Poor in the air today, looked uncertain and let balls bounce in behind him.
16
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 26
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 6
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Started poorly, poor for their 1st goal but after that he was good.
Strange one for me. Did some good things but then at other times didn't look good at all. Seems to be the general reaction I have to most of his performances, there is not a lot of middle ground.
He must be struggling in a more physical football. I thought he was good aerially in Portugal but tbf most of the teams play with mobile strikers (or adaptations) who don´t really use the physicality like in England with the big, strong specialty strikers.
The thing was, in terms of difficult headers where your striker is backing into you.. he did well, it was the ones hit over him.. he seemed clueless, it was like watching Sunday league when the CB's panic when they let it bounce and a nippy striker presses them from behind.
The lapses of concentration. I warned about that. It´s not surprising what i have been reading from tonight's performance. Happened alot of times at Sporting. Doing very well, intercepting plays, controlling the opponents only to have lapses like the ones you exemplified, doing stupid challenges or failing with some positional issues.
You did mention it, I've followed your posts on him very closely.
Not totally convinced. I do think he will be a good CB, just that he needs to keep playing every week. I'll judge him next season.
Yeah, I've seen you mention that. I do like him and he does have a lot going for him but as you say, there were a few times tonight where he just didn't anticipate things quickly enough. Admittedly it was often due to feck ups originally made by other players but if he's going to become the defender we need him to become, he needs to be more switched on to those situations.
You can't pair a guy, who naturally isn't a centre back with Phil fecking Jones, who nobody knows what he is.
Only at the start of the match did he look a bit nervous dealing with balls in the air. Once he settled down he was excellent.
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Like i used to like him at Sporting. Was our best defender and our defence is struggling this year since him and Dier left. The problem with United is the lack of form of some players and lack of stability in the defensive sector. Not only that, it´s his first year in England and he would always struggle in a much more demanding football. His first season at Sporting was average at best. In the second year, with a steady and organized defence, he did blossom and was our best defender. He will evolve, just aslong as United start gaining some stability and assimilating Van Gaal´s philosophy (whatever it may be)
Starting to develop an understanding of what's required in the English game.
But he is naturally a center back
Thought he was our best defender but that's not saying much. He looks very dodgy under a high ball but I'm more confident of him than Jones, who is like a dog chasing a ball around the field.
Not sure what the criticism is about he made 6 successful tackle and 5 clearances. Thought he was our best player beside Di Maria.
Absolutely, there are so many issues with us defensively and he's nowhere near the main one. The issue is we're looking for a great defender and a leader immediately which is a massive amount to ask of a reasonably young defender getting used to a new league. It's clear though that he has a lot of the raw materials to be a really good centre back for us for years to come.
Hard to judge him when he has a new face next to him each game. He is still adapting. He is either going to be a player we love or will become a liability, there will be no in-between. Thats why its important for the crowd to encourage him and not get on his back like the majority do when a player has a dip in form. Once you feel the crowd being negative towards you because it is such a big stadium it is hard to get out of.
I'm surprised to see people saying he was good. Thought he was poor, looked like Beckenbauer compared to Jones, tho.
I agree with @goin4glory Rojo won his one on ones and brought the ball out with composure and decent passing. Considering he was playing next a fecking jacket potato with no sense of direction I thought he did well.
Funny, because now you mention it didn't we have Vidic, Evra and Ferdinand last season? One left, one was allowed to leave and one was told to go … hmmmmmmmmmm!
I thought he was very good tonight and was unfortunate his one error led to a goal.
He certainly isn't our biggest liability in defense, but I am not sold on him.
Vidic in particular was basically gone from when he got injured against Basel, he played a few games but he was never the same player, Ferdinand is clearly past it and seemed to be a bit of an issue in the dressing room while I'm not missing Patrice's refusal to do any defending. Losing them wasn't the issue, believing the likes of Smalling, Jones and, dare I say it, Rafael could become parts of another great United defence was the issue.
Thought he did well tonight.
Same here, he barely loses one and ones and is super composed in possession. If he had a steady partner next to him, we would look a lot better.
Is anyone else concerned with the fact he looks a bit weak? Once the ball is launched towards him in the air he seems scared and doesn't really know what to do. He also seems pretty useless in the air, I was told he has a fantastic, Vermaelen-like leap (best comparison for someone of similiar size). I haven't really seen much of it. I don't think he's "super-composed" either. He always opts for the easy pass which sounds good but seems to me like he doesn't want the ball. He's also very reliant on his left foot, in the same way Jones/Smalling are on their right, which leaves us a bit rigid in that sense.
I think he's been quite hit and miss to be honest. Haven't been overly impressed with him.
But I understand he's adapting to a new league.
But I understand he's adapting to a new league.
I've noticed his leap when he's been forward for corners but he doesn't seem to be anything special in the air when he's actually defending. Bizarre.
Yeah, it's almost like he doesn't want to be aggressive in his defensive duties. Perhaps not to overcommit?
I think he's adapting slower than most of us would like. He's been great when I've seen him play for Argentina.
If the rumours of Pique are true, they'd be a great pair.
Considering the like of Anderson/Nani were given over 5 years to establish themselves in the first team, i think i'll wait until after one season to make a assessment on Rojo.
I'm not knocking those who have doubts mind, i just think he need time to adapt and any mistake can be forgiven in his first season.
I'm not knocking those who have doubts mind, i just think he need time to adapt and any mistake can be forgiven in his first season.
I'd love Pique back, there is a real shortage of quality defenders at the moment... It's like players have decided there's nothing they can do to nullify the likes of Ronaldo and Messi and have decided to contribute to other areas.I think he's adapting slower than most of us would like. He's been great when I've seen him play for Argentina.
If the rumours of Pique are true, they'd be a great pair.
What I see in Rojo is a less rash version of Jones with a left foot and without the ridiculous facial expressions. Rojo and Smalling IMO would make a decent CB pairing. If we could get Rojo to be more composed on the ball and be able to play it too, he could nullify how poor Smalling is on the ball (ala Rio and Vidic). Defensively they could be a solid partnership (as long as Smalling stays fit).
He's going to be very good
Considering he's still adapting to the PBL and the ever changing players next to him, I think he's doing fine. Small lapses in concentration as said before, but if he gets a stable partner with which he can team up & get a really tight connection with, I think he'll be very good.
Not poor throughout but not stellar either. Still the better of our two centre backs though. This season will go a long way in helping our defenders gain experience and mature (hopefully). Exciting times ahead though I would be thrilled if we brought in one quality experienced one
I don't know if I'd want Pique back here, whenever I watch him I find him quite prone to make mistakes. The kind of mistakes our defense are already making way to many of. I think we need someone more solid, and someone who's more of a leader than I think Pique is.
Man Utd 1:1 Chelsea
Looks easily our most vulnerable defender today. Gave the ball away just outside the box with a sloppy pass, took Willian on in his own half and gave him the ball for a counter and had a header straight to Oscar too. On another day we'd have been punished 2 or 3 times, he's lucky he hasnt been punished yet.
Needs to do a lot better and fast
Needs to do a lot better and fast
Bailed out thrice today. Twice by Smalling and once by De Gea.