Unpopular opinion - Daniel James is not very good

[pocco]

Don't worry lads, he'll be a good backup player when we've got Sancho and Grealish.

Greenwood got to start next game for me.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

He's technically one of the worst players I've ever seen for us. Obertan level.

 

[Bastian]

He's not a bad player. He is a decent squad option to have and he can be very effective against sides that push up. Playing him from the start against defensive sides is absolutely pointless though.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

Don't worry lads, he'll be a good backup player when we've got Sancho and Grealish.

Greenwood got to start next game for me.

This

and

He's not a bad player. He is a decent squad option to have and he can be very effective against sides that push up. Playing him from the start against defensive sides is absolutely pointless though.

This

 

[The Purley King]

He's not a bad player. He is a decent squad option to have and he can be very effective against sides that push up. Playing him from the start against defensive sides is absolutely pointless though.

Agree 100%
He is nullified without any space to run into.
Bring him on with 20 to go against a tiring back 4 yes great.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

Squad player that will thrive in certain roles. He has shown he can be very good.

Not sure what people were expecting from a cheap punt from Swansea.

 

[Mainoldo]

Thank god Grealish will replace him. I’d sell him and recoup some money back. There’s literally no point in having him around.

 

[Mainoldo]

Squad player that will thrive in certain roles. He has shown he can be very good.

Not sure what people were expecting from a cheap punt from Swansea.

Not even squad player level.

 

[11101]

Hes just a pace merchant, but he can be useful for us because hes got to be up there as one of the quickest in the league. He can be our Traore if we figure out how to use him properly.

 

[Teja]

He is extremely average. Pace merchants can usually make half a yard of space and put in a good cross, he can't even seem to do that. Might develop into a useful squad player if he can learn to do half of what Valencia did.

Greenwood or Mata should start for me. Mata Pogba Bruno Martial Rashford has enough to score a couple against deep defences.

 

[bosnian_red]

Hes a useful squad option, but there's definitely games he shouldn't start. Against deep teams who sit back, he's not a good option. Very useful when we're countering more, or off the bench in general. Nothing wrong with that though, still really like him. But I think that's what he'll always be.

 

[Adnan]

If we can develop him to be a impact player of the bench then we will have done well imo. I think currently it's asking too much from him to impact games from the first whistle. But with time he will improve but I don't believe he'll ever be starting quality.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

He's much better on the left. He's a squad player quality but he has only one move when he plays on the right. On the left he will play better but he's still a squad player at best.

 

[SaboTaj]

He should’ve never started that game, plain and simple.

 

[Cee90]

I’ve said from day 1 that his movement and positioning is questionable, and I stick by it.

He doesn’t seem to have the intelligence to position himself in areas where he can make the most impact.

We know he isn’t the best dribbler, so he needs to find space to run with the ball or make a run looking for a pass, but he is very static and often positions himself way too close to AWB, making him rather ineffective most of the time.

 

[Davs]

I don't think this is particularly an unpopular opinion... most people are crying out for Greenwood to be starting ahead of him.

He's got raw pace that Greenwood doesn't possess, so James could be used in some counter attacking setups but for the majority of games it's Greenwood for me.

 

[TrueRed79]

Little or no technical ability. Has a chance to improve but his only real quality is his pace and the odd shot from outside the box. He's more of a grafter to me and gives his all, but that's not good enough for us. More of an impact player than a starter.

 

[SirAF]

Little or no technical ability. Has a chance to improve but his only real quality is his pace and the odd shot from outside the box. He's more of a grafter to me and gives his all, but that's not good enough for us. More of an impact player than a starter.

Absolutely this. He was dirt cheap though, so as long as he’s not a long term regular I can’t complain.

 

[BR7]

one of my main concerns is if we play both him and AWB on the right opposition should know most of our creativity is coming from our left. Neither has a particularly good first touch, neither has real skill and neither can cross with any real consistency.

I doubt he ever thought he’d be a starter and like a few earlier posters have commented, his great start was only going to work against him and us as people starting overplaying his abilities and raised their expectations. I don’t think it’s his fault he’s starting matches he shouldn’t be.

He’s a grafter, Mason is a footballer. The difference in their ability is staggering and Dan James will not be here in 3 seasons, guaranteed. Shame for him but hope he enjoys the ride and one day he can say he played for United which we all dreamed of as kids.

If in three years he’s still here the first poster to pick me up on this post and remind me of it will get 100 quid. He isn’t a Utd player. I understand someone mentioned he lost his father sadly when he signed for us and yes this will also sadly have a negative impact on him in his first season at a big club but if you dont have a great first touch at this stage of your career, ultimately it ain’t happening for you at Utd.

My humble opinion and hope those who do rate him aren’t offended.

 

[devilish]

He's all workrate and pace. He should be used as a squad player ie a player we release towards the last 10-20 minutes of the game when legs start getting tired.

 

[Mcking]

Hes just a pace merchant, but he can be useful for us because hes got to be up there as one of the quickest in the league. He can be our Traore if we figure out how to use him properly.

Even his pace is useless because he is extremely weak physically and can't dribble from a standing start. His movement between the lines and in the channels is underwhelming too. I don't see what he offers that we can't get from other players plus much more.

 

[Carl S Bridge]

Absolutely this. He was dirt cheap though, so as long as he’s not a long term regular I can’t complain.

£20 million isn't dirt cheap haha

 

[dogwithabone]

He’s the weakest link at the minute but I wouldn’t write the kid off, these games he’s getting will be invaluable in his development and if we can achieve top four and win a trophy while giving him the sort of game time he’s getting then we will have got away with it.

 

[MalcolmTucker]

Better from the left - he takes up bad positions on the right and has no chemistry with AWB. Greenwood should be starting on the right going forward (actually think he plays better on the right than in the centre, at least for the senior team) and James should be coming on for the last 20 mins for Rashford.

 

[SirAF]

£20 million isn't dirt cheap haha

It was 15, wasn’t it? And in the current (at least pre COVID) market that IS cheap.

 

[Dr. McBeasty]

He's good to have for certain situations, but as an every week starter, he's certainly not good enough. That's not really his fault, he's just being asked to do more than what I think he's capable of at this point. If we primarily reserved him to a bench role where he gets to run at a tired defense for 20 minutes, or sees spot starts against possession based or high pressing sides that we can counter-attack against, I think a lot of people would be a bit higher on him. If we get Sancho or some other top quality RW, I think James will get to play a role more suited to his current skill set, which should benefit the team and hopefully get his confidence up a bit.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

He doesn't seem that quick. Seems he never actually outpaces anyone.

 

[11101]

Even his pace is useless because he is extremely weak physically and can't dribble from a standing start. His movement between the lines and in the channels is underwhelming too. I don't see what he offers that we can't get from other players plus much more.

Well that's not true because he was electric when he first joined.

 

[jungledrums]

Hes just a pace merchant, but he can be useful for us because hes got to be up there as one of the quickest in the league. He can be our Traore if we figure out how to use him properly.

Traore isn’t just a pace merchant. His dribbling has always been superb - he’s now added goals and assists too. James isn’t even close to Traore, sadly.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

He doesn't seem that quick. Seems he never actually outpaces anyone.

He struggled to pull away from Ben Davies, didn't he? Who isn't exactly known as a speedster either.

He’s better than Lingard or perriera

As a footballer, he actually isn't even close to either of them. More effective would be a better word. Better? Certainly not.

 

[Globule]

As well as his technical limitations, I'm also concerned by the lack of confidence he shows when he gets the ball. He should be collecting the ball and trying to utilise his pace a lot more often than he does.
Instead, he seems to release the ball as quickly as he can, usually backwards.

I'm not blaming him for the goal we conceded on Friday because there was plenty of time in that phase of play and there were a couple of players truly at fault, but that entire phase of play for their goal starts with James trying to play a first time pass around the back of his opponent and losing possession (something he tried and failed at least a couple of times in the match iirc).

 

[11101]

Traore isn’t just a pace merchant. His dribbling has always been superb - he’s now added goals and assists too. James isn’t even close to Traore, sadly.

If by dribbling you mean to kick it forward and run very fast, then I agree. Hes effective against the right teams but it's incredibly one dimensional. If he wasnt so quick Traore wouldn't even be in the PL. Neither would James.

 

[jungledrums]

If by dribbling you mean to kick it forward and run very fast, then I agree. Hes effective against the right teams but it's incredibly one dimensional. If he wasnt so quick Traore wouldn't even be in the PL. Neither would James.

Bollocks. You’ve either got the least discerning eye regarding dribbling technique, or you’ve never watched him play. I’m not arguing he’s a world class player, but his dribbling technique is good. The correct way to frame it would be that ‘he’s a good dribbler and he’s fast’, not ‘he’s a good dribbler because he’s fast’.

 

[Nickelodeon]

James has become a starter for us. I would rather judge him on the basis of how a starter for United should be than always thinking of him as a bargain from the Championship. Either way, it's poor from Ole to start him so frequently when its clear that James will never be the goal threat we want our RW to be. It's almost like playing with a handicap (or Lingard)

 

[Deery]

I know he was poor the last match but I really think he’ll start against Sheffield on Wednesday.
It might be more his level of opponent and we could see a better James than usual.

 

[Mcking]

Well that's not true because he was electric when he first joined.

I didn't say otherwise. He tends to look busy and accelerates while chasing down loose balls, but apart from that, I can't think of many things he does with his pace that a winger with average pace can't do.

 

[romufc]

Dan James should not start another game where we have to play a low block. He has no clue what to do when there is no space infront of him.

We need to get top 4 and to get that we need goals. Greenwood or Mata have to start there.

 

[Lemansky]

He is a very limited player - at best a backup. Should never start games for us. Definition of kick and run player atm. Hope he improves.

 

[UpWithRivers]

Hes a great squad option. Against the teams that come at us he is definitely a great asset. Even limited as he is just the fact that the attacking team always have to keep worrying about him is a great tool in our locker. We won against top teams with him and you cant say that James didnt play a crucial part in it. But why play him against low block is beyond me. And in the wrong position. He plays better on the left.

 

[WelshManc]

Hate that some people are writing him off after, well not even a whole season under his belt yet. He has the most assists for us in the league. He was brought in to be a squad player this season yet has had to play most games, on the right wing aswell which I don't think is his best position, I much rather him on the left. He's come up from the Championship to play for like the biggest club in the world. I think he has massive potential and I'm looking forward to him being a part of our squad for many years to come.