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Is Harry Maguire underrated? - A thread:
It's safe to say that in recent years, Harry Maguire hasn't been perceived as the centre back that his record price tag would suggest, but when you look at his performances, irrespective of his perception in the media, it's hard to understand why.
It's important to stress that while a transfer fee is intended to echo a player's value and ability, the player in question does not choose how much he'll cost his new club. In Maguire's case, things like his international status & contract length played a huge part in his fee.
One thing that's a given for any Manchester United player is that even the tiniest of slip-ups will lead to heavy scrutiny. By taking the step up from a smaller club like Leicester, you're putting yourself in the spotlight, for millions of fans across the world to see.
This can lead to popularist opinion, which isn't always accurate but can be very hard to sway. In Maguire's case, this is the narrative that he's been a "flop", and isn't up to the standard required of a Manchester United player.
When you look past these negating factors and concentrate on his performances, it becomes clear that Harry Maguire is in fact a top-class centre-half.
The first thing that stands out about the defender is his world-class progressive passing and carrying abilities. Harry Maguire ranks in the 96th and 93rd percentile for passes into the final third and carries into the final third respectively.
Maguire also possesses elite aerial ability, ranking in the 97th percentile for aerial duels won. This has saved us time & time again when defending from corners and set pieces, even against the most domineering strikers.
The Englishman is defensively solid, averaging 1.8 interceptions and 3.8 clearances per 90. Manchester United saw a 33% decrease in goals conceded during Maguire's first season compared to the season before.
Something that can't be overlooked is Maguire's consistent availability. In the 2019/20 season, he racked up the most minutes of any player in world football. This elite natural fitness is hard to come by, and further justifies his enormous price tag.
The one blatant weakness in Maguire's game is his lack of pace & agility. This in itself is not a problem as long as he's paired with a quick centre-half like Eric Bailly. An issue arises when he's paired with someone that shares a similar weakness, such as Lindelof.
It's important to make clear that Lindelof is far from poor as an individual, but his lack of pace restricts the pair from playing a high defensive line to avoid getting caught on the break.
A faster defensive partner for Maguire would allow United to play a high defensive line, which in turn would create more chances for our forwards. It's no secret that United are in for a new centre-back, with names like Kounde and Varane constantly being linked with a move.
If United were able to secure the signature of one of these faster centre-backs as well as an elite holding midfielder this summer, I believe a huge increase in creativity from deep, as well as defensive solidity, would be seen, with Maguire playing a key role.
As things stand, Maguire is one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, and his hefty price tag is looking more & more reasonable. He's become one of the top performers for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as well as being one of the first names on Gareth Southgate's teamsheet.
End of thread - If you found this useful or informative, a like & retweet would be appreciated. Make sure to follow me for more threads in the future. #MUFC
