Big Willy Style
Let's talk about Manchester United's defensive issues and how one academy player could go a long way in solving them.
Manchester United have a crisis in central defense. In the short term, only Harry Maguire of their regular first-team options is fit and in the long term, multiple players are going to either, be sold or have question marks regarding injuries over their heads.
However, United’s last game against Liverpool may have presented a solution to the issue both in the short and long term - Willy Kambwala.
Kambwala joined United’s academy at the age of 16 from FC Sochaux and was highly rated in France. The young defender was given the captain’s armband at multiple youth levels in the French national team set up, so it was a major coup to bring him to Manchester… but then the injuries hit.
Two weeks into his time at United’s academy he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out for a year and regular smaller injuries have followed, hindering his progress.
Now however, at the age of 19, the stars have seemingly aligned for Kambwala; a long string of games without injury saw him promoted to first-team training and the aforementioned injuries to the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans means he’ll have a chance to impress in the first team under Erik ten Hag.
Personally, I don’t understand why Ten Hag didn’t give the centre-back minutes sooner, as he was available and on the bench. The options that were played over him suffered injuries soon after as they were rushed back into the squad too soon, but that’s a different newsletter.
Kambwala is an incredibly combative defender and this has been apparent throughout his time in the academy and also in his appearances against West Ham and Liverpool.
He has the pace and physicality to deal with even the most problematic of attackers and when you combine this with his defensive intelligence, he can step out of the back line and make important challenges when the opponent breaks through United’s disjointed midfield.
Standing at 192cms he is an incredible aerial presence, which is a plus given how United are lacking in this area as Raphael Varane was the only aerial presence in United’s backline and he is obviously unavailable.
Kambwala is not without his flaws, even if some fans may dub him the second coming of ‘Rio Ferdinand if he was French’ (that’s an exaggeration) so it’s important to add balance.
The 19-year-old isn’t the greatest on the ball; you won’t be seeing many 40-yard lobs or clever switches out to the full-backs when he receives it. So that means that Ten Hag must look to give him simple options to play it to when he receives it to minimise this weakness.
I know that this is easier said than done at United.
I would add that his inexperience can still be counted against him as Liverpool marked his first start and there is no guarantee that he will keep up the form he displayed defending Mohammed Salah and Darwin Nunez in United’s 2-2 draw with the Merseyside club.
However, this is more a statement to say that we shouldn’t put unnecessary pressure on Kambwala and more hope he will be great rather than expect he will be. He is in a difficult position to begin with, even before you consider everything else that’s wrong at United, so he has to be given some leeway.
I would say that any performances this season are a bonus given United’s position in the league. The real value Kambwala brings is how he could save United money in the summer transfer market.
Varane’s contract expires in the summer and as it stands, United are yet to agree an extension. The same applies to Evans but given his age it is possible that he could choose to retire at the end of the current campaign.
Maguire and Lindelof are 31 and 29 respectively so are coming towards the twilight of their careers and the club could look to cash in on them (though to be honest I doubt both will be sold in the same window).
This only leaves Lisandro Martinez as a first team option and United will have to be mindful of whether his injury problems this season become a recurring issue in the future.
So it’s likely that United will need to spend in the centre-back position this summer regardless of whether Willy Kambwala is the second coming of Marcel Desailly or not, but the 19 year old could save them from having to buy two (or at least having to spend the money to sign a first team level player).
If United are determined to spend next summer and get two clear first team options, I would like to see Kambwala go on loan to get regular minutes. If he’s not going to be part of the manager’s (whoever that may be) regular rotation going to a team that focuses more on possession may help iron out his problems on the ball.
That’s all in the future though, for now Kambwala is a United player and he will inevitably be starting quite a few games between now and the end of the season.
So let’s just enjoy Big Willy Style.