Unpopular opinion - Daniel James is not very good

Hughie77

Full Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
4,090
James, along with AWB, need time, need to get better on the balls into box, both of them , the boys been kicked all over the place in some games he's got bugger all off the refs, ole needs to come out and criticise the officials when he gets this treatment, SAF would have , it puts the doubt in there minds.
Improvement is needed as well, he just can't get by with his pace.

With a few additions I feel, James will become a squad player with what is needed, this season he's practically played way to much for his liking and Oles.
 

AFC NimbleThumb

Full Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2019
Messages
8,284
Well I couldn’t give a toss whether he’s a nice lad or not, and am certainly not looking for excuses. Though if we’ve completely given up on improving players we’ve signed and just hope that either their “natural ability” is good enough or they don’t forget the good things they’ve learned at their previous club(s), then we’ll be in the doldrums for a long time.

Besides, Nani had more flair and natural ability than 95% of the players I’ve seen at OT over the past 50 years, yet a hell of a lot of fans (NOT just on the Caf) hated him. So not everyone agrees with your opening statement, sadly.
Got to step in here.

Don’t mention Daniel James & Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha [thank you wiki] in the same sentence.

Nani would currently be our best player. I really like Dan James as his performance thread will attribute but he’s got a LONG way to go before he reaches that level.

Started well & has faded, to be expected as we shouldn’t be relying o. him week in week out but here we are - hopefully he’s the type to work on his game & learns from being [somewhat] found out as simply a pace merchant.
 

Andycoleno9

matchday malcontent
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Messages
28,576
Location
Croatia
James, along with AWB, need time, need to get better on the balls into box, both of them , the boys been kicked all over the place in some games he's got bugger all off the refs, ole needs to come out and criticise the officials when he gets this treatment, SAF would have , it puts the doubt in there minds.
Improvement is needed as well, he just can't get by with his pace.

With a few additions I feel, James will become a squad player with what is needed, this season he's practically played way to much for his liking and Oles.
This "give him time" is really boring now. Not just about him.
James is slightly above average in nearly everything. And with time he can and will raise some parts of his game but it is obvious that he will not become first 11 United quality player. He can't adopt flair, better technique, dribble...it is something which player has or not.
He needs to be backup player because he is useful in some games but that is it. I don't mind having him in rotation but new first choice right winger is needed.
 

Revaulx

Full Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
Messages
6,031
Location
Saddleworth
Got to step in here.

Don’t mention Daniel James & Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha [thank you wiki] in the same sentence.

Nani would currently be our best player. I really like Dan James as his performance thread will attribute but he’s got a LONG way to go before he reaches that level.

Started well & has faded, to be expected as we shouldn’t be relying o. him week in week out but here we are - hopefully he’s the type to work on his game & learns from being [somewhat] found out as simply a pace merchant.
Oh I quite agree, and I wasn’t in any way comparing the two players. I was taking issue with the assertion that flair and natural talent were always valued at United, given the ridiculous amount of abuse Nani received.

I’m also of the opinion that James has enough quality for it to be worthwhile for the coaches to work with him to improve his game. Whether they are capable of doing so is another matter.
 

Mr. Christian

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 14, 2019
Messages
93
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?
He’s impacted quite a number of games!

He’s got pace and clearly does run with the ball hence the amount of times he gets brought down.

As for no movement! He constantly tries to break forward and the final ball doesn’t get delivered which in itself has been the biggest problem this season, namely no link play between midfield and attack.

He’s no dribbling genius, but as you have identified, his work rate is excellent.

Let’s not forget he’s still young, and this is his maiden Premiership experience, and has pretty much been thrown in at the deep end.

Running down the wing is an option I guess, alas, we do not and have not played with wingers for quite a few seasons.

Give him a chance mate, he’s been here 5 minutes! Martial’s in his fifth season!
 

Mr. Christian

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 14, 2019
Messages
93
Oh I quite agree, and I wasn’t in any way comparing the two players. I was taking issue with the assertion that flair and natural talent were always valued at United, given the ridiculous amount of abuse Nani received.

I’m also of the opinion that James has enough quality for it to be worthwhile for the coaches to work with him to improve his game. Whether they are capable of doing so is another matter.
I reckon Ryan Giggs would agree with you that he’s worthwhile
 

Davìd Moyéz

Full Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2019
Messages
216
I don't agree with that at all. What you're talking about is generally referred to as "end product". Sterling used to be like that and has matured into a great player. Even Ronaldo had issues when he first joined United.

He's a young lad with little PL experience who's come into a shambles of a club and with a lot of weight on his shoulders. With experience, and confidence comes composure. Few players have that instinctively. Young players make poor decisions and take an extra touch when they shouldn't. Whether he proves he's good enough long term is unknown, but he'd shown more than enough to be given a chance.
Composure is the word. Can it be taught? It can obviously be improved on but I think to some extent it's something you have instinctively. Hopefully you're right, I like the lad and he's obviously talented. I'm not sure we've got the right staff or players around to guide him to be honest. That's the big problem with our 'Recruitment strategy' of buying youngsters. They won't automatically improve as they get older.

The two examples you've given were players playing in sides full of incredible quality and experience with arguably the best 2 managers of the last 40 years. Who is Dan James learning from? Martial, Pereira and Lingard.
 

cyril C

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2017
Messages
2,634
James, along with AWB, need time, need to get better on the balls into box, both of them , the boys been kicked all over the place in some games he's got bugger all off the refs, ole needs to come out and criticise the officials when he gets this treatment, SAF would have , it puts the doubt in there minds.
Improvement is needed as well, he just can't get by with his pace.

With a few additions I feel, James will become a squad player with what is needed, this season he's practically played way to much for his liking and Oles.
This is the problem with Ole. While AWB might have some game time previously, James has none, and yet he is expected to perform and produce day in day out. After all these years, we kept on finding left hand side attackers, and yet Ole still fail to recruit an experienced RIGHT winger. James should have been a backup / understudy for 1-2 seasons before he gets regular time, apparently I heard he normally plays on the left hand side as well.

Am I getting the impression that there are only right leg left back but plenty of right leg left winger in the world?
 

AFC NimbleThumb

Full Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2019
Messages
8,284
Oh I quite agree, and I wasn’t in any way comparing the two players. I was taking issue with the assertion that flair and natural talent were always valued at United, given the ridiculous amount of abuse Nani received.

I’m also of the opinion that James has enough quality for it to be worthwhile for the coaches to work with him to improve his game. Whether they are capable of doing so is another matter.
100% agree.

I just get a little protective of Nani, he was never respected/championed enough for his abilities & here we are starting Andreas Periera at RW years later :lol:
 

Beaucoup

Full Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2016
Messages
1,563
Well I couldn’t give a toss whether he’s a nice lad or not, and am certainly not looking for excuses. Though if we’ve completely given up on improving players we’ve signed and just hope that either their “natural ability” is good enough or they don’t forget the good things they’ve learned at their previous club(s), then we’ll be in the doldrums for a long time.

Besides, Nani had more flair and natural ability than 95% of the players I’ve seen at OT over the past 50 years, yet a hell of a lot of fans (NOT just on the Caf) hated him. So not everyone agrees with your opening statement, sadly.
Unfortunately standards have dropped considerably since the days of Nani.
 

Alabaster Codify7

New Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2015
Messages
6,553
Location
Wales
Unfortunately standards have dropped considerably since the days of Nani.

Yeah, we saw Nani as a sort of step-down from Ronaldo but in hindsight, our current options make Nani look like prime Ronaldo crossed with prime Giggs. It's so depressing how far the quality of our starting 11 has fallen since SAF's final few years - really fecking depressing.
 

Hughie77

Full Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2017
Messages
4,090
This is the problem with Ole. While AWB might have some game time previously, James has none, and yet he is expected to perform and produce day in day out. After all these years, we kept on finding left hand side attackers, and yet Ole still fail to recruit an experienced RIGHT winger. James should have been a backup / understudy for 1-2 seasons before he gets regular time, apparently I heard he normally plays on the left hand side as well.

Am I getting the impression that there are only right leg left back but plenty of right leg left winger in the world?
Yes, he should have just been used as a back up, but with the lack of recruitment in those areas he's been thrust in way way to much, his form at start of season didn't help, because he could not be dropped, then a dip was always on the cards through his age and inexperience at this level, along with the injuries in CM and up front, he looks lost in games, he's giving his all that's not in question, it's just he should have not been put in the situation at his age and inexperience, to drag the side through difficult periods. Hope this changes in summer window , then he can do what I think he was originally bought to do. He did play more from the left at Swansea, where he was better, but in a different league.

Time is on his side only plus I've got at the moment.
 

The Cat

Will drink milk from your hands
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
12,113
Location
Feet up at home.
100% agree.

I just get a little protective of Nani, he was never respected/championed enough for his abilities & here we are starting Andreas Periera at RW years later :lol:
Nani would be an improvement right now but people are so quick to forget how poor he was overall during his stint. Frustrating is the best word I can come up with. Talent was there but no consistency for a first choice winger. Look at what we had before him. Not his fault I guess but rose coloured spectacles are used very often with him. Same as Raphael.
 

adexkola

Doesn't understand sportswashing.
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
48,033
Location
The CL is a glorified FA Cup set to music
Supports
orderly disembarking on planes
Nani would be an improvement right now but people are so quick to forget how poor he was overall during his stint. Frustrating is the best word I can come up with. Talent was there but no consistency for a first choice winger. Look at what we had before him. Not his fault I guess but rose coloured spectacles are used very often with him. Same as Raphael.
Calling his stint poor overall is inaccurate
 

Che Guevara

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Aug 29, 2018
Messages
804
Location
Wolverhampton
Supports
Celtic
From what I have seen of him so far, I see a lot of Januzaj in Daniel James, and unless he is managed properly his PL career will run aground. Full of energy and promise but I worry about him suffering premature burnout.
 

croadyman

Full Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Messages
34,337
I can't decide if his form has dropped off due to burnout,he has been found out or he is need of some better coaching to help him improve the other aspects of his game
 

Mingus

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 10, 2019
Messages
155
He started well and then he isn't an unknown anymore. This is what happens to young players.

Hopefully he will respond as Rashford has, by kicking on and adapting his game. With his pace he will always be someone who the opposition will have to be on their guard against.
 

Tel074

New Member
Joined
May 8, 2019
Messages
1,531
If anyone thinks James isn't good then you should stop watching football. The kid should have been a bit part player this season but because of the state of the club at the moment he has played the majority of games. He needs a rest and he will be back at it again
 

AFC NimbleThumb

Full Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2019
Messages
8,284
Nani would be an improvement right now but people are so quick to forget how poor he was overall during his stint. Frustrating is the best word I can come up with. Talent was there but no consistency for a first choice winger. Look at what we had before him. Not his fault I guess but rose coloured spectacles are used very often with him. Same as Raphael.
So Nani’s biggest flaw was not being Ronaldo which is pretty much all but one other player in world football over the past 10-15 years.

His flame didn’t go on for as long as it might have but he was a key part of teams that absolutely dominated our rivals.

Frustrating & poor are 2 totalling different things.
 

MadDogg

Full Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
15,813
Location
Manchester Utd never lose, just run out of time
Nani would be an improvement right now but people are so quick to forget how poor he was overall during his stint. Frustrating is the best word I can come up with. Talent was there but no consistency for a first choice winger. Look at what we had before him. Not his fault I guess but rose coloured spectacles are used very often with him. Same as Raphael.
Nani was always significantly more consistent when he played on the right. It's not a coincidence that the only time he got a proper run on that side (when Valencia got that bad injury) he was probably the best player in the league and led us to the title that season. Otherwise he spent the majority of his career here playing on the left since Valencia was so extremely one-sided. In hindsight we probably should have moved Valencia back to fullback much earlier and allowed the two of them to run riot on that side of the field together.

Even on the left he wasn't poor. Inconsistent yes, but even on his off-days he generally created at least one very good goal scoring chance every match and worked his socks off. And his on-days on the left were just as devastating as what he showed on the right, he just didn't do it as often.
 

The Cat

Will drink milk from your hands
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
12,113
Location
Feet up at home.
Nani was always significantly more consistent when he played on the right. It's not a coincidence that the only time he got a proper run on that side (when Valencia got that bad injury) he was probably the best player in the league and led us to the title that season. Otherwise he spent the majority of his career here playing on the left since Valencia was so extremely one-sided. In hindsight we probably should have moved Valencia back to fullback much earlier and allowed the two of them to run riot on that side of the field together.

Even on the left he wasn't poor. Inconsistent yes, but even on his off-days he generally created at least one very good goal scoring chance every match and worked his socks off. And his on-days on the left were just as devastating as what he showed on the right, he just didn't do it as often.
That's a fair assessment. Just wanted him to fulfil his potential which he didn't really do long term. Same reason I mentioned Raphael he could have been amazing.
 

billybee99

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
575
Oh come on he never compared to previous wingers. he was poor overall.
Absolute ridiculous post. Nani was very good for us and, at times, excellent and unplayable. Yes, he was inconsistent and he certainly was no Ronaldo, but to call him poor is absurd. I'd love to know what you think of James, Lingard and Andreas if you think Nani was poor.
 

Beaucoup

Full Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2016
Messages
1,563
I can't decide if his form has dropped off due to burnout,he has been found out or he is need of some better coaching to help him improve the other aspects of his game
Neither, he’s just not very good. As soon as we get a decent manager he’ll be shipped off back to the Championship where he belongs.
 

The Cat

Will drink milk from your hands
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
12,113
Location
Feet up at home.
Absolute ridiculous post. Nani was very good for us and, at times, excellent and unplayable. Yes, he was inconsistent and he certainly was no Ronaldo, but to call him poor is absurd. I'd love to know what you think of James, Lingard and Andreas if you think Nani was poor.
I am comparing him to Beckham, Kanchelskis, Sharpe, Giggs, Coppell and Ronaldo. Read it again. he was never "very good" or "excellent" over the long stretch.
 

Bwuk

Full Member
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
17,282
He’d have a lot more assists if we had a forward who’d actually attack the box.
 

RedDevilCanuck

Quite dreamy - blue eyes, blond hair, tanned skin
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
8,396
Location
The GTA
He has too many assists to be labelled not good.

He has played out of position for the most part in a season where we have literally had no midfield.

He's been shit recently like 95% of the team.

I believe there is a good player in there.
 

ifightdragons

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 9, 2019
Messages
228
Comparing him to the likes of Sharpe, Kanchelskis and Giggs... It's a sad state of affairs.

It's staggering how quickly a United player will be overrated these days. It only takes 4-5 decent matches for fans to declare them as great footballers.

Utter, utter insanity.
 

Robaldo

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 25, 2015
Messages
344
When Rashy was in the team he seemed better because his job was to push the ball forward into an area where Rashford could make something happen.

He's atrocious in the current set-up though..
 

Sandikan

aka sex on the beach
Joined
Mar 14, 2011
Messages
52,712
Comparing him to the likes of Sharpe, Kanchelskis and Giggs... It's a sad state of affairs.

It's staggering how quickly a United player will be overrated these days. It only takes 4-5 decent matches for fans to declare them as great footballers.

Utter, utter insanity.
It's been a rollercoaster for him so far.

Signed for what most of us thought would be an impact player to be bedded in slowly. Then suddenly was starting quite often, and playing better than we thought he would. Now he's dropped off a bit.
Certainly too early to start writing him off, but like all of our players - they'd be better if we had a better overall functioning team.
 

The Cat

Will drink milk from your hands
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
12,113
Location
Feet up at home.
Comparing him to the likes of Sharpe, Kanchelskis and Giggs... It's a sad state of affairs.

It's staggering how quickly a United player will be overrated these days. It only takes 4-5 decent matches for fans to declare them as great footballers.

Utter, utter insanity.
Are you reading the right post?
 

BR7

Full Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
702
Location
Taxi for Solskjaer
Should only ever be considered for league cup and fa cup matches. When we say he’s still a kid, he is 22 so only a year and a half left before he can’t be called that anymore.

Is a 22 year old going to learn a first touch (if he hasn’t learnt that already by this stage) No. his first touch is so bad his second touch is usually tackle. I mean greenwood at 17 first touch compared to 22 year older dan James.

He has one thing and one thing alone, pace. But he does t know how to use the pace. He hardly ever runs at full speed with the ball close to his feet, taking touches and jinking, like Giggsie or Ronnie. It’s because he can’t.

I said before, he can’t dribble past a mannequin and only runs straight lines. Push the ball in space and try and out run the oppo. He has managed it a few times this season. Then he faces his next hurdle when he’s broken away, he can’t cross a ball, his shooting is average at best...

At what stage is he going to stop being this player, he’s 22 already. I got panned for this by someone and I responded, ok, yeah you’re right, he’s the new giggs. Fact is he isn’t and won’t be good enough. However much our welsh friends want him to be.
 

BR7

Full Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
702
Location
Taxi for Solskjaer
As for anyone comparing him to Nani, please stop. I mean Nani used to drive meme insane (with his cut backs from the wings instead of crossing it) but Dan James will never ever in his career be as good as Nani.
 

Carl

has permanently erect nipples
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
45,327
Needs time. That's not to say he'll be a fantastic player, but he certainly needs time. As we've seen, attacking players struggle for us. It's been a consistent theme for years now, so to expect an inexperienced lad to come in and change that was always unrealistic.

Not to mention, he should have had 4 or 5 more assists too but for woeful finishing from our other underperforming forwards.

I personally think he'll develop into quite a nice little player, though probably not someone who will hold down a spot in the team for long periods (providing we ever get back to being in the CL consistently)
 

Carl

has permanently erect nipples
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
45,327
Glad it's not just me. I fecking loved Nani.
Nani debates are amongst the worst things to exist on this board. Always exactly the same. Always utterly pointless. Always derail what is inevitably a thread that isn't even about Nani.