Bojan Djordjic
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- Dec 28, 2018
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Think Iqbal might be a bit waifish for Ten Hag. He's quite press-resistant but he's also at risk of being bullied off the ball in one of the most vulnerable positions on the pitch.
Pretty poor not refusing to play thereStarts for Iraq in a friendly v Russia in St. Petersburg.
Why?Pretty poor not refusing to play there
Oh you are one of thoseWhy?
Pretty poor not refusing to play there
Pretty poor not refusing to play there
Maybe you are one of those. This is a performance thread. If you have any political views, take it to another place.Oh you are one of those
Pretty poor not refusing to play there
Player. I don't expect the FA to give a shitFrom the player or the FA?
He’s so good. Featured heavily on Erik Ten Hag’s benches but seems like Mainoo is training better as he’s featured on the pitch.
Hopefully Iqbal can make it here! Was super super super impressive in pre season 2022.
Probably gets monstered by the others in training.Surprised Ten hag hasn't played him after the impressive pre-season he had. Hopefully he'll go on loan next season, needs 1st team minutes somewhere
Oh you are one of thoseOh you are one of those
I'd definitely loan him out next season. Though I think he'd maybe suit a league like Eredivisie to the EFL?
I've never been overly convinced by him at U18 and U21 level. He's a pretty player if given time on the ball with decent technique, and has chipped in with some end product at times. But, for me, too slow on the ball, not athletic enough for a box to box, doesn't 'dominate' / run the game as a ball playing playmaker, and not particularly physical or aggressive enough for a midfield battle.
He did all right in pre-season friendlies, but the slow pace / non-combative nature of friendlies suits his game.
I'd certainly put him ahead of Savage, but definitely below the likes of Mainoo, Hannibal and Amad. I'd be happy enough to see the latter three as part of the first team squad in the next season or two. But can't see Savage making it here at all and would be surprised if Iqbal did. Definitely think he needs to go out and really impress on loan next season if he is to have any chance.
Has been playing games this season? Reserves/ u21s? As he really needs to be playing regularly - he’s a talent. We could use someone of this skill set right now. Maybe in training he’s seeming too light
He's a poor man's Gomes.He's very lightweight when you compare him to Mainoo. I'm also not sure what his best position is, his skillset is that of a 10, but he simply doesn't have the numbers in this position.
Glad to see Gomes is doing better at Lille now but he was nowhere near United's men's level and never once stood out during any of the opportunities he got. Zidane did, looking very good in pre-season. Also, he's 5'11, so even though he's a bit on the light side now, there's no reason he can't bulk up considerably while maintaining a physique optimal for footballers.He's a poor man's Gomes.
Yeah, that's how I've seen him during his time with the U18's and now U21's.He's very lightweight when you compare him to Mainoo. I'm also not sure what his best position is, his skillset is that of a 10, but he simply doesn't have the numbers in this position.
I find it hard to agree with the idea that Zidane Iqbal has stood out any more than Angel Gomes did. I remember Gomes scoring against Spurs during pre-season and various other cameos where he was decent enough. He is taller than Gomes, yeah I give him that.Glad to see Gomes is doing better at Lille now but he was nowhere near United's men's level and never once stood out during any of the opportunities he got. Zidane did, looking very good in pre-season. Also, he's 5'11, so even though he's a bit on the light side now, there's no reason he can't bulk up considerably while maintaining a physique optimal for footballers.
Development isn't linear so just because Gomes was a child prodigy it doesn't mean he won't be usurped by someone who may not have had quite as distinguished an underage career.
People do see things differently, eh? 'Decent technically' - to me he looks so much better than decent. There's a real fluidity about the guy and his touch is exquisite. His passing, too, is really intelligent and sharp. Maybe you're right and he lacks the robustness necessary for the premiership; I'm not sure as I have not really seen enough of him. But I do find him an exciting player, with creativity and the technical abilities to allow him the retain the ball without having to rely on brute force. So I hope he makes it here. However, I do tend to trust in ETH and if he thinks Zidane isn't good enough for us, in whatever way it is, I am prepared to live with that. We'll see, I guess.Yeah, that's how I've seen him during his time with the U18's and now U21's
And that's what I was describing in my earlier post - doesn't offer enough defensively or physically for a 6. Doesn't have the mobility or athleticism for an 8. He's most suited to a 10 as he's decent technically with a good eye for a pass - if the games played at his slower pace and he's given time on the ball - but he just doesn't dominate games at all, or hurt teams enough with goals or assists, to play as a #10 at a high level.
If he can find a level where he's allowed to spread balls about in midfield and be a tidy player without offering much defensively or athletically - or who are prepared for him to play as a 10 despite, not yet anyway, offering enough end product to really justify the free role - then he could look quite an attractive ball playing midfielder at the right level.