DANIEL James stood alone, and waited for his teammates to join him – in vain. James was the first dressed of the United players after the recent Europa League game at AZ Alkmaar and the plan was for the players to walk through the mixed zone for the media, before catching their flight back to Manchester. But the zone was rammed, fans were waiting on the stairwells and the mood was not positive. United were failing on the pitch.
Cannier players held back behind a door and security, James looked like a curious little boy on a school trip. He’s new to this game at a top-level club, but he’s taking part with enthusiasm. One United staffer politely told him that while it was great that he signed so many autographs, not all of them were going to sweet kids who’d put them on their bedroom walls. James had little idea about the cunning collectors who’d sell those signatures for a profit.
The Welsh star has done far better than expected since he joined for what is looking like a bargain £17 million from Swansea City in June. He’d only played 39 times for the Swans and wasn’t bought as a shoo-in for the first team like Aaron Wan Bissaka or Harry Maguire, but one with clear potential to improve around better players, accrue minutes and go from there. He thought he’d be a fringe player but felt ready for more. And he has been.
Daniel James has been one of the best signings this season. £15 million could be one of the biggest bargains if this man continues his sensational form. Top class player. pic.twitter.com/XSV41mYxCN
— Red Devil Bible (@RedDevilBible) October 27, 2019
United had been watching him for years. When I recently asked executive vice chairman Ed Woodward about James, he said: ‘He was a player flagged as YA – a young player who could be A level, who we’d been tracking for three years. The academy scouts handed his file over to the scouts who look at the first team when Dan became a first team player (at Swansea). He was on our radar well before the deal for him to go to Leeds fell through.” Wales manager Ryan Giggs also actively pushed James’s case to the club he supports.
James was one of the best players on the pre-season tour. He’s started nine of United’s ten league games and was sub in one other. He’s made himself a first choice rather than a Europa League player which might have been expected of him. This is a lad who lost his father in the summer, yet he’s thriving in his new environment. The only game he didn’t start was against Chelsea on the first day of the season, but he came on for the last 16 minutes and scored in front of the Stretford End. That was the first of his three goals in August, the best being at Southampton with the help of Juan Mata.
“James, James will tear you apart again,” hollered the 3,000 travellers in an appropriate nod to the ‘Giggs will tear you apart’ terrace classic. James’ pace was what struck Giggs when he started working with him; wingers have long been favourites at Old Trafford and fans were predisposed to welcome him. James is far more than a road-runner however. Although his passing can improve, he’s showing the footballing intelligence needed to play at the top level, bringing others into play and setting up Rashford with a superb pass at Norwich on Sunday for his third assist of the season.
Solskjaer sees James as an indefatigable permanent threat, that’s why he’s been playing 90 minutes all the time. United have needed to either kill off games or get back into them. He’s not a player who will ignore his defensive duties when United are in the back foot. Yorkshire-born James is versatile too, having started five games on the right, five on the left, two as a second striker, and one as a forward against Chelsea on Wednesday alongside Marcus Rashford in a 3-4-1-2 formation.
The scouting department need to be commended on the finding of Daniel James [many other 'smaller' clubs did].
And Ole needs to be applauded for having the stones to sign a Championship winger as his first signing at #mufc.
What a player. pic.twitter.com/r1m1wmSiIK
— ً (@utdrobbo) October 30, 2019
James won the penalty for Rashford, giving Marcos Alonso little choice but to foul him. It looked soft and with no VAR in the Carabao Cup it couldn’t be to be disputed, but the man himself was absolutely sure it was a penalty. As well he would be. James is taking his share of kicks, but he’s brave. He gets knocked down, he gets back up again. There are times when he goes down as easily as a young Ronaldo and that can frustrate even his own fans, but Ronaldo grew out of that after a couple of seasons and James should do, although when you’re flying forward at his pace it doesn’t take much to bring you down.
The last week has been, by far, the best of United’s season with those three away wins. There is still much room for improvement and while there will definitely be more bumps along the way from a young squad which still needs additions, there is evidence that what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is trying to do is having results. He wanted the poison out of the dressing room, he wanted to give talented youngsters a chance. He’s doing just that.
Not a home-grown graduate, at 21 James is still young and fresh enough to be coached into the style that Solskjaer wants. Yet he’s already been far more effective (and much cheaper) than Alexis Sanchez. Another plus is that he’s a positive rather than negative influence in the dressing room. James wants to be at United and appreciates every second, a refreshing contrast to the injury prone, sulky, over-paid and ineffective Sanchez.
A Bournemouth side who’ve not scored a goal in October are up next for United who now have one defeat in eight. Paul Pogba, Axel Tuanzebe, Luke Shaw and Nemanja Matic are still out. Rashford, Lindelof and Maguire had a light training session on Friday to determined if they will play, but injuries give others chances.
Brandon Williams has been superb and with Sanchez and Lukaku off the scene, James has stepped up. If you ask United fans right now if they’d like to see another striker most would say yes, but with Rashford, James and Martial, there’s plenty of youthful pace and goals in that team that could ignite the season if all three can find form and consistency.
