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Alex Telles has been forced to wait to take advantage of his promising debut at Manchester United. For fans, the hiatus has been tempting, given Telles’ excellent opening performance in 67 minutes and the enormous reputation with which he arrived at Old Trafford.
Now we are about to truly discover the real Alex Telles.
It is not the scenario Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would have wanted and indeed the United manager was completely furious at the way Luke Shaw had been injured at Everton. Solskjaer’s spiel about the match schedule quickly went viral and somewhat overshadowed the 3-1 win at Goodison Park, though the news that Shaw will be out for at least a month shows that the United boss was right to worry. .
It’s a great shame for Shaw, who was playing his best football in the United jersey and who must be cursing his injury luck more desperately and frustratingly.
However, soccer is all about opportunity, so when one door closes for Shaw, another opens. Enter Telles.
The 27-year-old’s record with former club FC Porto suggests he is more than ready to take Shaw’s place and could even make things difficult for the English international when he gets back in shape. It is precisely this situation that convinced United to pay £ 13.6 million plus supplements for the Brazilian. Competition for places is key.
Telles first appeared on United’s radar in 2014 when he was playing for Galatasaray and has been closely monitored since 2018 by numerous members of the club’s scouting team, notably his Portuguese scout. He was long regarded by United as the best left-back in Portugal and now they are about to find out if he can do it in England.
His recovery from a coronavirus outbreak, which has delayed its impact since that debut last month, is timely. First, it must fulfill its international duty to Brazil unscathed in the next week.
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But certainly Telles’ debut, when he played as a left back against Paris Saint-Germain in that brilliant 2-1 win, suggested he has the raw materials to succeed. It was a position that suited him to the ground, given his penchant for attacking rather than defending. A record of 13 goals and 12 assists in all competitions for Porto last season reflects what Telles does best.
There is no way United should consider playing 3-5-2, as it did against PSG, every week simply to accommodate Telles. As shown against Everton, a four-man defense is enough for United to stay strong while releasing players higher up the field. And Shaw has done very well as an orthodox left back.
Telles won’t be there either. He can play to the left of a back four, probably alongside Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
But a diamond can suit Telles better than any of the other systems available when playing a four-man defense, allowing the Brazilian to gallop forward in the overlap, while maintaining some protection for central defenders. Either that or a narrow 4-3-3 in which the ends are shifted inward and the sides are animated forward. It will be a balancing act between United and Telles, getting the most out of the team and the player while maintaining the balance that served them well at Everton.
United entered the international hiatus by winning what was arguably their biggest game of the season at Everton on Saturday.
The Reds under pressure came from behind to beat the Toffees thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ double and Edinson Cavani’s first goal for United.
United are on a two-week hiatus and many of their stars are headed for international service; We will keep track of how everyone is doing and preparations for their next Premier League match against West Brom.
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Solskjaer said how much he admired Telles’ personal attributes when the signing was the first advertisement.
“He is a fighter and a winner and he will add real determination and competence to the team,” said the United manager.
“Alex has the qualities, as a player and as a person, that we want here at Manchester United.”
Now Solskjaer is about to discover his tactical and technical qualities as well, although he must get the system right to see another new signing flourish under his guidance.
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