Couldn't cross, wasn't a great shooter and never displayed any sort of vision to deliver through balls from outwide. Basically no form of end product.
Axel Tuanzebe
- Thread starter khoazany
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Coolest first name in football?
Couldn't cross and didn't have much of a long pass on him.
That was his problem. He had plenty of great attributes - pace, flair, strength, touch, positivity, work rate, great passing in tight spaces - but no matter what position you tried him in, there was at least one key weakness preventing him from really fitting in there. Too little composure in front of goal to be a #9. Too little composure in the final pass to be a #10. Couldn't cross, so no dice as a winger. Too short a range of passing and not disciplined enough in possession to be a midfielder.
18th birthday tomorrow and an impressive interview as usual 
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Him,Goss and Harrop have been unlucky with their injury timing.A real shame that he is injured since months
He's due back in 2 weeks so hopefully he can get a chance with the first team before the end of the season. Been very unlucky with injuries this year considering earlier in the season he was the closest to the first team of all of the younger players
Axel and Goss are the last ones remaining on my "youngsters to make debut this season" list!
Axel is the last on my list:
Although its hardly a Nostradamus like claim now seeing as pretty much everyone above the u11's has made their debut this season. Those three are still my picks from the u18's and above.
He must be cursing his luck with injuries at the wrong time.
So Tuanzebe got his first appearance for England at any level yesterday it seems. Came on as sub in u19s. I know he has dual nationality with Democratic Republic of Congo maybe that has been a factor? Otherwise I just don't understand it. Have England a lot of quality centre backs coming through or something?
This lad is supposed to be a huge talent like Roshaun Williams and TFM, right?
We certainly got some bright talent coming through at CB.
We certainly got some bright talent coming through at CB.
Yeah he's in that same category. Was injured for a couple of months recently. Hopefully he progresses next season in the u21s and maybe be challenging for the first team at some stage.
He was ahead in the pecking order of Williams and Fosu Mensah it seemed but got injured at the wrong time.
Who wrote in their book that this lad was the future of our defence? Was it Fergie? That was a couple of years ago too.
I'm certain he'd have been the 1stbyouth player tobget his debut had it not been for his injury.. Hopefully Jose is willing give the kids some playing time next season and we get to see Tuanzebe in action
If we bring in Bailly and another young centre back that doesn't bode well for Tuanzebe or Williams.
Are we in for another young CB?
I think there's a good chance if Mou also wants Stones.
I think it will be another CB but not a young one. It will be an experienced head IMO.
Also players will go, my guess is Rojo Jones will probably be sold, and there is talk already of Blind being on the out list too.
I do worry for their chances though
I agree and if it's an experienced head to go with Bailly then that would work out in the long run. However, I can't see us passing up on Stones if City come in for him (which they almost certainly will) and I'd hate to see Stones at City. If we did sign Stones and Bailly, that would give us two young defenders about to hit their peak when Williams and Tuanzebe will want to be pushing for a place in the team. So unless we start playing 3 CBs those 2 starting spots could be filled for the next 10 years.
Also don't forget Bailly can play fullback, and there is a question mark on Darmian (even though I like Darmian)
Got to say the potential Bailly signing annoys me purely because of this lad. With Mourinho's appointment I never worried about the players that have already got a chance I'm more concerned for those yet to make the breakthrough, Axel is one of those obviously. We'll just have to see how things go but I'm hoping this season will be for Axel what last season would've been if it wasn't for injury, as I think he's ready for the step up.
The good thing with young centre backs is that they've got ages yet to prove themselves. It doesn't really become make or break time until they're about 23.
Also like others have said I can see a clean sweep taking place at the back. Rojo, Jones and Blind out. I don't think even Smalling is good enough to say he's a definite starter for the next five year. I think there'll be enough squad spots for the young centre backs we have. They all need another season at U21 level anyway.
I agree with that I just hate seeing players held back longer than they need to be, although Tuanzebe hasn't hit that stage yet to be fair. I just hope Jose follows the u21s, as we all obviously know that we've got a lot of talent beyond Rashford, CBJ and TFM which hopefully is made clear to him.
Yeah I don't like it either but Tuanzebe and Williams aren't ready yet. They both need another season of U21's and then probably a loan. It's Pereira and Januzaj who are on the brink of not making it right now.
I agree on Williams but I just believe that Tuanzebe is ready, I don't know it's just a feeling I have more than an a factual point. I also think they're both lads that could come straight through without a loan but that depends on how long they end up stuck in the u21s for me and it might become necessary to send them out.
Hodgson has his faults but he did a great job with limited CBs at Fulham in Hangeland (slow and good but was great at times for them), Hughes (brilliant in some massive games he had no business being brilliant in) and even Zat Knight was okay and he was so comically terrible that one of my college intramural teams was named "The Zat Knight" since we were all excited for the Batman Begins sequel and Zat seemed to be the opposite of Batman.
So if he thinks Cahill-Smalling is better than Stones-Smalling that's a red flag for me. Hodgson might be weirdly set on playing Rooney but he's brought in Dele Alli and the Spurs fullbacks, so I don't think he's as scared to play youth as he once was. I think it's more the mistakes Stones made this year that cost him his trust.
Tuanzebe and Williams aren't "ready" for the first team next season.......both could also end up at other positions (CDM or RB).
Let's not do this again!
Hogson has a decent record with defenders but neither of those you mentioned are ball playing CBs. Hodgson is a dinosaur IMO, good at eduating the traditional English CB but not necessarily great for Stones. This may sound a little naive but for me, the fact that Barca want him and Real have scouted him confirms he's the real deal. Of all managers there are, Jose is the best one to iron out his defensive frailties.
Barca 'want' Blind too so we've already got the real deal, no need to spend a million billion dollars on Stones.
Have either of them ever played CDM or RB for an extended number of games?
If TFM is "ready" than Axel and Williams aren't far off either.
No they haven't but i still think there is a chance especially with Williams (No doubt CB is his best position but i think he would do well at RB too).
Tuanzebe was out for 4-5 months therefore i think he needs now first just a lot of U21 football next season.
And it looks like Williams will be out for weeks/months according to @jb8521.
All of them are ready to be the number 4 or number 5 CB in the pecking order IMO.Which mean we should not have more than 4 senior CBs in my opinion, I would even go for 3.
Stones is such an overrated defender.Luiz-esque.Not against buying him but I just don't think he's worth the money spent.
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Tuanzebe played midfield against Chelsea, I know it's not for an extended period, but I think it's good to add another string to his bow. Especially with the amount of promising defensive prospects we have. (Arguably the most athletic in the country?)
Think he was good there but he's so good at centre back I feel like it would be a waste to turn him into what I think would be an average midfielder. I think Poole looks the most likely of these two and Williams to become a midfielder, he's looked very good in the defensive midfield role but even having said that - we haven't seen enough of him at centre back since he joined to say where he's better off but I'd guess it will be him if anyone that gets pushed up the pitch. If the coaches want all three plus TFM to make it then at least one of them will have to move from their natural position I'd say, anyone's guess who though at the moment, next season should make that a lot clearer.
Big praise for Axel from Mourinho
Jose says "10 minutes is enough" to be able to see his potential.
Expect we'll see more of him.
Expect we'll see more of him.
First proper look I've seen of him. Very talented defender and great to see Mourinho sing his praises.