Confident Herrera and Di Maria can be those 2 with the chance.
17
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 9
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 4
Hope he can make the next step soon and start controlling things and do things that get "a bit more noticed" if you know what I mean
Like doing a Keano?
I dunno what he has to do to be a bit more noticed, he probably sees the ball more than anyone else in the side.
He's been great. For me the most consistently impressive of all our new signings.
I still don't think he's the answer to our DM problems, he is incredibly slow, haven't seen that many good tackles from him either. He also doesn't look like much of a physical presence which is something we clearly need badly.
He's been decent and consistent, but not brilliant like some here are suggesting. Very good rotation player to have around though, especially for his price tag.
He's been decent and consistent, but not brilliant like some here are suggesting. Very good rotation player to have around though, especially for his price tag.
Simply do not get the people who are unconvinced by Blind. He's been great.
I'd agree with this.
He's just brilliant. Leaving a lot of people on here with egg on their faces.
It's probably the same bunch who were convinced he was average before he arrived and haven't quite been able to admit they're wrong yet.
What more do you want from him? Want him to go and score 30 yarders or put in 10/10 tackles every match to convince yourself he is good enough to be a starter for us? Btw, would like to know your opinion of Carrick as he is most similar to Blind.
He's been the most consistent of our summer signings. Love the composure he brings in midfield and always looking to keep the ball moving. We still need another midfielder, but Blind's settled in very well.
Also, to those unconvinced by Blind, go watch the Burnley game again. It was horrible. We couldn't even get the ball from defence to midfield because Fletcher was hiding. Blind always shows and starts our game for us. He doesn't have speed and strength, fair enough, you cannot have it all. It's how you make up for it. He keeps the ball for us, he shows up in the right place and is clever when pressed. He isn't world class, but he doesn't have to be.
Statistically he was our best player again yesterday. 90% success rate and our most passes. Many of them are sideways or backwards but that patient build up to try bring out the opposition seems to be a ploy that LVG likes. He seems to be getting used to the pace and physicality of the Prem too after being brushed aside too easily against QPR in particular.
Yeah I agree with this really. Does some things really well in all fairness, but then some things are really poor. Like he'd get a foot in to win the ball back one minute, then next minute a player has passed him too easily and he's chasing them as they hurtle towards our back line.
I can't get over how slow and un-agile he is also. For somebody with the physique of your average player, you'd expect at least decent mobility.
That's the problem. It's not easy to have 2-3 world class midfielders in their prime in your team. We were lucky to have Keane/Scholes during their prime just like Barca were lucky that Xavi and Iniesta were together for their era of domination. But it's not like every top team has 2-3 world class midfielders playing together. You need smart players like Blind as well.
See that's the problem. You are obviously after the flashy old fashioned centre back's tackle, that wipes out the defender and the ball. Blind wins a lot of tackles and interceptions, but he does it in a clean and IMO more impressive way.
A big slide tackle might look better for the cameras, but he does a lot of good work in front of the defense.
To me he's one of those players where you need to have a decent understanding of the game to 'get'. Hes a facilitator for others, rather than someone who grabs the limelight. Scholes was similar in some aspects of his game (always after receiving a pass, impossible to get the ball from) and look how long it took for some to realise how good he was, even with his goals and passing range added to the mix. Carrick is very similar too, and some fans still think he's rubbish. Players like Blind will always have detractors, no matter how good they are, just because they're not showy.
We actually don't get dominated in CM any more. People want too much these days...
This is very true, 'Scholes the passer' wasn't rated until the last 2000's. It was always Keane that everybody loved, and Scholes was just a good goal scorer.
His name isn't Arturo Vidal.
Well he impressed Danny Murphy.
Daley Blind was superb in United's midfield and showed a really calm head.
Another attribute you need when you are playing with 10 men is someone who is not worried about playing under pressure and Blind did that brilliantly at Etihad Stadium.
Daley Blind's touches against Man City

He did a great defensive job but rather than just whacking the ball out and clearing their lines until the next attack, he was trying to get them playing and taking a risk to try to build something for United to come forward.
Considering he looked (and played) like such a thug, Danny Mills seems much smarter than the average pro. He's spot on about Blind too.
That's Danny Murphy.
Ah. He's still right though!
Love his game. Technically and positionally sound. He helps so much with our transition from the back (Remember the trouble we had with this in the first few games this year) and has a pretty good passing range. You don't need a DM to be a physical beast. Milan played Pirlo and not Gattuso furthest back in their diamond back in the day, though it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a Vidal / Strootman kind of player as one of the other midfielders.
Herrera and Fellaini could be rotated in the CM / AM positions if we were to persist with the diamond.
Herrera and Fellaini could be rotated in the CM / AM positions if we were to persist with the diamond.
Last edited:
Well once Carrick is back to full fitness I'd rather him start over Blind. He can do most things Blind does and is stronger and a better passer. With Herrera and Di Maria around him I actually think Carrick can thrive because last season he was pretty much a 1 man midfielder and couldn't do anything.
Pretty much my exact same thoughts.
He's been immense for us, really hope he doesn't go to bench next season if he carries on performing at this level. Midfield is actually the least of our worries at the moment, ironically.
At one point yesterday Rooney kicked the ball aimlessly away while we were under pressure and Blind gave him an absolute bollocking. Positive to see he's not concerned by reputations and also that he seems to value possession of the ball much more highly than other players we've got (not especially Rooney, he was just the example I noticed).
Alonso has played in some of the best teams in Europe and for Spain for the last 10 years despite being slow, and unathletic. Pirlo and Carrick to a lesser extend aren't gifted athletes but more than make up for it with technique, intelligence and tactical competence from their managers.
Thought he'd be a poor signing myself (wasn't all that convinced that his world cup performances were representative of the player) but he's done really nicely. Nice to have another player in the starting XI who I don't have to worry about not doing their job or hoping they'll turn up.
I really do not get the critism of him to be honest, he looks a class player definate name of the team sheet for me at the moment.
I think Blind really showed his value against Chelsea and City. We pretty much held our own against 2 top quality midfields and Blind's calmness, ability to take the ball in close circumstances, passing and discipline were a major, major part of that it seemed to me. Really happy with him. No way I would drop him for Carrick.
I think the main problem with blind in the current set up of Fellaini/Rooney pushing up high and him fairly on his bill centrally is that he might not quite have the range needed. He keeps possession well and works calmly but think we're getting a disconnect when it's just him and a big gulf to the attackers and he doesn't have Carricks range imo.
Tbh though I think the problem there is that we need to have someone stay a bit more deeper and breakforward as the move develops such as in the 2nd half against city once we found our feet again. Whereas in the first half whilst we had some decent spells I think we couldn't make the most of it because there was too much of a disconnect. I think that would help everyone out personally as get more cover if there's a counter and can work in Di Maria/Januzaj a lot easier.
Tbh though I think the problem there is that we need to have someone stay a bit more deeper and breakforward as the move develops such as in the 2nd half against city once we found our feet again. Whereas in the first half whilst we had some decent spells I think we couldn't make the most of it because there was too much of a disconnect. I think that would help everyone out personally as get more cover if there's a counter and can work in Di Maria/Januzaj a lot easier.
What you are describing it exactly what we had when we played with Di Maria Blind and Herrera in the middle.
Im actually surprised so many people see Blind's value to the team and respect him.
Normally these types of players are always overlooked.
Normally these types of players are always overlooked.
Pass completion rate of 92.3% yesterday. A man down against Manchester City, that is very impressive.
Haha after having no midflield for a while I think most can now see and appreciate a proper midfield player.