[Sammyjunn]

Do you even understand offside trap?

Do you realize how far the pushed up defens line was when how fast the situation is? The tactic (offside trap, pressuring shooter) is there for situation like this.

Ofcourse I do, but you arent reading what I say I think. He made a mistake, fine, but that doesnt mean the others should stop defending and let him figure it our 2vs1, so close to the goal. More mistakes were made prior to that as well, so singling out seems weird to me.

 

[ti vu]

Ofcourse I do, but you arent reading what I say I think. He made a mistake, fine, but that doesnt mean the others should stop defending and let him figure it our 2vs1, so close to the goal. More mistakes were made prior to that as well, so singling out seems weird to me.

Did you read the second part of my post ever? Noone from stand still position can recover that much of space in that situation after having to turning their head from the other direction. And last but not least, psychological part of the situation where they don't understand how possible Anderlect players were onside when they doing their job (pushing up and having not seen any Anderlect player level or in front of them when facing away from their own goal).

Our other player were sloppy but they have some positive in this same game. Blind came on & almost all over the place almost immediate with no saving quality

 

[Special_One]

Maybe not but you have to be pretty good to play for Manchester United which Blind isn't.

Right. So a completely irrelevant point to you original post, well done.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

Right. So a completely irrelevant point to you original post, well done.

Well no. I said Blind was too slow to play DM which showed quite a bit in his first season and that was why he was eventually moved from that position. I simply added that it may just be that he probably isn't good enough either.

 

[antohan]

Maybe not but you have to be pretty good to play for Manchester United which Blind isn't.

That pass for Fellaini's assist. That's what a CB that's brilliant on the ball brings to the table. I'm not advocating he starts all the time, but at present we have nobody else capable of doing that across our backline.

 

[Lawman]

That pass for Fellaini's assist. That's what a CB that's brilliant on the ball brings to the table. I'm not advocating he starts all the time, but at present we have nobody else capable of doing that across our backline.

But he gives atleast one chance away every game he plays hes pretty ropey. Keep him away from centre half.

 

[Home&Away]

Easy to see why the lovers love him and the haters hate.

Personally I think he brings something different to the table and as long as he is used for these purposes then everyone should be happy. He settled down in the game the longer he got to play in that position.

 

[TheReligion]

He did fine

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Never knows where to be, but good lord he can pass a ball around. He is both our best and worst centre back.

 

[Ban]

Had few shockers in the 1st half, better in the second. Once he came in we looked a lot more shaky in defense.

 

[ivaldo]

Barely played there this season. Is it any wonder it took him a few minutes to find his way into the game? Once he settled he was very good. Didn't miss a header and used the ball well.

 

[Garethw]

Barely played there this season. Is it any wonder it took him a few minutes to find his way into the game? Once he settled he was very good. Didn't miss a header and used the ball well.

Agreed. Once he settled he looked good.

 

[Scarecrow]

He did good in the second, as I expected.

Coming on in the middle of the first half, as a central defender, not having played in months in that position, no warm-up or instructions, while the team is playing like shit it really isn't shocking that he wasn't synchronized with the rest of the line. Honestly, if anyone's mistake can be excused, it's his.

 

[Giggsy92]

Looked like he was trying to his old club a favour when he came on. Improved when Anderlecht stopped threatening though so it's all good.

 

[AR87]

He was fine in the 2nd half once he got to grips with the game. It was hard on him to come in at CB where he hasn't played in months against a team that broke well on the counter.

 

[mu4c_20le]

He was fine in the 2nd half once he got to grips with the game. It was hard on him to come in at CB where he hasn't played in months against a team that broke well on the counter.

You mean when they stopped coming at us. when Fellaini came on, they put someone on to look after him, and they stopped trying to dominate us like they did in the first.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Looked like he was trying to his old club a favour when he came on. Improved when Anderlecht stopped threatening though so it's all good.

He's never played at Anderlecht I think.

 

[ti vu]

That pass for Fellaini's assist. That's what a CB that's brilliant on the ball brings to the table. I'm not advocating he starts all the time, but at present we have nobody else capable of doing that across our backline.

He has that kind of specialty of a long ball, but it's not mandatory for CB. Not even ball playing CB since possession side ain't usually have a target to knock the ball down. In Mourinho set up, his ability to play CB is questionable. We can't offer him enough protection & the tactic Mourinho employed is not suited him for his bizarre positioning discipline.

 

[Kostur]

I'd still blame Shaw as much as Blind for the goal, it's Shaw who was initially playing their winger onside by being behind good two yards.

It was Blind who sent the long ball to Fellaini for the second goal, no?

 

[Giggsy92]

He's never played at Anderlecht I think.

As in, knocking us out would be doing Ajax a favour.

 

[berbatrick]

I saw bits of the 1st half and all of ET. He looked OK. Can't blame him for the goal too much, the clearance was really awkward and he was left 2v1 at the back post for the rebound. Shaw's fault for not putting pressure on the cross and leaving Blind exposed after that.

Bailly looked very poor though, both in the 1st half and in ET. Losing headers, leaving runners.

 

[AR87]

You mean when they stopped coming at us. when Fellaini came on, they put someone on to look after him, and they stopped trying to dominate us like they did in the first.

They stopped coming at us because we controlled the midfield when Fellaini came on. Blind was left exposed far too often in the first half as were our other defenders. I didn't think we looked very much in control even with Rojo at CB to start. Carrick isn't active enough to make a midfield 2 viable.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Tbf subbing a CB is always tricky in the middle of the game. Add that to the fact that Blind has not played as a CB for a long time, a few problems were to be expected.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

I know he made a stupid error for the goal but on this day I would like to appreciate the positives and I thought it was excellent that for our winner they had a guy man marking Carrick and blind saw that and stepped up very nicely in midfield to play the pass to Fellaini.

 

[ZAGREB RED]

Keep saying it, Mourinho doesn't seem to rate him at all, don't know why, always reliable. If he needs to play the rest of the season at CB I wouldn't be the least bit worried.

 

[roonster09]

Mixed game. Looked poor as soon as he came on, losing duels and then playing player onside but as he improved steadily. Still not sure why he kept on hoofing the ball when one of his strength is to retain the ball and play proper pass.

His pass for the goal was very good, only issue I have with his game is, he is very slow to react. When there is a scramble or anything he is very lazy to push higher up.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Think he was fine from the 47th minute going. Cant believe people wanting him sold.

 

[el3mel]

Without knee-jerking please, he's a good back-up option in left flank but he must be away by a mile from the central defense.

He'll never be a starter in any top team but he's a choice for rotation.

 

[izec]

Average player whose level is Southampton. Thats how we played tonight

 

[ti vu]

Mixed game. Looked poor as soon as he came on, losing duels and then playing player onside but as he improved steadily. Still not sure why he kept on hoofing the ball when one of his strength is to retain the ball and play proper pass.

His pass for the goal was very good, only issue I have with his game is, he is very slow to react. When there is a scramble or anything he is very lazy to push higher up.

I believe it's Mourinho's tactic, instruction to push the play away from our half. Once the ball is held up we push the formation then recycling possession. Mourinho's against passing between defenders & GK too much. Carrick ain't asked to pick up ball from the defensive position too much as under previous regimes despite is deepest holding midfielder. Problem with Blind long ball it's more of a ball to flick on than Rojo which gives our players the advantage to take hold and play it back.

Losing duel is not the biggest problem, it's the space leaving and no recovery ability, then the disrupted defensive discipline. Darmian can lose more duel but you know our CB would cover for him & Darmian would slot back into position & maintain defensive shape. He we lost our defensive discipline & all over place in our defensive shape for quite extended period.

 

[Rossa]

Think he was fine from the 47th minute going. Cant believe people wanting him sold.

Wanting? Still want him sold. He is all over the plays positionally and has absolutely no recovery pace. It's like a Beetle at a Formula 1 race, except that he is not even driving on the same track. Twice he played them onside looking half asleep as the rest of the defense was ten yards ahead of him, for the one where Valencia saved his arse.

If people wank about a lofty ball to Fellaini for the second they need their head examined; it was by no means a special pass. It was decent, but great work from Fellaini.

 

[Bojan11]

Did well in second half and extra time. Not sure that was down to Anderlecht stepping off.

But still don't feel he's good enough to be a CB for us.

 

[ivaldo]

Wanting? Still want him sold. He is all over the plays positionally and has absolutely no recovery pace. It's like a Beetle at a Formula 1 race, except that he is not even driving on the same track. Twice he played them onside looking half asleep as the rest of the defense was ten yards ahead of him, for the one where Valencia saved his arse.

If people wank about a lofty ball to Fellaini for the second they need their head examined; it was by no means a special pass. It was decent, but great work from Fellaini.

PACE PACE PACE PACE

 

[OldTrevil]

I'd still blame Shaw as much as Blind for the goal, it's Shaw who was initially playing their winger onside by being behind good two yards.

It was Blind who sent the long ball to Fellaini for the second goal, no?

You're right about Shaw playing the winger offside, his only big error I think, but the situation could have been easily dealt with had Valencia not decided to freeze in his usual blocking stance meters away from the guy who received the ball to have a touch and a uncontested shot at goal.

 

[Rossa]

PACE PACE PACE PACE

Yeah, I mentioned it once. His positioning is his worst trait.

 

[ti vu]

Did well in second half and extra time. Not sure that was down to Anderlecht stepping off.

But still don't feel he's good enough to be a CB for us.

I think Fellaini sub was the needed importance to change the momentum. It added more protection for our back (2 more defensive midfielders & a bit more physicality from Fellaini). So midfield 3 vs midfield 2 (which Mourinho preferred which is also why Blind is not fancied as CB under Mourinho). Carrick also picked up his game in midfield 3 too.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Wanting? Still want him sold. He is all over the plays positionally and has absolutely no recovery pace. It's like a Beetle at a Formula 1 race, except that he is not even driving on the same track. Twice he played them onside looking half asleep as the rest of the defense was ten yards ahead of him, for the one where Valencia saved his arse.

If people wank about a lofty ball to Fellaini for the second they need their head examined; it was by no means a special pass. It was decent, but great work from Fellaini.

He hasnt played CB in a while ans was thrown middle in a game where the backline was shaky already. Stop overreacting. He has shown often enough that he can do a job in multiple positions. He is an useful squad player, never complains and respectful to the club. Give him some time to get to his form.

 

[ivaldo]

Yeah, I mentioned it once. His positioning is his worst trait.

He fecked up as much as Valencia, Shaw and Bailly.

 

[Rossa]

He hasnt played CB in a while ans was thrown middle in a game where the backline was shaky already. Stop overreacting. He has shown often enough that he can do a job in multiple positions. He is an useful squad player, never complains and respectful to the club. Give him some time to get to his form.

Think he has shown time and time again he is a liability at CB. It is no exaggeration that. Decent at lb, but no more.

 

[Rossa]

He fecked up as much as Valencia, Shaw and Bailly.

He managed to feck up a bit more even though it looked like Bailly was trying hard there for a moment. Valencia was not at his best either.

His positioning is woeful though. It's far from the first time he plays people on side, not by a margin but by a country mile.