Axel Tuanzebe image 38

Axel Tuanzebe England flag

2020-21 Performances


View full 2020-21 profile

5.7 Season Average Rating
Appearances
19
Clean sheets
6
Goals
0
Assists
0
Yellow cards
6
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ekeke

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
53,080
Location
Hope, We Lose
I would say it was the contrast in styles of the PSG and Istanbul strikers. PSG had mobile players that want to run onto the ball in behind or run with the ball at defenders. So Tuanzebe's pace covering the run behind and ability to time his tackle with composure were excellent in that match.

Against Demba Ba there were a lot more balls into the air into the front man who used his strength to help hold onto it. There was obviously a decently quick break away from the corner and they counter attacked well, but it was more with purpose than with speed. Perhaps he still has to prove himself against a proper striker who can hold onto the ball and will compete with him physically
 

Red00012

Full Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Messages
12,087
People have talked him up too much I think when not playing. He look like he did last year yesterday. Like a liability.
He played well vs PSG though so maybe in a back 5 he can do better.
Not playing much could be a reason too, but it is the same thing that can be said about all our bench defenders.

Lindelöf is way better than him though. No debate.
Brilliant .

Another one of our players been called a liability.

Yet the game v PSG he was going to be our 1st choice centre back for the foreseeable .

Cafe Knee Jerk at its finest
 

MadDogg

Full Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
15,810
Location
Manchester Utd never lose, just run out of time

Son

Full Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2019
Messages
1,688
The guy has played like 2 games hasn’t he I’m a year? All of our team was bad so no reason picking on the one guy with an excuse.
 

Foxbatt

New Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
14,297
He needs a bit of break. He has not played for a long time. He needs to play a bit of time to get into the groove.
 

A-man

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
6,314
I mean, all they had to do was a quick google. 5 aerial battles won, 17 lost.

https://www.premierleague.com/players/13559/Axel-Tuanzebe/stats

Even if they had never done personal scouting on Tuanzebe, they will have access to far better stats that the first thing that pops up on google.
Yes its not rocket science, like you wrote anybody with internet access can find out in one minute that:
-On one side there is Maguire who is one of the best in the world at clearing aerials.
-On the other side there are Tuanzebe and AWB who both have poor stats when it comes to aerials.

It’s no coincidence they played a lot of high balls on Tuanzebe’s side. They would probably have done the same if Lindelof or Bailly played as well.
 

GueRed

Full Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2020
Messages
2,849
Location
London
People have talked him up too much I think when not playing. He look like he did last year yesterday. Like a liability.
He played well vs PSG though so maybe in a back 5 he can do better.
Not playing much could be a reason too, but it is the same thing that can be said about all our bench defenders.

Lindelöf is way better than him though. No debate.
100%

and most of them have barely seen him play apart from a few snippets here and there off a highlight reel on youtube or something.

I've watched his under 23's games and Villa games the last few years and there is no indicator he's going to be 'world class' or the next Paul McGrath/Jaap Stam twitter internet hype has made people believe!
 

Lash

Full Member
Joined
May 3, 2012
Messages
11,888
Location
Buckinghamshire
Supports
Millwall, Saint-Etienne
Yes, he had a huge space to defend and it takes experience and skills to do that. Many believe being fast is enough to be the perfect covering CB in a high line, but that’s worth very little of you don’t have the other basics like positioning, awareness, team work, communication, decision making, etc.



Of course we should expect him to do better, no doubt. He had a poor game. But the task was too difficult for him imo. Lindelof is 3 years older and has much more experience, and we saw last season also he had difficulties covering behind himself, AWB and Maguire. I think we should ease Axel in. This was a good game for him to play, but not with that much responsibility.
However one question that I still have in my head is; was it tactics that Axel stayed so high up, or is it his style of playing, which means this is just how it turned out, nothing planned.
After watching it a bit more, I think he was given too much responsibility with the tactics and he panicked. I was amazed how calm he was against PSG and he looks visibly nervy in such an open game. I think we'll have to chalk it down to the manager, but he did earn the trust of the manager based of his PSG performance, but like you said - could have been a step too far.
 

UNITED ACADEMY

New Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Messages
13,127
Supports
Erik ten Hag
He came off because he already on yellow, with no help from midfielder, Ole didn't want to take a risk to keep him on the pitch with threat of 2nd yellow. A yellow he received from fouling Ba despite of Ba being offside already. He did nothing good but I don't think we can blame him for both goals we conceded.
 

GueRed

Full Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2020
Messages
2,849
Location
London
We are expecting Mengi to be the best chance of making it.
he has a chance but still has a long way to go imo
he has a higher ceiling than Tuanzebe but thats not saying much

he's physically too strong for the under 18s and under 23's....
needs to be tested at mens level imo. needs to keep training with the first team then possibly a short loan spell to aid his development...
 

red woppit

Full Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
2,229
Location
Buchebi
Supports
Northampton Town
Stepped in for a tricky last part of the game. Iwobi was looking to do something at the end there but Axel kept him at bay.
He looked very solid, Iwobi got one cross in in the time he was on, which was dealt with by Maguire, but apart from that Axel forced him back down the line almost every time. Still think this lad will be a great asset for United in the years to come.
 

Isotope

Ten Years a Cafite
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
23,554
I thought his positioning was incredibly bad. He was all over the place, and always want to go to the center and confused Maguire.

Understandable, because he's a CB, and maybe it was his first time playing LB.
 
Joined
May 22, 2017
Messages
13,122
I thought his positioning was incredibly bad. He was all over the place, and always want to go to the center and confused Maguire.

Understandable, because he's a CB, and maybe it was his first time playing LB.
coming on as a left back is going to be a tough ask. The important thing is that he is getting minutes.

perhaps the euphoria of PSG has calmed down, and he’s not yet the second coming of Barasi. He needs games and minutes, and as long as he stays fit he will get them. Even playing left back will help his development, he’s played so few games at the top level.
 

Isotope

Ten Years a Cafite
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
23,554
coming on as a left back is going to be a tough ask. The important thing is that he is getting minutes.

perhaps the euphoria of PSG has calmed down, and he’s not yet the second coming of Barasi. He needs games and minutes, and as long as he stays fit he will get them. Even playing left back will help his development, he’s played so few games at the top level.
I understand. FB is one of the safest place to groom young CB. Like you said, just to get minutes, fitness level, and adapt to the PL game. I don't have problem with this sub.

I was just mentioning that he didn't have a good game, imho. TFM was way more solid as LB, and i was surprised he didn't come in.
 

A-man

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
6,314
I thought his positioning was incredibly bad. He was all over the place, and always want to go to the center and confused Maguire.

Understandable, because he's a CB, and maybe it was his first time playing LB.
I can only remember one game where he played LB and that was Arsenal last season.
 
Man Utd 4:1 Istanbul Basaksehir
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Messages
2,824
Really weird half from him. How many times did he lose his balance? Looked incredibly indecisive, still did well in the corner a few times. Might have to start against Southampton if Lindelof is struggling with something. Going to miss the next UCL match against PSG, our centrebacks for that one are going to be interesting, especially since 3 at the back was looking a real possibility.
 

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,258
Enthusiastic but off key. Never looked entirely in control of himself or his actions. Needs to get back to what he showed against PSG.
 

drmuji

Full Member
Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
2,314
Location
Lahore, Pakistan
What was he doing. There was no communication between him and Maguire, or him and Fred.
He looks solid defender but he needs to improve his communication. Almost put us in huge trouble
 

11101

Full Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
21,203
Why exactly did we bring him on as a replacement for Lindelof when we knew a booking would rule him out of the PSG game? Now if Lindelof is genuinely injured we're stuck with the roulette wheel that is Bailly to face Mbappe and Neymar.
 

HowYouDoin

New Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
1,020
Aa soon as he got that yellow I was like....alright now we are losing to PSG for sure.
 
RB Leipzig 3:2 Man Utd

Sandikan

aka sex on the beach
Joined
Mar 14, 2011
Messages
52,710
Seems to be a romantic choice for many, but that display today showed he's got heck of a lot to learn to ever be a regular here.
 

frookydinho

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
154
The boy needs game time.
The defending today was shambolic, I know he was a little erratic at times but when we need positive subs and are chasing goals it made no sense to bring him on.

But this kid needs to be playing and build up his match fitness. I actually like the pairing of him and lindelof but we know that won't be happening.
 

thegregster

Harbinger of new information
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
13,446
He is 23 and has only played 59 games in senior football.

Injuries and bad management on our part. He needs to go somewhere and be first choice. He has no chance of developing otherwise.
 

GledTheRed

Full Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Messages
14,964
Location
Twitter thread
He's shite isn't he?

Dribbled the ball out and kicked it away, almost as bad at TFM control that he shouted at someone else for.
 

Tom Van Persie

No relation
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
24,321
He's shite isn't he?

Dribbled the ball out and kicked it away, almost as bad at TFM control that he shouted at someone else for.
Did you miss his performance against PSG? There's a good player in there but it doesn't help he makes an odd cameo every so often. He needs games and time to grow. You can't write him off.
 

HowYouDoin

New Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Messages
1,020
Should have been our regular starter after Paris.
Maguire and Lindelof are both slow, dont complement each other and all and its a major weakness we have. Instead Tuanzebe barely got any minutes after the Paris game.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.