Victor Lindelöf | Officially signs

2 man midfield

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Annihilate Now! said:
There's got to be an Abba song we can use for him...

So far all i've got is:

There is someone at the back tonight
he's jumping hi
Lindelöf
A shining star for you and me
Alongside Bailly,
Lindelöf

Which is a bit shit.
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What about something to the tune of Waterloo?

Lindelof - Your free kicks actually clear the wall.
Lindelof - Thanks to you we can show Jones the door.
 

Annihilate Now!

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2 Man Midfield said:
What about something to the tune of Waterloo?

Lindelof - Your free kicks actually clear the wall.
Lindelof - Thanks to you we can show Jones the door.
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Ha! Nice one.

You are a graceful Swede
Good with your feet, unlike Mike Smalling
Graceful Swede, keep your girl
away from John Terry
oh yeah
You can pass, and defend,
having the time of your life
See Phil Jones, in training
Diggit
The injured Swede.
 

GM K

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Red4Life_#7 said:
I don't know much about him apart from Youtube. Please tell us, why is he an excellent signing??


This is what I'm hoping for, plus speed on the flanks. Persic will add to the team if we can negotiate the right price.


Rojo was incredible last season, it's great to have strong competition.


How do you know this?? Explain pls :) As I heard that we didn't want to buy him while Benfica were in the middle of a dispute with his former club, they needed him until the end of the season and we were also confident our CBs could hold up until the end of the season.
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To be honest, I concluded based on multiple unconfirmed reports. In January, there were a number of reports that indicated the problem was about money. The theory was that both Benfica and Iceman were in strong positions then. The champions league was on and United seemed a bit desperate due to injury problems (even though our two fit center backs were playing well, we couldn't really afford any major injury crisis). So Benfica could play hardball. Iceman was also not particularly desperate to leave. Fortunately, our center backs were in good form so Jose felt he could risk waiting after all, Blind could always be a back up.

Having signed him, a lot of rumours about us wanting him back then in January, now seem true.
 

2 man midfield

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Annihilate Now! said:
Ha! Nice one.

You are a graceful Swede
Good with your feet, unlike Mike Smalling
Graceful Swede, keep your girl
away from John Terry
oh yeah
You can pass, and defend,
having the time of your life
See Phil Jones, in training
Diggit
The injured Swede.
Click to expand...
Wowah wewah. Here we go again.
My my, muppet juice is flowing.
 

RedNed77

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GM K said:
You are certainly right about Ice man being brought in to pair with Bailly. Just trying to point out that if Rojo continues at the rate he was developing, he will be a strong contender for the center back spot.

About Bailly, he is an incredible player but he got me on the edge many times during last season. One proof is that he got 2 red cards during the season. That's almost Sergio Ramos level. His all action style also makes him prone to injuries in a league like the EPL. Not saying that he will end up getting injured all the time but to avoid that, he will need to adjust his play a bit. It will serve him well to study the play of Vidic or Terry.
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Rojo was a walking red card at times last season, he put some awful tackles in. He went in with two feet, studs off the ground at least 4 times last season and was lucky not to get a red card on each and every occasion.

His tackling was that bad it inspired somebody at the Mirror to put this piece together.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/row-zed/marcos-rojo-guide-tackling-man-9462485

:lol:
 
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GM K

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RedNed77 said:
Rojo was a walking red card at times last season, he put some awful tackles in. He went in with two feet, studs off the ground at least 4 times last season and was lucky not to get a red card on each and every occasion.

His tackling was that bad it inspired somebody at the Mirror to put this piece together.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/row-zed/marcos-rojo-guide-tackling-man-9462485

:lol:
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Yeah, I agree.

But he was also probably the most fast improving center back in Europe. My point was that if he keeps improving at the rate he was improving, he would give both Bailly and Iceman a run for their money. Plus, Bailly also needs to make sure he works on his rough edges. He could be very error prone himself. Seven yellow cards and two red cards in one season says a lot. His pace at recovering also got him out of some potentially embarrassing mistakes he made.

Don't get me wrong, I believe Bailly and Iceman would / should be the first pairing. Just saying that Rojo, considering how much he was improving, will have a say in that.
 

golden_blunder

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Read that he developed his skills by playing midfield before he was moved to cb. Wouldn't be surprised if we see him play there as well as a dm.
 

Nicklas

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golden_blunder said:
Read that he developed his skills by playing midfield before he was moved to cb. Wouldn't be surprised if we see him play there as well as a dm.
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He was playing in midfield in his youth here in Sweden, as well as the U17 NT. My team (as a coach) faced his team fairly often.
 

ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg

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GM K said:
Yeah, I agree.

But he was also probably the most fast improving center back in Europe. My point was that if he keeps improving at the rate he was improving, he would give both Bailly and Iceman a run for their money.
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He was the fastest improving CB in the world earlier :-)

This means nothing without context, and besides surely someone like Keane has shown far more improvement than Rojo, establishing himself as a very good PL player and winning his first international cap - is that not a greater % of improvement than someone who is already as established international player and played in a World Cup Final?

Rojo was in excellent form, but he isint an incredible ball playing CB - such superlatives are more suitable for someone like Barasi. That said, I think he will be a solid squad player, just as long as he curbs his rashness - he will get chances to play in the second half of the season and I would be more than happy if he pushed out Lindelof if he grasps an opportunity and his form is better. Competition is good, the last few years it almost seemed like it's just been a case of picking the two that are actually fit to play.
 

GM K

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ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg said:
He was the fastest improving CB in the world earlier :-)

This means nothing without context, and besides surely someone like Keane has shown far more improvement than Rojo, establishing himself as a very good PL player and winning his first international cap - is that not a greater % of improvement than someone who is already as established international player and played in a World Cup Final?

Rojo was in excellent form, but he isint an incredible ball playing CB - such superlatives are more suitable for someone like Barasi. That said, I think he will be a solid squad player, just as long as he curbs his rashness - he will get chances to play in the second half of the season and I would be more than happy if he pushed out Lindelof if he grasps an opportunity and his form is better. Competition is good, the last few years it almost seemed like it's just been a case of picking the two that are actually fit to play.
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Oh, come on. My point was just to emphasis how much he was improving. If you choose to take my words literally, well, good for you. I am not keen on debating this. It was simply to point out the fact that Rojo was developing well enough to give Bailly and Iceman a good fight for the center back slots rather than them just picking up the shirts easily.
 

ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg

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GM K said:
Oh, come on. My point was just to emphasis how much he was improving. If you choose to take my words literally, well, good for you. I am not keen on debating this. It was simply to point out the fact that Rojo was developing well enough to give Bailly and Iceman a good fight for the center back slots rather than them just picking up the shirts easily.
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You saw my smiley face :-) I think he was in very good form, but nothing spectacular. I think lots of other players have made bigger improvements than Rojo, including Lindelof.

As I said, I hope that he does compete with Bailly and Lindelof. It's a risk from Jose, how many top flight games do those two have between them? Bailly has only had a year in the PL. We need experienced back up, and that's why I'm not sure shipping out Smalling is such a good idea given that it looks like we will have a 22/23 year old CB partnership and Rojo may not play for 6 months.
 

Inter Yer Nan

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I watched some highlight compilations because I've been hearing how he's poor in the air but from the videos I saw he looks to be pretty damn good in the air. Admittedly the videos didn't show a lot of crossing and obviously there's a lot more in England but he looked very composed with long balls. When I've seen Benfica I never really noticed it as a glaring weakness either.
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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GM K said:
He and Bailly?

You all better look out for Marcus Rojo. That lad is the fastest improving center back in the world. He will have a say on United's center back pairings next season.
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I agree. Rojo was excellent last season. Arguably our best and most consistent centre back. However, with Rojo out at the moment, initially, I can imagine Jose will want to start with a back two of Bailly and Lindelof. Of course that can change, though.
 

RedNed77

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GM K said:
Yeah, I agree.

But he was also probably the most fast improving center back in Europe. My point was that if he keeps improving at the rate he was improving, he would give both Bailly and Iceman a run for their money. Plus, Bailly also needs to make sure he works on his rough edges. He could be very error prone himself. Seven yellow cards and two red cards in one season says a lot. His pace at recovering also got him out of some potentially embarrassing mistakes he made.

Don't get me wrong, I believe Bailly and Iceman would / should be the first pairing. Just saying that Rojo, considering how much he was improving, will have a say in that.
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Fair enough and I don't disagree with you about the rate of Rojo's improvement last year, he really surprised me too.
 

Mike09

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Inter Yer Nan said:
I watched some highlight compilations because I've been hearing how he's poor in the air but from the videos I saw he looks to be pretty damn good in the air. Admittedly the videos didn't show a lot of crossing and obviously there's a lot more in England but he looked very composed with long balls. When I've seen Benfica I never really noticed it as a glaring weakness either.
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From the scout report that I read in reddit (posted by Benfica fans), the poster said he's not physically strong. Aerial duel is also in the category of physical strength.

People have been mentioning the next Rio and Vidic but Lindelof and Bailly aren't that reliable in dominating the air. While both Rio and Vidic always dominate in the air.

For improvement:
Although, Bailly can work on his heading ability. As for Lindelof, I will need to watch him first.
 

Womp

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Stoked about this transfer, we could potentially have that position set for the next decade.

Mike09 said:
From the scout report that I read in reddit (posted by Benfica fans), the poster said he's not physically strong. Aerial duel is also in the category of physical strength.

People have been mentioning the next Rio and Vidic but Lindelof and Bailly aren't that reliable in dominating the air. While both Rio and Vidic always dominate in the air.

For improvement:
Although, Bailly can work on his heading ability. As for Lindelof, I will need to watch him first.
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They're both young though and have huge space to improve. I think the Rio and Vida comparisons come from one being no nonsense and physical whilst the other is a more composed, ball playing type.
 

Phil

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TheSwedeFromSweden said:
Love how your media is going crazy over his girlfriend, writing articles about her, calling her a stunning beauty. I mean, she is obviously good looking, but to be fair not really anything special in Sweden. :lol:
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You handsome bunch of bastards.
 

horsechoker

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Victor Lindelöf,
He is a Swedish hero
For a fee from BFC
The opposition will score zero
6 foot 1, hard as feck he gets Mou excited
Stick your Stones up your arse cause we are Man United

Don't think it will catch on to be honest
 

Lennon7

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horsechoker said:
Victor Lindelöf,
He is a Swedish hero
For a fee from BFC
The opposition will score zero
6 foot 1, hard as feck he gets Mou excited
Stick your Stones up your arse cause we are Man United

Don't think it will catch on to be honest
Click to expand...
Not enough syllables in Victor Lindelof. Victor Nilsson Lindelof? Victor Lindy-Lindelof? Victor-ious Lindelof?
 

Pace Abuser

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I'm stoked watching those highlights. Putting talent to one side, I can't express enough how pleased I am to see CB's at United that actually have a bit of nastiness about them, with Bailly, Rojo, and this new kid. I was sick of the sight of Smalling with his apologetic demeanour and Jones who was more of a mindless yard dog than a controlled bully.
Look forward to these three actually having the balls to dominate their territory at the back with courage and strong mental fortitude. I hope they run around oppo strikers for the first 10 minutes of every game, telling them they're shit and psyching them out.
 

Natener

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OnlyTwoDaSilvas said:
A little piece on him from The Guardian today

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/15/victor-lindelof-manchester-united-benfica-iceman

Or read below, as the Guardian website is chock full of video ads that will grind your device to a halt.
When Luisão says that there have been times when he has mistaken Victor Lindelof for a player in his 30s, the gnarly Brazilian who has never held back in his role as the leader of Benfica’s defence is paying his young colleague the highest possible compliment. Although it could be mistaken for a dismissive observation about Lindelof’s cumbersome movement, instead it is Luisão’s way of expressing his admiration for a blossoming defender whose eerie composure explains why José Mourinho was so determined to bring him to Manchester United.

Luisão is not alone in regarding the 22-year-old as mature beyond his tender age and it is that very quality, that ability to stay cool under pressure and take everything in his stride, that has allowed Lindelof to develop from a Benfica reserve into one of the hottest young talents in Europe, all in the space of 18 months.

At the start of 2016, Lindelof was little more than raw potential, a youngster who was yet to prove that he was good enough to replace his more established team-mates in the first team. People at Benfica knew that he was gifted, but they had not seen enough evidence to suggest that the Swede was ready to make the jump. Sure, he made his professional debut for Vasteras at the age of 16 but his experience of playing in the Swedish lower leagues was incomparable to the intense challenge of competing with Porto and Sporting Lisbon for the Portuguese title. And yes, Benfica had bought him when he was 17. But a big move came with no guarantees of regular football. He would have to prove himself first and he would have to do it the hard way.

Some young players might have grown impatient in Lindelof’s position. They might not have been willing to work. They might have believed their own hype. Lindelof, after all, was a captain for Sweden at youth level. He was a key member of the Under-21 team that won the European Championship in the summer 2015, beating Portugal on penalties in the final. But when he returned to his club for pre-season training, nothing had changed. He would still have to wait his turn.

Come the turn of the year, Lindelof’s moment had still not arrived and there was furtive talk of a move to Middlesbrough, but he was rewarded for his patience when Lisandro López suffered an injury when Benfica travelled to Moreirense shortly before the closure of the winter transfer window. His aim wasn’t to prove people wrong but to make himself undroppable. Lindelof played the final 30 minutes and oozed class and assurance in a 4-1 win. His nervelessness was perhaps the most impressive aspect of his performance – no wonder they call him The Iceman in Lisbon – and there could be no doubt that he was ready for the testing months ahead. Before long Lindelof was excelling in a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich and he played every minute of Benfica’s final 14 league matches, helping them to pick up the 13 wins that meant they finished two points above Sporting at the top of the table.

Young centre-backs can be prone to errors but Lindelof’s outstanding form earned him a place in Sweden’s Euro 2016 squad and those who have known him since the start are not surprised that United have bought him for £31m. “He was a leader in a natural way,” Claes Eriksson, the manager of Sweden’s Under-19s, says. “Not shouting but leading by a good example. I think he has a good opportunity to succeed at United because he does everything at 100%. It is the top level, so you never know, but I think he can handle the pressure. Mentally he is very strong. I think that will not be a problem for him.”

His decision to leave home at such a young age was an indication of Lindelof’s toughness and he has not looked back since getting his break against Moreirense, helping Benfica to defend the title last season and becoming an influential player for his country at senior level.

Although Lindelof started as a right-back and sometimes even played as a right midfielder, he was always destined for central defence and Mourinho admires his strength, aerial power, ability on the ball and versatility. United can be confident that Lindelof and Eric Bailly, the speedy 23-year-old Ivorian who impressed in his debut season at Old Trafford, will form the solid partnership that they have lacked since time caught up with Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

Although Lindelof does not possess lightning speed, his astute reading of the game meant he was booked only once last season and he demonstrated a knack for the spectacular when he earned Benfica a point with a thunderous free-kick against Sporting in April. Eriksson believes he is the complete defender.

“He always had very good technique,” Eriksson says. “He could read the game and see danger early when he was 16 or 17 years old. He is 100% an athlete. He was the captain for the national teams, so I am not surprised that he has developed the way he has now. He is the best player you can get. He was quite big and strong for his age. You could see that he was a very good player and he could go far. He is one of the best defenders we have had in Sweden for a couple of years. I don’t see any weaknesses.”

With those kind of references, it is easy to see why Mourinho wanted him.
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"he played every minute of Benfica’s final 14 league matches"
There, that right there is where Lindelof wins me over.
 

pghcc

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If you squint he sort of reminds you of Lord Bendtner.

Those are big shoes to fill.
 
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