10 Feb 2022 09:12:18
Hi Ed002, apologies for taking up your precious time but just to ask your considered opinion about the future of Harry Maguire at United please.

Whilst on his day he adds much to the team, his form this season has been very inconsistent. Is there a reason for this do you think (Ie personal issues) or is it just one of those poor patches of firm that players inevitably suffer?

Also, you’ve mentioned that United might be looking at a Centre Back this Summer: would this be to replace expected outgoings of Bailly and Lindelof - and even Maguire? Do you think the club would look to sell him if they could?

Thanks as always for any nuggets of information you might be able to provide.

{Ed002's Note - Much will depend on the desires of the new coach but I would expect Manchester United to look to replacing Jones and Bailly and perhaps Lindelof but not Maguire. I don't know enough about the youth players to see if there is anyone who could be promoted to the first team squad but there will be at least one experienced addition at centre back.}


1.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 12:27:13
To add to the Maguire issue, a website have published a very insightful article about his strengths and weaknesses today, basically suggesting that he is exposed mostly because of the lack of cover/ protection in front of him - and he would be a much better player with a good DM in front of him. They say that he gets caught trying to compensate for that gap in front of him and pushing forward too much - then being exposed for pace….


2.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 12:46:44
Wallace,


Basically, you can't polish a turd, but you can put sprinkles on it.


3.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 12:56:45
Its funny that people keep criticizing Maguire when it was Varane who was out of position for the Burnley goal. Yeah but Varane is the shiny new toy so why throw dirt on him. Did people see Maguire at Leicester? I thought he was pretty decent there with a proper midfield in front of him.

{Ed014's Note - Varane has a cupboard full of medals so is world class, I’ve yet to see that but apparently it’s fact! ?‍♂️


4.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 13:05:09
Wallace, while Maguire would benefit from having a few players around him to hold his hand and walk him through a game that isn't the problem he has.

His issue is he has ZERO understanding of the game. He is football illiterate, he cannot read a game.

He makes mistakes because he ball watches and has no idea what is going on around him.

While we could get players in to cover for his weaknesses that means they won't be able to fully commit to playing their own game as they will always have one eye on helping Maguire.

The simpler solution is just drop the guy who isn't good enough, rather than spending millions of pounds to buy players to cover for his inadequacies, which ultimately will still be there and still limit/ impact the team.


5.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 12:23:11
Thank you so much for the swift and detailed reply Ed002 - very much appreciated!


6.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 13:13:41
maguires issue is he has no PACE.

he is a piano with no wheels.


7.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 13:18:43
I've seen milk turn quicker. To think we spent that much money on him when we could have virtually got nearly any centre back in the world is a huge error of judgment. Then made him captain based on? We've spent the money on him, get an improvement in, Bailly and at least 1 or 2 other CB's to go, and move on.


8.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 14:11:16
Maguire is the reason why Solsjkaer stuck with McTominay and Fred in front of him and the reason Southgate played Rice and Phillips in front of him during the Euro's.


9.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 15:44:58
So Ports what you are saying is that England do not have any other CB that Southgate had to play players to protect Maguire and he couldn't drop him? Or may be Maguire is a better player than most want to give him credit for. Apparently Jose wanted him and he is someone who i trust can judge a defender. Ole played him so does Southgate.


10.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 17:01:03
That's rubbish Ports. no way can you ever slag off Maguire in an England shirt. Yes his form has been up and down for United but he's always played very well for England. In fact if his form was as good at United as it is for England we wouldn't even be having this debate.


11.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 17:30:23
I think international football suits Maguire down to the ground. Bar a few nation's most international teams are at a similar level as an average Championship side.

While the pace as well as the quality of international football is a few notches lower than that of the EPL.

Then you have Southgate often playing a back three system giving more passing options and more players to cover for Maguire wandering out of position, timed with the slower pace of the game means his weaknesses are not as evident.

However, none of that is of any relevance for Maguire as a Manchester United player. He will have to play in the EPL, and hopefully the UCL. Competitions he just isn't good enough for, at least not at the level needed for a team with ambitions to win those competitions.

Bad buy, the sooner we can move on from him the better.


12.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 18:36:29
I said from day one this giy is a huge mistake and looks like a big blob bouncing around the pitch.


13.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 18:44:21
Rice and Phillips are better than Fred and McTominay, less pressure and opportunities for Maguire to be exposed. Why would you play 2 CDM’s and leave Foden, Bellingham, Grealish on the bench v Ukraine and Denmark. No top team plays 2 CDM’s unless you are concerned with that area of the pitch.


14.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 18:47:37
Maguire is the best of what is the worst selection of England CB’s we’ve had for a long time. Doesn’t mean he’s not poor.


15.) 10 Feb 2022
10 Feb 2022 20:02:26
He is better playing in a back 3 and internationals are slower then premier so suits him better, he not awful he just not a top 4 side defender, but then saying that are we a top 4 side…. But you get the jist.


16.) 15 Feb 2022
14 Feb 2022 23:50:27
Maguire looks comfortable for England because they mostly play teams at the level of Stockport County.