[Abraxas]

I'm not sure the late foul was that stupid. If you look at leaving that player to run directly towards the box versus a dead ball situation that isn't really a shooting opportunity and we can reset for, it's not clear which of those situations is more dangerous. I'd wager it may be letting the player go who has just made an impressive action.

It wasn't a brilliant game from him, though. Just kind of middling.

 

[Andycoleno9]

Fouling maschine.

 

[top1whoisman]

I'm happy he made that foul. Thought it was good decision making, Traore tricked him, which can happen to the best of defenders.

He did, but we had enough cover close by in my opinion.

 

[Poborsky's hair]

I'm not sure the late foul was that stupid. If you look at leaving that player to run directly towards the box versus a dead ball situation that isn't really a shooting opportunity and we can reset for, it's not clear which of those situations is more dangerous. I'd wager it may be letting the player go who has just made an impressive action.

It wasn't a brilliant game from him, though. Just kind of middling.

it was a good foul, to break up play and give us time to regroup, for a set piece in a meaningless position. What's more annyoing is his little pushes where he could stand off a palyer or win ball cleanly, other than that one of his better games for sure.

 

[edgecutter]

Better than his previous, but he needs to stop pushing players over in areas that very little danger can emerge.

 

[Sgreddevil]

Much improved from him but it was an idiotic foul at the last min. Villa was in no immediate threat and we gave them a better chance to equalize at the last moment.

 

[Fortitude]

He looks like a player who you buy and then send him on loan for a couple years before bringing him back to see if he's of the required standard.

Hes's young and enthusiastic, but he is currently a player who needs more development than our aspirations can afford him.

OK for this season, but if genuinely attempting to win the league next season, he's got a long way to go to be back up at LB.

Don't dislike him, just feel he'd be better served getting permanent PT at a smaller PL club.

 

[Red00012]

That performance kind of summed up his time with us so far.

Good in possession in the first half, didn't give Villa players an inch at times. A very important last ditch tackle in the box in the first half. Thought he improved in the beginning of second half when rest of the team were dropping levels, but then he finished the game with some questionable decision-making and a naive foul in the last minutes to give them a lifeline.

It was the right thing to do , if he didn’t and they scored from it you’d be saying why didn’t he foul him

 

[top1whoisman]

It was the right thing to do , if he didn’t and they scored from it you’d be saying why didn’t he foul him

In some case I might but I feel we had enough cover close by. Happy it didn’t cost us.

 

[bosnian_red]

Good performance! Funny how people lose patience after a brief down period from a young player getting squad player minutes. He's a very good squad player and been a very good signing.

 

[Fortitude]

Good performance! Funny how people lose patience after a brief down period from a young player getting squad player minutes. He's a very good squad player and been a very good signing.

Preseason and ten Hag's plans for him are crucial. He needs developmental PT.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

He looks like a player who you buy and then send him on loan for a couple years before bringing him back to see if he's of the required standard.

Hes's young and enthusiastic, but he is currently a player who needs more development than our aspirations can afford him.

OK for this season, but if genuinely attempting to win the league next season, he's got a long way to go to be back up at LB.

Don't dislike him, just feel he'd be better served getting permanent PT at a smaller PL club.

This is where I’m at honestly, I don’t think he’s a bad footballer, but he has still so much more to learn to play at this level, especially as he doesnt excel physically. If the rumours about Frimpong is true then we can look to move Dalot to the left as Shaw’s back up, as he’s been decidedly more solid there than Malacia, played it a lot at AC too.

 

[ShinjiNinja26]

He can be far too rash at times when defending close to our box, needs to cut that out. That free kick at the end could’ve easily cost us.

 

[Baxquux]

He plays (and resembles)a precocious 19 year old. Good enthusiasm and speed, and even some neat one-on-one defneisve work right out along teh touchline, but also bafflingly naïve decisions on when to tackle and in particular where to make a risky challenge. I thought that last foul around the box was prelude to inevitable equalizer...

 

[city-puma]

Did really well today with the team to control the majority of the game. Excellent ball control in the midfield and left to keep possession and gave the other creators time and space to make break line passes.

 

[Fortitude]

This is where I’m at honestly, I don’t think he’s a bad footballer, but he has still so much more to learn to play at this level, especially as he doesnt excel physically. If the rumours about Frimpong is true then we can look to move Dalot to the left as Shaw’s back up, as he’s been decidedly more solid there than Malacia, played it a lot at AC too.

Yep, favouring Dalot at LB as backup, which doesn't give Malacia enough PT.

 

[kundalini]

He looks like a player who you buy and then send him on loan for a couple years before bringing him back to see if he's of the required standard.

Hes's young and enthusiastic, but he is currently a player who needs more development than our aspirations can afford him.

OK for this season, but if genuinely attempting to win the league next season, he's got a long way to go to be back up at LB.

Don't dislike him, just feel he'd be better served getting permanent PT at a smaller PL club.

Malacia has started 12 PL games. We won 11 and lost 3-6 at Man City. We've conceded 11 goals with Malacia on the pitch, in the equivalent of about 13 full PL matches. He started the home PL games against Liverpool and City. He was awful as a right back against Fulham, otherwise his terrible performances have typically come in the Europa League. Clearly, he hasn't made much of an impact in the attacking third, 0 assists in PL and very few chances created.

For a back-up player to contribute intensity is a decent base. He does need to offer far more going forwards.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Said it in the match day thread but he has these little ball manipulations and half turns under pressure that is absolute class. He can be such a tidy player along with the physical attributes and mentality. Just needs to tie it all together. Can't be easy going in and out of the team in his 1st season here but he needs to show a bit more productivity in the final third.

 

[Suedesi]

Concerning

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

Top performance today. He’s so good in the first two thirds of the pitch with the ball. Very good under pressure and great at manipulating the ball.

He’s non existent in the final third, however. Apart from that nice ball that Rashford nearly got to.

 

[Oranges038]

Thought he was good today.

Was tidy on the ball, played a great cross in for Rashford that was unlucky not to get through. Made a good covering tackle in the box, dealt with their right side quite well. Sold himself for that needless foul near the end but he's still learning, games like this are good for his development and confidence.

 

[Reditus]

Concerning

 

[Reditus]

Good performance! Funny how people lose patience after a brief down period from a young player getting squad player minutes. He's a very good squad player and been a very good signing.

Modern fans

they are mostly clueless

he will have a bad game again some other time and they will be back again,

 

[HookedOnAPhelan]

He looks like a player who you buy and then send him on loan for a couple years before bringing him back to see if he's of the required standard.

Hes's young and enthusiastic, but he is currently a player who needs more development than our aspirations can afford him.

OK for this season, but if genuinely attempting to win the league next season, he's got a long way to go to be back up at LB.

Don't dislike him, just feel he'd be better served getting permanent PT at a smaller PL club.

We won't win the league next season, and it's naïve to think we can. City are just too far ahead.

Malacia has done well this season for the most part.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

I was surprised at his shaky performances in the last couple of games, as before i was rather comfortable with him taking over from Shaw while he was out. Good to see him back to his best.

 

[KjaAnd]

I must have watched a different match than everyone else on here. I appreciate that he kept possession well (mostly) but he didn't contribute with anything offensively (as usual) and kept giving away stupid free kicks in dangerous positions.

 

[Malone_Post]

I really like the lad, both his ability & his attitude. He had a very good game today, much improved on a few shaky performances recently. He’s been a very good signing and done his job as Shaw’s deputy very well. You couldn’t really ask for more from a relatively young and cheap squad player. Plus he’s far better then the likes of Telles & Williams.

 

[OleGunnar20]

I really like the lad, both his ability & his attitude. He had a very good game today, much improved on a few shaky performances recently. He’s been a very good signing and done his job as Shaw’s deputy very well. You couldn’t really ask for more from a relatively young and cheap squad player. Plus he’s far better then the likes of Telles & Williams.

Spot on. Decent squad player, and seems a good character too.

 

[jem]

I must have watched a different match than everyone else on here. I appreciate that he kept possession well (mostly) but he didn't contribute with anything offensively (as usual) and kept giving away stupid free kicks in dangerous positions.

How many free kicks in dangerous positions did he give away?

 

[flameinthesun]

Tidy on the ball, slight upgrade on the likes of telles but is weak, offers zero attacking threat, defensively is a little shakey. Possession wise he is fairly good, happy to see how he developes next season but he has a long way to go. Personally I don't think he makes the grade eventually.

 

[Zoo]

Much improved from him but it was an idiotic foul at the last min. Villa was in no immediate threat and we gave them a better chance to equalize at the last moment.

Yeah he was really good until that final moment.

 

[hmchan]

I must have watched a different match than everyone else on here. I appreciate that he kept possession well (mostly) but he didn't contribute with anything offensively (as usual) and kept giving away stupid free kicks in dangerous positions.

The only way Malacia defends is by fouling, regardless it's in a dangerous position or away from goal. While it may be effective in some big matches (e.g. vs City against Mahrez), it just shows how limited he is when others can easily win possession back. For your reference he had 6 fouls yesterday, while the rest of our backline (Maguire included) had none.

 

[The QuintonFortunes]

Yesterday showed why ETH values him. He was excellent in the build up. He was moving in to central positions to help us move the ball up the pitch.

He is very agressive in his defending. He doesn't let the opponent turn. He has the right intentions, but he has to be smarter about it. At the moment he gives away to many freekicks.

 

[Putting all banter aside]

Did well untill that final foul. Overall a very decent season with 2 or 3 bad games but for a 12 million signing coming out of a lower league I think there's plenty of positives.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

How many free kicks in dangerous positions did he give away?

I can recall 2 in the second half off the top of my head.

 

[jem]

I can recall 2 in the second half off the top of my head.

I do remember the one at the end, which was a bit rash but then that was offset by that amazing slide tackle intervention in the first half. He’s far from the finished article but writing him off already, as some have done, is absolute madness.

 

[Oscar Bonavena]

Why is everyone saying he's "young"? He may look like a 19 year old in appearance and in the way he plays, but he'll be 24 in the summer. He's not a kid.

And the stupid fouls are a problem because we look shaky defending set pieces and we're playing a West Ham team shortly, limited as they are, who f**king live for set pieces (they scored off 3 corners at the weekend v Palace).

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Had a really good game the lad and clearly would’ve been slated by the same people had he not made the foul at the end and they scored.

Was one moment in 90 minutes and the foul turned out a good decision.

 

[Lecland07]

Why is everyone saying he's "young"? He may look like a 19 year old in appearance and in the way he plays, but he'll be 24 in the summer. He's not a kid.

And the stupid fouls are a problem because we look shaky defending set pieces and we're playing a West Ham team shortly, limited as they are, who f**king live for set pieces (they scored off 3 corners at the weekend v Palace).

24 is pretty young still. Peak is usually around 27-28, so a good three or four years left to get to his best.

 

[Isotope]

Would be interesting to see who EtH would trust, Malacia or Dalot for "big" games.

If he trust Dalot more but next season he'll keep Malacia instead of Dalot, it would raise an eyebrow.