Just came to check on how Blind is doing, finished the Blind vid with my morning coffee, how lovely. Thx lads 
17
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 17
- Clean sheets
- 12
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 2
- Status
Come on, there are plenty of examples in which his lack of defensive skills are easy to see. Just watch the highlight video of match vs West Ham which we lost 3-2 in may 2016. Horrible marking at the first goal, allowing his man to score. Then at the second goal, Blind is snoozing around behind our defensive line, cancelling offside for 5 West Ham players and they score. Then, at the 3-0 he lets his man get in front of him and head in the 3-2.
Or the Tottenham match a month before that. 1-0, Blind totally neglects Alli, who easily walks away from him and taps in the cross. The 3-0, he is marking Lamela, gets nowhere near him as Lamela walks into the box and hits a cross into the bottom corner.
Or the Watford match a month before that, in which he made 2 errors that caused a direct opportunity for Watford. First passing into the foot of Ighalo, who could break clear but did not produce a decent shot. Then getting easily pushed over by Ighalo at the sideline, allowing him to break clear, only to have Fosu-Mensah get back to him to turn on the pressure so he can't get in a good shot.
Squawka has Blind on 4 defensive errors leading to a scoring opportunity that season. 4 times as much as any other squad player. And that does not include the marking errors named above.
The asswhooping we got from Chelsea last season also started at Blind. The 1-0 at the start of the game. Blind sleeping again, walking around a good bit behind our defensive line with Pedro in his back, who just easily runs away from him. Both Smalling and Blind both look very bad in that situation, but it's easy to see it all starts at Blinds error in positioning and the fact that he totally lost Pedro. Smalling should be able to trust that Blind is holding the same line as him, which was not the case.
From the starting 11 at the first PL match (in absence of Smalling), dropped to 5th choice as Rojo and Jones got ahead of him. From first replacement for Shaw, dropped to only playing the weaker opponents while Darmian got chosen against the stronger sides. It's clear that Mourinho rates Blind as a liability in defence but acknowledges he is much better in possesion than Darmian, playing him only in games in which we own our opponents.
Blind has also had countless flawless games at centre half. As mentioned, he has made mistakes, but very rarely does he suffer simply because a forward is bigger and stronger than him. He has dealt with many of those well in his time here.
Just came to check on how Blind is doing, finished the Blind vid with my morning coffee, how lovely. Thx lads
Nice to see Ajax supporters joining the Caf. Provides great insight on Blind under Mourinho, whose football ideals are generally considered to oppose those of Cruijff.
I've also always wanted to ask this: will/can/should Guardiola manage Ajax one day?
I think you know the answer to that question, chances of that happening is close to 0%
Nice to see Ajax supporters joining the Caf. Provides great insight on Blind under Mourinho, whose football ideals are generally considered to oppose those of Cruijff.
I've also always wanted to ask this: will/can/should Guardiola manage Ajax one day?
Ajax's run to the EL final last season was a miracle in itself. Our league is too small, our country too small to be able to seriously compete with the big guys. Unfortunately, 1995 won't happen anytime soon again.
As for Blind under Mourinho. I'm surprised at how much game time he gets, must mean Mourinho does value Blind's role in the team. Being the versatile and reliable player that he is.
Put him wherever, people would not be satisfied mainly due to his lack of pace.
I see him as our new John O'Shea. Blind won't be starting when Jose's puzzle is complete, but he is still useful to have around. No doubt.
I see him as our new John O'Shea. Blind won't be starting when Jose's puzzle is complete, but he is still useful to have around. No doubt.
Think he had an OK performance . Not good or great. West Ham hardly threatened us, so he did not have a lot of defending to do, but he messed up the few opportunities he had to put in a good cross. I am judging the performance based mostly on these misplaced crosses, because defensively, he did not have much to do.
I really like Blind but I feel he could have done better. He needs to practise crossing the ball because he will mostly be used as an LB. One thing I like about him is that, despite his lack of pace, he is always available for the overlap and supports the left winger very vell.
I really like Blind but I feel he could have done better. He needs to practise crossing the ball because he will mostly be used as an LB. One thing I like about him is that, despite his lack of pace, he is always available for the overlap and supports the left winger very vell.
Swansea 0:4 Man Utd
I've defended him in the past but he's been abysmal in the first half. Though the team has been pedestrian.
Frustrating first half and not really encouraging signs in second. I don't know how he manages to misplace so many passes, and I'm speaking of simple ones, not some Hollywood splitting passes. Really can't wait for Shaw to come back.
Average player only still at the club due to our lack of options at LB. I long for the day we see a proper LB playing for us, the improvement in our play will be markedly noticeable.
With the criticism Blind gets, I can only conclude that Valencia gets away with murder from our supporters. Literally no better from that side.
Abysmal in the pre season. Abysmal in the two games he has played. His distribution is so so poor. Every time he's near the ball i shit myself a little. I mean, he's known for his passing. Wtf happened?
His passing ability and positional sense are the only reasons why he's ever been considered good enough for utd, at the moment though it's looking like these aren't exactly strengths of his anymore
The hate for this guy is ridiculous
More so that some players get shit on when plenty of others are doing nothing superior.
I have no problem when one player is dramatically worse than the rest but all of our players have found it tough today and you have to take that into context.
It really isn't "hate". There's literally not a redeeming quality on display as of late.
You must hate a lot of our players today.
How about our goal? Can anyone else in our squad put in a ball like that?
A good player going through a shaky patch at the moment.
I swear this is the player who has stepped up during every injury crisis therefore playing in every cup final we have won ever since he got here? Not only that he set up the goal right in front of people's eyes.
No need to compare him to a vital player in the squad when
A) he isn't playing in his natural position
B) he is currently better and available more than every LB we have.
The hatred for him is irrational and idiotic. Why fans want our players to do badly I cannot understand.
I'm starting to laugh at it. Valencia performs no better and you never see this stuff said against him.
But Valencia is quick...
Valencia is definitely nowhere near as good as some like to claim nor is he an attacking fullback like some like to claim. Regarding Valencia its like people have never seen an actual attacking fullback play.
Blind is a good player and just another people will always shit on for anything because he doesn't fit the likeable mould of being strong and fast. Blind makes a mistake or has a bad day he'll be ripped into. Bailly plays with his head all over the shop and no one cares because he is strong and fast and so amazeballs.
Solid game, surprised to see so much criticism. Valencia was the off player today, all their dangerous crosses came from his side.
I'm actually a fan of Blind and there's a post supporting him against the flak earlier this week. But he's been poor since pre season and today he's running out of currency therefore I called it out.
Nonetheless, I believe it's just poor form and I am hoping he plays himself out of it. I don't hate him at all and think he's a better option than the wishful thinking of Shaw coming back and becoming the new Carlos as some suppose.
Other players being poor will be called out in their own thread.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Blind playing so high up the pitch. Usually its Valencia bombing down the wing with the LB playing more conservatively, but Blind was playing like a winger today.
This is what I noticed - he is almost playing as a LM with matic dropping deep to cover between him and jpnes.
It makes sense to be fair. Right side with Valencia is much better at getting back to defend that anything offensive.
Great player to have in the squad but I just don't fancy him or Darmian being our first choice left-back
It's an area we need addressing If Shaw can't get himself fit.
It's an area we need addressing If Shaw can't get himself fit.
He had some decent link up with Mkhi and Rashford in the first half, I still think he's a much better CB than a LB.
Blind was solid defensively today, but he's still best as a squad player that can eat minutes at both CB and LB rather than a consistent starting XI player at either spot. Happy to have him though.
Not impressed by him today/recently, but just going through a rough patch.
I do think this is the most obvious position that needs strengthening.
I do think this is the most obvious position that needs strengthening.
Agree. I'm happy with Blind as a backup there but he's not good enough to be first choice.
Very good today, pressing, making interceptions, passing...he did it all. He's cementing that LB spot as It stands.
Had a much better second half and was key for the goal in the first half. Don't see how that is abysmal but okay
I must admit that I'm surprised as well, but I rate Blind very highly so I guess I shouldn't be. It's just Blind is not what you picture a Mourinho defender to be; physique wise.
I think he's a fabulous player but I reckon that he's only getting game time due to José not really rating our other options as highly rather than regarding him as a good enough player to start in his ideal team, which is fair enough.
Granted, he's had a rocky start to this season but I'm glad we have him as he's a great option. Today, though, I thought he was good. At times he was quite isolated down the left and still came out on top.
Would be starting CB for some of the top 6
Great squad player but in the context of the team starting 11, he can be upgraded. I love Mata but again, he's the same. This is the next level when playing the top teams domestically and in Europe.
Frustrating that when he crosses it hits the first man even when he has plenty of time to deliver. I think if we get a better LB, (or Shaw fit) he becomes a true squad player who fits in where needed. Nothing wrong with that btw.
Good player but can't see him our main LB through the season.
- Status