Victor Lindelof image 2

Victor Lindelof Sweden flag

2018-19 Performances


View full 2018-19 profile

6.1 Season Average Rating
Appearances
40
Clean sheets
8
Goals
1
Assists
1
Yellow cards
3
Status
Not open for further replies.

A-man

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
6,357
Yes plenty of CBs have had good games where one of the better attackers in the league didn't get the best of them. Smalling Vs. Kane for example. No CB will come out on top against the best attackers every single game. But can they do it once? Yes obviously. Can they do it fairly regularly? Yes.
I don’t really know what you are trying to say except for the obvious.
 

A-man

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
6,357
It is obvious, but I dont think anyone is saying Lindelof needs to play every single match against top attackers and never give away a chance.
Ok, agree. Also he is constantly being compared to Ferdinand and how he performed at his best. Maybe the best United defender of all time, playing with exceptional partners, in one of the best teams in the world. Lindelof is 24, plays in an average team by international standards, with new partners all the time. The comparison is not really of any value.

However, I think we have seen glimpses of what this team could develop in to as there is plenty of talent. And I really believe Lindelof can be part of that.
 

Raven

Full Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2012
Messages
6,734
Location
Ireland
My point was:
Is there any CB in the world who hasnt ”been culpable for goals or clear goal scoring opportunities” against top quality forwards? Ronaldo scores all the time. Hat tricks against top teams. Aguero as well. That is why they are considered top players. I think it is a weird way of evaluating a 24 year old CB when these guys have been fooling every top defender in the world for years.
Yeah, I find it weird as well. Some people seem to think getting beaten by Ronaldo (potential GOAT), Kane (Best #9 in the world) and Aguero (PL legend in his prime) means he can't be a good defender. People are ridiculous.
 

OldPop

Full Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Messages
708
Location
In An Oak
Ok, agree. Also he is constantly being compared to Ferdinand and how he performed at his best. Maybe the best United defender of all time, playing with exceptional partners, in one of the best teams in the world. Lindelof is 24, plays in an average team by international standards, with new partners all the time. The comparison is not really of any value.

However, I think we have seen glimpses of what this team could develop in to as there is plenty of talent. And I really believe Lindelof can be part of that.
Yeah, I find it weird as well. Some people seem to think getting beaten by Ronaldo (potential GOAT), Kane (Best #9 in the world) and Aguero (PL legend in his prime) means he can't be a good defender. People are ridiculous.
Wise and objective views, I can only agree.
 

Ekeke

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
53,287
Location
Hope, We Lose
Ok, agree. Also he is constantly being compared to Ferdinand and how he performed at his best. Maybe the best United defender of all time, playing with exceptional partners, in one of the best teams in the world. Lindelof is 24, plays in an average team by international standards, with new partners all the time. The comparison is not really of any value.

However, I think we have seen glimpses of what this team could develop in to as there is plenty of talent. And I really believe Lindelof can be part of that.
I think that is a comparison made with all of our CBs. Not just Lindelof.

It wasnt too long ago that we had the best CBs in the world and I think regardless of what our CBs do, our fans compare them to those players and will say they arent as good therefore we need better.

I'd liken it to Nani on the wing and not being Cristiano Ronaldo. The standard of comparison is too high. Nani wasnt really appreciated even though he was a good player. That goes for our current CBs too. Smalling has been a good CB but he isnt as good as Vidic and Ferdinand so nothing he ever does will convince some people.

And yes Lindelof will be in that situation too after the delayed honeymoon period that hes currently going through where a having a good month = our best CB this entire season. I believe the overhype more than counteracts the people who are already comparing him to Ferdinand and Vidic in terms of number of people, from what I've seen.

And no I don't personally compare any of our CBs to Ferdinand and Vidic, I compare them to the other players currently playing all over the world.
 

Annihilate Now!

...or later, I'm not fussy
Scout
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Messages
49,952
Location
W.Yorks
Yeah, I find it weird as well. Some people seem to think getting beaten by Ronaldo (potential GOAT), Kane (Best #9 in the world) and Aguero (PL legend in his prime) means he can't be a good defender. People are ridiculous.
I generally think that - across football - attackers have gotten far better then defenders have. So yeah, I do think that you can be a top defender and get done a few times, it'll happen.

However I do think it's quite bizarre how people are heralding his performance against Spurs as something incredible (one person even described it as flawless) - when we spent a large portion of that game looking incredibly shaky at the back and like we could concede at any moment.

I mean, I thought he did well all things considered, so yeah it was a good performance.... but thats about it.
 

Black Adder

Rarer than an eclipse.
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
3,664
Location
Hrvatska
Yeah, I find it weird as well. Some people seem to think getting beaten by Ronaldo (potential GOAT), Kane (Best #9 in the world) and Aguero (PL legend in his prime) means he can't be a good defender. People are ridiculous.
There's youtube compilation of brazilian Ronaldo making fun of Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro and the rest of then world best defenders, so no wonder someone like Lindelof will sometimes get outsmarted by world class players. Main thing is that he's playing with confidence and learns from that situtations since he's been really good at the RCB position.
 

Raven

Full Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2012
Messages
6,734
Location
Ireland
I generally think that - across football - attackers have gotten far better then defenders have. So yeah, I do think that you can be a top defender and get done a few times, it'll happen.

However I do think it's quite bizarre how people are heralding his performance against Spurs as something incredible (one person even described it as flawless) - when we spent a large portion of that game looking incredibly shaky at the back and like we could concede at any moment.

I mean, I thought he did well all things considered, so yeah it was a good performance.... but thats about it.
Yeah, I think we're pretty much in agreement, I would see it as a really good performance, but now I'm splitting hairs.
 

NinjaZombie

Punched the air when Liverpool beat City
Joined
Dec 7, 2011
Messages
10,163
When we talk about Rio and Vidic we're always using the 2008 example of them. There have been few better partnerships than that in world football and it's unfair to expect Lindelof, or anyone else, to match them.

They weren't always that good though. Think back to Rio's early days. Mistake prone, even a bit of a headless chicken at times as he tried to do everything for everyone, but he always had the confidence on the ball and knew where he needed to be. It took the right system and the right partner (and arguably a drugs ban) for it all to click into place.
I'm just saying, the praise he's getting for this game is over the top.

Set higher standards for him.
 

tomaldinho1

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
17,841
Agree fully. When i said poor first half i however not mean that he was beaten 1-1, I mean how they did know how to handle the United players running in behind their high line.

And I also agree that the problem was sitting deep and not having any control at all in the midfield. Wave after wave of attack. But Spurs are a good team and sometimes that happen.
Yep - I think this has been an issue for our country in general. It can be seen in both international competitions and European cups, generally the continental teams are much more adept at managing games, holding onto possession and slowly strangling the life out of a game once they're ahead. Oh and the worst 'skill' which is actually hugely important...buying free kicks, slowing the play down etc. It's the easiest way to defend, by not allowing your opponent to have the ball and frustrating them when they do.

If we are to ever challenge the best teams out there consistently it'll be by changing the way we defend a lead because with a few shrewd signings I don't think we're too far away from having a really balanced, technically strong attacking team.
 

Nou_Camp99

what would Souness do?
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
10,274
Are we allowed to say.. That he was very good..? :nervous:
If you think he was you can. He wasn't though. He got twisted blood. Lost his man numerous times

I get that people want him to do well and he has improved a little but if you think he was very good then my word. Spurs really should have scored 3/4 goals. Maybe we could have scored a few more too though.

Our defence is still a mess.
 

OldPop

Full Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Messages
708
Location
In An Oak
Are we allowed to say.. That he was very good..? :nervous:
Yes it is, especially the second half of the match. When the rest of the team lost momentum, the defense, including DDG, was forced to fight hard and they did very well, including Lindelof.
 

Grande

Full Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2007
Messages
6,340
Location
The Land of Do-What-You-Will
If you think he was you can. He wasn't though. He got twisted blood. Lost his man numerous times

I get that people want him to do well and he has improved a little but if you think he was very good then my word. Spurs really should have scored 3/4 goals. Maybe we could have scored a few more too though.

Our defence is still a mess.
I happen to agree our defending was shown up in the second half against Spurs, but disagree our defenders were much to blame on this occasion. They are four players, and most of Spurs chances came as a result of them overplaying our midfield and outnumbering our defenders at speed, or getting easily to good crossing positions with lots of players in the box, leading to a few chaotic situations.

I think both Lindelöf and Jones did a very good job under extremely difficult conditions, particularly the last 30 mins. Not perfect, but very good.

Against top opposition, we need to defend better as a team for 90 mins, though.
 

Ekeke

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
53,287
Location
Hope, We Lose
I happen to agree our defending was shown up in the second half against Spurs, but disagree our defenders were much to blame on this occasion. They are four players, and most of Spurs chances came as a result of them overplaying our midfield and outnumbering our defenders at speed, or getting easily to good crossing positions with lots of players in the box, leading to a few chaotic situations.

I think both Lindelöf and Jones did a very good job under extremely difficult conditions, particularly the last 30 mins. Not perfect, but very good.

Against top opposition, we need to defend better as a team for 90 mins, though.
Shaw made more than double the clearances of either our CBs, or Spurs CBs. 8 of them. So they Jones and Lindelof had a lot of help defending crosses.
 

Grande

Full Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2007
Messages
6,340
Location
The Land of Do-What-You-Will
Shaw made more than double the clearances of either our CBs, or Spurs CBs. 8 of them. So they Jones and Lindelof had a lot of help defending crosses.
Certainly, and they would need it as Spurs piled players into the box and their wide combinations took them past Lingard and Martial (and later Rashford) quite easily, while Shaw and Young were drawn in centrally. Typically, with Dalot coming on we managed to close off their left flank fairly well towards the end, but Shaw, Pogba and Rashford couldn’t do enough about Trippier and Lamela, mostly because P and R were spent.
 

OldPop

Full Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Messages
708
Location
In An Oak
If you win against Spurs away, in the form they have been this year and with the players they have, and also don't let in any goals then it's fantastic well done by the whole team, including Lindelof and Jones.
 

Ban

New Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2015
Messages
26,022
Location
Zagreb, HR
If you think he was you can. He wasn't though. He got twisted blood. Lost his man numerous times

I get that people want him to do well and he has improved a little but if you think he was very good then my word. Spurs really should have scored 3/4 goals. Maybe we could have scored a few more too though.

Our defence is still a mess.
Him losing his man numerous times didn't happen really.
Thanks for the opportunity though. :D
 

IronCroos37

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Nov 24, 2017
Messages
431
maybe lindeloff has good momentum recently. I mean all our defenders, even fullbacks had great forms, but not permanent. Bailly was our future best Cb no doubt, smalling is by far our best defender, rojo at the begining look like an amateur but after a while was rock solid, even jones showed great quality when he had a run of games.

We really need an established cb partnership. I think Lindfeloof and smalling could do a more then decent job if they play togheter games after games.

Soljkaer has done well to establish a primary first team eleven, we were long due, like since forever to have the best team on paper play one game after another. Even SAF loved rotation to much.
 

JJ12

Predicted Portugal, Italy to win Euro 2016, 2020
Joined
Mar 30, 2016
Messages
10,911
Location
Wales
If you think he was you can. He wasn't though. He got twisted blood. Lost his man numerous times

I get that people want him to do well and he has improved a little but if you think he was very good then my word. Spurs really should have scored 3/4 goals. Maybe we could have scored a few more too though.

Our defence is still a mess.
The 3/4 goals you speak of weren't down to Lindelof who is being hampered himself playing alongside a liability.
 

A-man

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
6,357
I think that is a comparison made with all of our CBs. Not just Lindelof.

It wasnt too long ago that we had the best CBs in the world and I think regardless of what our CBs do, our fans compare them to those players and will say they arent as good therefore we need better.

I'd liken it to Nani on the wing and not being Cristiano Ronaldo. The standard of comparison is too high. Nani wasnt really appreciated even though he was a good player. That goes for our current CBs too. Smalling has been a good CB but he isnt as good as Vidic and Ferdinand so nothing he ever does will convince some people.

And yes Lindelof will be in that situation too after the delayed honeymoon period that hes currently going through where a having a good month = our best CB this entire season. I believe the overhype more than counteracts the people who are already comparing him to Ferdinand and Vidic in terms of number of people, from what I've seen.

And no I don't personally compare any of our CBs to Ferdinand and Vidic, I compare them to the other players currently playing all over the world.
I think this is a curse you always will find with a big club that use to compete among the best in the world, and now produce mediocre results. People are sentimental. But it really is a curse for the young players to always be compared to club legends.
Lindelof is praised now, partly because he has played well, but also because he has improved his game and showed qualities people have been hungry for. When a CB drives the ball allover the pitch, it is taking command instead of sitting back. I would t call that a honeymoon, it is more an improvement and people like it.
 

A-man

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2017
Messages
6,357
Yep - I think this has been an issue for our country in general. It can be seen in both international competitions and European cups, generally the continental teams are much more adept at managing games, holding onto possession and slowly strangling the life out of a game once they're ahead. Oh and the worst 'skill' which is actually hugely important...buying free kicks, slowing the play down etc. It's the easiest way to defend, by not allowing your opponent to have the ball and frustrating them when they do.

If we are to ever challenge the best teams out there consistently it'll be by changing the way we defend a lead because with a few shrewd signings I don't think we're too far away from having a really balanced, technically strong attacking team.
Haha, its funny you say that the skills to slow down the match can be seen with continental teams, because my friends and I call that Chelsea football. They use to be very good at that. 1-0 and 75 minutes. After that; 3 slow subs, some slow freekicks, corners, talking with the ref, injuries, etc and suddenly the match was over. Italian teams are also skilled at this.
 

SirAF

Ageist
Joined
Sep 28, 2003
Messages
37,633
Location
Haha, its funny you say that the skills to slow down the match can be seen with continental teams, because my friends and I call that Chelsea football. They use to be very good at that. 1-0 and 75 minutes. After that; 3 slow subs, some slow freekicks, corners, talking with the ref, injuries, etc and suddenly the match was over. Italian teams are also skilled at this.
:drool:
 

Ekeke

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
53,287
Location
Hope, We Lose
I think this is a curse you always will find with a big club that use to compete among the best in the world, and now produce mediocre results. People are sentimental. But it really is a curse for the young players to always be compared to club legends.
Lindelof is praised now, partly because he has played well, but also because he has improved his game and showed qualities people have been hungry for. When a CB drives the ball allover the pitch, it is taking command instead of sitting back. I would t call that a honeymoon, it is more an improvement and people like it.
I dont agree with that because people are saying he played great. They arent saying he passed great or was really good on the ball. Those posts are about total performance not just one aspect of it.

So when posters make those glowing posts, a lot of the things that arent so great are being overlooked and lumped in together as a "great performance". At some point maybe a year down the line that grace period will be over and he'll probably be judged the same way as our other CBs and not have things overlooked by so many people
 

Foxbatt

New Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
14,297
Get a good defender like Vidic to play with Lindelof and he will be great. Smalling is not a player like that. Jones is but he has no brain. If he has a footballing brain and keep fit Jones would have been a top class defender. Remember the attack he created in an early game. If Rashford had passed it to him he may well have scored. Continental defenders are used to joining the attack during open play.
I remember Rio saying that Vidic is very good at playing football and he has the technical ability too and initially he used to try to join the attack but was told to stay back by United.
 

Seven Seas Sardines

Full Member
Joined
May 24, 2015
Messages
3,090
Location
Bolivia til 2024
Get a good defender like Vidic to play with Lindelof and he will be great. Smalling is not a player like that. Jones is but he has no brain. If he has a footballing brain and keep fit Jones would have been a top class defender. Remember the attack he created in an early game. If Rashford had passed it to him he may well have scored. Continental defenders are used to joining the attack during open play.
I remember Rio saying that Vidic is very good at playing football and he has the technical ability too and initially he used to try to join the attack but was told to stay back by United.
Vidic was one of our greatest defenders but no need to rewrite history. Vidic was not on Smalling levels of technical ability, but not far off. Rojo, Jones, Lindelöf and Bailly are all above in terms of passing and technique.
 

tomaldinho1

Full Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2015
Messages
17,841
Haha, its funny you say that the skills to slow down the match can be seen with continental teams, because my friends and I call that Chelsea football. They use to be very good at that. 1-0 and 75 minutes. After that; 3 slow subs, some slow freekicks, corners, talking with the ref, injuries, etc and suddenly the match was over. Italian teams are also skilled at this.
Haha no doubt starting when Jose arrived. I'll always remember when we went out to his Porto team, their LW (Carlos Alberto i think?) got about a thousand free kicks in the closing period of the game and made sure he rolled around in agony for each one to eat up the clock.

Italian teams are miles above us when it comes to legal fouls, particularly blocking off the ball. I'm not advocating we become a team that cheats but we need to manage games a lot better than we do now and, if we are under pressure, better to slow everything down, play some boring football but retaining possession and win some tactical free kicks high up the pitch than retreat into our box and try to defend on our goal line until the final whistle.
 

Red_toad

Full Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2010
Messages
11,616
Location
DownUnder
Yes plenty of CBs have had good games where one of the better attackers in the league didn't get the best of them. Smalling Vs. Kane for example. No CB will come out on top against the best attackers every single game. But can they do it once? Yes obviously. Can they do it fairly regularly? Yes.
Smalling usually pockets Kane. So what point are you making?
 

Foxbatt

New Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
14,297
Vidic was one of our greatest defenders but no need to rewrite history. Vidic was not on Smalling levels of technical ability, but not far off. Rojo, Jones, Lindelöf and Bailly are all above in terms of passing and technique.
The Vidic you saw was the one at Manchester United. I have seen Vidic play in Moscow. He is a decent player with decent technical abilities. He has better technical abilities than Smalling for sure. I agree that Rojo, Jones , Lindelof and Bailly are better in that sense.
 

Ekeke

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
53,287
Location
Hope, We Lose
Smalling usually pockets Kane. So what point are you making?
That nobody is expecting Lindelof to play every game against top attackers and never give away a chance. Its quite simple. They want CBs who can usually play against top attackers and not give away much. Not every game. Not one game. But something you can count on to happen with regularity.
 

Seven Seas Sardines

Full Member
Joined
May 24, 2015
Messages
3,090
Location
Bolivia til 2024
That nobody is expecting Lindelof to play every game against top attackers and never give away a chance. Its quite simple. They want CBs who can usually play against top attackers and not give away much. Not every game. Not one game. But something you can count on to happen with regularity.
And for most of the game he kept Kane quiet. Kane got his chances when the donkey Jones was marking him.
 

laughtersassassin

Full Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2014
Messages
11,494
Shame we won't get a center back in Jan. We got a real chance to get Top 4 if we got soemone dominant in beside Victor for the rest of the season. He has been very good but having partnersd like Jones and Smalling isn't helping.


If we miss out on top 4 by anywhere for 1- say 8 points I will be pissed cause it is literally throwing it away. Our biggest problem can be fixed this window with a bit of cash.
 

Fastnfurious

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 22, 2018
Messages
7
Supports
Liverpool
He is a defender who can play football with his feet so that's already massive plus for me, comparing him with other top defender are ridiculous, it's not like Torres never made fun of Vidic or Italy didn't even qualify for world cup despite having Bonucci and Chiellini.Koulibaly is arguably the best defender in the world nowadays but pretty sure some Italian farmers beat him this season whether on the ground or in the air, but you don't rate a defender based on how many times they got beaten by a forward. Lindelof is the only CB we have who potentially can be a world class defender so we don't need an upgrade of him, we only need an upgrade of his partner.
Well, he’s the only one of your CBs I would like for us to have. And it’s a pretty hefty leap to the next one.
 

Raven

Full Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2012
Messages
6,734
Location
Ireland

Ignore the clickbait title and savour the video of that perfectly timed tackle on Winks. Who doesn’t love it when a United player gets the crowd on their feet by legitimately smashing someone? Not been enough of that in recent years. More please.
That tackle was a thing of beauty.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.