Ian Maatsen

[Rigadon]

Like all of our full backs, he seems averse to stopping a cross coming into our box.  Was the main culprit for their goal, as it was far too easy for their winger to get a year ahead like that.  I'm yet to understand what he offers that Moreno didn't (PSR aside).

[ChicagoLion]

I'm yet to understand what he offers that Moreno didn't (PSR aside).

Nothing.

[brontebilly]

Needs to improve...a lot.

Garcia on the other side has come in from the Spanish second division and already looks more comfortable.

[OCD]

I didn't think his positioning was right. Seemed to be showing him down the line like he was more worried about him coming inside. Once he gave him that space, he couldn't get into a position to block the cross.

[Rigadon]

I didn't think his positioning was right. Seemed to be showing him down the line like he was more worried about him coming inside. Once he gave him that space, he couldn't get into a position to block the cross.

It's the same with whoever is playing right back too.  Maybe it's something to do with how narrow a starting position we adopt and when a diagonal ball goes out to the wing it's harder for our full backs to block it?  Either that or they are all just a bit hopeless at a really important skill for a fullback.  It makes it worse because our centre halves don't seem to be able to deal with any kind of ball into the box! 

[KevinGage]

Wasn’t even nuisance value for their cross on Sat.

Opposition sides know with Digne off or not starting that any time they get the ball out wide on that flank it will be easy enough to get a decent delivery in.

Both Palarse goals came from that side of the pitch when he was starting IIRC.


Some of this could be offset if he was providing a major attacking threat down that flank. But we’re not seeing a whole lot of that either.

[Clampy]

Maybe he'll be fine when he gets a run of games instead of dropping in and out of the side. Digne wasn't great when he first arrived either. As ever, bit of patience needed I think.

[PaulWinch again]

Maatsen has plenty of talent. He’s obviously more an attacking full back than a defensive one, it’s probably quite difficult to get in a rhythm with the defence when you’re not regularly starting and also the defence has been constantly changing. He’ll be fine.

[paul_e]

I think part of the problem is that he's just not got used to the pace and directness of premier league wingers yet and he's only going to get that with experience. He's still a young player coming off his first real breakout season at the top level and has plenty of time ahead of him to prove he's worth what we paid.

[VillaTim]

Maybe the plan is to sell him in the summer and recall Moreno .

[PaulWinch again]

That would make no sense on a few levels.

[PhilVill]

Needs to improve...a lot.

Garcia on the other side has come in from the Spanish second division and already looks more comfortable.

Garcia looks like a great buy. Fingers crossed it's another Rogers type bargain.

As for Maatsen, I think he'll be off in summer, its just one of those buys that hasn't really worked out.

[Chris Smith]

At the moment he’s useful going forward, good on the ball and in his link up play but he’s an unreliable defender. If he wants a long term future under Unai he needs to work hard to fix that side of his game.

[Drummond]

That would make no sense on a few levels.

I think there's only one person who'd suggest it, well him and a couple of posters who are long since gone.

[Drummond]

He was the Left Back of the Champions League team of the season last year. He's shown flashes of what he can do and linked well with Rashford on Saturday, but you can tell they haven't played together for more than a few minutes.

I think the constant changes in our Centre Back pairings are causing a lot of doubt and uncertainty for the full backs, hence the narrow starting point giving the opposition wingers more time and space.