It might seem petty of me to pursue this but I cannot agree that he was ever just a pace merchant either. I agree re his poor output and decision making, but he’s always had phenomenal technique and dribbling ability. I dunno why I particularly care, but it massively misrepresents his skill set to call him (either past or present) a pace merchant or any variation of that term. He was pretty crap a few years ago, granted, but he has always had potential beyond just his pace.
Adama Traore
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
I wouldn’t mind him or even someone like a Saint Maximin in the team. They’re way better options to have than James in my opinion.
Totally agree, if we could get one of these and use them alongside Greenwood as options on the right I would be happy enough. Should be much cheaper alternatives to Sancho. Traore is a terrifying player to bring on as a sub too. Defenders with tired legs must dread him appearing for the last 25 mins.
Had a very similar discussion to this on the alternative signings to Sancho thread.
Anyone who calls him a kick and rush or Daniel James type player haven’t watched him enough.
Comfortably one of the best dribblers in the PL and a constant worry for any defence. His output is improving and he’s a much better player overall but I think this is his best now. I can’t see him going up a gear with more goals etc.
He’d improve our RW as he’s actually a winger and would definitely provide a threat. The issue is he’s not a playmaker like Sancho could be for us.
Anyone who calls him a kick and rush or Daniel James type player haven’t watched him enough.
Comfortably one of the best dribblers in the PL and a constant worry for any defence. His output is improving and he’s a much better player overall but I think this is his best now. I can’t see him going up a gear with more goals etc.
He’d improve our RW as he’s actually a winger and would definitely provide a threat. The issue is he’s not a playmaker like Sancho could be for us.
I want us to sign just for the sheer entertainment value of having him and AWB on the right.
Whilst Sancho is more polished than Traore, if you want a player who will beat their opponent 9/10 times, then look no further than him. On average, he makes 5.2 dribbles per game, in comparison to Sancho's 2.5. In an ideal world, we'd have both, as I personally feel they're both amazing and offer completely different things. Be like Nani and Valencia all over again.
That being said, with Sancho, I guess the reason why he's so highly rated is because he has the ability to cut inside and go to the byline. To add to that, his decision making is superior to most footballers, nevermind people of a similar age.
AWB wouldn't have to go forward.
Traore has destroyed pretty much every LB he's come up against this season with ease. I rate Digne pretty highly but he looked like a 17 year old in his first game against him. I don't think it matters what his style of play is i.e dribbling or non-dribbling if he is utilising it completely and leaving everyone unable to cope with him.
A few years ago he was considered one of the rough diamonds of La Masia. Can't understand the comments about pace merchant when he had gone through one of the best youth systems in the world.
Traore wouldn't need to track back either.
We'll have teams subbing off their left flank by half time.
Brandon Williams did a great job containing him across both FA Cup ties we played against him. So much so, that he had to go the left, and get dealt with pretty easily by AWB.
I do think the praise is going a tad bit overboard. The people who are comparing James negatively to him don't seem to realise that James' productivity isn't a million miles away from Traore's. Despite Traore being in the league for the best part of 3 years, being a couple of years older, and this being James' first season after coming through the football leagues.
Haha, be very interesting indeed.
I think that's a case of people underrating James rather than overrating Traore.
He has muscles but I think He will lose a fight against a 34 years old Rooney.
He didn't start because Nuno mentioned that there were so many unknowns after such a long break and he didn't really know where his team would be in comparison to others. So he took a cautious approach, starting with a 5-3-2/3-5-2 and the extra man in midfield, just to feel things out.
When it became obvious after an hour that we were ahead of West Ham in most departments, he went back to a 5-2-3/3-4-3, putting Adama and Neto on either side of Jimenez. It worked a treat. Adama played a part in both goals, setting up the first, with Neto scoring the second.
As much as I love seeing Adama play as many minutes as possible, he is also a brilliant impact player to bring on against tired fullbacks! I think he will be used in this role quite a bit for the next few games, as a lot of players may take time to get fully up to match sharpness.
Makes sense. Cheers!
He is a better winger than James though?
James is excellent for a counter and has shown a lot of positives for his first season. But he’s not better than Traore and he’s also not the same style of player.
His close control is so good but somehow never gets credit as he is way too strong and quick.
A West Ham fan on Twitter made me laugh after the game. He said Adama Traore would be nothing if he wasn't so fast and skilful.
So if you take away a players two best attributes, they would be ineffective? You don't say!
So if you take away a players two best attributes, they would be ineffective? You don't say!
He wouldn’t be nothing that’s harsh. He’d be Jesse Lingard.A West Ham fan on Twitter made me laugh after the game. He said Adama Traore would be nothing if he wasn't so fast and skilful.
So if you take away a players two best attributes, they would be ineffective? You don't say!
You missed my point. Who's to say where either player would be if they swapped teams. Considering the hype Traore has had, you'd think he's having a Bale-like impact on Wolves, but in reality, he's just another cog in a really well-functioning team.
Similar to how Dortmund under Klopp would perform to more than the sum of their parts, so too, I feel, is Nuno's Wolves.
The people talking him up as a Sancho alternative are wildly off the mark, for me. As a squad player, he'd be great. But so too, is James. For me, he'd be a waste of money if we were buying him to start. The fees that would be required from Wolves would be ridiculous £50m-£70m for sure.
He's the type of player that would make a great second choice. But we keep buying players that offer nothing off the bench or starting.
Nothing to do with a system. Troare just has more ability than James. As an individual player he not only bests James at his best attribute (speed) he also has far better attacking abilities all round.
Also this the game you are going on about? At no point does he switch sides and he was wolves most dangerous player. Look how many balls he got into the box. He takes on Williams one on one 4 times and Williams only intercepts once the rest of the time he goes past him. The other times we literally have to put 3 men on him to stop him just having free reign. Imagine us having a player like that which teams have to triple team. Imagine the space the likes of Bruno, rashford, martial and pogba would have when teams are stuck double marking troare.
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That's even harsher!!!
IMO he would be very good player as a regular starter for us, he just goes past defenders so easily and he is built like a tank. He cuts inside from both sides, goes to byline and cuts back, he even uses his weaker foot well enough.
Because in his first few years in england he really looked like a donkey. The second coming of Denilson
He's matured and become a very effective player
Inter should break the bank for him. He's perfect for them and would take them up a level
I would take him over Sancho right now (Sancho admittedly has a higher ceiling). I've seen enough this season to say he's an elite winger. Not even City and Liverpool's fullbacks could handle his guy. His elusiveness and dribbling ability are up amongst the best players in the world in addition to his speed and strength. I've never seen another player like him and I would imagine most defenders haven't either.
For me I would take him solely on the basis that the likes of rashford and martial would get soo much time as space because teams would be triple marking traore. Even if he can't wriggle out of that triple press you know there will be miles of space for everyone else. If a team does decide to let him go one on one he will absolutely cause mayhem for them. Imagine having Bruno and pogba feeding him early balls on the counter.
It boggles my mind how impatient our fans towards James.
He came from lower league, first season, still learning the premier league. For whatever reason he is done and useless for us.
I can understand Sancho, but Alain Maximin or Adama? Sigh.
He came from lower league, first season, still learning the premier league. For whatever reason he is done and useless for us.
I can understand Sancho, but Alain Maximin or Adama? Sigh.
Is there a better crosser with their weak foot?
against West ham he put in 2 absolute peaches with his right, I genuinely can't remember somebody putting in such a dangerous ball regularly like that with their weaker side.
against West ham he put in 2 absolute peaches with his right, I genuinely can't remember somebody putting in such a dangerous ball regularly like that with their weaker side.
He's right footed.
Rare are the U23 players that start producing good end product on a consistent basis. But yes, he had a high risk in becoming one of those players that will entertain the fans with pace and close control dribbling and not adding much to the team, like a low budget Ariel Ortega
They are better players with more to their game. Why are you surprised?
Very similar to Nani. Good dribbler and exciting player, but often dribbles when he should pass and pass when he should dribble. But when he's on, he's almost unstoppable. Will he make the jump to a big club? Not sure. But if he does I can see him being more of an option off the bench than a starter. He has "big fish in a little pond" written all over him. With that being said, I would consider him if the Sancho deal doesn't go through...
You didn’t make any point other than saying people were being harsh on James despite similar output. I addressed that. If you wish to expand as you now have I’ll respond.
I have watched James all season, I like him he’s a good player especially when we set up to counter in our 3-5-2/5-3-2 style system. But he’s quite limited as if you take the space to run in behind away it’s not often he’ll be effective. He’s a good LW but at RW he’s currently limited. I’m not on about in 2/3 years time we’re discussing now. And Adama Traore is better than James is. He can do more with the ball in terms of his dribbling it’s not just one dimensional which James’ largely is. I cannot tell you a single thing James does better than Traore with the ball.
Nunos wolves are incredibly well ran but if you’re looking for the loose cog that’s allowed to be loose it’s Traore. A lot of the time he’s on the pitch to cause mayhem and disrupt structure, pull midfielders out wide get the LB gassed out and get free kicks. Of all the players in Wolves squad he’s granted a bit more freedom to just go for it. Nuno did a great job of helping focus Adama but he still lets him off the chain.
He’s an alternative because there isn’t a mythical Sancho alternative that ticks all the boxes. When you don’t have the perfect solution you look to alternatives to the problem you don’t allow it to fester and rot. He would provide a threat that is unique and has been evidenced as being effective against top teams.
He’s done a good job in his first season with everything that’s gone on in his life. He’s been involved in far more football than
I think he’d ever imagine and I think he’s got a terrific attitude. He’s one of my favourite players in the team but he just a squad option unless were set up to counter.
We’re all set on Sancho it’s not some brave statement to say he’s clearly the best option of course he is. But if we couldn’t get Sancho would you be brave enough to offer an alternative or just be happy to criticise those who are open to alternatives as part of a fun discussion?
I'm not going to go in to this point by point, but the game I referred to was indeed this one, but the game he switched to the left, was in the replay, precisely because of the tough time Williams gave him.
Every individual battle will have its moments where one side has better moments than the other, but overall Williams dealt with him easily. You can also go through Williams' player performance thread after the game and see much the same reaction.
I'm not saying he's not useful, or even that he's not very, very good. I just don't see him as a first team player. The fact he's 24 and has only just started to make an impression, despite being in the league for 3 years and coming up through La Masia tells me he'll only ever be good up to a certain point. And that point is not worth the fee that Wolves would demand, especially as James pretty much offers 70% of what he does at the moment, and only cost £15m.
Also, Wolves do essentially play on the counter. We haven't seen him do much outside of that system at the top level. His Barca grounding indicates that he'd be fine with a more possession-based system, but then, it's been half a decade since he played in such a manner, so who knows.
If he was going for £20m-£30m, sure, but not at what Wolves will likely be demanding.
James is a young player who hasn't had the grounding that Traore has had. Traore has had a head start on James all the way through their careers. He developed at La Masia, he joined the league in 2015, dropped down and had at least a season in the Championship before being in the PL for the last three seasons. And yet, despite that he's only just now started making his mark. James, on the other hand, has played half a season at Swansea and a failed loan at Shrewsbury. The step up to Utd has been massive. Much, much more massive than Traore's from Boro to Wolves.
Surely, it isn't beyond imagination that James progresses further the more time he spends with better quality players and coaching? This is his first season here, and due to issues with the squad and injuries, he's been played much, much more than anyone would have preferred. The only way is up for James, and if he wants to have an example to follow, then he can look at Traore. Especially considering his productivity isn't a million miles away from Traore's, and that too in his first season. I've seen quality Utd players and fan favourites have worse first seasons than James is having and progress further..
On your point re Sancho alternatives, I'd be more than happy if we didn't put all our eggs in the Sancho basket. The issue is, I just don't see Traore as being at the level required. If we didn't have James, I'd have been more than happy to have him as a squad player, but at the price we'd likely be paying, his productivity just isn't there.
If Sancho is unobtainable then he'd be a great wildcard option. If he manages to get some consistency in his game he can be unplayable.
Experience isn’t a bad thing and having players entering their peaks is important for any good squad. James is too early in his development and too limited to to be our starting RW he cannot offer a consistent threat to most sides at the moment. Give him 3 years and who knows but I’d quite like someone now given our last quality RW was Nani
It we are talking about the here and now, the observable present, which is what I’m considering James doesn’t offer much beyond pace on the counter. We have found a frustratingly high number of teams unwilling to fall for our countering by defending with a deep block.
I see James improving but not improving his dribbling style to match or come close to Traore. Without that then he must focus on his passing to offer something better. Do you see James becoming a great crosser of the ball or a wide playmaker? Equally it’s not the case that the only way is up. James has a game that relies heavily on explosive actions. One severe hamstring injury and he loses his biggest and most reliable asset. Would a slower James offer anything more than Lingard for example.
I know I’m taking it to an extreme but while I like him as a player and want him to do well at the club we have to be open to the reality that he’s not a constant threat unless we’re allowed to counter. It’s no surprise that our offensive actions are tilted towards our LW.
Would be interesting if Pep got his hands on him.