The Improvement of Harry Maguire

[Sky1981]

Regarding needing world class player.

Put it this way, if a prime rio is playing alongside baily or lindelof, he'd still do his job impeccably while the other 2 would still make the same mistakes.

Collectively yes, but if you're a world class player it still shows no matter who you play with. You still get your part of the job done regardless of who your partner is.

We probably need two solid cb to win the title but maguire doesnt need a world class partner to show us what he's worth

 

[SAFMUTD]

Who would have thought spending 80M on one of the slowest defenders in the world wouldn't be a bright decision? There was no way of knowing it. Shit happens, bad luck I guess.

Now we need another CB that masks all of our 80M defender mistakes.

 

[RashyForPM]

I’d like to bump this thread I made after the Arsenal game

Seriously, there was so much unwarranted negativity and people thinking that Harry is genuinely an average defender in here just because of a few poor results, many of which had nothing to do with him (Everton he was awful, Sheff Utd and Arsenal he was the best player).

For my money, in terms of fit defenders, there’s Dias who’s the best, then you have Harry close behind in 2nd. Even when Van Dijk returns, Harry will still be in the top 3. No problem with that. Stones is good but put Harry next to Dias and he’d look better. Rate the guy so much, very good defender.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Nah he hasn't been anything special lately but was class today.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

I’d like to bump this thread I made after the Arsenal game

Seriously, there was so much unwarranted negativity and people thinking that Harry is genuinely an average defender in here just because of a few poor results, many of which had nothing to do with him (Everton he was awful, Sheff Utd and Arsenal he was the best player).

For my money, in terms of fit defenders, there’s Dias who’s the best, then you have Harry close behind in 2nd. Even when Van Dijk returns, Harry will still be in the top 3. No problem with that. Stones is good but put Harry next to Dias and he’d look better. Rate the guy so much, very good defender.

Good post couldn’t agree more. I’ve said it before but you stick Maguire in that City team and they are even stronger and what’s more he’s protected more which would quickly shift opinions. He’s a top quality player and showed that again with a great show today. Martial ran their defence ragged today by the way...

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

solid today.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

solid today.

Bloody hell fella that’s the nicest thing you’ve said all season!

 

[Leftback99]

An understandable shaky start to the season but otherwise him and Shaw have been our most consistent players.

 

[RashyForPM]

Bloody hell fella that’s the nicest thing you’ve said all season!

Had to laugh at this

 

[rooney2009]

Class Today
Helps when you have a calm goalie in front of you

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Class Today
Helps when you have a calm goalie in front of you

Can’t be stated enough. Our whole back line looked better today because it doesn’t have the dithering De Gea behind them. Henderson has potential to grow into the role and really benefit our defence overall.

 

[cyberman]

He is a far better player when we push up which is weird cosidering he isnt the fastest

 

[Nico87]

It’s harsh to pin the blame on De Gea but I do think Henderson compliments Maguire and Lindelof as a unit much better. A keeper who is aggressive of his line makes it harder to play the ball in behind them so their lack of pace isn’t amplified.

 

[RollieOle]

It’s harsh to pin the blame on De Gea but I do think Henderson compliments Maguire and Lindelof as a unit much better. A keeper who is aggressive of his line makes it harder to play the ball in behind them so their lack of pace isn’t amplified.

Hendo takes the pressure of the defence at set pieces too where we have typically been at are worst this season, having a goalie that actually comes off his goal line and claims the ball is massive.

 

[arthurka]

Been saying this, put a reasonably good sweeper keeper and more commanding keeper behind this defense and it will look decent. Lindelöf will always try to give one away at least but this looks better.

 

[YAMS49]

Helps when you have a calm goalie in front of you

He's behind him, ideally.

 

[galwayfa]

He has unbelievable mental strength, to me he's brilliant

 

[VidaRed]

So will his missed sitter eventually cost us the europa league ?

 

[captain666]

He's actually OK if you keep him out of both penalty areas!

 

[Green_Red]

Bloody hell fella that’s the nicest thing you’ve said all season!

It's almost like his posts are in contradiction to reality. When we're good he posts negativity, when we're bad he says we were good. What does that tell you? Don't we do that with some of our opposition teams...

 

[Green_Red]

So will his missed sitter eventually cost us the europa league ?

Probably wouldn't put it down to our missed chances and more to our brain farts at the end of games when we concede. How many have we conceded in the last 5/10 minutes recently? Don't think anyone really thought we'd win the Europa this year, did they?

 

[AFC NimbleThumb]

Probably wouldn't put it down to our missed chances and more to our brain farts at the end of games when we concede. How many have we conceded in the last 5/10 minutes recently? Don't think anyone really thought we'd win the Europa this year, did they?

The trouble with this statement is the same rationale was used when we capitulated in the Semi’s last year.

We could well go on to win the second leg & the trophy but we’re not lining up against the ‘best’ Europe has to offer; we should be looking to win this tournament given the teams in it.

Realistically we’re not a very good team so not winning it wouldn’t surprise any of us but this isn’t Kaka’s Milan we’re up against.

 

[T00lsh3d]

Probably wouldn't put it down to our missed chances and more to our brain farts at the end of games when we concede. How many have we conceded in the last 5/10 minutes recently? Don't think anyone really thought we'd win the Europa this year, did they?

Well....second in the premier league would normally be the strongest contender in the europa wouldn’t it? Certainly one of the favourites

 

[Green_Red]

Well....second in the premier league would normally be the strongest contender in the europa wouldn’t it? Certainly one of the favourites

Would it? I think we need to be a bit more realistic about where we are given our run of results over the last 10 games in all competitions. Also, we're second, just... the team that's chasing us were knocked out or the Europa by a minnow team.

 

[lex talionis]

Harry has had some poor performances but he's never been consistently poor for us. A bit of praise for one of the top CBs in the PL seems appropriate.

 

[Deery]

He has a lot of decent games in the PL but you can’t help but feel he always gets found out at European level.

 

[T00lsh3d]

Would it? I think we need to be a bit more realistic about where we are given our run of results over the last 10 games in all competitions. Also, we're second, just... the team that's chasing us were knocked out or the Europa by a minnow team.

I don’t have massive expectations of us tbh....I don’t think we’re quite ruthless enough at the key moments. I’m just making the point that second in the premier league would normally be considered a favourite for the second tier European comp.
Odds-wise by the way we’re second favourite, narrowly behind spurs

 

[Ish]

This is probably my shortcoming and mine alone, but i struggle to wrap my head around the world most expensive defender having a thread called "the improvement of...", like he is some sort of youth talent we're developing.

That being said, I'm not one of his "haters" (fancy word on the Caf) at all. He's a good defender but nowhere near what we paid. (again, attributing/weighing value/price too much to evaluate a player could be another of my many flaws).

 

[Green_Red]

I don’t have massive expectations of us tbh....I don’t think we’re quite ruthless enough at the key moments. I’m just making the point that second in the premier league would normally be considered a favourite for the second tier European comp.
Odds-wise by the way we’re second favourite, narrowly behind spurs

Yea for some reason I think 3rd/4th in Spain is a far more likelier winner of the Europa league. At least that's what history would say. But you're right, you would think a team capable of getting 2nd in the Prem should be more than favourites for the Europa.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

If he’s improved this much, imagine how much he’d be worth now!

 

[MU655]

I think my favourite part against Milan is how he defended their box against our freekick. Great head positioning to block the freekick.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

His price tag is an issue if he was a £40mil signing then he wouldnt get as much stick. Hard to really judge him without a proper partner CB who has the attributes that maguire doesnt i.e. acceleration, recovery pace and positioning. He's the best of an average bunch of CBs at Utd.

So what attributes does he have considering (yes I will mention it) that he is the world's most expensive defender? Shouldn't he have pace acceleration recovery and positioning?

 

[Will Singh]

Take the captains armband off him and all you’ve got is a Chris Smalling. £80 million for a slow defender is a disgrace. I just hope with the DOF etc we don’t make that mistake twice. Could have got 2 top defenders for that price!

 

[tenpoless]

If he’s improved this much, imagine how much he’d be worth now!

60m

 

[JakeC]

Take the captains armband off him and all you’ve got is a Chris Smalling. £80 million for a slow defender is a disgrace. I just hope with the DOF etc we don’t make that mistake twice. Could have got 2 top defenders for that price!

He's literally nothing like Smalling. Smalling was a bullet, but was injury prone.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Absolutely immense tonight. He gets far too much shit and nowhere near enough credit. He’s not perfect but he’s a damn good central defender.

 

[Walrus]

MotM tonight for me

 

[Shark]

Colossal performance from our captain.

 

[Reditus]

Significantly improved in recent weeks

Defensively Utd have improved all season albeit the odd feck up

 

[ha_rooney]

Superb tonight.