The Truth About The Matthijs de Ligt & Harry Maguire Dynamic

Despite the signing of Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich this summer, we’ve started the season with a familiar face in Harry Maguire. Everyone saw De Ligt as the answer, and there seems to be some debate online about just who is going to be our starting centre-half partnership this season. Does it include De Ligt? Or Harry Maguire? It’s an interesting debate to be had (surely with an obvious answer).

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#ManchesterUnited #DeLigt #Maguire

[marcusaurelius]

The only difference between many online “fans” and puppies is that puppies eventually grow up and stop whining.
You don’t correct 20 years of neglect at a club in a couple of seasons. We are not gonna win the league, we might not even get top 4, but we are getting better.

[paulwood]

Maguire has 3 essential problems which at this stage he is never going to improve very much, he lacks pace, he lacks awareness and he is sooo slow to move the ball on. All of these issues contribute to our issues with ball retention, transition and chances conceded. De Ligt cannot fail to do better than that.

[Elezium]

I think once De Ligt is "bedded in" and is ready to start, Maguire becomes 3rd choice CB until Yoro returns, then we'll alternate between Yoro and De Ligt alongside Martinez with Maguire then being 4th choice if not 5th behind Evans. Maguire only passes to Martinez and takes far too long before deciding to do so which invites the press onto the defence, whereas with De Ligt and Martinez we'll start moving the ball out faster and from both CB's instead of just one of them. Hell, I can even see us switching to a back 3 in some games with Yoro/De Ligt/Martinez in those positions.

[mrcross]

Howson bringing that sense and logic to the table, my kinda guy 👏👍👊

[AvaAmarena]

Another thing to keep in mind why De Ligt is not starting is that his last full game was the last game day of the Bundesliga on the 18th of May and after that he only started in a friendly for the Netherlands on June 6th. He didn’t play in the EURO and hasn’t partaken in any of Bayern’ pre-season matches.

There is no way he was fully match fit when he signed for United. Probably also something ETH has taken into account.

[iam_nick]

Don’t care whatever stats Maguire has, you watch the games see he’s just not a safe defender. Pity Martinez needs to cover for him all day.

[moonbaby]

Everyone goes on about how we defend badly and yet we were the fourth best defence last season. Our problem was getting the ball in the net. Wingers not getting the ball into the box and not getting the ball back quick enough to actually create decent chances. We’ve bought some good defenders to hopefully reduce that problem, but we need to score more goals pure and simple. We got 57 last year. All the teams above us score around 15-25 goals more. Sort that problem and watch the difference.

[johnblacksmith]

Maguire was 100% at fault for Brightons 1st goal. Allowed the ball to run across him rather than going to meet it and clear it.
He has been a good professional for us and has improved a little bit under ETH. But imo he has never really been good enough to lead us, regardless of his price.
An upgrade has been needed for many years. De Ligt is that upgrade.
Licha and De Ligt going forward with Yoro as the real back up and in some cases a starter, with the option of 3 at the back.

[deanwoolley]

The longer we keep playing Maguire and Rashford the more we lose

[ikbarbershop]

Something you left out Stephen... GREAT defenders usually have lower tackles cause they dont NEED to go to ground as often. Their positional awareness, quickness and physical presence means they do most of their work STANDING UP...

Nesta, Cannavaro, Rio, etc... Most of them rarely had to go to ground cause they were usually in positions so desperate that they had to

Now the likes of Terry, Vidic, etc DID tackle a lot more and were still GREAT but imho... They were compensating their decicienies in othwr areas by needing to do so

[wtfamiactuallyright]

Maguire seems incapable of playing a high line, I'd have Evans 4th choice, every time.
I know Maguire has his strengths, but for me he's been the least suited player for this club, since Ole.

[aarontooley]

It is NOT necessary to slowly integrate Delit. That is absolute madness. Our new wing back dis not have to be slowly integrated and look how well he is doing.

[ephraimetu]

I think the gaffer was trying to be fair to Maguire that why’s he’s not dropped spontaneously. It’s an issue that to be treated with diplomacy

[CoroDan]

The look on de Ligt's face after Brighton's second goal was very telling. Four players watching the crosser at the front post & no-one at the back post. He was incredulous. De Ligt will hopefully organise the defence better.

[warrenbeer]

That’s one freaky thumbnail pic, looks like Sloth from Goonies!

[Nightsu]

An unsettled De Ligt is levels ahead of Maguire. There's a reason we've not won anything or succeeded when he's starting and the first goal was his fault vs Brighton. Bin him off already, he's had enough chances. If you watch the Brighton game back Onana keeps telling him to go wider in buildup but he stands right next to the keeper destroying our right side. 80m on 200k a week, he costs so much per year in amortization and wage.

(All the attacking percentiles from Maguire was because he played as a striker in the last 10 minutes of a bunch of games and his "progressive passes" are a myth when they're just passes out wide to a high fullback.)

[ste]

Honestly people will use every stick they can to beat ETH over the head. Maguire was good against Fulham and he likes to phase players in. Look at Digne starting for Villa, when they've bought Maatsen, Calafiori not starting yet. It takes time, he hasn't had a preseason

[adamcunningham]

Harry was 100% at fault for Brighton's first goal. I've never seen a defender of ours score so many own goals as well. He just isn't Manchester united quality and needs to go it's as simple as that to me.

[Brendan_M_]

My biggest concern with Maguire is that his best attributes don’t suit our game plan. So even if Maguire had a decent season he’s unable to keep a high line and do the basic things Ten Hag requires. Could be a really good CB for the right team but terrible for Manchester United

[Bigmike]

Maguire and Dynamic don't belong in the same sentence 😂