This is pretty much my take on him so far. Doesn't convince me at all at CB but he's recent performances at RB(He was very good at RB in a recent reserve game as well as the Cambridge game)give me hope that he's got a chance here.
33
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 18
- Clean sheets
- 5
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 2
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
I'd be pretty damn surprised if he has the quicks to play fullback. You look at the best teams in the world and the slowest starting fullback is Ivanovic, and he's actually pretty quick and powerful once he gets going. I guess Lahm is slowing down too, but he's so good on the ball it's criminal. Alaba, Bernat, Felipe Luis, Azpilicueta, Zabaleta, Clichy, Alves, Alba, Carvajal, Marcelo and the others are all quick enough to threaten on the overlap.
He's very good on the ball, though, so hopefully he can be a CB here. Definitely an intriguing prospect.
He's very good on the ball, though, so hopefully he can be a CB here. Definitely an intriguing prospect.
Thought he was injured when I saw this thread bumped
Watching this again confirms the impression I had during the game that he played wider and much more like a conventional full back in the second half, or maybe it was after the substitutions. In the first half, even though Rooney was in CM in a notional narrow diamond, he was often on the touchline, with McNair inside attacking down the right channel rather than overlapping beyond their fullback. A few times in the first half, McNair also ran from out to in. I think it's this positioning that led to him being so involved in the game. Perhaps LVG has been playing FM this year, with the new 'inverted wingback' role?
Nah I dont agree. There are players in the lower divisions who are where they are cos they're quick and strong but not so technical, it's a very physical division and no so technical. If you watch Goals on Sunday/Football League Show quite a lot of goals seem to come from a pong ball over the defence and a striker sprinting onto it.
Pleased for him with his new deal. He's proved me wrong on that front, I'll be interested in seeing what sort of near and mid term future he has with us now. I expect us to buy two right backs and two centrebacks in the summer so he'll either get a premiership loan or stay as 5th choice.
Edit -Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
Louis van Gaal has heaped praise on young defender Paddy McNair, claiming the talented Northern Irishman could become Manchester United's first-choice right-back for a decade.
McNair came through the club's youth ranks as a central midfielder but eventually moved back into central defence, a position in which he made an accomplished senior debut during this season’s 2-0 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford.
Adding a further string to his bow, the 19-year-old played a full match at right-back during the midweek win over Cambridge United in the FA Cup fourth-round and was even voted Man of the Match by Reds supporters on the club’s official Facebook page.
As van Gaal told MUTV on Friday, the Reds' no.33 is one of many youngsters with a bright future ahead.
As for McNair himself, the youngster has explained how his experience as a centre-back helped him in terms of positioning during his outing at full-back in Tuesday’s comfortable 3-0 win over Cambridge at Old Trafford.
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Wow really?
In what context?I was going to say that a single good performance at RB does not a career make, but then, McNair now has one more great RB performance than Valencia...
He played well for one game at RB against much much lower opposition.
At this stage, saying this is just as ridiculous as calling Phil Jones the new Duncan Edwards.
Unless perhaps he's been insanely good in training at RB?
Besides, hyperbole is better than "we'll try to do our best at making ourselves difficult to beat".
That quote doesn't bode well for Rafael. Gutting
May the best player win.That quote doesn't bode well for Rafael. Gutting
If he performs better than McNair then he'll play. If not, then McNair shall play.That quote doesn't bode well for Rafael. Gutting
I'd say that staying fit for longer than a month would be a good thing to begin with.
I still hope we sign a proper RB in the summer though, don't mind Paddy being number two.
It certainly would!
Could we not just have Mcnair, and Rafael fighting it out for the no 1 spot, with the loser been a perfectly good backup when the main man is injured.That quote doesn't bode well for Rafael. Gutting
Would save us around £25 million too on either Coleman, or Clyne.
Paddy will be immense.
Hadn't realised he had signed a new contract, good news, wonder if Blackett has too even if it's just for potential sale value.
Rooney looked silly positioned on the right last game but he did give a lot of support to McNair, so that tactic wasn't as off the wall as it first seemed.
I do thing LVG's quote doesn't bode well for Rafael. He might be encouraging competition between the two RBs but if McNair keeps improving (a very big if), it's a battle that Rafael would likely lose due to his poor injury history. I think his time at United is limited, regardless.
I do thing LVG's quote doesn't bode well for Rafael. He might be encouraging competition between the two RBs but if McNair keeps improving (a very big if), it's a battle that Rafael would likely lose due to his poor injury history. I think his time at United is limited, regardless.
Rafael will go. Can't stay fit. Van Gaal doesn't want a huge squad and can't afford people like Rafa in it.
And he doesn't have Adriano versatility, Guardiola also wanted a little team at Barcelona but he found the place for Adriano because he was able to cover 4 or 5 positions.
Safe to say the Gaffers a fan, then. He seems to have his favourites, so good news for Paddy.
Out of interest, has McNair played many times at right back for the reserves? I saw he played right back against Liverpool, so I wondered how many other times he'd featured at right back.
To be fair, he did play Badstuber at left back frequently, even with a proper left back in Contento in the team and a converted wing back in Pranjic.
I'd take this comment about McNair with a pinch of salt at the moment. I think he's more suited to playing in the middle rather than out wide as he's rarely, if ever, played in a wider position for much of his time at the U-21/U-18's. Plus, as a full back, McNair comes into the middle more often than any other full back for us, indicating that he doesn't really play as a proper full back who would stay wide and provide width.
I'd take this comment about McNair with a pinch of salt at the moment. I think he's more suited to playing in the middle rather than out wide as he's rarely, if ever, played in a wider position for much of his time at the U-21/U-18's. Plus, as a full back, McNair comes into the middle more often than any other full back for us, indicating that he doesn't really play as a proper full back who would stay wide and provide width.
He won't be our future right back. Nice from Van Gaal to big him up but it isn't going to happen. I've been really impressed with him so far but to be honest, he isn't going to be more than a back up option when we splash the cash on defenders in the summer.
I dont think Mcnair comes close to the amount of talent Rafael has as a RB. Rafael has the abitity to be one of the best modern RB in the world.
Its just a shame Rafael cant stay fit.
Its just a shame Rafael cant stay fit.
Don't know if he will be a good RB over time but he certainly pulled his best Dani Alves impression he was fantastic against Cambridge.
Rafael is United's Lucas Leiva 
. The less he plays the more "world class" He becomes. I probably gonna get flamed for this but the overating of Rafael kinda gets a bit over the top sometimes.
. The less he plays the more "world class" He becomes. I probably gonna get flamed for this but the overating of Rafael kinda gets a bit over the top sometimes.To be honest, he is one of the most criticized players at United. 90% of fans are screaming for a new RB, even two.Rafael is United's Lucas Leiva
I think they are screaming because of his injury record and not because of his ability. He's a fan favourite, a tenacious fellow and it's hard not to like him as he gives is all which is all you can ask. I just think his actually ability is a bit overstated at times
I think most of his admirers (like myself) point to that 12/13 season to prove that he has that ability and that with a fit Rafael, there is no need for serious investment in that area, especially with Valencia there.
I think most (if not everyone) would agree. When the two players are compared on natural talent alone, Rafa is by far the best. But staying fit is also something of a talent here at United.
Has McNair played at right back for at youth level for any prolonged period? Or is he totally new to it?
He used to be a midfielder right? I guess that would help in terms of his technique on the ball and going forward if LVG see his long term position as a right back.
He used to be a midfielder right? I guess that would help in terms of his technique on the ball and going forward if LVG see his long term position as a right back.
I believe he was originally a striker, although most elite level players were.
I've never heard of him being a striker, he was signed as an attacking midfielder and was converted into a CB in the u18s.
Sorry if I am mistaken.
When did he sign a new contract and for how long?
I think it's the other way around. When he plays you remember just how much he gives us going forward down the right hand side. He mostly gets criticised for his injury record which is fair enough and the complete myth that he is still overly rash defensively.Rafael is United's Lucas Leiva
Agreed, I have never seen a RB have such an impact on a team, he immediately makes us a better, much more balanced side.