Selling him should be the no.1 squad change the new board should make once they are assembled 
21
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 38
- Goals
- 3
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 6
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I’m rooting for the guy, but it’s getting increasingly tough to do. I understand how he fooled United into the transfer because we’re a rudderless ship, but how did he fool the Brazilian national team?
I'm definitely up for a LB experiment with him, realistically this season is a write off anyway results wise, try some weird stuff, maybe it pays off next year. He's got fire in him that might be more useful in defence than twirling endlessly in attack.
The two times I've seen him play for Brazil he's actually been fairly good. No idea if that's normal or if I just happened to catch his only two good games.
He wasn't great last season, but he was significantly better than he has been this. If he can get back to that level he can at least be useful.
I was pleased to see him not playing again today.
He would've come on too, if not for those pesky yellow cards.
Nah... he still could have right? (we had one sub left) He could have come on as a defensive winger for Garnacho for the last 2 minutes but he didn't even get that.
Hopefully the start of him being on his way out
The general standard of international football is low these days, especially in South America. Remember Kleberson? We have signed plenty of players on back of tournaments who then look really average. Amrabat had a good WC by all accounts...
So happy about his performance recently. Found his right position in the team finally.
Think he may have to start coming into consideration as an emergency left-back option. He’s not exactly needed in his natural position at the moment.
I'm just imagining Saka v Antony...
Extremely happy with this too. First name I hope I don't see when starting XI is announced.
.That's a one-off. Imagine how many crosses from the left flank (either out-wide or the half-space) toward the far post we'll have to deal with in each game. More so, when preventing teams from manufacturing attempts isn't exactly our forte this season. Not that Shaw doesn't often get caught asleep dealing with those, but still...
There's this weird notion on the Caf that the FB role is the perfect place for failed wingers. Weird in the sense that the modern reiteration of the role has become very demanding, both physically and technically. Where exactly Antony fits in there, i don't know. But i want to be surprised. It would be grand if both Antony and ETH can pull this off in the final third of the season.
Another strange phenomenon is the seemingly ubiquitous notion that Antony is good defensively. He's not. I mean, he runs a lot, but that's not the same. He's not strong and he doesn't read the game well. Then he's forced to track back, which he does until he decides to go down for a hopeless tackle, to give away a foul or to just opt out when there's a teammate near to take the blame if something goes awry (in my part of the world, we call it defending for the cameras). It's a bit like Bruno, who gets the plaudits for busting a lung to do the defensive part of a midfielder's job when, in truth, if he stopped for a sec to check the movement around him and adjusted his position accordingly (instead of going where he likes), most of this running wouldn't even be necessary.
Maybe it is because he runs alot and is high intensity.
Maybe it is because he is in the 99th percentile for successful tackles for wingers/attacking midfielders? 96th for blocks? 90th for interceptions? 95th for ball recoveries? These things have a weird tendency to shape peoples opinion. And I mean, it is not an awful starting point..
You can have your stats, i don't refute them. The role comes with certain responsibilities, it demands some split second decisions which are crucial both on and off the ball. If you think he has shown the nous to be trusted with these, fair enough. I haven't. I see a player who has struggled massively in the PL, has shown nativity in his decisions, and looks to be very low on confidence. Football isn't just about running around and "putting a shift in". At least, not at this level.
These stats show just how flawed stats alone are. He is an £80m attacker, who cant score or create, or beat a player or cross. Against Wolves he gave one of the worst cameo performances ever, constantly losing the ball, passing to oppo and on one occasion straight into touch. Yes he did one tracking run and tackle, but he also lost the ball that allowed them to break and score the third goal. You cannot look at stats alone and tell anything.
Valencia had offside issues for years when he was converted from a winger into a fullback. It's not something you can simply train over the weekend, it takes a lot of time to be 100% aware of your positioning at any given moment, and follow the back line. I highly doubt that he will work out as a left back.
Funny enough, but his stats regarding his ability to score, create, beat a player or cross is really poor.
I dont disagree. But that was not your initial claim. You claimed Antony is not good defensively. As a winger, I think he is. Could he play fullback? Probably not.
Yup, you're right. Valencia also had an issue or two monitoring the movement behind him when defending the back post as a fullback. It's not an easy transition because errors and miscalculations can lead directly to chances, whereas the wingers can often get away with it.
And it's not just about the individuals. Valencia made the transition from a position of strength. We were the team to beat under Ferguson, we had a system in place that could lead to winning titles. It's not the sheer emergency we're currently dealing with that can make any player look bad in isolation.
We don't have centre-halves (except for Martinez) that can cover for overlapping fullbacks, while our defensive transitions also leave a lot to be desired. Not exactly the ideal environment to learn your trade as a (new) defender. Even if we were offered (someone like) TAA, whose exceptional at creating chances, there's no way would be able to "carry him".
That's OK, i should have probably phrased that better. I didn't mean that he's not trying. I just have seen him often making the wrong decisions (tackling from behind when there's zero chance to get the ball, giving away silly fouls when the opposition player is isolated etc.) and i don't think these would translate well in the FB role. It would take a lot of ironing out when our backline can't catch a break these days due to our inability to control games.
Could he not fill in at left back? (Very) left footed, quick, some degree of skill
God no. He's terrible in defending 1v1 the few times I've seen him defense dribblers.
A left footer trying to defend the right hand side of the pitch is very different to a left footer trying to defend the left. He is constantly on his weaker foot while defending the right.
Tracking back and actually defending are two very different things.
Very true. He is decent as a harasser, but I dont believe he can actually defend.
Thank you, I’m quite tired of the Antony left back shouts.
Either Maguire ran too soon or the pass just wasn't put forward enough.
Huh? He's one of the slowest players I've seen on the ball.
He doesn't have brains for his natural position, but hey, lets move him to new position. Cafe at his peak.
So the Cafe is a male, good to know. Thanks for the insightful comment though.
If Rashford has to play up front then put Amad on the left and move Garnacho back on the right, if he can't do that then stick Bruno up front and put Eriksen where Bruno plays and keep Garnacho and Rashford where they are, if he can't do that then put Forson on the right and keep Garnacho where he is.
I'll lose alot of faith in Ten Hag if he just reverts back to --- Garnacho--Rashford--Antony.
I'll lose alot of faith in Ten Hag if he just reverts back to --- Garnacho--Rashford--Antony.
Cant be much worse than Lindelof tbf, we're desperate for a left back so maybe try him there if he shows any promise in training?
I have no desire whatsoever to see him back in the side for us.
Agreed. If we’re desperate for bodies, and they argue we are, then you deploy troops where you must. But the idea that Antony could be converted into a reasonably productive fullback is pure fantasy.
I'm just laughing at the thought of Antony having to defend Saka or Salah 1v1 near our box.
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