[Escobar]

Another issue will be that he won't get too many chances this season. I can't see him starting a game unless we have an injury crisis.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

@United in sin - those players have been worse signings. Clearly some of that’s subjective - there are no facts! but I would find it hard to believe that most fans wouldn’t say half of those players were worse signings than James, and ergo he’s not one of our worst signings of the past decade.

talent really doesn’t mean anything without application. Is James more talented that Di Maria? Obviously not. Which one will go down as a massive flop, and never welcomed back at OT?

i said earlier in this thread it’s probably time for James to move on, but that January would be potentially the best option. We have question marks around Martial’s attitude, Rashford may need an op, Sancho may take time settling, and the young players like Amad and Elanga have played only a handful of games. I’m assuming at this stage that Lingard will be sold.

no one is claiming James is anything other than what he is, a good squad player. He’s always available, he doesn’t complain when played out of position and offers something different to what we have.

when we signed him, he only had one season of men’s football under his belt.

he’s done well as a squad played, and he’s played 72 games in 2 seasons.

£15m signing.

you can’t have 24 world class, expensive signings. Unless you are city, you have a budget - and you need players like James in your squad. He’s done the job that was asked and expected of him.

 

[Zlatan 7]

I'm sorry, but no. Just no. Not unless your standards are at the level of Southampton or Newcastle.

He's being patronized and treated like he's 17, like basic mistakes are just par for the course for him and should be expected. James is basically Rashford's age, and I don't see anyone treating him like a youth player. Rashford is held to a higher standard because he has obvious talent. You can say players develop at different speeds but when was the last time a 23 year old winger with a Lukaku-grade first touch, who can't pass straight, and who doesn't like taking on defenders turned into a United level player later in his career?


Well that's just not realistic when you play for Manchester United, so it doesn't really apply does it?

Also he's never going to get games in his preferred position. We have at least 4 players now who are better than him on the left (Rashford, Sancho, Pogba, and even Martial), and we can't give him game time just for the sake of it. I'd rather give Elanga those fringe minutes if we're just speculating on potential. He's a lot younger than James and has been highly rated for a long time.

For his own good, Dan James needs to find a more suitable club.

So he’s not a good footballer unless he is? Got you.

play for man United .. not a good footballer
Play for Southampton .. good footballer

makes sense

 

[Oranges038]

James is just not good enough, don't think he ever will be. He was given a chance and it's not worked out, even as a squad player it would be better to have the likes of Elanga, Shoretire, Diallo or Pellestri if he's not on loan again getting his minutes. He offers very little.

Him, Lingard, Perreira and Dalot all need to go. You could maybe get around 55/60m for those 4. Chong is out of contract in 2022 he's another that could possibly be moved on for about 5 or 10m more. That's nearly the price of Sancho returned and monry that could be put towards a midfielder or defender.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

I don't understand your reasoning here, especially the last bit. Are you saying it's ok that he plays at a low level because he came cheap and it was to be expected?

When you wear that red shirt and play as much as James has he is then open to fair criticism for his perfmances no matter how much the club paid for his services

@ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg not sure what purpose presenting your list serves. Are you saying those players were worse than James? I'm not going to disagree with your list even though I feel all of those players were more talented than James. James belongs on the list as well in my opinion

I'm saying we took a punt on a player from the championship for relative peanuts. He's a decent squad player and that's it.

Is he as good as Jadon Sancho? Of course not.

Not every player we sign will be brilliant. You need players like James in your squad to come in every now and then. And to be fair to him he's been incredibly useful in certain fixtures where we get the chance to counter attack.

 

[Silas]

I'm saying we took a punt on a player from the championship for relative peanuts. He's a decent squad player and that's it.

Is he as good as Jadon Sancho? Of course not.

Not every player we sign will be brilliant. You need players like James in your squad to come in every now and then. And to be fair to him he's been incredibly useful in certain fixtures where we get the chance to counter attack.

Who's City's equivalent to James?

 

[hobbers]

I'm saying we took a punt on a player from the championship for relative peanuts. He's a decent squad player and that's it.

Is he as good as Jadon Sancho? Of course not.

Not every player we sign will be brilliant. You need players like James in your squad to come in every now and then. And to be fair to him he's been incredibly useful in certain fixtures where we get the chance to counter attack.

You need every player in the squad to be able to add value. James doesn't add value. Every minute he plays is a minute less for far more talented youngsters like Amad.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Who's City's equivalent to James?

Newsflash: we don't support a team owned by one of richest men in the world who has no intention of making his money back.

City aren't the barometer. They are the exception to the rule.

Dan James has had some of his best moments against likes of City too. I suggest you go watch back some of the matches.

We can't start acting like every single player needs to be on the level of our first 11. It's just not reasonable.

He's a regular starter for Wales ffs and has had some good spells for us. I don't understand the constant abuse of the lad I really don't. I don't want him in the first 11 but I have no issue with him being a squad player at all. In certain games his pace is a real weapon for us.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

You need every player in the squad to be able to add value. James doesn't add value. Every minute he plays is a minute less for far more talented youngsters like Amad.

Don't agree. James has had good games for us, especially against the better sides who don't sit back.

Against the bus parkers he's not as effective hence he's a squad player.

 

[Tomuś]

I don't get this obsession with transfer fees. If we signed a free agent, placed him in the starting 11 almost immediately and he stunk up the place after an initial and short-lived purple patch he'd still make a poor signing and would deserve every fair criticism coming to him

Well it does make a difference. The signing felt like a punt, get games here and there and see if he can develop. The fact he was being a starter at some point is not his fault.

 

[United in sin]

Newsflash: we don't support a team owned by one of richest men in the world who has no intention of making his money back.

City aren't the barometer. They are the exception to the rule.

Dan James has had some of his best moments against likes of City too. I suggest you go watch back some of the matches.

We can't start acting like every single player needs to be on the level of our first 11. It's just not reasonable.

He's a regular starter for Wales ffs and has had some good spells for us. I don't understand the constant abuse of the lad I really don't. I don't want him in the first 11 but I have no issue with him being a squad player at all. In certain games his pace is a real weapon for us.

Who's his equivalent at Liverpool, Chelsea, Liecester or any of the other top 4 chasing clubs or big clubs on the continent vying for top honors? He wouldn't suit up for any of them IMO

 

[Gurtej]

And then you wake up out of your dream, this isn't Football Manager.

haha.... u think if there was a proper structure.... all of this should have happened over last few years .....