Not pure potential but largely potential - anyone that age will be largely potential. As I said though, he could have easily had 4 or so assists by now with more effective finishers in the team, so it’s not like he’s not contributing at all.
Patrick Dorgu | 2024/25 Performances
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Not pure potential but largely potential - anyone that age will be largely potential. As I said though, he could have easily had 4 or so assists by now with more effective finishers in the team, so it’s not like he’s not contributing at all.
I didn't say he's not contributing at all. He's had some good moments. My problem with this scenario is we are cash strapped and put 35m EUR into a player who has never played as a wingback and had some games on the RW and some games as a LB.
It's not his fault, he should be coming in under a scenario where we have a proper left wingback to be an understudy from. But he's brought in and starting week in week out so when someone says "he has potential", I'm thinking of what potential relative to the role he has to play for Manchester United. Considering he's a long way from that (and that's not his fault), I disagreed with the sentiment.
Now, if we buy an actual LWB who's ready to start for us week in week out, I don't have any issues and can class Dorgu as one to develop. But the fee and current squad status doesn't suggest this and I'm obligated to evaluate his performances in this vein.
I think he's been fine, a different kind of LWB vs Shaw and Amass. He's still adjusting to the league and he's been fine in Europe so it's not like he doesn't have the talent. I think we'll have a better gauge by the end of next season, I think it doesn't help that he and Garnacho don't naturally click, he seemed great when he went to rwb seemed like he clicked instantly with Amad
I don’t mind taking a risk on a player with potential though, given we’re still a fair ways off challenging for the league. Could we have signed a more experienced LWB with less of a ceiling for a similar amount? Possibly. But I like the idea of taking a slightly riskier approach if it means he develops into a better LWB than that other hypothetical player, because of his age, potential, attributes, and so on.
If we were closer to challenging then I’d agree we should have gone for a more experienced player. But we’re building more long term here.
I do think it’s unfair to evaluate him as if he’s an experienced player though just because he’s been thrown into the role of a starter. He is still a young player with potential whether he’s starting for us or as an understudy, and should be evaluated on that basis either way.
The question isn't about less of a ceiling though. I'd imagine Ait Nouri wouldn't be much more and we have a buyback for Fernandez, just as two examples.
Also I'm not evaluating him as an experienced player. Even as a 20 year old I think the standard should be higher if he's starting for us. Because there are 20-22 year olds in the PL who have generally fared better.
Have to caveat this is so far, I'm not writing him off before people get their knickers in a twist and start talking about Erik ten hag or some shit.
Anyway,I see your view but just think differently in this area. I'm not happy to take risks in this position. We are the worst we've ever been in the PL and have enough project players. Wing back is so integral to our way of playing, we need strong quality there.
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There's zero chance we could have signed someone like Ai-Nouri for anything like what we spent on Dorgu.
Aside from the fee itself inevitably being substantially higher (Wolves reportedly value him at £50m as per The Telegraph), Dorgu also signed on as one of the lowest paid members of the squad, earning less than we pay the likes of Tom Heaton.
Aside from the fee itself inevitably being substantially higher (Wolves reportedly value him at £50m as per The Telegraph), Dorgu also signed on as one of the lowest paid members of the squad, earning less than we pay the likes of Tom Heaton.
Unimpressed by him till now. But he has some nice traits: pace and versatility.
I think Amorims system is very demanding to its wing backs, so his current technical level is exposed more.
Too early and too young to write him off. But if his level remains the same the next 2 years, then we should probably move him.
I think Amorims system is very demanding to its wing backs, so his current technical level is exposed more.
Too early and too young to write him off. But if his level remains the same the next 2 years, then we should probably move him.
Ait Nouri has just been relegated. Reports for Dibbling were even 100m but the world knows he's not going for close to that.
Any that age still only in their first half season though? I think, similarly to Amorim, we’ll be in a better position to judge him properly next year. We should (hopefully) start seeing more consistently. Personally I’ve seen enough good points, mixed in with the bad, to have confidence in him improving next year - particularly with some better players in front of him.
I have little doubt he will improve. My worry is we rely on as a starter next season which outright wouldn't be fair
Eh? Ait Nouri plays for Wolves, who are ahead of us in the table.
According to transferfeed.com these clubs that were linked to a Dorgu transfer within the last six months: Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Forest, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Napoli, Juventus, AC Milan, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig, Fenerbache, Benfica and Amorims Sporting Lissabon. Us buying Dorgu was not a coincidence. He was wanted by a lot of clubs, some pretty big names among them. The scouts of those 15 clubs and Uniteds can theoretically all be wrong. Some of the rumours are probably not even true, but the message is clear. Dorgu is highly rated.
Someone better break the news to him. Ait-Nouri has been living in blissful ignorance.
Yep, as per Romano both Chelsea and Spurs wanted him the summer before we signed him, but were put off by Lecce's then asking price of €40m.
I would play Shaw instead of him for the final.I think Tottenham's wingers are going to press us high ,we need wingbacks with good technical ability, and that is a weak point of his.
People talk about our squad lacking physicality, what is even more worrying is how we continue to buy technically limited players.That is what we should be looking to improve on
People talk about our squad lacking physicality, what is even more worrying is how we continue to buy technically limited players.That is what we should be looking to improve on
He is not €35m. He is €25m, why are you raising the fee? To prove what exactly?
Please, Shaw will not start ahead of Dorgu.
By all accounts, the fee was 30m €, rising to 35m € with potential addons.
Reading about how Frimpong's clause is around 35M this summer I think we massively feck it up with Dorgu once again.
I think he looked a lot better against Bilbao in those last 20mins when we had good passers and more movement around him.
Only if you want to see more of Dalot on the left...
How so? Frimpong plays on the right and we desperately needed a LB/LWB.
Think, he was fine today and looked slightly more assure lately. I am not sure though, if I like that Amorim plays him on the right from time to time. Give him a stable environment if possible.
Is he great? No.
Is he the biggest concern? Also, no.
Give the likes of Dorgu a chance. You cannot be writing him off so early, especially when he has, at times, looked very promising. If Hojlund had any clue how to make decent runs as a striker should, Dorgu would already have a few assists. Then again, Hojlund would miss the chance anyway...
Is he the biggest concern? Also, no.
Give the likes of Dorgu a chance. You cannot be writing him off so early, especially when he has, at times, looked very promising. If Hojlund had any clue how to make decent runs as a striker should, Dorgu would already have a few assists. Then again, Hojlund would miss the chance anyway...
He was £25m, which is probably around €30m. Then there's also €5m add-ons so OP is probably right.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cjw41g4gj3qo
Agreed.
This is the correct answer politely written.
He has some good qualities - he is quick, physical, looks like he can run all daya...which are all good qualities. But nothing he has shown so far, indicates that he can pass or cross the ball - and that is perhaps not ideal
Chelsea 1:0 Man Utd
How did he play?
Involved in pretty much everything. Didn't stop running, but not enough quality to make it count.
We made a big mistake making him the LWB signing. Not enough quality.
Maybe a good technical coach can get him to tidy up his play.
Crossing and square balls aren't the hardest skills.
Fitter Malacia
So we're pretty much accepting he has nothing to his game and needs to be coached to do anything above average. He's been a bad signing if we're honest.
Weird to single him out today since he was the only player out there who wasn't piss poor.
Not good enough. Not at all. A player you would loan out and hope he can develop into a half decent footballer but never should he be our starting LWB
For me he was piss poor as the rest, killed every attack with shocking passes/crosses. James dominated his side as well.
Defends square on, lacks strength and confidence on the ball.
Really needs to start looking to play forward, beat a player and working on his crosses.
Really needs to start looking to play forward, beat a player and working on his crosses.
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