[noodlehair]

Pfft, well I didn't even think United played badly so I'm hardly going to think Blind put in the worst United player performance ever as well.

Standards have lowered even since the LVG days if that now doesn't count as a bad performance. I mean, we made 10 changes and you can argue we have more important games coming up, but I struggle to think of any player who was better than 5/10 yesterday. A good few of them were lurking around the 3/10 mark.

He's not a midfielder anymore & been ages since he played there. You can't just pick that stuff up overnight especially since he isn't our main midfielder so I doubt he even got to practice there in training all that much either.

He is a good player playing under a manager that doesn't understand his game & doesn't utilise that type of player.

So what is he then if he isn't a midfielder? He's not a fullback, and he's not a centreback, and now he's not a midfielder.

He's like the anti John O'Shea...equally incapable of playing in every position on the pitch.

He has this amazing ability this season to turn any situation in a game where the ball is near him, into a problem for his own team. Yesterday all he really did was turn it up a notch.

If he needs a specific manager ad type of football to play well, then that really doesn't say much for him, and if him playing well is how he played under LVG, then that doesn't say much either.

Just reading back thorough the thread and it seems some have lost their minds, talking as though we should build a team round him. Coming up with really strange ways of trying to show how he is just a misunderstood genius.

The guy is slow as treacle and is Dutch, so he's basically been given this tag as a technician. He's fecking average on the ball. His passing is so inconsistent, especially when trying something remotely progressive. I can believe the rumours about players complaining about service from him.

It's just weird isn't it? Not only that, but we had this whole "tactically aware" myth about him, but in reality he has to be among the worst players we have in his reading of the game. He spends the whole game just chasing the ball around, in situations where it's obvious he is never going to get anywhere near it. Teams constantly just play their way around him with absolute ease. It happened yesterday, it happens whenever he plays at centreback. He has no understanding at all of how to read the game and know when to commit himself.

This season he's been absolutely awful every time he's played, which is now in three different positions. You have claims that before, he was some kind of maestro who could and used to dictate our whole game. When did this ever happen? He played at centreback under LVG and used to regularly cost us goals, and we were shite. Even if he was one of the better players (he wasn't), it wasn't good enough.

A horrendous evening for Blind besides the tackle to save a certain goal.

Which again, if it had ended in a goal, would have been entirely his fault anyway.

 

[Rossa]

Do you think Pogba, McTominay, Lindelof, Rojo and Darmian were good defensively yesterday? Blind was playing alongside a young player and Pogba who is often far up the pitch, and then a defence where at least 3 of them were very suspect. He wasnt particularly good but neither were the rest. But its just typical to blame 1 person who is unfashionable at the time. I guess Smalling wasnt on the pitch so its Blind's turn

Last time I checked, this is the Blind thread, right? I believe I wrote about Darmian and his "efforts" in the Darmian thread. Blind was absolutely shocking yesterday, and he is a liability no matter the position he plays in. He wasn't particularly good? He was downright abysmal.

 

[MAME DIOUF 32]

He's total crap. He was decent under van Gaal because he's good on the ball and we had so much possession. Put him under pressure and his limitations are exposed. He's the Dutch O'Shea, and that's not a comparison I make lightly.

 

[edgar allan]

He's like the anti John O'Shea...equally incapable of playing in every position on the pitch.

Take a bow sir!!

 

[breakout67]

Blind seems to have a cult following like Martial and Shaw. They act as if he is the Nikola Tesla of football, that can move the ball with his mind due to his extreme 'football intelligence'.

He was the holding midfielder in that game, and has greater defensive responsibility than the midfielders further up the pitch. Matic shows a far greater manipulation of space than him and his decision making bails us out of dangerous situations every game. Blind has nowhere near the required level of stamina or physical presence, and his decision making is also not up to standard.

 

[MAME DIOUF 32]

Take a bow sir!!

That makes him the modern day O'Shea, not the anti-O'Shea.

The amount of revisionism that goes on around O'Shea is incredible. He's the worst first team player I've seen at United in my lifetime and his move to Sunderland has proven beyond all doubt that he got away with it at United because the team was good.

 

[Robindinho]

How is it possible for someone to walk quicker than they can run?

 

[Ashley R1+O]

Sounds like agenda blaming to me. No, Blind isnt running back like a madman and closing people down properly. Neither did 3 of our defenders and the 2 other midfielders. So that makes 6 of them.

And what agenda would that be? The "he's the most experienced leader who is playing at the base, anchoring the midfield in this game so he probably shouldn't go pressing in the opponents half to try valiantly to close players down like a headless chicken" agenda? Seem's like a rather acute and specific agenda to be prosecuting, don't you think?

 

[Antonedwin]

So what is he then if he isn't a midfielder? He's not a fullback, and he's not a centreback, and now he's not a midfielder.

He's like the anti John O'Shea...equally incapable of playing in every position on the pitch.

He has this amazing ability this season to turn any situation in a game where the ball is near him, into a problem for his own team. Yesterday all he really did was turn it up a notch.

If he needs a specific manager ad type of football to play well, then that really doesn't say much for him, and if him playing well is how he played under LVG, then that doesn't say much either.


.

surprised how jose seems to know better about football than some people here who keep on screaming that he should play DM eh ?

"He might be slow , but he could pick a pass, he looks intelligent , he could be our next carrick , let's play him as DM !"

when he played as DM , leicester beat us 5-3 , dortmund ( on pre season ) beat us 4-1 and now we got tw*tted by bristol city , enough of bs blind as DM

Jack of No Trade, Master of None

 

[SpyLuke10]

Terrible midfielder, terrible left back, half decent centre back (I don't like seeing him play anywhere other than at centre back). Overall not good enough to have a future at the club beyond this season. I only even remotely trust him when he is playing as a centre back in a back 3/5. He is a backup centre back at best. Too slow, can't defend 1 v 1, sell him off. Lindelof can't defend 1 v 1 either but he just arrived, is younger, and is far better in some other attributes like pace.

 

[ti vu]

The thing that let's him down is his concentration / tracking of runners, which is strange as at CB he was a really good marker.

Against Bristol though he was awful in that regard, he struggled with knowing when to mark a man or screen. So many times he let players run passed him off the ball, the only reason he made that "great tackle" was because he let the midfielder run passed him in the first place, so he had to quickly follow him.

he's got the technique to play as a midfielder but lacks other qualities. Unfortunately for him I think his time here is numbered, he's 2nd/3rd choice in all his positions, and I don't really trust him anymore.

He and Darmian need to be sold and replaced.

As defender you can try to outsmart opposition by playing offside trap. Also Blind role as CB under LVG was to sweep as last stop. Everything was in front of him. At times he made weird decision and played everyone onside.

As midfielder it's harder. You can't rely on offside trap which opposition forwards can drop back and hide in your shadow. You can't just let ball carrier continue to push on as they can always pass to the forward. Blind doesn't have the pace & intensity to close down quick enough. Ajax has the style tailor made for him, yet he didn't really establish himself as midfielder, let alone PL, where opposition can be fierce runner, which is too quick for him.

 

[roonster09]

As defender you can try to outsmart opposition by playing offside trap. Also Blind role as CB under LVG was to sweep as last stop. Everything was in front of him. At times he made weird decision and played everyone inside.

As midfielder it's harder. You can't rely on offside trap which opposition forwards can drop back and hide in your shadow. Ajax has the style tailor made for him, yet he didn't really establish himself as midfielder, let alone PL, where opposition can be fierce runner, which is too quick for him.

Not strictly true. We have seen so many times Blind leaving CB spot and closing down some player with Smalling covering the position or playing as lone CB. It was tactical, we played more of man to man marking under Van Gaal, so CB's left their position to close down.

Even Jose said the same in one of his interview when he took over.

“We are also trying to switch to zonal marking and that is also difficult if you have had two years of man-to-man. My central defenders have been chasing the opponent even when he goes 15 or 20 metres back down the pitch. I am not saying that system is wrong, I am simply saying it is not my way to do it. I keep telling the players we play zonal now, you don’t follow the man and that way we stay compact as a team, but I only have a short time to change ideas that have been put in over two years.

Edit: Overall I agree, Blind shouldn't be a midfielder.

 

[ti vu]

Not strictly true. We have seen so many times Blind leaving CB spot and closing down some player with Smalling covering the position or playing as lone CB. It was tactical, we played more of man to man marking under Van Gaal, so CB's left their position to close down.

Even Jose said the same in one of his interview when he took over.

I am talking about general. Blind did push up at time, however Smalling was often the one since he is better and more capable. It's easy to notice even for YouTube video (which doesn't always tells the whole story) of Smalling.

 

[roonster09]

I am talking about general. Blind did push up at time, however Smalling was often the one since he is better and more capable. It's easy to notice even for YouTube video (which doesn't always tells the whole story) of Smalling.

I don't think it's one or the other, they had fixed zone or played and they followed according to that. I have seen Blind doing plenty of times and posters on CAF moaning that Blind lacked positional sense when it was obvious it was the way Van Gaal asked team to defend.

 

[ti vu]

I don't think it's one or the other, they had fixed zone or played and they followed according to that. I have seen Blind doing plenty of times and posters on CAF moaning that Blind lacked positional sense when it was obvious it was the way Van Gaal asked team to defend.

Under Mourinho is it was fixed zone. Under LVG it all over the play as man marking means that you follow your mark everywhere. Valencia in the FA Cup game vs Arsenal follow Sanchez running even to our left side of the pitch.

Smalling own goal vs Everton in FA Cup the following year he was following Lukaku to the left side and miskilled. Notice Blind while man marking often keep a long distance from his mark while Smalling more often than not stuck on his mark.

 

[edgar allan]

That makes him the modern day O'Shea, not the anti-O'Shea.

The amount of revisionism that goes on around O'Shea is incredible. He's the worst first team player I've seen at United in my lifetime and his move to Sunderland has proven beyond all doubt that he got away with it at United because the team was good.

He makes Blind look like Roy Keane.

He may not have been the most skilled player we ever had but his commitment on the pitch is in stark contrast to some of the players we have now.

 

[roonster09]

Under Mourinho is it was fixed zone. Under LVG it all over the play as man marking means that you follow your mark everywhere. Valencia in the FA Cup game vs Arsenal follow Sanchez running even to our left side of the pitch.

Smalling own goal vs Everton in FA Cup the following year he was following Lukaku to the left side and miskilled. Notice Blind while man marking often keep a long distance from his mark while Smalling more often than not stuck on his mark.

Yeah, that's what I posted. Now we have changed the defensive system. It's more zonal now.

I agree with the general point raised. Playing as CB and playing nice passes is different from playing as midfielder.

 

[Escobar]

Should be his last season really

 

[Ekeke]

And what agenda would that be? The "he's the most experienced leader who is playing at the base, anchoring the midfield in this game so he probably shouldn't go pressing in the opponents half to try valiantly to close players down like a headless chicken" agenda? Seem's like a rather acute and specific agenda to be prosecuting, don't you think?

The - it must be his fault because I dont like him and prefer the other players who were also to blame, agenda

 

[Ekeke]

Last time I checked, this is the Blind thread, right? I believe I wrote about Darmian and his "efforts" in the Darmian thread. Blind was absolutely shocking yesterday, and he is a liability no matter the position he plays in. He wasn't particularly good? He was downright abysmal.

Can you not answer the question in the Daley Blind thread or something? I dont remember reading that in the rules of the thread.

 

[Adam-Utd]

As defender you can try to outsmart opposition by playing offside trap. Also Blind role as CB under LVG was to sweep as last stop. Everything was in front of him. At times he made weird decision and played everyone onside.

As midfielder it's harder. You can't rely on offside trap which opposition forwards can drop back and hide in your shadow. You can't just let ball carrier continue to push on as they can always pass to the forward. Blind doesn't have the pace & intensity to close down quick enough. Ajax has the style tailor made for him, yet he didn't really establish himself as midfielder, let alone PL, where opposition can be fierce runner, which is too quick for him.

It's not even about pace, he just switches off. He ball watches and let's the man run behind him, he needs to realise in that position you need to follow your man until they run into the centre backs, then you can pass him on and go back to shielding space.

 

[Ekeke]

It's not even about pace, he just switches off. He ball watches and let's the man run behind him, he needs to realise in that position you need to follow your man until they run into the centre backs, then you can pass him on and go back to shielding space.

So the same thing as Pogba, McTominay, Fellaini - even Carrick has let people run when he should have tracked them, though of course he is better at it than Blind. And yet Blind did exactly this to stop a sure-fire goal in the match he's being discredited in. And he also did it several times when he was playing CM in his first season for us.

 

[Rossa]

Can you not answer the question in the Daley Blind thread or something? I dont remember reading that in the rules of the thread.

Of course I can, but I always find it fascinating how you can excuse one players crap performance because other players were also bad? To answer your question: Pogba was terrible, and he takes far too long on the ball and loses it too much. Darmian, well I wrote about Darmian in the Darmian thread, and he is just about useless. McTominay had his worst game for us, and it was bad, but he is young and learning. Did anyone really have a good game? Blind has been woeful for a while now. I support most of our players to the hilt, but Blind and Darmian need replacing.

Blind has been terrible for a good while now, and he isn't a versatile player because he doesn't perform well in any position. Young is versatile because he can actually deliver good performances out left wide and in both fullback positions. Blind is a terrible left back, an awful centre back and an even worse central midfielder. Soon people will have him play as a striker. He has no qualities that stand out, but he does have quite a few that impair his game, most of them related to his lack of physical abilities.

 

[Adam-Utd]

So the same thing as Pogba, McTominay, Fellaini - even Carrick has let people run when he should have tracked them, though of course he is better at it than Blind. And yet Blind did exactly this to stop a sure-fire goal in the match he's being discredited in. And he also did it several times when he was playing CM in his first season for us.

You do realise that was Blinds player in the first place that he let run off him? If he didn't screw up in the first place that wouldn't have happened.

 

[Ekeke]

You do realise that was Blinds player in the first place that he let run off him? If he didn't screw up in the first place that wouldn't have happened.

If we had the ball he couldnt have lost his player. How far back do you want to go? The players who kicked off?

 

[Ekeke]

Of course I can, but I always find it fascinating how you can excuse one players crap performance because other players were also bad? To answer your question: Pogba was terrible, and he takes far too long on the ball and loses it too much. Darmian, well I wrote about Darmian in the Darmian thread, and he is just about useless. McTominay had his worst game for us, and it was bad, but he is young and learning. Did anyone really have a good game? Blind has been woeful for a while now. I support most of our players to the hilt, but Blind and Darmian need replacing.

Blind has been terrible for a good while now, and he isn't a versatile player because he doesn't perform well in any position. Young is versatile because he can actually deliver good performances out left wide and in both fullback positions. Blind is a terrible left back, an awful centre back and an even worse central midfielder. Soon people will have him play as a striker. He has no qualities that stand out, but he does have quite a few that impair his game, most of them related to his lack of physical abilities.

He did a decent job in CM in his first season and a decent job at CB. I agree he's been poor at left back for the last few years

 

[Ashley R1+O]

The - it must be his fault because I dont like him and prefer the other players who were also to blame, agenda

I made a point entirely focused around his individual decision making in that particular 30 second scenario when we conceded. Some others here seem to agree with the wider general narrative that his decision making and one vs one defending can be very sketchy at times.

If you want to take it personal on behalf of the player then you can continue to live in that bubble where you see every minor comment as an agenda.

 

[Ekeke]

I made a point entirely focused around his individual decision making in that particular 30 second scenario when we conceded. Some others here seem to agree with the wider general narrative that his decision making and one vs one defending can be very sketchy at times.

If you want to take it personal on behalf of the player then you can continue to live in that bubble where you see every minor comment as an agenda.

An individual decision, among a bunch of other more important poor individual decisions from our players that led to a goal. You picked him out, not me.

 

[Home&Away]

Lindelof isn't a RB to many yet Blind is a LB. That's just unfair and wrong.

"Victor can play right back and can play central midfield.

“It is a very specific position on the pitch and he needs time.

- Jose mourinho

This is the exactly the same thing as blind who is a ball playing CB who should be treated as one; yet the blind eye to him never playing his proper position is confusing.

We all know that Lindelof is better in a back 3, so is blind. Blind is a better LB than Lindelof is at RB.

This 'very specific position' I'm sure this is the central CB who playmakes from deeps & occasionally moves in to CDM or drops back in to defence to add an additional man to make a back 3 only when needed; this allows us not to be too defensive when playing 352.

Across the the defensive line there is hardly a 'special position' except the position of the CDM/CB hybrid player. Why isn't Blind allowed to play this special position?

As usual favouritism of our manager to certain types of players.

Blind is better than Lindelof & I hope he goes to a club where I can see him appreciated for his ability & hopefully flourish.

 

[Jaybomb]

Blind always struck me as a Barcelona player.

 

[Bastian]

@Home&Away
Hope so too, and that we get 20+ million for him to spend.
Neither can play full back without our balance being in a funk. Lindelof though I still hope will turn out a good centre back. There is no position for Blind in this team.

 

[Home&Away]

@Home&Away
Hope so too, and that we get 20+ million for him to spend.
Neither can play full back without our balance being in a funk. Lindelof though I still hope will turn out a good centre back. There is no position for Blind in this team.

Fair enough - I have yet to see anything that Lindelof has done that says he is going to be a much much better CB than blind in the next 2-3 years; Instead he has taken a youngsters spot. This 'special position' as well has blind's name written all over it; from the experience, the type of mentality, technique, vision, passing ability, the type of defensive technique required to shield the defence & find the gaps in the defence to fall back is something he does naturally as he looks around.

Shame really - I'd actually like to see him in the PL at a club that plays 3 at the back if it's not ours; he is a class act & one of the most interesting defenders to watch.

 

[dichinero]

Blind always struck me as a Barcelona player.

Easy to see why

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

I don't think he's done much wrong in the appearances he's made. No future here though. Bailly, Smalling, Jones, Rojo are all better at CB and any team playing Blind at LB is going to win feck all.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

I kind of trust him more than Rojo as a LCB in a back 3. Rojo has at least one moment of madness in him every game.

 

[Kostur]

Lindelof isn't a RB to many yet Blind is a LB. That's just unfair and wrong.

Well that's not entirely true though given that Blind has played plenty games as a LB even for the Oranje, not sure whether Lindeloef has for Sweden. IMO Blind's best position is LB too.

 

[Home&Away]

Well that's not entirely true though given that Blind has played plenty games as a LB even for the Oranje, not sure whether Lindeloef has for Sweden. IMO Blind's best position is LB too.

That's fine but I find his best performances coupled with his cup winning performances of our team has come with him at CB.
Even when LVG recently said that he should go to Barcelona where they would appreciate him more; I highly doubt he would be there LB if that was ever supposed to happen.

Blind is a weird case & called a jack of all trades & master of none - which is not true; his position is actually a cumulative position of all the ones he is able to play; he is a CB/CDM player with the ability to drop in to midfield or defence only when needed & he is purely a LB because of his ability on the left foot & not much else.

In the 4321 thread I wrote a post about the 352 & how Lingard made part of the attack & defense effective because he ultimately played as a CAM/CF; playing as a CAM who picks spaces inbetween the 2strikers when on the attack giving us a fluid front 3 only when required. When we were defending Lingard would push forward as the furthest forward applying pressure. Lingard played as as the only forward when defending high up the pitch & an extra forward from Am when attacking.

Likewise when playing 3CB's what we need is 2 CB's & one CDM that purely drops inbetween the gaps inbetween the defenders to make a back 3 only when we need the extra man in defence & then this is also the guy who can bring the ball up to midfield(playing as furthest upfield defender as much as Lingard played as the furthest forward striker applying pressure on the defence).

Its this type of player instead of a sweeper that sticks in one position which would allow the 352 to go to 532 in defence and up to 235 in attack - we saw thus with our wingbacks easily part of our attack & scoring.

It's a shame if blind is sold & Lindelof is given a free ride at that role if that is the 'special role in defence' Jose talked about because everything blind does is naturally suited to that role & right now he is better at being able to do that that Lindelof.

Only Dier, Blind, possibly a younger bonnuci & Lindelof can play that role - shame to give him up after not trying him at all.

 

[Bastian]

Fair enough - I have yet to see anything that Lindelof has done that says he is going to be a much much better CB than blind in the next 2-3 years; Instead he has taken a youngsters spot. This 'special position' as well has blind's name written all over it; from the experience, the type of mentality, technique, vision, passing ability, the type of defensive technique required to shield the defence & find the gaps in the defence to fall back is something he does naturally as he looks around.

Shame really - I'd actually like to see him in the PL at a club that plays 3 at the back if it's not ours; he is a class act & one of the most interesting defenders to watch.

I'm not really trying to sell that Lindelof will be a great purchase, I hope so, but I suspect he'll prove no better than Smalling or Jones. I do think he is much better in the air than Blind but not as good on the ball. He's also quicker. Blind I think could be good for most possession-based sides, which is not us I'm afraid. As it is, he's one of the few players we've got that we don't need but could still fetch a decent price, and then I remember that he's out of contract in the summer right?

 

[Home&Away]

I'm not really trying to sell that Lindelof will be a great purchase, I hope so, but I suspect he'll prove no better than Smalling or Jones. I do think he is much better in the air than Blind but not as good on the ball. He's also quicker. Blind I think could be good for most possession-based sides, which is not us I'm afraid. As it is, he's one of the few players we've got that we don't need but could still fetch a decent price, and then I remember that he's out of contract in the summer right?

I'm not particularly sure about his contract - I just think selling certain players that have had their plenty share of good games is steppinpg on mud only because we have yet to find our best formation.

If Jose does believe that 4231 is the best; more players than just blind are in trouble in not being able to meet expectations; players who might be more favoured as of now.

Play 352, players like Blind & Lindelof become invaluable.

 

[Scholsey2004]

Blind always struck me as a Barcelona player.

New Puyol for them perhaps?