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One of my biggest issues with thinking there is no hope at Manchester United at the moment is that the person walking out onto the pitch first each game is Ashley Young. Ever since his great performance at the 2018 world cup for England as a wing back, he has been a shell of his former self. Yet he still makes it out onto the pitch in each and every game.
Ashley Young looked completely out of place when on the pitch in the Champions League match against Barcelona last season where Barca were running circles around him and purposely attacking his side. He is a complete liability for this team. If this team is actually so focused on youth players, I really can't see how they think letting Young play each week is a better move than giving a shot to Diogo Dalot or Brandon Williams. Granted, I don't think these kids really are quite ready for week in and week out action but at least they would be developing. Ashley Young is getting worse and worse. Young was caught in no man's land by Adam Lallana which cost United the game against Liverpool over the weekend. They had no business winning that game to be completely fair, but had a chance to steal all three points. Getting beaten because you were trying and the opposing player got the better of you is one thing, but too often Young is caught not doing anything and letting his man go right past him. A youth player desperately trying to get into the team is not likely to just shut off like that. If they're beaten it's just because the other player truly beat them.
There can be no excuses for just shutting off, especially when you are the Captain of the team, as you set the example for the rest of the team when you are named captain. Not a good look. As long as Luke Shaw is injured, giving a chance to Willliams or Dalot to play at the full back position would be worth a go at this point. Heck, maybe even Rojo at this point would be better (I may be going a step too far).