahead of him and he'd be rotation option.
 
In his defence he was bought to be a squad player and not someone who starts every game. That being said, do I think he is very limited? Yes i do. Think his ceiling is a prime Walcott.
 
It has been very clear from the start that he is not good enough to be a starter. Very good option for the bench. His overall play is not good enough and he is not influencing games enough. I like his speed, its a weapon.
 
I think he would be better on the left cutting in. But Rashford has made that position his own.

Anyhow James will get his chance now on the left with Rashford out.

I still would prefer a left footed winger on that RW. Like Robben cutting in.
 
Ole cant go wrong. If he turns good ole signed him. If he turns crap poor recruitment by Woodward
 
Josep Dowling said:
He’s definitely a fan favourite on here and I really don’t understand why.

In most games he’s absolutely anonymous. He was again today but Ole didn’t take him off. I think the last time he did anything of note was against Sheffield United away where he got an assist. That’s two months ago.

He lacks any movement off the ball. When he receives the ball not once does he use his pace to take on a man. Why doesn’t he run down the wing? He’s turned into Antonio Valencia. Receives the ball, stops and plays a safe sideways pass.

I don’t care if he only costs £20m I judge players on whether they are good enough to play for Manchester United. He doesn’t show enough for me. The biggest defence I see for him is ‘well he puts the effort in’. So does Lingard but we all know he’s shite. You need effort and quality. When was the last time he even crossed a ball into the box?
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This.
 
bucky said:
I like him, not sure what people are expecting of a young player coming from the Championship to United. The problem is how much we already rely on him. Normally there would be players ahead of him and he'd be rotation option.
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Thats exactly the problem. We rely on him, even though we shouldn't. And should never have been relying. Maybe next summer, finally we will get a proper right side starter? Well, one can hope.
 
Due to our strange transfer strategy of gutting the squad and not replacing them, he‘s probably playing a lot more than would be anticipated and unfairly has pressure on him to deliver.

In an ideal scenario, he‘s an impact sub and a starter in lower level league games and domestic cup games where he can gradually acclimatise to the league and our team. If he performs well he’ll get starts in big league games and critical European games.

But nope, he’s immediately a key player for us with more experienced players like Lingard not doing better, and no recognised right winger.
 
When we signed him I thought we bought him to be an impact player coming off the bench, not a straight first XI player. More quality is needed. I do like James, but we're asking too much of him IMO.
 
I don’t think it’s a massively unpopular opinion, at one point I was fully convinced by him, but to be fair I think we all know if we had Jadon Sancho there we’d be a far, far better team.
 
He's a decent footballer but people were definitely too quick to heap the praise due to his effort levels. Backup player level right now
 
I don't know why we bought him.

At the point of purchase, we had Martial, Rashford, Pogba, Lingard, Sanchez, Young who all preferred playing on the left & cutting in onto their right foot.

Was DJ such a must buy that we had to have him over other wingers especially say a left footer who thrives on the right wing??
 
I mean I was told on a few occasions that wanting us to sign Sancho was being unfair to James. FFS.
 
He is squad rotation player. Useful for some games and as impact substitution in some. But not a starter for club who chase titles or even top4 spot. Not even close.

We must sign first team starter and use him as backup.
 
sideshow_bob said:
I don't know why we bought him.

At the point of purchase, we had Martial, Rashford, Pogba, Lingard, Sanchez, Young who all preferred playing on the left & cutting in onto their right foot.

Was DJ such a must buy that we had to have him over other wingers especially say a left footer who thrives on the right wing??
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That's a mess of a post. Pogba is a midfielder, Sanchez was always being sold, Lingard predominantly plays centrally and Young has been a full-back for a long time now. Daniel James is good cover for either wing.
 
Agree
Andycoleno9 said:
He is squad rotation player. Useful for some games and as impact substitution in some. But not a starter for club who chase titles or even top4 spot. Not even close.

We must sign first team starter and use him as backup.
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Unfair, he will be a terrific squad player and he's just played in a fixture of the intensity he's never played in before. He's also played too many games this year due to the size of the squad.
 
Been rushed into the team due to not getting the players we needed in the summer. Certainly think he needs a break, and also think in a couple of years he will be a very good player.
 
macheda14 said:
That's a mess of a post. Pogba is a midfielder, Sanchez was always being sold, Lingard predominantly plays centrally and Young has been a full-back for a long time now. Daniel James is good cover for either wing.
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Sigh I guess it's just me that's puzzled as to why we're buying 'good cover for either wing' when we haven't purchased a proper starting right winger for ages now
 
Sparky Rhiwabon said:
He was good until our coaches coached his natural game out of him
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What was his natural game? He is not a player who can dribble past player( unless he has 20 yards of space). He is not a player who will score 10+ goals. He is not a player who has some amazing cross. He is not a player who has very good technique.

He is a player for counter attacking football when other team goes all out attack. Then he can really destroy you. But against organised defence he is just not good.

Useful player but nothing more
 
Noone expected him to play so many games or be a starter. Its poor management that has led him to play more games or minutes than he should have in his first season.
 
It's the overuse of this guy that I can't stand with Ole.

Greenwood hardly gets to play a game next to Rashford & Martial - now Rashford is Injured the chances of that happening this season becomes even less likely.

Martial & Rashford work together like Tom & Jerry whilst James plays a completely different type of football on the right wing playing crosses.

I feel sad for h because it's Ole making him do it.
 
He is the kind of player if United were truly a title challenger, we'd have signed and left at his current club or a lower level EPL club for couple of years to fully develop.
 
Bebestation said:
It's the overuse of this guy that I can't stand with Ole.

Greenwood hardly gets to play a game next to Rashford & Martial - now Rashford is Injured the chances of that happening this season becomes even less likely.

Martial & Rashford work together like Tom & Jerry whilst James plays a completely different type of football on the right wing playing crosses.

I feel sad for h because it's Ole making him do it.
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To be honest, the type of football OGS prefers in most matches (Counter - attacking and try to take advantage of space) is basically the only type of football that James is useful in. OGS uses him correctly, it is only that he can't do sh*t other than running.

Salah is extremely fast, but he can pass and cross relatively well with his foot. And can finish and his close control is really good.
Being only a fast player does not hold up at the highest level...
 
Superunknown said:
He's starting more games than he should be, mostly because our squad depth is so utterly poor that we don't have many options but to play him.

That's not his fault. I think he works best as a sub to run at tired defenders. For example, I think had he come on today in the 60th minute, he would have been far more effective than he actually was when he started.
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Agree with this take. Thought Williams played better on the Left today and deserved to stay on. Would have brought Mason in for James.
 
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