[Santiago_KinderBueno]

Though we line up like this

Smalling - - Blind
Schneiderlin

Take our defence like this:

Smalling-Schneirdlin-Blind

Blind occupies the left central areas while Smalling operates the right. None of them are particularly partnering each other more so than partnering schneirdlin.

If not schneirdlin, carrick is even more capable because he did the same role for us last year before his injury.

It's a 3rd CB thats only there; when needed.

It's the exact same principal of the false 9, a CF who becomes a CAM or ST depending on the defensive or attacking situation.

 

[darioterios]

thought he always prefers
http://lineupbuilder.com/?sk=853n when defending
to
http://lineupbuilder.com/?sk=853w when building
rather than
http://lineupbuilder.com/?sk=8543
to
http://lineupbuilder.com/?sk=853p

because in the last setup that central defender cannot step up to make numbers in midfield? maybe you can understand him more clearly
@Santiago_KinderBueno

 

[FromTheBench]

His positioning at CB is bad so far.

Shaw is covering like 75% of the time for him. Especially on quick breaks he is loitering and has no pace to recover.

 

[Keeps It tidy]

Playing the false CB role in the first half.

 

[Bojan11]

Not going to blame him. He's not a CB.

But our manager has to do his silly experiments. Hopefully he realises that it won't work soon like 3-5-2.

 

[Devil may care]

Some lovely passing, if only that was the primary job of a CB.....

 

[Ramshock]

His positioning at CB is bad so far.

Shaw is covering like 75% of the time for him. Especially on quick breaks he is loitering and has no pace to recover.

Both goals come down Jones side yet Blind gets the blame.

 

[FromTheBench]

Both goals come down Jones side yet Blind gets the blame.

Catch his positioning for the first goal.

 

[prath92]

His positioning at CB is bad so far.

Shaw is covering like 75% of the time for him. Especially on quick breaks he is loitering and has no pace to recover.

You could say the same for darmian and Jones too

 

[Ramshock]

Catch his positioning for the first goal.

Im not saying he is playing great I am saying our middle is soft. Carrick and BS probably shouldnt start too many games in the middle.

 

[Ramshock]

You could say the same for darmian and Jones too

Darmian not as much. Jones/Blind not getting much help from Carrick/BS. Shaw the best of the back 6

 

[MDFC Manager]

Catch his positioning for the first goal.

And the second.

I'd take Evans over him every day of the week.

 

[Litch]

Done ok, I'm sorry but Jones is clueless and zero football intelligence

 

[Ferguson]

Catch his positioning for the first goal.

Matuidi ran away from Blind to the other side of Jones. I don't see how Blind can be expected to be there.

Blind could have been closer to Jones so that he could provide cover more quickly, but I still doubt it would have made much of a difference.

 

[Devil_forever]

Train wreck waiting to happen in the premier league but it's not his fault that LVG decides to play him instead of our best centre back, all because he's left footed. At first Van Gaal's little quirks were endearing but it's going to cost us big time in the league, just like it did last season.

 

[Van Piorsing]

Likeable character but too much experiments with roles may cause him a football brain f*uck.

Play him where he was shining last season and he'll come as a useful player.

 

[Devil may care]

He did ok I thought and played some nice incisive passes, he had to babysit Frankenjones at the same time so that made his job harder.

 

[lem8sh]

Should be backup for left back.

 

[m1y2]

it was clear from the day one that he's bloody average at every position he "can" play. Would leave him as LB back up and that's about it

 

[jb8521]

He may not have been directly responsible for either goal tonight but he was nowhere to be seen for either goal and it was the same for the San Jose goal as well, the defence is supposed to work as a unit and he looked as if he was completely detached from the rest of the defence.He heads off into positions that he shouldnt be going into as a centre back and doesnt have either the panic button or the pace to get back into position. If he was playing brilliant passes and spreading the play to open up the game I'd understand the idea to a degree but he's playing short, safe passes that any of the other centre backs could play without any of the upside of having a natural defender. The cons far outweigh any pros of having him play there for me

 

[Santiago_KinderBueno]

His problem today was that he went for players outside of his space. A combination of jones and blind will struggle because both as a partnership don't know how to defend with patience.

I still believe that smalling & Blind can work because both could defend up to the wider arches in defence meaning a DM like schneirdlin can act as the central pivot between 3 defenders & 2.

Im not blaming jones for today either, but its my opinion that out of the 3 central defensive players (rcb+lc+cdm); there wasnt a blance at all.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Blind was fine. Jones was shit.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

Blind was fine. Jones was shit.

Spoiler

 

[11101]

I dont see why he was playing CB. He is perfectly capable in his actual positions of DM and LB. Hes got no chance at CB when hes got someone like Jones next to him.

 

[khoazany]

LVG tried too hard to get him into the team.Should be benched if he isn't better than what we have at LB and DM.Simple.

 

[darioterios]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[RedMachine03]

Quizzed on Blind’s performance at centre-back, a position he has occupied all summer, van Gaal praised his fellow Dutchman but explained why his versatility could lead to him playing elsewhere.

“I was very pleased with his performances, not only this evening but also the former performances,” van Gaal assessed, looking back on the tour. “I think he can build up the game better from that position and he defended very well. I think I shall use him there, but also in midfield and also at left full-back position. I am pleased with his performances over here in USA."

 

[amolbhatia50k]

He'll get found out in the premier league and then we'll learn from it. It might come off against Spurs, but against the regular physical premier league sides he'll have a miserable time IMO.

 

[Roboc7]

He'll get found out in the premier league and then we'll learn from it. It might come off against Spurs, but against the regular physical premier league sides he'll have a miserable time IMO.

Definitely it's just a question of how long LVG persists with it and how many points we drop because of it. For a cb he is slow, weak and small, he is also terrible when players are running at him at speed. It looks like he will start against spurs and they must be rubbing their hands together.

 

[Water Melon]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Starting Blind as a LCB is a huge risk imo. I'd much rather have Rojo or Jones there than him. Daley reads the game well, but he lacks physicality and height to play as a CB. They play fast, direct and very physical football in EPL with a lot of crosses, so Bilnd may struggle. For now the jury is still out, and hopefully LvG gets it right, whatever that right may be.

 

[berbasloth4]

I am a huge fan of blind but putting him in centre half makes me think he is a van gaal lovechild or something and he is afraid to drop him.. he should be a back up centre midfielder/left back.

Hopefully when rojo returns that is the left footed centre back choice..

 

[Devil may care]

Kane will be pleased to see Blind starting.

 

[R'hllor]

How many love children do people here think he has .First RvP,that theory got destroyed at the end of season,now guess is Blind`s turn.

 

[Bojan11]

Starting Blind as a LCB is a huge risk imo. I'd much rather have Rojo or Jones there than him. Daley reads the game well, but he lacks physicality and height to play as a CB. They play fast, direct and very physical football in EPL with a lot of crosses, so Bilnd may struggle. For now the jury is still out, and hopefully LvG gets it right, whatever that right may be.

I don't think he reads the game very well.

Where the hell was he for both goals? Even last season at CDM he pushed forward too much.

His best attribute is his passing. He played a nice ball to Mata. I know it was offside, but was still a good pass. But defenders need to be able to defend firstly.

 

[Raoul]

From Ogden's piece today -

'I was very pleased with Blind's performances, not only this against PSG, but in the other games too,” Van Gaal said. “I think he can build up the game better from that position and he has defended very well.

“I think I shall use him there, but also in midfield and the left-back position, but I'm pleased with his performances.

“So I think I shall play Shaw with Blind and Matteo Darmian and then the right central defenders position I have to consider.

'I am pleased with Darmian. As you can see, he can play left and right.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blind is clearly being blooded as an out and out utility player who can easily be deployed as a CB, CM, or LB. Can't really find any fault with his CB performances so far. He's been one of our better defenders alongside Darmian.

 

[Escobar]

He is overrating him big time imo. He will play him for a couple of games until he realizes he's not a CB at all. He should compete against Shaw for the LB position or back to Carrick / Schweinsteiger

 

[jb8521]

I know its pre season and doesnt matter but it amazes me how so many people ignore the fact that Blind was pulled at least 20 yards out of position for 3 of the 4 goals we conceded in pre season and could easily have conceded 2 penalties for diving in in the box yet people still talk about Jones getting dragged too far forward for the goal we conceded against West Brom last year and call Jones reckless for his tendency to dive in but praise Blind's composure and tactical awareness.

 

[Raoul]

He is overrating him big time imo. He will play him for a couple of games until he realizes he's not a CB at all. He should compete against Shaw for the LB position or back to Carrick / Schweinsteiger

The LB is Shaw's position, so Blind isn't going to play there unless Luke gets injured (which let's face it, is quite possible). Darmian is also capable of playing there. Blind is clearly being lined up as a utility player who can cover at 3 different positions.

 

[SkeppyRed]

Blind is obviously inexperienced in that position. However that can change and he does have lots of defensive qualities that can be useful as a CH, particularly if placed next to someone who has the pace to cover him and also compete aerially.

Listening to LVG i'm pleased to hear he see's Blind in that position to help us build from the back, which is what we need to play an attacking style.

Unlike Smalling and Jones, Blind is actually a capable passer who can get the ball into the feet of the midfield/attacking players quicker. Something we lacked last season and which stopped us from starting attacks far too often.

 

[SkeppyRed]

I know its pre season and doesnt matter but it amazes me how so many people ignore the fact that Blind was pulled at least 20 yards out of position for 3 of the 4 goals we conceded in pre season and could easily have conceded 2 penalties for diving in in the box yet people still talk about Jones getting dragged too far forward for the goal we conceded against West Brom last year and call Jones reckless for his tendency to dive in but praise Blind's composure and tactical awareness.

His positioning can improve with experience though. He's an intelligent player, something you need as a defender and something I think we lack.