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2015-16 Performances


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5.5 Season Average Rating
Appearances
7
Goals
1
Assists
0
Yellow cards
1
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http://www.unitedrant.co.uk/opinion...-uncertainty-of-adnan-januzajs-united-career/
October 2013. David Moyes’ Manchester United side is struggling against Paolo Di Canio’s Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. After an agonizingly feeble first-half defensive display, the Red Devils , in the 53rd minute, find a way back to less-than-deserved parity. Nani, pausing on the edge of the 18-yard box, clips a curling, outside-of-the-foot cross toward the back post. Sunderland centre-half John O’Shea clears the ball, unchallenged, to United’s juvenescent number 44. Eighteen-year-old Adnan Januzaj, unperturbed by the pressures of his professional début, strokes an exquisite first-time, left-footed volley into the bottom corner to propel United into the lead. It was Januzaj’s second goal of the afternoon and proved to be the match-clinching strike.

Sixteen days later, United announced the conclusion of a long-term contract with the prodigiously talented youngster. England manager Roy Hodgson deflected a cascade of questions regarding the possibility of the ‘exciting’ and ‘brilliant’ Januzaj electing to play for the Three Lions in the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Januzaj, through a series of impressive performances on the left-flank, made 35 appearances in all competitions in his break-out season, providing the most outstanding highlight of an otherwise wretched and miserable campaign under Moyes.

Two seasons on and Januzaj’s United career is at an improbable yet arguably unpromising crossroads.

Having inherited Ryan Giggs’ iconic number 11 jersey, Januzaj endured an unfruitful and frustrating first season under Louis van Gaal, a campaign during which the young Belgian’s exponential progress was arrested by distrustful, unimaginative and intransigent management. Lacking confidence, often overzealous and frequently deployed in disparate positions, Januzaj regularly underperformed on the sporadic occasions he was afforded a starting opportunity in 2014/15.

Januzaj departed United that summer on a spontaneous and, frankly, perplexing loan deal with Borussia Dortmund. The willingness of United to outsource Januzaj’s services, without compensation, was exceeded only by the bizarreness of the Belgian’s dearth of opportunities at the Bundesliga outfit.

Paradoxically, United’s relapse to disappointing form, and the concomitant intensification of pressure on Van Gaal, renders it increasingly unlikely that the Dutchman will voluntarily elect to field a flamboyant and creative, yet inconsistent and defensively irresolute youngster. Januzaj’s late substitute appearance in United’s victory over Arsenal on Sunday was just his second since returning in January.

Indeed, Van Gaal’s decision to recall Januzaj from loan is almost certainly just a contingency for United’s escalating injury crisis. It is improbable that Januzaj’s premature return to Old Trafford was catalysed by an epiphanic identification of the Belgian’s capacity to propel United to a top-four finish. Van Gaal’s management of Januzaj over two seasons suggests the Belgian is little more than a fall-back.

"He has a second chance and Manchester United is a club that takes care of all our players and I think it’s a very good habit to have that. I believe in the talent of Adnan Januzaj. I said it would be very difficult to play matches in Dortmund and unfortunately I was right."
– LOUIS VAN GAAL


Januzaj’s future at the club is arguably more uncertain should, as seems likely, José Mourinho pries the reins from Van Gaal’s lifeless fingers in the summer. Victories over Shrewsbury Town, Midtjylland and Arsenal have offered Van Gaal temporary reprieve, but the Dutchman is almost certainly out of a job come June.

Given the unlikelihood of the Portuguese digressing from the tactical formula with which he has secured league titles in four countries, Januzaj will almost certainly not play in his preferred role at number 10. Although the youngster’s opportunities in this position have been limited, Januzaj has hitherto failed to demonstrate the command of space, passing range and tactical awareness required of an advanced midfielder in the modern game. The Belgian is not cut from the same cloth as that from which Mourinho has fashioned playmakers in his most successful teams.

Further, unless Januzaj is willing to develop his defensive productivity and tactical discipline, it is unlikely that he will be afforded an opportunity in wide areas under Mourinho. To a dispassionate pragmatist like the Portuguese, Januzaj’s natural talent and academy roots are insufficient, in lieu of defensive industry, to merit a place in a predictably small squad. If the reports from Dortmund’s Thomas Tuchel of an indolent Januzaj are correct, it would appear unlikely that the Belgian has a future at a Mourinho-led United at all.

"I never had the feeling Adnan was here with his whole heart, but rather that a part of him stayed in Manchester and compared everything with Manchester United. We were not able to help him let go of it. Sadly, he wasn’t in it with the motivation and attitude you need to further yourself at this age. "
– THOMAS TUCHEL


However, given the relative brevity of Januzaj’s professional footballing career, it is problematic, if not impossible, to predict how the starlet will emerge from a challenging and potentially decisive next six months. It is a period that is unlikely to engender a proliferation of first-team opportunities under Van Gaal, while there is a scarcity of persuasive evidence that Januzaj would be incapable or unwilling to adapt to the methods of the Dutchman’s successor, Mourinho or otherwise. After all, Januzaj has demonstrated extraordinary commitment and diligence to emerge as topic in United’s first-team conversation at such a young age.

It is unfortunate to witness such a young and talented player traverse the hallways of uncertainty at Old Trafford. However, Januzaj’s arrival at a career crossroads does not call for regretful reminiscing. At present, it suffices to say that the Belgian’s future is certainly uncertain. Given Januzaj’s natural talent and colossal potential, though, United fans should expect of Van Gaal’s successor that the Belgian is afforded patience, assurance and frequent first-team opportunities. Reciprocally, Januzaj must be willing to refine his incredibly raw natural game, adapting to whatever philosophy the incoming manager requires.

There must be more volleyed winners and two-goal heroics from the Belgian to come.
 
He has a second chance and Manchester United is a club that takes care of all our players and I think it’s a very good habit to have that. I believe in the talent of Adnan Januzaj. I said it would be very difficult to play matches in Dortmund and unfortunately I was right."

hmm, but somehow our own youngsters pulisic and leitner get their minutes and games..
i trust in tuchels words: "januzai hasnt been here realy."
there was a lack of commitment and effort.
 
The Dortmund loan was an odd affair. I hope Adnan has learned from it and realised the level of hard work and determination required to really hold down a first team place in a top side.

I thought he did well against Arsenal and want to see more of him during the remainder of this season. If he plays well he could easily displace Lingard or Memphis in the side.
 
He has a second chance and Manchester United is a club that takes care of all our players and I think it’s a very good habit to have that. I believe in the talent of Adnan Januzaj. I said it would be very difficult to play matches in Dortmund and unfortunately I was right."

hmm, but somehow our own youngsters pulisic and leitner get their minutes and games..
i trust in tuchels words: "januzai hasnt been here realy."
there was a lack of commitment and effort.
Since it was only a loan Dortmund didn't have as much incentive to play him. So no point in comparing him to those youth players.
 
the point is, that we need players. and the aim of our playing is to have no a-team or b-team (like in the stoneage), we want a totaly versatile squad where nobody can imagine how the next 11 players are.
and for this, he had a lot of chances to break into the start-formation. but he missed this possibilities. and tuchel explained why.
in comparison anybody can see: there would had been place for him to start (if he offered something more in the training). now a leitner and a pulisic grab this possibility.
 
hmm, but somehow our own youngsters pulisic and leitner get their minutes and games..
i trust in tuchels words: "januzai hasnt been here realy."
there was a lack of commitment and effort.
No they don't, they both have played under 200 minutes all season. Adnan actually played more than both of them combined. As had been mentioned loads of times too, Adnan wasn't Dortmund's player so they had no reason to try and develop him.
 
No they don't, they both have played under 200 minutes all season. Adnan actually played more than both of them combined. As had been mentioned loads of times too, Adnan wasn't Dortmund's player so they had no reason to try and develop him.

yeah,but maybe if he had offered more, we would have bought him.
tuchel was very disappointed about him. a lot of people was.

it was a lost of time. for him,for united, for us. and thats only cause he didnt grab the possibility (with every energy he has) to learn a lot, and play a lot, in one of the best teams in europe. a pity.

there is a german phrase for this: it was "weder fisch noch fleisch"
 
At 14 mins 20 secs of MOTD 2's highlights of the game, 4th official Mike Dean, pats Adnan Januzaj on the bum as a sign for him to run onto the pitch mid-substitution.

Full matches and shows . com

Bizarre.
 
yeah,but maybe if he had offered more, we would have bought him.
tuchel was very disappointed about him. a lot of people was.

it was a lost of time. for him,for united, for us. and thats only cause he didnt grab the possibility (with every energy he has) to learn a lot, and play a lot, in one of the best teams in europe. a pity.

there is a german phrase for this: it was "weder fisch noch fleisch"
Judging by LvG and Tuchel's quotes he was never your's to buy.
 
Just when he was starting to come back, he gets dropped from the squad. Only played 60 minutes a couple of days ago... Is he injured again?
 
I'd like to see Januzaj get maybe 4-5 consecutive starts to build his confidence. He was possibly the best outfield player in Moyes season and suddenly under LVG he was not starting games, he was being given 5-10 minutes to prove himself and with ADM bought, his only way to win LVG was to show his talent by scoring, and that led to poor decision making that season and even this season, Mata was being used there, so he is just trying too hard due to his insecurity, and I'd like Giggs to put an arm round his neck and say that he is a player who can be trusted
 
He played on Monday night for the reserves, probably getting rested.

he was pulled on 60 minutes, i believe they even said it was planned ahead of time that way so that he'd have gas in the tank for watford. regardless, it doesn't make any sense for LVG to prioritise the u21's for adnan and pereira if it means they don't even get into the matchday squad.
 
He should be given a go on the right in place of Lingard.
Agree, should be given an extended run now back in the team in place of Lingard, he's had his chance to show what he has got now give Januzaj a chance to prove he can get back to where he was.

And let's not forget where he was, all you have to do is watch his highlights from the Moyes season to see he was absolutely phenomenal at times.

The closest thing to Ronaldo since Ronaldo himself was thrown out quite a few times.....
 
I've been watching him closely for a while now, and was a big fan of his, but now I must say I think it's looking less and less unlikely that he will be this great star that we thought he would be. He just lacks that power, pace and most critically, that cutting edge to be a true winger. He lacks the presence and poise to be a no. 10 and he's no midfielder.

Last season he mostly infuriated fans by losing the ball or taking too much time on the ball or making a poor decision like going for goal. Call it nerves or what have you, but his footballing intelligence simply did not show last season at all. This season, in what little we have seen of him, we see a more composed, relaxed and possibly refined footballer. But completely absent is the power, pace and cutting edge required of an attacking player.

Compare to Martial and Rashford. Or even Lingard, who despite his faults, oozes confidence and determination. Januzaj is not confident, and made the moronic move of insisting on going to Dortmund to sit on the bench for a few months.

Basically my point is, Januzaj has not progressed at all in the 3 seasons we have seen of him. He went from hugely promising, to being nonexistent and a non-entity even when playing. We have not seen even a glimmer of his initial outstanding form.
 
He really should have gone to a club of a lower level where he'd be in the starting 11. This season has been a complete write-off for him, and he's probably looking at another loan next season when we sign a RW. Completely wasted a year of his career.
 
Hopefully the last few years has been a reminder for him that he still has a lot of Work to do.
Luckily he only just turned 21 so all is far from lost, a good loan next season could turn everything around for him.

Should we let him go on a permanent transfer? Hell no, when he came on against Arsenal you could see right away the ability he has.
What he needs right now is a manager who trust in him, even when he is having a bad game. I still believe he can turn it around and become a good player for us.
 
I've been watching him closely for a while now, and was a big fan of his, but now I must say I think it's looking less and less unlikely that he will be this great star that we thought he would be. He just lacks that power, pace and most critically, that cutting edge to be a true winger. He lacks the presence and poise to be a no. 10 and he's no midfielder.

Last season he mostly infuriated fans by losing the ball or taking too much time on the ball or making a poor decision like going for goal. Call it nerves or what have you, but his footballing intelligence simply did not show last season at all. This season, in what little we have seen of him, we see a more composed, relaxed and possibly refined footballer. But completely absent is the power, pace and cutting edge required of an attacking player.

Compare to Martial and Rashford. Or even Lingard, who despite his faults, oozes confidence and determination. Januzaj is not confident, and made the moronic move of insisting on going to Dortmund to sit on the bench for a few months.

Basically my point is, Januzaj has not progressed at all in the 3 seasons we have seen of him. He went from hugely promising, to being nonexistent and a non-entity even when playing. We have not seen even a glimmer of his initial outstanding form.
It's true that the move was silly. But I'm pretty sure Januzaj will go much further in the game than the "oozing of confidence" Lingard. Rashford is a bit of an unknown quantity since the sample size is so small so I'm not prepared to rate him at Januzaj's level in terms of ability/potential yet. Yes he's had a period of indifference after a blistering start but he still remains one of the most talented footballers at the club and yet be a huge player for us.
 
Also I don't think he lacks that much. As a number 10 hes definitely got a good bit of presence and poise. He's worked a lot on his upper body strength and that has been evident in the football he's played as a 9 over the last year. I mean let's face it. David Silva isn't exactly an ox now is he? Poise? Can't think of anyone at the club who has more than him. Maybe Mata but he's frail as a grasshopper. One thing Januzaj does have is the technical quality and poise. Barring really bad days it always shows. What he needs to work on is end product and most importantly that intensity to his game that demands to be involved in the game. Like a lot of the young players he drifts in and out of games. And as a 10/playmaker you have to constantly be available for the pass. I think he's caught between being a forward and a playmaker. But the raw tools are not lacking for me. Definitely not for a 10.
 
In an ideal scenario long-term Januzaj will be a 10,Pereira will be a 8,Rashford right winger/striker and Lingard to cover for all the 3 attacking positions.
 
Hopefully the last few years has been a reminder for him that he still has a lot of Work to do.
Luckily he only just turned 21 so all is far from lost, a good loan next season could turn everything around for him.

Should we let him go on a permanent transfer? Hell no, when he came on against Arsenal you could see right away the ability he has.
What he needs right now is a manager who trust in him, even when he is having a bad game. I still believe he can turn it around and become a good player for us.

You "saw something"? What exactly? Him showing off some tricks for about a minute in the dying minutes of a game that had already been won by his younger and vastly less experienced peers? Great lets sign up some futsal players for our squad.

The lad has more bookings for diving than goals for United.

He was our most promising prospect in 2013-2014 I agree with that but he has gone a mile backwards since.

Martial Depay Lingard and Rashford are a class above him now and that is a shame and Januzaj has only himself to blame for that. 21 is not that young anymore. I hope he sincerely regrets going to Dortmund and will now get his act together. He isnt the young starlet anymore.
 
Its all to do with his mentality. Having such an explosive start has gone to his head and he thinks he has made it already. United need to show him some tough love and not pander to his ego. If he rises above and comes out better then you will have an amazing player there. If he doesn't, he was never going to make it at a club like United.
 
Its all to do with his mentality. Having such an explosive start has gone to his head and he thinks he has made it already. United need to show him some tough love and not pander to his ego. If he rises above and comes out better then you will have an amazing player there. If he doesn't, he was never going to make it at a club like United.

Agreed
 
You "saw something"? What exactly? Him showing off some tricks for about a minute in the dying minutes of a game that had already been won by his younger and vastly less experienced peers? Great lets sign up some futsal players for our squad.

The lad has more bookings for diving than goals for United.

He was our most promising prospect in 2013-2014 I agree with that but he has gone a mile backwards since.

Martial Depay Lingard and Rashford are a class above him now and that is a shame and Januzaj has only himself to blame for that. 21 is not that young anymore. I hope he sincerely regrets going to Dortmund and will now get his act together. He isnt the young starlet anymore.

What i meant was that when he plays you see that he has the talent. He has the vision, passing, dribbling etc. But he needs to play more maturely, think faster, release the ball quicker, move into Space.
If it all comes together for him he will be a quality player, it's all up to him though.
 
Its all to do with his mentality. Having such an explosive start has gone to his head and he thinks he has made it already. United need to show him some tough love and not pander to his ego. If he rises above and comes out better then you will have an amazing player there. If he doesn't, he was never going to make it at a club like United.
During Moyes season Rio hinted he started crying when not selected at one time
 
i can't see a way back for him anymore, as long as lvg is here anyway. with all our injuries, he wasn't even on the bench last match for fecks sakes.

nevertheless, it's as gol123 said:

"It's all to do with his mentality. Having such an explosive start has gone to his head and he thinks he has made it already. United need to show him some tough love and not pander to his ego. If he rises above and comes out better then you will have an amazing player there. If he doesn't, he was never going to make it at a club like United."
 
Love that bit of skill from Mata

Tbh I don't think that Januzaj looks great in this scene. Initially he had plenty of space and Arsenal had zero defensive organization or discipline. He could've easily turned around and passed it to Mata who then would've had plenty of space. Instead he just kept going by himself and literally backed himself in into the corner and when the opposition caught up to him he didn't try to waste some time or win his team a corner, instead he tried a showpiece dribble through two defenders.
 
Tbh I don't think that Januzaj looks great in this scene. Initially he had plenty of space and Arsenal had zero defensive organization or discipline. He could've easily turned around and passed it to Mata who then would've had plenty of space. Instead he just kept going by himself and literally backed himself in into the corner and when the opposition caught up to him he didn't try to waste some time or win his team a corner, instead he tried a showpiece dribble through two defenders.

Yet we were all complaining about too many passes and not enough risks during the first half of the season. Don't think most fans actually know what they want.
 
Mentality wise he's not there yet but that's something that could come with age. However, I just don't think he's this huge talent everyone says he is. He's a good player but he doesn't excel at anything, that coupled with his attitude could mean he never makes it here. I see more ability in the likes of Pereira and I think in five years time Pereira will be the better player. He told LVG he was a number 10 and so LVG gave him three or so starts in his so called "best" position and he failed to impress.

He got shunted off the ball on a number of occasions and our play broke down because of his inability to shield the ball or make a quick pass. After those performances he quite rightly got sent out on loan, but again his attitude or ego, call it what you will meant that he went against the coaches advice of moving to a smaller club and decided he could break into a supremely efficient dortmund team. Unfortunately, LVG was proven right in his assessment and he couldn't make it there and has kind of had to come home with his tail between his legs as the loan was cut short.

Like they say, hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.
 
Yet we were all complaining about too many passes and not enough risks during the first half of the season. Don't think most fans actually know what they want.


What? It was the 89th minute against Arsenal and his team was leading 3:2. Not exactly a situation where your team is looking desperately for a goal.
 
You "saw something"? What exactly? Him showing off some tricks for about a minute in the dying minutes of a game that had already been won by his younger and vastly less experienced peers? Great lets sign up some futsal players for our squad.

The lad has more bookings for diving than goals for United.

He was our most promising prospect in 2013-2014 I agree with that but he has gone a mile backwards since.

Martial Depay Lingard and Rashford are a class above him now and that is a shame and Januzaj has only himself to blame for that. 21 is not that young anymore. I hope he sincerely regrets going to Dortmund and will now get his act together. He isnt the young starlet anymore.

Yeah it was his choice to go out on loan regardless of club, let's give up on Wilson as well while we're at it. Rashford already worlds apart lol give me a break
 
Tbh I don't think that Januzaj looks great in this scene. Initially he had plenty of space and Arsenal had zero defensive organization or discipline. He could've easily turned around and passed it to Mata who then would've had plenty of space. Instead he just kept going by himself and literally backed himself in into the corner and when the opposition caught up to him he didn't try to waste some time or win his team a corner, instead he tried a showpiece dribble through two defenders.
All of our players were doing that, to waste time.
 
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