So what happens with our backline once Maguire is back in the mix?

[manunited1919]

I want to see Harry get on those Telles corners

I want to see Cavani at the end of those corners.

 

[MZX7]

After one game?

Not based on that game. Just based on an analysis of how their attributes complement each other's.

 

[RedRonaldo]

Just rotate them based on their current forms and opponents.. None of them are clear starter now.

 

[NoPace]

In theory:

1. Maguire should be our best defender in a 2 man pairing due to his aerial strength and the weaknesses of his contenders, apart from maybe Tuanzebe, who should probably be thought of as about a 25M (Prem tax) value player based on his season with Villa and his age, assuming he can stay healthy, considering what Mings and other comparables have gone for. So it's not exactly shocking he might be better than Lindelof, who was bought for about 35M and if we could do it all over again we wouldn't buy and would have just kept Blind and not spent the 20M replacing one clever, athletically below average probably #3 or #4 level CB (especially a left-footed one!) with another.

2. Maguire might not be first choice in our best back 3 since Lindelof (smart, weak) is basically a classic middle CB like Conor Coady. Neither has the athleticism to compete out wide against strikers but they're smart and can marshal a back 3 from the middle, which we don't really know if Maguire is up for, and then he's competing with Tuanzebe or Shaw and Shaw's left-footedness and consistency at LCB is pretty high for me, when I think of his games against Salah and yesterday and others. He just seems not to get into trouble there, and his inability to get into the other team's box (like Robertson) or hit crosses from deeper (like TAA), which are his big drawbacks as a fullback, aren't relevant (though you'd still love to have the 2nd).

3. Just as Leipzig ended up pairing two teens in Konate-Upamecano, we might end up with a Mengi-Tuanzebe pairing sooner than people think. Whatever you think of Maguire, we're not talking about taking 2015-2018 De Gea or current Bruno or even Fred here in terms of quality performances. Apart from Van Dijk and Laporte (when healthy), the other big teams constantly rotate their CBs since none of them are consistently as good as their first choice midfielders or forwards. I for one did not expect Rudiger to be 5th choice or whatever at Chelsea, and I don't think Arsenal and Spurs fans or their managers have any idea who their first choice CBs really are (apart from Gabriel but obviously small sample size).

 

[khoazany]

Easy folks. Tuanzebe has had one great game. Yes we know he has the talent to be the CB we've been longing for but it's one game for now, let's give him time to earn his place. Maguire's body of work for us is a season long. Every single minute of it last season. Over that time, he did a very good job generally. Let's not get distracted by his current form. He'll get back to his best. Tuanzebe may just be the perfect partner for him. Lindelof just isn't a good enough CB for United. His body of work bears this out. Maguire's price tag is not his doing, and it's unfair to bring that into every debate about him.

Pretty much this.

If Axel makes a mistake next game or got beaten aerially, they will call for him to be sold for 20 mil again.

 

[Sandikan]

People's memories are so short aren't they.
Maguire had a dodgy start to the season yes, but did put a good one in v Newcastle including a quality goal.

We're not going to suddenly ditch him based on a guy who has been injured for most of the last two years playing one 90.

As Ole gave Bailly a go over Lindelof, surely if Tuanzebe can stay fit, he and Maguire is the combo to try.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Even when we play back 3, I want Shaw remains as the left centre back. It’s better to play left foot player on that left. When we play 4, we should play Maguire & Tuanzebe, this gives more balance in the partnership.

I’m not writing Lindelof off and he can still take Maguire spot but at the moment Maguire & Tuanzebe are the favourite imo. I remember both played as pair in back four against Newcastle United last season 1-0 defeat and I thought we were so bad from midfield to attack but those two were the best players on our side.

Although, whether Tuanzebe can stay away from injury is still big question mark but I still think Bailly should be moved on imo as he‘s too inconsistent even when he was fit.

 

[A-man]

I’m wondering who Ole will pick for a 3 at the back if all are fit. It can be any 3 of Tuanzebe, Lindelof, Maguire and Shaw. Plus I don’t he’ll write off Bailly just because of the Spurs game. Imo there is the risk that Maguire will not stay in his position. If he sees an aerial anywhere on the pitch, he doesn’t have the ability to control his impulses and he will go for it. That’s great in some matches but with the setup we played against PSG, one success factor was that everybody in defence was disciplined, did the job expected and stayed in position.

In the end it might be injuries that decide. Bailly, Tuanzebe and Shaw are all injury prone and we already have an injury on Maguire.

 

[markhughes]

It’s seems obvious that we need to play a quick cb regardless of who their partner is, personally i think we can use Axel has our first choice speedster while also giving minutes to Mengi by using him in cup games and little cameos.

Harry and Victor can also rotate a little in that system and it takes a bit of pressure/focus off both of these players while addressing their weakness (pace).

 

[The White Pele]

It could be a case of horses for courses?

I know everyone wants a first choice pairing but possibly Maguire-Tuanzebe for when we play against a team with a physical forward pairing, Lindelof-Tuanzebe for when we are susceptible to pace on the counter. Maguire-Lindelof when we might require a bit more experience.

With the back 3 always remaining an option for big away games.

 

[VP89]

Specifically for Chelsea, are we in agreement that the "right" pairing would be Lindelof-Tuanzebe? Or the same back 3 from Paris if the system is 352?

 

[Green_Red]

Not based on that game. Just based on an analysis of how their attributes complement each other's.

Go on then, share this analysis with us.

 

[R77]

Lindelof seems fairly bright. I bet he's got a very good tactical understanding of the game, he's just lacking a bit in some attributes, and has a mentality/game to match that. He's a good defender in the right partnership, just a bit lacking physically.

My issue with Maguire isn't as much to do with his ability, as much as that he occasionally does mad things. He's really just the latest addition to our collection of good defenders that occasionally do mad things. He's better than the others at some stuff and stays fit. If he's an elite PL defender the bar must be lower these days. His skillset is such that we could do with him, but you need some luck too, because his occasional propensity to cause chaos for the wrong team can be pretty damaging when the stars align. Stick up for him as much as you like, you're right to do so, but the blooper reel is epic.

Axel looks the possible answer to a few questions, fitness permitting. It's a shame he's not already established, as we'll need to be careful with him for a while. Early on in a bonkers season makes it really hard to gauge what to expect in terms of rotation and so on so far. Whatever happens, I think we can, demonstrably, put a good enough defence together but I'd personally much rather see as little as possible of Linelof and Maguire together, moving forward.

 

[Foxbatt]

Axel is going to make mistakes for sure. He is young and unexperienced but he seems to have the ability and more importantly a footballing brain that is much better than Bailly. Lindelof played well too and organised the defence line well. I would play this line for a couple of more matches. Lindelof seems to be a much better organiser than Maguire.

 

[Lee565]

Yet another defender in axel struggling to play with maguire like all our defenders have.

 

[Untd55]

I said in his player thread, he is the worst signing we have ever made. We won't be able to offload him for the fee and wages, and he doesn't fit any manager that we would want to bring in.

He cannot play the press; he is an overrated passer; he cannot direct headers; he is slow. He is just pretty rubbish, to be honest.

 

[Schmeichel=God]

Pissed me off when he took the ball off TFM after he calmly dispossessed that guy toward the end.

 

[FootyGirl88]

Unpopular opinion but i think Maguire is the weak link.

Im sticking to this.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Unpopular opinion but i think Maguire is the weak link.

Yep.

 

[KcB32]

Unpopular opinion but i think Maguire is the weak link.

I think Maguire generally gets a pass simply because of how expensive he was.

He is a massive liability to the counter attack when we are playing a high line.

It's also frustrating that we often have to play with 2 CDMs and 2 defensive oriented full backs to provide cover for the most expensive CB in history.

 

[Martial'sEmergingSmile]

He cannot play the press; he is an overrated passer; he cannot direct headers; he is slow. He is just pretty rubbish, to be honest.

This is one that I rarely see people talking about.

Last season he was bottom 5 in the entire league for heading accuracy in his own half. I know that seems relatively minor, but it's just another thing to add to the list. It gives up cheap possession, and with the nature of where it happens it quite often creates chaos in our already panicky defence.

Tonight it happened at least twice on completely free, unpressured headers.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Yet another defender in axel struggling to play with maguire like all our defenders have.

Not sure how you're pinning this on Maguire here. You are using a sample of one game to say Tuanzebe is struggling. Watching Tuanzebe at Villa. he had some poor games as well as some good ones. Is it Maguire that made the mistake today?