[Scorpy]

Surely he can’t have been fit today - haven’t read back through all the posts but what I’m picking up here is that ETH actually preferred to play a left back instead of a fit HM at centre back?

It's really not that surprising. Luke Shaw is an excellent replacement for Licha at CB because they're both extremely comfortable on the ball, help us control the game better and get out of the opponent's press much easier. With Maguire it's the complete opposite.

The only chance for Maguire to find his way back into the starting eleven is if Varane gets injured again. Then it'd be between Lindelof and Maguire, but let's face it, even then ETH would lean towards Lindelof unless we're playing a team entirely reliant on set-pieces.

 

[Messier1994]

What annoys me is that ETH is getting zero support when implementing his style of play in this team.

It is absolutely not a surprise that ETH would prefer Shaw at CB over Maguire. Or more precisely, that if we are without our only ball playing CB, Martinez, ETH would prefer Shaw over Maguire. For a position next to Martinez I think Maguire gets more consideration.

ETHs entire game plan depends on our ability to play up from the back. To do that, you must have mobile, creative, technically skilled CBs who have a lot of composure on the ball even if they are pressured. ETH turned away established dominant old fashion CBs for the Eredivse with Ajax to instead use a player bought as a CDM, Lissandro Martinez, and a 19 y/o RB, Jurrien Timber as his CB pair (the two of them being 5’10 and 5’9).

Should it really be a surprise that Maguire isn’t played regularly by ETH? I’ve listened to many press conferences this season. I am not exaggerating, in some PCs, 50-66% of them are spent on discussing Maguire.

Imagine if you are ETH and comes to a new team in a new country known to be followed by a really fierce group of journalists and fans. You create a starting XI in your head and rate the squad creating depth charts at each positions. And then every other question you get from journalists are about a player that is literary the 4th-5th option at his position like he was bigger than the team itself?

 

[Messier1994]

It's really not that surprising. Luke Shaw is an excellent replacement for Licha at CB because they're both extremely comfortable on the ball, help us control the game better and get out of the opponent's press much easier. With Maguire it's the complete opposite.

The only chance for Maguire to find his way back into the starting eleven is if Varane gets injured again. Then it'd be between Lindelof and Maguire, but let's face it, even then ETH would lean towards Lindelof unless we're playing a team entirely reliant on set-pieces.

Great post.

Its 2022, but the journalists around this team is stuck in 1992. When they finally start to question if there is something tactical about ETHs use of Maguire — they start to talk about how ETH wants to play with a “high defense” and how Maguire cannot do that.

Maguire is a heavy-set 6’4 CB who definitely don’t have any technical skills to talk about from the perspective of a top team in Europe. He is not fast and he don’t have any mobility.

Oki, the problem here is that he can’t play a high defense? It could not perhaps be about his ability to play up the ball from the back?

 

[charlenefan]

I mean hopefully our new owners will be minted and it won't matter but between the sale of Maguire and VDB we'll hopefully get a decent amount of money in this summer to reinvest

Hopefully

 

[Mike Smalling]

He is captain. When he's on the pitch, he should wear it.

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Rio out there doing God's work. If pundits can begin putting the idea in Maguire massive head that he should leave the club, perhaps he will initiate it himself. Here's hoping.

 

[AbusementPark]

Rio out there doing God's work. If pundits can begin putting the idea in Maguire massive head that he should leave the club, perhaps he will initiate it himself. Here's hoping.

Cant wait for the Piers Morgan and Harry Maguire interview about how hes been disrespected.

 

[Escobar]

You either fit the system, play well, work hard, or you are benched. Harry has not been good enough, so he is benched. If pundits dont like it, who cares

 

[Josh 76]

Great post.

Its 2022, but the journalists around this team is stuck in 1992. When they finally start to question if there is something tactical about ETHs use of Maguire — they start to talk about how ETH wants to play with a “high defense” and how Maguire cannot do that.

Maguire is a heavy-set 6’4 CB who definitely don’t have any technical skills to talk about from the perspective of a top team in Europe. He is not fast and he don’t have any mobility.

Oki, the problem here is that he can’t play a high defense? It could not perhaps be about his ability to play up the ball from the back?

Your right. The game has moved on so much and with so much data and analysis accessible for the average fan nowadays, the journalists and pundits take on things is not worth anything.

I would rather listen to someone in the pub talk about football than listen to the so called experts!

 

[EtH]

Thought he was fantastic yesterday.

 

[Catt]

Watching him coming on for 2 minutes and taking the armband like he thinks he is the big man when all it really does is make him look insecure and weak.

He is the captain, isn't he? Was he supposed to decline?

 

[Morpheus 7]

Thought he was fantastic yesterday.

Did you Ole

 

[DickDastardly]

Thought he was fantastic yesterday.

Had a good chat on the bench with him did you?

 

[devilish]

Rio out there doing God's work. If pundits can begin putting the idea in Maguire massive head that he should leave the club, perhaps he will initiate it himself. Here's hoping.

Players have many rights these days so one of the few ways to push them out is not to play them. That tend to hit their pride, their chances with the national team and their pockets (appearance fees, sponsors etc)

 

[BorisManUtd]

Wonder if there's a chance Maguire leaves as early as this month. Summer seems more logical but he'll be frustrated to sit on the bench for another 6 months. Though of course he'll get chances in different competitions, but even Shaw starting before him in his position must be killing him. And especially after he had solid World Cup few weeks ago.

 

[AbusementPark]

Wonder if there's a chance Maguire leaves as early as this month. Summer seems more logical but he'll be frustrated to sit on the bench for another 6 months. Though of course he'll get chances in different competitions, but even Shaw starting before him in his position must be killing him. And especially after he had solid World Cup few weeks ago.

Be best he leaves this month for everyone, his stock is high for both us and himself, 6 months on the bench will kill his chances of moving to a semi-decent team.
Spurs defence looks in need of an upgrade after todays performance, how Romero starts ahead of Licha for Argentina is mind blowing.

 

[devilish]

Be best he leaves this month for everyone, his stock is high for both us and himself, 6 months on the bench will kill his chances of moving to a semi-decent team.
Spurs defence looks in need of an upgrade after todays performance, how Romero starts ahead of Licha for Argentina is mind blowing.

a well run club would have had buyers lined up for VDB and Maguire which in turn would allow ETH to at least buy a striker.

 

[BorisManUtd]

Be best he leaves this month for everyone, his stock is high for both us and himself, 6 months on the bench will kill his chances of moving to a semi-decent team.
Spurs defence looks in need of an upgrade after todays performance, how Romero starts ahead of Licha for Argentina is mind blowing.

Situation is that we have Martinez, Varane and even Lindelof being preferred options to him and lately even Casemiro and Shaw playing at CB and doing well. So January move isn't off the cards.

 

[GoldanoGraham]

Is he actually over his Illness and 100% fit? Has ETH answered as to why Harry isn’t playing and Shaw is?
Im just intrigued to hear what has been said as I seem to have missed it? Or is it a case as what hasn’t been said?

 

[glazed]

I don't see Maguire starting an EPL match for us again.

 

[RedPed]

Ten Hag pretty much spelled out why Maguire does not suit the team's style. The guy's done out here.

 

[westmeath]

Looks like he’s done with us and the best we can hope to recover for him is probably 30m or thereabouts. A proper disaster of a signing in a litany of disastrous signings. Hard to know which one was the most damaging but this is right up there.

 

[TheGame]

Is he actually over his Illness and 100% fit? Has ETH answered as to why Harry isn’t playing and Shaw is?
Im just intrigued to hear what has been said as I seem to have missed it? Or is it a case as what hasn’t been said?

Isn't it just a case of Shaw played well when Maguire was ill so he kept his place in the team.

 

[Sammy McIlroys fan club]

Isn't it just a case of Shaw played well when Maguire was ill so he kept his place in the team.

I do think there is a lot of this. Early in the season McT was playing well and keeping Casemiro out of the team. ETH seems to believe possession of the shirt matters and if you perform well you keep the place. I am all for this so long as the manager has the necessary ruthlessness to drop the player in possession when they under perform. Everything we have seen from ETH so far suggests he doesn't lack ruthlessness.

 

[Bondi77]

I don't see Maguire starting an EPL match for us again.

 

[glazed]

That take didn't age well

 

[klayton88]

I give it five minutes before he puts the rest of the team on edge.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Back to his old trick; runs out of defence, player turns around him and Maguire stsrts grabbing him with his arms.

But something which is more important; him and Rashy again had some nervous chat (when Case stepped up between them). Anyone have a feeling that Maguire is not respected/loved among players?

 

[lex talionis]

Very decent performance. A solid third CB for us if he’s willing to accept it, which he should.

 

[shamans]

Back to his old trick; runs out of defence, player turns around him and Maguire stsrts grabbing him with his arms.

But something which is more important; him and Rashy again had some nervous chat (when Case stepped up between them). Anyone have a feeling that Maguire is not respected/loved among players?

Thought he was pretty good overall

 

[city-puma]

Maguire loses more pace than before.

 

[A-man]

Overall he was ok but at same time basically all their chances came around him. Slow with the ball, but he was not alone. Anyway, shouldn’t complain too much. A clean sheet and 3-0, we haven’t won bigger than that this season.

Should add I think he has decided to play a little better safe than sorry. Didn’t do those rushes in to midfield. They have not been great lately so smart to avoid them for some time.

 

[Mailo]

Decent performance, but my God what an oil tanker. SS Maguire.

 

[Stadjer]

Fourth/fifth choice centre back didnt do too bad today.

 

[Andersonson]

But something which is more important; him and Rashy again had some nervous chat (when Case stepped up between them). Anyone have a feeling that Maguire is not respected/loved among players?

No.

 

[Sammy McIlroys fan club]

Wobbly first half but improved in the second. Still short of pace and too slow to play the ball but much better than he was at the start of the season.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Wobbly 1st half but a quite decent 2nd.

 

[Olecurls99]

Did well. A bit slow in possession but solid enough in defense. Can't think of any really bad mistakes.

 

[Morpheus 7]

The standards he's given are awful, was rinsed for pace and bailed out by De Gea. Any other team and we conceed. Lindelof and him should be banned from playing together. Too slow, loose passes and brings nerves. Need to move him on.

 

[DickDastardly]

Fourth/fifth choice centre back didnt do too bad today.

Qft

 

[RedRoach]

Absolutely awful first half and in general our defence is much shakier with him in it. Maguire/Lindelof is a big downgrade on Varane/Martinez